Directed forgetting of visual symbols: evidence for nonverbal selective rehearsal.

PubMed

Hourihan, Kathleen L; Ozubko, Jason D; MacLeod, Colin M

2009-12-01

Is selective rehearsal possible for nonverbal information? Two experiments addressed this question using the item method directed forgetting paradigm, where the advantage of remember items over forget items is ascribed to selective rehearsal favoring the remember items. In both experiments, difficult-to-name abstract symbols were presented for study, followed by a recognition test. Directed forgetting effects were evident for these symbols, regardless of whether they were or were not spontaneously named. Critically, a directed forgetting effect was observed for unnamed symbols even when the symbols were studied under verbal suppression to prevent verbal rehearsal. This pattern indicates that a form of nonverbal rehearsal can be used strategically (i.e., selectively) to enhance memory, even when verbal rehearsal is not possible.

The earliest direct evidence of frogs in wet tropical forests from Cretaceous Burmese amber.

PubMed

Xing, Lida; Stanley, Edward L; Bai, Ming; Blackburn, David C

2018-06-14

Frogs are a familiar and diverse component of tropical forests around the world. Yet there is little direct evidence from the fossil record for the antiquity of this association. We describe four fossil frog specimens from mid-Cretaceous (~99 mya) amber deposits from Kachin State, Myanmar for which the associated fauna provides rich paleoenvironmental context. Microcomputed tomographic analysis provides detailed three-dimensional anatomy for these small frogs, which is generally unavailable for articulated anurans in the Mesozoic. These crown-group anuran specimens provide the earliest direct evidence for anurans in a wet tropical forest. Based on a distinct combination of skeletal characters, at least one specimen has clear similarities to living alytoid frogs as well as several Mesozoic taxa known from the Jehol Biota in China. Whereas many Mesozoic frogs are from seasonal and mesic paleoenvironments, these fossils provide the earliest direct evidence of anurans in wet tropical forests.

14 CFR 16.223 - Evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... shall be submitted in written form in advance of the oral hearing pursuant to the schedule established in the hearing officer's prehearing conference report. Written direct and rebuttal fact testimony... written testimony and evidence. Except in the case of evidence obtained by subpoena, or in the case of a...

Direct-to-consumer marketing of evidence-based psychological interventions: introduction.

PubMed

Santucci, Lauren C; McHugh, R Kathryn; Barlow, David H

2012-06-01

The dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychological interventions (EBPIs) to service provision settings has been a major challenge. Most efforts to disseminate and implement EBPIs have focused on clinicians and clinical systems as the consumers of these treatments and thus have targeted efforts to these groups. An alternative, complementary approach to achieve more widespread utilization of EBPIs is to disseminate directly to patients themselves. The aim of this special section is to explore several direct-to-consumer (i.e., patient) dissemination and education efforts currently underway. This manuscript highlights the rationale for direct-to-patient dissemination strategies as well as the application of marketing science to dissemination efforts. Achieving greater access to EBPIs will require the use of multiple approaches to overcome the many and varied barriers to successful dissemination and implementation. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Decreased Odds of Injection Risk Behavior Associated With Direct Versus Indirect Use of Syringe Exchange: Evidence From Two California Cities.

PubMed

Behrends, Czarina N; Li, Chin-Shang; Gibson, David R

2017-07-29

While there is substantial evidence that syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are effective in preventing HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID), nearly all the evidence comes from PWID who obtain syringes from an SEP directly. Much less is known about the benefits of secondary exchange to PWID who get syringes indirectly from friends or acquaintances who visit an SEP for them. We evaluated the effectiveness of direct versus indirect syringe exchange in reducing HIV-related high-risk injecting behavior among PWID in two separate studies conducted in Sacramento and San Jose, California, cities with quite different syringe exchange models. In both studies associations between direct and indirect syringe exchange and self-reported risk behavior were examined with multivariable logistic regression models. Study 1 assessed effects of a "satellite" home-delivery syringe exchange in Sacramento, while Study 2 evaluated a conventional fixed-site exchange in San Jose. Multivariable analyses revealed 95% and 69% reductions, respectively, in high-risk injection associated with direct use of the SEPs in Sacramento and San Jose, and a 46% reduction associated with indirect use of the SEP in Sacramento. Conclusions/Importance: The very large effect of direct SEP use in Sacramento was likely due in part to home delivery of sterile syringes. While more modest effects were associated with indirect use, such use nevertheless is valuable in reducing the risk of HIV transmission of PWID who are unable or unwilling to visit a syringe exchange.

Direct evidence from in situ FTIR spectroscopy that o-quinonemethide is a key intermediate during the pyrolysis of guaiacol.

PubMed

Cheng, Hao; Wu, Shubin; Huang, Jinbao; Zhang, Xiaohua

2017-04-01

Although o-quinonemethide (6-methylene-2,4-cyclohexadien-1-one) has been proposed as a key intermediate in char formation during the pyrolysis of guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol), direct evidence of this (e.g., spectroscopic data) has not yet been provided. Using in situ FTIR spectroscopy, the pyrolysis of guaiacol was investigated from 30 °C to 630 °C at 40 °C/min. The IR profiles showed direct evidence of o-quinonemethide production at about 350 °C, which vanished rapidly at around 420 °C in the vapor phase, indicating char formation. In addition, at 400 °C, salicyl aldehyde was observed, which decomposed slowly at about 500 °C. In combination with the known products of guaiacol pyrolysis, these results allowed the major reaction pathways of guaiacol pyrolysis to be discerned. Density functional theory calculations were performed, and the results were found to be in good agreement with the experimentally obtained IR profiles. These findings provide guidance on how to suppress secondary reactions of guaiacol during lignin pyrolysis. Graphical abstract On-line analysis of pyrolysis process of guaiacol using in situ FTIR.

Direct Evidence for Vision-based Control of Flight Speed in Budgerigars.

PubMed

Schiffner, Ingo; Srinivasan, Mandyam V

2015-06-05

We have investigated whether, and, if so, how birds use vision to regulate the speed of their flight. Budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, were filmed in 3-D using high-speed video cameras as they flew along a 25 m tunnel in which stationary or moving vertically oriented black and white stripes were projected on the side walls. We found that the birds increased their flight speed when the stripes were moved in the birds' flight direction, but decreased it only marginally when the stripes were moved in the opposite direction. The results provide the first direct evidence that Budgerigars use cues based on optic flow, to regulate their flight speed. However, unlike the situation in flying insects, it appears that the control of flight speed in Budgerigars is direction-specific. It does not rely solely on cues derived from optic flow, but may also be determined by energy constraints.

Direct Evidence for Vision-based Control of Flight Speed in Budgerigars

PubMed Central

Schiffner, Ingo; Srinivasan, Mandyam V.

2015-01-01

We have investigated whether, and, if so, how birds use vision to regulate the speed of their flight. Budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, were filmed in 3-D using high-speed video cameras as they flew along a 25 m tunnel in which stationary or moving vertically oriented black and white stripes were projected on the side walls. We found that the birds increased their flight speed when the stripes were moved in the birds’ flight direction, but decreased it only marginally when the stripes were moved in the opposite direction. The results provide the first direct evidence that Budgerigars use cues based on optic flow, to regulate their flight speed. However, unlike the situation in flying insects, it appears that the control of flight speed in Budgerigars is direction-specific. It does not rely solely on cues derived from optic flow, but may also be determined by energy constraints. PMID:26046799

Direct real-time neural evidence for task-set inertia.

PubMed

Evans, Lisa H; Herron, Jane E; Wilding, Edward L

2015-03-01

One influential explanation for the costs incurred when switching between tasks is that they reflect interference arising from completing the previous task-known as task-set inertia. We report a novel approach for assessing task-set inertia in a memory experiment using event-related potentials (ERPs). After a study phase, participants completed a test block in which they switched between a memory task (retrieving information from the study phase) and a perceptual task. These tasks alternated every two trials. An ERP index of the retrieval of study information was evident in the memory task. It was also present on the first trial of the perceptual task but was markedly attenuated on the second. Moreover, this task-irrelevant ERP activity was positively correlated with a behavioral cost associated with switching between tasks. This real-time measure of neural activity thus provides direct evidence of task-set inertia, its duration, and the functional role it plays in switch costs. © The Author(s) 2015.

Direct evidence for homologous recombination in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) mitochondrial DNA.

PubMed

Ladoukakis, E D; Zouros, E

2001-07-01

The assumption that animal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) does not undergo homologous recombination is based on indirect evidence, yet it has had an important influence on our understanding of mtDNA repair and mutation accumulation (and thus mitochondrial disease and aging) and on biohistorical inferences made from population data. Recently, several studies have suggested recombination in primate mtDNA on the basis of patterns of frequency distribution and linkage associations of mtDNA mutations in human populations, but others have failed to produce similar evidence. Here, we provide direct evidence for homologous mtDNA recombination in mussels, where heteroplasmy is the rule in males. Our results indicate a high rate of mtDNA recombination. Coupled with the observation that mammalian mitochondria contain the enzymes needed for the catalysis of homologous recombination, these findings suggest that animal mtDNA molecules may recombine regularly and that the extent to which this generates new haplotypes may depend only on the frequency of biparental inheritance of the mitochondrial genome. This generalization must, however, await evidence from animal species with typical maternal mtDNA inheritance.

Direction-Setting School Leadership Practices: A Meta-Analytical Review of Evidence about Their Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Jingping; Leithwood, Kenneth

2015-01-01

This study reviews evidence about the overall influence of direction-setting leadership practices (DSLPs), 1 of 4 major categories of practices included in a widely known conception of effective leadership (e.g., Leithwood & Louis, 2011) and a focus of many other such conceptions, as well. This study also inquires about how direction-setting…

First Evidence of pep Solar Neutrinos by Direct Detection in Borexino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellini, G.; Benziger, J.; Bick, D.; Bonetti, S.; Bonfini, G.; Bravo, D.; Buizza Avanzini, M.; Caccianiga, B.; Cadonati, L.; Calaprice, F.; Carraro, C.; Cavalcante, P.; Chavarria, A.; Chepurnov, A.; D'Angelo, D.; Davini, S.; Derbin, A.; Etenko, A.; Fomenko, K.; Franco, D.; Galbiati, C.; Gazzana, S.; Ghiano, C.; Giammarchi, M.; Goeger-Neff, M.; Goretti, A.; Grandi, L.; Guardincerri, E.; Hardy, S.; Ianni, Aldo; Ianni, Andrea; Korablev, D.; Korga, G.; Koshio, Y.; Kryn, D.; Laubenstein, M.; Lewke, T.; Litvinovich, E.; Loer, B.; Lombardi, F.; Lombardi, P.; Ludhova, L.; Machulin, I.; Manecki, S.; Maneschg, W.; Manuzio, G.; Meindl, Q.; Meroni, E.; Miramonti, L.; Misiaszek, M.; Montanari, D.; Mosteiro, P.; Muratova, V.; Oberauer, L.; Obolensky, M.; Ortica, F.; Otis, K.; Pallavicini, M.; Papp, L.; Perasso, L.; Perasso, S.; Pocar, A.; Quirk, J.; Raghavan, R. S.; Ranucci, G.; Razeto, A.; Re, A.; Romani, A.; Sabelnikov, A.; Saldanha, R.; Salvo, C.; Schönert, S.; Simgen, H.; Skorokhvatov, M.; Smirnov, O.; Sotnikov, A.; Sukhotin, S.; Suvorov, Y.; Tartaglia, R.; Testera, G.; Vignaud, D.; Vogelaar, R. B.; von Feilitzsch, F.; Winter, J.; Wojcik, M.; Wright, A.; Wurm, M.; Xu, J.; Zaimidoroga, O.; Zavatarelli, S.; Zuzel, G.

2012-02-01

We observed, for the first time, solar neutrinos in the 1.0-1.5 MeV energy range. We determined the rate of pep solar neutrino interactions in Borexino to be 3.1±0.6stat±0.3systcounts/(day·100ton). Assuming the pep neutrino flux predicted by the standard solar model, we obtained a constraint on the CNO solar neutrino interaction rate of <7.9counts/(day·100ton) (95% C.L.). The absence of the solar neutrino signal is disfavored at 99.97% C.L., while the absence of the pep signal is disfavored at 98% C.L. The necessary sensitivity was achieved by adopting data analysis techniques for the rejection of cosmogenic C11, the dominant background in the 1-2 MeV region. Assuming the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein large mixing angle solution to solar neutrino oscillations, these values correspond to solar neutrino fluxes of (1.6±0.3)×108cm-2s-1 and <7.7×108cm-2s-1 (95% C.L.), respectively, in agreement with both the high and low metallicity standard solar models. These results represent the first direct evidence of the pep neutrino signal and the strongest constraint of the CNO solar neutrino flux to date.

A new evaluation tool to obtain practice-based evidence of worksite health promotion programs.

PubMed

Dunet, Diane O; Sparling, Phillip B; Hersey, James; Williams-Piehota, Pamela; Hill, Mary D; Hanssen, Carl; Lawrenz, Frances; Reyes, Michele

2008-10-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Swift Worksite Assessment and Translation (SWAT) evaluation method to identify promising practices in worksite health promotion programs. The new method complements research studies and evaluation studies of evidence-based practices that promote healthy weight in working adults. We used nationally recognized program evaluation standards of utility, feasibility, accuracy, and propriety as the foundation for our 5-step method: 1) site identification and selection, 2) site visit, 3) post-visit evaluation of promising practices, 4) evaluation capacity building, and 5) translation and dissemination. An independent, outside evaluation team conducted process and summative evaluations of SWAT to determine its efficacy in providing accurate, useful information and its compliance with evaluation standards. The SWAT evaluation approach is feasible in small and medium-sized workplace settings. The independent evaluation team judged SWAT favorably as an evaluation method, noting among its strengths its systematic and detailed procedures and service orientation. Experts in worksite health promotion evaluation concluded that the data obtained by using this evaluation method were sufficient to allow them to make judgments about promising practices. SWAT is a useful, business-friendly approach to systematic, yet rapid, evaluation that comports with program evaluation standards. The method provides a new tool to obtain practice-based evidence of worksite health promotion programs that help prevent obesity and, more broadly, may advance public health goals for chronic disease prevention and health promotion.

Wind Profiles Obtained with a Molecular Direct Detection Doppler Lidar During IHOP-2002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gentry, Bruce M.; Chen, Huai-Lin; Li, Steven X.; Mathur, Savyasachee; Dobler, Jeremy; Hasselbrack, William; Comer, Joseph

2004-01-01

The Goddard Lidar Observatory for Winds (GLOW) is a mobile direct detection Doppler lidar system which uses the double edge technique to measure the Doppler shift of the molecular backscattered laser signal at a wavelength of 355 nm. In the spring of 2002 GLOW was deployed to the western Oklahoma profiling site (36 deg 33.500 min. N, 100 deg. 36.371 min. W) to participate in the International H2O Project (IHOP). During the IHOP campaign over 240 hours of wind profiles were obtained with the GLOW lidar in support of a variety of scientific investigations.

Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallenbach, Cynthia M.; Frey, Serita D.; Grandy, A. Stuart

2016-11-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes produce chemically diverse, stable SOM. We show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.

Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls.

PubMed

Kallenbach, Cynthia M; Frey, Serita D; Grandy, A Stuart

2016-11-28

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes produce chemically diverse, stable SOM. We show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.

Minimal second language exposure, SES, and early word comprehension: New evidence from a direct assessment*

PubMed Central

Deanda, Stephanie; Arias-Trejo, Natalia; Poulin-Dubois, Diane; Zesiger, Pascal; Friend, Margaret

2015-01-01

Although the extant literature provides robust evidence of the influence of language exposure and socioeconomic status (SES) on language acquisition, it is unknown how sensitive the early receptive vocabulary system is to these factors. The current study investigates effects of minimal second language exposure and SES on the comprehension vocabulary of 16-month-old children in the language in which they receive the greatest exposure. Study 1 revealed minimal second language exposure and SES exert significant and independent effects on a direct measure of vocabulary comprehension in English-dominant and English monolingual children (N = 72). In Study 2, we replicated the effect of minimal second language exposure in Spanish-dominant and Spanish monolingual children (N = 86), however no effect of SES on vocabulary was obtained. Our results emphasize the sensitivity of the language system to minimal changes in the environment in early development. PMID:26957947

Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls

DOE PAGES

Kallenbach, Cynthia M.; Frey, Serita D.; Grandy, A. Stuart

2016-11-28

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes producemore » chemically diverse, stable SOM. As a result, we show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.« less

Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and its ecophysiological controls

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

Kallenbach, Cynthia M.; Frey, Serita D.; Grandy, A. Stuart

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental submicron- to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate feedbacks. Consensus is emerging that microbial materials are an important constituent of stable SOM, and new conceptual and quantitative SOM models are rapidly incorporating this view. However, direct evidence demonstrating that microbial residues account for the chemistry, stability and abundance of SOM is still lacking. Further, emerging models emphasize the stabilization of microbial-derived SOM by abiotic mechanisms, while the effects of microbial physiology on microbial residue production remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct evidence that soil microbes producemore » chemically diverse, stable SOM. As a result, we show that SOM accumulation is driven by distinct microbial communities more so than clay mineralogy, where microbial-derived SOM accumulation is greatest in soils with higher fungal abundances and more efficient microbial biomass production.« less

First evidence of pep solar neutrinos by direct detection in Borexino.

PubMed

Bellini, G; Benziger, J; Bick, D; Bonetti, S; Bonfini, G; Bravo, D; Buizza Avanzini, M; Caccianiga, B; Cadonati, L; Calaprice, F; Carraro, C; Cavalcante, P; Chavarria, A; Chepurnov, A; D'Angelo, D; Davini, S; Derbin, A; Etenko, A; Fomenko, K; Franco, D; Galbiati, C; Gazzana, S; Ghiano, C; Giammarchi, M; Goeger-Neff, M; Goretti, A; Grandi, L; Guardincerri, E; Hardy, S; Ianni, Aldo; Ianni, Andrea; Korablev, D; Korga, G; Koshio, Y; Kryn, D; Laubenstein, M; Lewke, T; Litvinovich, E; Loer, B; Lombardi, F; Lombardi, P; Ludhova, L; Machulin, I; Manecki, S; Maneschg, W; Manuzio, G; Meindl, Q; Meroni, E; Miramonti, L; Misiaszek, M; Montanari, D; Mosteiro, P; Muratova, V; Oberauer, L; Obolensky, M; Ortica, F; Otis, K; Pallavicini, M; Papp, L; Perasso, L; Perasso, S; Pocar, A; Quirk, J; Raghavan, R S; Ranucci, G; Razeto, A; Re, A; Romani, A; Sabelnikov, A; Saldanha, R; Salvo, C; Schönert, S; Simgen, H; Skorokhvatov, M; Smirnov, O; Sotnikov, A; Sukhotin, S; Suvorov, Y; Tartaglia, R; Testera, G; Vignaud, D; Vogelaar, R B; von Feilitzsch, F; Winter, J; Wojcik, M; Wright, A; Wurm, M; Xu, J; Zaimidoroga, O; Zavatarelli, S; Zuzel, G

2012-02-03

We observed, for the first time, solar neutrinos in the 1.0-1.5 MeV energy range. We determined the rate of pep solar neutrino interactions in Borexino to be 3.1±0.6{stat}±0.3{syst}  counts/(day·100  ton). Assuming the pep neutrino flux predicted by the standard solar model, we obtained a constraint on the CNO solar neutrino interaction rate of <7.9  counts/(day·100  ton) (95% C.L.). The absence of the solar neutrino signal is disfavored at 99.97% C.L., while the absence of the pep signal is disfavored at 98% C.L. The necessary sensitivity was achieved by adopting data analysis techniques for the rejection of cosmogenic {11}C, the dominant background in the 1-2 MeV region. Assuming the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein large mixing angle solution to solar neutrino oscillations, these values correspond to solar neutrino fluxes of (1.6±0.3)×10{8}  cm{-2} s^{-1} and <7.7×10{8}  cm{-2} s{-1} (95% C.L.), respectively, in agreement with both the high and low metallicity standard solar models. These results represent the first direct evidence of the pep neutrino signal and the strongest constraint of the CNO solar neutrino flux to date.

Direct and indirect evidence for earthquakes; an example from the Lake Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maloney, J. M.; Noble, P. J.; Driscoll, N. W.; Kent, G.; Schmauder, G. C.

2012-12-01

High-resolution seismic CHIRP data can image direct evidence of earthquakes (i.e., offset strata) beneath lakes and the ocean. Nevertheless, direct evidence often is not imaged due to conditions such as gas in the sediments, or steep basement topography. In these cases, indirect evidence for earthquakes (i.e., debris flows) may provide insight into the paleoseismic record. The four sub-basins of the tectonically active Lake Tahoe Basin provide an ideal opportunity to image direct evidence for earthquake deformation and compare it to indirect earthquake proxies. We present results from high-resolution seismic CHIRP surveys in Emerald Bay, Fallen Leaf Lake, and Cascade Lake to constrain the recurrence interval on the West Tahoe Dollar Point Fault (WTDPF), which was previously identified as potentially the most hazardous fault in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Recently collected CHIRP profiles beneath Fallen Leaf Lake image slide deposits that appear synchronous with slides in other sub-basins. The temporal correlation of slides between multiple basins suggests triggering by events on the WTDPF. If correct, we postulate a recurrence interval for the WTDPF of ~3-4 k.y., indicating that the WTDPF is near its seismic recurrence cycle. In addition, CHIRP data beneath Cascade Lake image strands of the WTDPF that offset the lakefloor as much as ~7 m. The Cascade Lake data combined with onshore LiDAR allowed us to map the geometry of the WTDPF continuously across the southern Lake Tahoe Basin and yielded an improved geohazard assessment.

Medical Students' and Tutors' Experiences of Directed and Self-Directed Learning Programs in Evidence-Based Medicine: A Qualitative Evaluation Accompanying a Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Peter; Oterholt, Christina; Nordheim, Lena; Bjorndal, Arild

2005-01-01

This qualitative study aims to interpret the results of a randomized controlled trial comparing two educational programs (directed learning and self-directed learning) in evidence-based medicine (EBM) for medical students at the University of Oslo from 2002 to 2003. There is currently very little comparative educational research in this field. In…

Distractor Devaluation Effect in the Attentional Blink: Direct Evidence for Distractor Inhibition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kihara, Ken; Yagi, Yoshihiko; Takeda, Yuji; Kawahara, Jun I.

2011-01-01

When two targets (T1 and T2) are embedded in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP), T2 is often missed (attentional blink, AB) if T2 follows T1 by less than 500 ms. Some have proposed that inhibition of a distractor following T1 contributes to the AB, but no direct evidence supports this proposal. This study examined distractor inhibition by…

Direct geoelectrical evidence of mass transfer at the laboratory scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, Ryan D.; Singha, Kamini; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Binley, Andrew; Keating, Kristina; Haggerty, Roy

2012-10-01

Previous field-scale experimental data and numerical modeling suggest that the dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) of electrolytic tracers has an observable geoelectrical signature. Here we present controlled laboratory experiments confirming the electrical signature of DDMT and demonstrate the use of time-lapse electrical measurements in conjunction with concentration measurements to estimate the parameters controlling DDMT, i.e., the mobile and immobile porosity and rate at which solute exchanges between mobile and immobile domains. We conducted column tracer tests on unconsolidated quartz sand and a material with a high secondary porosity: the zeolite clinoptilolite. During NaCl tracer tests we collected nearly colocated bulk direct-current electrical conductivity (σb) and fluid conductivity (σf) measurements. Our results for the zeolite show (1) extensive tailing and (2) a hysteretic relation between σf and σb, thus providing evidence of mass transfer not observed within the quartz sand. To identify best-fit parameters and evaluate parameter sensitivity, we performed over 2700 simulations of σf, varying the immobile and mobile domain and mass transfer rate. We emphasized the fit to late-time tailing by minimizing the Box-Cox power transformed root-mean square error between the observed and simulated σf. Low-field proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements provide an independent quantification of the volumes of the mobile and immobile domains. The best-fit parameters based on σf match the NMR measurements of the immobile and mobile domain porosities and provide the first direct electrical evidence for DDMT. Our results underscore the potential of using electrical measurements for DDMT parameter inference.

Direct geoelectrical evidence of mass transfer at the laboratory scale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Ryan D.; Singha, Kamini; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Binley, Andrew; Keating, Kristina; Haggerty, Roy

2012-01-01

Previous field-scale experimental data and numerical modeling suggest that the dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) of electrolytic tracers has an observable geoelectrical signature. Here we present controlled laboratory experiments confirming the electrical signature of DDMT and demonstrate the use of time-lapse electrical measurements in conjunction with concentration measurements to estimate the parameters controlling DDMT, i.e., the mobile and immobile porosity and rate at which solute exchanges between mobile and immobile domains. We conducted column tracer tests on unconsolidated quartz sand and a material with a high secondary porosity: the zeolite clinoptilolite. During NaCl tracer tests we collected nearly colocated bulk direct-current electrical conductivity (σb) and fluid conductivity (σf) measurements. Our results for the zeolite show (1) extensive tailing and (2) a hysteretic relation between σf and σb, thus providing evidence of mass transfer not observed within the quartz sand. To identify best-fit parameters and evaluate parameter sensitivity, we performed over 2700 simulations of σf, varying the immobile and mobile domain and mass transfer rate. We emphasized the fit to late-time tailing by minimizing the Box-Cox power transformed root-mean square error between the observed and simulated σf. Low-field proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements provide an independent quantification of the volumes of the mobile and immobile domains. The best-fit parameters based on σf match the NMR measurements of the immobile and mobile domain porosities and provide the first direct electrical evidence for DDMT. Our results underscore the potential of using electrical measurements for DDMT parameter inference.

Measurement Directiveness as a Cause of Response Bias: Evidence From Two Survey Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Philip S.; DeLamater, John

2016-01-01

Extant research comparing survey self-reports of normative behavior to direct observations and time diary data have yielded evidence of extensive measurement bias. However, most of this research program has relied on observational data, comparing independent samples from the same target population, rather than comparing survey self-reports to a…

The first direct evidence of pre-columbian sources of palygorskite for Maya Blue

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, Dean E.; Bohor, Bruce F.; Neff, Hector; Feinman, Gary M.; Williams, Patrick Ryan; Dussubieux, Laure; Bishop, Ronald

2012-01-01

Maya Blue, a nano-structured clay–organic complex of palygorskite and indigo, was used predominantly before the Spanish Conquest. It has fascinated chemists, material scientists, archaeologists and art historians for decades because it is resistant to the effect of acids, alkalis, and other reagents, and its rich color has persisted for centuries in the harsh tropical climate of southern Mesoamerica. One of its components, palygorskite, is part of modern Maya indigenous knowledge, and ethnohistoric and archaeological data suggest that its modern sources were probably utilized in Prehispanic times. Yet no direct evidence verifies that palygorskite was actually mined from these sources to make Maya Blue. Here we characterize these sources compositionally, and compare our analyses to those of Maya Blue from Chichén Itzá and Palenque. We demonstrate that the palygorskite in most of these samples came from modern mines, providing the first direct evidence for the use of these sources for making Maya Blue. These findings reveal that modern Maya indigenous knowledge about palygorskite, its mining, and its source locations, is at least seven centuries old.

Emerging therapeutic uses of direct-acting oral anticoagulants: An evidence-based perspective.

PubMed

Raschi, Emanuel; Bianchin, Matteo; De Ponti, Roberto; De Ponti, Fabrizio; Ageno, Walter

2017-06-01

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were claimed to cause a potential paradigm shift in the therapeutic scenario of patients requiring short- and long-term anticoagulation, by virtue of their pharmacological properties, perceived as innovative. The evidence gathered so far (from pre-approval pivotal trials to real-world post-marketing observational data) consistently confirmed that DOACs are overall comparable to vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs) in terms of safety, efficacy and effectiveness and unequivocally documented a consistent and clinically relevant reduced risk of intracranial bleeding in the settings of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Interestingly, two parallel paths can be identified in the current research scenario: A) in the aforementioned consolidated therapeutic indications, an innovative approach is directed towards tailored treatment strategies, to identify patients most likely to benefit from one of the different anticoagulant drugs, in particular subpopulations at increased risk of adverse events (e.g., bleeding); B) in unconventional settings, DOACs are gaining interest for potential use in emerging diseases characterized by arterial and venous thromboembolic risk. In these scenarios, the risk-benefit profile of DOACs, as compared to VKAs or heparins, is less defined. The aim of this review is to critically assess the body of evidence underlying emerging therapeutic uses of DOACs (e.g., heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome), including evolving issues in special populations (e.g., patients with VTE and cancer or cirrhosis). This will be achieved by analyzing the strength (i.e., systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, observational studies, case report/series) and consistency (i.e., concordance) of both published and unpublished evidence registered in major public repositories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coordinated vigilance provides evidence for direct reciprocity in coral reef fishes.

PubMed

Brandl, Simon J; Bellwood, David R

2015-09-25

Reciprocity is frequently assumed to require complex cognitive abilities. Therefore, it has been argued that reciprocity may be restricted to animals that can meet these demands. Here, we provide evidence for the potential presence of direct reciprocity in teleost fishes. We demonstrate that in pairs of coral reef rabbitfishes (f. Siganidae), one fish frequently assumes an upright vigilance position in the water column, while the partner forages in small crevices in the reef substratum. Both behaviours are strongly coordinated and partners regularly alternate their positions, resulting in a balanced distribution of foraging activity. Compared to solitary individuals, fishes in pairs exhibit longer vigilance bouts, suggesting that the help provided to the partner is costly. In turn, fishes in pairs take more consecutive bites and penetrate deeper into crevices than solitary individuals, suggesting that the safety provided by a vigilant partner may outweigh initial costs by increasing foraging efficiency. Thus, the described system appears to meet all of the requirements for direct reciprocity. We argue that the nature of rabbitfish pairs provides favourable conditions for the establishment of direct reciprocity, as continuous interaction with the same partner, simultaneous needs, interdependence, and communication relax the cognitive demands of reciprocal cooperation.

New directions in evidence-based policy research: a critical analysis of the literature

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Despite 40 years of research into evidence-based policy (EBP) and a continued drive from both policymakers and researchers to increase research uptake in policy, barriers to the use of evidence are persistently identified in the literature. However, it is not clear what explains this persistence – whether they represent real factors, or if they are artefacts of approaches used to study EBP. Based on an updated review, this paper analyses this literature to explain persistent barriers and facilitators. We critically describe the literature in terms of its theoretical underpinnings, definitions of ‘evidence’, methods, and underlying assumptions of research in the field, and aim to illuminate the EBP discourse by comparison with approaches from other fields. Much of the research in this area is theoretically naive, focusing primarily on the uptake of research evidence as opposed to evidence defined more broadly, and privileging academics’ research priorities over those of policymakers. Little empirical data analysing the processes or impact of evidence use in policy is available to inform researchers or decision-makers. EBP research often assumes that policymakers do not use evidence and that more evidence – meaning research evidence – use would benefit policymakers and populations. We argue that these assumptions are unsupported, biasing much of EBP research. The agenda of ‘getting evidence into policy’ has side-lined the empirical description and analysis of how research and policy actually interact in vivo. Rather than asking how research evidence can be made more influential, academics should aim to understand what influences and constitutes policy, and produce more critically and theoretically informed studies of decision-making. We question the main assumptions made by EBP researchers, explore the implications of doing so, and propose new directions for EBP research, and health policy. PMID:25023520

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

Cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility gene provides direct evidence for some hybrid rice recently evolving into weedy rice

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jingxu; Lu, Zuomei; Dai, Weimin; Song, Xiaoling; Peng, Yufa; Valverde, Bernal E.; Qiang, Sheng

2015-01-01

Weedy rice infests paddy fields worldwide at an alarmingly increasing rate. There is substantial evidence indicating that many weedy rice forms originated from or are closely related to cultivated rice. There is suspicion that the outbreak of weedy rice in China may be related to widely grown hybrid rice due to its heterosis and the diversity of its progeny, but this notion remains unsupported by direct evidence. We screened weedy rice accessions by both genetic and molecular marker tests for the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) genes (Wild abortive, WA, and Boro type, BT) most widely used in the production of indica and japonica three-line hybrid rice as a diagnostic trait of direct parenthood. Sixteen weedy rice accessions of the 358 tested (4.5%) contained the CMS-WA gene; none contained the CMS-BT gene. These 16 accessions represent weedy rices recently evolved from maternal hybrid rice derivatives, given the primarily maternal inheritance of this trait. Our results provide key direct evidence that hybrid rice can be involved in the evolution of some weedy rice accessions, but is not a primary factor in the recent outbreak of weedy rice in China. PMID:26012494

Cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility gene provides direct evidence for some hybrid rice recently evolving into weedy rice.

PubMed

Zhang, Jingxu; Lu, Zuomei; Dai, Weimin; Song, Xiaoling; Peng, Yufa; Valverde, Bernal E; Qiang, Sheng

2015-05-27

Weedy rice infests paddy fields worldwide at an alarmingly increasing rate. There is substantial evidence indicating that many weedy rice forms originated from or are closely related to cultivated rice. There is suspicion that the outbreak of weedy rice in China may be related to widely grown hybrid rice due to its heterosis and the diversity of its progeny, but this notion remains unsupported by direct evidence. We screened weedy rice accessions by both genetic and molecular marker tests for the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) genes (Wild abortive, WA, and Boro type, BT) most widely used in the production of indica and japonica three-line hybrid rice as a diagnostic trait of direct parenthood. Sixteen weedy rice accessions of the 358 tested (4.5%) contained the CMS-WA gene; none contained the CMS-BT gene. These 16 accessions represent weedy rices recently evolved from maternal hybrid rice derivatives, given the primarily maternal inheritance of this trait. Our results provide key direct evidence that hybrid rice can be involved in the evolution of some weedy rice accessions, but is not a primary factor in the recent outbreak of weedy rice in China.

Electron transport in nanocrystalline SiC films obtained by direct ion deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovskyi, A.; Semenov, A.; Skorik, S.

2016-12-01

Electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline SiC films obtained by direct ion deposition was investigated within the temperature interval from 2 to 770 K. It were investigated the samples of films with 3С-SiC polytype structure and the heteropolytype films formed by layers of different polytypes SiC (3C-SiC/21R-SiC, 21R-SiC/27R-SiC, 3C-SiC/15R-SiC). The films had n-type conductivity that ensured a small excess of silicon ions. The thermally activated character of electron transport in the 3С-SiC polytype films was established. In the heteropolytype films the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance was described by the relation R(T) = R0 × exp[-kT/E0]. It was shown that the charge transport mechanism in the heteropolytype samples is electron tunneling through potential barriers formed by the conduction band offset in the contact region of the heterojunction. Tunnel charge transport occurs due to the presence of discrete energy states in the forbidden band caused the dimensional quantization.

Experimental evidence for a new single-event upset (SEU) mode in a CMOS SRAM obtained from model verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoutendyk, J. A.; Smith, L. S.; Soli, G. A.; Lo, R. Y.

1987-01-01

Modeling of SEU has been done in a CMOS static RAM containing 1-micron-channel-length transistors fabricated from a p-well epilayer process using both circuit-simulation and numerical-simulation techniques. The modeling results have been experimentally verified with the aid of heavy-ion beams obtained from a three-stage tandem van de Graaff accelerator. Experimental evidence for a novel SEU mode in an ON n-channel device is presented.

Harnessing electronic healthcare data for wound care research: Standards for reporting observational registry data obtained directly from electronic health records.

PubMed

Fife, Caroline E; Eckert, Kristen A

2017-04-01

The United States Food and Drug Administration will consider the expansion of coverage indications for some drugs and devices based on real-world data. Real-world data accrual in patient registries has historically been via manual data entry from the medical chart at a time distant from patient care, which is fraught with systematic error. The efficient automated transmission of data directly from electronic health records is replacing this labor-intensive paradigm. However, real-world data collection is unfamiliar. The potential sources of bias arising from the source of data and data accrual, documentation, and aggregation have not been well defined. Furthermore, the technological aspects of data acquisition and transmission are less transparent. We explore opportunities for harnessing direct-from-electronic health record registry reporting and propose the ABCs of Registries (Analysis of Bias Criteria of Registries), which are an evaluation framework for publications to minimize potential bias of real-world data obtained directly from an electronic health record method. These standards are based on a point-of-care data documentation process using a common definitional framework and data dictionaries. By way of example, we describe a wound registry obtained directly from electronic health records. This qualified clinical data registry minimizes bias by ensuring complete and accurate point-of-care data capture, standardizes usual care linked to quality reporting, and prevents post-hoc vetting of outcomes. The resulting data are of high quality and integrity and can be used for comparative effectiveness research in wound care. In this way, the effort needed to succeed with the Quality Payment Program is leveraged to obtain the real-world data needed for comparative effectiveness research. © 2017 by the Wound Healing Society.

Direct Behavioral Evidence for Retronasal Olfaction in Rats

PubMed Central

Gautam, Shree Hari; Verhagen, Justus V.

2012-01-01

The neuroscience of flavor perception is becoming increasingly important to understand abnormal feeding behaviors and associated chronic diseases such as obesity. Yet, flavor research has mainly depended on human subjects due to the lack of an animal model. A crucial step towards establishing an animal model of flavor research is to determine whether the animal uses the retronasal mode of olfaction, an essential element of flavor perception. We designed a go- no go behavioral task to test the rat's ability to detect and discriminate retronasal odorants. In this paradigm, tasteless aqueous solutions of odorants were licked by water-restricted head-fixed rats from a lick spout. Orthonasal contamination was avoided by employing a combination of a vacuum around the lick-spout and blowing clean air toward the nose. Flow models support the effectiveness of both approaches. The licked odorants were successfully discriminated by rats. Moreover, the tasteless odorant amyl acetate was reliably discriminated against pure distilled water in a concentration-dependent manner. The results from this retronasal odor discrimination task suggest that rats are capable of smelling retronasally. This direct behavioral evidence establishes the rat as a useful animal model for flavor research. PMID:22970305

Direct Detection Doppler Lidar Wind Measurements Obtained During the 2002 International H2O Project (IHOP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gentry, Bruce; Li, Steven; Chen, Huai-Lin; Comer, Joseph; Mathur, Savyasachee; Bobler, Jeremy

2005-01-01

The Goddard Lidar Observatory for Winds (GLOW) is a mobile Doppler lidar system that uses direct detection techniques for profiling winds in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. In May and June of 2002 GLOW was deployed to the Southern Great Plains of the US to participate in the International H2O Project (IHOP). GLOW was located at the Homestead profiling site in the Oklahoma panhandle about 15 km east of the SPOL radar. Several other Goddard lidars, the Scanning Raman Lidar (SRL) and HARLIE, as well as radars and passive instruments were permanently operated from the Homestead site during the IHOP campaign providing a unique cluster of observations. During the IHOP observation period (May 14, 2002 to June 25, 2002) over 240 hours of wind profile measurements were obtained with GLOW. In this paper we will describe the GLOW instrument as it was configured for the IHOP campaign and we will present examples of wind profiles obtained.

[Promoting recovery of schizophrenic patients: discrepancy between routine practice and evidence. The SIEP-DIRECT'S Project].

PubMed

Semisa, Domenico; Casacchia, Massimo; Di Munzio, Walter; Neri, Giovanni; Buscaglia, Giacinto; Burti, Lorenzo; Pucci, Cristina; Corlito, Giuseppe; Bacigalupi, Maurizio; Parravani, Roberto; Roncone, Rita; Cristofalo, Doriana; Lora, Antonio; Ruggeri, Mirella

2008-01-01

The aim of this work is to present the main discrepancies, as evidenced by the SIEP-DIRECT'S Project, between the evidence-based NICE guidelines for schizophrenia and the usual practices of the Italian mental health services in order to promote the recovery of patients with schizophrenia. Starting from the main NICE recommendations on recovery promotion, 41 indicators were developed. These were experimented in 19 participating Italian Mental Health Departments (MHD) or Psychiatric Services through self-evaluation of the activities carried out to promote patient recovery with the aim of assessing the level of adherence to the recommendations. The data required by most of the indicators were obtained from the psychiatric informative system or from the Direction of the MHD. Moreover, specific research was carried out on the clinical records and on representative patient samples. Furthermore, for 14 indicators, there was requested an assessment by the part of "multidisciplinary" or "specialistic" focus groups who then attributed a score according to a defined "ad hoc" scale. According to the data obtained, although the mental health services seem to care about the physical condition of their patients, they do not routinely examine principle parameters such as blood pressure, glycaemia etc., and collaboration with general practitioners is often complex or not uniformly practiced. Most psychiatrists and psychologists possess the basic communication skills but not enough competences in cognitive-behavioural treatments; such treatments, and every other form of structured individual psychotherapy, are seldom carried out and seem to have become marginal activities within the Services. Also family psycho-educational interventions are under-used. The Services are very active in the care of multi-problem schizophrenia patients, who make up a large percentage (almost a quarter, on average) of the patients in their care. These patients are offered specific and integrated

Variable directionality of gene expression changes across generations does not constitute negative evidence of epigenetic inheritance.

PubMed

Sharma, Abhay

2015-01-01

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals has been controversial due to inherent difficulties in its experimental demonstration. A recent report has, however, opened a new front in the ongoing debate by claiming that endocrine disrupting chemicals, contrary to previous findings, do not cause effects across generations. This claim is based on the observation that gene expression changes induced by these chemicals in the exposed and unexposed generations are mainly in the opposite direction. This analysis shows that the pattern of gene expression reported in the two generations is not expected by chance and is suggestive of transmission across generations. A meta-analysis of diverse data sets related to endocrine disruptor-induced transgenerational gene expression alterations, including the data provided in the said report, further suggests that effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals persist in unexposed generations. Based on the prior evidence of phenotypic variability and gene expression alterations in opposite direction between generations, it is argued here that calling evidence of mismatched directionality in gene expression in experiments testing potential of environmental agents in inducing epigenetic inheritance of phenotypic traits as negative is untenable. This is expected to settle the newly raised doubts over epigenetic inheritance in mammals.

Determination of corrections to flow direction measurements obtained with a wing-tip mounted sensor. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moul, T. M.

1983-01-01

The nature of corrections for flow direction measurements obtained with a wing-tip mounted sensor was investigated. Corrections for the angle of attack and sideslip, measured by sensors mounted in front of each wing tip of a general aviation airplane, were determined. These flow corrections were obtained from both wind-tunnel and flight tests over a large angle-of-attack range. Both the angle-of-attack and angle-of-sideslip flow corrections were found to be substantial. The corrections were a function of the angle of attack and angle of sideslip. The effects of wing configuration changes, small changes in Reynolds number, and spinning rotation on the angle-of-attack flow correction were found to be small. The angle-of-attack flow correction determined from the static wind-tunnel tests agreed reasonably well with the correction determined from flight tests.

The first direct evidence of a Late Devonian coelacanth fish feeding on conodont animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zatoń, Michał; Broda, Krzysztof; Qvarnström, Martin; Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz; Ahlberg, Per Erik

2017-04-01

We describe the first known occurrence of a Devonian coelacanth specimen from the lower Famennian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, with a conodont element preserved in its digestive tract. A small spiral and phosphatic coprolite (fossil excrement) containing numerous conodont elements and other unrecognized remains was also found in the same deposits. The coprolite is tentatively attributed to the coelacanth. Although it is unclear whether the Late Devonian coelacanth from Poland was an active predator or a scavenger, these finds provide the first direct evidence of feeding on conodont animals by early coelacanth fish, and one of the few evidences of feeding on these animals known to date. It also expands our knowledge about the diet and trophic relations between the Paleozoic marine animals in general.

Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry for analysis of sexual assault evidence.

PubMed

Musah, Rabi A; Cody, Robert B; Dane, A John; Vuong, Angela L; Shepard, Jason R E

2012-05-15

Sexual assault crimes are vastly underreported and suffer from alarmingly low prosecution and conviction rates. The key scientific method to aid in prosecution of such cases is forensic DNA analysis, where biological evidence such as semen collected using a rape test kit is used to determine a suspect's DNA profile. However, the growing awareness by criminals of the importance of DNA in the prosecution of sexual assaults has resulted in increased condom use by assailants as a means to avoid leaving behind their DNA. Thus, other types of trace evidence are important to help corroborate victims' accounts, exonerate the innocent, link suspects to the crime, or confirm penetration. Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) was employed for the comprehensive characterization of non-DNA trace evidence associated with sexual assault. The ambient ionization method associated with DART-MS is extremely rapid and samples are processed instantaneously, without the need for extraction, sample preparation, or other means that might compromise forensic evidence for future analyses. In a single assay, we demonstrated the ability to identify lubricant formulations associated with sexual assault, such as the spermicide nonoxynol-9, compounds used in condom manufacture, and numerous other trace components as probative evidence. In addition, the method can also serve to identify compounds within trace biological residues, such as fatty acids commonly identified in latent fingerprints. Characterization of lubricant residues as probative evidence serves to establish a connection between the victim and the perpetrator, and the availability of these details may lead to higher rates of prosecution and conviction, as well as more severe penalties. The methodology described here opens the way for the adoption of a comprehensive, rapid, and sensitive analysis for use in crime labs, while providing knowledge that can inform and guide criminal justice policy and practice

Direct evidence for EMIC wave scattering of relativistic electrons in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.-J.; Li, W.; Ma, Q.; Thorne, R. M.; Angelopoulos, V.; Bortnik, J.; Chen, L.; Kletzing, C. A.; Kurth, W. S.; Hospodarsky, G. B.; Baker, D. N.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.; Blake, J. B.; Fennell, J. F.

2016-07-01

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have been proposed to cause efficient losses of highly relativistic (>1 MeV) electrons via gyroresonant interactions. Simultaneous observations of EMIC waves and equatorial electron pitch angle distributions, which can be used to directly quantify the EMIC wave scattering effect, are still very limited, however. In the present study, we evaluate the effect of EMIC waves on pitch angle scattering of ultrarelativistic (>1 MeV) electrons during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm, when intense EMIC wave activity was observed in situ (in the plasma plume region with high plasma density) on both Van Allen Probes. EMIC waves captured by Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) probes and on the ground across the Canadian Array for Real-time Investigations of Magnetic Activity (CARISMA) are also used to infer their magnetic local time (MLT) coverage. From the observed EMIC wave spectra and local plasma parameters, we compute wave diffusion rates and model the evolution of electron pitch angle distributions. By comparing model results with local observations of pitch angle distributions, we show direct, quantitative evidence of EMIC wave-driven relativistic electron losses in the Earth's outer radiation belt.

Direct evidence for impact winter following the Cretaceous-Paleogene bolide impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vellekoop, J.; Sluijs, A.; Smit, J.; Schouten, S.; Sinninghe Damsté, J. S.; Brinkhuis, H.

2012-12-01

The Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary, ~65.5 Ma, marks a mass-extinction event related the impact of a large asteroid on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. Model scenarios predict that the explosive injection of dust and sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere blocked incoming solar radiation, resulting in a cooling pulse of months to several decades, a so-called 'impact winter', but thus far, proxy records lack sufficient resolution to evaluate this hypothesis. We report on a major, short-lived drop in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) recorded in an unusually well preserved and stratigraphically expanded K/Pg boundary site in Texas, USA, based on TEX86 paleothermometry. Critically, the cooling directly post-dates impact-related tsunami deposits, and coincides with the deposition of extraterrestrial iridium representing aerosol fall out, restricting the age of the cooling to the first months to decades after impact. We interpret this cooling to reflect the first direct evidence for the "impact winter" at the K/Pg boundary. The combination of darkness and cooling must have been a key contributory element in the extinctions of many biological clades, including the dinosaurs, flying reptiles and marine reptiles.

Contingency management: New directions and remaining challenges for an evidence-based intervention

PubMed Central

Rash, Carla J.; Stitzer, Maxine; Weinstock, Jeremiah

2016-01-01

This article introduces the special issue on contingency management (CM), an efficacious intervention for the treatment of substance use disorders with low uptake in clinical settings that is not commensurate with evidence for efficacy. In this special issue of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, we present 16 articles representing the latest research in efficacy, implementation, and technological advances related to CM. Combined, this collection of articles highlights the diverse populations, settings, and applications of CM in the treatment of substance use disorders. We conclude by highlighting directions for future research, particularly those that may increase CM’s appeal and uptake in routine clinical care. PMID:27746057

Evidence of direct smooth muscle relaxant effects of the fibrate gemfibrozil.

PubMed

Phelps, Laura E; Peuler, Jacob D

2010-01-01

Fibrates are commonly employed to treat abnormal lipid metabolism via their unique ability to stimulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha). Interestingly, they also decrease systemic arterial pressure, despite recent evidence that PPAR alpha may contribute to expression of renin and related hypertension. Yet, mechanisms responsible for their potential antihypertensive activity remain unresolved. Rapid decreases in arterial pressure following bolus intravenous injections of bezafibrate strongly suggest they may relax arterial smooth muscle directly. But since bezafibrate is highly susceptible to photodegradation in aqueous media, it has never been critically tested for this possibility in vitro with isolated arterial smooth muscle preparations. Accordingly, we tested gemfibrozil which is resistant to photodegradation. We examined it over a therapeutically-relevant range (50-400 microM) for both acute and delayed relaxant effects on contractions of the isolated rat tail artery; contractions induced by either depolarizing its smooth muscle cell membranes with high potassium or stimulating its membrane-bound receptors with norepinephrine and arginine-vasopressin. We also examined these same gemfibrozil levels for effects on spontaneously-occurring phasic rhythmic contractile activity, typically not seen in arteries under in vitro conditions but commonly exhibited by smooth muscle of uterus, duodenum and bladder. We found that gemfibrozil significantly relaxed all induced forms of contraction in the rat tail artery, acutely at the higher test levels and after a delay of a few hours at the lower test levels. The highest test level of gemfibrozil (400 microM) also completely abolished spontaneously-occurring contractile activity of the isolated uterus and duodenum and markedly suppressed it in the bladder. This is the first evidence that a fibrate drug can directly relax smooth muscle contractions, either induced by various contractile agents or

Strategies for Obtaining Obsidian in Pre-European Contact Era New Zealand

PubMed Central

McCoy, Mark D.; Carpenter, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Archaeological evidence of people's choices regarding how they supply themselves with obsidian through direct access and different types of exchanges gives us insight in to mobility, social networks, and property rights in the distant past. Here we use collections of obsidian artefacts that date to a period of endemic warfare among Maori during New Zealand's Late Period (1500–1769 A.D.) to determine what strategies people engaged in to obtain obsidian, namely (1) collecting raw material directly from a natural source, (2) informal trade and exchange, and (3) formal trade and exchange. These deposits represent a good cross-section of Late Period archaeology, including primary working of raw material at a natural source (Helena Bay), undefended sites where people discarded rubbish and worked obsidian (Bream Head), and a heavily fortified site (Mt. Wellington). We find that most of the obsidian described here was likely obtained directly from natural sources, especially those located on off-shore islands within about 60–70 km of sites. A smaller amount comes from blocks of material transported from an off-shore island a greater distance away, called Mayor Island, in a formal trade and exchange network. This study demonstrates the value of conducting tandem lithic technology and geochemical sourcing studies to understand how people create and maintain social networks during periods of warfare. PMID:24416213

Strategies for obtaining obsidian in pre-European contact era New Zealand.

PubMed

McCoy, Mark D; Carpenter, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Archaeological evidence of people's choices regarding how they supply themselves with obsidian through direct access and different types of exchanges gives us insight in to mobility, social networks, and property rights in the distant past. Here we use collections of obsidian artefacts that date to a period of endemic warfare among Maori during New Zealand's Late Period (1500-1769 A.D.) to determine what strategies people engaged in to obtain obsidian, namely (1) collecting raw material directly from a natural source, (2) informal trade and exchange, and (3) formal trade and exchange. These deposits represent a good cross-section of Late Period archaeology, including primary working of raw material at a natural source (Helena Bay), undefended sites where people discarded rubbish and worked obsidian (Bream Head), and a heavily fortified site (Mt. Wellington). We find that most of the obsidian described here was likely obtained directly from natural sources, especially those located on off-shore islands within about 60-70 km of sites. A smaller amount comes from blocks of material transported from an off-shore island a greater distance away, called Mayor Island, in a formal trade and exchange network. This study demonstrates the value of conducting tandem lithic technology and geochemical sourcing studies to understand how people create and maintain social networks during periods of warfare.

Obtaining real-world evidence: the Salford Lung Study

PubMed Central

New, John P; Bakerly, Nawar Diar; Leather, David; Woodcock, Ashley

2014-01-01

We need to assess clinical treatments in real-life settings outside of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Pragmatic RCT (pRCT) data can supplement RCTs by providing effectiveness information to support healthcare decisions. Electronic health records can facilitate concurrent safety monitoring and data collection without direct patient contact for large randomised study populations in pRCTs. The Salford Lung Study is the world's first phase III pRCT in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which aims to randomise over 7000 patients. This paper describes the hurdles overcome and the enormous effort and resource required to establish this comparative effectiveness study of a prelicence intervention. GlaxoSmithKline protocol HZC115151 Asthma study clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT01706198 COPD study clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT01551758 PMID:24603195

Sleep Deprivation Promotes Habitual Control over Goal-Directed Control: Behavioral and Neuroimaging Evidence.

PubMed

Chen, Jie; Liang, Jie; Lin, Xiao; Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Yan; Lu, Lin; Shi, Jie

2017-12-06

Sleep is one of the most fundamental processes of life, playing an important role in the regulation of brain function. The long-term lack of sleep can cause memory impairments, declines in learning ability, and executive dysfunction. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of sleep deprivation on instrumental learning behavior, particularly goal-directed and habitual actions in humans, and investigated the underlying neural mechanisms. Healthy college students of either gender were enrolled and randomly divided into sleep deprivation group and sleep control group. fMRI data were collected. We found that one night of sleep deprivation led to greater responsiveness to stimuli that were associated with devalued outcomes in the slips-of-action test, indicating a deficit in the formation of goal-directed control and an overreliance on habits. Furthermore, sleep deprivation had no effect on the expression of acquired goal-directed action. The level of goal-directed action after sleep deprivation was positively correlated with baseline working memory capacity. The neuroimaging data indicated that goal-directed learning mainly recruited the ventromedial PFC (vmPFC), the activation of which was less pronounced during goal-directed learning after sleep deprivation. Activation of the vmPFC during goal-directed learning during training was positively correlated with the level of goal-directed action performance. The present study suggests that people rely predominantly on habits at the expense of goal-directed control after sleep deprivation, and this process involves the vmPFC. These results contribute to a better understanding of the effects of sleep loss on decision-making. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding the cognitive consequences of sleep deprivation has become extremely important over the past half century, given the continued decline in sleep duration in industrialized societies. Our results provide novel evidence that goal-directed action may be

Modelling fragmentations of aminoacids after resonant electron attachment: quantum evidence of possible direct -OH detachment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panosetti, C.; Baccarelli, I.; Sebastianelli, F.; Gianturco, F. A.

2010-10-01

We investigate some aspects of the radiation damage mechanisms in biomolecules, focusing on the modelling of resonant fragmentation caused by the attachment of low-energy electrons (LEEs) initially ejected by biological tissues when exposed to ionizing radiation. Scattering equations are formulated within a symmetry-adapted, single-center expansion of both continuum and bound electrons, and the interaction forces are obtained from a combination of ab initio calculations and a nonempirical model of exchange and correlation effects developped in our group. We present total elastic scattering cross-sections and resonance features obtained for the equilibrium geometries of glycine, alanine, proline and valine. Our results at those geometries of the target molecules are briefly shown to qualitatively explain some of the fragmentation patterns obtained in experiments. We further carry out a one-dimensional (1D) modeling for the dynamics of intramolecular energy transfers mediated by the vibrational activation of selected bonds: our calculations indicate that resonant electron attachment to glycine can trigger direct, dissociative evolution of the complex into (Gly-OH)- and -OH losses, while they also find that the same process does not occur via a direct, 1D dissociative path in the larger aminoacids of the present study.

The Use of Evidence in Public Debates in the Media: The Case of Swiss Direct-Democratic Campaigns in the Health Policy Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stucki, Iris

2016-01-01

This article analyses the reporting of evidence in Swiss direct-democratic campaigns in the health policy sector, assuming that an informed public helps democracy function successfully. A content analysis of the media's news reporting shows that of 5030 media items retrieved, a reference to evidence is found in 6.8%. The voter receives evidence in…

Direct evidence of double-slope power spectra in the high-latitude ionospheric plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spicher, A.; Miloch, W. J.; Moen, J. I.

2014-03-01

We report direct observations of the double-slope power spectra for plasma irregularities in the F layer of the polar ionosphere. The investigation of cusp irregularities ICI-2 sounding rocket, which was launched into the polar cusp ionosphere, intersected enhanced plasma density regions with decameter-scale irregularities. Density measurements at unprecedented high resolution with multi-Needle Langmuir Probes allowed for a detailed study of the plasma irregularities down to kinetic scales. Spectral analysis reveals double-slope power spectra for regions of enhanced fluctuations associated mainly with density gradients, with the steepening of the spectra occurring close to the oxygen gyrofrequency. These findings are further supported with the first results from the ICI-3 rocket, which flew through regions with strong precipitation and velocity shears. Previously, double-slope spectra have been observed in the equatorial ionosphere. The present work gives a direct evidence that the double-slope power spectra can be common in the high-latitude ionosphere.

Evidence for parallel consolidation of motion direction and orientation into visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Rideaux, Reuben; Apthorp, Deborah; Edwards, Mark

2015-02-12

Recent findings have indicated the capacity to consolidate multiple items into visual short-term memory in parallel varies as a function of the type of information. That is, while color can be consolidated in parallel, evidence suggests that orientation cannot. Here we investigated the capacity to consolidate multiple motion directions in parallel and reexamined this capacity using orientation. This was achieved by determining the shortest exposure duration necessary to consolidate a single item, then examining whether two items, presented simultaneously, could be consolidated in that time. The results show that parallel consolidation of direction and orientation information is possible, and that parallel consolidation of direction appears to be limited to two. Additionally, we demonstrate the importance of adequate separation between feature intervals used to define items when attempting to consolidate in parallel, suggesting that when multiple items are consolidated in parallel, as opposed to serially, the resolution of representations suffer. Finally, we used facilitation of spatial attention to show that the deterioration of item resolution occurs during parallel consolidation, as opposed to storage. © 2015 ARVO.

Direct evidence for a position input to the smooth pursuit system.

PubMed

Blohm, Gunnar; Missal, Marcus; Lefèvre, Philippe

2005-07-01

When objects move in our environment, the orientation of the visual axis in space requires the coordination of two types of eye movements: saccades and smooth pursuit. The principal input to the saccadic system is position error, whereas it is velocity error for the smooth pursuit system. Recently, it has been shown that catch-up saccades to moving targets are triggered and programmed by using velocity error in addition to position error. Here, we show that, when a visual target is flashed during ongoing smooth pursuit, it evokes a smooth eye movement toward the flash. The velocity of this evoked smooth movement is proportional to the position error of the flash; it is neither influenced by the velocity of the ongoing smooth pursuit eye movement nor by the occurrence of a saccade, but the effect is absent if the flash is ignored by the subject. Furthermore, the response started around 85 ms after the flash presentation and decayed with an average time constant of 276 ms. Thus this is the first direct evidence of a position input to the smooth pursuit system. This study shows further evidence for a coupling between saccadic and smooth pursuit systems. It also suggests that there is an interaction between position and velocity error signals in the control of more complex movements.

Polarimetric imaging of NGC 1068 at high angular resolution in the near infrared. Direct evidence of an extended nuclear torus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gratadour, D.; Rouan, D.; Grosset, L.; Boccaletti, A.; Clénet, Y.

2015-09-01

Aims: One of the main observational challenges for investigating the central regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) at short wavelengths, using high angular resolution, and high contrast observations, is to directly detect the circumnuclear optically thick material hiding the central core emission when viewed edge-on. The lack of direct evidence is limiting our understanding of AGN, and several scenarios have been proposed to cope for the diverse observed aspects of activity in a unified approach. Methods: Observations in the near-infrared spectral range have shown themselves to be powerful for providing essential hints to the characterisation of the unified model ingredients because of the reduced optical depth of the obscuring material. Moreover, it is possible to trace this material through light scattered from the central engine's closest environment, so that polarimetric observations are the ideal tool for distinguishing it from purely thermal and stellar emissions. Results: Here we show strong evidence that there is an extended nuclear torus at the center of NGC 1068 thanks to new adaptive-optics-assisted polarimetric observations in the near-infrared. The orientation of the polarization vectors proves that there is a structured hourglass-shaped bicone and a compact elongated (20 × 60 pc) nuclear structure perpendicular to the bicone axis. The linearly polarized emission in the bicone is dominated by a centro-symmetric pattern, but the central compact region shows a clear deviation from the latter with linear polarization aligned perpendicular to the bicone axis. Figure 2 is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.orgData obtained with the SPHERE an instrument designed and built by a consortium consisting of IPAG (France), MPIA (Germany), LAM (France), LESIA (France), Laboratoire Lagrange (France), INAF - Osservatorio di Padova (Italy), Observatoire de Genève (Switzerland), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), NOVA (Netherlands), ONERA (France), and ASTRON

Direct evidence of an elongation factor-Tu/Ts·GTP·Aminoacyl-tRNA quaternary complex.

PubMed

Burnett, Benjamin J; Altman, Roger B; Ferguson, Angelica; Wasserman, Michael R; Zhou, Zhou; Blanchard, Scott C

2014-08-22

During protein synthesis, elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu) bound to GTP chaperones the entry of aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) into actively translating ribosomes. In so doing, EF-Tu increases the rate and fidelity of the translation mechanism. Recent evidence suggests that EF-Ts, the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor for EF-Tu, directly accelerates both the formation and dissociation of the EF-Tu-GTP-Phe-tRNA(Phe) ternary complex (Burnett, B. J., Altman, R. B., Ferrao, R., Alejo, J. L., Kaur, N., Kanji, J., and Blanchard, S. C. (2013) J. Biol. Chem. 288, 13917-13928). A central feature of this model is the existence of a quaternary complex of EF-Tu/Ts·GTP·aa-tRNA(aa). Here, through comparative investigations of phenylalanyl, methionyl, and arginyl ternary complexes, and the development of a strategy to monitor their formation and decay using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we reveal the generality of this newly described EF-Ts function and the first direct evidence of the transient quaternary complex species. These findings suggest that EF-Ts may regulate ternary complex abundance in the cell through mechanisms that are distinct from its guanosine nucleotide exchange factor functions. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Observational Evidence For The Comet-Like Heliosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bzowski, M.; Czechowski, A.; Funsten, H. O.; Grygorczuk, J.; Heerikhuisen, J.; Kubiak, M. A.; Moebius, E.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N.; Sokol, J. M.; Swaczyna, P.; Zirnstein, E.

2017-12-01

The shape of the heliosphere is a subject of ongoing debate. The traditional comet-like image has recently been challenged by ideas of croissant- or bubble-like forms. Here we seek to resolve this debate by confronting available observational evidence with global modeling. Several MHD models of a comet-like heliosphere were used to simulate the radius and center of the IBEX Ribbon to fit the direction and intensity of the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF). These models assumed the secondary ENA emission mechanism, which was recently strengthened due to direct measurement of the distance to the Ribbon source most likely just beyond the heliopause. The same mechanism explains the dependence of the Ribbon center position on energy due to the latitudinal structure of solar wind. The obtained ISMF vector agrees among these models and is consistent with the draped IMF measured by Voyager. Independently, we have shown by modeling that the Warm Breeze discovered by IBEX is naturally created in the outer heliosheath due to charge-exchange between interstellar He+ ions and He atoms. Now we simulate the Warm Breeze for various directions and intensities of the local IMF and we find that the simulation results are in best agreement with IBEX observations for the IMF vector obtained from the above-mentioned Ribbon analyses and Voyager measurements. These arguments, along with the co-planarity of the inflow directions of interstellar neutral H, He, O, and the Warm Breeze, directions of the Ribbon center and ISMF, as well as measurements of the plasma flow directions in the IHS by Voyager 2 indicate the existence of a common plane of approximate mirror symmetry of the heliosphere, defined by the directions of ISMF and the Sun's motion through the local interstellar medium. This suggests that the global structure of the outer heliosphere mostly results from the conditions in the local interstellar medium and the Sun's velocity. This evidence, obtained from very different

Direct replication of Gervais & Norenzayan (2012): No evidence that analytic thinking decreases religious belief.

PubMed

Sanchez, Clinton; Sundermeier, Brian; Gray, Kenneth; Calin-Jageman, Robert J

2017-01-01

Gervais & Norenzayan (2012) reported in Science a series of 4 experiments in which manipulations intended to foster analytic thinking decreased religious belief. We conducted a precise, large, multi-site pre-registered replication of one of these experiments. We observed little to no effect of the experimental manipulation on religious belief (d = 0.07 in the wrong direction, 95% CI[-0.12, 0.25], N = 941). The original finding does not seem to provide reliable or valid evidence that analytic thinking causes a decrease in religious belief.

Magnetic resonance imaging in prostate brachytherapy: Evidence, clinical end points to data, and direction forward.

PubMed

Pugh, Thomas J; Pokharel, Sajal S

The integration of multiparametric MRI into prostate brachytherapy has become a subject of interest over the past 2 decades. MRI directed high-dose-rate and low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy offers the potential to improve treatment accuracy and standardize postprocedure quality. This article reviews the evidence to date on MRI utilization in prostate brachytherapy and postulates future pathways for MRI integration. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of goal directed fluid therapy: rating of evidence for goals and monitoring methods.

PubMed

Wilms, Heath; Mittal, Anubhav; Haydock, Matthew D; van den Heever, Marc; Devaud, Marcello; Windsor, John A

2014-04-01

To review the literature on goal directed fluid therapy and evaluate the quality of evidence for each combination of goal and monitoring method. A search of major digital databases and hand search of references was conducted. All studies assessing the clinical utility of a specific fluid therapy goal or set of goals using any monitoring method were included. Data was extracted using a pre-determined pro forma and papers were evaluated using GRADE principles to assess evidence quality. Eighty-one papers met the inclusion criteria, investigating 31 goals and 22 methods for monitoring fluid therapy in 13052 patients. In total there were 118 different goal/method combinations. Goals with high evidence quality were central venous lactate and stroke volume index. Goals with moderate quality evidence were sublingual microcirculation flow, the oxygen extraction ratio, cardiac index, cardiac output, and SVC collapsibility index. This review has highlighted the plethora of goals and methods for monitoring fluid therapy. Strikingly, there is scant high quality evidence, in particular for non-invasive G/M combinations in non-operative and non-intensive care settings. There is an urgent need to address this research gap, which will be helped by methodologies to compare utility of G/M combinations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tectonic implications of a paleomagnetic direction obtained from a Miocene dike swarm in central Honshu, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshi, H.; Sugisaki, Y.

2017-12-01

Central Honshu of Japan is an ideal field for the study of crustal deformation related to arc-arc collision. In this study we obtained rock magnetic and paleomagnetic results from early Miocene igneous rocks in central Honshu in order to examine rotational deformation caused by the collision of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) arc with central Honshu. In Takane of the Hida region, gabbro intrusions and older sedimentary rocks are intruded by numerous andesitic dikes that comprise a parallel dike swarm. The dikes formed under two different normal-faulting paleostress conditions, which were suggested using a method of clustering dike orientations. Cross-cutting relationships indicate that the two paleostress conditions existed during the same period. More than 240 oriented cores were taken at 38 sites in two localities for magnetic study. The andesites and gabbros generally have magnetite, and some andesites also contain pyrrhotite. The magnetite records easterly deflected remanent magnetization directions of dual polarities that pass the reversals test. Positive baked contact tests at two sites demonstrate that the easterly deflected direction is a thermoremanent magnetization acquired at the time of intrusion. The overall in situ (i.e., in geographic coordinates) mean direction for andesitic dikes is judged to be highly reliable, although there are two possible scenarios for explaining the easterly deflection: (1) clockwise rotation and (2) tilting to the northwest. We prefer the former scenario and conclude that 45° clockwise rotation occurred in Takane with respect to the North China Block of the Asian continent. This rotation must represent the clockwise rotation of entire Southwest Japan during the opening period of the Japan Sea. Very little difference is observed between the amount of the easterly deflection in Takane and those in the Tokai and Hokuriku regions, indicating no significant relative rotation. Thus, the crust beneath Takane has not suffered rotation

Direct evidence of octupole deformation in neutron-rich 144Ba

DOE PAGES

Bucher, B.; Zhu, S.; Wu, C. Y.; ...

2016-03-17

Here, the neutron-rich nucleus 144Ba (t 1/2 = 11.5 s) is expected to exhibit some of the strongest octupole correlations among nuclei with mass numbers A less than 200. Until now, indirect evidence for such strong correlations has been inferred from observations such as enhanced E1 transitions and interleaving positive- and negative-parity levels in the ground-state band. In this experiment, the octupole strength was measured directly by sub-barrier, multistep Coulomb excitation of a post-accelerated 650-MeV 144Ba beam on a 1.0–mg/cm 2 208Pb target. The measured value of the matrix element, < 3 1–∥M(E3)∥0 1 + >= 0.65( +17 –23) ebmore » 3/2, corresponds to a reduced B(E3) transition probability of 48( +25 –34) W.u. This result represents an unambiguous determination of the octupole collectivity, is larger than any available theoretical prediction, and is consistent with octupole deformation.« less

Direct evidence for kinetic effects associated with solar wind reconnection.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaojun; Wang, Yi; Wei, Fengsi; Feng, Xueshang; Deng, Xiaohua; Ma, Yonghui; Zhou, Meng; Pang, Ye; Wong, Hon-Cheng

2015-01-28

Kinetic effects resulting from the two-fluid physics play a crucial role in the fast collisionless reconnection, which is a process to explosively release massive energy stored in magnetic fields in space and astrophysical plasmas. In-situ observations in the Earth's magnetosphere provide solid consistence with theoretical models on the point that kinetic effects are required in the collisionless reconnection. However, all the observations associated with solar wind reconnection have been analyzed in the context of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) although a lot of solar wind reconnection exhausts have been reported. Because of the absence of kinetic effects and substantial heating, whether the reconnections are still ongoing when they are detected in the solar wind remains unknown. Here, by dual-spacecraft observations, we report a solar wind reconnection with clear Hall magnetic fields. Its corresponding Alfvenic electron outflow jet, derived from the decouple between ions and electrons, is identified, showing direct evidence for kinetic effects that dominate the collisionless reconnection. The turbulence associated with the exhaust is a kind of background solar wind turbulence, implying that the reconnection generated turbulence has not much developed.

Direct replication of Gervais & Norenzayan (2012): No evidence that analytic thinking decreases religious belief

PubMed Central

Sanchez, Clinton; Sundermeier, Brian; Gray, Kenneth

2017-01-01

Gervais & Norenzayan (2012) reported in Science a series of 4 experiments in which manipulations intended to foster analytic thinking decreased religious belief. We conducted a precise, large, multi-site pre-registered replication of one of these experiments. We observed little to no effect of the experimental manipulation on religious belief (d = 0.07 in the wrong direction, 95% CI[-0.12, 0.25], N = 941). The original finding does not seem to provide reliable or valid evidence that analytic thinking causes a decrease in religious belief. PMID:28234942

Preliminary Work in Obtaining Site-Directed Mutants of Hen Egg White Lysozyme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, Leonard D.

1996-01-01

< ------ > dimer < ------- > tetramer < ------ > octamer < ------ > higher order. It is believed that multimer aggregation of lysozyme occurs by interaction at specific binding sites on the surface of the protein crystals. If the presence of discrete binding sites and the aggregation hypothesis is true, then it follows that the alteration of the binding site(s) should have significant effect on the measurements obtained during growth experiments. Site-directed mutagenesis allows the specific alteration of proteins by replacement, deletion or addition of specific amino acid residues. This report outlines the approach for this strategy and the progress made thus far toward that end.

A Review of e-Learning in Canada: A Rough Sketch of the Evidence, Gaps and Promising Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrami, Philip C.; Bernard, Robert M.; Wade, Anne; Schmid, Richard F.; Borokhovski, Eugene; Tamim, Rana; Surkes, Michael; Lowerison, Gretchen; Zhang, Dai; Nicolaidou, Iolie; Newman, Sherry; Wozney, Lori; Peretiatkowicz, Anna

2006-01-01

This review provides a rough sketch of the evidence, gaps and promising directions in e-learning from 2000 onwards, with a particular focus on Canada. The authors searched a wide range of sources and document types to ensure that we represented, comprehensively, the arguments surrounding e-learning. Overall, there were 2,042 entries in their…

First Complete Genomic Sequence of a Rabies Virus from the Republic of Tajikistan Obtained Directly from a Flinders Technology Associates Card

PubMed Central

Goharriz, H.; Marston, D. A.; Sharifzoda, F.; Ellis, R. J.; Horton, D. L.; Khakimov, T.; Whatmore, A.; Khamroev, K.; Makhmadshoev, A. N.; Bazarov, M.; Fooks, A. R.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A brain homogenate derived from a rabid dog in the district of Tojikobod, Republic of Tajikistan, was applied to a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card. A full-genome sequence of rabies virus (RABV) was generated from the FTA card directly without extraction, demonstrating the utility of these cards for readily obtaining genetic data. PMID:28684566

First Complete Genomic Sequence of a Rabies Virus from the Republic of Tajikistan Obtained Directly from a Flinders Technology Associates Card.

PubMed

Goharriz, H; Marston, D A; Sharifzoda, F; Ellis, R J; Horton, D L; Khakimov, T; Whatmore, A; Khamroev, K; Makhmadshoev, A N; Bazarov, M; Fooks, A R; Banyard, A C

2017-07-06

A brain homogenate derived from a rabid dog in the district of Tojikobod, Republic of Tajikistan, was applied to a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card. A full-genome sequence of rabies virus (RABV) was generated from the FTA card directly without extraction, demonstrating the utility of these cards for readily obtaining genetic data. © Crown copyright 2017.

Sound-direction identification with bilateral cochlear implants.

PubMed

Neuman, Arlene C; Haravon, Anita; Sislian, Nicole; Waltzman, Susan B

2007-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of sound-direction identification in the horizontal plane by bilateral cochlear implant users when localization was measured with pink noise and with speech stimuli. Eight adults who were bilateral users of Nucleus 24 Contour devices participated in the study. All had received implants in both ears in a single surgery. Sound-direction identification was measured in a large classroom by using a nine-loudspeaker array. Localization was tested in three listening conditions (bilateral cochlear implants, left cochlear implant, and right cochlear implant), using two different stimuli (a speech stimulus and pink noise bursts) in a repeated-measures design. Sound-direction identification accuracy was significantly better when using two implants than when using a single implant. The mean root-mean-square error was 29 degrees for the bilateral condition, 54 degrees for the left cochlear implant, and 46.5 degrees for the right cochlear implant condition. Unilateral accuracy was similar for right cochlear implant and left cochlear implant performance. Sound-direction identification performance was similar for speech and pink noise stimuli. The data obtained in this study add to the growing body of evidence that sound-direction identification with bilateral cochlear implants is better than with a single implant. The similarity in localization performance obtained with the speech and pink noise supports the use of either stimulus for measuring sound-direction identification.

No evidence for directional evolution of body mass in herbivorous theropod dinosaurs

PubMed Central

Zanno, Lindsay E.; Makovicky, Peter J.

2013-01-01

The correlation between large body size and digestive efficiency has been hypothesized to have driven trends of increasing mass in herbivorous clades by means of directional selection. Yet, to date, few studies have investigated this relationship from a phylogenetic perspective, and none, to our knowledge, with regard to trophic shifts. Here, we reconstruct body mass in the three major subclades of non-avian theropod dinosaurs whose ecomorphology is correlated with extrinsic evidence of at least facultative herbivory in the fossil record—all of which also achieve relative gigantism (more than 3000 kg). Ordinary least-squares regressions on natural log-transformed mean mass recover significant correlations between increasing mass and geological time. However, tests for directional evolution in body mass find no support for a phylogenetic trend, instead favouring passive models of trait evolution. Cross-correlation of sympatric taxa from five localities in Asia reveals that environmental influences such as differential habitat sampling and/or taphonomic filtering affect the preserved record of dinosaurian body mass in the Cretaceous. Our results are congruent with studies documenting that behavioural and/or ecological factors may mitigate the benefit of increasing mass in extant taxa, and suggest that the hypothesis can be extrapolated to herbivorous lineages across geological time scales. PMID:23193135

Procedures utilized for obtaining direct and remote atmospheric carbon monoxide measurements over the lower Lake Michigan Basin in August of 1976

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casas, J. C.; Condon, E.; Campbell, S. A.

1978-01-01

In order to establish the applicability of a gas filter correlation radiometer, GFCR, to remote carbon monoxide, CO, measurements on a regional and worldwide basis, Old Dominion University has been engaged in the development of accurate and cost effective techniques for inversion of GFCR CO data and in the development of an independent gas chromatographic technique for measuring CO. This independent method is used to verify the results and the associated inversion method obtained from the GFCR. A description of both methods (direct and remote) will be presented. Data obtained by both techniques during a flight test over the lower Lake Michigan Basin in August of 1976 will also be discussed.

Coping strategies and immune neglect in affective forecasting: Direct evidence and key moderators

PubMed Central

Hoerger, Michael

2012-01-01

Affective forecasting skills have important implications for decision making. However, recent research suggests that immune neglect – the tendency to overlook coping strategies that reduce future distress – may lead to affective forecasting problems. Prior evidence for immune neglect has been indirect. More direct evidence and a deeper understanding of immune neglect are vital to informing the design of future decision-support interventions. In the current study, young adults (N = 325) supplied predicted, actual, and recollected reactions to an emotionally-evocative interpersonal event, Valentine’s Day. Based on participants’ qualitative descriptions of the holiday, a team of raters reliably coded the effectiveness of their coping strategies. Supporting the immune neglect hypothesis, participants overlooked the powerful role of coping strategies when predicting their emotional reactions. Immune neglect was present not only for those experiencing the holiday negatively (non-daters) but also for those experiencing it positively (daters), suggesting that the bias may be more robust than originally theorized. Immune neglect was greater for immediate emotional reactions than more enduring reactions. Further, immune neglect was conspicuously absent from recollected emotional reactions. Implications for decision-support interventions are discussed. PMID:22375161

Evidence for production of single top quarks and first direct measurement of |Vtb|.

PubMed

Abazov, V M; Abbott, B; Abolins, M; Acharya, B S; Adams, M; Adams, T; Aguilo, E; Ahn, S H; Ahsan, M; Alexeev, G D; Alkhazov, G; Alton, A; Alverson, G; Alves, G A; Anastasoaie, M; Ancu, L S; Andeen, T; Anderson, S; Andrieu, B; Anzelc, M S; Arnoud, Y; Arov, M; Askew, A; Asman, B; Assis Jesus, A C S; Atramentov, O; Autermann, C; Avila, C; Ay, C; Badaud, F; Baden, A; Bagby, L; Baldin, B; Bandurin, D V; Banerjee, P; Banerjee, S; Barberis, E; Bargassa, P; Baringer, P; Barnes, C; Barreto, J; Bartlett, J F; Bassler, U; Bauer, D; Beale, S; Bean, A; Begalli, M; Begel, M; Belanger-Champagne, C; Bellantoni, L; Bellavance, A; Benitez, J A; Beri, S B; Bernardi, G; Bernhard, R; Berntzon, L; Bertram, I; Besançon, M; Beuselinck, R; Bezzubov, V A; Bhat, P C; Bhatnagar, V; Binder, M; Biscarat, C; Blackler, I; Blazey, G; Blekman, F; Blessing, S; Bloch, D; Bloom, K; Boehnlein, A; Boline, D; Bolton, T A; Boos, E E; Borissov, G; Bos, K; Bose, T; Brandt, A; Brock, R; Brooijmans, G; Bross, A; Brown, D; Buchanan, N J; Buchholz, D; Buehler, M; Buescher, V; Bunichev, V; Burdin, S; Burke, S; Burnett, T H; Busato, E; Buszello, C P; Butler, J M; Calfayan, P; Calvet, S; Cammin, J; Caron, S; Carvalho, W; Casey, B C K; Cason, N M; Castilla-Valdez, H; Chakrabarti, S; Chakraborty, D; Chan, K M; Chandra, A; Charles, F; Cheu, E; Chevallier, F; Cho, D K; Choi, S; Choudhary, B; Christofek, L; Claes, D; Clément, B; Clément, C; Coadou, Y; Cooke, M; Cooper, W E; Corcoran, M; Couderc, F; Cousinou, M-C; Cox, B; Crépé-Renaudin, S; Cutts, D; Cwiok, M; da Motta, H; Das, A; Das, M; Davies, B; Davies, G; De, K; de Jong, P; de Jong, S J; De La Cruz-Burelo, E; De Oliveira Martins, C; Degenhardt, J D; Déliot, F; Demarteau, M; Demina, R; Denisov, D; Denisov, S P; Desai, S; Diehl, H T; Diesburg, M; Doidge, M; Dominguez, A; Dong, H; Dudko, L V; Duflot, L; Dugad, S R; Duggan, D; Duperrin, A; Dyer, J; Dyshkant, A; Eads, M; Edmunds, D; Ellison, J; Elvira, V D; Enari, Y; Eno, S; Ermolov, P; Evans, H; Evdokimov, A; Evdokimov, V N; Feligioni, L; Ferapontov, A V; Ferbel, T; Fiedler, F; Filthaut, F; Fisher, W; Fisk, H E; Ford, M; Fortner, M; Fox, H; Fu, S; Fuess, S; Gadfort, T; Galea, C F; Gallas, E; Galyaev, E; Garcia, C; Garcia-Bellido, A; Gavrilov, V; Gay, A; Gay, P; Geist, W; Gelé, D; Gelhaus, R; Gerber, C E; Gershtein, Y; Gillberg, D; Ginther, G; Gollub, N; Gómez, B; Goussiou, A; Grannis, P D; Greenlee, H; Greenwood, Z D; Gregores, E M; Grenier, G; Gris, Ph; Grivaz, J-F; Grohsjean, A; Grünendahl, S; Grünewald, M W; Guo, F; Guo, J; Gutierrez, G; Gutierrez, P; Haas, A; Hadley, N J; Haefner, P; Hagopian, S; Haley, J; Hall, I; Hall, R E; Han, L; Hanagaki, K; Hansson, P; Harder, K; Harel, A; Harrington, R; Hauptman, J M; Hauser, R; Hays, J; Hebbeker, T; Hedin, D; Hegeman, J G; Heinmiller, J M; Heinson, A P; Heintz, U; Hensel, C; Herner, K; Hesketh, G; Hildreth, M D; Hirosky, R; Hobbs, J D; Hoeneisen, B; Hoeth, H; Hohlfeld, M; Hong, S J; Hooper, R; Houben, P; Hu, Y; Hubacek, Z; Hynek, V; Iashvili, I; Illingworth, R; Ito, A S; Jabeen, S; Jaffré, M; Jain, S; Jakobs, K; Jarvis, C; Jenkins, A; Jesik, R; Johns, K; Johnson, C; Johnson, M; Jonckheere, A; Jonsson, P; Juste, A; Käfer, D; Kahn, S; Kajfasz, E; Kalinin, A M; Kalk, J M; Kalk, J R; Kappler, S; Karmanov, D; Kasper, J; Kasper, P; Katsanos, I; Kau, D; Kaur, R; Kehoe, R; Kermiche, S; Khalatyan, N; Khanov, A; Kharchilava, A; Kharzheev, Y M; Khatidze, D; Kim, H; Kim, T J; Kirby, M H; Klima, B; Kohli, J M; Konrath, J-P; Kopal, M; Korablev, V M; Kotcher, J; Kothari, B; Koubarovsky, A; Kozelov, A V; Krop, D; Kryemadhi, A; Kuhl, T; Kumar, A; Kunori, S; Kupco, A; Kurca, T; Kvita, J; Lam, D; Lammers, S; Landsberg, G; Lazoflores, J; Le Bihan, A-C; Lebrun, P; Lee, W M; Leflat, A; Lehner, F; Lesne, V; Leveque, J; Lewis, P; Li, J; Li, L; Li, Q Z; Lietti, S M; Lima, J G R; Lincoln, D; Linnemann, J; Lipaev, V V; Lipton, R; Liu, Z; Lobo, L; Lobodenko, A; Lokajicek, M; Lounis, A; Love, P; Lubatti, H J; Lynker, M; Lyon, A L; Maciel, A K A; Madaras, R J; Mättig, P; Magass, C; Magerkurth, A; Makovec, N; Mal, P K; Malbouisson, H B; Malik, S; Malyshev, V L; Mao, H S; Maravin, Y; McCarthy, R; Melnitchouk, A; Mendes, A; Mendoza, L; Mercadante, P G; Merkin, M; Merritt, K W; Meyer, A; Meyer, J; Michaut, M; Miettinen, H; Millet, T; Mitrevski, J; Molina, J; Mommsen, R K; Mondal, N K; Monk, J; Moore, R W; Moulik, T; Muanza, G S; Mulders, M; Mulhearn, M; Mundal, O; Mundim, L; Nagy, E; Naimuddin, M; Narain, M; Naumann, N A; Neal, H A; Negret, J P; Neustroev, P; Noeding, C; Nomerotski, A; Novaes, S F; Nunnemann, T; O'Dell, V; O'Neil, D C; Obrant, G; Ochando, C; Oguri, V; Oliveira, N; Onoprienko, D; Oshima, N; Osta, J; Otec, R; Otero Y Garzón, G J; Owen, M; Padley, P; Pangilinan, M; Parashar, N; Park, S-J; Park, S K; Parsons, J; Partridge, R; Parua, N; Patwa, A; Pawloski, G; Perea, P M; Perfilov, M; Peters, K; Peters, Y; Pétroff, P; Petteni, M; Piegaia, R; Piper, J; Pleier, M-A; Podesta-Lerma, P L M; Podstavkov, V M; Pogorelov, Y; Pol, M-E; Pompos, A; Pope, B G; Popov, A V; Potter, C; Prado da Silva, W L; Prosper, H B; Protopopescu, S; Qian, J; Quadt, A; Quinn, B; Rangel, M S; Rani, K J; Ranjan, K; Ratoff, P N; Renkel, P; Reucroft, S; Rijssenbeek, M; Ripp-Baudot, I; Rizatdinova, F; Robinson, S; Rodrigues, R F; Royon, C; Rubinov, P; Ruchti, R; Sajot, G; Sánchez-Hernández, A; Sanders, M P; Santoro, A; Savage, G; Sawyer, L; Scanlon, T; Schaile, D; Schamberger, R D; Scheglov, Y; Schellman, H; Schieferdecker, P; Schmitt, C; Schwanenberger, C; Schwartzman, A; Schwienhorst, R; Sekaric, J; Sengupta, S; Severini, H; Shabalina, E; Shamim, M; Shary, V; Shchukin, A A; Shivpuri, R K; Shpakov, D; Siccardi, V; Sidwell, R A; Simak, V; Sirotenko, V; Skubic, P; Slattery, P; Smith, R P; Snow, G R; Snow, J; Snyder, S; Söldner-Rembold, S; Song, X; Sonnenschein, L; Sopczak, A; Sosebee, M; Soustruznik, K; Souza, M; Spurlock, B; Stark, J; Steele, J; Stolin, V; Stone, A; Stoyanova, D A; Strandberg, J; Strandberg, S; Strang, M A; Strauss, M; Ströhmer, R; Strom, D; Strovink, M; Stutte, L; Sumowidagdo, S; Svoisky, P; Sznajder, A; Talby, M; Tamburello, P; Taylor, W; Telford, P; Temple, J; Tiller, B; Titov, M; Tokmenin, V V; Tomoto, M; Toole, T; Torchiani, I; Trefzger, T; Trincaz-Duvoid, S; Tsybychev, D; Tuchming, B; Tully, C; Tuts, P M; Unalan, R; Uvarov, L; Uvarov, S; Uzunyan, S; Vachon, B; van den Berg, P J; van Eijk, B; Van Kooten, R; van Leeuwen, W M; Varelas, N; Varnes, E W; Vartapetian, A; Vasilyev, I A; Vaupel, M; Verdier, P; Vertogradov, L S; Verzocchi, M; Vetterli, M; Villeneuve-Seguier, F; Vint, P; Vlimant, J-R; Von Toerne, E; Voutilainen, M; Vreeswijk, M; Wahl, H D; Wang, L; Wang, M H L S; Warchol, J; Watts, G; Wayne, M; Weber, G; Weber, M; Weerts, H; Wermes, N; Wetstein, M; White, A; Wicke, D; Wilson, G W; Wimpenny, S J; Wobisch, M; Womersley, J; Wood, D R; Wyatt, T R; Xie, Y; Yacoob, S; Yamada, R; Yan, M; Yasuda, T; Yatsunenko, Y A; Yip, K; Yoo, H D; Youn, S W; Yu, C; Yu, J; Yurkewicz, A; Zatserklyaniy, A; Zeitnitz, C; Zhang, D; Zhao, T; Zhou, B; Zhu, J; Zielinski, M; Zieminska, D; Zieminski, A; Zutshi, V; Zverev, E G

2007-05-04

The D0 Collaboration presents first evidence for the production of single top quarks at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over ] collider. Using a 0.9 fb(-1) dataset, we apply a multivariate analysis to separate signal from background and measure sigma(pp[over ]-->tb+X,tqb+X)=4.9+/-1.4 pb. The probability to measure a cross section at this value or higher in the absence of a signal is 0.035%, corresponding to a 3.4 standard deviation significance. We use the cross section measurement to directly determine the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element that describes the Wtb coupling and find 0.68<|V(tb)|

Comparison of contact conditions obtained by direct simulation with statistical analysis for normally distributed isotropic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchidate, M.

2018-09-01

In this study, with the aim of establishing a systematic knowledge on the impact of summit extraction methods and stochastic model selection in rough contact analysis, the contact area ratio (A r /A a ) obtained by statistical contact models with different summit extraction methods was compared with a direct simulation using the boundary element method (BEM). Fifty areal topography datasets with different autocorrelation functions in terms of the power index and correlation length were used for investigation. The non-causal 2D auto-regressive model which can generate datasets with specified parameters was employed in this research. Three summit extraction methods, Nayak’s theory, 8-point analysis and watershed segmentation, were examined. With regard to the stochastic model, Bhushan’s model and BGT (Bush-Gibson-Thomas) model were applied. The values of A r /A a from the stochastic models tended to be smaller than BEM. The discrepancy between the Bhushan’s model with the 8-point analysis and BEM was slightly smaller than Nayak’s theory. The results with the watershed segmentation was similar to those with the 8-point analysis. The impact of the Wolf pruning on the discrepancy between the stochastic analysis and BEM was not very clear. In case of the BGT model which employs surface gradients, good quantitative agreement against BEM was obtained when the Nayak’s bandwidth parameter was large.

Relative Stability of the La and Lb Excited States in Adenine and Guanine: Direct Evidence from TD-DFT Calculations of MCD Spectra.

PubMed

Santoro, Fabrizio; Improta, Roberto; Fahleson, Tobias; Kauczor, Joanna; Norman, Patrick; Coriani, Sonia

2014-06-05

The relative position of La and Lb ππ* electronic states in purine nucleobases is a much debated topic, since it can strongly affect our understanding of their photoexcited dynamics. To assess this point, we calculated the absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of adenine, guanine, and their nucleosides in gas-phase and aqueous solution, exploiting recent developments in MCD computational technology within time-dependent density functional theory. MCD spectroscopy allows us to resolve the intense S0→ La transition from the weak S0→ Lb transition. The spectra obtained in water solution, by using B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals and describing solvent effect by cluster models and by the polarizable continuum model (PCM), are in very good agreement with the experimental counterparts, thus providing direct and unambiguous evidence that the energy ordering predicted by TD-DFT, La < Lb, is the correct one.

Direct Evidence for an Enhancement of Helium in Giant Stars in Omega Centauri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupree, A. K.; Strader, Jay; Smith, Graeme H.

2011-02-01

The double main sequence identified in the globular cluster Omega Centauri has been interpreted using isochrones to indicate a large variation in the abundance of helium. If true, a helium enhancement carries strong implications for the chemical and stellar evolutionary history of this cluster. However, only indirect measures currently support this conjecture. We report the discovery of a variation in the line strength of the near-infrared He I 10830 Å transition in 12 similar red giants in Omega Centauri observed with PHOENIX on Gemini-S. Abundances of these stars derived from Magellan/MIKE spectra taken at the Las Campanas Observatory show that the helium transition is not detected in the most metal-poor population ([Fe/H] < -1.8), yet is present in the majority of stars with [Fe/H] >= -1.8. These observations give the first direct evidence for an enhancement of helium in Omega Centauri. The appearance of helium appears better correlated with increased [Al/Fe] and [Na/Fe] abundances than as a function of [Fe/H], giving observational support to the presence of high-temperature H burning in a prior generation of stars. Data presented herein were obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (United Kingdom), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (Brazil), and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina). This paper also includes spectra gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescope/CLAY located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

High-quality photonic crystals with a nearly complete band gap obtained by direct inversion of woodpile templates with titanium dioxide.

PubMed

Marichy, Catherine; Muller, Nicolas; Froufe-Pérez, Luis S; Scheffold, Frank

2016-02-25

Photonic crystal materials are based on a periodic modulation of the dielectric constant on length scales comparable to the wavelength of light. These materials can exhibit photonic band gaps; frequency regions for which the propagation of electromagnetic radiation is forbidden due to the depletion of the density of states. In order to exhibit a full band gap, 3D PCs must present a threshold refractive index contrast that depends on the crystal structure. In the case of the so-called woodpile photonic crystals this threshold is comparably low, approximately 1.9 for the direct structure. Therefore direct or inverted woodpiles made of high refractive index materials like silicon, germanium or titanium dioxide are sought after. Here we show that, by combining multiphoton lithography and atomic layer deposition, we can achieve a direct inversion of polymer templates into TiO2 based photonic crystals. The obtained structures show remarkable optical properties in the near-infrared region with almost perfect specular reflectance, a transmission dip close to the detection limit and a Bragg length comparable to the lattice constant.

Direct evidence for kinetic effects associated with solar wind reconnection

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaojun; Wang, Yi; Wei, Fengsi; Feng, Xueshang; Deng, Xiaohua; Ma, Yonghui; Zhou, Meng; Pang, Ye; Wong, Hon-Cheng

2015-01-01

Kinetic effects resulting from the two-fluid physics play a crucial role in the fast collisionless reconnection, which is a process to explosively release massive energy stored in magnetic fields in space and astrophysical plasmas. In-situ observations in the Earth's magnetosphere provide solid consistence with theoretical models on the point that kinetic effects are required in the collisionless reconnection. However, all the observations associated with solar wind reconnection have been analyzed in the context of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) although a lot of solar wind reconnection exhausts have been reported. Because of the absence of kinetic effects and substantial heating, whether the reconnections are still ongoing when they are detected in the solar wind remains unknown. Here, by dual-spacecraft observations, we report a solar wind reconnection with clear Hall magnetic fields. Its corresponding Alfvenic electron outflow jet, derived from the decouple between ions and electrons, is identified, showing direct evidence for kinetic effects that dominate the collisionless reconnection. The turbulence associated with the exhaust is a kind of background solar wind turbulence, implying that the reconnection generated turbulence has not much developed. PMID:25628139

Lagrangian and Eulerian statistics obtained from direct numerical simulations of homogeneous turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squires, Kyle D.; Eaton, John K.

1991-01-01

Direct numerical simulation is used to study dispersion in decaying isotropic turbulence and homogeneous shear flow. Both Lagrangian and Eulerian data are presented allowing direct comparison, but at fairly low Reynolds number. The quantities presented include properties of the dispersion tensor, isoprobability contours of particle displacement, Lagrangian and Eulerian velocity autocorrelations and time scale ratios, and the eddy diffusivity tensor. The Lagrangian time microscale is found to be consistently larger than the Eulerian microscale, presumably due to the advection of the small scales by the large scales in the Eulerian reference frame.

Epicardial fat and atrial fibrillation: current evidence, potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions.

PubMed

Wong, Christopher X; Ganesan, Anand N; Selvanayagam, Joseph B

2017-05-01

Obesity is increasingly recognized as a major modifiable determinant of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although body mass index and other clinical measures are useful indications of general adiposity, much recent interest has focused on epicardial fat, a distinct adipose tissue depot that can be readily assessed using non-invasive imaging techniques. A growing body of data from epidemiological and clinical studies has demonstrated that epicardial fat is consistently associated with the presence, severity, and recurrence of AF across a range of clinical settings. Evidence from basic science and translational studies has also suggested that arrhythmogenic mechanisms may involve adipocyte infiltration, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, oxidative stress, and other pathways. Despite these advances, however, significant uncertainty exists and many questions remain unanswered. In this article, we review our present understanding of epicardial fat, including its classification and quantification, existing evidence implicating its role in AF, potential mechanisms, implications for clinicians, and future directions for research. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Direct Evidence of Egestion and Salivation of Xylella fastidiosa Suggests Sharpshooters Can Be "Flying Syringes".

PubMed

Backus, Elaine A; Shugart, Holly J; Rogers, Elizabeth E; Morgan, J Kent; Shatters, Robert

2015-05-01

Xylella fastidiosa is unique among insect-transmitted plant pathogens because it is propagative but noncirculative, adhering to and multiplying on the cuticular lining of the anterior foregut. Any inoculation mechanism for X. fastidiosa must explain how bacterial cells exit the vector's stylets via the food canal and directly enter the plant. A combined egestion-salivation mechanism has been proposed to explain these unique features. Egestion is the putative outward flow of fluid from the foregut via hypothesized bidirectional pumping of the cibarium. The present study traced green fluorescent protein-expressing X. fastidiosa or fluorescent nanoparticles acquired from artificial diets by glassy-winged sharpshooters, Homalodisca vitripennis, as they were egested into simultaneously secreted saliva. X. fastidiosa or nanoparticles were shown to mix with gelling saliva to form fluorescent deposits and salivary sheaths on artificial diets, providing the first direct, conclusive evidence of egestion by any hemipteran insect. Therefore, the present results strongly support an egestion-salivation mechanism of X. fastidiosa inoculation. Results also support that a column of fluid is transiently held in the foregut without being swallowed. Evidence also supports (but does not definitively prove) that bacteria were suspended in the column of fluid during the vector's transit from diet to diet, and were egested with the held fluid. Thus, we hypothesize that sharpshooters could be true "flying syringes," especially when inoculation occurs very soon after uptake of bacteria, suggesting the new paradigm of a nonpersistent X. fastidiosa transmission mechanism.

A Thermostable β-Glucuronidase Obtained by Directed Evolution as a Reporter Gene in Transgenic Plants

PubMed Central

Xiong, Ai-Sheng; Peng, Ri-He; Zhuang, Jing; Chen, Jian-Min; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Jian; Yao, Quan-Hong

2011-01-01

A β-glucuronidase variant, GUS-TR3337, that was obtained by directed evolution exhibited higher thermostability than the wild-type enzyme, GUS-WT. In this study, the utility of GUS-TR337 as an improved reporter was evaluated. The corresponding gus-tr3337 and gus-wt genes were independently cloned in a plant expression vector and introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana. With 4-MUG as a substrate, plants containing the gus-wt gene showed no detectable β-glucuronidase activity after exposure to 60°C for 10 min, while those hosting the gus-tr3337 gene retained 70% or 50% activity after exposure to 80°C for 10 min or 30 min, respectively. Similarly, in vivo β-glucuronidase activity could be demonstrated by using X-GLUC as a substrate in transgenic Arabidopsis plants hosting the gus-tr3337 gene that were exposed to 80°C for up to 30 min. Thus, the thermostability of GUS-TR3337 can be exploited to distinguish between endogenous and transgenic β-glucuronidase activity, which is a welcome improvement in its use as a reporter. PMID:22096498

Archaeomagnetic Directional Determinations On Various Archaeological Materials From The Late Minoan Destruction Site At Malia, Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downey, W. S.

An archaeomagnetic directional study of Late Minoan archaeological materials, (burnt mud brick, a clay/ash horizon and hearth material), was carried out at locations within the archaeological complex at Malia, Crete. The study aimed to establish the suitability of materials for archaeomagnetic sampling and to obtain archaeomagnetic directions for comparison with other Late Minoan "fired" sites on Crete. Results from 42 oriented samples measured on a fluxgate spinner magnetometer from homogeneously distributed burnt mud brick (constituting low elevation, in situ, partition walls), gave precise values of ancient field directions for, Malia Palace (area 13) and Maison äα. These directions are statistically identical (at a 95% confidence level) and also identical to directions obtained from other Late Minoan archaeological sites, on Crete. This, may suggest, simultaneous 'fire-involved' destruction. Other archaeomagnetic directions obtained from Malia (Quartier ɛ), from a 'clay/ash' horizon (34 samples) and hearth (19 samples), produced some spurious results, with detrimental consequences for directional accuracy. For the burnt mud brick, small viscous components were easily removed and evidence from coercivity spectra obtained, after step-wise alternating field demagnetizations, suggests that, the magnetic carriers are single domain, (low titanium), titanomagnetite.

Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions.

PubMed

Foster, Nadine E; Anema, Johannes R; Cherkin, Dan; Chou, Roger; Cohen, Steven P; Gross, Douglas P; Ferreira, Paulo H; Fritz, Julie M; Koes, Bart W; Peul, Wilco; Turner, Judith A; Maher, Chris G

2018-06-09

Many clinical practice guidelines recommend similar approaches for the assessment and management of low back pain. Recommendations include use of a biopsychosocial framework to guide management with initial non-pharmacological treatment, including education that supports self-management and resumption of normal activities and exercise, and psychological programmes for those with persistent symptoms. Guidelines recommend prudent use of medication, imaging, and surgery. The recommendations are based on trials almost exclusively from high-income countries, focused mainly on treatments rather than on prevention, with limited data for cost-effectiveness. However, globally, gaps between evidence and practice exist, with limited use of recommended first-line treatments and inappropriately high use of imaging, rest, opioids, spinal injections, and surgery. Doing more of the same will not reduce back-related disability or its long-term consequences. The advances with the greatest potential are arguably those that align practice with the evidence, reduce the focus on spinal abnormalities, and ensure promotion of activity and function, including work participation. We have identified effective, promising, or emerging solutions that could offer new directions, but that need greater attention and further research to determine if they are appropriate for large-scale implementation. These potential solutions include focused strategies to implement best practice, the redesign of clinical pathways, integrated health and occupational interventions to reduce work disability, changes in compensation and disability claims policies, and public health and prevention strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network meta-analysis: a technique to gather evidence from direct and indirect comparisons

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Systematic reviews and pairwise meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, at the intersection of clinical medicine, epidemiology and statistics, are positioned at the top of evidence-based practice hierarchy. These are important tools to base drugs approval, clinical protocols and guidelines formulation and for decision-making. However, this traditional technique only partially yield information that clinicians, patients and policy-makers need to make informed decisions, since it usually compares only two interventions at the time. In the market, regardless the clinical condition under evaluation, usually many interventions are available and few of them have been studied in head-to-head studies. This scenario precludes conclusions to be drawn from comparisons of all interventions profile (e.g. efficacy and safety). The recent development and introduction of a new technique – usually referred as network meta-analysis, indirect meta-analysis, multiple or mixed treatment comparisons – has allowed the estimation of metrics for all possible comparisons in the same model, simultaneously gathering direct and indirect evidence. Over the last years this statistical tool has matured as technique with models available for all types of raw data, producing different pooled effect measures, using both Frequentist and Bayesian frameworks, with different software packages. However, the conduction, report and interpretation of network meta-analysis still poses multiple challenges that should be carefully considered, especially because this technique inherits all assumptions from pairwise meta-analysis but with increased complexity. Thus, we aim to provide a basic explanation of network meta-analysis conduction, highlighting its risks and benefits for evidence-based practice, including information on statistical methods evolution, assumptions and steps for performing the analysis. PMID:28503228

Direct evidence and enhancement of surface plasmon resonance effect on Ag-loaded TiO2 nanotube arrays for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, Jingxiang; Qiu, Shuoqi; Xu, Difa; Jiang, Chuanjia; Cheng, Bei

2018-03-01

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect has been utilized in many solar conversion applications because of its ability to convert visible photons into "hot electron" energy. However, the direct evidence and enhancement of this unique effect are still great challenges, limiting its practical applications. Here we present the direct evidence and enhancement of SPR effect using TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) loaded with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) as a proof-of-concept example. Particularly, electrochemical deposition method is applied to deposit Ag NPs into the inner space of TNTAs for enhancing SPR effect of Ag NPs, as demonstrated by Raman and light absorption spectroscopies. This enhanced SPR effect is because multi-scattered light within TNTAs can be effectively utilized by Ag NPs in the inner space of TNTAs. Moreover, combining synchronous-illumination X-ray photoelectron and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterization, we confirm that the SPR effect of Ag NPs can enhance photocatalytic performance of TNTAs mainly from two aspects: (i) injection of "hot electrons" from Ag NPs to TNTAs and (ii) acceleration of charge carrier migration on the TNTAs through a unique near field effect. The direct evidence and enhancement of SPR effect open new perspectives in design of functional plasmonic nanomaterials with high solar conversion efficiency.

Interventions for obtaining and maintaining employment in adults with severe mental illness, a network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Suijkerbuijk, Yvonne B; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; van Mechelen, Joost C; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Corbière, Marc; Anema, Johannes R

2017-09-12

People with severe mental illness show high rates of unemployment and work disability, however, they often have a desire to participate in employment. People with severe mental illness used to be placed in sheltered employment or were enrolled in prevocational training to facilitate transition to a competitive job. Now, there are also interventions focusing on rapid search for a competitive job, with ongoing support to keep the job, known as supported employment. Recently, there has been a growing interest in combining supported employment with other prevocational or psychiatric interventions. To assess the comparative effectiveness of various types of vocational rehabilitation interventions and to rank these interventions according to their effectiveness to facilitate competitive employment in adults with severe mental illness. In November 2016 we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and CINAHL, and reference lists of articles for randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews. We identified systematic reviews from which to extract randomised controlled trials. We included randomised controlled trials and cluster-randomised controlled trials evaluating the effect of interventions on obtaining competitive employment for adults with severe mental illness. We included trials with competitive employment outcomes. The main intervention groups were prevocational training programmes, transitional employment interventions, supported employment, supported employment augmented with other specific interventions, and psychiatric care only. Two authors independently identified trials, performed data extraction, including adverse events, and assessed trial quality. We performed direct meta-analyses and a network meta-analysis including measurements of the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). We assessed the quality of the evidence for outcomes within the network meta-analysis according to GRADE. We included 48 randomised controlled trials involving

Visualization of anomalous Ettingshausen effect in a ferromagnetic film: Direct evidence of different symmetry from spin Peltier effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, T.; Iguchi, R.; Takanashi, K.; Uchida, K.

2018-04-01

Spatial distribution of temperature modulation due to the anomalous Ettingshausen effect (AEE) is visualized in a ferromagnetic FePt thin film with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetizations using the lock-in thermography technique. Comparing the AEE of FePt with the spin Peltier effect (SPE) of a Pt/yttrium iron garnet junction provides direct evidence of different symmetries of AEE and SPE. Our experiments and numerical calculations reveal that the distribution of heat sources induced by AEE strongly depends on the direction of magnetization, leading to the remarkable different temperature profiles in the FePt thin film between the in-plane and perpendicularly magnetized configurations.

34 CFR 685.201 - Obtaining a loan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Obtaining a loan. 685.201 Section 685.201 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM Borrower Provisions § 685.201 Obtaining a...

Obtaining active parental consent for school-based research: a guide for researchers.

PubMed

Wolfenden, Luke; Kypri, Kypros; Freund, Megan; Hodder, Rebecca

2009-06-01

Schools increasingly require researchers to obtain active parental consent for students to participate in health research. We sought to identify effective strategies for the recruitment of child research participants through schools. A search of Medline, PsycINFO, Educational Resources Information Center, ProQuest 5000 and the Cochrane Library electronic databases was conducted for the period 1988 to 2008. The review found evidence that the following strategies may be effective in enhancing participation rates: 1) promotion of the research to school principals, teachers, parents and students; 2) dissemination of study information using methods allowing direct contact with parents (i.e. telephone or face-to-face); 3) provision of incentives to teachers, students and at a class level; 4) making reminder contacts; and 5) having a member of the research team co-ordinate and closely monitor the recruitment process. Application of these strategies should reduce the risk of non-response and other biases that result from selective non-participation. Further randomised controlled trials of these and other strategies are required to strengthen the evidence base.

Direct Measurements of Interplanetary Dust Particles in the Vicinity of Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCracken, C. W.; Alexander, W. M.; Dubin, M.

1961-01-01

The direct measurements made by the Explorer VIII satellite provide the first sound basis for analyzing all available direct measurements of the distribution of interplanetary dust particles. The model average distribution curve established by such an analysis departs significantly from that predicted by the (uncertain) extrapolation of results from meteor observations. A consequence of this difference is that the daily accretion of interplanetary particulate matter by the earth is now considered to be mainly dust particles of the direct measurements range of particle size. Almost all the available direct measurements obtained with microphone systems on rockets, satellites, and spacecraft fit directly on the distribution curve defined by Explorer VIII data. The lack of reliable datum points departing significantly from the model average distribution curve means that available direct measurements show no discernible evidence of an appreciable geocentric concentration of interplanetary dust particles.

Cost-sharing in Medicaid: Assumptions, Evidence, and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Powell, Victoria; Saloner, Brendan; Sabik, Lindsay M.

2015-01-01

Several states have received waivers to expand Medicaid to poor adults under the Affordable Care Act using more cost-sharing than the program traditionally allows. We synthesize literature of the effects of cost-sharing, focusing on studies of low-income US populations from 1995–2014. Literature suggests cost-sharing has a deterrent effect on initiation of treatments, and can reduce utilization of ongoing treatments. Further, cost-sharing may be difficult for low-income populations to understand; patients often lack sufficient information to choose medical treatment; and cost-sharing may be difficult to balance within the budgets of poor adults. Gaps in the literature include evidence of long-term effects of cost-sharing on health and financial wellbeing, evidence related to effectiveness of cost-sharing combined with patient education, and evidence related to targeted programs that use financial incentives for wellness. Literature underscores the need for evaluation of the effects of cost-sharing on health status and spending, particularly among the poorest adults. PMID:26602175

Direct Evidence of Solution-Mediated Superoxide Transport and Organic Radical Formation in Sodium-Oxygen Batteries.

PubMed

Xia, Chun; Fernandes, Russel; Cho, Franklin H; Sudhakar, Niranjan; Buonacorsi, Brandon; Walker, Sean; Xu, Meng; Baugh, Jonathan; Nazar, Linda F

2016-09-07

Advanced large-scale electrochemical energy storage requires cost-effective battery systems with high energy densities. Aprotic sodium-oxygen (Na-O2) batteries offer advantages, being comprised of low-cost elements and possessing much lower charge overpotential and higher reversibility compared to their lithium-oxygen battery cousins. Although such differences have been explained by solution-mediated superoxide transport, the underlying nature of this mechanism is not fully understood. Water has been suggested to solubilize superoxide via formation of hydroperoxyl (HO2), but direct evidence of these HO2 radical species in cells has proven elusive. Here, we use ESR spectroscopy at 210 K to identify and quantify soluble HO2 radicals in the electrolyte-cold-trapped in situ to prolong their lifetime-in a Na-O2 cell. These investigations are coupled to parallel SEM studies that image crystalline sodium superoxide (NaO2) on the carbon cathode. The superoxide radicals were spin-trapped via reaction with 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline N-oxide at different electrochemical stages, allowing monitoring of their production and consumption during cycling. Our results conclusively demonstrate that transport of superoxide from cathode to electrolyte leads to the nucleation and growth of NaO2, which follows classical mechanisms based on the variation of superoxide content in the electrolyte and its correlation with the crystallization of cubic NaO2. The changes in superoxide content upon charge show that charge proceeds through the reverse solution process. Furthermore, we identify the carbon-centered/oxygen-centered alkyl radicals arising from attack of these solubilized HO2 species on the diglyme solvent. This is the first direct evidence of such species, which are likely responsible for electrolyte degradation.

Direct evidence of Rickettsia typhi infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks and their canine hosts.

PubMed

Dzul-Rosado, Karla; Lugo-Caballero, Cesar; Tello-Martin, Raul; López-Avila, Karina; Zavala-Castro, Jorge

2017-01-01

Murine typhus is a rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia typhi , whose transmission is carried out by rat fleas in urban settlements as classically known, but it also has been related to cat fleas in a sub-urban alternative cycle that has been suggested by recent reports. These studies remarks that in addition to rats, other animals like cats, opossums and dogs could be implied in the transmission of Rickettsia typhi as infected fleas obtained from serologically positive animals have been detected in samples from endemic areas. In Mexico, the higher number of murine typhus cases have been detected in the Yucatan peninsula, which includes a great southeastern region of Mexico that shows ecologic characteristics similar to the sub-urban alternative cycle recently described in Texas and California at the United States. To find out which are the particular ecologic characteristics of murine typhus transmission in this region, we analyzed blood and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks obtained from domestic dogs by molecular approaches, demonstrating that both samples were infected by Rickettsia typhi . Following this, we obtained isolates that were analyzed by genetic sequencing to corroborate this infection in 100% of the analyzed samples. This evidence suggests for the first time that ticks and dogs could be actively participating in the transmission of murine typhus, in a role that requires further studies for its precise description.

Evidence for breathing modes in direct current, pulsed, and high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasmas

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

Yang, Yuchen; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720; Zhou, Xue

2016-01-18

We present evidence for breathing modes in magnetron sputtering plasmas: periodic axial variations of plasma parameters with characteristic frequencies between 10 and 100 kHz. A set of azimuthally distributed probes shows synchronous oscillations of the floating potential. They appear most clearly when considering the intermediate current regime in which the direction of azimuthal spoke motion changes. Breathing oscillations were found to be superimposed on azimuthal spoke motion. Depending on pressure and current, one can also find a regime of chaotic fluctuations and one of stable discharges, the latter at high current. A pressure-current phase diagram for the different situations is proposed.

Direct evidence from intraoperative electrocortical stimulation indicates shared and distinct speech production center between Chinese and English languages.

PubMed

Wu, Jinsong; Lu, Junfeng; Zhang, Han; Zhang, Jie; Yao, Chengjun; Zhuang, Dongxiao; Qiu, Tianming; Guo, Qihao; Hu, Xiaobing; Mao, Ying; Zhou, Liangfu

2015-12-01

Chinese processing has been suggested involving distinct brain areas from English. However, current functional localization studies on Chinese speech processing use mostly "indirect" techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography, lacking direct evidence by means of electrocortical recording. In this study, awake craniotomies in 66 Chinese-speaking glioma patients provide a unique opportunity to directly map eloquent language areas. Intraoperative electrocortical stimulation was conducted and the positive sites for speech arrest, anomia, and alexia were identified separately. With help of stereotaxic neuronavigation system and computational modeling, all positive sites elicited by stimulation were integrated and a series of two- and three-dimension Chinese language probability maps were built. We performed statistical comparisons between the Chinese maps and previously derived English maps. While most Chinese speech arrest areas located at typical language production sites (i.e., 50% positive sites in ventral precentral gyrus, 28% in pars opercularis and pars triangularis), which also serve English production, an additional brain area, the left middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann's areas 6/9), was found to be unique in Chinese production (P < 0.05). Moreover, Chinese speakers' inferior ventral precentral gyrus (Brodmann's area 6) was used more than that in English speakers. Our finding suggests that Chinese involves more perisylvian region (extending to left middle frontal gyrus) than English. This is the first time that direct evidence supports cross-cultural neurolinguistics differences in human beings. The Chinese language atlas will also helpful in brain surgery planning for Chinese-speakers. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strong surface enhanced Raman scattering from gold nanoarrays obtained by direct laser writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V. G.; Todorov, N. D.; Petrov, L. S.; Ritacco, T.; Giocondo, M.; Vlakhov, E. S.

2016-10-01

We report for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from arrays of gold nanoparticles produced by 2-photons photo-reduction of the metallic precursor (HAuCl4) hosted in a Poly-Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) matrix, on glass substrates. Samples with the same pattern but featuring different nanoparticles size and density were obtained by varying the writing laser power and scanning speed. The Raman spectra were recorded from samples immersed in a solution of rhodamine-6G (R6G), as well as, after exposure of the samples in xylene. SERS enhancement factors of up to ∼104 were obtained for both analytes. The measurements show that the SERS enhancement is maximized on golden strips produced at higher writing laser power and lower scanning speed, where closer nanoparticles packing is obtained..

Cost Sharing in Medicaid: Assumptions, Evidence, and Future Directions.

PubMed

Powell, Victoria; Saloner, Brendan; Sabik, Lindsay M

2016-08-01

Several states have received waivers to expand Medicaid to poor adults under the Affordable Care Act using more cost sharing than the program traditionally allows. We synthesize literature on the effects of cost sharing, focusing on studies of low-income U.S. populations from 1995 to 2014. Literature suggests that cost sharing has a deterrent effect on initiation of treatments, and can reduce utilization of ongoing treatments. Furthermore, cost sharing may be difficult for low-income populations to understand, patients often lack sufficient information to choose medical treatment, and cost sharing may be difficult to balance within the budgets of poor adults. Gaps in the literature include evidence of long-term effects of cost sharing on health and financial well-being, evidence related to effectiveness of cost sharing combined with patient education, and evidence related to targeted programs that use financial incentives for wellness. Literature underscores the need for evaluation of the effects of cost sharing on health status and spending, particularly among the poorest adults. © The Author(s) 2015.

European Working Time Directive and doctors’ health: a systematic review of the available epidemiological evidence

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Jareño, Maria Cruz; Demou, Evangelia; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Sanati, Kaveh A; Škerjanc, Alenka; Reis, Pedro G; Helimäki-Aro, Ritva; Macdonald, Ewan B; Serra, Consol

2014-01-01

Objective To summarise the available scientific evidence on the health effects of exposure to working beyond the limit number of hours established by the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) on physicians. Design A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE. Study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were carried out by independent pairs of researchers using pre-established criteria. Setting Physicians of any medical, surgical or community specialty, working in any possible setting (hospitals, primary healthcare, etc), as well as trainees, residents, junior house officers or postgraduate interns, were included. Participants The total number of participants was 14 338. Primary and secondary outcome measures Health effects classified under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Results Over 3000 citations and 110 full articles were reviewed. From these, 11 studies of high or intermediate quality carried out in North America, Europe and Japan met the inclusion criteria. Six studies included medical residents, junior doctors or house officers and the five others included medical specialists or consultants, medical, dental, and general practitioners and hospital physicians. Evidence of an association was found between percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents with extended long working hours (LWH)/days or very LWH/weeks. The evidence was insufficient for mood disorders and general health. No studies on other health outcomes were identified. Conclusions LWH could increase the risk of percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents, and possibly other incidents at work through the same pathway. While associations are clear, the existing evidence does not allow for an established causal or ‘dose–response’ relationship between LWH and incidents at work, or for a threshold number of extended hours above which there is a significantly higher risk and the hours physicians could work and remain safe and healthy

Direct evidence for positive selection of skin, hair, and eye pigmentation in Europeans during the last 5,000 y.

PubMed

Wilde, Sandra; Timpson, Adrian; Kirsanow, Karola; Kaiser, Elke; Kayser, Manfred; Unterländer, Martina; Hollfelder, Nina; Potekhina, Inna D; Schier, Wolfram; Thomas, Mark G; Burger, Joachim

2014-04-01

Pigmentation is a polygenic trait encompassing some of the most visible phenotypic variation observed in humans. Here we present direct estimates of selection acting on functional alleles in three key genes known to be involved in human pigmentation pathways--HERC2, SLC45A2, and TYR--using allele frequency estimates from Eneolithic, Bronze Age, and modern Eastern European samples and forward simulations. Neutrality was overwhelmingly rejected for all alleles studied, with point estimates of selection ranging from around 2-10% per generation. Our results provide direct evidence that strong selection favoring lighter skin, hair, and eye pigmentation has been operating in European populations over the last 5,000 y.

Direct PCR amplification of forensic touch and other challenging DNA samples: A review.

PubMed

Cavanaugh, Sarah E; Bathrick, Abigail S

2018-01-01

DNA evidence sample processing typically involves DNA extraction, quantification, and STR amplification; however, DNA loss can occur at both the DNA extraction and quantification steps, which is not ideal for forensic evidence containing low levels of DNA. Direct PCR amplification of forensic unknown samples has been suggested as a means to circumvent extraction and quantification, thereby retaining the DNA typically lost during those procedures. Direct PCR amplification is a method in which a sample is added directly to an amplification reaction without being subjected to prior DNA extraction, purification, or quantification. It allows for maximum quantities of DNA to be targeted, minimizes opportunities for error and contamination, and reduces the time and monetary resources required to process samples, although data analysis may take longer as the increased DNA detection sensitivity of direct PCR may lead to more instances of complex mixtures. ISO 17025 accredited laboratories have successfully implemented direct PCR for limited purposes (e.g., high-throughput databanking analysis), and recent studies indicate that direct PCR can be an effective method for processing low-yield evidence samples. Despite its benefits, direct PCR has yet to be widely implemented across laboratories for the processing of evidentiary items. While forensic DNA laboratories are always interested in new methods that will maximize the quantity and quality of genetic information obtained from evidentiary items, there is often a lag between the advent of useful methodologies and their integration into laboratories. Delayed implementation of direct PCR of evidentiary items can be attributed to a variety of factors, including regulatory guidelines that prevent laboratories from omitting the quantification step when processing forensic unknown samples, as is the case in the United States, and, more broadly, a reluctance to validate a technique that is not widely used for evidence samples. The

Evaluation of marginal and internal gaps of metal ceramic crowns obtained from conventional impressions and casting techniques with those obtained from digital techniques.

PubMed

Rai, Rathika; Kumar, S Arun; Prabhu, R; Govindan, Ranjani Thillai; Tanveer, Faiz Mohamed

2017-01-01

Accuracy in fit of cast metal restoration has always remained as one of the primary factors in determining the success of the restoration. A well-fitting restoration needs to be accurate both along its margin and with regard to its internal surface. The aim of the study is to evaluate the marginal fit of metal ceramic crowns obtained by conventional inlay casting wax pattern using conventional impression with the metal ceramic crowns obtained by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique using direct and indirect optical scanning. This in vitro study on preformed custom-made stainless steel models with former assembly that resembles prepared tooth surfaces of standardized dimensions comprised three groups: the first group included ten samples of metal ceramic crowns fabricated with conventional technique, the second group included CAD/CAM-milled direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) crowns using indirect scanning, and the third group included DMLS crowns fabricated by direct scanning of the stainless steel model. The vertical marginal gap and the internal gap were evaluated with the stereomicroscope (Zoomstar 4); post hoc Turkey's test was used for statistical analysis. One-way analysis of variance method was used to compare the mean values. Metal ceramic crowns obtained from direct optical scanning showed the least marginal and internal gap when compared to the castings obtained from inlay casting wax and indirect optical scanning. Indirect and direct optical scanning had yielded results within clinically acceptable range.

43 CFR 3205.10 - How do I obtain a direct use lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE LEASING... direct use lease for any lands on which BLM manages the geothermal resources, on a form available from BLM. You may not sell the geothermal resource and you may not use it for the commercial generation of...

43 CFR 3205.10 - How do I obtain a direct use lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE LEASING... direct use lease for any lands on which BLM manages the geothermal resources, on a form available from BLM. You may not sell the geothermal resource and you may not use it for the commercial generation of...

43 CFR 3205.10 - How do I obtain a direct use lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE LEASING... direct use lease for any lands on which BLM manages the geothermal resources, on a form available from BLM. You may not sell the geothermal resource and you may not use it for the commercial generation of...

43 CFR 3205.10 - How do I obtain a direct use lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE LEASING... direct use lease for any lands on which BLM manages the geothermal resources, on a form available from BLM. You may not sell the geothermal resource and you may not use it for the commercial generation of...

Direct Evidence for Solid-like Hydrogen in a Nanoporous Carbon Hydrogen Storage Material at Supercritical Temperatures

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

Ting, Valeska P.; Ramirez-Cuesta, Anibal J.; Bimbo, Nuno

Here in this paper we report direct physical evidence that confinement of molecular hydrogen (H 2) in an optimized nanoporous carbon results in accumulation of hydrogen with characteristics commensurate with solid H 2 at temperatures up to 67 K above the liquid vapor critical temperature of bulk H 2. This extreme densification is attributed to confinement of 112 molecules in the optimally sized micropores, and occurs at pressures as low as 0.02 MPa. The quantities of contained, solid-like H 2 increased with pressure and were directly evaluated using in situ inelastic neutron scattering and confirmed by analysis of gas sorptionmore » isotherms. The demonstration of the existence of solid-like H 2 challenges the existing assumption that supercritical hydrogen confined in nanopores has an upper limit of liquid H 2 density. Thus, this insight offers opportunities for the development of more accurate models for the evaluation and design of nanoporous materials for high capacity adsorptive hydrogen storage.« less

Direct Evidence for Solid-like Hydrogen in a Nanoporous Carbon Hydrogen Storage Material at Supercritical Temperatures

DOE PAGES

Ting, Valeska P.; Ramirez-Cuesta, Anibal J.; Bimbo, Nuno; ...

2015-07-14

Here in this paper we report direct physical evidence that confinement of molecular hydrogen (H 2) in an optimized nanoporous carbon results in accumulation of hydrogen with characteristics commensurate with solid H 2 at temperatures up to 67 K above the liquid vapor critical temperature of bulk H 2. This extreme densification is attributed to confinement of 112 molecules in the optimally sized micropores, and occurs at pressures as low as 0.02 MPa. The quantities of contained, solid-like H 2 increased with pressure and were directly evaluated using in situ inelastic neutron scattering and confirmed by analysis of gas sorptionmore » isotherms. The demonstration of the existence of solid-like H 2 challenges the existing assumption that supercritical hydrogen confined in nanopores has an upper limit of liquid H 2 density. Thus, this insight offers opportunities for the development of more accurate models for the evaluation and design of nanoporous materials for high capacity adsorptive hydrogen storage.« less

Effects of Physician-directed Pharmaceutical Promotion on Prescription Behaviors: Longitudinal Evidence.

PubMed

Datta, Anusua; Dave, Dhaval

2017-04-01

Spending on prescription drugs (Rx) represents one of the fastest growing components of US healthcare spending and has coincided with an expansion of pharmaceutical promotional spending. Most (83%) of Rx promotion is directed at physicians in the form of visits by pharmaceutical representatives (known as detailing) and drug samples provided to physicians' offices. Such promotion has come under increased public scrutiny, with critics contending that physician-directed promotion may play a role in raising healthcare costs and may unduly affect physicians' prescribing habits towards more expensive, and possibly less cost-effective, drugs. In this study, we bring longitudinal evidence to bear upon the question of how detailing impacts physicians' prescribing behaviors. Specifically, we examine prescriptions and promotion for a particular drug class based on a nationally representative sample of 150,000 physicians spanning 24 months. The use of longitudinal physician-level data allows us to tackle some of the empirical concerns in the extant literature, virtually all of which have relied on aggregate national data. We estimate fixed-effects specifications that bypass stable unobserved physician-specific heterogeneity and address potential targeting bias. In addition, we also assess differential effects at both the extensive and intensive margins of prescribing behaviors and differential effects across physician-level and market-level characteristics, questions that have not been explored in prior work. The estimates suggest that detailing has a significant and positive effect on the number of new scripts written for the detailed drug, with an elasticity magnitude of 0.06. This effect is substantially smaller than those in the literature based on aggregate information, suggesting that most of the observed relationship between physician-directed promotion and drug sales is driven by selection bias. We find that detailing impacts selective brand-specific demand but does

Direct Evidence for Delocalization of Charge Carriers at the Fermi Level in a Doped Conducting Polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuo, Jing-Mei; Zhao, Li-Hong; Chia, Perq-Jon; Sim, Wee-Sun; Friend, Richard H.; Ho, Peter K. H.

2008-05-01

The infrared absorption spectrum of the polaron charges at the Fermi level EF in a heavily p-doped conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonic acid) film has been measured using interferogram-modulated Fourier-transform charge-modulation spectroscopy. The spectrum indicates softer phonons and weaker electron-phonon coupling riding on a strongly redshifted Drude-like electronic transition, different from the population-averaged “bulk” spectrum. This provides direct evidence that the EF holes are sufficiently delocalized even in such disordered materials to reside in an energy continuum (band states) while the rest of the hole population resides in self-localized gap states.

Hemispheric differences in the voluntary control of spatial attention: direct evidence for a right-hemispheric dominance within frontal cortex.

PubMed

Duecker, Felix; Formisano, Elia; Sack, Alexander T

2013-08-01

Lesion studies in neglect patients have inspired two competing models of spatial attention control, namely, Heilman's "hemispatial" theory and Kinsbourne's "opponent processor" model. Both assume a functional asymmetry between the two hemispheres but propose very different mechanisms. Neuroimaging studies have identified a bilateral dorsal frontoparietal network underlying voluntary shifts of spatial attention. However, lateralization of attentional processes within this network has not been consistently reported. In the current study, we aimed to provide direct evidence concerning the functional asymmetry of the right and left FEF during voluntary shifts of spatial attention. To this end, we applied fMRI-guided neuronavigation to disrupt individual FEF activation foci with a longer-lasting inhibitory patterned TMS protocol followed by a spatial cueing task. Our results indicate that right FEF stimulation impaired the ability of shifting spatial attention toward both hemifields, whereas the effects of left FEF stimulation were limited to the contralateral hemifield. These results provide strong direct evidence for right-hemispheric dominance in spatial attention within frontal cortex supporting Heilman's "hemispatial" theory. This complements previous TMS studies that generally conform to Kinsbourne's "opponent processor" model after disruption of parietal cortex, and we therefore propose that both theories are not mutually exclusive.

Direct NMR Evidence that Transient Tautomeric and Anionic States in dG·dT Form Watson-Crick-like Base Pairs.

PubMed

Szymanski, Eric S; Kimsey, Isaac J; Al-Hashimi, Hashim M

2017-03-29

The replicative and translational machinery utilizes the unique geometry of canonical G·C and A·T/U Watson-Crick base pairs to discriminate against DNA and RNA mismatches in order to ensure high fidelity replication, transcription, and translation. There is growing evidence that spontaneous errors occur when mismatches adopt a Watson-Crick-like geometry through tautomerization and/or ionization of the bases. Studies employing NMR relaxation dispersion recently showed that wobble dG·dT and rG·rU mismatches in DNA and RNA duplexes transiently form tautomeric and anionic species with probabilities (≈0.01-0.40%) that are in concordance with replicative and translational errors. Although computational studies indicate that these exceptionally short-lived and low-abundance species form Watson-Crick-like base pairs, their conformation could not be directly deduced from the experimental data, and alternative pairing geometries could not be ruled out. Here, we report direct NMR evidence that the transient tautomeric and anionic species form hydrogen-bonded Watson-Crick-like base pairs. A guanine-to-inosine substitution, which selectively knocks out a Watson-Crick-type (G)N2H 2 ···O2(T) hydrogen bond, significantly destabilized the transient tautomeric and anionic species, as assessed by lack of any detectable chemical exchange by imino nitrogen rotating frame spin relaxation (R 1ρ ) experiments. An 15 N R 1ρ NMR experiment targeting the amino nitrogen of guanine (dG-N2) provides direct evidence for Watson-Crick (G)N2H 2 ···O2(T) hydrogen bonding in the transient tautomeric state. The strategy presented in this work can be generally applied to examine hydrogen-bonding patterns in nucleic acid transient states including in other tautomeric and anionic species that are postulated to play roles in replication and translational errors.

Direct Observation of Clinical Skills Feedback Scale: Development and Validity Evidence.

PubMed

Halman, Samantha; Dudek, Nancy; Wood, Timothy; Pugh, Debra; Touchie, Claire; McAleer, Sean; Humphrey-Murto, Susan

2016-01-01

Construct: This article describes the development and validity evidence behind a new rating scale to assess feedback quality in the clinical workplace. Competency-based medical education has mandated a shift to learner-centeredness, authentic observation, and frequent formative assessments with a focus on the delivery of effective feedback. Because feedback has been shown to be of variable quality and effectiveness, an assessment of feedback quality in the workplace is important to ensure we are providing trainees with optimal learning opportunities. The purposes of this project were to develop a rating scale for the quality of verbal feedback in the workplace (the Direct Observation of Clinical Skills Feedback Scale [DOCS-FBS]) and to gather validity evidence for its use. Two panels of experts (local and national) took part in a nominal group technique to identify features of high-quality feedback. Through multiple iterations and review, 9 features were developed into the DOCS-FBS. Four rater types (residents n = 21, medical students n = 8, faculty n = 12, and educators n = 12) used the DOCS-FBS to rate videotaped feedback encounters of variable quality. The psychometric properties of the scale were determined using a generalizability analysis. Participants also completed a survey to gather data on a 5-point Likert scale to inform the ease of use, clarity, knowledge acquisition, and acceptability of the scale. Mean video ratings ranged from 1.38 to 2.96 out of 3 and followed the intended pattern suggesting that the tool allowed raters to distinguish between examples of higher and lower quality feedback. There were no significant differences between rater type (range = 2.36-2.49), suggesting that all groups of raters used the tool in the same way. The generalizability coefficients for the scale ranged from 0.97 to 0.99. Item-total correlations were all above 0.80, suggesting some redundancy in items. Participants found the scale easy to use (M = 4.31/5) and clear

Cerium(IV)-mediated oxidation of flavonol with relevance to flavonol 2,4-dioxygenase. Direct evidence for spin delocalization in the flavonoxy radical.

PubMed

Kaizer, József; Ganszky, Ildikó; Speier, Gábor; Rockenbauer, Antal; Korecz, László; Giorgi, Michel; Réglier, Marius; Antonczak, Serge

2007-06-01

The cerium(IV)-mediated oxidation of 3-hydroxy-4'-methylflavone (1) proceeds by H-atom abstraction forming the flavonoxy radical (7), and the subsequent combination of its resonance forms leads to the 3-hydroxy-4'-methylflavone dehydro dimer (9). The above system serves as direct evidence for the intermediacy of the flavonoxy radical, its spin delocalization, and also indirect evidence for valence tautomerism as a key step on the substrate activation both in the quercetinase and its biomimic model system.

Method of obtaining graphene and graphene-based electronic components and circuits with pencil directly on paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mailian, Aram; Mailian, Manvel; Shmavonyan, Gagik

2014-03-01

An easy method of obtaining graphene and graphene-based electronic components and circuits by drawing lines or repeatedly rubbing any type of graphite rod along the same path directly on paper and other insulating substrates is suggested. The structure containing rubbed-off layers behaves like a semiconducting material. The surface of the structure demonstrates ordered and oriented character containing few layer graphene. The carrier mobility is anisotropic through the thickness of the structure with the highest value of ~ 104 cm2/V .sec at the surface. Raman spectra of the structures in the near IR at excitation wavelength of 976 nm (1.27 eV) are registered. The observed phenomenon is universal, does not depend on the material of the substrate and could find a widespread application. For example, the junction between two rubbed off layers with different mobilities exhibits a non-Ohmic behavior. I-V characteristic of the junction is symmetrically curved with respect to 0 V. The greater is the difference between the carrier mobility, the higher is the curvature. The dynamic accumulation of the carriers in both sides of the junction creates a barrier responsible for non-Ohmic behavior.

Does functional MRI detect activation in white matter? A review of emerging evidence, issues, and future directions

PubMed Central

Gawryluk, Jodie R.; Mazerolle, Erin L.; D'Arcy, Ryan C. N.

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive technique that allows for visualization of activated brain regions. Until recently, fMRI studies have focused on gray matter. There are two main reasons white matter fMRI remains controversial: (1) the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal depends on cerebral blood flow and volume, which are lower in white matter than gray matter and (2) fMRI signal has been associated with post-synaptic potentials (mainly localized in gray matter) as opposed to action potentials (the primary type of neural activity in white matter). Despite these observations, there is no direct evidence against measuring fMRI activation in white matter and reports of fMRI activation in white matter continue to increase. The questions underlying white matter fMRI activation are important. White matter fMRI activation has the potential to greatly expand the breadth of brain connectivity research, as well as improve the assessment and diagnosis of white matter and connectivity disorders. The current review provides an overview of the motivation to investigate white matter fMRI activation, as well as the published evidence of this phenomenon. We speculate on possible neurophysiologic bases of white matter fMRI signals, and discuss potential explanations for why reports of white matter fMRI activation are relatively scarce. We end with a discussion of future basic and clinical research directions in the study of white matter fMRI. PMID:25152709

Are interventions to enhance communication performance in allied health professionals effective, and how should they be delivered? Direct and indirect evidence.

PubMed

Parry, Ruth

2008-11-01

(1) To systematically review direct evidence about effects of interventions to improve communication performance amongst allied health professionals (AHPs). (2) To summarise indirect evidence pertinent to design, delivery, effects, and evaluation of such interventions. (1) Systematic search and narrative review of evaluations of interventions for AHPs. (2) Systematic search and narrative summary of reviews of corresponding interventions in medicine and nursing. Five reports of interventions for AHPs were included. All reported positive effects of training. Strongest evidence was from two small-n within-subjects controlled studies that evaluated highly specific training for qualified therapists in brain injury rehabilitation environments. Indirect evidence from nine systematic reviews in medicine and nursing indicated positive effects of communication training. Robust designs yielded smallest effect sizes. Interventions based on strong conceptual and empirical foundations and targeting specific areas of practice appeared more effective. Strongest evidence is for performance-based training for clinicians already working with patients. More empirical and conceptual understandings about AHPs' communication practices are required so as to improve the design, delivery and subsequent evaluation of communication training amongst these important healthcare workers. Preliminary and indirect evidence suggest it is possible to positively influence AHP clinicians' performance and patients' outcomes if training interventions are specific, founded on evidence about effective practice and delivered using practical modalities.

Corroborating evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Mebius, Alexander

2014-12-01

Proponents of evidence-based medicine (EBM) have argued convincingly for applying this scientific method to medicine. However, the current methodological framework of the EBM movement has recently been called into question, especially in epidemiology and the philosophy of science. The debate has focused on whether the methodology of randomized controlled trials provides the best evidence available. This paper attempts to shift the focus of the debate by arguing that clinical reasoning involves a patchwork of evidential approaches and that the emphasis on evidence hierarchies of methodology fails to lend credence to the common practice of corroboration in medicine. I argue that the strength of evidence lies in the evidence itself, and not the methodology used to obtain that evidence. Ultimately, when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of medical interventions, it is the evidence obtained from the methodology rather than the methodology that should establish the strength of the evidence. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evidence-based financial management.

PubMed

Finkler, Steven A; Henley, Richard J; Ward, David M

2003-10-01

Like the practice of evidence-based medicine, evidence-based financial management can be used by providers to improve results. The concept provides a framework that managers and researchers can use to help direct efforts in gathering and using evidence to support management decisions in health care.

Evolution of genitalia: theories, evidence, and new directions.

PubMed

Eberhard, William G

2010-01-01

Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain why male intromittent genitalia consistently tend to diverge more rapidly than other body traits of the same individuals in a wide range of animal taxa. Currently the two most popular involve sexual selection: sexually antagonistic coevolution (SAC) and cryptic female choice (CFC). A review of the most extensive attempts to discriminate between these two hypotheses indicates that SAC is not likely to have played a major role in explaining this pattern of genital evolution. Promising lines for future, more direct tests of CFC include experimental modification of male genital form and female sensory abilities, analysis of possible male-female dialogues during copulation, and direct observations of genital behavior.

Direct evidence of void passivation in Cu(InGa)(SSe){sub 2} absorber layers

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

Lee, Dongho; Kim, Young-Su; Mo, Chan B.

We have investigated the charge collection condition around voids in copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSSe) solar cells fabricated by sputter and a sequential process of selenization/sulfurization. In this study, we found direct evidence of void passivation by using the junction electron beam induced current method, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The high sulfur concentration at the void surface plays an important role in the performance enhancement of the device. The recombination around voids is effectively suppressed by field-assisted void passivation. Hence, the generated carriers are easily collected by the electrodes. Therefore, when the S/(S + Se)more » ratio at the void surface is over 8% at room temperature, the device performance degradation caused by the recombination at the voids is negligible at the CIGSSe layer.« less

Direct observation limits on antimatter gravitation

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

Fischler, Mark; Lykken, Joe; Roberts, Tom

2008-06-01

The proposed Antihydrogen Gravity experiment at Fermilab (P981) will directly measure the gravitational attraction g between antihydrogen and the Earth, with an accuracy of 1% or better. The following key question has been asked by the PAC: Is a possible 1% difference between g and g already ruled out by other evidence? This memo presents the key points of existing evidence, to answer whether such a difference is ruled out (a) on the basis of direct observational evidence; and/or (b) on the basis of indirect evidence, combined with reasoning based on strongly held theoretical assumptions. The bottom line is thatmore » there are no direct observations or measurements of gravitational asymmetry which address the antimatter sector. There is evidence which by indirect reasoning can be taken to rule out such a difference, but the analysis needed to draw that conclusion rests on models and assumptions which are in question for other reasons and are thus worth testing. There is no compelling evidence or theoretical reason to rule out such a difference at the 1% level.« less

European Working Time Directive and doctors' health: a systematic review of the available epidemiological evidence.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Jareño, Maria Cruz; Demou, Evangelia; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Sanati, Kaveh A; Skerjanc, Alenka; Reis, Pedro G; Helimäki-Aro, Ritva; Macdonald, Ewan B; Serra, Consol

2014-07-07

To summarise the available scientific evidence on the health effects of exposure to working beyond the limit number of hours established by the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) on physicians. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE. Study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were carried out by independent pairs of researchers using pre-established criteria. Physicians of any medical, surgical or community specialty, working in any possible setting (hospitals, primary healthcare, etc), as well as trainees, residents, junior house officers or postgraduate interns, were included. The total number of participants was 14 338. Health effects classified under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Over 3000 citations and 110 full articles were reviewed. From these, 11 studies of high or intermediate quality carried out in North America, Europe and Japan met the inclusion criteria. Six studies included medical residents, junior doctors or house officers and the five others included medical specialists or consultants, medical, dental, and general practitioners and hospital physicians. Evidence of an association was found between percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents with extended long working hours (LWH)/days or very LWH/weeks. The evidence was insufficient for mood disorders and general health. No studies on other health outcomes were identified. LWH could increase the risk of percutaneous injuries and road traffic accidents, and possibly other incidents at work through the same pathway. While associations are clear, the existing evidence does not allow for an established causal or 'dose-response' relationship between LWH and incidents at work, or for a threshold number of extended hours above which there is a significantly higher risk and the hours physicians could work and remain safe and healthy. Policymakers should consider safety issues when working on relaxing EWTD for doctors. Published by the

Age Differences in Self-Continuity: Converging Evidence and Directions for Future Research

PubMed Central

Rutt, Joshua L.

2017-01-01

Abstract Life-span development is inherently linked to the perception of time and associated temporal construals. Such concepts are multi-faceted in nature and have important practical implications in areas such as time management, financial planning, or medical choices. A large body of research has documented age-related limitations in global time horizons, but age differences in other aspects of temporal construal are comparatively poorly understood. The present article draws attention to developmental trajectories of self-continuity, defined as perceived associations of one’s present self with past and future selves. After considering historical roots and contemporary views on self-continuity, we turn to the life-span developmental literature and review several convergent streams of research that provide indirect evidence for age-related increases in self-continuity. We then consider a small body of recent studies which have directly assessed age differences in self-continuity and summarize our current understanding of this phenomenon including associations between explicit and implicit measures, symmetry between past and future self-continuity, and differentiation from other aspects of time perception. We conclude by highlighting open theoretical questions and considering the practical implications of an increased sense of self-continuity with advancing age. PMID:28520940

First direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level trophic chain in the fossil record.

PubMed

Kriwet, Jürgen; Witzmann, Florian; Klug, Stefanie; Heidtke, Ulrich H J

2008-01-22

We describe the first known occurrence of a Permian shark specimen preserving two temnospondyl amphibians in its digestive tract as well as the remains of an acanthodian fish, which was ingested by one of the temnospondyls. This exceptional find provides for the first time direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level food chain in the fossil record with the simultaneous preservation of three trophic levels. Our analysis shows that small-sized Lower Permian xenacanthid sharks of the genus Triodus preyed on larval piscivorous amphibians. The recorded trophic interaction can be explained by the adaptation of certain xenacanthids to fully freshwater environments and the fact that in these same environments, large temnospondyls occupied the niche of modern crocodiles. This unique faunal association has not been documented after the Permian and Triassic. Therefore, this Palaeozoic three-level food chain provides strong and independent support for changes in aquatic trophic chain structures through time.

The production and use of evidence in health care service innovation: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Vasileiou, Konstantina; Barnett, Julie; Young, Terry

2013-03-01

The focus of this article is on a range of concepts of evidence employed by health care innovators in pursuing service innovations and in demonstrating their success. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 key informants in the United Kingdom who had won Health Service Journal awards for successfully implementing 15 service innovations. Four concepts of evidence were identified: (a) evidence of effectiveness-both direct and indirect, (b) evidence of efficiency, (c) evidence of innovation acceptance, and (d) evidence of relevance. The results suggest that the innovators articulated evidential concepts from the main approaches prevailing in the British National Health Service, namely clinical trials and improvement cycles. Most aspired to "better" evidence than they were able to obtain, while the approach to evidence gathering was very pragmatic and was more aligned with the improvement-cycle framework. Developing supporting mechanisms for assisting innovation evaluation is an important challenge if service innovation is to be routinely attempted and achieved in health care.

Products obtained after in vitro reaction of 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene 5,6-oxide with nucleic acids.

PubMed

Blobstein, S H; Weinstein, I B; Grunberger, D; Weisgras, J; Harvey, R G

1975-07-29

Several lines of evidence suggest that oxide derivatives of carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons are the reactive intermediates for in vivo binding to cellular nucleic acids. In the present study the covalent binding of 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene 5,6-oxide to synthetic homopolymers and nucleic acids in aqueous-acetone solutions has been investigated. Poly(G) was found to be the most reactive nucleic acid and underwent approximately 7-10% modification. Alkaline hydrolysis of the poly(G)-dimethylbenzathracene conjugate yielded chromatographically distinct polycyclic hydrocarbon-modified nucleotides which were further characterized by spectral analyses and enzymatic and chemical degradation. When the oxide was allowed to react with GMP or dGMP, at least two products were obtained in about 1% yield. Acid hydrolysis of the dGMP-dimethylbenzanthracene conjugates liberated the corresponding guanine-dimethylbenzathracene products. Mass spectral analysis of the modified bases provided direct evidence that we had obtained covalent binding of the poly-cyclic hydrocarbon to guanine. The mass spectral cleavage pattern suggest that one of these products is a hydroxydihydro derivative of dimethylbenzanthracene bound to guanine and the other is a dimethylbenzanthracene-guanine conjugate. Additional structural aspects of these guanine derivatives are discussed.

Theoretical approach to obtaining dynamic characteristics of noncontacting spiral-grooved seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iwatsubo, Takuzo; Yang, Bo-Suk; Ibaraki, Ryuji

1987-01-01

The dynamic characteristics of spiral-grooved seals are theoretically obtained by using the Navier-Stokes equation. First, with the inertia term of the fluid considered, the flow and pressure in the steady state are obtained for the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the groove. Next, the dynamic character is obtained by analyzing the steady state and by analyzing the labyrinth seal. As a result, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) As the land width becomes shorter or the helix angle decreases, the cross-coupling stiffness, direct and cross-coupling damping, and add mass coefficients decrease; (2) As the axial Reynolds number increases, the stiffness and damping coefficients increase. But the add mass coefficient is not influenced by the axial Reynolds number; (3) The rotational Reynolds number influences greatly the direct and cross-coupling stiffness and direct damping coefficients; and (4) As the journal rotating frequency increases, the leakage flow decreases. Therefore zero net leakage flow is possible at a particular rotating frequency.

Do Chinese Readers Obtain Preview Benefit from Word "n" + 2? Evidence from Eye Movements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jinmian; Wang, Suiping; Xu, Yimin; Rayner, Keith

2009-01-01

The boundary paradigm (K. Rayner, 1975) was used to determine the extent to which Chinese readers obtain information from the right of fixation during reading. As characters are the basic visual unit in written Chinese, they were used as targets in Experiment 1 to examine whether readers obtain preview information from character "n" + 1 and…

Photogrammetric Correlation of Face with Frontal Radiographs and Direct Measurements.

PubMed

Negi, Gunjan; Ponnada, Swaroopa; Aravind, N K S; Chitra, Prasad

2017-05-01

Photogrammetry is a science of making measurements from photographs. As cephalometric analysis till date has focused mainly on skeletal relationships, photogrammetry may provide a means to reliably assess and compare soft tissue and hard tissue measurements. To compare and correlate linear measurements taken directly from subject's faces and from standardized frontal cephalometric radiographs and to correlate them with standardized frontal facial photographs of Indian population and to obtain mean values. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 subjects of Indian origin. Frontal cephalograms and standardized frontal photographs were obtained from subjects in the age group of 18- 25 years. Vernier calipers were used to obtain facial measurements directly. Photographs and radiographs were uploaded and measured using Nemoceph software. Analogous cephalometric, photographic and direct measurements were compared by one-way ANOVA to assess Pearson correlation coefficients for 12 linear measurements (6 vertical, 6 horizontal). Bonferroni post-hoc test was done for pair wise comparison. Among all measurements used, O R -O L (orbitale right-orbitale left) showed a high correlation r = 0.76, 0.70, 0.71. There was moderate correlation with En R -En L (endocanthion rt - endocanthion lt) r 2 = 0.62, 0.68, 0.68. Highly significant correlation was evident with N-Sn, En R -En L and Ag R -Ag L with p<0.001. A statistically significant correlation was found between photographic, radiographic and direct measurements. Therefore, photogrammetry has proven to be an alternative diagnostic tool that can be used in epidemiologic studies when there is a need for a simple, basic, non-invasive and cost-effective method.

Evidence-based Medicine in Facial Plastic Surgery: Current State and Future Directions.

PubMed

Dedhia, Raj; Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Tollefson, Travis T; Ishii, Lisa E

2016-08-01

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) encompasses the evaluation and application of best available evidence, incorporation of clinical experience, and emphasis on patient preference and values. Different scales are used to rate levels of evidence. Translating available data for interventions to clinical practice guidelines requires an assessment of both the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation. Essential to the practice of EBM is evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention through outcome measures. This article discusses principles essential to EBM, resources commonly used in EBM practice, and the strengths and limitations of EBM in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct evidence of a large Northern European Roman period martial event and post-battle corpse manipulation.

PubMed

Holst, Mads Kähler; Heinemeier, Jan; Hertz, Ejvind; Jensen, Peter; Løvschal, Mette; Mollerup, Lene; Odgaard, Bent Vad; Olsen, Jesper; Søe, Niels Emil; Kristiansen, Søren Munch

2018-05-21

New archaeological excavations at Alken Enge, Jutland, Denmark, have revealed a comprehensive assemblage of disarticulated human remains within a 75-ha wetland area. A minimum of 82 individuals have been uncovered. Based on the distribution, the total population is estimated to be greater than 380 individuals, exclusively male and predominantly adult. The chronological radiocarbon evidence of the human bones indicates that they belong to a single, large event in the early first century AD. The bones show a high frequency of unhealed trauma from sharp-edged weapons, which, together with finds of military equipment, suggests that the find is of martial character. Taphonomic traces indicate that the bones were exposed to animal gnawing for a period of between 6 mo and 1 y before being deposited in the lake. Furthermore, the find situations, including collections of bones, ossa coxae threaded onto a stick, and cuts and scraping marks, provide evidence of the systematic treatment of the human corpses after the time of exposure. The finds are interpreted as the remains of an organized and possibly ritually embedded clearing of a battlefield, including the physical manipulation of the partly skeletonized bones of the deceased fighters and subsequent deposition in the lake. The date places the finds in the context of the Germanic region at the peak of the Roman expansion northward and provides the earliest direct archaeological evidence of large-scale conflict among the Germanic populations and a demonstration of hitherto unrecognized postbattle practices. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Transcranial direct current stimulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: emerging clinical evidence and considerations for optimal montage of electrodes.

PubMed

Senço, Natasha M; Huang, Yu; D'Urso, Giordano; Parra, Lucas C; Bikson, Marom; Mantovani, Antonio; Shavitt, Roseli G; Hoexter, Marcelo Q; Miguel, Eurípedes C; Brunoni, André R

2015-07-01

Neuromodulation techniques for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment have expanded with greater understanding of the brain circuits involved. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might be a potential new treatment for OCD, although the optimal montage is unclear. To perform a systematic review on meta-analyses of repetitive transcranianal magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) trials for OCD, aiming to identify brain stimulation targets for future tDCS trials and to support the empirical evidence with computer head modeling analysis. Systematic reviews of rTMS and DBS trials on OCD in Pubmed/MEDLINE were searched. For the tDCS computational analysis, we employed head models with the goal of optimally targeting current delivery to structures of interest. Only three references matched our eligibility criteria. We simulated four different electrodes montages and analyzed current direction and intensity. Although DBS, rTMS and tDCS are not directly comparable and our theoretical model, based on DBS and rTMS targets, needs empirical validation, we found that the tDCS montage with the cathode over the pre-supplementary motor area and extra-cephalic anode seems to activate most of the areas related to OCD.

Clinical guidance and an evidence-based approach for restoration of worn dentition by direct composite resin.

PubMed

Milosevic, A

2018-03-09

This paper aims to provide the dentist with practical guidance on the technique for direct composite restoration of worn teeth. It is based on current evidence and includes practical advice regarding type of composite, enamel and dentine preparation, dentine bonding and stent design. The application of direct composite has the advantage of being additive, conserving as much of the remaining worn tooth as possible, ease of placement and adjustment, low maintenance and reversibility. A pragmatic approach to management is advocated, particularly as many of the cases are older patients with advanced wear. Several cases restored by direct composite build-ups illustrate what can be achieved. The restoration of the worn dentition may be challenging for many dentists. Careful planning and simple treatment strategies, however, can prove to be highly effective and rewarding. By keeping any intervention as simple as possible, problems with high maintenance are avoided and management of future failure is made easier. An additive rather than a subtractive treatment approach is more intuitive for worn down teeth. Traditional approaches of full-mouth rehabilitation with indirect cast or milled restorations may still have their place but complex treatment modalities will inevitably be more time consuming, more costly, possibly require specialist care and still have an unpredictable outcome. Composite resin restorations are a universal restorative material familiar to dentists from early-on in the undergraduate curriculum. This review paper discusses the application of composite to restore the worn dentition.

First direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level trophic chain in the fossil record

PubMed Central

Kriwet, Jürgen; Witzmann, Florian; Klug, Stefanie; Heidtke, Ulrich H.J

2007-01-01

We describe the first known occurrence of a Permian shark specimen preserving two temnospondyl amphibians in its digestive tract as well as the remains of an acanthodian fish, which was ingested by one of the temnospondyls. This exceptional find provides for the first time direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level food chain in the fossil record with the simultaneous preservation of three trophic levels. Our analysis shows that small-sized Lower Permian xenacanthid sharks of the genus Triodus preyed on larval piscivorous amphibians. The recorded trophic interaction can be explained by the adaptation of certain xenacanthids to fully freshwater environments and the fact that in these same environments, large temnospondyls occupied the niche of modern crocodiles. This unique faunal association has not been documented after the Permian and Triassic. Therefore, this Palaeozoic three-level food chain provides strong and independent support for changes in aquatic trophic chain structures through time. PMID:17971323

Differential effects of speech situations on mothers' and fathers' infant-directed and dog-directed speech: An acoustic analysis.

PubMed

Gergely, Anna; Faragó, Tamás; Galambos, Ágoston; Topál, József

2017-10-23

There is growing evidence that dog-directed and infant-directed speech have similar acoustic characteristics, like high overall pitch, wide pitch range, and attention-getting devices. However, it is still unclear whether dog- and infant-directed speech have gender or context-dependent acoustic features. In the present study, we collected comparable infant-, dog-, and adult directed speech samples (IDS, DDS, and ADS) in four different speech situations (Storytelling, Task solving, Teaching, and Fixed sentences situations); we obtained the samples from parents whose infants were younger than 30 months of age and also had pet dog at home. We found that ADS was different from IDS and DDS, independently of the speakers' gender and the given situation. Higher overall pitch in DDS than in IDS during free situations was also found. Our results show that both parents hyperarticulate their vowels when talking to children but not when addressing dogs: this result is consistent with the goal of hyperspeech in language tutoring. Mothers, however, exaggerate their vowels for their infants under 18 months more than fathers do. Our findings suggest that IDS and DDS have context-dependent features and support the notion that people adapt their prosodic features to the acoustic preferences and emotional needs of their audience.

Air pollution and Parkinson's disease - evidence and future directions.

PubMed

Palacios, Natalia

2017-12-20

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology that is thought to be caused by a complex combination of environmental and/or genetic factors. Air pollution exposure is linked to numerous adverse effects on human health, including brain inflammation and oxidative stress, processes that are believed to contribute to the development and progression of PD. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the epidemiology of air pollution and PD, including evidence of the effects of various pollutants (ozone, PM10, PM2.5, PM2.5-10, NOx, NO2, CO, traffic air pollution, second-hand smoking) on PD risk. Based on this evidence, promising opportunities for future research are outlined, including: (1) studies of smaller particle sizes that cross the blood-brain barrier, (2) studies of the effects of air pollution on PD mortality and/or progression; (3) studies of interactions of air pollution with gene environment and other environmental factors.

Nearly fully compressed 1053 nm pulses directly obtained from 800 nm laser-seeded photonic crystal fiber below zero dispersion point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Refaeli, Zaharit; Shamir, Yariv; Ofir, Atara; Marcus, Gilad

2018-02-01

We report a simple robust and broadly spectral-adjustable source generating near fully compressed 1053 nm 62 fs pulses directly out of a highly-nonlinear photonic crystal fiber. A dispersion-nonlinearity balance of 800 nm Ti:Sa 20 fs pulses was obtained initially by negative pre-chirping and then launching the pulses into the fibers' normal dispersion regime. Following a self-phase modulation spectral broadening, some energy that leaked below the zero dispersion point formed a soliton whose central wavelength could be tuned by Self-Frequency-Raman-Shift effect. Contrary to a common approach of power, or, fiber-length control over the shift, here we continuously varied the state of polarization, exploiting the Raman and Kerr nonlinearities responsivity for state of polarization. We obtained soliton pulses with central wavelength tuned over 150 nm, spanning from well below 1000 to over 1150 nm, of which we could select stable pulses around the 1 μm vicinity. With linewidth of > 20 nm FWHM Gaussian-like temporal-shape pulses with 62 fs duration and near flat phase structure we confirmed high quality pulse source. We believe such scheme can be used for high energy or high power glass lasers systems, such as Nd or Yb ion-doped amplifiers and systems.

Issues and Challenges in the Design of Culturally Adapted Evidence-Based Interventions

PubMed Central

Castro, Felipe González; Barrera, Manuel; Holleran Steiker, Lori K.

2014-01-01

This article examines issues and challenges in the design of cultural adaptations that are developed from an original evidence-based intervention (EBI). Recently emerging multistep frameworks or stage models are examined, as these can systematically guide the development of culturally adapted EBIs. Critical issues are also presented regarding whether and how such adaptations may be conducted, and empirical evidence is presented regarding the effectiveness of such cultural adaptations. Recent evidence suggests that these cultural adaptations are effective when applied with certain subcultural groups, although they are less effective when applied with other subcultural groups. Generally, current evidence regarding the effectiveness of cultural adaptations is promising but mixed. Further research is needed to obtain more definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of culturally adapted EBIs. Directions for future research and recommendations are presented to guide the development of a new generation of culturally adapted EBIs. PMID:20192800

Direct structural evidence of commensurate-to-incommensurate transition of hydrocarbon adsorption in a microporous metal organic framework

DOE PAGES

Banerjee, Debasis; Wang, Hao; Gong, Qihan; ...

2015-10-27

Here, the efficiency of physisorption-based separation of gas-mixtures depends on the selectivity of adsorbent which is directly linked to size, shape, polarizability and other physical properties of adsorbed molecules. Commensurate adsorption is an interesting and important adsorption phenomenon, where the adsorbed amount, location, and orientation of an adsorbate are commensurate with the crystal symmetry of the adsorbent. Understanding this phenomenon is important and beneficial as it can provide vital information about adsorbate–adsorbent interaction and adsorption–desorption mechanism. So far, only sporadic examples of commensurate adsorption have been reported in porous materials such as zeolites and metal organic frameworks (MOFs). In thismore » work we show for the first time direct structural evidence of commensurate-to-incommensurate transition of linear hydrocarbon molecules (C 2–C7) in a microporous MOF, by employing a number of analytical techniques including single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), in situ powder X-ray diffraction coupled with differential scanning calorimetry (PXRD-DSC), gas adsorption and molecular simulations.« less

Molecular mechanism of direct proflavine-DNA intercalation: evidence for drug-induced minimum base-stacking penalty pathway.

PubMed

Sasikala, Wilbee D; Mukherjee, Arnab

2012-10-11

DNA intercalation, a biophysical process of enormous clinical significance, has surprisingly eluded molecular understanding for several decades. With appropriate configurational restraint (to prevent dissociation) in all-atom metadynamics simulations, we capture the free energy surface of direct intercalation from minor groove-bound state for the first time using an anticancer agent proflavine. Mechanism along the minimum free energy path reveals that intercalation happens through a minimum base stacking penalty pathway where nonstacking parameters (Twist→Slide/Shift) change first, followed by base stacking parameters (Buckle/Roll→Rise). This mechanism defies the natural fluctuation hypothesis and provides molecular evidence for the drug-induced cavity formation hypothesis. The thermodynamic origin of the barrier is found to be a combination of entropy and desolvation energy.

Evidence That Graves' Ophthalmopathy Immunoglobulins Do Not Directly Activate IGF-1 Receptors.

PubMed

Marcus-Samuels, Bernice; Krieger, Christine C; Boutin, Alisa; Kahaly, George J; Neumann, Susanne; Gershengorn, Marvin C

2018-05-01

Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) pathogenesis involves thyrotropin (TSH) receptor (TSHR)-stimulating autoantibodies. Whether there are autoantibodies that directly stimulate insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors (IGF-1Rs), stimulating insulin-like growth factor receptor antibodies (IGFRAbs), remains controversial. This study attempted to determine whether there are stimulating IGFRAbs in patients with GO. Immunoglobulins (Igs) were purified from normal volunteers (NV-Igs) and patients with GO (GO-Igs). The effects of TSH, IGF-1, NV-Igs, and GO-Igs on pAKT and pERK1/2, members of pathways used by IGF-1R and TSHR, were compared in orbital fibroblasts from GO patients (GOFs) and U2OS-TSHR cells overexpressing TSHRs, and U2OS cells that express TSHRs at very low endogenous levels. U2OS-TSHR and U2OS cells were used because GOFs are not easily manipulated using molecular techniques such as transfection, and U2OS cells because they express TSHRs at levels that do not measurably stimulate signaling. Thus, comparing U2OS-TSHR and U2OS cells permits specifically distinguishing signaling mediated by the TSHR and IGF-1R. In GOFs, all GO-Igs stimulated pERK1/2 formation and 69% stimulated pAKT. In U2OS-TSHR cells, 15% of NV-IGs and 83% of GO-Igs stimulated increases in pERK1/2, whereas all NV-Igs and GO-Igs stimulated increases in pAKT. In U2OS cells, 70% of GO-Igs stimulated small increases in pAKT. Knockdown of IGF-1R caused a 65 ± 6.3% decrease in IGF-1-stimulated pAKT but had no effect on GO-Igs stimulation of pAKT. Thus, GO-Igs contain factor(s) that stimulate pAKT formation. However, this factor(s) does not directly activate IGF-1R. Based on the findings analyzing these two signaling pathways, it is concluded there is no evidence of stimulating IGFRAbs in GO patients.

Direct Evidence of EMIC-Driven Electron Loss in Space: Evaluation of an Electron Dropout Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Li, W.; Ma, Q.; Thorne, R. M.; Angelopoulos, V.

2015-12-01

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have been proposed as a mechanism to cause efficient losses of highly relativistic (>MeV) electrons via gyroresonant interactions. However, simultaneous observations of EMIC waves and equatorial electron pitch angle distributions, which can be used to directly quantify the EMIC wave scattering effect, are still very limited. In the present study, we evaluate the effect of EMIC waves on the pitch angle scattering of relativistic and ultrarelativistic (0.5-5 MeV) electrons during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm, when intense EMIC wave activity was observed in situ (in the plasma plume region with high plasma density) on both the Van Allen Probes and one of the THEMIS probes. EMIC waves captured on the ground across the Canadian Array for Real-time Investigations of Magnetic Activity (CARISMA) and enhanced precipitation of >~0.7 MeV electrons captured by POES are used to infer the MLT coverage of EMIC waves. Based on the observed EMIC wave spectra, local fpe and fce, we estimate the wave diffusion rates and model the evolution of electron pitch angle distributions. By comparing the modeled results with local observations of pitch angle distributions, for the first time, we are able to show direct, quantitative evidence of EMIC wave-driven relativistic electron loss in the Earth's outer radiation belt.

Do capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward?

PubMed

Edwards, Brian J; Rottman, Benjamin M; Shankar, Maya; Betzler, Riana; Chituc, Vladimir; Rodriguez, Ricardo; Silva, Liara; Wibecan, Leah; Widness, Jane; Santos, Laurie R

2014-01-01

We adapted a method from developmental psychology to explore whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) would place objects on a "blicket detector" machine to diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward. Across five experiments, monkeys could place different objects on the machine and obtain evidence about the objects' causal properties based on whether each object "activated" the machine. In Experiments 1-3, monkeys received both audiovisual cues and a food reward whenever the machine activated. In these experiments, monkeys spontaneously placed objects on the machine and succeeded at discriminating various patterns of statistical evidence. In Experiments 4 and 5, we modified the procedure so that in the learning trials, monkeys received the audiovisual cues when the machine activated, but did not receive a food reward. In these experiments, monkeys failed to test novel objects in the absence of an immediate food reward, even when doing so could provide critical information about how to obtain a reward in future test trials in which the food reward delivery device was reattached. The present studies suggest that the gap between human and animal causal cognition may be in part a gap of motivation. Specifically, we propose that monkey causal learning is motivated by the desire to obtain a direct reward, and that unlike humans, monkeys do not engage in learning for learning's sake.

Do Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella) Diagnose Causal Relations in the Absence of a Direct Reward?

PubMed Central

Edwards, Brian J.; Rottman, Benjamin M.; Shankar, Maya; Betzler, Riana; Chituc, Vladimir; Rodriguez, Ricardo; Silva, Liara; Wibecan, Leah; Widness, Jane; Santos, Laurie R.

2014-01-01

We adapted a method from developmental psychology [1] to explore whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) would place objects on a “blicket detector” machine to diagnose causal relations in the absence of a direct reward. Across five experiments, monkeys could place different objects on the machine and obtain evidence about the objects’ causal properties based on whether each object “activated” the machine. In Experiments 1–3, monkeys received both audiovisual cues and a food reward whenever the machine activated. In these experiments, monkeys spontaneously placed objects on the machine and succeeded at discriminating various patterns of statistical evidence. In Experiments 4 and 5, we modified the procedure so that in the learning trials, monkeys received the audiovisual cues when the machine activated, but did not receive a food reward. In these experiments, monkeys failed to test novel objects in the absence of an immediate food reward, even when doing so could provide critical information about how to obtain a reward in future test trials in which the food reward delivery device was reattached. The present studies suggest that the gap between human and animal causal cognition may be in part a gap of motivation. Specifically, we propose that monkey causal learning is motivated by the desire to obtain a direct reward, and that unlike humans, monkeys do not engage in learning for learning’s sake. PMID:24586347

Evidence and evidence gaps in tinnitus therapy

PubMed Central

Hesse, Gerhard

2016-01-01

A nearly endless number of procedures has been tried and in particular sold for the treatment of tinnitus, unfortunately they have not been evaluated appropriately in an evidence-based way. A causal therapy, omitting the tinnitus still does not exist, actually it cannot exist because of the various mechanisms of its origin. However or perhaps because of that, medical interventions appear and reappear like fashion trends that can never be proven by stable and reliable treatment success. This contribution will discuss and acknowledge all current therapeutic procedures and the existing or non-existing evidence will be assessed. Beside external evidence, the term of evidence also encompasses the internal evidence, i.e. the experience of the treating physician and the patient’s needs shall be included. While there is no evidence for nearly all direct procedures that intend modulating or stimulating either the cochlea or specific cervical regions such as the auditory cortex, there are therapeutic procedures that are acknowledged in clinical practice and have achieved at least a certain degree of evidence and generate measurable effect sizes. Those are in particular habituation therapy and psychotherapeutic measures, especially if they are combined with concrete measures for improved audio perception (hearing aids, CI, hearing therapies). PMID:28025604

The application of parameter estimation to flight measurements to obtain lateral-directional stability derivatives of an augmented jet-flap STOL airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephenson, J. D.

1983-01-01

Flight experiments with an augmented jet flap STOL aircraft provided data from which the lateral directional stability and control derivatives were calculated by applying a linear regression parameter estimation procedure. The tests, which were conducted with the jet flaps set at a 65 deg deflection, covered a large range of angles of attack and engine power settings. The effect of changing the angle of the jet thrust vector was also investigated. Test results are compared with stability derivatives that had been predicted. The roll damping derived from the tests was significantly larger than had been predicted, whereas the other derivatives were generally in agreement with the predictions. Results obtained using a maximum likelihood estimation procedure are compared with those from the linear regression solutions.

Age Differences in Self-Continuity: Converging Evidence and Directions for Future Research.

PubMed

Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Rutt, Joshua L

2017-06-01

Life-span development is inherently linked to the perception of time and associated temporal construals. Such concepts are multi-faceted in nature and have important practical implications in areas such as time management, financial planning, or medical choices. A large body of research has documented age-related limitations in global time horizons, but age differences in other aspects of temporal construal are comparatively poorly understood. The present article draws attention to developmental trajectories of self-continuity, defined as perceived associations of one's present self with past and future selves. After considering historical roots and contemporary views on self-continuity, we turn to the life-span developmental literature and review several convergent streams of research that provide indirect evidence for age-related increases in self-continuity. We then consider a small body of recent studies which have directly assessed age differences in self-continuity and summarize our current understanding of this phenomenon including associations between explicit and implicit measures, symmetry between past and future self-continuity, and differentiation from other aspects of time perception. We conclude by highlighting open theoretical questions and considering the practical implications of an increased sense of self-continuity with advancing age. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Direct Binding of the Corrector VX-809 to Human CFTR NBD1: Evidence of an Allosteric Coupling between the Binding Site and the NBD1:CL4 Interface.

PubMed

Hudson, Rhea P; Dawson, Jennifer E; Chong, P Andrew; Yang, Zhengrong; Millen, Linda; Thomas, Philip J; Brouillette, Christie G; Forman-Kay, Julie D

2017-08-01

Understanding the mechanism of action of modulator compounds for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is key for the optimization of therapeutics as well as obtaining insights into the molecular mechanisms of CFTR function. We demonstrate the direct binding of VX-809 to the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1) of human CFTR. Disruption of the interaction between C-terminal helices and the NBD1 core upon VX-809 binding is observed from chemical shift changes in the NMR spectra of residues in the helices and on the surface of β -strands S3, S9, and S10. Binding to VX-809 leads to a significant negative shift in NBD1 thermal melting temperature (T m ), pointing to direct VX-809 interaction shifting the NBD1 conformational equilibrium. An inter-residue correlation analysis of the chemical shift changes provides evidence of allosteric coupling between the direct binding site and the NBD1:CL4 interface, thus enabling effects on the interface in the absence of direct binding in that location. These NMR binding data and the negative T m shifts are very similar to those previously reported by us for binding of the dual corrector-potentiator CFFT-001 to NBD1 (Hudson et al., 2012), suggesting that the two compounds may share some aspects of their mechanisms of action. Although previous studies have shown an important role for VX-809 in modulating the conformation of the first membrane spanning domain (Aleksandrov et al., 2012; Ren et al., 2013), this additional mode of VX-809 binding provides insight into conformational dynamics and allostery within CFTR. Copyright © 2017 by The Author(s).

Improved Limit on Direct α Decay of the Hoyle State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirsebom, O. S.; Alcorta, M.; Borge, M. J. G.; Cubero, M.; Diget, C. Aa.; Fraile, L. M.; Fulton, B. R.; Fynbo, H. O. U.; Galaviz, D.; Jonson, B.; Madurga, M.; Nilsson, T.; Nyman, G.; Riisager, K.; Tengblad, O.; Turrión, M.

2012-05-01

The current evaluation of the triple-α reaction rate assumes that the α decay of the 7.65 MeV, 0+ state in C12, commonly known as the Hoyle state, proceeds sequentially via the ground state of Be8. This assumption is challenged by the recent identification of two direct α-decay branches with a combined branching ratio of 17(5)%. If correct, this would imply a corresponding reduction in the triple-α reaction rate with important astrophysical consequences. We have used the B11(He3,d) reaction to populate the Hoyle state and measured the decay to three α particles in complete kinematics. We find no evidence for direct α-decay branches, and hence our data do not support a revision of the triple-α reaction rate. We obtain an upper limit of 5×10-3 on the direct α decay of the Hoyle state at 95% C.L., which is 1 order of magnitude better than a previous upper limit.

Observational evidence and strength of evidence domains: case examples

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Systematic reviews of healthcare interventions most often focus on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, certain circumstances warrant consideration of observational evidence, and such studies are increasingly being included as evidence in systematic reviews. Methods To illustrate the use of observational evidence, we present case examples of systematic reviews in which observational evidence was considered as well as case examples of individual observational studies, and how they demonstrate various strength of evidence domains in accordance with current Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) methods guidance. Results In the presented examples, observational evidence is used when RCTs are infeasible or raise ethical concerns, lack generalizability, or provide insufficient data. Individual study case examples highlight how observational evidence may fulfill required strength of evidence domains, such as study limitations (reduced risk of selection, detection, performance, and attrition); directness; consistency; precision; and reporting bias (publication, selective outcome reporting, and selective analysis reporting), as well as additional domains of dose-response association, plausible confounding that would decrease the observed effect, and strength of association (magnitude of effect). Conclusions The cases highlighted in this paper demonstrate how observational studies may provide moderate to (rarely) high strength evidence in systematic reviews. PMID:24758494

Evidence-Based Practice in the United States: Challenges, Progress, and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Correa-de-Araujo, Rosaly

2016-01-01

Scientific literature demonstrates that advances in evidence-based nursing have improved systems of care and women’s health outcomes. Experts agree that nurses worldwide can play a key role in building such evidence and working with interdisciplinary health care teams and systems to accelerate its implementation. PMID:26473771

Direct Evidence of Exciton-Exciton Annihilation in Single-Crystalline Organic Metal Halide Nanotube Assemblies.

PubMed

Ma, Ying-Zhong; Lin, Haoran; Du, Mao-Hua; Doughty, Benjamin; Ma, Biwu

2018-05-03

Excitons in low-dimensional organic-inorganic metal halide hybrid structures are commonly thought to undergo rapid self-trapping following creation due to strong quantum confinement and exciton-phonon interaction. Here we report an experimental study probing the dynamics of these self-trapped excitons in the single-crystalline bulk assemblies of 1D organic metal halide nanotubes, (C 6 H 13 N 4 ) 3 Pb 2 Br 7 . Through time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements at different excitation intensities, we observed a marked variation in the PL decay behavior that is manifested by an accelerated decay rate with increasing excitation fluence. Our results offer direct evidence of the occurrence of an exciton-exciton annihilation process, a nonlinear relaxation phenomenon that takes place only when some of the self-trapped excitons become mobile and can approach either each other or those trapped excitons. We further identify a fast and dominant PL decay component with a lifetime of ∼2 ns with a nearly invariant relative area for all acquired PL kinetics, suggesting that this rapid relaxation process is intrinsic.

Direct evidence from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility for lateral melt migration at superfast spreading centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varga, Robert J.; Horst, Andrew J.; Gee, Jeffrey S.; Karson, Jeffrey A.

2008-08-01

Rare, fault-bounded escarpments expose natural cross sections of ocean crust in several areas and provide an unparalleled opportunity to study the end products of tectonic and magmatic processes that operated at depth beneath oceanic spreading centers. We mapped the geologic structure of ocean crust produced at the East Pacific Rise (EPR) and now exposed along steep cliffs of the Pito Deep Rift near the northern edge of the Easter microplate. The upper oceanic crust in this area is typified by basaltic lavas underlain by a sheeted dike complex comprising northeast striking, moderately to steeply southeast dipping dikes. Paleomagnetic remanence of oriented blocks of dikes collected with both Alvin and Jason II indicate clockwise rotation of ˜61° related to rotation of the microplate indicating structural coupling between the microplate and crust of the Nazca Plate to the north. The consistent southeast dip of dikes formed as the result of tilting at the EPR shortly after their injection. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of dikes provides well-defined magmatic flow directions that are dominantly dike-parallel and shallowly plunging. Corrected to their original EPR orientation, magma flow is interpreted as near-horizontal and parallel to the ridge axis. These data provide the first direct evidence from sheeted dikes in ocean crust for along-axis magma transport. These results also suggest that lateral transport in dikes is important even at fast spreading ridges where a laterally continuous subaxial magma chamber is present.

Evidence for Direct Electron Transfer by a Gram-Positive Bacterium Isolated from a Microbial Fuel Cell▿†

PubMed Central

Wrighton, K. C.; Thrash, J. C.; Melnyk, R. A.; Bigi, J. P.; Byrne-Bailey, K. G.; Remis, J. P.; Schichnes, D.; Auer, M.; Chang, C. J.; Coates, J. D.

2011-01-01

Despite their importance in iron redox cycles and bioenergy production, the underlying physiological, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer by Gram-positive bacteria remain insufficiently understood. In this work, we investigated respiration by Thermincola potens strain JR, a Gram-positive isolate obtained from the anode surface of a microbial fuel cell, using insoluble electron acceptors. We found no evidence that soluble redox-active components were secreted into the surrounding medium on the basis of physiological experiments and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Confocal microscopy revealed highly stratified biofilms in which cells contacting the electrode surface were disproportionately viable relative to the rest of the biofilm. Furthermore, there was no correlation between biofilm thickness and power production, suggesting that cells in contact with the electrode were primarily responsible for current generation. These data, along with cryo-electron microscopy experiments, support contact-dependent electron transfer by T. potens strain JR from the cell membrane across the 37-nm cell envelope to the cell surface. Furthermore, we present physiological and genomic evidence that c-type cytochromes play a role in charge transfer across the Gram-positive bacterial cell envelope during metal reduction. PMID:21908627

Evidence for age-related equivalence in the directed forgetting paradigm.

PubMed

Gamboz, Nadia; Russo, Riccardo

2002-01-01

The directed forgetting paradigm involves, under particular experimental circumstances, inhibitory mechanisms, which operate to the successful forgetting of irrelevant words. The item-by-item cueing method (e.g., Basden & Basden, 1996) was used to investigate the directed forgetting effect in young and old adults. Processing of the experimental words was manipulated between subjects by asking participants to perform either a deep or a shallow orienting task on each word of the study list before the occurrence of the cue (to remember of to forget). Results indicated that the instruction to process deeply both to-be-remembered and to-be-forgotten words led to equivalent directed forgetting effects in young and old adults. These results are discussed with respect to the implications they have for the Inhibitory Deficit theory (e.g., Hasher & Zacks, 1988), which suggests that cognitive aging is mainly characterized by a reduction in the efficiency of inhibitory processes.

B Cell-Directed Therapeutics in Multiple Sclerosis: Rationale and Clinical Evidence.

PubMed

Kinzel, Silke; Weber, Martin S

2016-12-01

Over the last decade, evidence condensed that B cells, B cell-derived plasma cells and antibodies play a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). In many patients with MS, peripheral B cells show signs of chronic activation; within the cerebrospinal fluid clonally expanded plasma cells produce oligoclonal immunoglobulins, which remain a hallmark diagnostic finding. Confirming the clinical relevance of these immunological alterations, recent trials testing anti-CD20-mediated depletion of peripheral B cells showed an instantaneous halt in development of new central nervous system lesions and occurrence of relapses. Notwithstanding this enormous success, not all B cells or B cell subsets may contribute in a pathogenic manner, and may, in contrast, exert anti-inflammatory and, thus, therapeutically desirable properties in MS. Naïve B cells, in MS patients similar to healthy controls, are a relevant source of regulatory cytokines such as interleukin-10, which dampens the activity of other immune cells and promotes recovery from acute disease flares in experimental MS models. In this review, we describe in detail pathogenic but also regulatory properties of B and plasma cells in the context of MS and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. In the second part, we review what impact current and future therapies may have on these B cell properties. Within this section, we focus on the highly encouraging data on anti-CD20 antibodies as future therapy for MS. Lastly, we discuss how B cell-directed therapy in MS could be possibly advanced even further in regard to efficacy and safety by integrating the emerging information on B cell regulation in MS into future therapeutic strategies.

Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates).

PubMed

Abdelgadir, Ibtihal S; Phillips, Robert S; Singh, Davinder; Moncreiff, Michael P; Lumsden, Joanne L

2017-05-24

Direct laryngoscopy is the method currently used for tracheal intubation in children. It occasionally offers unexpectedly poor laryngeal views. Indirect laryngoscopy involves visualizing the vocal cords by means other than obtaining a direct sight, with the potential to improve outcomes. We reviewed the current available literature and performed a meta-analysis to compare direct versus indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, with regards to efficacy and adverse effects. To assess the efficacy of indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, versus direct laryngoscopy for intubation of children with regards to intubation time, number of attempts at intubation, and adverse haemodynamic responses to endotracheal intubation. We also assessed other adverse responses to intubation, such as trauma to oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal structures, and we assessed vocal cord view scores. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and trial registers (www.clinicaltrials.gov and www.controlledtrials) in November 2015. We reran the search in January 2017. We added new studies of potential interest to a list of 'Studies awaiting classification' and will incorporate them into formal review findings during the review update. We performed reference checking and citation searching and contacted the authors of unpublished data to ask for more information. We applied no language restrictions. We included only randomized controlled trials. Participants were children aged 28 days to 18 years. Investigators performed intubations using any type of indirect laryngoscopes, or videolaryngoscopes, versus direct laryngoscopes. We used Cochrane standard methodological procedures. Two review authors independently reviewed titles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We included 12 studies (803 children) in this review and meta-analysis. We identified three studies that

Direct evidence for the gas phase thermal polymerization of styrene. Determination of the initiation mechanism and structures of the early oligomers by ion mobility.

PubMed

Alsharaeh, Edreese H; Ibrahim, Yehia M; El-Shall, M Samy

2005-05-04

We present here direct evidence for the thermal self-initiated polymerization of styrene in the gas phase and establish that the initiation process proceeds via essentially the same mechanism (the Mayo mechanism) as in condensed phase polymerization. Furthermore, we provide structural identifications of the dimers and trimers formed in the gas phase.

Local entrainment of oscillatory activity induced by direct brain stimulation in humans

PubMed Central

Amengual, Julià L.; Vernet, Marine; Adam, Claude; Valero-Cabré, Antoni

2017-01-01

In a quest for direct evidence of oscillation entrainment, we analyzed intracerebral electroencephalographic recordings obtained during intracranial electrical stimulation in a cohort of three medication-resistant epilepsy patients tested pre-surgically. Spectral analyses of non-epileptogenic cerebral sites stimulated directly with high frequency electrical bursts yielded episodic local enhancements of frequency-specific rhythmic activity, phase-locked to each individual pulse. These outcomes reveal an entrainment of physiological oscillatory activity within a frequency band dictated by the rhythm of the stimulation source. Our results support future uses of rhythmic stimulation to elucidate the causal contributions of synchrony to specific aspects of human cognition and to further develop the therapeutic manipulation of dysfunctional rhythmic activity subtending the symptoms of some neuropsychiatric conditions. PMID:28256510

The relationship of storm severity to directionally resolved radio emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. O.; Bushman, M. L.; Sherrill, W. M.

1980-01-01

Directionally resolved atmospheric radio frequency emission data were acquired from thunderstorms occurring in the central and southwestern United States. In addition, RF sferic tracking data were obtained from hurricanes and tropical depressions occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. The data were acquired using a crossed baseline phase interferometer operating at a frequency of 2.001 MHz. The received atmospherics were tested for phase linearity across the array, and azimuth/elevation angles of arrival were computed in real time. A histogram analysis of sferic burst count versus azimuth provided lines of bearing to centers of intense electrical activity. Analysis indicates a consistent capability of the phase linear direction finder to detect severe meteorological activity to distances of 2000 km from the receiving site. The technique evidences the ability to discriminate severe storms from nonsevere storms coexistent in large regional scale thunderstorm activity.

46 CFR 169.205 - Obtaining or renewing a Certificate of Inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Inspection and Certification Certificate of Inspection § 169.205 Obtaining or... for inspection on Form CG-3752; and (2) Evidence that the vessel has been designated as a sailing...

46 CFR 169.205 - Obtaining or renewing a Certificate of Inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Inspection and Certification Certificate of Inspection § 169.205 Obtaining or... for inspection on Form CG-3752; and (2) Evidence that the vessel has been designated as a sailing...

Is Project Based Learning More Effective than Direct Instruction in School Science Classrooms? An Analysis of the Empirical Research Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dann, Clifford

An increasingly loud call by parents, school administrators, teachers, and even business leaders for "authentic learning", emphasizing both group-work and problem solving, has led to growing enthusiasm for inquiry-based learning over the past decade. Although "inquiry" can be defined in many ways, a curriculum called "project-based learning" has recently emerged as the inquiry practice-of-choice with roots in the educational constructivism that emerged in the mid-twentieth century. Often, project-based learning is framed as an alternative instructional strategy to direct instruction for maximizing student content knowledge. This study investigates the empirical evidence for such a comparison while also evaluating the overall quality of the available studies in the light of accepted standards for educational research. Specifically, this thesis investigates what the body of quantitative research says about the efficacy of project-based learning vs. direct instruction when considering student acquisition of content knowledge in science classrooms. Further, existing limitations of the research pertaining to project based learning and secondary school education are explored. The thesis concludes with a discussion of where and how we should focus our empirical efforts in the future. The research revealed that the available empirical research contains flaws in both design and instrumentation. In particular, randomization is poor amongst all the studies considered. The empirical evidence indicates that project-based learning curricula improved student content knowledge but that, while the results were statistically significant, increases in raw test scores were marginal.

Consumer-oriented health care reform strategies: a review of the evidence on managed competition and consumer-directed health insurance.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Thomas C

2009-12-01

For many years, leading health care reform proposals have been based on market-oriented strategies. In the 1990s, a number of reform proposals were built around the concept of "managed competition," but more recently, "consumer-directed health care" models have received attention. Although price-conscious consumer demand plays a critical role in both the managed competition and consumer-directed health care models, the two strategies are based on different visions of the health care marketplace and the best way to use market forces to achieve greater systemwide efficiencies. This article reviews the research literature that tests the main hypotheses concerning the two policy strategies. Numerous studies provide consistent evidence that consumers' health plan choices are sensitive to out-of-pocket premiums. The elasticity of demand appears to vary with consumers' health risk, with younger, healthier individuals being more price sensitive. This heterogeneity increases the potential for adverse selection. Biased risk selection also is a concern when the menu of health plan options includes consumer-directed health plans. Several studies confirm that such plans tend to attract healthier enrollees. A smaller number of studies test the main hypothesis regarding consumer-directed health plans, which is that they result in lower medical spending than do more generous plans. These studies find little support for this claim. The experiences of employers that have adopted key elements of managed competition are generally consistent with the key hypotheses underlying that strategy. Research in this area, however, has focused on only a narrow range of questions. Because consumer-directed health care is such a recent phenomenon, research on this strategy is even more limited. Additional studies on both topics would be valuable.

The pearls of using real-world evidence to discover social groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardillo, Raymond A.; Salerno, John J.

2005-03-01

In previous work, we introduced a new paradigm called Uni-Party Data Community Generation (UDCG) and a new methodology to discover social groups (a.k.a., community models) called Link Discovery based on Correlation Analysis (LDCA). We further advanced this work by experimenting with a corpus of evidence obtained from a Ponzi scheme investigation. That work identified several UDCG algorithms, developed what we called "Importance Measures" to compare the accuracy of the algorithms based on ground truth, and presented a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) that criminal investigators could use to discover social groups. However, that work used a rather small random sample of manually edited documents because the evidence contained far too many OCR and other extraction errors. Deferring the evidence extraction errors allowed us to continue experimenting with UDCG algorithms, but only used a small fraction of the available evidence. In attempt to discover techniques that are more practical in the near-term, our most recent work focuses on being able to use an entire corpus of real-world evidence to discover social groups. This paper discusses the complications of extracting evidence, suggests a method of performing name resolution, presents a new UDCG algorithm, and discusses our future direction in this area.

Evaluation of Direct PCR Amplification Using Various Swabs and Washing Reagents.

PubMed

Altshuler, Hallie; Roy, Reena

2015-11-01

DNA profiles were generated via direct amplification from blood and saliva samples deposited on various types of swab substrates. Each of the six non-FTA substrates used in this research was punched with a Harris 1.2 mm puncher. After 0.1 μL of blood or 0.5 μL saliva, samples were deposited on each of these punches, samples were pretreated with one of four buffers and washing reagents. Amplification was performed using direct and nondirect autosomal and Y-STR kits. Autosomal and Y-STR profiles were successfully generated from most of these substrates when pretreated with buffer or washing reagents. Concordant profiles were obtained within and between the six substrates, the six amplification kits, and all four reagents. The direct amplification of substrates which do not contain lysing agent would be beneficial to the forensic community as the procedure can be used on evidence samples commonly found at crime scenes. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Recognizing intentions in infant-directed speech: evidence for universals.

PubMed

Bryant, Gregory A; Barrett, H Clark

2007-08-01

In all languages studied to date, distinct prosodic contours characterize different intention categories of infant-directed (ID) speech. This vocal behavior likely exists universally as a species-typical trait, but little research has examined whether listeners can accurately recognize intentions in ID speech using only vocal cues, without access to semantic information. We recorded native-English-speaking mothers producing four intention categories of utterances (prohibition, approval, comfort, and attention) as both ID and adult-directed (AD) speech, and we then presented the utterances to Shuar adults (South American hunter-horticulturalists). Shuar subjects were able to reliably distinguish ID from AD speech and were able to reliably recognize the intention categories in both types of speech, although performance was significantly better with ID speech. This is the first demonstration that adult listeners in an indigenous, nonindustrialized, and nonliterate culture can accurately infer intentions from both ID speech and AD speech in a language they do not speak.

Are Consumer-Directed Home Care Beneficiaries Satisfied? Evidence from Washington State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Joshua M.; Anderson, Wayne L.; Khatutsky, Galina

2007-01-01

Purpose: This study analyzed the effect of consumer-directed versus agency-directed home care on satisfaction with paid personal assistance services among Medicaid beneficiaries in Washington State. Design and Methods: The study analyzed a survey of 513 Medicaid beneficiaries receiving home- and community-based services. As part of a larger study,…

Direct Evidence of Exciton–Exciton Annihilation in Single-Crystalline Organic Metal Halide Nanotube Assemblies

DOE PAGES

Ma, Ying -Zhong; Lin, Haoran; Du, Mao -Hua; ...

2018-04-11

Excitons in low-dimensional organic–inorganic metal halide hybrid structures are commonly thought to undergo rapid self-trapping following creation due to strong quantum confinement and exciton–phonon interaction. Here we report an experimental study probing the dynamics of these self-trapped excitons in the single-crystalline bulk assemblies of 1D organic metal halide nanotubes, (C 6H 13N 4) 3Pb 2Br 7. Through time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements at different excitation intensities, we observed a marked variation in the PL decay behavior that is manifested by an accelerated decay rate with increasing excitation fluence. Our results offer direct evidence of the occurrence of an exciton–exciton annihilation process,more » a nonlinear relaxation phenomenon that takes place only when some of the self-trapped excitons become mobile and can approach either each other or those trapped excitons. As a result, we further identify a fast and dominant PL decay component with a lifetime of ~2 ns with a nearly invariant relative area for all acquired PL kinetics, suggesting that this rapid relaxation process is intrinsic.« less

Direct Evidence of Exciton–Exciton Annihilation in Single-Crystalline Organic Metal Halide Nanotube Assemblies

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

Ma, Ying -Zhong; Lin, Haoran; Du, Mao -Hua

Excitons in low-dimensional organic–inorganic metal halide hybrid structures are commonly thought to undergo rapid self-trapping following creation due to strong quantum confinement and exciton–phonon interaction. Here we report an experimental study probing the dynamics of these self-trapped excitons in the single-crystalline bulk assemblies of 1D organic metal halide nanotubes, (C 6H 13N 4) 3Pb 2Br 7. Through time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements at different excitation intensities, we observed a marked variation in the PL decay behavior that is manifested by an accelerated decay rate with increasing excitation fluence. Our results offer direct evidence of the occurrence of an exciton–exciton annihilation process,more » a nonlinear relaxation phenomenon that takes place only when some of the self-trapped excitons become mobile and can approach either each other or those trapped excitons. As a result, we further identify a fast and dominant PL decay component with a lifetime of ~2 ns with a nearly invariant relative area for all acquired PL kinetics, suggesting that this rapid relaxation process is intrinsic.« less

Direct evidence for EMIC wave scattering of relativistic electrons in space: EMIC-Driven Electron Losses in Space

DOE PAGES

Zhang, X. -J.; Li, W.; Ma, Q.; ...

2016-07-01

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have been proposed to cause efficient losses of highly relativistic (>1 MeV) electrons via gyroresonant interactions. Simultaneous observations of EMIC waves and equatorial electron pitch angle distributions, which can be used to directly quantify the EMIC wave scattering effect, are still very limited, however. In the present study, we evaluate the effect of EMIC waves on pitch angle scattering of ultrarelativistic (>1 MeV) electrons during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm, when intense EMIC wave activity was observed in situ (in the plasma plume region with high plasma density) on both Van Allen Probes.more » EMIC waves captured by Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) probes and on the ground across the Canadian Array for Real-time Investigations of Magnetic Activity (CARISMA) are also used to infer their magnetic local time (MLT) coverage. From the observed EMIC wave spectra and local plasma parameters, we compute wave diffusion rates and model the evolution of electron pitch angle distributions. In conclusion, by comparing model results with local observations of pitch angle distributions, we show direct, quantitative evidence of EMIC wave-driven relativistic electron losses in the Earth’s outer radiation belt.« less

Acoustically Induced Vibration of Structures: Reverberant Vs. Direct Acoustic Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolaini, Ali R.; O'Connell, Michael R.; Tsoi, Wan B.

2009-01-01

Large reverberant chambers have been used for several decades in the aerospace industry to test larger structures such as solar arrays and reflectors to qualify and to detect faults in the design and fabrication of spacecraft and satellites. In the past decade some companies have begun using direct near field acoustic testing, employing speakers, for qualifying larger structures. A limited test data set obtained from recent acoustic tests of the same hardware exposed to both direct and reverberant acoustic field testing has indicated some differences in the resulting structural responses. In reverberant acoustic testing, higher vibration responses were observed at lower frequencies when compared with the direct acoustic testing. In the case of direct near field acoustic testing higher vibration responses appeared to occur at higher frequencies as well. In reverberant chamber testing and direct acoustic testing, standing acoustic modes of the reverberant chamber or the speakers and spacecraft parallel surfaces can strongly couple with the fundamental structural modes of the test hardware. In this paper data from recent acoustic testing of flight hardware, that yielded evidence of acoustic standing wave coupling with structural responses, are discussed in some detail. Convincing evidence of the acoustic standing wave/structural coupling phenomenon will be discussed, citing observations from acoustic testing of a simple aluminum plate. The implications of such acoustic coupling to testing of sensitive flight hardware will be discussed. The results discussed in this paper reveal issues with over or under testing of flight hardware that could pose unanticipated structural and flight qualification issues. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to understand the structural modal coupling with standing acoustic waves that has been observed in both methods of acoustic testing. This study will assist the community to choose an appropriate testing method and test setup in

Evidence-based neurosurgery

PubMed Central

Esene, Ignatius N.; Baeesa, Saleh S.; Ammar, Ahmed

2016-01-01

Medical evidence is obtainable from approaches, which might be descriptive, analytic and integrative and ranked into levels of evidence, graded according to quality and summarized into strengths of recommendation. Sources of evidence range from expert opinions through well-randomized control trials to meta-analyses. The conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions related to the care of individual patients defines the concept of evidence-based neurosurgery (EBN). We reviewed reference books of clinical epidemiology, evidence-based practice and other previously related articles addressing principles of evidence-based practice in neurosurgery. Based on existing theories and models and our cumulative years of experience and expertise conducting research and promoting EBN, we have synthesized and presented a holistic overview of the concept of EBN. We have also underscored the importance of clinical research and its relationship to EBN. Useful electronic resources are provided. The concept of critical appraisal is introduced. PMID:27356649

Ethanol modulates cortical activity: direct evidence with combined TMS and EEG.

PubMed

Kähkönen, S; Kesäniemi, M; Nikouline, V V; Karhu, J; Ollikainen, M; Holi, M; Ilmoniemi, R J

2001-08-01

The motor cortex of 10 healthy subjects was stimulated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before and after ethanol challenge (0.8 g/kg resulting in blood concentration of 0.77 +/- 0.14 ml/liter). The electrical brain activity resulting from the brief electromagnetic pulse was recorded with high-resolution electroencephalography (EEG) and located using inversion algorithms. Focal magnetic pulses to the left motor cortex were delivered with a figure-of-eight coil at the random interstimulus interval of 1.5-2.5 s. The stimulation intensity was adjusted to the motor threshold of abductor digiti minimi. Two conditions before and after ethanol ingestion (30 min) were applied: (1) real TMS, with the coil pressed against the scalp; and (2) control condition, with the coil separated from the scalp by a 2-cm-thick piece of plastic. A separate EMG control recording of one subject during TMS was made with two bipolar platinum needle electrodes inserted to the left temporal muscle. In each condition, 120 pulses were delivered. The EEG was recorded from 60 scalp electrodes. A peak in the EEG signals was observed at 43 ms after the TMS pulse in the real-TMS condition but not in the control condition or in the control scalp EMG. Potential maps before and after ethanol ingestion were significantly different from each other (P = 0.01), but no differences were found in the control condition. Ethanol changed the TMS-evoked potentials over right frontal and left parietal areas, the underlying effect appearing to be largest in the right prefrontal area. Our findings suggest that ethanol may have changed the functional connectivity between prefrontal and motor cortices. This new noninvasive method provides direct evidence about the modulation of cortical connectivity after ethanol challenge. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Impact of cost sharing on specialty drug utilization and outcomes: a review of the evidence and future directions.

PubMed

Doshi, Jalpa A; Li, Pengxiang; Ladage, Vrushabh P; Pettit, Amy R; Taylor, Erin A

2016-03-01

Specialty drugs often represent major medical advances for patients with few other effective options available, but high costs have attracted the attention of both payers and policy makers. We reviewed the evidence regarding the impact of cost sharing on utilization of specialty drugs indicated for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and cancer, and on the use of nondrug medical services, health outcomes, and spending. Systematic review of Medline-indexed studies identified via an OVID search for articles published in English from 1995 to 2014, using combinations of terms for cost sharing and specialty drugs, and/or our 3 conditions of interest. We identified additional studies from reference lists. We identified 19 articles focusing on specialty drugs indicated for MS (n = 9), cancer (n = 8), and RA (n = 8). Studies examined prescription abandonment (n = 3), initiation or any utilization (n = 8), adherence (n = 9), persistence/discontinuation (n = 7), number of claims (n = 1), and drug spending (n = 1). Findings varied by disease, but generally indicated stronger effects for noninitiation or abandonment of a prescription at the pharmacy and somewhat smaller effects for refill behavior and drug spending once patients initiated therapy. Studies have not examined specialty tier cost sharing seen under Medicare Part D or health insurance exchanges, nor effects on medical utilization, spending, or health outcomes. Evidence to date generally indicates reductions in specialty drug utilization associated with higher cost sharing; effects have varied by type of disease and specialty drug use outcome. We draw upon our findings and the gaps in evidence to summarize future directions for research and policy.

METHOD FOR OBTAINING PLUTONIUM METAL FROM ITS TRICHLORIDE

DOEpatents

Reavis, J.G.; Leary, J.A.; Maraman, W.J.

1962-08-14

A method was developed for obtaining plutonium metal by direct reduction of plutonium chloride, without the use of a booster, using calcium and lanthamum as a reductant, the said reduction being carried out at temperature in the range of 700 to 850 deg C and at about atmospheric pressure. (AEC)

Real-World Evidence, Public Participation, and the FDA.

PubMed

Schwartz, Jason L

2017-11-01

For observers of pharmaceutical regulation and the Food and Drug Administration, these are uncertain times. Events in late 2016 raised concerns that the FDA's evidentiary standards were being weakened, compromising the agency's ability to adequately perform its regulatory and public health responsibilities. Two developments most directly contributed to these fears-the approval of eteplirsen, a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, against the recommendations of both FDA staff and an advisory committee and the December 2016 signing of the 21st Century Cures Act, which encouraged greater use by the FDA of "real-world" evidence not obtained through randomized controlled trials. The arrival of the Trump administration-with its deregulatory, industry-friendly approach-has only amplified concerns over the future of the FDA. It is too early to know whether the recent developments are truly harbingers of an FDA less likely to prevent unsafe or ineffective products from reaching the market. But elements in the two events-the role of patient narratives in deliberations regarding eteplirsen and the enthusiasm for real-world evidence in the 21st Century Cures Act-raise critical issues for the future of evidence in the FDA's work. The rigorous, inclusive approach under way to consider issues related to real-world evidence provides a model for a similarly needed inquiry regarding public participation in FDA decision-making. © 2017 The Hastings Center.

Consumer-Oriented Health Care Reform Strategies: A Review of the Evidence on Managed Competition and Consumer-Directed Health Insurance

PubMed Central

Buchmueller, Thomas C

2009-01-01

Context: For many years, leading health care reform proposals have been based on market-oriented strategies. In the 1990s, a number of reform proposals were built around the concept of “managed competition,” but more recently, “consumer-directed health care” models have received attention. Although price-conscious consumer demand plays a critical role in both the managed competition and consumer-directed health care models, the two strategies are based on different visions of the health care marketplace and the best way to use market forces to achieve greater systemwide efficiencies. Methods: This article reviews the research literature that tests the main hypotheses concerning the two policy strategies. Findings: Numerous studies provide consistent evidence that consumers’ health plan choices are sensitive to out-of-pocket premiums. The elasticity of demand appears to vary with consumers’ health risk, with younger, healthier individuals being more price sensitive. This heterogeneity increases the potential for adverse selection. Biased risk selection also is a concern when the menu of health plan options includes consumer-directed health plans. Several studies confirm that such plans tend to attract healthier enrollees. A smaller number of studies test the main hypothesis regarding consumer-directed health plans, which is that they result in lower medical spending than do more generous plans. These studies find little support for this claim. Conclusions: The experiences of employers that have adopted key elements of managed competition are generally consistent with the key hypotheses underlying that strategy. Research in this area, however, has focused on only a narrow range of questions. Because consumer-directed health care is such a recent phenomenon, research on this strategy is even more limited. Additional studies on both topics would be valuable. PMID:20021587

Direct evidence for a magnetic f-electron–mediated pairing mechanism of heavy-fermion superconductivity in CeCoIn5

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, John S.; Massee, Freek; Allan, Milan P.; Davis, J. C. Séamus; Petrovic, Cedomir; Morr, Dirk K.

2014-01-01

To identify the microscopic mechanism of heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is an unresolved challenge in quantum matter studies; it may also relate closely to finding the pairing mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. Magnetically mediated Cooper pairing has long been the conjectured basis of heavy-fermion superconductivity but no direct verification of this hypothesis was achievable. Here, we use a novel approach based on precision measurements of the heavy-fermion band structure using quasiparticle interference imaging to reveal quantitatively the momentum space (k-space) structure of the f-electron magnetic interactions of CeCoIn5. Then, by solving the superconducting gap equations on the two heavy-fermion bands Ekα,β with these magnetic interactions as mediators of the Cooper pairing, we derive a series of quantitative predictions about the superconductive state. The agreement found between these diverse predictions and the measured characteristics of superconducting CeCoIn5 then provides direct evidence that the heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is indeed mediated by f-electron magnetism. PMID:25062692

Direct evidence of a sub-stellar companion around CT Chamaeleontis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, T. O. B.; Neuhäuser, R.; Seifahrt, A.; Vogt, N.; Bedalov, A.; Helling, Ch.; Witte, S.; Hauschildt, P. H.

2008-11-01

Aims: In our ongoing search for close and faint companions around T Tauri stars in the Chamaeleon star-forming region, we here present observations of a new common proper motion companion to the young T-Tauri star and Chamaeleon member CT Cha and discuss its properties in comparison to other young, low-mass objects and to synthetic model spectra from different origins. Methods: Common proper motion of the companion and CT Cha was confirmed by direct Ks-band imaging data taken with the VLT Adaptive Optics (AO) instrument NACO in February 2006 and March 2007, together with a Hipparcos binary for astrometric calibration. An additional J-band image was taken in March 2007 to obtain color information for a first classification of the companion. Moreover, AO integral field spectroscopy with SINFONI in J, and H+K bands was obtained to deduce physical parameters of the companion, such as temperature and extinction. Relative flux calibration of the bands was achieved using photometry from the NACO imaging data. Results: We found a very faint (Ks = 14.9 mag, Ks0 = 14.4 mag) object, just ~2.67´´ northwest of CT Cha corresponding to a projected separation of ~440 AU at 165 ± 30 pc. We show that CT Cha A and this faint object form a common proper motion pair and that the companion is by ≥4σ significance not a stationary background object. The near-infrared spectroscopy yields a temperature of 2600 ± 250 K for the companion and an optical extinction of AV = 5.2 ± 0.8 mag, when compared to spectra calculated from Drift-Phoenix model atmospheres. We demonstrate the validity of the model fits by comparison to several other well-known young sub-stellar objects. Conclusions: We conclude that the CT Cha companion is a very low-mass member of Chamaeleon and very likely a physical companion to CT Cha, as the probability for a by chance alignment is ≤0.01. Due to a prominent Pa-β emission in the J-band, accretion is probably still ongoing onto the CT Cha companion. From

Automatic evidence quality prediction to support evidence-based decision making.

PubMed

Sarker, Abeed; Mollá, Diego; Paris, Cécile

2015-06-01

Evidence-based medicine practice requires practitioners to obtain the best available medical evidence, and appraise the quality of the evidence when making clinical decisions. Primarily due to the plethora of electronically available data from the medical literature, the manual appraisal of the quality of evidence is a time-consuming process. We present a fully automatic approach for predicting the quality of medical evidence in order to aid practitioners at point-of-care. Our approach extracts relevant information from medical article abstracts and utilises data from a specialised corpus to apply supervised machine learning for the prediction of the quality grades. Following an in-depth analysis of the usefulness of features (e.g., publication types of articles), they are extracted from the text via rule-based approaches and from the meta-data associated with the articles, and then applied in the supervised classification model. We propose the use of a highly scalable and portable approach using a sequence of high precision classifiers, and introduce a simple evaluation metric called average error distance (AED) that simplifies the comparison of systems. We also perform elaborate human evaluations to compare the performance of our system against human judgments. We test and evaluate our approaches on a publicly available, specialised, annotated corpus containing 1132 evidence-based recommendations. Our rule-based approach performs exceptionally well at the automatic extraction of publication types of articles, with F-scores of up to 0.99 for high-quality publication types. For evidence quality classification, our approach obtains an accuracy of 63.84% and an AED of 0.271. The human evaluations show that the performance of our system, in terms of AED and accuracy, is comparable to the performance of humans on the same data. The experiments suggest that our structured text classification framework achieves evaluation results comparable to those of human performance

Light-directing omnidirectional circularly polarized reflection from liquid-crystal droplets.

PubMed

Fan, Jing; Li, Yannian; Bisoyi, Hari Krishna; Zola, Rafael S; Yang, Deng-Ke; Bunning, Timothy J; Weitz, David A; Li, Quan

2015-02-09

Constructing and tuning self-organized three-dimensional (3D) superstructures with tailored functionality is crucial in the nanofabrication of smart molecular devices. Herein we fabricate a self-organized, phototunable 3D photonic superstructure from monodisperse droplets of one-dimensional cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) containing a photosensitive chiral molecular switch with high helical twisting power. The droplets are obtained by a glass capillary microfluidic technique by dispersing into PVA solution that facilitates planar anchoring of the liquid-crystal molecules at the droplet surface, as confirmed by the observation of normal incidence selective circular polarized reflection in all directions from the core of individual droplet. Photoirradiation of the droplets furnishes dynamic reflection colors without thermal relaxation, whose wavelength can be tuned reversibly by variation of the irradiation time. The results provided clear evidence on the phototunable reflection in all directions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Weak evidence for increased motivated forgetting of trauma-related words in dissociated or traumatised individuals in a directed forgetting experiment.

PubMed

Patihis, Lawrence; Place, Patricia J

2018-05-01

Motivated forgetting is the idea that people can block out, or forget, upsetting or traumatic memories, because there is a motivation to do so. Some researchers have cited directed forgetting studies using trauma-related words as evidence for the theory of motivated forgetting of trauma. In the current article subjects used the list method directed forgetting paradigm with both trauma-related words and positive words. After one list of words was presented subjects were directed to forget the words previously learned, and they then received another list of words. Each list was a mix of positive and trauma-related words, and the lists were counterbalanced. Later, subjects recalled as many of the words as they could, including the ones they were told to forget. Based on the theory that motivated forgetting would lead to recall deficits of trauma-related material, we created eight hypotheses. High dissociators, trauma-exposed, sexual trauma-exposed, and high dissociators with trauma-exposure participants were hypothesised to show enhanced forgetting of trauma words. Results indicated only one of eight hypotheses was supported: those higher on dissociation and trauma recalled fewer trauma words in the to-be-forgotten condition, compared to those low on dissociation and trauma. These results provide weak support for differential motivated forgetting.

Clonal Populations of Amniotic Cells by Dilution and Direct Plating: Evidence for Hidden Diversity

PubMed Central

Wilson, Patricia G.; Devkota, Lorna; Payne, Tiffany; Crisp, Laddie; Winter, Allison; Wang, Zhan

2012-01-01

Fetal cells are widely considered a superior cell source for regenerative medicine; fetal cells show higher proliferative capacity and have undergone fewer replicative cycles that could generate spontaneous mutations. Fetal cells in amniotic fluid were among the first normal primary cells to be cultured ex vivo, but the undefined composition of amniotic fluid has hindered advance for regenerative applications. We first developed a highly efficient method to generate clonal populations by dilution of amniocentesis samples in media and direct plating without intervening refrigeration, centrifugation, or exposure of cells to the paracrine effects in mixed cell cultures. More than 40 clonal populations were recovered from 4 amniocentesis samples and representative clones were characterized by flow cytometry, conventional assays for differentiation potential, immunofluorescence imaging, and transcript analysis. The results revealed previously unreported diversity among stromal and epithelial cell types and identified unique cell types that could be lost or undetected in mixed cell populations. The differentiation potential of amniotic cells proved to be uncoupled from expression of definitive cell surface or cytoplasmic markers for stromal and epithelial cells. Evidence for diversity among stromal and epithelial cells in amniotic fluid bears on interpretations applied to molecular and functional tests of amniotic cell populations. PMID:23024659

Clonal populations of amniotic cells by dilution and direct plating: evidence for hidden diversity.

PubMed

Wilson, Patricia G; Devkota, Lorna; Payne, Tiffany; Crisp, Laddie; Winter, Allison; Wang, Zhan

2012-01-01

Fetal cells are widely considered a superior cell source for regenerative medicine; fetal cells show higher proliferative capacity and have undergone fewer replicative cycles that could generate spontaneous mutations. Fetal cells in amniotic fluid were among the first normal primary cells to be cultured ex vivo, but the undefined composition of amniotic fluid has hindered advance for regenerative applications. We first developed a highly efficient method to generate clonal populations by dilution of amniocentesis samples in media and direct plating without intervening refrigeration, centrifugation, or exposure of cells to the paracrine effects in mixed cell cultures. More than 40 clonal populations were recovered from 4 amniocentesis samples and representative clones were characterized by flow cytometry, conventional assays for differentiation potential, immunofluorescence imaging, and transcript analysis. The results revealed previously unreported diversity among stromal and epithelial cell types and identified unique cell types that could be lost or undetected in mixed cell populations. The differentiation potential of amniotic cells proved to be uncoupled from expression of definitive cell surface or cytoplasmic markers for stromal and epithelial cells. Evidence for diversity among stromal and epithelial cells in amniotic fluid bears on interpretations applied to molecular and functional tests of amniotic cell populations.

Molecular Evidence for a Natural Primary Triple Hybrid in Plants Revealed from Direct Sequencing

PubMed Central

Kaplan, Zdenek; Fehrer, Judith

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Molecular evidence for natural primary hybrids composed of three different plant species is very rarely reported. An investigation was therefore carried out into the origin and a possible scenario for the rise of a sterile plant clone showing a combination of diagnostic morphological features of three separate, well-defined Potamogeton species. Methods The combination of sequences from maternally inherited cytoplasmic (rpl20-rps12) and biparentally inherited nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) was used to identify the exact identity of the putative triple hybrid. Key Results Direct sequencing showed ITS variants of three parental taxa, P. gramineus, P. lucens and P. perfoliatus, whereas chloroplast DNA identified P. perfoliatus as the female parent. A scenario for the rise of the triple hybrid through a fertile binary hybrid P. gramineus × P. lucens crossed with P. perfoliatus is described. Conclusions Even though the triple hybrid is sterile, it possesses an efficient strategy for its existence and became locally successful even in the parental environment, perhaps as a result of heterosis. The population investigated is the only one known of this hybrid, P. × torssanderi, worldwide. Isozyme analysis indicated the colony to be genetically uniform. The plants studied represented a single clone that seems to have persisted at this site for a long time. PMID:17478544

Counterfactual Processing of Economic Action-Outcome Alternatives in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Further Evidence of Impaired Goal-Directed Behavior

PubMed Central

Gillan, Claire M.; Morein-Zamir, Sharon; Kaser, Muzaffer; Fineberg, Naomi A.; Sule, Akeem; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Cardinal, Rudolf N.; Robbins, Trevor W.

2014-01-01

Background Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder of automatic, uncontrollable behaviors and obsessive rumination. There is evidence that OCD patients have difficulties performing goal-directed actions, instead exhibiting repetitive stimulus-response habit behaviors. This might result from the excessive formation of stimulus-response habit associations or from an impairment in the ability to use outcome value to guide behavior. We investigated the latter by examining counterfactual decision making, which is the ability to use comparisons of prospective action-outcome scenarios to guide economic choice. Methods We tested decision making (forward counterfactual) and affective responses (backward counterfactual) in 20 OCD patients and 20 matched healthy control subjects using an economic choice paradigm that previously revealed attenuation of both the experience and avoidance of counterfactual emotion in schizophrenia patients and patients with orbitofrontal cortex lesions. Results The use of counterfactual comparison to guide decision making was diminished in OCD patients, who relied primarily on expected value. Unlike the apathetic affective responses previously shown to accompany this decision style, OCD patients reported increased emotional responsivity to the outcomes of their choices and to the counterfactual comparisons that typify regret and relief. Conclusions Obsessive-compulsive disorder patients exhibit a pattern of decision making consistent with a disruption in goal-directed forward modeling, basing decisions instead on the temporally present (and more rational) calculation of expected value. In contrast to this style of decision making, emotional responses in OCD were more extreme and reactive than control subjects. These results are in line with an account of disrupted goal-directed cognitive control in OCD. PMID:23452663

Determination of skeleton and sign map for phase obtaining from a single ESPI image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xia; Yu, Qifeng; Fu, Sihua

2009-06-01

A robust method of determining the sign map and skeletons for ESPI images is introduced in this paper. ESPI images have high speckle noise which makes it difficult to obtain the fringe information, especially from a single image. To overcome the effects of high speckle noise, local directional computing windows are designed according to the fringe directions. Then by calculating the gradients from the filtered image in directional windows, sign map and good skeletons can be determined robustly. Based on the sign map, single image phase-extracting methods such as quadrature transform can be improved. And based on skeletons, fringe phases can be obtained directly by normalization methods. Experiments show that this new method is robust and effective for extracting phase from a single ESPI fringe image.

Phenotypic selection in natural populations: what limits directional selection?

PubMed

Kingsolver, Joel G; Diamond, Sarah E

2011-03-01

Studies of phenotypic selection document directional selection in many natural populations. What factors reduce total directional selection and the cumulative evolutionary responses to selection? We combine two data sets for phenotypic selection, representing more than 4,600 distinct estimates of selection from 143 studies, to evaluate the potential roles of fitness trade-offs, indirect (correlated) selection, temporally varying selection, and stabilizing selection for reducing net directional selection and cumulative responses to selection. We detected little evidence that trade-offs among different fitness components reduced total directional selection in most study systems. Comparisons of selection gradients and selection differentials suggest that correlated selection frequently reduced total selection on size but not on other types of traits. The direction of selection on a trait often changes over time in many temporally replicated studies, but these fluctuations have limited impact in reducing cumulative directional selection in most study systems. Analyses of quadratic selection gradients indicated stabilizing selection on body size in at least some studies but provided little evidence that stabilizing selection is more common than disruptive selection for most traits or study systems. Our analyses provide little evidence that fitness trade-offs, correlated selection, or stabilizing selection strongly constrains the directional selection reported for most quantitative traits.

Challenges of Obtaining Evidence-Based Information Regarding Medications and Male Fertility.

PubMed

Drobnis, Erma Z; Nangia, Ajay K

2017-01-01

In the clinic, the existing literature is insufficient to counsel our infertile men on medication use. Most studies have flaws that limit their application to evidence-based practice. In this chapter, we discuss the limitations of the current literature and the challenges to designing more useful studies. Among the most important weaknesses of existing studies is lack of power; that is, too few men are included to draw conclusions about the existence and size of medication effects. Adequate power is particularly important when confirming an absence of medication effect. Bias is also a problem in most studies. Early studies were rarely randomized, placebo-controlled, or blinded; a common example is patients receiving different medication regimes based on the severity of their symptoms-making it impossible to attribute differences between treated and untreated men to the medications. Additional bias is introduced by failing to include other factors that influence the outcome in the experimental design. A uniform population amenable to randomization and placebo-control are experimental species, and useful information has been gained from these models. However, application to humans is limited by differences from other species in route of drug administration, absorption of the drug, concentration in the male genital tract tissues, and genital tract physiology. To a lesser degree, there is variation among individual men in their response to drugs. In addition, drugs in the same class may have different effects, limiting the applicability of data across drugs of a single class. Complicating matters further, a toxic medication may seem to improve fertility endpoints by improving a disease condition that diminishes fertility. Finally, drug interactions have not been studied, and actual fertility data (pregnancy/fecundity) in humans are rare. A healthy dose of skepticism is warranted when evaluating studies of medications and male reproductive health.

Geochronologic evidence for Late Cretaceous and Miocene tectonism in northern New England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amidon, W. H.; Barr, M.; Walcott, C.; Kylander-Clark, A. R.

2017-12-01

The persistence of mountainous relief in the northeastern U.S. suggests post-rift tectonic rejuvenation has occurred, although specific mechanisms and timing have been difficult to identify. Here we present direct evidence for significant tectonism in New Hampshire and Vermont during the Late-Cretaceous ( 85-65 Ma) and Miocene periods ( 20-5 Ma). Low temperature thermochronology from a drill core in the White Mountains of New Hampshire suggests 2-3 km of accelerated exhumation during the Late Cretaceous. This exhumation is synchronous with compressional thrusting and rapid exhumation on many other Atlantic margins and also with a change in spreading direction in the Atlantic from 85-65 Ma. Recently obtained U-Pb ages of vein calcite from faults and fractures in the Champlain Valley of New York and Vermont suggest significant brittle fracturing occurred during the Late Cretaceous and also during the Miocene. Although many questions remain, this evidence points to tectonic rejuvenation by lateral tectonic stresses in the latest Cretaceous and possibly in the Miocene. The Late Cretaceous seems to have been a particularly significant tectonic episode in northern New England and elsewhere in the circum-Atlantic region.

Self-Directed Learning in the Process of Work: Conceptual Considerations--Empirical Evidences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straka, Gerald A.; Schaefer, Cornelia

With reference to the literature on adult self-directed learning, a model termed the "Two-Shell Model of Motivated Self-Directed Learning" was formulated that differentiates sociohistorical environmental conditions, internal conditions, and activities related to four concepts (interest, learning strategies, control, and evaluation). The…

Evidence on global medical travel.

PubMed

Ruggeri, Kai; Záliš, Ladislav; Meurice, Christopher R; Hilton, Ian; Ly, Terry-Lisa; Zupan, Zorana; Hinrichs, Saba

2015-11-01

The potential benefits of travelling across national borders to obtain medical treatment include improved care, decreased costs and reduced waiting times. However, medical travel involves additional risks, compared to obtaining treatment domestically. We review the publicly-available evidence on medical travel. We suggest that medical travel needs to be understood in terms of its potential risks and benefits so that it can be evaluated against alternatives by patients who are seeking care. We propose three domains -quality standards, informed decision-making, economic and legal protection - in which better evidence could support the development of medical travel policies.

Evidence on global medical travel

PubMed Central

Záliš, Ladislav; Meurice, Christopher R; Hilton, Ian; Ly, Terry-Lisa; Zupan, Zorana; Hinrichs, Saba

2015-01-01

Abstract The potential benefits of travelling across national borders to obtain medical treatment include improved care, decreased costs and reduced waiting times. However, medical travel involves additional risks, compared to obtaining treatment domestically. We review the publicly-available evidence on medical travel. We suggest that medical travel needs to be understood in terms of its potential risks and benefits so that it can be evaluated against alternatives by patients who are seeking care. We propose three domains –quality standards, informed decision-making, economic and legal protection – in which better evidence could support the development of medical travel policies. PMID:26549906

A trust evaluation algorithm for wireless sensor networks based on node behaviors and D-S evidence theory.

PubMed

Feng, Renjian; Xu, Xiaofeng; Zhou, Xiang; Wan, Jiangwen

2011-01-01

For wireless sensor networks (WSNs), many factors, such as mutual interference of wireless links, battlefield applications and nodes exposed to the environment without good physical protection, result in the sensor nodes being more vulnerable to be attacked and compromised. In order to address this network security problem, a novel trust evaluation algorithm defined as NBBTE (Node Behavioral Strategies Banding Belief Theory of the Trust Evaluation Algorithm) is proposed, which integrates the approach of nodes behavioral strategies and modified evidence theory. According to the behaviors of sensor nodes, a variety of trust factors and coefficients related to the network application are established to obtain direct and indirect trust values through calculating weighted average of trust factors. Meanwhile, the fuzzy set method is applied to form the basic input vector of evidence. On this basis, the evidence difference is calculated between the indirect and direct trust values, which link the revised D-S evidence combination rule to finally synthesize integrated trust value of nodes. The simulation results show that NBBTE can effectively identify malicious nodes and reflects the characteristic of trust value that 'hard to acquire and easy to lose'. Furthermore, it is obvious that the proposed scheme has an outstanding advantage in terms of illustrating the real contribution of different nodes to trust evaluation.

Effects of b-value and number of gradient directions on diffusion MRI measures obtained with Q-ball imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, Kurt G.; Nath, Vishwesh; Blaber, Justin; Harrigan, Robert L.; Ding, Zhaohua; Anderson, Adam W.; Landman, Bennett A.

2017-02-01

High-angular-resolution diffusion-weighted imaging (HARDI) MRI acquisitions have become common for use with higher order models of diffusion. Despite successes in resolving complex fiber configurations and probing microstructural properties of brain tissue, there is no common consensus on the optimal b-value and number of diffusion directions to use for these HARDI methods. While this question has been addressed by analysis of the diffusion-weighted signal directly, it is unclear how this translates to the information and metrics derived from the HARDI models themselves. Using a high angular resolution data set acquired at a range of b-values, and repeated 11 times on a single subject, we study how the b-value and number of diffusion directions impacts the reproducibility and precision of metrics derived from Q-ball imaging, a popular HARDI technique. We find that Q-ball metrics associated with tissue microstructure and white matter fiber orientation are sensitive to both the number of diffusion directions and the spherical harmonic representation of the Q-ball, and often are biased when under sampled. These results can advise researchers on appropriate acquisition and processing schemes, particularly when it comes to optimizing the number of diffusion directions needed for metrics derived from Q-ball imaging.

Tree ring evidence for limited direct CO2 fertilization of forests over the 20th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gedalof, Ze'ev; Berg, Aaron A.

2010-09-01

The effect that rising atmospheric CO2 levels will have on forest productivity and water use efficiency remains uncertain, yet it has critical implications for future rates of carbon sequestration and forest distributions. Efforts to understand the effect that rising CO2 will have on forests are largely based on growth chamber studies of seedlings, and the relatively small number of FACE sites. Inferences from these studies are limited by their generally short durations, artificial growing conditions, unnatural step-increases in CO2 concentrations, and poor replication. Here we analyze the global record of annual radial tree growth, derived from the International Tree ring Data Bank (ITRDB), for evidence of increasing growth rates that cannot be explained by climatic change alone, and for evidence of decreasing sensitivity to drought. We find that approximately 20 percent of sites globally exhibit increasing trends in growth that cannot be attributed to climatic causes, nitrogen deposition, elevation, or latitude, which we attribute to a direct CO2 fertilization effect. No differences were found between species in their likelihood to exhibit growth increases attributable to CO2 fertilization, although Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), the two most commonly sampled species in the ITRDB, exhibit a CO2 fertilization signal at frequencies very near their upper and lower confidence limits respectively. Overall these results suggest that CO2 fertilization of forests will not counteract emissions or slow warming in any substantial fashion, but do suggest that future forest dynamics may differ from those seen today depending on site conditions and individual species' responses to elevated CO2.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of hemodynamic-directed feedback during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cardiac arrest.

PubMed

Chopra, A S; Wong, N; Ziegler, C P; Morrison, L J

2016-04-01

Physiologic monitoring of resuscitative efforts during cardiac arrest is gaining in importance, as it provides a real-time window into the cellular physiology of patients. The aim of this review is to assess the quality of evidence surrounding the use of physiologic monitoring to guide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to examine whether the evidence demonstrates an improvement in patient outcome when comparing hemodynamic-directed CPR versus standard CPR. Studies were obtained through a search of the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases. Peer-reviewed randomized trials, case-control studies, systematic reviews, and cohort studies that titrated CPR to physiologic measures, compared results to standard CPR, and examined patient outcome were included. Six studies met inclusion criteria, with all studies conducted in animal populations. Four studies examined the effects of hemodynamic-directed CPR on survival, with 35/37 (94.6%) animals surviving in the hemodynamic-directed CPR groups and 12/35 (34.3%) surviving in the control groups (p<0.001). Two studies examined the effects of hemodynamic-directed CPR on ROSC, with 22/30 (73.3%) achieving ROSC in the hemodynamic-directed CPR group and 19/30 (63.3%) achieving ROSC in the control group (p=0.344). These results suggest a trend in survival from hemodynamic-directed CPR over standard CPR, however the small sample size and lack of human data make these results of limited value. Future human studies examining hemodynamic-directed CPR versus current CPR standards are needed to enhance our understanding of how to effectively use physiologic measures to improve resuscitation efforts and ultimately incorporate concrete targets into international resuscitation guidelines. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Direct Path to Finding Earth-Like Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heap, Sara R.; Linder, Don J.

2009-01-01

As envisaged by the 2000 astrophysics decadal survey panel: The main goal of Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is nothing less than to search for evidence of life on terrestrial planets around nearby stars . Here, we consider how an optical telescope paired with a free-flying occulter blocking light from the star can reach this goal directly, without knowledge of results from prior astrometric, doppler, or transit exoplanet observations. Using design reference missions and other simulations, we explore the potential of TPF-O to find planets in the habitable zone around their central stars, to spectrally characterize the atmospheres of detected planets, and to obtain rudimentary information about their orbits. We emphasize the importance of ozone absorption in the UV spectrum of a planet as a marker of photosynthesis by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria.

Microcanonical molecular simulations of methane hydrate nucleation and growth: evidence that direct nucleation to sI hydrate is among the multiple nucleation pathways.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhengcai; Walsh, Matthew R; Guo, Guang-Jun

2015-04-14

The results of six high-precision constant energy molecular dynamics (MD) simulations initiated from methane-water systems equilibrated at 80 MPa and 250 K indicate that methane hydrates can nucleate via multiple pathways. Five trajectories nucleate to an amorphous solid. One trajectory nucleates to a structure-I hydrate template with long-range order which spans the simulation box across periodic boundaries despite the presence of several defects. While experimental and simulation data for hydrate nucleation with different time- and length-scales suggest that there may exist multiple pathways for nucleation, including metastable intermediates and the direct formation of the globally-stable phase, this work provides the most compelling evidence that direct formation to the globally stable crystalline phase is one of the multiple pathways available for hydrate nucleation.

Counterfactual processing of economic action-outcome alternatives in obsessive-compulsive disorder: further evidence of impaired goal-directed behavior.

PubMed

Gillan, Claire M; Morein-Zamir, Sharon; Kaser, Muzaffer; Fineberg, Naomi A; Sule, Akeem; Sahakian, Barbara J; Cardinal, Rudolf N; Robbins, Trevor W

2014-04-15

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder of automatic, uncontrollable behaviors and obsessive rumination. There is evidence that OCD patients have difficulties performing goal-directed actions, instead exhibiting repetitive stimulus-response habit behaviors. This might result from the excessive formation of stimulus-response habit associations or from an impairment in the ability to use outcome value to guide behavior. We investigated the latter by examining counterfactual decision making, which is the ability to use comparisons of prospective action-outcome scenarios to guide economic choice. We tested decision making (forward counterfactual) and affective responses (backward counterfactual) in 20 OCD patients and 20 matched healthy control subjects using an economic choice paradigm that previously revealed attenuation of both the experience and avoidance of counterfactual emotion in schizophrenia patients and patients with orbitofrontal cortex lesions. The use of counterfactual comparison to guide decision making was diminished in OCD patients, who relied primarily on expected value. Unlike the apathetic affective responses previously shown to accompany this decision style, OCD patients reported increased emotional responsivity to the outcomes of their choices and to the counterfactual comparisons that typify regret and relief. Obsessive-compulsive disorder patients exhibit a pattern of decision making consistent with a disruption in goal-directed forward modeling, basing decisions instead on the temporally present (and more rational) calculation of expected value. In contrast to this style of decision making, emotional responses in OCD were more extreme and reactive than control subjects. These results are in line with an account of disrupted goal-directed cognitive control in OCD. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct measurement of the initial proton extrusion to oxygen uptake ratio accompanying succinate oxidation by rat liver mitochondria.

PubMed Central

Setty, O H; Shrager, R I; Bunow, B; Reynafarje, B; Lehninger, A L; Hendler, R W

1986-01-01

The problem of obtaining very early ratios for the H+/O stoichiometry accompanying succinate oxidation by rat liver mitochondria was attacked using new techniques for direct measurement rather than extrapolations based on data obtained after mixing and the recovery of the electrode from initial injection of O2. Respiration was quickly initiated in a thoroughly mixed O2-containing suspension of mitochondria under a CO atmosphere by photolysis of the CO-cytochrome c oxidase complex-. Fast responding O2 and pH electrodes were used to collect data every 10 ms. The response time for each electrode was experimentally measured in each experiment and suitable corrections for electrode relaxations were made. With uncorrected data obtained after 0.8 s, the extrapolation back to zero time on the basis of single-exponential curve fitting confirmed values close to 8.0 as previously reported (Costa et al., 1984). The data directly obtained, however, indicate an initial burst in H+/O ratio that peaked to values of approximately 20 to 30 prior to 50 ms and which was no longer evident after 0.3 s. Newer information and considerations that place all extrapolation methods in question are discussed. PMID:3019443

Direct dating of Pleistocene stegodon from Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara.

PubMed

Louys, Julien; Price, Gilbert J; O'Connor, Sue

2016-01-01

Stegodons are a commonly recovered extinct proboscidean (elephants and allies) from the Pleistocene record of Southeast Asian oceanic islands. Estimates on when stegodons arrived on individual islands and the timings of their extinctions are poorly constrained due to few reported direct geochronological analyses of their remains. Here we report on uranium-series dating of a stegodon tusk recovered from the Ainaro Gravels of Timor. The six dates obtained indicate the local presence of stegodons in Timor at or before 130 ka, significantly pre-dating the earliest evidence of humans on the island. On the basis of current data, we find no evidence for significant environmental changes or the presence of modern humans in the region during that time. Thus, we do not consider either of these factors to have contributed significantly to their extinction. In the absence of these, we propose that their extinction was possibly the result of long-term demographic and genetic declines associated with an isolated island population.

Judging Normality and Attractiveness in Faces: Direct Evidence of a More Refined Representation for Own-Race, Young Adult Faces.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiaomei; Short, Lindsey A; Chan, Harmonie S J; Mondloch, Catherine J

2016-09-01

Young and older adults are more sensitive to deviations from normality in young than older adult faces, suggesting that the dimensions of face space are optimized for young adult faces. Here, we extend these findings to own-race faces and provide converging evidence using an attractiveness rating task. In Experiment 1, Caucasian and Chinese adults were shown own- and other-race face pairs; one member was undistorted and the other had compressed or expanded features. Participants indicated which member of each pair was more normal (a task that requires referencing a norm) and which was more expanded (a task that simply requires discrimination). Participants showed an own-race advantage in the normality task but not the discrimination task. In Experiment 2, participants rated the facial attractiveness of own- and other-race faces (Experiment 2a) or young and older adult faces (Experiment 2b). Between-rater variability in ratings of individual faces was higher for other-race and older adult faces; reduced consensus in attractiveness judgments reflects a less refined face space. Collectively, these results provide direct evidence that the dimensions of face space are optimized for own-race and young adult faces, which may underlie face race- and age-based deficits in recognition. © The Author(s) 2016.

Concave Urinary Crystallines: Direct Evidence of Calcium Oxalate Crystals Dissolution by Citrate In Vivo

PubMed Central

Shang, Yun-Feng; Xu, Meng; Zhang, Guang-Na; Ouyang, Jian-Ming

2013-01-01

The changes in urinary crystal properties in patients with calcium oxalate (CaOx) calculi after oral administration of potassium citrate (K3cit) were investigated via atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), and zeta potential analyzer. The AFM and SEM results showed that the surface of urinary crystals became concave, the edges and corners of crystals became blunt, the average size of urinary crystallines decreased significantly, and aggregation of urinary crystals was reduced. These changes were attributed to the significant increase in concentration of excreted citrate to 492 ± 118 mg/L after K3cit intake from 289 ± 83 mg/L before K3cit intake. After the amount of urinary citrate was increased, it complexed with Ca2+ ions on urinary crystals, which dissolved these crystals. Thus, the appearance of concave urinary crystals was a direct evidence of CaOx dissolution by citrate in vivo. The XRD results showed that the quantities and species of urinary crystals decreased after K3cit intake. The mechanism of inhibition of formation of CaOx stones by K3cit was possibly due to the complexation of Ca2+ with citrate, increase in urine pH, concentration of urinary inhibitor glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and the absolute value of zeta potential after K3cit intake. PMID:24363634

Team-Based Models for End-of-Life Care: An Evidence-Based Analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background End of life refers to the period when people are living with advanced illness that will not stabilize and from which they will not recover and will eventually die. It is not limited to the period immediately before death. Multiple services are required to support people and their families during this time period. The model of care used to deliver these services can affect the quality of the care they receive. Objectives Our objective was to determine whether an optimal team-based model of care exists for service delivery at end of life. In systematically reviewing such models, we considered their core components: team membership, services offered, modes of patient contact, and setting. Data Sources A literature search was performed on October 14, 2013, using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid Embase, EBSCO Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and EBM Reviews, for studies published from January 1, 2000, to October 14, 2013. Review Methods Abstracts were reviewed by a single reviewer and full-text articles were obtained that met the inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they evaluated a team model of care compared with usual care in an end-of-life adult population. A team was defined as having at least 2 health care disciplines represented. Studies were limited to English publications. A meta-analysis was completed to obtain pooled effect estimates where data permitted. The GRADE quality of the evidence was evaluated. Results Our literature search located 10 randomized controlled trials which, among them, evaluated the following 6 team-based models of care: hospital, direct contact home, direct contact home, indirect contact comprehensive, indirect contact comprehensive, direct contact comprehensive, direct, and early contact Direct contact is when team members see the patient; indirect contact is when they advise another health care practitioner (e.g., a family doctor) who sees

Evidence of direct reciprocity, but not of indirect and generalized reciprocity, in the grooming exchanges of wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus).

PubMed

Molesti, Sandra; Majolo, Bonaventura

2017-09-01

Reciprocity is one of the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain the exchange of social behaviors, such as grooming, in animals. Reciprocity assumes that individuals act as the donor and recipient of grooming and switch roles over time to balance the benefits and costs of this behavior. Three main patterns of reciprocity may follow a grooming given: (i) direct reciprocity, where the former recipient returns the grooming to the former donor; (ii) indirect reciprocity, where another individual returns the grooming to the former donor; and (iii) generalized reciprocity, where the former recipient returns the grooming to another individual. While there is evidence that direct reciprocity plays an important role in various species of animals, the role of indirect and generalized reciprocity is less clear and has been rarely analyzed. We tested the role of direct, indirect, and generalized reciprocity in explaining grooming exchanges of wild Barbary macaques, by analyzing the temporal contingency between giving and receiving grooming. We collected the occurrence and latency of the three types of grooming reciprocation during 1 hr long focal sessions run simultaneously on two partners who just stopped grooming (post-grooming session) or who were in proximity (i.e., within 1.5 m) without grooming each other (control session). We ran the analyses on 284 post-grooming and 63 control sessions. The results revealed a temporal contingency of grooming interactions exchanged according to direct reciprocity but not according to indirect or generalized reciprocity. Our results indicate that grooming distribution in Barbary macaques is partner-specific. We discuss the possible role of cognition and emotions in explaining direct reciprocity in animals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modulation of dayside on and neutral distributions at Venus Evidence of direct and indirect solar energy inputs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, H. A., Jr.; Mayr, H. G.; Grebowsky, J. M.; Niemann, H. B.; Hartle, R. E.; Cloutier, P. A.; Barnes, A.; Daniell, R. E., Jr.

1982-01-01

The details of solar variability and its coupled effects on the Venusian dayside are examined for evidence of short-term perturbations and associated energy inputs. Ion and neutral measurements obtained from the Orbiter Ion Mass Spectrometer and Orbital Neutral mass Spectrometer are used to show that the dayside concentrations of CO2(+) and the neutral gas temperature are smoothly modulated with a 28-day cycle reasonably matching that of the solar F(10.7) and EUV fluxes. Earlier measurements show less pronounced and more irregular modulations and more conspicuous short-term day-to-day fluctuations in the ions and neutrals, as well as relatively large enhancements in the solar wind, which appear consistent with differences in solar coronal behavior during the two periods. It is suggested that the solar wind variations cause fluctuations in joule heating, producing the observed short-term ion and neutral variations.

Extended Importance Sampling for Reliability Analysis under Evidence Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, X. K.; Chen, B.; Zhang, B. Q.

2018-05-01

In early engineering practice, the lack of data and information makes uncertainty difficult to deal with. However, evidence theory has been proposed to handle uncertainty with limited information as an alternative way to traditional probability theory. In this contribution, a simulation-based approach, called ‘Extended importance sampling’, is proposed based on evidence theory to handle problems with epistemic uncertainty. The proposed approach stems from the traditional importance sampling for reliability analysis under probability theory, and is developed to handle the problem with epistemic uncertainty. It first introduces a nominal instrumental probability density function (PDF) for every epistemic uncertainty variable, and thus an ‘equivalent’ reliability problem under probability theory is obtained. Then the samples of these variables are generated in a way of importance sampling. Based on these samples, the plausibility and belief (upper and lower bounds of probability) can be estimated. It is more efficient than direct Monte Carlo simulation. Numerical and engineering examples are given to illustrate the efficiency and feasible of the proposed approach.

20 CFR 30.905 - How may an impairment evaluation be obtained?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How may an impairment evaluation be obtained... UNDER THE ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM ACT OF 2000, AS AMENDED Impairment Benefits Under Part E of EEOICPA Medical Evidence of Impairment § 30.905 How may an impairment evaluation...

Obtaining Magnetic Properties of Meteorites Using Magnetic Scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kletetschka, G.; Nabelek, L.; Mazanec, M.; Simon, K.; Hruba, J.

2015-12-01

Magnetic images of Murchison meteorite's and Chelyabinsk meteorite's thin section have been obtained from magnetic scanning system from Youngwood Science and Engineering (YSE) capable of resolving magnetic anomalies down to 10-3 mT range from about 0.3 mm distance between the probe and meteorite surface (resolution about 0.15 mm). Anomalies were produced repeatedly, each time after application of magnetic field pulse of varying amplitude and constant, normal or reversed, direction. This process resulted in both magnetizing and demagnetizing of the meteorite thin section, while keeping the magnetization vector in the plane of the thin section. Analysis of the magnetic data allows determination of coercivity of remanence (Bcr) for the magnetic sources in situ. Value of Bcr is critical for calculating magnetic forces applicable during missions to asteroids where gravity is compromised. Bcr was estimated by two methods. First method measured varying dipole magnetic field strength produced by each anomaly in the direction of magnetic pulses. Second method measured deflections of the dipole direction from the direction of magnetic pulses (Nabelek et al., 2015). Nabelek, L., Mazanec, M., Kdyr, S., and Kletetschka, G., 2015, Magnetic, in situ, mineral characterization of Chelyabinsk meteorite thin section: Meteoritics & Planetary Science.

Perceptual Integration and Differentiation of Directions in Moving Patterns

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

ceBssay and identify by block numnbe,) o ~ b 20 ABSTRACT (Continue oil rel’erse side II necosary aid idonlty, by block number) F . A- 1981. (-7 ATTACHED...process, are discussed. REFERENCES Mather, G. and Moulden, B . A simultaneous shift in apparent direction: Further evidence for a "distribution- shift" model...summing process, are discussed. REFERENCES Mather, G. and Moulden, B . A simultaneous shift in apparent direction: Further evidence for a "distribution

46 CFR 185.210 - Alcohol or drug use by individuals directly involved in casualties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... evidence of drug or alcohol use, or evidence of intoxication, has been obtained; and (2) Specifies the... those individuals for whom evidence of intoxication is obtained. The individual shall be informed of...

Comparative Studies on Dyeability with Direct, Acid and Reactive Dyes after Chemical Modification of Jute with Mixed Amino Acids Obtained from Extract of Waste Soya Bean Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaumik, Nilendu Sekhar; Konar, Adwaita; Roy, Alok Nath; Samanta, Ashis Kumar

2017-12-01

Jute fabric was treated with mixed natural amino acids obtained from waste soya bean seed extract for chemical modification of jute for its cataionization and to enhance its dyeability with anionic dyes (like direct, reactive and acid dye) as well enabling soya modified jute for salt free dyeing with anionic reactive dyes maintaining its eco-friendliness. Colour interaction parameters including surface colour strength were assessed and compared for both bleached and soya-modified jute fabric for reactive dyeing and compared with direct and acid dye. Improvement in K/S value (surface colour strength) was observed for soya-modified jute even in absence of salt applied in dye bath for reactive dyes as well as for direct and acid dyes. In addition, reactive dye also shows good dyeability even in acid bath in salt free conditions. Colour fastness to wash was evaluated for bleached and soya-modified jute fabric after dyeing with direct, acid and reactive dyes are reported. Treatment of jute with soya-extracted mixed natural amino acids showed anchoring of some amino/aldemine groups on jute cellulosic polymer evidenced from Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy. This amino or aldemine group incorporation in bleached jute causes its cationization and hence when dyed in acid bath for reactive dye (instead of conventional alkali bath) showed dye uptake for reactive dyes. Study of surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of said soya-modified jute as compared to bleached jute was studied and reported.

Evidence-based dentistry: a clinician's perspective.

PubMed

Bauer, Janet; Spackman, Sue; Chiappelli, Francesco; Prolo, Paolo; Stevenson, Richard

2006-07-01

Evidence-based dentistry is a discipline that provides best, explicit-based evidence to dentists and their patients in shared decision-making. Currently, dentists are being trained and directed to adopt the role of translational researchers in developing evidence-based dental practices. Practically, evidence-based dentistry is not usable in its current mode for the provision of labor-intensive services that characterize current dental practice. The purpose of this article is to introduce a model of evidence-based dental practice. This model conceptualizes a team approach in explaining problems and solutions to change current dental practice. These changes constitute an evidence-based dental practice that involves the electronic chart, centralized database, knowledge management software, and personnel in optimizing effective oral health care to dental patients.

Mesenchymal stem cells promote hard-tissue repair after direct pulp capping.

PubMed

Obeid, Maram; Saber, Shehab El Din Mohamed; Ismael, Alaa El Din; Hassanien, Ehab

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of autologous mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) to promote hard-tissue formation after direct pulp capping procedures. Bone marrow was aspirated from the iliac crest of healthy dogs of nonspecific race. Mononuclear cells were obtained using the Histopaque (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO) protocol and cultured for 21 days. Direct pulp capping procedures were performed in posterior teeth, and then mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate, or BMSCs were used as direct pulp capping agents. After 3 months, animals were sacrificed, and jaw segments were processed for radiographic examination using cone-beam computed tomography scanning and histologic examination to assess the formation of a hard-tissue barrier according to a scoring system. The longitudinal and cross-sectional radiophotographs and histologic sections confirmed the formation of an evident calcific barrier after direct pulp capping with MTA and BMSCs. Statistical analysis of the scores given for radiographic and histologic calcific bridge formation showed that both MTA and BMSCs had a comparable tendency to produce a hard-tissue barrier that was significantly higher than hydroxyapatite tricalcium phosphate (P < .05). Autologous mesenchymal BMSCs were able to promote hard-tissue formation after direct pulp capping procedures. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assisting undergraduate nursing students to learn evidence-based practice through self-directed learning and workshop strategies during clinical practicum.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Zeng, Tieying; Chen, Ying; Li, Xiaopan

2012-07-01

To equip undergraduate nursing students with basic knowledge and skills and foster positive attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP), a pilot learning program during their clinical practicum was developed in a teaching hospital in China. This article describes the specific learning process through which self-directed learning and workshop strategies were used, and a pre- and post-intervention survey were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning strategies. The findings show a significant improvement in their perceptions of EBP knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and behavior levels. Beginning competencies in EBP were achieved. Participants reported great satisfaction and have found this program helpful in promoting their analytical and problem-solving abilities, independent learning ability, and cooperative and communication abilities as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aligning health care policy with evidence-based medicine: the case for funding direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Stone, James A; Earl, Karen M; O'Neill, Blair J; Sharma, Mukul; Huynh, Thao; Leblanc, Kori; Ward, Richard; Teal, Philip A; Cox, Jafna L

2014-10-01

Misalignment between evidence-informed clinical care guideline recommendations and reimbursement policy has created care gaps that lead to suboptimal outcomes for patients denied access to guideline-based therapies. The purpose of this article is to make the case for addressing this growing access barrier to optimal care. Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) is discussed as an example. Stroke is an extremely costly disease, imposing a significant human, societal, and economic burden. Stroke in the setting of AF carries an 80% probability of death or disability. Although two-thirds of these strokes are preventable with appropriate anticoagulation, this has historically been underprescribed and poorly managed. National and international guidelines endorse the direct oral anticoagulants as first-line therapy for this indication. However, no Canadian province has provided these agents with an unrestricted listing. These decisions appear to be founded on silo-based cost assessment-the drug costs rather than the total system costs-and thus overlook several important cost-drivers in stroke. The discordance between best scientific evidence and public policy requires health care providers to use a potentially suboptimal therapy in contravention of guideline recommendations. It represents a significant obstacle for knowledge translation efforts that aim to increase the appropriate anticoagulation of Canadians with AF. As health care professionals, we have a responsibility to our patients to engage with policy-makers in addressing and resolving this barrier to optimal patient care. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct Evidence of an Eruptive, Filament-hosting Magnetic Flux Rope Leading to a Fast Solar Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bin; Bastian, T. S.; Gary, D. E.

2014-10-01

Magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) are believed to be at the heart of solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs). A well-known example is the prominence cavity in the low corona that sometimes makes up a three-part white-light (WL) CME upon its eruption. Such a system, which is usually observed in quiet-Sun regions, has long been suggested to be the manifestation of an MFR with relatively cool filament material collecting near its bottom. However, observational evidence of eruptive, filament-hosting MFR systems has been elusive for those originating in active regions. By utilizing multi-passband extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) observations from Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, we present direct evidence of an eruptive MFR in the low corona that exhibits a hot envelope and a cooler core; the latter is likely the upper part of a filament that undergoes a partial eruption, which is later observed in the upper corona as the coiled kernel of a fast, WL CME. This MFR-like structure exists more than 1 hr prior to its eruption, and displays successive stages of dynamical evolution, in which both ideal and non-ideal physical processes may be involved. The timing of the MFR kinematics is found to be well correlated with the energy release of the associated long-duration C1.9 flare. We suggest that the long-duration flare is the result of prolonged energy release associated with the vertical current sheet induced by the erupting MFR.

Directional Cluster Analysis on a Sphere: Retrieval of Archean Magnetic Directions from Data with High Dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bono, R. K.; Dare, M. S.; Tarduno, J. A.; Cottrell, R. D.

2016-12-01

Magnetic directions from coarse clastic rocks are typically highly scattered, to the point that the null hypothesis that they are drawn from a random distribution, using the iconic test of Watson (1956), cannot be rejected at a high confidence level (e.g. 95%). Here, we use an alternative approach of searching for directional clusters on a sphere. When applied to a new data set of directions from quartzites from the Jack Hills of Western Australia, we find evidence for distinct and meaningful magnetic directions at low (200 to 300 degrees C) and intermediate ( 350 to 450 degrees C) unblocking temperatures, whereas the test of Watson (1956) fails to draw a distinction from random distributions for the ensemble of directions at these unblocking temperature ranges. The robustness of the directional groups identified by the cluster analysis is confirmed by non-parametric resampling tests. The lowest unblocking temperature directional mode appears related to the present day field, perhaps contaminated by viscous magnetizations. The intermediate temperature magnetization matches an overprint recorded by the secondary mineral fuchsite (Cottrell et al., 2016) acquired at ca. 2.65 Ga. These data thus indicate that the Jack Hills carry an overprint at intermediate unblocking temperatures of Archean age. We find no evidence for a 1 Ga remagnetization. In general, the application of cluster analysis on a sphere, with directions confirmed by nonparametric tests, represents a new approach that should be applied when evaluating data with high dispersion, such as those that typically come from weak coarse-grained clastic sedimentary rocks, and/or rocks that have seen several tectonic events that could have imparted multiple magnetic overprints.

Anti-cancer Effects of Metformin: Recent Evidences for its Role in Prevention and Treatment of Cancer.

PubMed

Kheirandish, Masoumeh; Mahboobi, Hamidreza; Yazdanparast, Maryam; Kamal, Warda; Kamal, Mohammad A

2018-04-16

Metformin is widely used for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently growing evidence has shown its anti-cancer effects. The results are mainly obtained from observational studies and thus, little information is available concerning the mechanisms of action. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays an important role in the mechanism of action of metformin. The anti-cancer mechanisms of metformin include direct and indirect effects. The direct effects of metformin include AMPK-independent and AMPK-dependent effects, whereas the decrease in glucose level, hyperinsulinemia, and Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level was considered its indirect effects. Metformin also decreases both pro-inflammatory cytokines and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and improves the immune response to cancer cells. Although the results of recent trials confirm the efficacy of metformin in prevention and treatment of different cancers, the evidence is not adequate enough. This paper reviews recently available evidence on anti-cancer effects of metformin. The effects of metformin in specific cancers including colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, renal, cervical, endometrial, gastric, lung, breast, and ovarian cancer are also reviewed in this paper. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

An optimized procedure for obtaining DNA from fired and unfired ammunition.

PubMed

Montpetit, Shawn; O'Donnell, Patrick

2015-07-01

Gun crimes are a significant problem facing law enforcement agencies. Traditional forensic examination of firearms involves comparisons of markings imparted to bullets and cartridge casings during the firing process. DNA testing of casings and cartridges may not be routinely done in crime laboratories due a variety of factors including the typically low amounts of DNA recovered. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Crime Laboratory conducted a study to optimize the collection and profiling of DNA from fired and unfired ammunition. The method was optimized to where interpretable DNA results were obtained for 26.1% of the total number of forensic casework evidence samples, and provided some insights into the level of secondary transfer that might be expected from this type of evidence. Briefly detailed are the results from the experimental study and the forensic casework analysis using the optimized process. Mixtures (samples having more DNA types than the loader's known genotype detected or visible at any marker) were obtained in 39.8% of research samples and the likely source of DNA mixtures is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 122.210 - Alcohol or drug use by individuals directly involved in casualties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... evidence of intoxication, has been obtained; and (2) Specifies the method used to obtain such evidence... intoxication is obtained. The individual must be informed of this entry and the entry must be witnessed by a...

Alcohol action on a neuronal membrane receptor: evidence for a direct interaction with the receptor protein.

PubMed Central

Li, C; Peoples, R W; Weight, F F

1994-01-01

For almost a century, alcohols have been thought to produce their effects by actions on the membrane lipids of central nervous system neurons--the well known "lipid theory" of alcohol action. The rationale for this theory is the correlation of potency with oil/water or membrane/buffer partition coefficient. Although a number of recent studies have shown that alcohols can affect the function of certain neuronal neurotransmitter receptors, there is no evidence that the alcohols interact directly with these membrane proteins. In the present study, we report that inhibition of a neuronal neurotransmitter receptor, an ATP-gated ion channel, by a series of alcohols exhibits a distinct cutoff effect. For alcohols with a molecular volume of < or = 42.2 ml/mol, potency for inhibiting ATP-activated current was correlated with lipid solubility (order of potency: 1-propanol = trifluoroethanol > monochloroethanol > ethanol > methanol). However, despite increased lipid solubility, alcohols with a molecular volume of > or = 46.1 ml/mol (1-butanol, 1-pentanol, trichloroethanol, and dichloroethanol) were without effect on the ATP-activated current. The results suggest that alcohols inhibit the function of this neurotransmitter receptor by interacting with a small hydrophobic pocket on the receptor protein. PMID:8058780

Health Sciences-Evidence Based Practice questionnaire (HS-EBP) for measuring transprofessional evidence-based practice: Creation, development and psychometric validation.

PubMed

Fernández-Domínguez, Juan Carlos; de Pedro-Gómez, Joan Ernest; Morales-Asencio, José Miguel; Bennasar-Veny, Miquel; Sastre-Fullana, Pedro; Sesé-Abad, Albert

2017-01-01

Most of the EBP measuring instruments available to date present limitations both in the operationalisation of the construct and also in the rigour of their psychometric development, as revealed in the literature review performed. The aim of this paper is to provide rigorous and adequate reliability and validity evidence of the scores of a new transdisciplinary psychometric tool, the Health Sciences Evidence-Based Practice (HS-EBP), for measuring the construct EBP in Health Sciences professionals. A pilot study and a subsequent two-stage validation test sample were conducted to progressively refine the instrument until a reduced 60-item version with a five-factor latent structure. Reliability was analysed through both Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlations (ICC). Latent structure was contrasted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) following a model comparison aproach. Evidence of criterion validity of the scores obtained was achieved by considering attitudinal resistance to change, burnout, and quality of professional life as criterion variables; while convergent validity was assessed using the Spanish version of the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ-19). Adequate evidence of both reliability and ICC was obtained for the five dimensions of the questionnaire. According to the CFA model comparison, the best fit corresponded to the five-factor model (RMSEA = 0.049; CI 90% RMSEA = [0.047; 0.050]; CFI = 0.99). Adequate criterion and convergent validity evidence was also provided. Finally, the HS-EBP showed the capability to find differences between EBP training levels as an important evidence of decision validity. Reliability and validity evidence obtained regarding the HS-EBP confirm the adequate operationalisation of the EBP construct as a process put into practice to respond to every clinical situation arising in the daily practice of professionals in health sciences (transprofessional). The tool could be useful for EBP individual

Palaeoproteomic evidence identifies archaic hominins associated with the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne

PubMed Central

Welker, Frido; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Dannemann, Michael; David, Francine; Julien, Michèle; Meyer, Matthias; Barnes, Ian; Brace, Selina; Kamminga, Pepijn; Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M.; Stewart, John R.; Pääbo, Svante; Collins, Matthew J.; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

In Western Europe, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition is associated with the disappearance of Neandertals and the spread of anatomically modern humans (AMHs). Current chronological, behavioral, and biological models of this transitional period hinge on the Châtelperronian technocomplex. At the site of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, morphological Neandertal specimens are not directly dated but are contextually associated with the Châtelperronian, which contains bone points and beads. The association between Neandertals and this “transitional” assemblage has been controversial because of the lack either of a direct hominin radiocarbon date or of molecular confirmation of the Neandertal affiliation. Here we provide further evidence for a Neandertal–Châtelperronian association at the Grotte du Renne through biomolecular and chronological analysis. We identified 28 additional hominin specimens through zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) screening of morphologically uninformative bone specimens from Châtelperronian layers at the Grotte du Renne. Next, we obtain an ancient hominin bone proteome through liquid chromatography-MS/MS analysis and error-tolerant amino acid sequence analysis. Analysis of this palaeoproteome allows us to provide phylogenetic and physiological information on these ancient hominin specimens. We distinguish Late Pleistocene clades within the genus Homo based on ancient protein evidence through the identification of an archaic-derived amino acid sequence for the collagen type X, alpha-1 (COL10α1) protein. We support this by obtaining ancient mtDNA sequences, which indicate a Neandertal ancestry for these specimens. Direct accelerator mass spectometry radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modeling confirm that the hominin specimens date to the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne. PMID:27638212

Palaeoproteomic evidence identifies archaic hominins associated with the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne.

PubMed

Welker, Frido; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Dannemann, Michael; David, Francine; Julien, Michèle; Meyer, Matthias; Kelso, Janet; Barnes, Ian; Brace, Selina; Kamminga, Pepijn; Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M; Stewart, John R; Pääbo, Svante; Collins, Matthew J; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2016-10-04

In Western Europe, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition is associated with the disappearance of Neandertals and the spread of anatomically modern humans (AMHs). Current chronological, behavioral, and biological models of this transitional period hinge on the Châtelperronian technocomplex. At the site of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, morphological Neandertal specimens are not directly dated but are contextually associated with the Châtelperronian, which contains bone points and beads. The association between Neandertals and this "transitional" assemblage has been controversial because of the lack either of a direct hominin radiocarbon date or of molecular confirmation of the Neandertal affiliation. Here we provide further evidence for a Neandertal-Châtelperronian association at the Grotte du Renne through biomolecular and chronological analysis. We identified 28 additional hominin specimens through zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) screening of morphologically uninformative bone specimens from Châtelperronian layers at the Grotte du Renne. Next, we obtain an ancient hominin bone proteome through liquid chromatography-MS/MS analysis and error-tolerant amino acid sequence analysis. Analysis of this palaeoproteome allows us to provide phylogenetic and physiological information on these ancient hominin specimens. We distinguish Late Pleistocene clades within the genus Homo based on ancient protein evidence through the identification of an archaic-derived amino acid sequence for the collagen type X, alpha-1 (COL10α1) protein. We support this by obtaining ancient mtDNA sequences, which indicate a Neandertal ancestry for these specimens. Direct accelerator mass spectometry radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modeling confirm that the hominin specimens date to the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne.

Evidence of significant covalent bonding in Au(CN)(2)(-).

PubMed

Wang, Xue-Bin; Wang, Yi-Lei; Yang, Jie; Xing, Xiao-Peng; Li, Jun; Wang, Lai-Sheng

2009-11-18

The Au(CN)(2)(-) ion is the most stable Au compound known for centuries, yet a detailed understanding of its chemical bonding is still lacking. Here we report direct experimental evidence of significant covalent bonding character in the Au-C bonds in Au(CN)(2)(-) using photoelectron spectroscopy and comparisons with its lighter congeners, Ag(CN)(2)(-) and Cu(CN)(2)(-). Vibrational progressions in the Au-C stretching mode were observed for all detachment transitions for Au(CN)(2)(-), in contrast to the atomic-like transitions for Cu(CN)(2)(-), revealing the Au-C covalent bonding character. In addition, rich electronic structural information was obtained for Au(CN)(2)(-) by employing 118 nm detachment photons. Density functional theory and high-level ab initio calculations were carried out to understand the photoelectron spectra and obtain insight into the nature of the chemical bonding in the M(CN)(2)(-) complexes. Significant covalent character in the Au-C bonding due to the strong relativistic effects was revealed in Au(CN)(2)(-), consistent with its high stability.

Stable isotope and DNA evidence for ritual sequences in Inca child sacrifice

PubMed Central

Wilson, Andrew S.; Taylor, Timothy; Ceruti, Maria Constanza; Chavez, Jose Antonio; Reinhard, Johan; Grimes, Vaughan; Meier-Augenstein, Wolfram; Cartmell, Larry; Stern, Ben; Richards, Michael P.; Worobey, Michael; Barnes, Ian; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.

2007-01-01

Four recently discovered frozen child mummies from two of the highest peaks in the south central Andes now yield tantalizing evidence of the preparatory stages leading to Inca ritual killing as represented by the unique capacocha rite. Our interdisciplinary study examined hair from the mummies to obtain detailed genetic and diachronic isotopic information. This approach has allowed us to reconstruct aspects of individual identity and diet, make inferences concerning social background, and gain insight on the hitherto unknown processes by which victims were selected, elevated in social status, prepared for a high-altitude pilgrimage, and killed. Such direct information amplifies, yet also partly contrasts with, Spanish historical accounts. PMID:17923675

Quantification of the activity of biomolecules in microarrays obtained by direct laser transfer.

PubMed

Dinca, V; Ranella, A; Farsari, M; Kafetzopoulos, D; Dinescu, M; Popescu, A; Fotakis, C

2008-10-01

The direct-writing technique laser-induced forward transfer has been employed for the micro-array printing of liquid solutions of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase and the protein Titin on nitrocellulose solid surfaces. The effect of two UV laser pulse lengths, femtosecond and nanosecond has been studied in relation with maintaining the activity of the transferred biomolecules. The quantification of the active biomolecules after transfer has been carried out using Bradford assay, quantitative colorimetric enzymatic assay and fluorescence techniques. Spectrophotometric measurements of the HRP and the Titin activity as well as chromatogenic and fluorescence assay studies have revealed a connection between the properties of the deposited, biologically active biomolecules, the experimental conditions and the target composition. The bioassays have shown that up to 78% of the biomolecules remained active after femtosecond laser transfer, while this value reduced to 54% after nanosecond laser transfer. The addition of glycerol in a percentage up to 70% in the solution to be transferred has contributed to the stabilization of the micro-array patterns and the increase of their resolution.

A Key Major Guideline for Engineering Bioactive Multicomponent Nanofunctionalization for Biomedicine and Other Applications: Fundamental Models Confirmed by Both Direct and Indirect Evidence

PubMed Central

Scherrieble, Andreas; Bahrizadeh, Shiva; Avareh Sadrabadi, Fatemeh; Hedayat, Laleh

2017-01-01

This paper deals with the engineering multicomponent nanofunctionalization process considering fundamental physicochemical features of nanostructures such as surface energy, chemical bonds, and electrostatic interactions. It is pursued by modeling the surface nanopatterning and evaluating the proposed technique and the models. To this end, the effects of surface modifications of nanoclay on surface interactions, orientations, and final features of TiO2/Mt nanocolloidal textiles functionalization have been investigated. Various properties of cross-linkable polysiloxanes (XPs) treated samples as well as untreated samples with XPs have been compared to one another. The complete series of samples have been examined in terms of bioactivity and some physical properties, given to provide indirect evidence on the surface nanopatterning. The results disclosed a key role of the selected factors on the final features of treated surfaces. The effects have been thoroughly explained and modeled according to the fundamental physicochemical features. The developed models and associated hypotheses interestingly demonstrated a full agreement with all measured properties and were appreciably confirmed by FESEM evidence (direct evidence). Accordingly, a guideline has been developed to facilitate engineering and optimizing the pre-, main, and post-multicomponent nanofunctionalization procedures in terms of fundamental features of nanostructures and substrates for biomedical applications and other approaches. PMID:29333437

Effects of sound source directivity on auralizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheets, Nathan W.; Wang, Lily M.

2002-05-01

Auralization, the process of rendering audible the sound field in a simulated space, is a useful tool in the design of acoustically sensitive spaces. The auralization depends on the calculation of an impulse response between a source and a receiver which have certain directional behavior. Many auralizations created to date have used omnidirectional sources; the effects of source directivity on auralizations is a relatively unexplored area. To examine if and how the directivity of a sound source affects the acoustical results obtained from a room, we used directivity data for three sources in a room acoustic modeling program called Odeon. The three sources are: violin, piano, and human voice. The results from using directional data are compared to those obtained using omnidirectional source behavior, both through objective measure calculations and subjective listening tests.

Reporting New Evidence of Gravitons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Paul T.

This paper proposes a new approach to the graviton and reports on supporting evidence. Here the graviton is defined as the field particle which provides quantum particles with the dimensions of space and time, whereby curvature of spacetime is but one consequence. Both general relativity and quantum theory are extended by proposing that each incident graviton provides space and time in equal measure, thus making c a constant. The approach overcomes problems of renormalization and leads to a derivation of the unification equation (containing G, c, and h). From this equation the frequency of incident gravitons is 1.48 × 1042 s-1, hence the graviton is a high-energy particle, which is a description that is in keeping with the evidence presented here. The Compton scattering angle for gravitons encountering hydrogen atoms and hydrogen nuclei is calculated to be 8.5 × 10-32 and 1.8 × 10-29 radians, respectively. This prediction concurs with a scattering angle of 10-30-10-29 radians, obtained from the distances at which rotation curves deviate from Newtonian mechanics. It is argued that scattering by stellar bodies produces diffraction patterns of gravitons that radiate far beyond galactic disks as variations in energy density. Based on the diameter of atoms and scattering angle, it is predicted that as the orbital radius increases beyond a critical distance of 0.1 kpc, the diffraction minima should increasingly dominate. As a result, the diffraction pattern of a model galaxy of Sun-like stars should produce a constant orbital speed of 3 × 105 m s-1 at a distance of 1 kpc and greater, extending its influence far beyond the galactic disk. This prediction is consistent with data from rotation curves of 62 galaxies. In conclusion, the new approach to the graviton is supported by cosmological evidence and it leads to fresh directions in physics.

Evidence-Based Practice in Liposuction.

PubMed

Collins, Patrick S; Moyer, Kurtis E

2018-06-01

The goal of this study is to examine the existing peer reviewed literature comparing modern adjunctive techniques in liposuction including laser-assisted liposuction (LAL) and ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) to standard suction-assisted liposuction (SAL). We intend to interpret these findings into a literature-based clinical application to influence practice patterns. A literature review was conducted using a keyword search in PubMed. Keyword search items included liposuction, lipoplasty, suction assisted liposuction, ultrasound assisted liposuction, laser assisted liposuction, tumescent, liposuction comparison, liposuction review, and combinations therein. Exclusion criteria included articles with a primary focus on histologic effects of energy devices, primary animal models, primary opinion papers with no reference to available data, and industry-sponsored publications. Inclusion criteria included articles with direct comparison of liposuction modalities, randomized or blinded studies, and studies with objective outcomes. Twenty-five articles that met the inclusion criteria comparing SAL to UAL or LAL out of 9972 articles identified were obtained. The selected literature was assigned into 3 categories: evidence demonstrating an advantage of 1 modality (SAL, UAL, or LAL) over another, evidence that showed no benefit of 1 modality over another, and evidence that demonstrated risks of complications of 1 modality over another. The benefits of UAL and LAL over SAL include the following: (1) UAL over SAL in the treatment of gynecomastia, (2) LAL and UAL over SAL with decreased hemoglobin/hematocrit in high-volume lipoaspirates, and (3) LAL over SAL with skin tightening in select areas specifically the submental area. Otherwise, the literature demonstrates equivocal results among the described techniques with no clear benefit to set one apart from the other. There appears to be no demonstrable added benefit to the addition of either UAL or LAL that would urge a

Research on laser direct metal deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongzhong; Shi, Likai

2003-03-01

Laser direct deposition of metallic parts is a new manufacturing technology, which combines with computer-aided design, laser cladding and rapid prototyping. Fully dense metallic parts can be directly obtained through melting the coaxially fed powders with a high-power laser in a layer-by-layer manner. The process characteristics, system composition as well as some research and advancement on laser direct deposition are presented here. The microstructure and properties observation of laser direct formed 663 copper alloy, 316L stainless steel and Rene'95 nickel super alloy samples indicate that, the as-deposited microstructure is similar to rapidly solidified materials, with homogenous composition and free of defects. Under certain conditions, directionally solidified microstructure can be obtained. The as-formed mechanical properties are equal to or exceed those for casting and wrought annealed materials. At the same time, some sample parts with complicate shape are presented for technology demonstration. The formed parts show good surface quality and dimensional accuracy.

The role of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors in cardiovascular disease-existing evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions.

PubMed

Ambrosy, Andrew P; Mentz, Robert J; Fiuzat, Mona; Cleland, John G F; Greene, Stephen J; O'Connor, Christopher M; Teerlink, John R; Zannad, Faiez; Solomon, Scott D

2018-02-21

Although traditional renin-angiotensin system antagonists including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers have revolutionized the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the pivotal PARADIGM-HF trial demonstrated that sacubitril/valsartan, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), was superior to an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. However, despite international regulatory approval and strong recommendations in the guidelines, uptake of sacubitril/valsartan has been disappointing. Sacubitril/valsartan is now the focus of a large programme of clinical trials testing the hypothesis that ARNIs may supplant conventional renin-angiotensin system inhibitors across the spectrum of CVD, including hypertension, secondary prevention after myocardial infarction, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. This review summarizes the existing evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions of ARNIs in CVD based on discussions between clinical trialists, industry representatives, and regulatory authorities at the 2016 Global CardioVascular Clinical Trialists Forum in Washington, D.C. © 2018 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2018 European Society of Cardiology.

Levels of Evidence: Adult and Pediatric Treatment Studies (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

Cancer.gov

Levels of evidence refers to the ranking system used by the PDQ editorial boards to indicate the strength of evidence obtained from cited studies. Get detailed information about how to weigh the strength of the evidence obtained in cancer treatment studies in this information summary.

Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

PubMed

Lefaucheur, Jean-Pascal; Antal, Andrea; Ayache, Samar S; Benninger, David H; Brunelin, Jérôme; Cogiamanian, Filippo; Cotelli, Maria; De Ridder, Dirk; Ferrucci, Roberta; Langguth, Berthold; Marangolo, Paola; Mylius, Veit; Nitsche, Michael A; Padberg, Frank; Palm, Ulrich; Poulet, Emmanuel; Priori, Alberto; Rossi, Simone; Schecklmann, Martin; Vanneste, Sven; Ziemann, Ulf; Garcia-Larrea, Luis; Paulus, Walter

2017-01-01

A group of European experts was commissioned by the European Chapter of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology to gather knowledge about the state of the art of the therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) from studies published up until September 2016, regarding pain, Parkinson's disease, other movement disorders, motor stroke, poststroke aphasia, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, consciousness disorders, Alzheimer's disease, tinnitus, depression, schizophrenia, and craving/addiction. The evidence-based analysis included only studies based on repeated tDCS sessions with sham tDCS control procedure; 25 patients or more having received active treatment was required for Class I, while a lower number of 10-24 patients was accepted for Class II studies. Current evidence does not allow making any recommendation of Level A (definite efficacy) for any indication. Level B recommendation (probable efficacy) is proposed for: (i) anodal tDCS of the left primary motor cortex (M1) (with right orbitofrontal cathode) in fibromyalgia; (ii) anodal tDCS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (with right orbitofrontal cathode) in major depressive episode without drug resistance; (iii) anodal tDCS of the right DLPFC (with left DLPFC cathode) in addiction/craving. Level C recommendation (possible efficacy) is proposed for anodal tDCS of the left M1 (or contralateral to pain side, with right orbitofrontal cathode) in chronic lower limb neuropathic pain secondary to spinal cord lesion. Conversely, Level B recommendation (probable inefficacy) is conferred on the absence of clinical effects of: (i) anodal tDCS of the left temporal cortex (with right orbitofrontal cathode) in tinnitus; (ii) anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC (with right orbitofrontal cathode) in drug-resistant major depressive episode. It remains to be clarified whether the probable or possible therapeutic effects of tDCS are clinically meaningful and how to optimally perform t

Marsh frogs, Pelophylax ridibundus, determine migratory direction by magnetic field.

PubMed

Shakhparonov, Vladimir V; Ogurtsov, Sergei V

2017-01-01

Orientation by magnetic cues appears to be adaptive during animal migrations. Whereas the magnetic orientation in birds, mammals, and urodele amphibians is being investigated intensively, the data about anurans are still scarce. This study tests whether marsh frogs could determine migratory direction between the breeding pond and the wintering site by magnetic cues in the laboratory. Adult frogs (N = 32) were individually tested in the T-maze 127 cm long inside the three-axis Helmholtz coil system (diameter 3 m). The arms of the maze were positioned parallel to the natural migratory route of this population when measured in accordance with magnetic field. The frogs were tested under two-motivational conditions mediated by temperature/light regime: the breeding migratory state and the wintering state. The frogs' choice in a T-maze was evident only when analyzed in accordance with the direction of the magnetic field: they moved along the migratory route to the breeding pond and followed the reversion of the horizontal component of the magnetic field. This preference has been detected in both sexes only in the breeding migratory state. This suggests that adult ranid frogs can obtain directional information from the Earth's magnetic field as was shown earlier in urodeles and anuran larvae.

Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Evidence Tool

PubMed Central

Albert, Dayna; Fortin, Rebecca; Herrera, Christine; Hanning, Rhona; Lessio, Anne; Rush, Brian

2013-01-01

In public health and chronic disease prevention there is increasing priority for effective use of evidence in practice. In Ontario, Canada, despite various models being advanced, public health practitioners are seeking ways to identify and apply evidence in their work in practical and meaningful ways. In a companion article, “Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Assessment Tool,” we describe use of a tool to assess and strengthen program planning and implementation processes using 19 criteria derived from best and promising practices literature. In this article, we describe use of a complementary Program Evidence Tool to identify, synthesize, and apply a range of evidence sources to strengthen the content of chronic disease prevention programming. The Program Evidence Tool adapts tools of evidence-based medicine to the unique contexts of community-based health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Knowledge management tools and a guided dialogue process known as an Evidence Forum enable community stakeholders to make appropriate use of evidence in diverse social, political, and structural contexts. Practical guidelines and worksheets direct users through 5 steps: 1) define an evidence question, 2) develop a search strategy, 3) collect and synthesize evidence, 4) interpret and adapt evidence, and 5) implement and evaluate. We describe the Program Evidence Tool’s benefits, strengths, challenges, and what was learned from its application in 4 Ontario public health departments. The Program Evidence Tool contributes to the development and understanding of the complex use of evidence in community-based chronic disease prevention. PMID:23721788

Identifying metabolic enzymes with multiple types of association evidence

PubMed Central

Kharchenko, Peter; Chen, Lifeng; Freund, Yoav; Vitkup, Dennis; Church, George M

2006-01-01

Background Existing large-scale metabolic models of sequenced organisms commonly include enzymatic functions which can not be attributed to any gene in that organism. Existing computational strategies for identifying such missing genes rely primarily on sequence homology to known enzyme-encoding genes. Results We present a novel method for identifying genes encoding for a specific metabolic function based on a local structure of metabolic network and multiple types of functional association evidence, including clustering of genes on the chromosome, similarity of phylogenetic profiles, gene expression, protein fusion events and others. Using E. coli and S. cerevisiae metabolic networks, we illustrate predictive ability of each individual type of association evidence and show that significantly better predictions can be obtained based on the combination of all data. In this way our method is able to predict 60% of enzyme-encoding genes of E. coli metabolism within the top 10 (out of 3551) candidates for their enzymatic function, and as a top candidate within 43% of the cases. Conclusion We illustrate that a combination of genome context and other functional association evidence is effective in predicting genes encoding metabolic enzymes. Our approach does not rely on direct sequence homology to known enzyme-encoding genes, and can be used in conjunction with traditional homology-based metabolic reconstruction methods. The method can also be used to target orphan metabolic activities. PMID:16571130

Direct-to-consumer advertising: developing evidence-based policy to improve retention and comprehension.

PubMed

Riggs, David L; Holdsworth, Stacy M; McAvoy, David R

2004-01-01

Pharmaceutical advertising was historically directed toward health care professionals and mainly communicated through medical journals. The arrival of direct-to-consumer advertising has sparked both praise and criticism. Although current Food and Drug Administration requirements for drug promotion were written from a health care professional perspective, the same regulations have been applied to advertising directed at consumers. This has led to questions regarding the appropriate method for communicating detailed medical information. Rigorous research is needed to evaluate and determine the most effective format for communicating benefit and risk information to consumers. New standards for drug advertising to consumers should be grounded in data derived from this type of research.

When and where does mortality occur in migratory birds? Direct evidence from long-term satellite tracking of raptors.

PubMed

Klaassen, Raymond H G; Hake, Mikael; Strandberg, Roine; Koks, Ben J; Trierweiler, Christiane; Exo, Klaus-Michael; Bairlein, Franz; Alerstam, Thomas

2014-01-01

Information about when and where animals die is important to understand population regulation. In migratory animals, mortality might occur not only during the stationary periods (e.g. breeding and wintering) but also during the migration seasons. However, the relative importance of population limiting factors during different periods of the year remains poorly understood, and previous studies mainly relied on indirect evidence. Here, we provide direct evidence about when and where migrants die by identifying cases of confirmed and probable deaths in three species of long-distance migratory raptors tracked by satellite telemetry. We show that mortality rate was about six times higher during migration seasons than during stationary periods. However, total mortality was surprisingly similar between periods, which can be explained by the fact that risky migration periods are shorter than safer stationary periods. Nevertheless, more than half of the annual mortality occurred during migration. We also found spatiotemporal patterns in mortality: spring mortality occurred mainly in Africa in association with the crossing of the Sahara desert, while most mortality during autumn took place in Europe. Our results strongly suggest that events during the migration seasons have an important impact on the population dynamics of long-distance migrants. We speculate that mortality during spring migration may account for short-term annual variation in survival and population sizes, while mortality during autumn migration may be more important for long-term population regulation (through density-dependent effects). © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

Molecular Imaging of Ultrathin Pentacene Films: Evidence for Homoepitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yanfei; Haugstad, Greg; Frisbie, C. Daniel

2013-03-01

Ultrathin polycrystalline films of organic semiconductors have received intensive investigations due to the critical role they play in governing the performance of organic thin film transistors. In this work, a variety of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques have been employed to investigate ultrathin polycrystalline films (1-3 nm) of the benchmark organic semiconductor pentacene. By using spatially resolved Friction Force Microscopy (FFM), Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KFM) and Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM), an interesting multi-domain structure is revealed within the second layer of the films, characterized as two distinct friction and surface potential domains correlating with each other. The existence of multiple homoepitaxial modes within the films is thus proposed and examined. By employing lattice-revolved imaging using contact mode SPM, direct molecular evidence for the unusual homoepitaxy is obtained.

Evidence for Pulsation-Driven Mass Loss from δ Cephei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marengo, M.; Evans, N. R.; Matthews, L. D.; Bono, G.; Barmby, P.; Welch, D. L.; Romaniello, M.; Su, K. Y. L.; Fazio, G. G.; Huelsman, D.

We found the first direct evidence that the Cepheid class namesake, δ Cephei, is currently losing mass. These observations are based on data obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope in the infrared, and with the Very Large Array in the radio. We found that δ Cephei is associated with a vast circumstellar structure, reminiscent of a bow shock. This structure is created as the wind from the star interacts with the local interstellar medium. We measure an outflow velocity of ≈ 35. 5 km s- 1 and a mass loss rate of ≈ 10- 7-10- 6 M ⊙ year- 1. The very low dust content of the outflow suggests that the wind is possibly pulsation-driven, rather than dust-driven as common for other classes of evolved stars.

Agreement between arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide and saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen values obtained by direct arterial blood measurements versus noninvasive methods in conscious healthy and ill foals.

PubMed

Wong, David M; Alcott, Cody J; Wang, Chong; Bornkamp, Jennifer L; Young, Jessica L; Sponseller, Brett A

2011-11-15

To determine agreement between indirect measurements of end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PetCO(2)) and saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO(2)) with direct measurements of PaCO(2) and calculated saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen in arterial blood (SaO(2)) in conscious healthy and ill foals. Validation study. 10 healthy and 21 ill neonatal foals. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed on healthy and ill foals examined at a veterinary teaching hospital to determine direct measurements of PaCO(2) and PaO(2) along with SaO(2). Concurrently, PetCO(2) was measured with a capnograph inserted into a naris, and SpO(2) was measured with a reflectance probe placed at the base of the tail. Paired values were compared by use of Pearson correlation coefficients, and level of agreement was assessed with the Bland-Altman method. Mean ± SD difference between PaCO(2) and PetCO(2) was 0.1 ± 5.0 mm Hg. There was significant strong correlation (r = 0.779) and good agreement between PaCO(2) and PetCO(2). Mean ± SD difference between SaO(2) and SpO(2) was 2.5 ± 3.5%. There was significant moderate correlation (r = 0.499) and acceptable agreement between SaO(2) and SpO(2). Both PetCO(2) obtained by use of nasal capnography and SpO(2) obtained with a reflectance probe are clinically applicable and accurate indirect methods of estimating and monitoring PaCO(2) and SaO(2) in neonatal foals. Indirect methods should not replace periodic direct measurement of corresponding parameters.

Experimental Comparison of Inquiry and Direct Instruction in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobern, William; Schuster, David; Adams, Betty

2010-01-01

It is evident that "experientially-based" instruction and "active student engagement" are advantageous for effective science learning. However, "hands-on" and "minds-on" aspects can occur in both inquiry and direct science instruction, and convincing comparative evidence for the superiority of either mode…

Directed network modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palla, Gergely; Farkas, Illés J.; Pollner, Péter; Derényi, Imre; Vicsek, Tamás

2007-06-01

A search technique locating network modules, i.e. internally densely connected groups of nodes in directed networks is introduced by extending the clique percolation method originally proposed for undirected networks. After giving a suitable definition for directed modules we investigate their percolation transition in the Erdos-Rényi graph both analytically and numerically. We also analyse four real-world directed networks, including Google's own web-pages, an email network, a word association graph and the transcriptional regulatory network of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The obtained directed modules are validated by additional information available for the nodes. We find that directed modules of real-world graphs inherently overlap and the investigated networks can be classified into two major groups in terms of the overlaps between the modules. Accordingly, in the word-association network and Google's web-pages, overlaps are likely to contain in-hubs, whereas the modules in the email and transcriptional regulatory network tend to overlap via out-hubs.

Directed Forgetting in Direct and Indirect Tests of Memory: Seeking Evidence of Retrieval Inhibition Using Electrophysiological Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Hooff, Johanna C.; Whitaker, T. Aisling; Ford, Ruth M.

2009-01-01

We investigated whether directed forgetting as elicited by the item-cueing method results solely from "differential rehearsal" of to-be-remembered vs. to-be-forgotten words or, additionally, from "inhibitory" processes that actively impair retrieval of to-be-forgotten words. During study, participants (N = 24) were instructed to remember half of a…

Purification of pharmaceutical preparations using thin-layer chromatography to obtain mass spectra with Direct Analysis in Real Time and accurate mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wood, Jessica L; Steiner, Robert R

2011-06-01

Forensic analysis of pharmaceutical preparations requires a comparative analysis with a standard of the suspected drug in order to identify the active ingredient. Purchasing analytical standards can be expensive or unattainable from the drug manufacturers. Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART™) is a novel, ambient ionization technique, typically coupled with a JEOL AccuTOF™ (accurate mass) mass spectrometer. While a fast and easy technique to perform, a drawback of using DART™ is the lack of component separation of mixtures prior to ionization. Various in-house pharmaceutical preparations were purified using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and mass spectra were subsequently obtained using the AccuTOF™- DART™ technique. Utilizing TLC prior to sample introduction provides a simple, low-cost solution to acquiring mass spectra of the purified preparation. Each spectrum was compared against an in-house molecular formula list to confirm the accurate mass elemental compositions. Spectra of purified ingredients of known pharmaceuticals were added to an in-house library for use as comparators for casework samples. Resolving isomers from one another can be accomplished using collision-induced dissociation after ionization. Challenges arose when the pharmaceutical preparation required an optimized TLC solvent to achieve proper separation and purity of the standard. Purified spectra were obtained for 91 preparations and included in an in-house drug standard library. Primary standards would only need to be purchased when pharmaceutical preparations not previously encountered are submitted for comparative analysis. TLC prior to DART™ analysis demonstrates a time efficient and cost saving technique for the forensic drug analysis community. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acquisition and deconvolution of seismic signals by different methods to perform direct ground-force measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poletto, Flavio; Schleifer, Andrea; Zgauc, Franco; Meneghini, Fabio; Petronio, Lorenzo

2016-12-01

We present the results of a novel borehole-seismic experiment in which we used different types of onshore-transient-impulsive and non-impulsive-surface sources together with direct ground-force recordings. The ground-force signals were obtained by baseplate load cells located beneath the sources, and by buried soil-stress sensors installed in the very shallow-subsurface together with accelerometers. The aim was to characterize the source's emission by its complex impedance, function of the near-field vibrations and soil stress components, and above all to obtain appropriate deconvolution operators to remove the signature of the sources in the far-field seismic signals. The data analysis shows the differences in the reference measurements utilized to deconvolve the source signature. As downgoing waves, we process the signals of vertical seismic profiles (VSP) recorded in the far-field approximation by an array of permanent geophones cemented at shallow-medium depth outside the casing of an instrumented well. We obtain a significant improvement in the waveform of the radiated seismic-vibrator signals deconvolved by ground force, similar to that of the seismograms generated by the impulsive sources, and demonstrates that the results obtained by different sources present low values in their repeatability norm. The comparison evidences the potentiality of the direct ground-force measurement approach to effectively remove the far-field source signature in VSP onshore data, and to increase the performance of permanent acquisition installations for time-lapse application purposes.

Direct evidence for the spin cycloid in strained nanoscale bismuth ferrite thin films

PubMed Central

Bertinshaw, Joel; Maran, Ronald; Callori, Sara J.; Ramesh, Vidya; Cheung, Jeffery; Danilkin, Sergey A.; Lee, Wai Tung; Hu, Songbai; Seidel, Jan; Valanoor, Nagarajan; Ulrich, Clemens

2016-01-01

Magnonic devices that utilize electric control of spin waves mediated by complex spin textures are an emerging direction in spintronics research. Room-temperature multiferroic materials, such as bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3), would be ideal candidates for this purpose. To realize magnonic devices, a robust long-range spin cycloid with well-known direction is desired, since it is a prerequisite for the magnetoelectric coupling. Despite extensive investigation, the stabilization of a large-scale uniform spin cycloid in nanoscale (100 nm) thin BiFeO3 films has not been accomplished. Here, we demonstrate cycloidal spin order in 100 nm BiFeO3 thin films through the careful choice of crystallographic orientation, and control of the electrostatic and strain boundary conditions. Neutron diffraction, in conjunction with X-ray diffraction, reveals an incommensurate spin cycloid with a unique [11] propagation direction. While this direction is different from bulk BiFeO3, the cycloid length and Néel temperature remain equivalent to bulk at room temperature. PMID:27585637

Directional emittance surface measurement system and process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Puram, Chith K. (Inventor); Daryabeigi, Kamran (Inventor); Wright, Robert (Inventor); Alderfer, David W. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Apparatus and process for measuring the variation of directional emittance of surfaces at various temperatures using a radiometric infrared imaging system. A surface test sample is coated onto a copper target plate provided with selective heating within the desired incremental temperature range to be tested and positioned onto a precision rotator to present selected inclination angles of the sample relative to the fixed positioned and optically aligned infrared imager. A thermal insulator holder maintains the target plate on the precision rotator. A screen display of the temperature obtained by the infrared imager, and inclination readings are provided with computer calculations of directional emittance being performed automatically according to equations provided to convert selected incremental target temperatures and inclination angles to relative target directional emittance values. The directional emittance of flat black lacquer and an epoxy resin measurements obtained are in agreement with the predictions of the electromagnetic theory and with directional emittance data inferred from directional reflectance measurements made on a spectrophotometer.

How does the ball influence the performance of change of direction and sprint tests in para-footballers with brain impairments? Implications for evidence-based classification in CP-Football

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The aims of this study were: i) to analyze the reliability and validity of three tests that require sprinting (10 m, 25 m, 40 m), accelerations/decelerations (Stop and Go Test) and change of direction (Illinois Agility Test), with and without ball, in para-footballers with neurological impairments, and ii) to compare the performance in the tests when ball dribbling is required and to explore the practical implications for evidence-based classification in cerebral palsy (CP)-Football. Eighty-two international para-footballers (25.2 ± 6.8 years; 68.7 ± 8.3 kg; 175.3 ± 7.4 cm; 22.5 ± 2.7 kg·m-2), classified according to the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF) Classification Rules (classes FT5-FT8), participated in the study. A group of 31 players without CP was also included in the study as a control group. The para-footballers showed good reliability scores in all tests, with and without ball (ICC = 0.53–0.95, SEM = 2.5–9.8%). Nevertheless, the inclusion of the ball influenced testing reproducibility. The low or moderate relationships shown among sprint, acceleration/deceleration and change of direction tests with and without ball also evidenced that they measure different capabilities. Significant differences and large effect sizes (0.53 < ηp2 < 0.97; p < 0.05) were found when para-footballers performed the tests with and without dribbling the ball. Players with moderate neurological impairments (i.e. FT5, FT6, and FT7) had higher coefficients of variation in the trial requiring ball dribbling. For all the tests, we also obtained between-group (FT5-FT8) statistical and large practical differences (ηp2 = 0.35–0.62, large; p < 0.01). The proposed sprint, acceleration/deceleration and change of direction tests with and without ball may be applicable for classification purposes, that is, evaluation of activity limitation from neurological impairments, or decision-making between current CP-Football classes. PMID:29099836

The impact of foreign direct investment on CO2 emissions in Turkey: new evidence from cointegration and bootstrap causality analysis.

PubMed

Koçak, Emrah; Şarkgüneşi, Aykut

2018-01-01

Pollution haven hypothesis (PHH), which is defined as foreign direct investment inducing a raising impact on the pollution level in the hosting country, is lately a subject of discussion in the field of economics. This study, within the scope of related discussion, aims to look into the potential impact of foreign direct investments on CO 2 emission in Turkey in 1974-2013 period using environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) model. For this purpose, Maki (Econ Model 29(5):2011-2015, 2012) structural break cointegration test, Stock and Watson (Econometrica 61:783-820, 1993) dynamic ordinary least square estimator (DOLS), and Hacker and Hatemi-J (J Econ Stud 39(2):144-160, 2012) bootstrap test for causality method are used. Research results indicate the existence of a long-term balance relationship between FDI, economic growth, energy usage, and CO 2 emission. As per this relationship, in Turkey, (1) the potential impact of FDI on CO 2 emission is positive. This result shows that PHH is valid in Turkey. (2) Moreover, this is not a one-way relationship; the changes in CO 2 emission also affect FDI entries. (3) The results also provide evidence for the existence of the EKC hypothesis in Turkey. Within the frame of related findings, the study concludes several polities and presents various suggestions.

Direct oral anticoagulants: An update.

PubMed

Franco Moreno, Ana Isabel; Martín Díaz, Rosa María; García Navarro, María José

2017-12-30

Vitamin K antagonists were the only choice for chronic oral anticoagulation for more than half a century. Over the past few years, direct oral anticoagulants have emerged, including one direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran etexilate) and three factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban). In randomised controlled trials comparing direct oral anticoagulants with traditional vitamin K antagonists, the direct oral anticoagulants all showed a favourable benefit-risk balance in their safety and efficacy profile, in prevention of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation and in the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism and acute coronary syndrome. In 2008, dabigatran was the first direct oral anticoagulant approved by the European Medicine Agency. Subsequently, rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban were also authorised. This article reviews the evidence related to the use of these drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Direct Observation of Accretion onto a Hypernova's Newly Formed Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milisavljevic, Dan

2017-09-01

Models of energetic core-collapse supernovae and long-duration gamma-ray bursts often invoke engine-driven scenarios associated with the formation of compact objects that input energy into the explosion. To date, only indirect evidence of black holes or magnetars formed in these events exists from observations obtained when the explosions are most luminous. Here we request a modest 15 ks Chandra pilot observation of the exceptionally important nearby hypernova SN2002ap to test models that predict X-ray emission associated with its remnant black hole to be detectable after 15 yr of ejecta expansion. Direct observation a newly formed "baby" black hole would be a landmark discovery capable of opening up new ways to investigate fundamental aspects of the core collapse process.

Hierarchical macro-mesoporous structures in the system TiO{sub 2}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, obtained by hydrothermal synthesis using Tween-20 as a directing agent

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

Garcia-Benjume, M.L.; Espitia-Cabrera, M.I.; Contreras-Garcia, M.E., E-mail: eucontre@zeus.umich.mx

2009-12-15

Macro-mesoporous powders of titania, alumina, and mixed titania-20%alumina systems were obtained by hydrothermal synthesis employing surfactant Tween-20 as structural directing agent in order to promote the textural properties of titania. The effect of the alumina in the titania phase and on textural properties was analyzed. The obtained powders presented a macroporous channel structure that was characterized by X-ray diffractometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption analysis, pore size distribution, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. It was found that alumina content retarded the anatase phase crystallization and increased the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area from 136 to 210 m{supmore » 2}/g. The powders calcined at 400 deg. C are thermally stable and possess an interconnected macro-mesoporous hierarchical structure; the results indicate that this synthesis can be employed to prepare mixed titania-alumina with good textural properties.« less

Current status of direct dark matter detection experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianglai; Chen, Xun; Ji, Xiangdong

2017-03-01

Much like ordinary matter, dark matter might consist of elementary particles, and weakly interacting massive particles are one of the prime suspects. During the past decade, the sensitivity of experiments trying to directly detect them has improved by three to four orders of magnitude, but solid evidence for their existence is yet to come. We overview the recent progress in direct dark matter detection experiments and discuss future directions.

Low-Power Light Guiding and Localization in Optoplasmonic Chains Obtained by Directed Self-Assembly

PubMed Central

Ahn, Wonmi; Zhao, Xin; Hong, Yan; Reinhard, Björn M.

2016-01-01

Optoplasmonic structures contain plasmonic components embedded in a defined photonic environment to create synergistic interactions between photonic and plasmonic components. Here, we show that chains of optical microspheres containing gold nanoparticles in their evanescent field combine the light guiding properties of a microsphere chain with the light localizing properties of a plasmonic nanoantenna. We implement these materials through template guided self-assembly and investigate their fundamental electromagnetic working principles through combination of electromagnetic simulations and experimental characterization. We demonstrate that optoplasmonic chains implemented by directed self-assembly achieve a significant reduction in guiding losses when compared with conventional plasmonic waveguides and, at the same time, retain the light localizing properties of plasmonic antennas at pre-defined locations. The results reinforce the potential of optoplasmonic structures for realizing low-loss optical interconnects with high bandwidth. PMID:26931149

Low-power light guiding and localization in optoplasmonic chains obtained by directed self-assembly

DOE PAGES

Ahn, Wonmi; Zhao, Xin; Hong, Yan; ...

2016-03-02

Here, optoplasmonic structures contain plasmonic components embedded in a defined photonic environment to create synergistic interactions between photonic and plasmonic components. Here, we show that chains of optical microspheres containing gold nanoparticles in their evanescent field combine the light guiding properties of a microsphere chain with the light localizing properties of a plasmonic nanoantenna. We implement these materials through template guided self-assembly and investigate their fundamental electromagnetic working principles through combination of electromagnetic simulations and experimental characterization. We demonstrate that optoplasmonic chains implemented by directed self-assembly achieve a significant reduction in guiding losses when compared with conventional plasmonic waveguides and,more » at the same time, retain the light localizing properties of plasmonic antennas at pre-defined locations. The results reinforce the potential of optoplasmonic structures for realizing low-loss optical interconnects with high bandwidth.« less

Evaluation of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues obtained from vaccine site-associated sarcomas of cats for DNA of feline immunodeficiency virus.

PubMed

Kidney, B A; Ellis, J A; Haines, D M; Jackson, M L

2000-09-01

To evaluate the use of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) DNA, using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, and to use this method to evaluate tissues obtained from vaccine site-associated sarcomas (VSS) of cats for FIV DNA. 50 FFPE tissue blocks from VSS of cats and 50 FFPE tissue blocks from cutaneous non-vaccine site-associated fibrosarcomas (non-VSS) of cats. DNA was extracted from FFPE sections of each tumor and regions of the gag gene of FIV were amplified by a PCR, using 3 sets of primers. Sensitivity of the method was compared between frozen and FFPE tissues, using splenic tissue obtained from a cat that had been experimentally infected with FIV. We did not detect FIV DNA in VSS or non-VSS tissues. Sensitivity of the PCR method was identical for frozen or FFPE tissues. It is possible to detect FIV DNA in FFPE tissues by use of a PCR. We did not find evidence to support direct FIV involvement in the pathogenesis of VSS in cats.

Constructing a New Theory from Old Ideas and New Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Marjorie; Wellman, Henry

2013-01-01

A central tenet of constructivist models of conceptual development is that children's initial conceptual level constrains how they make sense of new evidence and thus whether exposure to evidence will prompt conceptual change. Yet little experimental evidence directly examines this claim for the case of sustained, fundamental conceptual…

Direct simulation of a self-similar plane wake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moser, Robert D.; Rogers, Michael M.

1994-01-01

Direct simulations of two time-developing turbulent wakes have been performed. Initial conditions for the simulations were obtained from two realizations of a direct simulation of a turbulent boundary layer at momentum thickness Reynolds number 670. In addition, extra two dimensional disturbances were added in one of the cases to mimic two dimensional forcing. The unforced wake is allowed to evolve long enough to attain self similarity. The mass-flux Reynolds number (equivalent to the momentum thickness Reynolds number in spatially developing wakes) is 2000, which is high enough for a short k(exp -5/3) range to be evident in the streamwise one dimensional velocity spectrum. Several turbulence statistics have been computed by averaging in space and over the self-similar period in time. The growth rate in the unforced flow is low compared to experiments, but when this growth-rate difference is accounted for, the statistics of the unforced case are in reasonable agreement with experiments. However, the forced case is significantly different. The growth rate, turbulence Reynolds number, and turbulence intensities are as much as ten times larger in the forced case. In addition, the forced flow exhibits large-scale structures similar to those observed in transitional wakes, while the unforced flow does not.

Dissociating the Electrophysiological Correlates between Item Retrieval and Associative Retrieval in Associative Recognition: From the Perspective of Directed Forgetting.

PubMed

Wang, Yujuan; Mao, Xinrui; Li, Bingbing; Wang, Wei; Guo, Chunyan

2016-01-01

Although many behavioral studies have reported associative memory was different from item memory, evidence coming from ERP researches has been in debate. In addition, directed forgetting effect for items has been fully discussed, but whether association between items can be directed-forgotten was unclear. The directed forgetting effect was important for dissociating the item retrieval and associative retrieval because of the one-to-one mapping relationship both between item retrieval and familiarity and between associative retrieval and recollection. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the dissociation between item retrieval and associative retrieval and test directed forgetting effect for associative information. Associative recognition paradigm combined with directed forgetting paradigm by ERP recording was employed. Old/rearranged effect in to-be-remembered condition, which was associated with associative memory, was significant at 500-800 ms (LPC) but not at 300-500 ms interval (FN400), indicating that item information was retrieved prior to associative information. The ERP wave calculated by subtracting the to-be-forgotten old pairs with "old" response from those with "rearranged" response, which reflected associative retrieval in the to-be-forgotten condition, was negative from 500 to 800 ms (reversed old/new effect), indicating that association between items can be directed-forgotten. Similar evidence was obtained by contrasting "rearranged" responses aimed to the to-be-forgotten old pairs with those aimed to the to-be-remembered rearranged pairs, which actually represented the complete failure of associative retrieval. Therefore, item retrieval and associative retrieval were indexed by FN400 and LPC respectively, with associative retrieval more inhibited than item retrieval.

Direct access compared with referred physical therapy episodes of care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Ojha, Heidi A; Snyder, Rachel S; Davenport, Todd E

2014-01-01

Evidence suggests that physical therapy through direct access may help decrease costs and improve patient outcomes compared with physical therapy by physician referral. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on patients with musculoskeletal injuries and compare health care costs and patient outcomes in episodes of physical therapy by direct access compared with referred physical therapy. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science, and PEDro were searched using terms related to physical therapy and direct access. Included articles were hand searched for additional references. Included studies compared data from physical therapy by direct access with physical therapy by physician referral, studying cost, outcomes, or harm. The studies were appraised using the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) levels of evidence criteria and assigned a methodological score. Of the 1,501 articles that were screened, 8 articles at levels 3 to 4 on the CEBM scale were included. There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful findings across studies that satisfaction and outcomes were superior, and numbers of physical therapy visits, imaging ordered, medications prescribed, and additional non-physical therapy appointments were less in cohorts receiving physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care. There was no evidence for harm. There is evidence across level 3 and 4 studies (grade B to C CEBM level of recommendation) that physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care is associated with improved patient outcomes and decreased costs. Primary limitations were lack of group randomization, potential for selection bias, and limited generalizability. Physical therapy by way of direct access may contain health care costs and promote high-quality health care. Third-party payers should consider paying for physical therapy by direct access to decrease health care costs and

Health Sciences-Evidence Based Practice questionnaire (HS-EBP) for measuring transprofessional evidence-based practice: Creation, development and psychometric validation

PubMed Central

Fernández-Domínguez, Juan Carlos; de Pedro-Gómez, Joan Ernest; Morales-Asencio, José Miguel; Sastre-Fullana, Pedro; Sesé-Abad, Albert

2017-01-01

Introduction Most of the EBP measuring instruments available to date present limitations both in the operationalisation of the construct and also in the rigour of their psychometric development, as revealed in the literature review performed. The aim of this paper is to provide rigorous and adequate reliability and validity evidence of the scores of a new transdisciplinary psychometric tool, the Health Sciences Evidence-Based Practice (HS-EBP), for measuring the construct EBP in Health Sciences professionals. Methods A pilot study and a subsequent two-stage validation test sample were conducted to progressively refine the instrument until a reduced 60-item version with a five-factor latent structure. Reliability was analysed through both Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and intraclass correlations (ICC). Latent structure was contrasted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) following a model comparison aproach. Evidence of criterion validity of the scores obtained was achieved by considering attitudinal resistance to change, burnout, and quality of professional life as criterion variables; while convergent validity was assessed using the Spanish version of the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ-19). Results Adequate evidence of both reliability and ICC was obtained for the five dimensions of the questionnaire. According to the CFA model comparison, the best fit corresponded to the five-factor model (RMSEA = 0.049; CI 90% RMSEA = [0.047; 0.050]; CFI = 0.99). Adequate criterion and convergent validity evidence was also provided. Finally, the HS-EBP showed the capability to find differences between EBP training levels as an important evidence of decision validity. Conclusions Reliability and validity evidence obtained regarding the HS-EBP confirm the adequate operationalisation of the EBP construct as a process put into practice to respond to every clinical situation arising in the daily practice of professionals in health sciences (transprofessional). The

Digital 2D-photogrammetry and direct anthropometry--a comparing study on test accomplishment and measurement data.

PubMed

Franke-Gromberg, Christine; Schüler, Grit; Hermanussen, Michael; Scheffler, Christiane

2010-01-01

The aim of this methodological anthropometric study was to compare direct anthropometry and digital two-dimensional photogrammetry in 18 male and 27 female subjects, aged 24 to 65 years, from Potsdam, Germany. In view of the rising interest in reliable biometric kephalofacial data, we focussed on head and face measurements. Out of 34 classic facial anatomical landmarks, 27 landmarks were investigated both by direct anthropometry and 2D-photogrammetry; 7 landmarks could not be localized by 2D-photogrammetry. Twenty-six kephalofacial distances were analysed both by direct anthropometry and digital 2D-photogrammetry. Kephalofacial distances are on average 7.6% shorter when obtained by direct anthropometry. The difference between the two techniques is particularly evident in total head height (vertex-gnathion) due to the fact that vertex is usually covered by hair and escapes from photogrammetry. Also the distances photographic sellion-gnathion (1.3 cm, i. e. 11.6%) and nasal-gnathion (1.2 cm, i. e. 9.4%) differ by more than one centimetre. Differences below 0.5 cm between the two techniques were found when measuring mucosa-lip-height (2.2%), gonia (3.0%), glabella-stomion (3.9%), and nose height (glabella-subnasal) (4.0%). Only the estimates of forehead width were significantly narrower when obtained by 2D-photogrammetry (-1.4 cm, -13.1%). The methodological differences increased with increasing magnitude of the kephalometric distance. Apart from these limitations, both techniques are similarly valid and may replace each other.

Comparison of results obtained with various sensors used to measure fluctuating quantities in jets.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parthasarathy, S. P.; Massier, P. F.; Cuffel, R. F.

1973-01-01

An experimental investigation has been conducted to compare the results obtained with six different instruments that sense fluctuating quantities in free jets. These sensors are typical of those that have recently been used by various investigators who are engaged in experimental studies of jet noise. Intensity distributions and two-point correlations with space separation and time delay were obtained. The static pressure, density, and velocity fluctuations are well correlated over the entire cross section of the jet and the cross-correlations persist for several jet diameters along the flow direction. The eddies appear to be flattened in the flow direction by a ratio of 0.4.

Direct means of obtaining CAVI0-a corrected cardio-ankle vascular stiffness index (CAVI)-from conventional CAVI measurements or their underlying variables.

PubMed

Spronck, Bart; Mestanik, Michal; Tonhajzerova, Ingrid; Jurko, Alexander; Jurko, Tomas; Avolio, Alberto P; Butlin, Mark

2017-09-21

significance Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as measured using the VaSera device (CAVI VS , Fukuda Denshi), has been proposed as a blood pressure-independent arterial stiffness index. We have recently shown theoretically that CAVI VS still exhibits pressure dependence, and proposed a corrected index, CAVI 0 . In the present study, we derived equations to directly obtain CAVI 0 using data from the VaSera device. Our results permit straightforward calculation of [Formula: see text] during a study, as well as retrospective estimation of [Formula: see text] from CAVI VS in already published studies, paving the way for thorough comparison of CAVI 0 to CAVI VS in clinical and research settings.

Subordinate females in the cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler obtain direct benefits by joining unrelated groups.

PubMed

Groenewoud, Frank; Kingma, Sjouke A; Hammers, Martijn; Dugdale, Hannah L; Burke, Terry; Richardson, David S; Komdeur, Jan

2018-05-11

-breeders, obtaining maternity in the new territory, and were likely to inherit the territory in the future, leading to higher lifetime reproductive success compared to females that floated. Males never reproduced as subordinates, which may be one explanation why subordinate between-group dispersal by males is rare. 6.Our results suggest that subordinate between-group dispersal is used by females to obtain reproductive benefits when options to disperse to an independent breeding position are limited. This provides important insight into the additional strategies that individuals can use to obtain reproductive benefits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Direct Evidence for the Formation of Diastereoisomeric Benzylpenicilloyl Haptens from Benzylpenicillin and Benzylpenicillenic Acid in PatientsS⃞

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiaoli; Jenkins, Rosalind E.; Berry, Neil G.; Maggs, James L.; Farrell, John; Lane, Catherine S.; Stachulski, Andrew V.; French, Neil S.; Naisbitt, Dean J.; Pirmohamed, Munir

2011-01-01

Covalent binding to proteins to form neoantigens is thought to be central to the pathogenesis of penicillin hypersensitivity reactions. We have undertaken detailed mass spectrometric studies to define the mechanism and protein chemistry of hapten formation from benzylpenicillin (BP) and its rearrangement product, benzylpenicillenic acid (PA). Mass spectrometric analysis of human serum albumin exposed to BP and PA in vitro revealed that at low concentrations (drug protein molar ratio 0.001:1) and during short time incubations BP and PA selectively target different residues, Lys199 and Lys525, respectively. Molecular modeling showed that the selectivity was a function of noncovalent interaction before covalent modification. With increased exposure to higher concentrations of BP and PA, multiple epitopes were detected on albumin, demonstrating that the multiplicity of hapten formation is a function of time and concentration. More importantly, we have demonstrated direct evidence that PA is a hapten accounting for the diastereoisomeric BP antigen formation in albumin isolated from the blood of patients receiving penicillin. Furthermore, PA was found to be more potent than BP with respect to stimulation of T cells from patients with penicillin hypersensitivity, illustrating the functional relevance of diastereoisomeric hapten formation. PMID:21680886

Distinct patterns of serum immunoreactivity as evidence for multiple brain-directed autoantibodies in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

PubMed

Lim, M J; Beake, J; Bible, E; Curran, T M; Ramirez-Montealegre, D; Pearce, D A; Cooper, J D

2006-10-01

Autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) have been reported in sera from the Cln3(-/-) mouse model of juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL), and in individuals with this fatal paediatric neurodegenerative disorder. To investigate the existence of other circulating autoreactive antibodies, we used sera from patients with JNCL and other forms of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) as primary antisera to stain rat and human central nervous system sections. JNCL sera displayed characteristic patterns of IgG, but not IgA, IgE or IgM immunoreactivity that was distinct from the other forms of NCL. Immunoreactivity of JNCL sera was not confined to GAD65-positive (GABAergic) neurons, but also stained multiple other cell populations. Preadsorption of JNCL sera with recombinant GAD65 reduced the intensity of the immunoreactivity, but did not significantly change its staining pattern. Moreover, sera from Stiff Person Syndrome and Type I Diabetes, disorders in which GAD65 autoantibodies are present, stained with profiles that were markedly different from JNCL sera. Collectively, these studies provide evidence of the presence of autoreactive antibodies within multiple forms of NCL, and are not exclusively directed towards GAD65.

Global evidence directing regional preventive strategies in Southeast Asia for fighting TB/HIV.

PubMed

Aung, Myo Nyein; Moolphate, Saiyud; Paudel, Damodar; Jayathunge Ph, Mangalasiri; Duangrithi, Duangjai; Wangdi, Kinley; Aung, Thin Nyein Nyein; Lorga, Thaworn; Higuchi, Kazue

2013-03-14

Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-epidemics form a huge burden of disease in the Southeast Asia region. Five out of eleven nations in this region are high TB/HIV burden countries: Myanmar, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Nepal. The trends of TB incidence in these countries have been rising in recent years, in contrast to a falling global trend. Experts in the field of TB control and health service providers have been perplexed by the association of TB and HIV infections which causes a mosaic clinical presentation, a unique course with poor treatment outcomes including death. We conducted a review of contemporary evidence relating to TB/HIV control with the aims of assisting integrated health system responses in Southeast Asia and demystifying current evidence to facilitate translating it into practice.

Molecular identification of leishmania species using samples obtained from negative stained smears.

PubMed

Mohaghegh, Ma; Fata, A; Salehi, Gh; Berenji, F; Bazzaz, M Mousavi; Rafatpanah, H; Parian, M; Movahedi, A

2013-04-01

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease. Diagnosis primarily is based on clinical signs and microscopic observation of parasite on direct stained smears or tissue sections. Sensitivity of direct smear is not as high as molecular methods. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Leishmania species among the negative direct smears obtained from skin ulcers suspected to CL by PCR method. Among 81 patients with suspicious skin lesions to CL referred to the Parasitology lab, negative Giemsa stained smears were collected. DNA extraction performed by scraping stained smears, then PCR was performed. Among the DNA extracted from smears, L. tropica was isolated from 9 (11.1%) of the smears and L.major was not isolated from any samples. Direct microscopy on stained smears for diagnosis of leishmaniasis is not enough accurate. PCR is recommended for clinically suspected lesions with negative result of direct smear.

Empirical Examinations of Modifications and Adaptations to Evidence-Based Psychotherapies: Methodologies, Impact, and Future Directions.

PubMed

Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Gamarra, Jennifer; Bartlett, Brooke; Calloway, Amber; Gutner, Cassidy

2017-12-01

This review describes methods used to examine the modifications and adaptations to evidence-based psychological treatments (EBPTs), assesses what is known about the impact of modifications and adaptations to EBPTs, and makes recommendations for future research and clinical care. One hundred eight primary studies and three meta-analyses were identified. All studies examined planned adaptations, and many simultaneously investigated multiple types of adaptations. With the exception of studies on adding or removing specific EBPT elements, few studies compared adapted EBPTs to the original protocols. There was little evidence that adaptations in the studies were detrimental, but there was also limited consistent evidence that adapted protocols outperformed the original protocols, with the exception of adding components to EBPTs. Implications for EBPT delivery and future research are discussed.

A comparison of policy and direct practice stakeholder perceptions of factors affecting evidence-based practice implementation using concept mapping.

PubMed

Green, Amy E; Aarons, Gregory A

2011-09-07

The goal of this study was to assess potential differences between administrators/policymakers and those involved in direct practice regarding factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in a large public mental health service system in the United States. Participants included mental health system county officials, agency directors, program managers, clinical staff, administrative staff, and consumers. As part of concept mapping procedures, brainstorming groups were conducted with each target group to identify specific factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to EBP implementation in a large public mental health system. Statements were sorted by similarity and rated by each participant in regard to their perceived importance and changeability. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data. A total of 105 statements were distilled into 14 clusters using concept-mapping procedures. Perceptions of importance of factors affecting EBP implementation varied between the two groups, with those involved in direct practice assigning significantly higher ratings to the importance of Clinical Perceptions and the impact of EBP implementation on clinical practice. Consistent with previous studies, financial concerns (costs, funding) were rated among the most important and least likely to change by both groups. EBP implementation is a complex process, and different stakeholders may hold different opinions regarding the relative importance of the impact of EBP implementation. Implementation efforts must include input from stakeholders at multiple levels to bring divergent and convergent perspectives to light.

Functional evidence for a direct excitatory projection from the lateral habenula to the ventral tegmental area in the rat

PubMed Central

Shepard, Paul D.

2016-01-01

The lateral habenula, a phylogenetically conserved epithalamic structure, is activated by aversive stimuli and reward omission. Excitatory efferents from the lateral habenula predominately inhibit midbrain dopamine neuronal firing through a disynaptic, feedforward inhibitory mechanism involving the rostromedial tegmental nucleus. However, the lateral habenula also directly targets dopamine neurons within the ventral tegmental area, suggesting that opposing actions may result from increased lateral habenula activity. In the present study, we tested the effect of habenular efferent stimulation on dopamine and nondopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of Sprague-Dawley rats using a parasagittal brain slice preparation. Single pulse stimulation of the fasciculus retroflexus excited 48% of dopamine neurons and 51% of nondopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of rat pups. These proportions were not altered by excision of the rostromedial tegmental nucleus and were evident in both cortical- and striatal-projecting dopamine neurons. Glutamate receptor antagonists blocked this excitation, and fasciculus retroflexus stimulation elicited evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials with a nearly constant onset latency, indicative of a monosynaptic, glutamatergic connection. Comparison of responses in rat pups and young adults showed no significant difference in the proportion of neurons excited by fasciculus retroflexus stimulation. Our data indicate that the well-known, indirect inhibitory effect of lateral habenula activation on midbrain dopamine neurons is complemented by a significant, direct excitatory effect. This pathway may contribute to the role of midbrain dopamine neurons in processing aversive stimuli and salience. PMID:27358317

Functional evidence for a direct excitatory projection from the lateral habenula to the ventral tegmental area in the rat.

PubMed

Brown, P Leon; Shepard, Paul D

2016-09-01

The lateral habenula, a phylogenetically conserved epithalamic structure, is activated by aversive stimuli and reward omission. Excitatory efferents from the lateral habenula predominately inhibit midbrain dopamine neuronal firing through a disynaptic, feedforward inhibitory mechanism involving the rostromedial tegmental nucleus. However, the lateral habenula also directly targets dopamine neurons within the ventral tegmental area, suggesting that opposing actions may result from increased lateral habenula activity. In the present study, we tested the effect of habenular efferent stimulation on dopamine and nondopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of Sprague-Dawley rats using a parasagittal brain slice preparation. Single pulse stimulation of the fasciculus retroflexus excited 48% of dopamine neurons and 51% of nondopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of rat pups. These proportions were not altered by excision of the rostromedial tegmental nucleus and were evident in both cortical- and striatal-projecting dopamine neurons. Glutamate receptor antagonists blocked this excitation, and fasciculus retroflexus stimulation elicited evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials with a nearly constant onset latency, indicative of a monosynaptic, glutamatergic connection. Comparison of responses in rat pups and young adults showed no significant difference in the proportion of neurons excited by fasciculus retroflexus stimulation. Our data indicate that the well-known, indirect inhibitory effect of lateral habenula activation on midbrain dopamine neurons is complemented by a significant, direct excitatory effect. This pathway may contribute to the role of midbrain dopamine neurons in processing aversive stimuli and salience. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Loss for photoemission versus gain for Auger: Direct experimental evidence of crystal-field splitting and charge transfer in photoelectron spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Woicik, J. C.; Weiland, C.; Rumaiz, A. K.

2015-05-29

Here, we find a 5 eV satellite in the Ti1s photoelectron spectrum of the transition-metal oxide SrTiO 3. This satellite appears in addition to the well-studied 13 eV structure that is typically associated with the Ti2p core line. We give direct experimental evidence that the presence of two satellites is due to the crystal-field splitting of the metal 3d orbitals. They originate from ligand 2pt 2g → metal3dt 2g and ligand 2pe g → metal 3de g monopole charge-transfer excitations within the sudden approximation of quantum mechanics. This assignment is made by the energetics of the resonant and high-energy thresholdmore » behaviors of the TiK–L 2L 3 Auger decay that follows Ti1s photoionization.« less

Directivity of singers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jers, Harald

2005-09-01

Studies of acoustical balance between singers within a choir by means of room acoustical measurements have shown that the directional sound propagation of the source is important. For this reason the directivity of female and male singers for different vowels has been measured in this investigation. Measurements of a pilot study and some first measurements in 1998 have been supplemented with new measurements and an enhanced setup. A special measurement setup with reference and recording microphones was used to collect the directivity data. A resolution of 10 deg for azimuth and elevation angle was obtained. The results will be shown in 3D spherical plots with frequency adjustments in semitones from 80 to 8000 Hz. The measurements are compared to an artificial singer's directivity, and the influence of a sheet music binder in front of a singer will be shown. The results give information on the directivity of singers and are relevant for the prediction of self-to-other-ratios that result from placement and formation aspects within a choir.

Direct spectral evidence of single-axis rotation and ortho-hydrogen-assisted nuclear spin conversion of CH3F in solid para-hydrogen.

PubMed

Lee, Yuan-Pern; Wu, Yu-Jong; Hougen, Jon T

2008-09-14

Observation of two weak absorption lines from the E (K = 1) level and one intense feature from A (K = 0) for degenerate modes nu(4) and nu(6) of CH(3)F provides direct spectral evidence that CH(3)F isolated in p-H(2) rotates about only its symmetry axis, and not about the other two axes. An interaction between A and E vibrational levels caused by the partially hindered spinning rotation is proposed. Conversion of nuclear spin between A and E components of CH(3)F is rapid when p-H(2) contains some o-H(2), but becomes slow when the proportion of o-H(2) is much decreased.

Nocturnal migratory songbirds adjust their travelling direction aloft: evidence from a radiotelemetry and radar study

PubMed Central

Sjöberg, Sissel; Nilsson, Cecilia

2015-01-01

In order to fully understand the orientation behaviour of migrating birds, it is important to understand when birds set their travel direction. Departure directions of migratory passerines leaving stopover sites are often assumed to reflect the birds' intended travel directions, but this assumption has not been critically tested. We used data from an automated radiotelemetry system and a tracking radar at Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden, to compare the initial orientation of departing songbirds (recorded by radiotelemetry) with the orientation of songbird migrants in climbing and level flight (recorded by radar). We found that the track directions of birds at high altitudes and in level flight were more concentrated than the directions of departing birds and birds in climbing flight, which indicates that the birds adjust their travelling direction once aloft. This was further supported by a wide scatter of vanishing bearings in a subsample of radio-tracked birds that later passed an offshore radio receiver station 50 km southeast of Falsterbo. Track directions seemed to be more affected by winds in climbing compared with level flights, which may be explained by birds not starting to partially compensate for wind drift until they have reached cruising altitudes. PMID:26085501

Isolation and characterization of charge-tagged phenylperoxyl radicals in the gas phase: direct evidence for products and pathways in low temperature benzene oxidation.

PubMed

Kirk, Benjamin B; Harman, David G; Kenttämaa, Hilkka I; Trevitt, Adam J; Blanksby, Stephen J

2012-12-28

The phenylperoxyl radical has long been accepted as a critical intermediate in the oxidation of benzene and an archetype for arylperoxyl radicals in combustion and atmospheric chemistry. Despite being central to many contemporary mechanisms underpinning these chemistries, reports of the direct detection or isolation of phenylperoxyl radicals are rare and there is little experimental evidence connecting this intermediate with expected product channels. We have prepared and isolated two charge-tagged phenyl radical models in the gas phase [i.e., 4-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)phenyl radical cation and 4-carboxylatophenyl radical anion] and observed their reactions with dioxygen by ion-trap mass spectrometry. Measured reaction rates show good agreement with prior reports for the neutral system (k(2)[(Me(3)N(+))C(6)H(4)˙ + O(2)] = 2.8 × 10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), Φ = 4.9%; k(2)[((-)O(2)C)C(6)H(4)˙ + O(2)] = 5.4 × 10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), Φ = 9.2%) and the resulting mass spectra provide unequivocal evidence for the formation of phenylperoxyl radicals. Collisional activation of isolated phenylperoxyl radicals reveals unimolecular decomposition by three pathways: (i) loss of dioxygen to reform the initial phenyl radical; (ii) loss of atomic oxygen yielding a phenoxyl radical; and (iii) ejection of the formyl radical to give cyclopentadienone. Stable isotope labeling confirms these assignments. Quantum chemical calculations for both charge-tagged and neutral phenylperoxyl radicals confirm that loss of formyl radical is accessible both thermodynamically and entropically and competitive with direct loss of both hydrogen atom and carbon dioxide.

Obtaining resources for evidence-based public health initiatives at the local level: insights from the Central Sydney Tobacco Control Plan.

PubMed

Rissel, C; McMaugh, K; O'Connor, D; Balafas, A; Ward, J

1999-02-01

In response to inquiries regarding the processes of developing a Tobacco Control Plan (TCP) for the Central Sydney Area Health Service (which in 1997 allocated dedicated funding of $ 800,000 over 2 1/2 years to implement the plan), this article describes the strengths and weaknesses of the TCP and outlines the process which contributed to its funding. Consistent with national and state priorities, the TCP recommended strategies based on best available evidence in the four action areas: reducing sales of cigarettes to minors, marketing, passive smoking and smoking cessation. Funding of this amount for a single public health issue at a local level represents a unique achievement in the application of an evidence-based approach to population health. Key elements of our advocacy methods included the involvement of all key primary health care and clinical stakeholders; comprehensive background research to identify evidence-based strategies; careful attention to budget options; strategic lobbying of senior staff and decision makers; the proposal for a multidisciplinary management structure for the TCP and specifications for funding allocation and evaluation. Early achievements and other reflections are discussed.

Stereotactic radiotherapy for early lung cancer: Evidence-based approach and future directions

PubMed Central

Chehade, Samer; Palma, David A.

2015-01-01

Aim To review key studies evaluating stereotactic radiotherapy in the setting of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for inoperable or high-risk patients, and discuss areas of ongoing research and clinical trials. Background The use of stereotactic radiotherapy for the treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased rapidly over the past decade. Numerous studies have reported outcomes for patients treated with SBRT who are unfit for surgical resection, or at high risk of surgical complications. Materials and methods A narrative review. Results The preponderance of evidence suggests that SBRT is associated with excellent local control (∼90% at 3 years) and a favorable toxicity profile. In patients with higher operative risks, such as the elderly and patients with severe COPD, SBRT may provide a less-toxic treatment than surgery with similar oncologic outcomes. Ongoing studies are evaluating the use of SBRT for locally advanced or oligometastatic NSCLC. Conclusions A large body of evidence now exists to support the use of SBRT for early-stage NSCLC. Decisions regarding the optimal choice of treatment should be individualized, and made in the context of a multidisciplinary team. PMID:26696779

24 CFR 203.358 - Direct conveyance of property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AUTHORITIES SINGLE FAMILY MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Claim Procedure § 203.358 Direct... provisions of this part conveying good marketable title and satisfactory title evidence. ...

Nocturnal migratory songbirds adjust their travelling direction aloft: evidence from a radiotelemetry and radar study.

PubMed

Sjöberg, Sissel; Nilsson, Cecilia

2015-06-01

In order to fully understand the orientation behaviour of migrating birds, it is important to understand when birds set their travel direction. Departure directions of migratory passerines leaving stopover sites are often assumed to reflect the birds' intended travel directions, but this assumption has not been critically tested. We used data from an automated radiotelemetry system and a tracking radar at Falsterbo peninsula, Sweden, to compare the initial orientation of departing songbirds (recorded by radiotelemetry) with the orientation of songbird migrants in climbing and level flight (recorded by radar). We found that the track directions of birds at high altitudes and in level flight were more concentrated than the directions of departing birds and birds in climbing flight, which indicates that the birds adjust their travelling direction once aloft. This was further supported by a wide scatter of vanishing bearings in a subsample of radio-tracked birds that later passed an offshore radio receiver station 50 km southeast of Falsterbo. Track directions seemed to be more affected by winds in climbing compared with level flights, which may be explained by birds not starting to partially compensate for wind drift until they have reached cruising altitudes. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 67.101 - Waiver of evidence of build.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Waiver of evidence of build. 67.101 Section 67.101... DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS Build Requirements for Vessel Documentation § 67.101 Waiver of evidence of build. (a) A vessel owner applying for documentation unable to obtain the evidence of build required by § 67.99 may...

Cyanide as a copper and quinone-directed inhibitor of amine oxidases from pea seedlings ( Pisum sativum) and Arthrobacter globiformis: evidence for both copper coordination and cyanohydrin derivatization of the quinone cofactor.

PubMed

Shepard, Eric M; Juda, Gregory A; Ling, Ke-Qing; Sayre, Lawrence M; Dooley, David M

2004-04-01

The interactions of cyanide with two copper-containing amine oxidases (CuAOs) from pea seedlings (PSAO) and the soil bacterium Arthrobacter globiformis (AGAO) have been investigated by spectroscopic and kinetic techniques. Previously, we rationalized the effects of azide and cyanide for several CuAOs in terms of copper coordination by these exogenous ligands and their effects on the internal redox equilibrium TPQ(amr)-Cu(II) right harpoon over left harpoon TPQ(sq)-Cu(I). The mechanism of cyanide inhibition was proposed to occur through complexation to Cu(I), thereby directly competing with O(2) for reoxidation of TPQ. Although cyanide readily and reversibly reacts with quinones, no direct spectroscopic evidence for cyanohydrin derivatization of TPQ has been previously documented for CuAOs. This work describes the first direct spectroscopic evidence, using both model and enzyme systems, for cyanohydrin derivatization of TPQ. K(d) values for Cu(II)-CN(-) and Cu(I)-CN(-), as well as the K(i) for cyanide inhibition versus substrate amine, are reported for PSAO and AGAO. In spite of cyanohydrin derivatization of the TPQ cofactor in these enzymes, the uncompetitive inhibition of amine oxidation is determined to arise almost exclusively through CN(-) complexation of Cu(I).

Single cells for forensic DNA analysis--from evidence material to test tube.

PubMed

Brück, Simon; Evers, Heidrun; Heidorn, Frank; Müller, Ute; Kilper, Roland; Verhoff, Marcel A

2011-01-01

The purpose of this project was to develop a method that, while providing morphological quality control, allows single cells to be obtained from the surfaces of various evidence materials and be made available for DNA analysis in cases where only small amounts of cell material are present or where only mixed traces are found. With the SteREO Lumar.V12 stereomicroscope and UV unit from Zeiss, it was possible to detect and assess single epithelial cells on the surfaces of various objects (e.g., glass, plastic, metal). A digitally operated micromanipulator developed by aura optik was used to lift a single cell from the surface of evidence material and to transfer it to a conventional PCR tube or to an AmpliGrid(®) from Advalytix. The actual lifting of the cells was performed with microglobes that acted as carriers. The microglobes were held with microtweezers and were transferred to the DNA analysis receptacles along with the adhering cells. In a next step, the PCR can be carried out in this receptacle without removing the microglobe. Our method allows a single cell to be isolated directly from evidence material and be made available for forensic DNA analysis. © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Direct and Indirect Peer Socialization of Adolescent Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

PubMed Central

Giletta, Matteo; Burk, William J.; Scholte, Ron H. J.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2015-01-01

This study examined direct and indirect forms of peer socialization of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescent friendship networks. Data were collected among 348 adolescents (55% females; Mage = 15.02 years; SD = 0.53) at 4 assessment waves. Stochastic actor-based models revealed no evidence for direct socialization of NSSI: adolescents whose friends reported higher NSSI did not increase their NSSI over time. However, indirect forms of socialization were found. After controlling for direct socialization and selection effects, friends’ depressive symptoms predicted changes in male and female adolescents’ NSSI and friends’ impulsivity predicted changes in male adolescents’ NSSI. Findings highlight the importance of extending peer influence research beyond the classical “modeling” paradigm by providing evidence that peers may indirectly socialize adolescents’ NSSI. PMID:26412955

Optical spectra obtained from amorphous films of rubrene: Evidence for predominance of twisted isomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kytka, M.; Gisslen, L.; Gerlach, A.; Heinemeyer, U.; Kováč, J.; Scholz, R.; Schreiber, F.

2009-06-01

In order to investigate the optical properties of rubrene we study the vibronic progression of the first absorption band (lowest π →π∗ transition). We analyze the dielectric function ɛ2 of rubrene in solution and thin films using the displaced harmonic oscillator model and derive all relevant parameters of the vibronic progression. The findings are supplemented by density functional calculations using B3LYP hybrid functionals. Our theoretical results for the molecule in two different conformations, i.e., with a twisted or planar tetracene backbone, are in very good agreement with the experimental data obtained for rubrene in solution and thin films. Moreover, a simulation based on the monomer spectrum and the calculated transition energies of the two conformations indicates that the thin film spectrum of rubrene is dominated by the twisted isomer.

Optical spectra obtained from amorphous films of rubrene: Evidence for predominance of twisted isomer.

PubMed

Kytka, M; Gisslen, L; Gerlach, A; Heinemeyer, U; Kovác, J; Scholz, R; Schreiber, F

2009-06-07

In order to investigate the optical properties of rubrene we study the vibronic progression of the first absorption band (lowest pi-->pi( *) transition). We analyze the dielectric function epsilon(2) of rubrene in solution and thin films using the displaced harmonic oscillator model and derive all relevant parameters of the vibronic progression. The findings are supplemented by density functional calculations using B3LYP hybrid functionals. Our theoretical results for the molecule in two different conformations, i.e., with a twisted or planar tetracene backbone, are in very good agreement with the experimental data obtained for rubrene in solution and thin films. Moreover, a simulation based on the monomer spectrum and the calculated transition energies of the two conformations indicates that the thin film spectrum of rubrene is dominated by the twisted isomer.

Measurement of branching fraction and first evidence of CP violation in B⁰→a₁ ±(1260)π ∓ decays

DOE PAGES

Dalseno, J.; Adachi, I.; Aihara, H.; ...

2012-11-26

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent CP violation parameters in B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓ decays. The results are obtained from the final data sample containing 772×10⁶ BB¯¯¯ pairs collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e⁺e⁻ collider. We obtain the product branching fraction B(B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓)×B(a ±₁(1260)→π ±π ∓π ±)=(11.1±1.0(stat)±1.4(syst))×10⁻⁶ and an upper limit on the product branching fraction for a possible decay with the same final state B(B⁰→a ±₂(1320)π ∓)×B(a ±₂(1320)→π ±π ∓π ±)<2.2×10⁻⁶at 90% CL. In a time-dependent measurement to extract CP asymmetries, we obtain the CP violation parametersmore » ACP=–0.06±0.05(stat)±0.07(syst), CCP=–0.01±0.11(stat)±0.09(syst), SCP=–0.51±0.14(stat)±0.08(syst), representing time- and flavor-integrated direct, flavor-dependent direct and mixing-induced CP violation, respectively. Simultaneously, we also extract the CP-conserving parameters ΔC=+0.54±0.11(stat)±0.07(syst), ΔS=–0.09±0.14(stat)±0.06(syst), which, respectively, describe a rate difference and strong phase difference between the decay channels where the a ±₁ does not contain the spectator quark and those where it does. We find first evidence of mixing-induced CP violation in B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓ decays with 3.1σ significance. The rate where the a ±₁ does not contain the spectator quark from the B meson is found to dominate the rate where it does at the 4.1σ level. However, there is no evidence for either time- and flavor-integrated direct CP violation or flavor-dependent direct CP violation.« less

Measurement of branching fraction and first evidence of CP violation in B⁰→a₁ ±(1260)π ∓ decays

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

Dalseno, J.; Adachi, I.; Aihara, H.

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent CP violation parameters in B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓ decays. The results are obtained from the final data sample containing 772×10⁶ BB¯¯¯ pairs collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e⁺e⁻ collider. We obtain the product branching fraction B(B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓)×B(a ±₁(1260)→π ±π ∓π ±)=(11.1±1.0(stat)±1.4(syst))×10⁻⁶ and an upper limit on the product branching fraction for a possible decay with the same final state B(B⁰→a ±₂(1320)π ∓)×B(a ±₂(1320)→π ±π ∓π ±)<2.2×10⁻⁶at 90% CL. In a time-dependent measurement to extract CP asymmetries, we obtain the CP violation parametersmore » ACP=–0.06±0.05(stat)±0.07(syst), CCP=–0.01±0.11(stat)±0.09(syst), SCP=–0.51±0.14(stat)±0.08(syst), representing time- and flavor-integrated direct, flavor-dependent direct and mixing-induced CP violation, respectively. Simultaneously, we also extract the CP-conserving parameters ΔC=+0.54±0.11(stat)±0.07(syst), ΔS=–0.09±0.14(stat)±0.06(syst), which, respectively, describe a rate difference and strong phase difference between the decay channels where the a ±₁ does not contain the spectator quark and those where it does. We find first evidence of mixing-induced CP violation in B⁰→a ±₁(1260)π ∓ decays with 3.1σ significance. The rate where the a ±₁ does not contain the spectator quark from the B meson is found to dominate the rate where it does at the 4.1σ level. However, there is no evidence for either time- and flavor-integrated direct CP violation or flavor-dependent direct CP violation.« less

Mature Hepatocytes Exhibit Unexpected Plasticity by Direct Dedifferentiation into Liver Progenitor Cells in Culture

PubMed Central

Chen, Yixin; Wong, Philip P.; Sjeklocha, Lucas; Steer, Clifford J.; Sahin, M. Behnan

2011-01-01

Although there have been numerous reports describing the isolation of liver progenitor cells from adult liver, their exact origin has not been clearly defined; and the role played by mature hepatocytes as direct contributors to the hepatic progenitor cell pool has remained largely unknown. Here we report strong evidence that mature hepatocytes in culture have the capacity to dedifferentiate into a population of adult liver progenitors without genetic or epigenetic manipulations. By using highly-purified mature hepatocytes, which were obtained from untreated, healthy rat liver and labeled with fluorescent dye PKH2, we found that hepatocytes in culture gave rise to a population of PKH2-positive liver progenitor cells. These cells, Liver Derived Progenitor Cells or LDPCS, which share phenotypic similarities with oval cells, were previously reported to be capable of forming mature hepatocytes both in culture and in animals. Studies done at various time points during the course of dedifferentiation cultures revealed that hepatocytes rapidly transformed into liver progenitors within one week through a transient oval cell-like stage. This finding was supported by lineage-tracing studies involving double-transgenic AlbuminCreXRosa26 mice expressing β-galactosidase exclusively in hepatocytes. Cultures set up with hepatocytes obtained from these mice resulted in generation of β-galactosidase-positive liver progenitor cells demonstrating that they were a direct dedifferentiation product of mature hepatocytes. Additionally, these progenitors differentiated into hepatocytes in vivo when transplanted into rats that had undergone retrorsine pretreatment and partial hepatectomy. Conclusion Our studies provide strong evidence for the unexpected plasticity of mature hepatocytes to dedifferentiate into progenitor cells in culture; and this may potentially have a significant impact on the treatment of liver diseases requiring liver or hepatocyte transplantation. PMID:21953633

DETECTION OF WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS TO BLUE STRAGGLERS IN THE OPEN CLUSTER NGC 188: DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR RECENT MASS TRANSFER

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

Gosnell, Natalie M.; Mathieu, Robert D.; Geller, Aaron M.

2014-03-01

Several possible formation pathways for blue straggler stars have been developed recently, but no one pathway has yet been observationally confirmed for a specific blue straggler. Here we report the first findings from a Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel far-UV photometric program to search for white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars. We find three hot and young white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars in the 7 Gyr open cluster NGC 188, indicating that mass transfer in these systems ended less than 300 Myr ago. These companions are direct and secure observational evidence that these blue straggler starsmore » were formed through mass transfer in binary stars. Their existence in a well-studied cluster environment allows for observational constraints of both the current binary system and the progenitor binary system, mapping the entire mass transfer history.« less

High-Resolution Infrared Imaging of FSC 10214+4724: Evidence for Gravitational Lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, James R.; Liu, Michael C.

1995-08-01

We present near-infrared observations of the ultraluminous high-redshift (z = 2.286) IRAS source FSC 10214+4724 obtained in 0."4 seeing at the W. M. Keck telescope. These observations show that FSC 10214+4724 consists of a highly symmetric circular arc centered on a second weaker source. The arc has an angular extent of about 140 deg and is probably unresolved in the transverse direction. This morphology constitutes compelling prima facie evidence for a gravitationally lensed system. Our images also contain evidence for the faint counterimage predicted by the lens hypothesis. The morphology of FSC 10214+4724 can be explained in terms of a gravitationally lensed background source if the object at the center of curvature of the arc is an L* galaxy at z ~ 0.7. If FSC 10214+4724 is lensed, then there is significant magnification and its luminosity has been overestimated by a large factor. Our results suggest that FSC 10214+4724 is not a uniquely luminous object but ranks among the most powerful quasars and ultraluminous IRAS galaxies.

Developing an evidence-based practice protocol: implications for midwifery practice.

PubMed

Carr, K C

2000-01-01

Evidence-based practice is defined and its importance to midwifery practice is presented. Guidelines are provided for the development of an evidence-based practice protocol. These include: identifying the clinical question, obtaining the evidence, evaluating the validity and importance of the evidence, synthesizing the evidence and applying it to the development of a protocol or clinical algorithm, and, finally, developing an evaluation plan or measurement strategy to see if the new protocol is effective.

Direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Gellad, Ziad F; Lyles, Kenneth W

2007-06-01

Since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new guidelines on broadcast direct-to-consumer advertising in 1997, the prevalence of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs has increased exponentially. The impact on providers, patients, and the health care system is varied and dynamic, and the rapid changes in the last several years have markedly altered the health care landscape. To continue providing optimal medical care, physicians and other health care providers must be able to manage this influence on their practice, and a more thorough understanding of this phenomenon is an integral step toward this goal. This review will summarize the history of direct-to-consumer drug advertisements and the current regulations governing them. It will summarize the evidence concerning the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising on the public, providers, and the health care system, and conclude with observations regarding the future of direct-to-consumer advertising.

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals

PubMed Central

Gellad, Ziad F.; Lyles, Kenneth W.

2014-01-01

Since the FDA released new guidelines on broadcast direct-to-consumer advertising in 1997, the prevalence of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs has increased exponentially. The impact on providers, patients and the health care system is varied and dynamic, and the rapid changes in the last several years have markedly altered the health care landscape. To continue providing optimal medical care, physicians and other health-care providers must be able to manage this influence on their practice, and a more thorough understanding of this phenomenon is an integral step toward this goal. This review will summarize the history of direct-to-consumer drug advertisements and the current regulations governing them. It will summarize the evidence concerning the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising on the public, providers and the health care system and conclude with observations regarding the future of direct-to-consumer advertising. PMID:17524744

Why P/OF should look for evidences of over-dense structures in solar flare hard X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neidig, D. F.; Kane, S. R.; Love, J. J.; Cliver, E. W.

1986-01-01

White-light and hard X-ray (HXR) observations of two white-light flares (WLFs) show that if the radiative losses in the optical continuum are powered by fast electrons directly heating the WLF source, then the column density constraints imposed by the finite range of the electrons requires that the WLF consist of an over-dense region in the chromosphere, with density exceeding 10 to the 14th power/cu cm. Thus, we recommend that P/OF search for evidences of over-dense structures in HXR images obtained simultaneously with optical observations of flares.

Direct-access retrieval during sentence comprehension: Evidence from Sluicing

PubMed Central

Martin, Andrea E.; McElree, Brian

2011-01-01

Language comprehension requires recovering meaning from linguistic form, even when the mapping between the two is indirect. A canonical example is ellipsis, the omission of information that is subsequently understood without being overtly pronounced. Comprehension of ellipsis requires retrieval of an antecedent from memory, without prior prediction, a property which enables the study of retrieval in situ (Martin & McElree, 2008, 2009). Sluicing, or inflectional phrase ellipsis, in the presence of a conjunction, presents a test case where a competing antecedent position is syntactically licensed, in contrast with most cases of nonadjacent dependency, including verb phrase ellipsis. We present speed-accuracy tradeoff and eye-movement data inconsistent with the hypothesis that retrieval is accomplished via a syntactically guided search, a particular variant of search not examined in past research. The observed timecourse profiles are consistent with the hypothesis that antecedents are retrieved via a cue-dependent direct-access mechanism susceptible to general memory variables. PMID:21580797

A 6% measurement of the Hubble parameter at z ∼0.45: direct evidence of the epoch of cosmic re-acceleration

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

Moresco, Michele; Cimatti, Andrea; Citro, Annalisa

2016-05-01

Deriving the expansion history of the Universe is a major goal of modern cosmology. To date, the most accurate measurements have been obtained with Type Ia Supernovae (SNe) and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), providing evidence for the existence of a transition epoch at which the expansion rate changes from decelerated to accelerated. However, these results have been obtained within the framework of specific cosmological models that must be implicitly or explicitly assumed in the measurement. It is therefore crucial to obtain measurements of the accelerated expansion of the Universe independently of assumptions on cosmological models. Here we exploit the unprecedentedmore » statistics provided by the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS, [1-3]) Data Release 9 to provide new constraints on the Hubble parameter H ( z ) using the cosmic chronometers approach. We extract a sample of more than 130000 of the most massive and passively evolving galaxies, obtaining five new cosmology-independent H ( z ) measurements in the redshift range 0.3 < z < 0.5, with an accuracy of ∼11–16% incorporating both statistical and systematic errors. Once combined, these measurements yield a 6% accuracy constraint of H ( z = 0.4293) = 91.8 ± 5.3 km/s/Mpc. The new data are crucial to provide the first cosmology-independent determination of the transition redshift at high statistical significance, measuring z {sub t} = 0.4 ± 0.1, and to significantly disfavor the null hypothesis of no transition between decelerated and accelerated expansion at 99.9% confidence level. This analysis highlights the wide potential of the cosmic chronometers approach: it permits to derive constraints on the expansion history of the Universe with results competitive with standard probes, and most importantly, being the estimates independent of the cosmological model, it can constrain cosmologies beyond—and including—the ΛCDM model.« less

Evidence for a retinal velocity memory underlying the direction of anticipatory smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Murdison, T Scott; Paré-Bingley, Chanel A; Blohm, Gunnar

2013-08-01

To compute spatially correct smooth pursuit eye movements, the brain uses both retinal motion and extraretinal signals about the eyes and head in space (Blohm and Lefèvre 2010). However, when smooth eye movements rely solely on memorized target velocity, such as during anticipatory pursuit, it is unknown if this velocity memory also accounts for extraretinal information, such as head roll and ocular torsion. To answer this question, we used a novel behavioral updating paradigm in which participants pursued a repetitive, spatially constant fixation-gap-ramp stimulus in series of five trials. During the first four trials, participants' heads were rolled toward one shoulder, inducing ocular counterroll (OCR). With each repetition, participants increased their anticipatory pursuit gain, indicating a robust encoding of velocity memory. On the fifth trial, they rolled their heads to the opposite shoulder before pursuit, also inducing changes in ocular torsion. Consequently, for spatially accurate anticipatory pursuit, the velocity memory had to be updated across changes in head roll and ocular torsion. We tested how the velocity memory accounted for head roll and OCR by observing the effects of changes to these signals on anticipatory trajectories of the memory decoding (fifth) trials. We found that anticipatory pursuit was updated for changes in head roll; however, we observed no evidence of compensation for OCR, representing the absence of ocular torsion signals within the velocity memory. This indicated that the directional component of the memory must be coded retinally and updated to account for changes in head roll, but not OCR.

A comparison of policy and direct practice stakeholder perceptions of factors affecting evidence-based practice implementation using concept mapping

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The goal of this study was to assess potential differences between administrators/policymakers and those involved in direct practice regarding factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in a large public mental health service system in the United States. Methods Participants included mental health system county officials, agency directors, program managers, clinical staff, administrative staff, and consumers. As part of concept mapping procedures, brainstorming groups were conducted with each target group to identify specific factors believed to be barriers or facilitating factors to EBP implementation in a large public mental health system. Statements were sorted by similarity and rated by each participant in regard to their perceived importance and changeability. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results A total of 105 statements were distilled into 14 clusters using concept-mapping procedures. Perceptions of importance of factors affecting EBP implementation varied between the two groups, with those involved in direct practice assigning significantly higher ratings to the importance of Clinical Perceptions and the impact of EBP implementation on clinical practice. Consistent with previous studies, financial concerns (costs, funding) were rated among the most important and least likely to change by both groups. Conclusions EBP implementation is a complex process, and different stakeholders may hold different opinions regarding the relative importance of the impact of EBP implementation. Implementation efforts must include input from stakeholders at multiple levels to bring divergent and convergent perspectives to light. PMID:21899754

Direct evidence for human exploitation of birds in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa: The example of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Val, Aurore; de la Peña, Paloma; Wadley, Lyn

2016-10-01

Here, we present direct taphonomic evidence for the exploitation of birds by hunter-gatherers in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa as far as ∼77 ka. The bird assemblage from Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, was analysed for bone surface modifications. Cut-marks associated with skinning, defleshing, and disarticulation, perforations on distal humeri produced during disarticulation of the forewing, peeling, and human tooth marks were observed on bird bones (i.e., mostly pigeons, doves, Galliformes, waders, and raptors) recovered from pre-Still Bay, Still Bay, Howiesons Poort, and post-Howiesons Poort techno-complexes. We conducted experiments to butcher, disarticulate, cook, and consume pigeon and dove carcasses, in order to create a comparative collection of bone surface modifications associated with human consumption of these birds. Human/bird interactions can now be demonstrated outside of Europe and prior to 50 ka. The evidence sheds new light on Middle Stone Age subsistence strategies in South Africa and introduces a fresh argument to the debate regarding the early emergence of behaviours usually associated with Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Experimental Evidence for Differing Reactivity Alterations of Minerals following Irradiation: The Case of Calcite and Quartz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pignatelli, Isabella; Kumar, Aditya; Field, Kevin G.; Wang, Bu; Yu, Yingtian; Le Pape, Yann; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

2016-01-01

Concrete, used in the construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs), may be exposed to radiation emanating from the reactor core. Until recently, concrete has been assumed immune to radiation exposure. Direct evidence acquired on Ar+-ion irradiated calcite and quartz indicates, on the contrary, that, such minerals, which constitute aggregates in concrete, may be significantly altered by irradiation. More specifically, while quartz undergoes disordering of its atomic structure resulting in a near complete lack of periodicity, calcite only experiences random rotations, and distortions of its carbonate groups. As a result, irradiated quartz shows a reduction in density of around 15%, and an increase in chemical reactivity, described by its dissolution rate, similar to a glassy silica. Calcite however, shows little change in dissolution rate - although its density noted to reduce by ≈9%. These differences are correlated with the nature of bonds in these minerals, i.e., being dominantly ionic or covalent, and the rigidity of the mineral’s atomic network that is characterized by the number of topological constraints (nc) that are imposed on the atoms in the network. The outcomes have major implications on the durability of concrete structural elements formed with calcite or quartz bearing aggregates in nuclear power plants.

Direct Experimental Evidence for Differing Reactivity Alterations of Minerals following Irradiation: The Case of Calcite and Quartz

PubMed Central

Pignatelli, Isabella; Kumar, Aditya; Field, Kevin G.; Wang, Bu; Yu, Yingtian; Le Pape, Yann; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

2016-01-01

Concrete, used in the construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs), may be exposed to radiation emanating from the reactor core. Until recently, concrete has been assumed immune to radiation exposure. Direct evidence acquired on Ar+-ion irradiated calcite and quartz indicates, on the contrary, that, such minerals, which constitute aggregates in concrete, may be significantly altered by irradiation. More specifically, while quartz undergoes disordering of its atomic structure resulting in a near complete lack of periodicity, calcite only experiences random rotations, and distortions of its carbonate groups. As a result, irradiated quartz shows a reduction in density of around 15%, and an increase in chemical reactivity, described by its dissolution rate, similar to a glassy silica. Calcite however, shows little change in dissolution rate - although its density noted to reduce by ≈9%. These differences are correlated with the nature of bonds in these minerals, i.e., being dominantly ionic or covalent, and the rigidity of the mineral’s atomic network that is characterized by the number of topological constraints (nc) that are imposed on the atoms in the network. The outcomes have major implications on the durability of concrete structural elements formed with calcite or quartz bearing aggregates in nuclear power plants. PMID:26822012

Direct experimental evidence for differing reactivity alterations of minerals following irradiation. The case of calcite and quartz

DOE PAGES

Pignatelli, Isabella; Kumar, Aditya; Field, Kevin G.; ...

2016-01-29

Concrete, used in the construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs), may be exposed to radiation emanating from the reactor core. Until recently, concrete has been assumed immune to radiation exposure. Direct evidence acquired on Ar+ -ion irradiated calcite and quartz indicates, on the contrary, that, such minerals, which constitute aggregates in concrete, may be significantly altered by irradiation. More specifically, while quartz undergoes disordering of its atomic structure resulting in a near complete lack of periodicity, calcite only experiences random rotations, and distortions of its carbonate groups. As a result, irradiated quartz shows a reduction in density of around 15%,more » and an increase in chemical reactivity, described by its dissolution rate, similar to a glassy silica. However, calcite shows little change in dissolution rate - although its density noted to reduce by 9%. These differences are correlated with the nature of bonds in these minerals, i.e., being dominantly ionic or covalent, and the rigidity of the mineral's atomic network that is characterized by the number of topological constraints (nc) that are imposed on the atoms in the network. Our outcomes have major implications on the durability of concrete structural elements formed with calcitic or quartzitic aggregates in nuclear power plants.« less

Direct Care Workers in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network: Characteristics, Opinions, and Beliefs

PubMed Central

McCarty, Dennis; Fuller, Bret E.; Arfken, Cynthia; Miller, Michael; Nunes, Edward V.; Edmundson, Eldon; Copersino, Marc; Floyd, Anthony; Forman, Robert; Laws, Reesa; Magruder, Kathy M.; Oyama, Mark; Sindelar, Jody; Wendt, William W.

2010-01-01

Objective Individuals with direct care responsibilities in 348 drug abuse treatment units were surveyed to obtain a description of the workforce and to assess support for evidence-based therapies. Methods Surveys were distributed to 112 programs participating in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Descriptive analyses characterized the workforce. Analyses of covariance tested the effects of job category (counselors, medical staff, manager-supervisors, and support staff) on opinions about evidence-based practices and controlled for the effects of education, modality (outpatient or residential), race, and gender. Results Women made up two-thirds of the CTN workforce. One-third of the workforce had a master’s or doctoral degree. Responses from 1,757 counselors, 908 support staff, 522 managers-supervisors, and 511 medical staff (71% of eligible participants) suggested that the variables that most consistently influenced responses were job category (19 of 22 items) and education (20 of 22 items). Managers-supervisors were the most supportive of evidence-based therapies, and support staff were the least supportive. Generally, individuals with graduate degrees had more positive opinions about evidence-based therapies. Support for using medications and contingency management was modest across job categories. Conclusions The relatively traditional beliefs of support staff could inhibit the introduction of evidence-based practices. Programs initiating changes in therapeutic approaches may benefit from including all employees in change efforts. PMID:17287373

Venus lives!. [evidence for active volcanoes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, Charles A.; Francis, Peter W.

1988-01-01

Observational evidence which supports the contention that Venus is a volcanically and tectonically active planet is discussed. It is argued that, although there are no observations to date that would prove that Venus has been volcanically active during the last decade, planetological studies presented evidence for youthful volcanic mountains on Venus: the surface of the northern quarter of Venus is considered to be younger than 1 Gy, and some units are likely to be much younger. Because of the small sizes of likely volcanic manifestations and the long intervals expected between eruptions, it is unlikely that any direct evidence of eruptions will be detected with existing and planned spacecraft. It is suggested that future studies of the dynamics and the chemical mixing of the Venusian atmosphere might supply an unequivocal evidence for active volcanism on this planet.

Using Riemannian geometry to obtain new results on Dikin and Karmarkar methods

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

Oliveira, P.; Joao, X.; Piaui, T.

1994-12-31

We are motivated by a 1990 Karmarkar paper on Riemannian geometry and Interior Point Methods. In this talk we show 3 results. (1) Karmarkar direction can be derived from the Dikin one. This is obtained by constructing a certain Z(x) representation of the null space of the unitary simplex (e, x) = 1; then the projective direction is the image under Z(x) of the affine-scaling one, when it is restricted to that simplex. (2) Second order information on Dikin and Karmarkar methods. We establish computable Hessians for each of the metrics corresponding to both directions, thus permitting the generation ofmore » {open_quotes}second order{close_quotes} methods. (3) Dikin and Karmarkar geodesic descent methods. For those directions, we make computable the theoretical Luenberger geodesic descent method, since we are able to explicit very accurate expressions of the corresponding geodesics. Convergence results are given.« less

Load emphasizes muscle effort minimization during selection of arm movement direction

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Directional preferences during center-out horizontal shoulder-elbow movements were previously established for both the dominant and non-dominant arm with the use of a free-stroke drawing task that required random selection of movement directions. While the preferred directions were mirror-symmetrical in both arms, they were attributed to a tendency specific for the dominant arm to simplify control of interaction torque by actively accelerating one joint and producing largely passive motion at the other joint. No conclusive evidence has been obtained in support of muscle effort minimization as a contributing factor to the directional preferences. Here, we tested whether distal load changes directional preferences, making the influence of muscle effort minimization on the selection of movement direction more apparent. Methods The free-stroke drawing task was performed by the dominant and non-dominant arm with no load and with 0.454 kg load at the wrist. Motion of each arm was limited to rotation of the shoulder and elbow in the horizontal plane. Directional histograms of strokes produced by the fingertip were calculated to assess directional preferences in each arm and load condition. Possible causes for directional preferences were further investigated by studying optimization across directions of a number of cost functions. Results Preferences in both arms to move in the diagonal directions were revealed. The previously suggested tendency to actively accelerate one joint and produce passive motion at the other joint was supported in both arms and load conditions. However, the load increased the tendency to produce strokes in the transverse diagonal directions (perpendicular to the forearm orientation) in both arms. Increases in required muscle effort caused by the load suggested that the higher frequency of movements in the transverse directions represented increased influence of muscle effort minimization on the selection of movement direction. This

Person-directed, non-pharmacological interventions for sleepiness at work and sleep disturbances caused by shift work.

PubMed

Slanger, Tracy E; Gross, J Valérie; Pinger, Andreas; Morfeld, Peter; Bellinger, Miriam; Duhme, Anna-Lena; Reichardt Ortega, Rosalinde Amancay; Costa, Giovanni; Driscoll, Tim R; Foster, Russell G; Fritschi, Lin; Sallinen, Mikael; Liira, Juha; Erren, Thomas C

2016-08-23

Shift work is often associated with sleepiness and sleep disorders. Person-directed, non-pharmacological interventions may positively influence the impact of shift work on sleep, thereby improving workers' well-being, safety, and health. To assess the effects of person-directed, non-pharmacological interventions for reducing sleepiness at work and improving the length and quality of sleep between shifts for shift workers. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE Ovid, Embase, Web of Knowledge, ProQuest, PsycINFO, OpenGrey, and OSH-UPDATE from inception to August 2015. We also screened reference lists and conference proceedings and searched the World Health Organization (WHO) Trial register. We contacted experts to obtain unpublished data. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cross-over designs) that investigated the effect of any person-directed, non-pharmacological intervention on sleepiness on-shift or sleep length and sleep quality off-shift in shift workers who also work nights. At least two authors screened titles and abstracts for relevant studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We contacted authors to obtain missing information. We conducted meta-analyses when pooling of studies was possible. We included 17 relevant trials (with 556 review-relevant participants) which we categorised into three types of interventions: (1) various exposures to bright light (n = 10); (2) various opportunities for napping (n = 4); and (3) other interventions, such as physical exercise or sleep education (n = 3). In most instances, the studies were too heterogeneous to pool. Most of the comparisons yielded low to very low quality evidence. Only one comparison provided moderate quality evidence. Overall, the included studies' results were inconclusive. We present the results regarding sleepiness below. Bright light Combining two comparable studies (with 184 participants altogether) that investigated the effect of bright light during the night on sleepiness during a shift

Detection of hepatitis C virus sequences in brain tissue obtained in recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation.

PubMed

Vargas, Hugo E; Laskus, Tomasz; Radkowski, Marek; Wilkinson, Jeff; Balan, Vijay; Douglas, David D; Harrison, M Edwyn; Mulligan, David C; Olden, Kevin; Adair, Debra; Rakela, Jorge

2002-11-01

Patients with chronic hepatitis C frequently report tiredness, easy fatigability, and depression. The aim of this study is to determine whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication could be found in brain tissue in patients with hepatitis C and depression. We report two patients with recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation who also developed severe depression. One patient died of multiorgan failure and the other, septicemia caused by Staphylococcus aureussis. Both patients had evidence of severe hepatitis C recurrence with features of cholestatic fibrosing hepatitis. We were able to study samples of their central nervous system obtained at autopsy for evidence of HCV replication. The presence of HCV RNA-negative strand, which is the viral replicative form, was determined by strand-specific Tth-based reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Viral sequences were compared by means of single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing. HCV RNA-negative strands were found in subcortical white matter from one patient and cerebral cortex from the other patient. HCV RNA-negative strands amplified from brain tissue differed by several nucleotide substitutions from serum consensus sequences in the 5' untranslated region. These findings support the concept of HCV neuroinvasion, and we speculate that it may provide a biological substrate to neuropsychiatric disorders observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The exact lineage of cells permissive for HCV replication and the possible interaction between viral replication and cerebral function that may lead to depression remain to be elucidated.

Metal Matrix Composites Directionally Solidified

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ares, Alicia Esther; Schvezov, Carlos Enrique

The present work is focus on studying the dendritic solidification of metal matrix composites, MMCs, (using zinc-aluminum, ZA, alloys as matrix and the addition of SiC and Al2O3 particles). The compounds were obtained by as-cast solidification, under continuous stirring and in a second stage were directionally solidified in order to obtain different dendritic growth (columnar, equiaxed and columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET)). The results in MMCs were compared with those obtained in directional solidification of ZA alloys, primarily with regard to structural parameters. The size and evolution of microstructure, according to the size of the MMCs particles and the variation of the thermal parameters was analyzing. In general it was found that the size of the microstructure (secondary dendritic spacing) decreases with the increase of particles in the matrix. When cooling rate increases, particle size decreases, and a higher cooling rate causes finer and more homogeneous dendrites Also, the segregation which was found in the matrix of the composites was significantly less than in the case of ZA alloys.

20 CFR 219.21 - Types of evidence to prove age.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) Preferred evidence. The best type of evidence to prove a claimant's age is— (1) A birth certificate recorded before age 5; (2) A church record of birth or baptism recorded before age 5; or (3) Notification of registration of birth made before age 5. (b) Other evidence of age. If an individual cannot obtain preferred...

20 CFR 219.21 - Types of evidence to prove age.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Preferred evidence. The best type of evidence to prove a claimant's age is— (1) A birth certificate recorded before age 5; (2) A church record of birth or baptism recorded before age 5; or (3) Notification of registration of birth made before age 5. (b) Other evidence of age. If an individual cannot obtain preferred...

20 CFR 219.21 - Types of evidence to prove age.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) Preferred evidence. The best type of evidence to prove a claimant's age is— (1) A birth certificate recorded before age 5; (2) A church record of birth or baptism recorded before age 5; or (3) Notification of registration of birth made before age 5. (b) Other evidence of age. If an individual cannot obtain preferred...

20 CFR 219.21 - Types of evidence to prove age.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Preferred evidence. The best type of evidence to prove a claimant's age is— (1) A birth certificate recorded before age 5; (2) A church record of birth or baptism recorded before age 5; or (3) Notification of registration of birth made before age 5. (b) Other evidence of age. If an individual cannot obtain preferred...

20 CFR 219.21 - Types of evidence to prove age.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) Preferred evidence. The best type of evidence to prove a claimant's age is— (1) A birth certificate recorded before age 5; (2) A church record of birth or baptism recorded before age 5; or (3) Notification of registration of birth made before age 5. (b) Other evidence of age. If an individual cannot obtain preferred...

OA01.25.The first direct experimental evidence correlating ayurveda based tridosha prakriti, with western constitutional psychology somatotypes

PubMed Central

Metri, Kashinath G; Bhargav, Hemant; Ramarao, Nagendra Hongasandra; Rizzo-Sierra; Basavakatti, Ramakrishna R

2012-01-01

Purpose: Ayurveda is one of the most ancient systems of medical health care. The basic principles, diagnosis of the diseases and their treatment are based on individual prakriti (constitutional type). Ayurveda further classifies the prakriti of an individual on the basis of a set of psychosomatic attributes of personality, depending on whether this individual belongs to Vata, Pitta, or Kapha prakriti, or any combination of them (Patwardhan et al., 2005). The appropriate prakriti assessment is done by several means including questionnaires (Rastogi, 2012; Shilpa and Venkatesha-Murthy, 2011). We aimed to obtain experimental evidence correlating Ayurveda based tridosha-prakriti with western constitutional psychology somatotypes (Rizzo-Sierra, 2011). Method: We employed our Tridosha-prakriti questionnaire (Ramakrishna and Nagendra, 2012), and compared its results with a set of body composition parameters: Height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass, fat mass, and fat percentage in normal healthy volunteers (25 males and 25 females, mean age was 26 (± 4) and 25 (± 6) years respectively). Moreover, two-tailed Pearson's correlations were investigated to match the extreme prakriti types with the western constitutional psychology somatotypes, through the mentioned body composition measures. Result: Significant negative correlations were observed between the percentage of Vata attributes as per the questionnaire in the individuals and their BMI, body weight and fat mass respectively (p<0.05). Similarly, there was a significant positive correlation between the percentage of Pitta attributes with the height, body weight, and muscle mass respectively. Also, a significant positive correlation was observed between the percentage of Kapha attributes with fat mass and fat percentage, along with a negative correlation with height. Conclusion: We provide evidence-linking Ayurveda to modern constitutional psychology. In this way, a concept such as prakriti is suggested

EBSD characterization of the growth mechanism of SiC synthesized via direct microwave heating

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

Wang, Jigang, E-mail: wangjigang@seu.edu.cn; Xizang Key Laboratory of Optical Information Processing and Visualization Technology, School of Information Engineering, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang 712082; Huang, Shan

2016-04-15

Well-crystallized 3C-silicon carbide (SiC) grains/nanowires have been synthesized rapidly and conveniently via direct microwave heating, simply using silicon dioxide powders and artificial graphite as raw materials. The comprehensive characterizations have been employed to investigate the micro-structure of the obtained 3C-SiC products. Results indicated that, different from the classic screw dislocation growth mechanism, the 3C-SiC grains/nanowires synthesized via high-energy vacuum microwave irradiation were achieved through the two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth mechanism. Especially, the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was employed to characterize the crystal planes of the as-grown SiC products. The calculated Euler angles suggested that the fastest-growing crystal planes (211)more » were overlapped gradually. Through the formation of the (421) transformation plane, (211) finally evolved to (220) which existed as the side face of SiC grains. The most stable crystal planes (111) became the regular hexagonal planes in the end, which could be explained by the Bravais rule. The characterization results of EBSD provided important experimental information for the evolution of crystal planes. - Graphical abstract: The formation of 3C-SiC prepared via direct microwave heating follows the mechanism of two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth. - Highlights: • 3C−SiC grains/nanowires were obtained via direct microwave heating. • 3C−SiC followed the mechanism of two-dimension nucleation and laminar growth. • In-situ EBSD analysis provided the experimental evidences of the growth.« less

What Good Is Soft Evidence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdach, Allison D.

2010-01-01

Along with other helping professions, social work is today struggling to become a more "evidence-based" activity. This article explores some of the issues raised by this reevaluation of social work, especially as it relates to the issue of direct social work practice. Despite the current push to base social work helping methods on scientific…

50 CFR 18.87 - Direct testimony.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... a witness shall be considered part of the record. Such direct testimony, when written, shall not be read into evidence but shall become a part of the record subject to exclusion of irrelevant and... briefly state the scientific or technical training which qualifies him as an expert; (3) Identify the...

Floodplain Condition and Water Framework Directive River Classification in England: Evidence of a Disconnect.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentley, S.

2017-12-01

The European Union Water Framework Directive came into force in October 2000 committing European Union member states to achieve Good Ecological Status for all water bodies. By 2015 29% of rivers across England had achieved this level suggesting that these watercourse units are now functioning well. This study utilises recently published land cover data for England clipped to the floodplain boundary as defined by the 100 year return period discharge to examine the state of valley bottom vegetation and function for these Good Status rivers. Agricultural use of floodplain areas is high with cereal and horticulture covering an average of 24% and pasture accounting for some 37% of the area. Maximum values increase to 77% and 92% respectively. In all cases wetland accounts for less than 2% of the floodplain and rough grassland averages 7%. Such significant and widespread alteration to floodplain vegetation character suggests that the ecological functioning of this component of the fluvial system has been severely negatively impacted calling into question the Water Framework Directive status level. This is a fault of the Water Framework Directive process which only explicitly evaluates the hydromorphological component of the fluvial system for high status rivers preferring to infer functioning from biological indicators that are focused on in-channel assessments. The fundamental omission of floodplain condition in the Water Framework Directive process will result in only partial achievement of the original goals of the Directive with the majority of Europe's floodplains remaining in a highly degraded, non-functional state.

If It Works for Pills, Can It Work for Skills? Direct-to-Consumer Social Marketing of Evidence-Based Psychological Treatments.

PubMed

Friedberg, Robert D; Bayar, Hasan

2017-06-01

The emergence of evidence-based psychological treatments (EVPTs) is a scientific success story, but unfortunately the application of these empirically supported procedures has been slow to gain ground in treatment-as-usual settings. This Open Forum commentary argues that direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing, which has worked well in communicating the advantages of various medicines, should perhaps be considered for use in social marketing of EVPTs. DTC marketing of pharmaceuticals is a long-standing advertising strategy in the United States. In fact, DTC marketing of psychotropic medicines is quite a success story. The authors recommend various strategies for using marketing science to devise DTC advertising of EVPTs, discuss previous research on DTC campaigns, and describe initiatives launched in the United Kingdom and Europe to promote EVPTs. Suggestions for evaluating and regulating DTC marketing of EVPTs are included. Finally, the potential for DTC marketing of EVPTs to increase mental health literacy and reduce health disparities is explored.

Emerging Directions in Emotional Episodic Memory.

PubMed

Dolcos, Florin; Katsumi, Yuta; Weymar, Mathias; Moore, Matthew; Tsukiura, Takashi; Dolcos, Sanda

2017-01-01

Building upon the existing literature on emotional memory, the present review examines emerging evidence from brain imaging investigations regarding four research directions: (1) Social Emotional Memory , (2) The Role of Emotion Regulation in the Impact of Emotion on Memory , (3) The Impact of Emotion on Associative or Relational Memory , and (4) The Role of Individual Differences in Emotional Memory . Across these four domains, available evidence demonstrates that emotion- and memory-related medial temporal lobe brain regions (amygdala and hippocampus, respectively), together with prefrontal cortical regions, play a pivotal role during both encoding and retrieval of emotional episodic memories. This evidence sheds light on the neural mechanisms of emotional memories in healthy functioning, and has important implications for understanding clinical conditions that are associated with negative affective biases in encoding and retrieving emotional memories.

Emerging Directions in Emotional Episodic Memory

PubMed Central

Dolcos, Florin; Katsumi, Yuta; Weymar, Mathias; Moore, Matthew; Tsukiura, Takashi; Dolcos, Sanda

2017-01-01

Building upon the existing literature on emotional memory, the present review examines emerging evidence from brain imaging investigations regarding four research directions: (1) Social Emotional Memory, (2) The Role of Emotion Regulation in the Impact of Emotion on Memory, (3) The Impact of Emotion on Associative or Relational Memory, and (4) The Role of Individual Differences in Emotional Memory. Across these four domains, available evidence demonstrates that emotion- and memory-related medial temporal lobe brain regions (amygdala and hippocampus, respectively), together with prefrontal cortical regions, play a pivotal role during both encoding and retrieval of emotional episodic memories. This evidence sheds light on the neural mechanisms of emotional memories in healthy functioning, and has important implications for understanding clinical conditions that are associated with negative affective biases in encoding and retrieving emotional memories. PMID:29255432

Alcohol Marketing on Twitter and Instagram: Evidence of Directly Advertising to Youth/Adolescents.

PubMed

Barry, Adam E; Bates, Austin M; Olusanya, Olufunto; Vinal, Cystal E; Martin, Emily; Peoples, Janiene E; Jackson, Zachary A; Billinger, Shanaisa A; Yusuf, Aishatu; Cauley, Daunte A; Montano, Javier R

2016-07-01

Assess whether alcohol companies restrict youth/adolescent access, interaction, and exposure to their marketing on Twitter and Instagram. Employed five fictitious male and female Twitter (n = 10) and Instagram (n = 10) user profiles aged 13, 15, 17, 19 and/or 21. Using cellular smartphones, we determined whether profiles could (a) interact with advertising content-e.g. retweet, view video or picture content, comment, share URL; and/or (b) follow and directly receive advertising material updates from the official Instagram and Twitter pages of 22 alcohol brands for 30 days. All user profiles could fully access, view, and interact with alcohol industry content posted on Instagram and Twitter. Twitter's age-gate, which restricts access for those under 21, successfully prevented underage profiles from following and subsequently receiving promotional material/updates. The two 21+ profiles collectively received 1836 alcohol-related tweets within 30 days. All Instagram profiles, however, were able to follow all alcohol brand pages and received an average of 362 advertisements within 30 days. The quantity of promotional updates increased throughout the week, reaching their peak on Thursday and Friday. Representatives/controllers of alcohol brand Instagram pages would respond directly to our underage user's comments. The alcohol industry is in violation of their proposed self-regulation guidelines for digital marketing communications on Instagram. While Twitter's age-gate effectively blocked direct to phone updates, unhindered access to post was possible. Everyday our fictitious profiles, even those as young as 13, were bombarded with alcohol industry messages and promotional material directly to their smartphones. © The Author 2015. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Two stages of directed forgetting: Electrophysiological evidence from a short-term memory task.

PubMed

Gao, Heming; Cao, Bihua; Qi, Mingming; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Qi; Li, Fuhong

2016-06-01

In this study, a short-term memory test was used to investigate the temporal course and neural mechanism of directed forgetting under different memory loads. Within each trial, two memory items with high or low load were presented sequentially, followed by a cue indicating whether the presented items should be remembered. After an interval, subjects were asked to respond to the probe stimuli. The ERPs locked to the cues showed that (a) the effect of cue type was initially observed during the P2 (160-240 ms) time window, with more positive ERPs for remembering relative to forgetting cues; (b) load effects were observed during the N2-P3 (250-500 ms) time window, with more positive ERPs for the high-load than low-load condition; (c) the cue effect was also observed during the N2-P3 time window, with more negative ERPs for forgetting versus remembering cues. These results demonstrated that directed forgetting involves two stages: task-relevance identification and information discarding. The cue effects during the N2 epoch supported the view that directed forgetting is an active process. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

When There Is Not Enough Evidence and When Evidence Is Not Enough: An Australian Indigenous Smoking Policy Study.

PubMed

Vujcich, Daniel; Rayner, Mike; Allender, Steven; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

The Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative and Tackling Indigenous Smoking Measure were both announced by the Australian Government at a time when its rhetoric around the importance of evidence-based policy making was strong. This article will (1) examine how the Rudd Government used evidence in Indigenous tobacco control policy making and (2) explore the facilitators of and barriers to the use of evidence. Data were collected through (1) a review of primary documents largely obtained under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Commonwealth of Australia) and (2) interviews with senior politicians, senior bureaucrats, government advisors, Indigenous health advocates, and academics. Through the Freedom of Information Act process, 24 previously undisclosed government documents relevant to the making of Indigenous tobacco control policies were identified. Interviewees ( n  = 31, response rate 62%) were identified through both purposive and snowball recruitment strategies. The Framework Analysis method was used to analyze documentary and interview data. Government policy design was heavily influenced by the recommendations presented in government authored/commissioned literature reviews. Resulting policies were led by equivocal evidence for improved tobacco control outcomes among Indigenous Australians. Many of the cited studies had methodological limitations. In the absence of high-quality evidence, some policy makers supported policy recommendations that were perceived to be popular among the Indigenous community. Other policy makers recognized that there were barriers to accumulating rigorous, generalizable evidence; in the absence of such evidence, the policy makers considered that the "need for action" could be combined with the "need for research" by introducing innovative strategies and evaluating them. Despite the absence of high-quality evidence, the formulation and adoption of Indigenous tobacco policy was neither irrational nor reckless. The decision to

Evidence-based Medicine in Pediatric Orthopaedics: Evidence-based Practice Committee Summary of Levels of Evidence, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Appropriate Use Criteria, and Best Practice Guidelines.

PubMed

Gandhi, Jigar S; Shea, Kevin G; Sponseller, Paul D; Brighton, Brian K; Ganley, Theodore J

2018-04-30

The concept of evidence-based medicine has evolved over the past 2 decades, and has become a cornerstone to clinical decision-making in virtually every aspect of medicine. With a commitment to providing its members with high-quality evidence-based guidelines, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has instituted concerted efforts since 2006 to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and appropriate use criteria (AUCs) for certain orthopaedic conditions. Many of these CPGs and AUCs detail the management of pediatric orthopaedic conditions. By the same token, members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) Evidence Based Practice Committee have been publishing succinct evaluations of randomized controlled trials in pediatric orthopaedic surgery to create an evidence-based repository for quick reference to available high-level evidence as well as resource to identify gaps in the current research and identify opportunities for future investigation. In instances where higher-level evidence needed to develop CPGs is not available to address a critically important clinical question, consensus recommendations from experts in the field have been obtained to develop best practice guidelines (BPGs). The purpose of this review is to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the key principles of evidence-based medicine and methodologies used for the development of CPGs, AUCs, and BPGs.

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses - a literature review.

PubMed

Sikkema, Reina Saapke; Freidl, Gudrun Stephanie; de Bruin, Erwin; Koopmans, Marion

2016-11-03

Assessing influenza A virus strains circulating in animals and their potential to cross the species barrier and cause human infections is important to improve human influenza surveillance and preparedness. We reviewed studies describing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses. Comparing serological data is difficult due to a lack of standardisation in study designs and in laboratory methods used in published reports. Therefore, we designed a scoring system to assess and weigh specificity of obtained serology results in the selected articles. Many studies report reliable evidence of antibodies to swine influenza viruses among persons occupationally exposed to pigs. Most avian influenza studies target H5, H7 and H9 subtypes and most serological evidence of human exposure to avian influenza viruses is reported for these subtypes. Avian influenza studies receiving a low grade in this review often reported higher seroprevalences in humans compared with studies with a high grade. Official surveillance systems mainly focus on avian H5 and H7 viruses. Swine influenza viruses and avian subtypes other than H5 and H7 (emphasising H9) should be additionally included in official surveillance systems. Surveillance efforts should also be directed towards understudied geographical areas, such as Africa and South America. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

Novel encoding and updating of positional, or directional, spatial cues are processed by distinct hippocampal subfields: Evidence for parallel information processing and the "what" stream.

PubMed

Hoang, Thu-Huong; Aliane, Verena; Manahan-Vaughan, Denise

2018-05-01

The specific roles of hippocampal subfields in spatial information processing and encoding are, as yet, unclear. The parallel map theory postulates that whereas the CA1 processes discrete environmental features (positional cues used to generate a "sketch map"), the dentate gyrus (DG) processes large navigation-relevant landmarks (directional cues used to generate a "bearing map"). Additionally, the two-streams hypothesis suggests that hippocampal subfields engage in differentiated processing of information from the "where" and the "what" streams. We investigated these hypotheses by analyzing the effect of exploration of discrete "positional" features and large "directional" spatial landmarks on hippocampal neuronal activity in rats. As an indicator of neuronal activity we measured the mRNA induction of the immediate early genes (IEGs), Arc and Homer1a. We observed an increase of this IEG mRNA in CA1 neurons of the distal neuronal compartment and in proximal CA3, after novel spatial exploration of discrete positional cues, whereas novel exploration of directional cues led to increases in IEG mRNA in the lower blade of the DG and in proximal CA3. Strikingly, the CA1 did not respond to directional cues and the DG did not respond to positional cues. Our data provide evidence for both the parallel map theory and the two-streams hypothesis and suggest a precise compartmentalization of the encoding and processing of "what" and "where" information occurs within the hippocampal subfields. © 2018 The Authors. Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in neonates.

PubMed

Lingappan, Krithika; Arnold, Jennifer L; Fernandes, Caraciolo J; Pammi, Mohan

2018-06-04

Establishment of a secure airway is a critical part of neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room and the neonatal unit. Videolaryngoscopy has the potential to facilitate successful endotracheal intubation and decrease adverse consequences of delay in airway stabilization. Videolaryngoscopy may enhance visualization of the glottis and intubation success in neonates. To determine the efficacy and safety of videolaryngoscopy compared to direct laryngoscopy in decreasing the time and attempts required for endotracheal intubation and increasing the success rate at first intubation in neonates. We used the search strategy of Cochrane Neonatal. In May 2017, we searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) evaluating videolaryngoscopy for neonatal endotracheal intubation in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, abstracts of the Pediatric Academic Societies, websites for registered trials at www.clinicaltrials.gov and www.controlled-trials.com, and reference lists of relevant studies. RCTs or quasi-RCTs in neonates evaluating videolaryngoscopy for endotracheal intubation compared with direct laryngoscopy. Review authors performed data collection and analysis as recommended by Cochrane Neonatal. Two review authors independently assessed studies identified by the search strategy for inclusion.We used the GRADE approach to assess the quality of evidence. The search yielded 7057 references of which we identified three RCTs for inclusion, four ongoing trials and one study awaiting classification. All three included RCTs compared videolaryngoscopy with direct laryngoscopy during intubation attempts by trainees.Time to intubation was similar between videolaryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy (mean difference (MD) -0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) -6.50 to 5.26; 2 studies; 311 intubations) (very low quality evidence). Videolaryngoscopy did not decrease the number of intubation attempts (MD -0.05, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.07; 2 studies; 427

Towards Evidence-Based Practice in Language Intervention for Bilingual Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thordardottir, Elin

2010-01-01

Evidence-based practice requires that clinical decisions be based on evidence from rigorously controlled research studies. At this time, very few studies have directly examined the efficacy of clinical intervention methods for bilingual children. Clinical decisions for this population cannot, therefore, be based on the strongest forms of research…

Factors influencing individual variation in perceptual directional microphone benefit.

PubMed

Keidser, Gitte; Dillon, Harvey; Convery, Elizabeth; Mejia, Jorge

2013-01-01

Large variations in perceptual directional microphone benefit, which far exceed the variation expected from physical performance measures of directional microphones, have been reported in the literature. The cause for the individual variation has not been systematically investigated. To determine the factors that are responsible for the individual variation in reported perceptual directional benefit. A correlational study. Physical performance measures of the directional microphones obtained after they had been fitted to individuals, cognitive abilities of individuals, and measurement errors were related to perceptual directional benefit scores. Fifty-nine hearing-impaired adults with varied degrees of hearing loss participated in the study. All participants were bilaterally fitted with a Motion behind-the-ear device (500 M, 501 SX, or 501 P) from Siemens according to the National Acoustic Laboratories' non-linear prescription, version two (NAL-NL2). Using the Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) sentences, the perceptual directional benefit was obtained as the difference in speech reception threshold measured in babble noise (SRTn) with the devices in directional (fixed hypercardioid) and in omnidirectional mode. The SRTn measurements were repeated three times with each microphone mode. Physical performance measures of the directional microphone included the angle of the microphone ports to loudspeaker axis, the frequency range dominated by amplified sound, the in situ signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the in situ three-dimensional, articulation-index weighted directivity index (3D AI-DI). The cognitive tests included auditory selective attention, speed of processing, and working memory. Intraparticipant variation on the repeated SRTn's and the interparticipant variation on the average SRTn were used to determine the effect of measurement error. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of other factors. Measurement errors explained 52% of the variation

Paleomagnetic evidence bearing on Tertiary tectonics of the Tihamat Asir coastal plain, southwestern Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kellogg, K.S.; Blank, H.R.

1982-01-01

Paleomagnetic directions determined for an upper Oligocene to lower Miocene dike swarm and from two lower Miocene layered gabbros in the Tihamat Asir coastal plain of southwestern Saudi Arabia are used to test several hypotheses concerning the tectonics of rifting along the eastern margin of the Red Sea. The dikes and gabbros were emplaced during the initial phases of Red Sea rifting and may mark the transition between continental and oceanic crust. Although these rocks have been hydrothermally altered to varying degrees, reliable remanent directions after alternating-field demagnetization were obtained for 23 dikes and for gabbros at Jabal at Tirf and Wadi Liyyah. Twelve of the dikes are reversely magnetized. After the directions of the reversely magnetized dikes are inverted 180?, the mean direction calculated for the normal dikes is approximately 24? more downward than that calculated for the reversed dikes. This result is similar to that found for the As Sarat volcanic field, 100 km to the north, and may be due to a displaced dipole source for the field. The unrotated mean remanent direction for the dikes (inverting reversed dike directions 180?) is D (declination) = 353.2? and I (inclination) = 6.8? with a95 (radius of the cone of 95 percent confidence) = 8.9? whereas directions from the Jabal at Tirf and Wadi Liyyah gabbros lie at D = 176.2?, I = -1.6? (a95 = 7 1 ?) and D = 17.1?, I = 16.3? (a 95 = 8.7?), respectively. Comparing these results with the results from the As Sarat volcanic field, all the paleomagnetic evidence supports a model for approximately 20 ? of westward tilting of the Wadi Damad and Wadi Jizan areas after the emplacement of the Jabal at Tiff gabbro. The Wadi Liyyah area may have been tilted even more toward the Red Sea. The paleomagnetic directions from three widely separated localities in the Jabal at Tirf gabbro are not significantly different, a fact which indicates that the body cooled in approximately its present bowl shape. Evidence

Multimodal in vivo imaging reveals limited allograft survival, intrapulmonary cell trapping and minimal evidence for ischemia-directed BMSC homing

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Despite positive reports on the efficacy of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the nature of stem cell homing to ischemic tissues remains elusive. Results We used a mouse model of peripheral tissue ischemia to study the survival and homing capacity of dual reporter gene (eGFP/Luciferase) expressing bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSC). Cell homing and survival were studied in the presence and absence of ciclosporin A (CsA) immunosuppression using bioluminescence imaging (BLI) together with confocal endomicroscopy. Different injection strategies were applied: central venous (CV), intra-arterial (IA) and intramuscular (IM). BLI and confocal endomicroscopy evidenced complete rejection of the IM injected allogeneic BMSC transplant within 5 to 10 days. Immunosuppression with CsA could only marginally prolong graft survival. IM injected BMSC did not migrate to the site of the arterial ligation. CV injection of BMSC resulted in massive pulmonary infarction, leading to respiratory failure and death. Intrapulmonary cell trapping was evidenced by confocal endomicroscopy, BLI and fluorescence microscopy. IA injection of BMSC proved to be a feasible and safe strategy to bypass the lung circulation. During the follow-up period, neither BLI nor confocal endomicroscopy revealed any convincing ischemia-directed homing of BMSC. Conclusions BLI and confocal endomicroscopy are complementary imaging techniques for studying the in vivo biology of dual reporter gene-expressing BMSC. Allogeneic BMSC survival is limited in an immunocompetent host and cannot be preserved by CsA immunosuppression alone. We did not find substantial evidence for ischemia-directed BMSC homing and caution against CV injection of BMSC, which can lead to massive pulmonary infarction. PMID:23206380

Incident CTS in a large pooled cohort study: associations obtained by a Job Exposure Matrix versus associations obtained from observed exposures.

PubMed

Dale, Ann Marie; Ekenga, Christine C; Buckner-Petty, Skye; Merlino, Linda; Thiese, Matthew S; Bao, Stephen; Meyers, Alysha Rose; Harris-Adamson, Carisa; Kapellusch, Jay; Eisen, Ellen A; Gerr, Fred; Hegmann, Kurt T; Silverstein, Barbara; Garg, Arun; Rempel, David; Zeringue, Angelique; Evanoff, Bradley A

2018-03-29

There is growing use of a job exposure matrix (JEM) to provide exposure estimates in studies of work-related musculoskeletal disorders; few studies have examined the validity of such estimates, nor did compare associations obtained with a JEM with those obtained using other exposures. This study estimated upper extremity exposures using a JEM derived from a publicly available data set (Occupational Network, O*NET), and compared exposure-disease associations for incident carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with those obtained using observed physical exposure measures in a large prospective study. 2393 workers from several industries were followed for up to 2.8 years (5.5 person-years). Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes were assigned to the job at enrolment. SOC codes linked to physical exposures for forceful hand exertion and repetitive activities were extracted from O*NET. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to describe exposure-disease associations for incident CTS for individually observed physical exposures and JEM exposures from O*NET. Both exposure methods found associations between incident CTS and exposures of force and repetition, with evidence of dose-response. Observed associations were similar across the two methods, with somewhat wider CIs for HRs calculated using the JEM method. Exposures estimated using a JEM provided similar exposure-disease associations for CTS when compared with associations obtained using the 'gold standard' method of individual observation. While JEMs have a number of limitations, in some studies they can provide useful exposure estimates in the absence of individual-level observed exposures. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Optimal control of directional deep brain stimulation in the parkinsonian neuronal network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Denggui; Wang, Zhihui; Wang, Qingyun

2016-07-01

of 32 different contacts with optimal stimulation intensity and immediately after the stimulation, respectively. These can reveal regional differences in pathological activity within STN nucleus. It is shown that in line with the experimental results directional steering stimulation can induce the low-amplitude LFP which implies the occurrence of desynchronizing regime, as well as the distribution of DF can locate at the 13-40 Hz of beta frequency range. Hopefully, the obtained results can provide theoretical evidences in exploring pathophysiologic activity of brain.

Changing the Legacy of Divorce: Evidence from Prevention Programs and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haine, Rachel A.; Sandler, Irwin N.; Wolchik, Sharlene A.; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Dawson-McClure, Spring R.

2003-01-01

Assesses efforts to prevent mental health problems in children of divorce by highlighting the importance of using theory in the design and evaluation of prevention programs and by reviewing the empirical research on the efficacy of programs to improve outcomes for children of divorce. Also proposes two future directions for advancing theory-based…

Intentional Forgetting Reduces Color-Naming Interference: Evidence from Item-Method Directed Forgetting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yuh-shiow; Lee, Huang-mou; Fawcett, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

In an item-method-directed forgetting task, Chinese words were presented individually, each followed by an instruction to remember or forget. Colored probe items were presented following each memory instruction requiring a speeded color-naming response. Half of the probe items were novel and unrelated to the preceding study item, whereas the…

20 CFR 30.907 - Can an impairment evaluation obtained by OWCP be challenged prior to issuance of the recommended...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can an impairment evaluation obtained by OWCP... ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM ACT OF 2000, AS AMENDED Impairment Benefits Under Part E of EEOICPA Medical Evidence of Impairment § 30.907 Can an impairment evaluation obtained by OWCP be challenged prior to...

7 CFR 1788.55 - Providing RUS evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers § 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the...

7 CFR 1788.55 - Providing RUS evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers § 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the...

7 CFR 1788.55 - Providing RUS evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers § 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the...

7 CFR 1788.55 - Providing RUS evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers § 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the...

7 CFR 1788.55 - Providing RUS evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers § 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the...

Long-term variation of horizontal phase velocity and propagation direction of mesospheric and thermospheric gravity waves by using airglow images obtained at Shigarkai, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeo, D.; Kazuo, S.; Hujinami, H.; Otsuka, Y.; Matsuda, T. S.; Ejiri, M. K.; Yamamoto, M.; Nakamura, T.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric gravity waves generated in the lower atmosphere transport momentum into the upper atmosphere and release it when they break. The released momentum drives the global-scale pole-to-pole circulation and causes global mass transport. Vertical propagation of the gravity waves and transportation of momentum depend on horizontal phase velocity of gravity waves according to equation about dispersion relation of waves. Horizontal structure of gravity waves including horizontal phase velocity can be seen in the airglow images, and there have been many studies about gravity waves by using airglow images. However, long-term variation of horizontal phase velocity spectrum of gravity waves have not been studied yet. In this study, we used 3-D FFT method developed by Matsuda et al., (2014) to analyze the horizontal phase velocity spectrum of gravity waves by using 557.7-nm (altitude of 90-100 km) and 630.0-nm (altitude of 200-300 km) airglow images obtained at Shigaraki MU Observatory (34.8 deg N, 136.1 deg E) over 16 years from October 1, 1998 to July 26, 2015. Results about 557.7-nm shows clear seasonal variation of propagation direction of gravity waves in the mesopause region. Between summer and winter, there are propagation direction anisotropies which probably caused by filtering due to zonal mesospheric jet and by difference of latitudinal location of wave sources relative to Shigaraki. Results about 630.0-nm shows clear negative correlation between the yearly power spectrum density of horizontal phase velocity and sunspot number. This negative correlation with solar activity is consistent with growth rate of the Perkins instability, which may play an important role in generating the nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances at middle latitudes.

Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for chronic pancreatitis 2015.

PubMed

Ito, Tetsuhide; Ishiguro, Hiroshi; Ohara, Hirotaka; Kamisawa, Terumi; Sakagami, Junichi; Sata, Naohiro; Takeyama, Yoshifumi; Hirota, Morihisa; Miyakawa, Hiroyuki; Igarashi, Hisato; Lee, Lingaku; Fujiyama, Takashi; Hijioka, Masayuki; Ueda, Keijiro; Tachibana, Yuichi; Sogame, Yoshio; Yasuda, Hiroaki; Kato, Ryusuke; Kataoka, Keisho; Shiratori, Keiko; Sugiyama, Masanori; Okazaki, Kazuichi; Kawa, Shigeyuki; Tando, Yusuke; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu; Watanabe, Mamoru; Shimosegawa, Tooru

2016-02-01

Chronic pancreatitis is considered to be an irreversible progressive chronic inflammatory disease. The etiology and pathology of chronic pancreatitis are complex; therefore, it is important to correctly understand the stage and pathology and provide appropriate treatment accordingly. The newly revised Clinical Practice Guidelines of Chronic Pancreatitis 2015 consist of four chapters, i.e., diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis, and includes a total of 65 clinical questions. These guidelines have aimed at providing certain directions and clinically practical contents for the management of chronic pancreatitis, preferentially adopting clinically useful articles. These revised guidelines also refer to early chronic pancreatitis based on the Criteria for the Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis 2009. They include such items as health insurance coverage of high-titer lipase preparations and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, new antidiabetic drugs, and the definition of and treatment approach to pancreatic pseudocyst. The accuracy of these guidelines has been improved by examining and adopting new evidence obtained after the publication of the first edition.

Combined direct and indirect bypass for moyamoya: quantitative assessment of direct bypass flow over time.

PubMed

Amin-Hanjani, Sepideh; Singh, Amritha; Rifai, Hashem; Thulborn, Keith R; Alaraj, Ali; Aletich, Victor; Charbel, Fady T

2013-12-01

The optimal revascularization strategy for symptomatic adult moyamoya remains controversial. Whereas direct bypass offers immediate revascularization, indirect bypass can effectively induce collaterals over time. Using angiography and quantitative magnetic resonance angiography, we examined the relative contributions of direct and indirect bypass in moyamoya patients after combined direct superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass and indirect encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS). A retrospective review of moyamoya patients undergoing combined STA-MCA bypass and EDAS was conducted, excluding pediatric patients and hemorrhagic presentation. Patients with quantitative magnetic resonance angiography measurements of the direct bypass immediately and > 6 months postoperatively were included. Angiographic follow-up, when available, was used to assess EDAS collaterals at similar time intervals. Of 16 hemispheres in 13 patients, 11 (69%) demonstrated a significant (> 50%) decline in direct bypass flow at > 6 months compared with baseline, averaging a drop from 99 ± 35 to 12 ± 7 mL/min. Conversely, angiography in these hemispheres demonstrated prominent indirect collaterals, in concert with shrinkage of the STA graft. Decline in flow was apparent at a median of 9 months but was evident as early as 2 to 3 months. In this small cohort, a reciprocal relationship between direct STA bypass flow and indirect EDAS collaterals frequently occurred. This substantiates the notion that combined direct/indirect bypass can provide temporally complementary revascularization.

Examining the Early Evidence for Self-Directed Marriage and Relationship Education: A Meta-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Shelece; Duncan, Stephen F.; Hawkins, Alan J.

2012-01-01

This meta-analysis examines the efficacy of self-directed marriage and relationship education (MRE) programs on relationship quality and communication skills. Programs combining traditional face-to-face learning with self-directed elements are also examined, and traditional programs' effectiveness is included as a comparison point. Sixteen studies…

Health benefits of tai chi: What is the evidence?

PubMed

Huston, Patricia; McFarlane, Bruce

2016-11-01

To summarize the evidence on the health benefits of tai chi. A literature review was conducted on the benefits of tai chi for 25 specific conditions, as well as for general health and fitness, to update a 2014 review of systematic reviews. Systematic reviews and recent clinical trials were assessed and organized into 5 different groups: evidence of benefit as excellent, good, fair, or preliminary, or evidence of no direct benefit. During the past 45 years more than 500 trials and 120 systematic reviews have been published on the health benefits of tai chi. Systematic reviews of tai chi for specific conditions indicate excellent evidence of benefit for preventing falls, osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease, rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and improving cognitive capacity in older adults. There is good evidence of benefit for depression, cardiac and stroke rehabilitation, and dementia. There is fair evidence of benefit for improving quality of life for cancer patients, fibromyalgia, hypertension, and osteoporosis. Current evidence indicates no direct benefit for diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or chronic heart failure. Systematic reviews of general health and fitness benefits show excellent evidence of benefit for improving balance and aerobic capacity in those with poor fitness. There is good evidence for increased strength in the lower limbs. There is fair evidence for increased well-being and improved sleep. There were no studies that found tai chi worsened a condition. A recent systematic review on the safety of tai chi found adverse events were typically minor and primarily musculoskeletal; no intervention-related serious adverse events have been reported. There is abundant evidence on the health and fitness effects of tai chi. Based on this, physicians can now offer evidence-based recommendations to their patients, noting that tai chi is still an area of active research, and patients should continue to receive medical follow-up for any

31 CFR 363.21 - When may you require offline authentication and documentary evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... authentication and documentary evidence? 363.21 Section 363.21 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... TreasuryDirect § 363.21 When may you require offline authentication and documentary evidence? We may require offline authentication and documentary evidence at our option. [74 FR 19419, Apr. 29, 2009] ...

Implementing Evidence-Based Practices for People With Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Drake, Robert E.; Bond, Gary R.; Essock, Susan M.

2009-01-01

Over the last decade, a consensus has emerged regarding a set of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia that address symptom management and psychosocial functioning. Yet, surveys suggest that the great majority of the population of individuals with schizophrenia do not receive evidence-based care. In this article, we review the empirical literature on implementation of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia patients. We first examine lessons learned from implementation studies in general medicine. We then summarize the implementation literature specific to schizophrenia, including medication practices, psychosocial interventions, information technology, and state- and federal-level interventions. We conclude with recommendations for future directions. PMID:19491315

Modeling Sensor Reliability in Fault Diagnosis Based on Evidence Theory

PubMed Central

Yuan, Kaijuan; Xiao, Fuyuan; Fei, Liguo; Kang, Bingyi; Deng, Yong

2016-01-01

Sensor data fusion plays an important role in fault diagnosis. Dempster–Shafer (D-R) evidence theory is widely used in fault diagnosis, since it is efficient to combine evidence from different sensors. However, under the situation where the evidence highly conflicts, it may obtain a counterintuitive result. To address the issue, a new method is proposed in this paper. Not only the statistic sensor reliability, but also the dynamic sensor reliability are taken into consideration. The evidence distance function and the belief entropy are combined to obtain the dynamic reliability of each sensor report. A weighted averaging method is adopted to modify the conflict evidence by assigning different weights to evidence according to sensor reliability. The proposed method has better performance in conflict management and fault diagnosis due to the fact that the information volume of each sensor report is taken into consideration. An application in fault diagnosis based on sensor fusion is illustrated to show the efficiency of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of fault diagnosis from 81.19% to 89.48% compared to the existing methods. PMID:26797611

Footprints of directional selection in wild Atlantic salmon populations: evidence for parasite-driven evolution?

PubMed

Zueva, Ksenia J; Lumme, Jaakko; Veselov, Alexey E; Kent, Matthew P; Lien, Sigbjørn; Primmer, Craig R

2014-01-01

Mechanisms of host-parasite co-adaptation have long been of interest in evolutionary biology; however, determining the genetic basis of parasite resistance has been challenging. Current advances in genome technologies provide new opportunities for obtaining a genome-scale view of the action of parasite-driven natural selection in wild populations and thus facilitate the search for specific genomic regions underlying inter-population differences in pathogen response. European populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) exhibit natural variance in susceptibility levels to the ectoparasite Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg 1957, ranging from resistance to extreme susceptibility, and are therefore a good model for studying the evolution of virulence and resistance. However, distinguishing the molecular signatures of genetic drift and environment-associated selection in small populations such as land-locked Atlantic salmon populations presents a challenge, specifically in the search for pathogen-driven selection. We used a novel genome-scan analysis approach that enabled us to i) identify signals of selection in salmon populations affected by varying levels of genetic drift and ii) separate potentially selected loci into the categories of pathogen (G. salaris)-driven selection and selection acting upon other environmental characteristics. A total of 4631 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in Atlantic salmon from 12 different northern European populations. We identified three genomic regions potentially affected by parasite-driven selection, as well as three regions presumably affected by salinity-driven directional selection. Functional annotation of candidate SNPs is consistent with the role of the detected genomic regions in immune defence and, implicitly, in osmoregulation. These results provide new insights into the genetic basis of pathogen susceptibility in Atlantic salmon and will enable future searches for the specific genes involved.

Navigation: Whence Our Sense of Direction?

PubMed

Gallistel, C R

2017-02-06

Behavioral data have long implied our sense of direction derives from global environmental shape; electrophysiological evidence, however, has seemed to imply it derives from salient non-geometric landmarks. Experiments on the re-establishment of place fields in disoriented mice now align the electrophysiological data with the behavioral data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of context in item-based directed forgetting: Evidence for "one-shot" context storage.

PubMed

Burgess, Nicole; Hockley, William E; Hourihan, Kathleen L

2017-07-01

The effects of context on item-based directed forgetting were assessed. Study words were presented against different background pictures and were followed by a cue to remember (R) or forget (F) the target item. The effects of incidental and intentional encoding of context on recognition of the study words were examined in Experiments 1 and 2. Recognition memory for the picture contexts was assessed in Experiments 3a and 3b. Recognition was greater for R-cued compared to F-cued targets, demonstrating an effect of directed forgetting. In contrast, no directed forgetting effect was seen for the background pictures. An effect of context-dependent recognition was seen in Experiments 1 and 2, such that the hit rate and the false-alarm rate were greater for items tested in an old compared to a novel context. An effect of context-dependent discrimination was also observed in Experiment 2 as the hit rate was greater for targets shown in their same old study context compared to a different old context. The effects of context and directed forgetting did not interact. The results are consistent with Malmberg and Shiffrin's (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 31, 322-336, 2005) "one-shot" context storage hypothesis that assumes that a fixed amount of context is stored in the first 1 to 2 s of the presentation of the study item. The effects of context are independent of item-based directed forgetting because context is encoded prior to the R or F cue, and the differential processing of target information that gives rise to the directed forgetting effect occurs after the cue.

Distribution of interstellar plasma in the direction of PSR B0525+21 from data obtained on a ground-space interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrianov, A. S.; Smirnova, T. V.; Shishov, V. I.; Gwinn, C.; Popov, M. V.

2017-06-01

Observations on the RadioAstron ground-space interferometer with the participation of the Green Bank and Arecibo ground telescopes at 1668 MHz have enabled studies of the characteristics of the interstellar plasma in the direction of the pulsar PSR B0525+21. The maximum projected baseline for the ground-space interferometer was 233 600 km. The scintillations in these observations were strong, and the spectrum of inhomogeneties in the interstellar plasma was a power law with index n = 3.74, corresponding to a Kolmogorov spectrum. A new method for estimating the size of the scattering disk was applied to estimate the scattering angle (scattering disk radius) in the direction toward PSR B0525+21, θ scat = 0.028 ± 0.002 milliarcsecond. The scattering in this direction occurs in a plasma layer located at a distance of 0.1 Z from the pulsar, where Z is the distance from the pulsar to the observer. For the adopted distance Z = 1.6 kpc, the screen is located at a distance of 1.44 kpc from the observer.

Excitatory synaptic inputs to mouse on-off direction-selective retinal ganglion cells lack direction tuning.

PubMed

Park, Silvia J H; Kim, In-Jung; Looger, Loren L; Demb, Jonathan B; Borghuis, Bart G

2014-03-12

Direction selectivity represents a fundamental visual computation. In mammalian retina, On-Off direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) respond strongly to motion in a preferred direction and weakly to motion in the opposite, null direction. Electrical recordings suggested three direction-selective (DS) synaptic mechanisms: DS GABA release during null-direction motion from starburst amacrine cells (SACs) and DS acetylcholine and glutamate release during preferred direction motion from SACs and bipolar cells. However, evidence for DS acetylcholine and glutamate release has been inconsistent and at least one bipolar cell type that contacts another DSGC (On-type) lacks DS release. Here, whole-cell recordings in mouse retina showed that cholinergic input to On-Off DSGCs lacked DS, whereas the remaining (glutamatergic) input showed apparent DS. Fluorescence measurements with the glutamate biosensor intensity-based glutamate-sensing fluorescent reporter (iGluSnFR) conditionally expressed in On-Off DSGCs showed that glutamate release in both On- and Off-layer dendrites lacked DS, whereas simultaneously recorded excitatory currents showed apparent DS. With GABA-A receptors blocked, both iGluSnFR signals and excitatory currents lacked DS. Our measurements rule out DS release from bipolar cells onto On-Off DSGCs and support a theoretical model suggesting that apparent DS excitation in voltage-clamp recordings results from inadequate voltage control of DSGC dendrites during null-direction inhibition. SAC GABA release is the apparent sole source of DS input onto On-Off DSGCs.

Direct and compound reactions induced by unstable helium beams near the Coulomb barrier

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

Navin, A.; Tripathi, V.; Chatterjee, A.

2004-10-01

Reactions induced by radioactive {sup 6,8}He beams from the SPIRAL facility were studied on {sup 63,65}Cu and {sup 188,190,192}Os targets and compared to reactions with the stable {sup 4}He projectiles from the Mumbai Pelletron. Partial residue cross sections for fusion and neutron transfer obtained from the measured intensities of characteristic in-beam {gamma} rays for the {sup 6}He+{sup 63,65}Cu systems are presented. Coincidence measurements of heavy reaction products, identified by their characteristic {gamma} rays, with projectilelike charged particles, provide direct evidence for a large transfer cross section with Borromean nuclei {sup 6}He at 19.5 and 30 MeV and {sup 8}He atmore » 27 MeV. Reaction cross sections were also obtained from measured elastic angular distributions for {sup 6,8}He+Cu systems. Cross sections for fusion and direct reactions with {sup 4,6}He beams on heavier targets of {sup 188,192}Os at 30 MeV are also presented. The present work underlines the need to distinguish between various reaction mechanisms leading to the same products before drawing conclusions about the effect of weak binding on the fusion process. The feasibility of extracting small cross sections from inclusive in-beam {gamma}-ray measurements for reaction studies near the Coulomb barrier with low intensity isotope separation on-line beams is highlighted.« less

Eye-Tracking Evidence that Happy Faces Impair Verbal Message Comprehension: The Case of Health Warnings in Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Television Commercials

PubMed Central

Russell, Cristel Antonia; Swasy, John L.; Russell, Dale Wesley; Engel, Larry

2017-01-01

Risk warning or disclosure information in advertising is only effective in correcting consumers’ judgments if enough cognitive capacity is available to process that information. Hence, comprehension of verbal warnings in TV commercials may suffer if accompanied by positive visual elements. This research addresses this concern about cross-modality interference in the context of direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical commercials in the United States by experimentally testing whether positive facial expressions reduce consumers’ understanding of the mandated health warning. A content analysis of a sample of DTC commercials reveals that positive facial expressions are more prevalent during the verbal warning act of the commercials than during the other acts. An eye-tracking experiment conducted with specially produced DTC commercials, which vary the valence of characters’ facial expressions during the health warning, provides evidence that happy faces reduce objective comprehension of the warning. PMID:29269979

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses − a literature review

PubMed Central

Sikkema, Reina Saapke; Freidl, Gudrun Stephanie; de Bruin, Erwin; Koopmans, Marion

2016-01-01

Assessing influenza A virus strains circulating in animals and their potential to cross the species barrier and cause human infections is important to improve human influenza surveillance and preparedness. We reviewed studies describing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses. Comparing serological data is difficult due to a lack of standardisation in study designs and in laboratory methods used in published reports. Therefore, we designed a scoring system to assess and weigh specificity of obtained serology results in the selected articles. Many studies report reliable evidence of antibodies to swine influenza viruses among persons occupationally exposed to pigs. Most avian influenza studies target H5, H7 and H9 subtypes and most serological evidence of human exposure to avian influenza viruses is reported for these subtypes. Avian influenza studies receiving a low grade in this review often reported higher seroprevalences in humans compared with studies with a high grade. Official surveillance systems mainly focus on avian H5 and H7 viruses. Swine influenza viruses and avian subtypes other than H5 and H7 (emphasising H9) should be additionally included in official surveillance systems. Surveillance efforts should also be directed towards understudied geographical areas, such as Africa and South America. PMID:27874827

Biomolecular Evidence of Silk from 8,500 Years Ago

PubMed Central

Gong, Yuxuan; Li, Li; Gong, Decai; Yin, Hao; Zhang, Juzhong

2016-01-01

Pottery, bone implements, and stone tools are routinely found at Neolithic sites. However, the integrity of textiles or silk is susceptible to degradation, and it is therefore very difficult for such materials to be preserved for 8,000 years. Although previous studies have provided important evidence of the emergence of weaving skills and tools, such as figuline spinning wheels and osseous lamellas with traces of filament winding, there is a lack of direct evidence proving the existence of silk. In this paper, we explored evidence of prehistoric silk fibroin through the analysis of soil samples collected from three tombs at the Neolithic site of Jiahu. Mass spectrometry was employed and integrated with proteomics to characterize the key peptides of silk fibroin. The direct biomolecular evidence reported here showed the existence of prehistoric silk fibroin, which was found in 8,500-year-old tombs. Rough weaving tools and bone needles were also excavated, indicating the possibility that the Jiahu residents may possess the basic weaving and sewing skills in making textile. This finding may advance the study of the history of silk, and the civilization of the Neolithic Age. PMID:27941996

Piezo-generated charge mapping revealed through direct piezoelectric force microscopy.

PubMed

Gomez, A; Gich, M; Carretero-Genevrier, A; Puig, T; Obradors, X

2017-10-24

While piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials play a key role in many everyday applications, there are still a number of open questions related to their physics. To enhance our understanding of piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics, nanoscale characterization is essential. Here, we develop an atomic force microscopy based mode that obtains a direct quantitative analysis of the piezoelectric coefficient d 33 . We report nanoscale images of piezogenerated charge in a thick single crystal of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), a bismuth ferrite (BiFO 3 ) thin film, and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) by applying a force and recording the current produced by these materials. The quantification of d 33 coefficients for PPLN (14 ± 3 pC per N) and BFO (43 ± 6 pC per N) is in agreement with the values reported in the literature. Even stronger evidence of the reliability of the method is provided by an equally accurate measurement of the significantly larger d 33 of PZT.

Decompression to altitude: assumptions, experimental evidence, and future directions.

PubMed

Foster, Philip P; Butler, Bruce D

2009-02-01

Although differences exist, hypobaric and hyperbaric exposures share common physiological, biochemical, and clinical features, and their comparison may provide further insight into the mechanisms of decompression stress. Although altitude decompression illness (DCI) has been experienced by high-altitude Air Force pilots and is common in ground-based experiments simulating decompression profiles of extravehicular activities (EVAs) or astronauts' space walks, no case has been reported during actual EVAs in the non-weight-bearing microgravity environment of orbital space missions. We are uncertain whether gravity influences decompression outcomes via nitrogen tissue washout or via alterations related to skeletal muscle activity. However, robust experimental evidence demonstrated the role of skeletal muscle exercise, activities, and/or movement in bubble formation and DCI occurrence. Dualism of effects of exercise, positive or negative, on bubble formation and DCI is a striking feature in hypobaric exposure. Therefore, the discussion and the structure of this review are centered on those highlighted unresolved topics about the relationship between muscle activity, decompression, and microgravity. This article also provides, in the context of altitude decompression, an overview of the role of denitrogenation, metabolic gases, gas micronuclei, stabilization of bubbles, biochemical pathways activated by bubbles, nitric oxide, oxygen, anthropometric or physiological variables, Doppler-detectable bubbles, and potential arterialization of bubbles. These findings and uncertainties will produce further physiological challenges to solve in order to line up for the programmed human return to the Moon, the preparation for human exploration of Mars, and the EVAs implementation in a non-zero gravity environment.

Burnout and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Evidence, Possible Causal Paths, and Promising Research Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melamed, Samuel; Shirom, Arie; Toker, Sharon; Berliner, Shlomo; Shapira, Itzhak

2006-01-01

Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness, resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related stress. The authors review the accumulated evidence suggesting that burnout and the related concept of vital exhaustion are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and…

Multi-directional radiation detector using photographic film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junet, L. K.; Majid, Z. A. Abdul; Sapuan, A. H.; Sayed, I. S.; Pauzi, N. F.

2014-11-01

Ionising radiation has always been part of our surrounding and people are continuously exposed to it. Ionising radiation is harmful to human health, thus it is vital to monitor the radiation. To monitor radiation, there are three main points that should be observed cautiously, which are energy, quantity, and direction of the radiation sources. A three dimensional (3D) dosimeter is an example of a radiation detector that provide these three main points. This dosimeter is able to record the radiation dose distribution in 3D. Applying the concept of dose detection distribution, study has been done to design a multi-directional radiation detector of different filter thicknesses. This is obtained by designing a cylinder shaped aluminum filter with several layers of different thickness. Black and white photographic material is used as a radiation-sensitive material and a PVC material has been used as the enclosure. The device is then exposed to a radiation source with different exposure factors. For exposure factor 70 kVp, 16 mAs; the results have shown that optical density (OD) value at 135° is 1.86 higher compared with an OD value at 315° which is 0.71 as the 135° area received more radiation compare to 315° region. Furthermore, with an evidence of different angle of film give different value of OD shows that this device has a multidirectional ability. Materials used to develop this device are widely available in the market, thus reducing the cost of development and making it suitable for commercialisation.

Goal-directed learning and obsessive–compulsive disorder

PubMed Central

Gillan, Claire M.; Robbins, Trevor W.

2014-01-01

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) has become a paradigmatic case of goal-directed dysfunction in psychiatry. In this article, we review the neurobiological evidence, historical and recent, that originally led to this supposition and continues to support a habit hypothesis of OCD. We will then discuss a number of recent studies that have directly tested this hypothesis, using behavioural experiments in patient populations. Based on this research evidence, which suggests that rather than goal-directed avoidance behaviours, compulsions in OCD may derive from manifestations of excessive habit formation, we present the details of a novel account of the functional relationship between these habits and the full symptom profile of the disorder. Borrowing from a cognitive dissonance framework, we propose that the irrational threat beliefs (obsessions) characteristic of OCD may be a consequence, rather than an instigator, of compulsive behaviour in these patients. This lays the foundation for a potential shift in both clinical and neuropsychological conceptualization of OCD and related disorders. This model may also prove relevant to other putative disorders of compulsivity, such as substance dependence, where the experience of ‘wanting’ drugs may be better understood as post hoc rationalizations of otherwise goal-insensitive, stimulus-driven behaviour. PMID:25267818

46 CFR 4.05-12 - Alcohol or drug use by individuals directly involved in casualties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Identifies those individuals for whom evidence of drug or alcohol use, or evidence of intoxication, has been... carried, pertaining to those individuals for whom evidence of intoxication is obtained. The individual...

Directional radiance measurements: Challenges in the sampling of landscapes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deering, D. W.

1994-01-01

Most earth surfaces, particularly those supporting natural vegetation ecosystems, constitute structurally and spectrally complex surfaces that are distinctly non-Lambertian reflectors. Obtaining meaningful measurements of the directional radiances of landscapes and obtaining estimates of the complete bidirectional reflectance distribution functions of ground targets with complex and variable landscape and radiometric features are challenging tasks. Reasons for the increased interest in directional radiance measurements are presented, and the issues that must be addressed when trying to acquire directional radiances for vegetated land surfaces from different types of remote sensing platforms are discussed. Priority research emphases are suggested, concerning field measurements of directional surface radiances and reflectances for future research. Primarily, emphasis must be given to the acquisition of more complete and directly associated radiometric and biometric parameter data sets that will empower the exploitation of the 'angular dimension' in remote sensing of vegetation through enabling the further development and rigorous validation of state of the art plant canopy models.

Parent ADHD and Evidence-Based Treatment for Their Children: Review and Directions for Future Research

PubMed Central

Woods, Kelsey E.; Strickland, Jennifer; Stein, Mark A.

2017-01-01

One fourth to one half of parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have ADHD themselves, complicating delivery of evidence-based child behavioral and pharmacological treatments. In this article, we review the literature examining the relation between parent ADHD and outcomes following behavioral and pharmacological treatments for their children with ADHD. We also review research that has incorporated treatment of parent ADHD (either alone or in combination with child treatment) with the goal of improving parenting and child outcomes. Finally, we offer recommendations for future research on the relation between parent ADHD and evidence-based treatment outcomes for their children, with the purpose of advancing the science and informing clinical care of these families. PMID:28025755

Perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors in clinical samples: current evidence and future directions.

PubMed

Hill, Ryan M; Pettit, Jeremy W

2014-07-01

The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide identifies perceived burdensomeness as a primary component of suicidal desire and a possible point of intervention for suicide prevention. A growing literature has explored the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors. The aim of this review is to integrate the evidence, identify critical gaps in the evidence-base, and explore implications for translation to prevention and intervention science. Papers published that reported on the association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors were included. The literature indicates (a) significant cross-sectional associations between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and (b) that perceived burdensomeness acts as either a moderator or a mediator of the association between risk and protective factors and suicide-related behaviors. Research is needed to examine the longitudinal association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors, develop additional measurement approaches, generalize findings to other samples, and begin translating findings to prevention and intervention science. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Proctalgia fugax, an evidence-based management pathway.

PubMed

Jeyarajah, Santhini; Chow, Andre; Ziprin, Paul; Tilney, Henry; Purkayastha, Sanjay

2010-09-01

Proctalgia fugax (PF) is a benign anorectal condition which has been described in the literature since the nineteenth century commonly presenting to general surgeons. There is little high level evidence on the subject and its therapeutic modalities. We aimed through this systematic literature review to outline the definition and diagnostic criteria of this condition, the aetiology and differential diagnoses and describe the different treatment modalities that have been attempted and their success. A literature search of Google Scholar and Medline using Pubmed as the search engine was used to identify all studies directly related to the definition, aetiology and treatment options for this condition (latest at 12 August 2008) was performed. The search produced 61 references with three others obtained from the references of these papers. The prevalence of PF in the general population ranges from 4% to 18%. The diagnosis is based on the presence of characteristic symptoms as defined by Rome III guidelines and physical examination. The mainstay of treatment is reassurance and careful counselling with evidence in the literature for warm baths, topical treatment with glyceryl trinitrate or diltiazem and salbutamol inhalation. In persistent cases, local anaesthetic blocks, clonidine or Botox injections can be considered after clarification of risk and benefit. Based on this we suggest that diagnosis should be made through exclusion of common organic causes such as haemorrhoids, anal fissure or anorectal carcinoma and on the fulfillment of Rome III criteria. The main treatment for this benign condition remains reassurance and topical treatment.

Assessing the sensitivity of diffusion MRI to detect neuronal activity directly.

PubMed

Bai, Ruiliang; Stewart, Craig V; Plenz, Dietmar; Basser, Peter J

2016-03-22

Functional MRI (fMRI) is widely used to study brain function in the neurosciences. Unfortunately, conventional fMRI only indirectly assesses neuronal activity via hemodynamic coupling. Diffusion fMRI was proposed as a more direct and accurate fMRI method to detect neuronal activity, yet confirmative findings have proven difficult to obtain. Given that the underlying relation between tissue water diffusion changes and neuronal activity remains unclear, the rationale for using diffusion MRI to monitor neuronal activity has yet to be clearly established. Here, we studied the correlation between water diffusion and neuronal activity in vitro by simultaneous calcium fluorescence imaging and diffusion MR acquisition. We used organotypic cortical cultures from rat brains as a biological model system, in which spontaneous neuronal activity robustly emerges free of hemodynamic and other artifacts. Simultaneous fluorescent calcium images of neuronal activity are then directly correlated with diffusion MR signals now free of confounds typically encountered in vivo. Although a simultaneous increase of diffusion-weighted MR signals was observed together with the prolonged depolarization of neurons induced by pharmacological manipulations (in which cell swelling was demonstrated to play an important role), no evidence was found that diffusion MR signals directly correlate with normal spontaneous neuronal activity. These results suggest that, whereas current diffusion MR methods could monitor pathological conditions such as hyperexcitability, e.g., those seen in epilepsy, they do not appear to be sensitive or specific enough to detect or follow normal neuronal activity.

Assessing the sensitivity of diffusion MRI to detect neuronal activity directly

PubMed Central

Bai, Ruiliang; Stewart, Craig V.; Plenz, Dietmar; Basser, Peter J.

2016-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) is widely used to study brain function in the neurosciences. Unfortunately, conventional fMRI only indirectly assesses neuronal activity via hemodynamic coupling. Diffusion fMRI was proposed as a more direct and accurate fMRI method to detect neuronal activity, yet confirmative findings have proven difficult to obtain. Given that the underlying relation between tissue water diffusion changes and neuronal activity remains unclear, the rationale for using diffusion MRI to monitor neuronal activity has yet to be clearly established. Here, we studied the correlation between water diffusion and neuronal activity in vitro by simultaneous calcium fluorescence imaging and diffusion MR acquisition. We used organotypic cortical cultures from rat brains as a biological model system, in which spontaneous neuronal activity robustly emerges free of hemodynamic and other artifacts. Simultaneous fluorescent calcium images of neuronal activity are then directly correlated with diffusion MR signals now free of confounds typically encountered in vivo. Although a simultaneous increase of diffusion-weighted MR signals was observed together with the prolonged depolarization of neurons induced by pharmacological manipulations (in which cell swelling was demonstrated to play an important role), no evidence was found that diffusion MR signals directly correlate with normal spontaneous neuronal activity. These results suggest that, whereas current diffusion MR methods could monitor pathological conditions such as hyperexcitability, e.g., those seen in epilepsy, they do not appear to be sensitive or specific enough to detect or follow normal neuronal activity. PMID:26941239

Evidence for Implicit Learning in Syntactic Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fine, Alex B.; Jaeger, T. Florian

2013-01-01

This study provides evidence for implicit learning in syntactic comprehension. By reanalyzing data from a syntactic priming experiment (Thothathiri & Snedeker, 2008), we find that the error signal associated with a syntactic prime influences comprehenders' subsequent syntactic expectations. This follows directly from error-based implicit learning…

Evidence, models, conservation programs and limits to management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, J.D.

2012-01-01

Walsh et al. (2012) emphasized the importance of obtaining evidence to assess the effects of management actions on state variables relevant to objectives of conservation programs. They focused on malleefowl Leipoa ocellata, ground-dwelling Australian megapodes listed as vulnerable. They noted that although fox Vulpes vulpes baiting is the main management action used in malleefowl conservation throughout southern Australia, evidence of the effectiveness of this action is limited and currently debated. Walsh et al. (2012) then used data from 64 sites monitored for malleefowl and foxes over 23 years to assess key functional relationships relevant to fox control as a conservation action for malleefowl. In one set of analyses, Walsh et al. (2012) focused on two relationships: fox baiting investment versus fox presence, and fox presence versus malleefowl population size and rate of population change. Results led to the counterintuitive conclusion that increases in investments in fox control produced slight decreases in malleefowl population size and growth. In a second set of analyses, Walsh et al. (2012) directly assessed the relationship between investment in fox baiting and malleefowl population size and rate of population change. This set of analyses showed no significant relationship between investment in fox population control and malleefowl population growth. Both sets of analyses benefited from the incorporation of key environmental covariates hypothesized to influence these management relationships. Walsh et al. (2012) concluded that "in most situations, malleefowl conservation did not effectively benefit from fox baiting at current levels of investment." In this commentary, I discuss the work of Walsh et al. (2012) using the conceptual framework of structured decision making (SDM). In doing so, I accept their analytic results and associated conclusions as accurate and discuss basic ideas about evidence, conservation and limits to management.

Promoting evidence-based practice in pharmacies.

PubMed

Toklu, Hale Zerrin

2015-01-01

Evidence-based medicine aims to optimize decision-making by using evidence from well-designed and conducted research. The concept of reliable evidence is essential, since the number of electronic information resources is increasing in parallel to the increasing number and type of drugs on the market. The decision-making process is a complex and requires an extensive evaluation as well as the interpretation of the data obtained. Different sources provide different levels of evidence for decision-making. Not all the data have the same value as the evidence. Rational use of medicine requires that the patients receive "medicines appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their own individual requirements, for an adequate period of time, and at the lowest cost to them and their community." Pharmacists have a crucial role in the health system to maintain the rational use of medicine and provide pharmaceutical care to patients, because they are the drug experts who are academically trained for this purpose. The rational use of the pharmacist's workforce will improve the outcome of pharmacotherapy as well as decreasing the global health costs.

Looking at Earth from space: Direct readout from environmental satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Direct readout is the capability to acquire information directly from meteorological satellites. Data can be acquired from NASA-developed, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-operated satellites, as well as from other nations' meteorological satellites. By setting up a personal computer-based ground (Earth) station to receive satellite signals, direct readout may be obtained. The electronic satellite signals are displayed as images on the computer screen. The images can display gradients of the Earth's topography and temperature, cloud formations, the flow and direction of winds and water currents, the formation of hurricanes, the occurrence of an eclipse, and a view of Earth's geography. Both visible and infrared images can be obtained. This booklet introduces the satellite systems, ground station configuration, and computer requirements involved in direct readout. Also included are lists of associated resources and vendors.

Nursing and midwifery use, perceptions and barriers to evidence-based practice: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Fry, Margaret; Attawet, Jutharat

2018-03-01

The study aimed to explore how nurses and midwives obtain, use and embed evidence in everyday practice. The study design was cross-sectional survey method. The setting was one local health district in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. All nurses and midwives working within the local health district, with access to an email account, were invited to participate in the study. An online survey questionnaire was distributed to explore how evidence is obtained, used and embedded within the clinical setting. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentages). Pearson's Chi-square tests were used for comparison between groups. There were 204 survey respondents. The findings identified that the majority (n = 157; 76.96%) of respondents obtained evidence primarily from clinical practice guidelines. The majority (n = 149; 73.04%) of respondents reportedly searched databases and used evidence related to general clinical practice. There was a statistical difference (χ = 17.069; df = 8; P = 0.029) when comparing leadership positions and other registered practitioner groups in the frequency of searching for evidence. Most respondents (n = 138; 67.65%) were confident in their ability to change practice on the basis of available evidence. Thematic analysis identified four barriers to sustaining evidence-based practice, which included: the need for time; the need for organizational and management support; the need for educational opportunities and challenges to accessing evidence. The study provided an understanding of how nurses and midwives obtain, use and embed evidence into everyday practice. More importantly, the role of leadership is significant to support a process of knowledge generation, research translation and the implementation of evidence into clinical settings.

Evidence mapping: illustrating an emerging methodology to improve evidence-based practice in youth mental health.

PubMed

Hetrick, Sarah E; Parker, Alexandra G; Callahan, Patrick; Purcell, Rosemary

2010-12-01

Within the field of evidence-based practice, a process termed 'evidence mapping' is emerging as a less exhaustive yet systematic and replicable methodology that allows an understanding of the extent and distribution of evidence in a broad clinical area, highlighting both what is known and where gaps in evidence exist. This article describes the general principles of mapping methodology by using illustrations derived from our experience conducting an evidence map of interventions for youth mental-health disorders. Evidence maps are based on an explicit research question relating to the field of enquiry, which may vary in depth, but should be informed by end-users. The research question then drives the search for, and collection of, appropriate studies utilizing explicit and reproducible methods at each stage. This includes clear definition of components of the research question, development of a thorough and reproducible search strategy, development of explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, and transparent decisions about the level of information to be obtained from each study. Evidence mapping is emerging as a rigorous methodology for gathering and disseminating up-to-date information to end-users. Thoughtful planning and assessment of available resources (e.g. staff, time, budget) are required by those applying this methodology to their particular field of clinical enquiry given the potential scope of the work. The needs of the end-user need to be balanced with available resources. Information derived needs to be effectively communicated, with the uptake of that evidence into clinical practice the ultimate aim. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Extremely rapid directional change during Matuyama-Brunhes geomagnetic polarity reversal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scardia, Giancarlo; Giaccio, Biagio; Liddicoat, Joseph C.; Nomade, Sebastien; Renne, Paul R.; Sprain, Courtney J.

2014-11-01

We report a palaeomagnetic investigation of the last full geomagnetic field reversal, the Matuyama-Brunhes (M-B) transition, as preserved in a continuous sequence of exposed lacustrine sediments in the Apennines of Central Italy. The palaeomagnetic record provides the most direct evidence for the tempo of transitional field behaviour yet obtained for the M-B transition. 40Ar/39Ar dating of tephra layers bracketing the M-B transition provides high-accuracy age constraints and indicates a mean sediment accumulation rate of about 0.2 mm yr-1 during the transition. Two relative palaeointensity (RPI) minima are present in the M-B transition. During the terminus of the upper RPI minimum, a directional change of about 180 ° occurred at an extremely fast rate, estimated to be less than 2 ° per year, with no intermediate virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) documented during the transit from the southern to northern hemisphere. Thus, the entry into the Brunhes Normal Chron as represented by the palaeomagnetic directions and VGPs developed in a time interval comparable to the duration of an average human life, which is an order of magnitude more rapid than suggested by current models. The reported investigation therefore provides high-resolution integrated palaeomagnetic and radioisotopic data that document the fine details of the anatomy and tempo of the M-B transition in Central Italy that in turn are crucial for a better understanding of Earth's magnetic field, and for the development of more sophisticated models that are able to describe its global structure and behaviour.

From randomized controlled trials to evidence grading schemes: current state of evidence-based practice in social sciences.

PubMed

Boruch, Robert; Rui, Ning

2008-11-01

With the advance of web search and navigation technology, enormous amount of information, non-information, and misinformation may be obtained in milliseconds in response to questions about 'what works' in social sciences. Today, policy makers in non-medical public service arenas are under increasing pressure to make sound decisions based on scientific evidence. Some of these decisions are a matter of legal requirement. This paper shows how such movements are closely aligned with the evolution of organizations that develop and apply evidence standards and evidence grading schemes within the social science communities. The current state of evidence-based practice in social sciences is examined by reviewing the latest development of randomized trials and evidence grading schemes in the fields of education, criminal justice, and social welfare. Studies conducted under the auspices of the Campbell Collaboration and What Works Clearinghouse are used to illustrate ingredients of evidence grading schemes, graphic display of results of systematic reviews, and discrepancies of evidence derived from randomized trials and non-experimental trials. Furthermore, it is argued that the use of evidence on 'what works' depends on the potential users' awareness, understanding of the evidence, as well as their capacity and willingness to use it. Awareness and understanding depends on the world wide web and its augmentations, while capacity and willingness depends more on incentives to use good evidence and on political and ethical values. Implications for the future development of evidence grading organizations are discussed. © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

A care pathway analysis of tuberculosis patients in benin: Highlights on direct costs and critical stages for an evidence-based decision-making.

PubMed

Laokri, Samia; Amoussouhui, Arnaud; Ouendo, Edgard M; Hounnankan, Athanase Cossi; Anagonou, Séverin; Gninafon, Martin; Kassa, Ferdinand; Tawo, Léon; Dujardin, Bruno

2014-01-01

Free tuberculosis control fail to protect patients from substantial medical and non-medical expenditure, thus a greater degree of disaggregation of patient cost is needed to fully capture their context and inform policymaking. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of six health districts of Southern Benin. From August 2008 to February 2009, we recruited all smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients treated under the national strategy in the selected districts. Direct out-of-pocket costs associated with tuberculosis, time delays, and care-seeking pattern were collected from symptom onset to end of treatment. Population description and outcome data were reported for 245 patients of whom 153 completed their care pathway. For them, the median overall direct cost was USD 183 per patient. Payments to traditional healers, self-medication drugs, travel, and food expenditures contributed largely to this cost burden. Patient, provider, and treatment delays were also reported. Pre-diagnosis and intensive treatment stages were the most critical stages, with median expenditure of USD 43 per patient and accounting for 38% and 29% of the overall direct cost, respectively. However, financial barriers differed depending on whether the patient lived in urban or rural areas. This study delivers new evidence about bottlenecks encountered during the TB care pathway. Financial barriers to accessing the free-of-charge tuberculosis control strategy in Benin remain substantial for low-income households. Irregular time delays and hidden costs, often generated by multiple visits to various care providers, impair appropriate patient pathways. Particular attention should be paid to pre-diagnosis and intensive treatment. Cost assessment and combined targeted interventions embodied by a patient-centered approach on the specific critical stages would likely deliver better program outcomes.

Footprints of Directional Selection in Wild Atlantic Salmon Populations: Evidence for Parasite-Driven Evolution?

PubMed Central

Zueva, Ksenia J.; Lumme, Jaakko; Veselov, Alexey E.; Kent, Matthew P.; Lien, Sigbjørn; Primmer, Craig R.

2014-01-01

Mechanisms of host-parasite co-adaptation have long been of interest in evolutionary biology; however, determining the genetic basis of parasite resistance has been challenging. Current advances in genome technologies provide new opportunities for obtaining a genome-scale view of the action of parasite-driven natural selection in wild populations and thus facilitate the search for specific genomic regions underlying inter-population differences in pathogen response. European populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) exhibit natural variance in susceptibility levels to the ectoparasite Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg 1957, ranging from resistance to extreme susceptibility, and are therefore a good model for studying the evolution of virulence and resistance. However, distinguishing the molecular signatures of genetic drift and environment-associated selection in small populations such as land-locked Atlantic salmon populations presents a challenge, specifically in the search for pathogen-driven selection. We used a novel genome-scan analysis approach that enabled us to i) identify signals of selection in salmon populations affected by varying levels of genetic drift and ii) separate potentially selected loci into the categories of pathogen (G. salaris)-driven selection and selection acting upon other environmental characteristics. A total of 4631 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in Atlantic salmon from 12 different northern European populations. We identified three genomic regions potentially affected by parasite-driven selection, as well as three regions presumably affected by salinity-driven directional selection. Functional annotation of candidate SNPs is consistent with the role of the detected genomic regions in immune defence and, implicitly, in osmoregulation. These results provide new insights into the genetic basis of pathogen susceptibility in Atlantic salmon and will enable future searches for the specific genes involved. PMID

Grating-assisted surface acoustic wave directional couplers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golan, G.; Griffel, G.; Seidman, A.; Croitoru, N.

1991-07-01

Physical properties of novel grating-assisted Y directional couplers are examined using the coupled-mode theory. A general formalism for the analysis of the lateral perturbed directional coupler properties is presented. Explicit expressions for waveguide key parameters such as coupling length, grating period, and other structural characterizations, are obtained. The influence of other physical properties such as time and frequency response or cutoff conditions are also analyzed. A plane grating-assisted directional coupler is presented and examined as a basic component in the integrated acoustic technology.

Hydraulic tests with direct-push equipment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, J.J.; Healey, J.M.; McCall, G.W.; Garnett, E.J.; Loheide, Steven P.

2002-01-01

The potential of direct-push technology for hydraulic characterization of saturated flow systems was investigated at a field site with a considerable degree of subsurface control. Direct-push installations were emplaced by attaching short lengths of screen (shielded and unshielded) to the bottom end of a tool string that was then advanced into the unconsolidated sediments. A series of constant-rate pumping tests were performed in a coarse sand and gravel aquifer using direct-push tool strings as observation wells. Very good agreement (within 4%) was found between hydraulic conductivity (K) estimates from direct-push installations and those from conventional wells. A program of slug tests was performed in direct-push installations using small-diameter adaptations of solid-slug and pneumatic methods. In a sandy silt interval of moderate hydraulic conductivity, K values from tests in a shielded screen tool were in excellent agreement (within 2%) with those from tests in a nearby well. In the coarse sand and gravel aquifer, K values were within 12% of those from multilevel slug tests at a nearby well. However, in the more permeable portions of the aquifer (K > 70 m/day), the smaller-diameter direct-push rods (0.016 m inner diameter [I.D.]) attenuated test responses, leading to an underprediction of K. In those conditions, use of larger-diameter rods (e.g., 0.038 m I.D.) is necessary to obtain K values representative of the formation. This investigation demonstrates that much valuable information can be obtained from hydraulic tests in direct-push installations. As with any type of hydraulic test, K estimates are critically dependent on use of appropriate emplacement and development procedures. In particular, driving an unshielded screen through a heterogeneous sequence will often lead to a buildup of low-K material that can be difficult to remove with standard development procedures.

Directional genomic hybridization for chromosomal inversion discovery and detection.

PubMed

Ray, F Andrew; Zimmerman, Erin; Robinson, Bruce; Cornforth, Michael N; Bedford, Joel S; Goodwin, Edwin H; Bailey, Susan M

2013-04-01

Chromosomal rearrangements are a source of structural variation within the genome that figure prominently in human disease, where the importance of translocations and deletions is well recognized. In principle, inversions-reversals in the orientation of DNA sequences within a chromosome-should have similar detrimental potential. However, the study of inversions has been hampered by traditional approaches used for their detection, which are not particularly robust. Even with significant advances in whole genome approaches, changes in the absolute orientation of DNA remain difficult to detect routinely. Consequently, our understanding of inversions is still surprisingly limited, as is our appreciation for their frequency and involvement in human disease. Here, we introduce the directional genomic hybridization methodology of chromatid painting-a whole new way of looking at structural features of the genome-that can be employed with high resolution on a cell-by-cell basis, and demonstrate its basic capabilities for genome-wide discovery and targeted detection of inversions. Bioinformatics enabled development of sequence- and strand-specific directional probe sets, which when coupled with single-stranded hybridization, greatly improved the resolution and ease of inversion detection. We highlight examples of the far-ranging applicability of this cytogenomics-based approach, which include confirmation of the alignment of the human genome database and evidence that individuals themselves share similar sequence directionality, as well as use in comparative and evolutionary studies for any species whose genome has been sequenced. In addition to applications related to basic mechanistic studies, the information obtainable with strand-specific hybridization strategies may ultimately enable novel gene discovery, thereby benefitting the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of human disease states and disorders including cancer, autism, and idiopathic infertility.

Complexities and Perplexities: A Critical Appraisal of the Evidence for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection-Related Morbidity

PubMed Central

Nery, Susana V.; Doi, Suhail A.; Gray, Darren J.; Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J.; McCarthy, James S.; Traub, Rebecca J.; Andrews, Ross M.; Clements, Archie C. A.

2016-01-01

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) have acute and chronic manifestations, and can result in lifetime morbidity. Disease burden is difficult to quantify, yet quantitative evidence is required to justify large-scale deworming programmes. A recent Cochrane systematic review, which influences Global Burden of Disease (GBD) estimates for STH, has again called into question the evidence for deworming benefit on morbidity due to STH. In this narrative review, we investigate in detail what the shortfalls in evidence are. Methodology/Principal Findings: We systematically reviewed recent literature that used direct measures to investigate morbidity from STH and we critically appraised systematic reviews, particularly the most recent Cochrane systematic review investigating deworming impact on morbidity. We included six systematic reviews and meta-analyses, 36 literature reviews, 44 experimental or observational studies, and five case series. We highlight where evidence is insufficient and where research needs to be directed to strengthen morbidity evidence, ideally to prove benefits of deworming. Conclusions/Significance: Overall, the Cochrane systematic review and recent studies indicate major shortfalls in evidence for direct morbidity. However, it is questionable whether the systematic review methodology should be applied to STH due to heterogeneity of the prevalence of different species in each setting. Urgent investment in studies powered to detect direct morbidity effects due to STH is required. PMID:27196100

Evidence integration in model-based tree search

PubMed Central

Solway, Alec; Botvinick, Matthew M.

2015-01-01

Research on the dynamics of reward-based, goal-directed decision making has largely focused on simple choice, where participants decide among a set of unitary, mutually exclusive options. Recent work suggests that the deliberation process underlying simple choice can be understood in terms of evidence integration: Noisy evidence in favor of each option accrues over time, until the evidence in favor of one option is significantly greater than the rest. However, real-life decisions often involve not one, but several steps of action, requiring a consideration of cumulative rewards and a sensitivity to recursive decision structure. We present results from two experiments that leveraged techniques previously applied to simple choice to shed light on the deliberation process underlying multistep choice. We interpret the results from these experiments in terms of a new computational model, which extends the evidence accumulation perspective to multiple steps of action. PMID:26324932

Dissociable corticostriatal circuits underlie goal-directed vs. cue-elicited habitual food seeking after satiation: evidence from a multimodal MRI study.

PubMed

van Steenbergen, Henk; Watson, Poppy; Wiers, Reinout W; Hommel, Bernhard; de Wit, Sanne

2017-07-01

The present multimodal MRI study advances our understanding of the corticostriatal circuits underlying goal-directed vs. cue-driven, habitual food seeking. To this end, we employed a computerized Pavlovian-instrumental transfer paradigm. During the test phase, participants were free to perform learned instrumental responses (left and right key presses) for popcorn and Smarties outcomes. Importantly, prior to this test half of the participants had been sated on popcorn and the other half on Smarties - resulting in a reduced desirability of those outcomes. Furthermore, during a proportion of the test trials, food-associated Pavlovian cues were presented in the background. In line with previous studies, we found that participants were able to perform in a goal-directed manner in the absence of Pavlovian cues, meaning that specific satiation selectively reduced responding for that food. However, presentation of Pavlovian cues biased choice toward the associated food reward regardless of satiation. Functional MRI analyses revealed that, in the absence of Pavlovian cues, posterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex tracked outcome value. In contrast, during cued trials, the BOLD signal in the posterior putamen differentiated between responses compatible and incompatible with the cue-associated outcome. Furthermore, we identified a region in ventral amygdala showing relatively strong functional connectivity with posterior putamen during the cued trials. Structural MRI analyses provided converging evidence for the involvement of corticostriatal circuits: diffusion tensor imaging data revealed that connectivity of caudate-seeded white-matter tracts to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex predicted responding for still-valuable outcomes; and gray matter integrity in the premotor cortex predicted individual Pavlovian cueing effects. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Management of Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders: The Current Evidence Base and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gowers, Simon; Bryant-Waugh, Rachel

2004-01-01

Although eating disorders in children and adolescents remain a serious cause of morbidity and mortality, the evidence base for effective interventions is surprisingly weak. The adult literature is growing steadily, but this is mainly with regard to psychological therapies for bulimia nervosa and to some extent in the field of pharmacotherapy. This…

Iterative direct inversion: An exact complementary solution for inverting fault-slip data to obtain palaeostresses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafa, Mostafa E.

2005-10-01

The present study shows that reconstructing the reduced stress tensor (RST) from the measurable fault-slip data (FSD) and the immeasurable shear stress magnitudes (SSM) is a typical iteration problem. The result of direct inversion of FSD presented by Angelier [1990. Geophysical Journal International 103, 363-376] is considered as a starting point (zero step iteration) where all SSM are assigned constant value ( λ=√{3}/2). By iteration, the SSM and RST update each other until they converge to fixed values. Angelier [1990. Geophysical Journal International 103, 363-376] designed the function upsilon ( υ) and the two estimators: relative upsilon (RUP) and (ANG) to express the divergence between the measured and calculated shear stresses. Plotting individual faults' RUP at successive iteration steps shows that they tend to zero (simulated data) or to fixed values (real data) at a rate depending on the orientation and homogeneity of the data. FSD of related origin tend to aggregate in clusters. Plots of the estimators ANG versus RUP show that by iteration, labeled data points are disposed in clusters about a straight line. These two new plots form the basis of a technique for separating FSD into homogeneous clusters.

Indirect Positive Evidence in the Acquisition of a Subset Grammar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Misha; Goad, Heather

2017-01-01

This article proposes that second language learners can use indirect positive evidence (IPE) to acquire a phonological grammar that is a subset of their L1 grammar. IPE is evidence from errors in the learner's L1 made by native speakers of the learner's L2. It has been assumed that subset grammars may be acquired using direct or indirect negative…

Engineering evidence for carbon monoxide toxicity cases.

PubMed

Galatsis, Kosmas

2016-07-01

Unintentional carbon monoxide poisonings and fatalities lead to many toxicity cases. Given the unusual physical properties of carbon monoxide-in that the gas is odorless and invisible-unorganized and erroneous methods in obtaining engineering evidence as required during the discovery process often occurs. Such evidence gathering spans domains that include building construction, appliance installation, industrial hygiene, mechanical engineering, combustion and physics. In this paper, we attempt to place a systematic framework that is relevant to key aspects in engineering evidence gathering for unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning cases. Such a framework aims to increase awareness of this process and relevant issues to help guide legal counsel and expert witnesses. © The Author(s) 2015.

Obtaining antibiotics online from within the UK: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Boyd, Sara Elizabeth; Moore, Luke Stephen Prockter; Gilchrist, Mark; Costelloe, Ceire; Castro-Sánchez, Enrique; Franklin, Bryony Dean; Holmes, Alison Helen

2017-01-01

Background: Improved antibiotic stewardship (AS) and reduced prescribing in primary care, with a parallel increase in personal internet use, could lead citizens to obtain antibiotics from alternative sources online. Objectives: A cross-sectional analysis was performed to: (i) determine the quality and legality of online pharmacies selling antibiotics to the UK public; (ii) describe processes for obtaining antibiotics online from within the UK; and (iii) identify resulting AS and patient safety issues. Methods: Searches were conducted for ‘buy antibiotics online’ using Google and Yahoo. For each search engine, data from the first 10 web sites with unique URL addresses were reviewed. Analysis was conducted on evidence of appropriate pharmacy registration, prescription requirement, whether antibiotic choice was ‘prescriber-driven’ or ‘consumer-driven’, and whether specific information was required (allergies, comorbidities, pregnancy) or given (adverse effects) prior to purchase. Results: Twenty unique URL addresses were analysed in detail. Online pharmacies evidencing their location in the UK (n = 5; 25%) required a prescription before antibiotic purchase, and were appropriately registered. Online pharmacies unclear about the location they were operating from (n = 10; 50%) had variable prescription requirements, and no evidence of appropriate registration. Nine (45%) online pharmacies did not require a prescription prior to purchase. For 16 (80%) online pharmacies, decisions were initially consumer-driven for antibiotic choice, dose and quantity. Conclusions: Wide variation exists among online pharmacies in relation to antibiotic practices, highlighting considerable patient safety and AS issues. Improved education, legislation, regulation and new best practice stewardship guidelines are urgently needed for online antibiotic suppliers. PMID:28333179

Levels of Evidence: Integrative Therapies Human Studies (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

Cancer.gov

Levels of Evidence for Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies is about how to weigh the strength of the evidence obtained in cited research studies. Get detailed information this formal ranking system in this summary for clinicians.

The Reach and Impact of Direct Marketing via Brand Websites of Moist Snuff.

PubMed

Timberlake, David S; Bruckner, Tim A; Ngo, Vyvian; Nikitin, Dmitriy

2016-04-01

Restricting tobacco marketing is a key element in the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) public health framework for regulating tobacco. Given the dearth of empirical data on direct marketing, the objective of this study was to assess the reach and impact of promotions on sales through snuff websites. Nine brands of snuff, representing more than 90% of market share, were monitored for content of coupons, sweepstakes, contests, and other promotions on their respective websites. Monthly sales data and website traffic for the 9 brands, corresponding to the 48-month period of January 2011 through December 2014, were obtained from proprietary sources. A time-series analysis, based on the autoregressive, integrated, moving average (ARIMA) method, was employed for testing the relationships among sales, website visits, and promotions. Website traffic increased substantially during the promotion periods for most brands. Time-series analyses, however, revealed that promotion periods for 5 of 7 brands did not significantly correlate with monthly snuff sales. The success in attracting tobacco consumers to website promotions demonstrates the marketing reach of snuff manufacturers. This form of direct marketing should be monitored by the FDA given evidence of adolescents' exposure to cigarette brand websites.

Developing an evidence-based Guide to Community Preventive Services--methods. The Task Force on Community Preventive Services.

PubMed

Briss, P A; Zaza, S; Pappaioanou, M; Fielding, J; Wright-De Agüero, L; Truman, B I; Hopkins, D P; Mullen, P D; Thompson, R S; Woolf, S H; Carande-Kulis, V G; Anderson, L; Hinman, A R; McQueen, D V; Teutsch, S M; Harris, J R

2000-01-01

Systematic reviews and evidence-based recommendations are increasingly important for decision making in health and medicine. Over the past 20 years, information on the science of synthesizing research results has exploded. However, some approaches to systematic reviews of the effectiveness of clinical preventive services and medical care may be less appropriate for evaluating population-based interventions. Furthermore, methods for linking evidence to recommendations are less well developed than methods for synthesizing evidence. The Guide to Community Preventive Services: Systematic Reviews and Evidence-Based Recommendations (the Guide) will evaluate and make recommendations on population-based and public health interventions. This paper provides an overview of the Guide's process to systematically review evidence and translate that evidence into recommendations. The Guide reviews evidence on effectiveness, the applicability of effectiveness data, (i.e., the extent to which available effectiveness data is thought to apply to additional populations and settings), the intervention's other effects (i.e., important side effects), economic impact, and barriers to implementation of interventions. The steps for obtaining and evaluating evidence into recommendations involve: (1) forming multidisciplinary chapter development teams, (2) developing a conceptual approach to organizing, grouping, selecting and evaluating the interventions in each chapter; (3) selecting interventions to be evaluated; (4) searching for and retrieving evidence; (5) assessing the quality of and summarizing the body of evidence of effectiveness; (6) translating the body of evidence of effectiveness into recommendations; (7) considering information on evidence other than effectiveness; and (8) identifying and summarizing research gaps. Systematic reviews of and evidence-based recommendations for population-health interventions are challenging and methods will continue to evolve. However, using an

Cosine Directional Tuning of Theta Cell Burst Frequencies: Evidence for Spatial Coding by Oscillatory Interference

PubMed Central

Welday, Adam C.; Shlifer, I. Gary; Bloom, Matthew L.; Zhang, Kechen

2011-01-01

The rodent septohippocampal system contains “theta cells,” which burst rhythmically at 4–12 Hz, but the functional significance of this rhythm remains poorly understood (Buzsáki, 2006). Theta rhythm commonly modulates the spike trains of spatially tuned neurons such as place (O'Keefe and Dostrovsky, 1971), head direction (Tsanov et al., 2011a), grid (Hafting et al., 2005), and border cells (Savelli et al., 2008; Solstad et al., 2008). An “oscillatory interference” theory has hypothesized that some of these spatially tuned neurons may derive their positional firing from phase interference among theta oscillations with frequencies that are modulated by the speed and direction of translational movements (Burgess et al., 2005, 2007). This theory is supported by studies reporting modulation of theta frequency by movement speed (Rivas et al., 1996; Geisler et al., 2007; Jeewajee et al., 2008a), but modulation of theta frequency by movement direction has never been observed. Here we recorded theta cells from hippocampus, medial septum, and anterior thalamus of freely behaving rats. Theta cell burst frequencies varied as the cosine of the rat's movement direction, and this directional tuning was influenced by landmark cues, in agreement with predictions of the oscillatory interference theory. Computer simulations and mathematical analysis demonstrated how a postsynaptic neuron can detect location-dependent synchrony among inputs from such theta cells, and thereby mimic the spatial tuning properties of place, grid, or border cells. These results suggest that theta cells may serve a high-level computational function by encoding a basis set of oscillatory signals that interfere with one another to synthesize spatial memory representations. PMID:22072668

Characterization of rhenium compounds obtained by electrochemical synthesis after aging process

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

Vargas-Uscategui, Alejandro, E-mail: avargasuscat@ing.uchile.cl; Mosquera, Edgar; López-Encarnación, Juan M.

2014-12-15

The proper identification of the molecular nature of the aged rhenium compound obtained by means of electrodeposition from an alkaline aqueous electrolyte was determined. Chemical, structural and vibrational experimental characterization of the aged Re compound showed agreement with quantum-computations, thereby allowing the unambiguous identification of the Re compound as H(ReO{sub 4})H{sub 2}O. - Graphical abstract: Rhenium oxides were electrodeposited on a copper surface and after environmental aging was formed the H(ReO{sub 4})H{sub 2}O compound. The characterization of the synthesized material was made through the comparison of experimental evidence with quantum mechanical computations carried out by means of density functional theorymore » (DFT). - Highlights: • Aged rhenium compound obtained by means of electrodeposition was studied. • The study was made by combining experimental and DFT-computational information. • The aged electrodeposited material is consistent with the H(ReO{sub 4})H{sub 2}O compound.« less

Development of the Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayyildiz, Yildizay; Tarhan, Leman

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable scale for assessing high school students' self-directed learning skills. Based on a literature review and data obtained from similar instruments, all skills related to self-directed learning were identified. Next, an item pool was prepared and administered to 255 students from various…

Prospective study of direct radiation exposure measurements for family members living with patients with prostate (125)I seed implantation: Evidence of radiation safety.

PubMed

Hanada, Takashi; Yorozu, Atsunori; Shinya, Yukiko; Kuroiwa, Nobuko; Ohashi, Toshio; Saito, Shiro; Shigematsu, Naoyuki

2016-01-01

To broaden the current understanding of radiation exposure and risk and to provide concrete evidence of radiation safety related to (125)I seed implantation. Direct radiation exposure measurements were obtained from dosimeters provided to 25 patients who underwent (125)I seed implantation, along with their family members. The estimated lifetime exposure dose and the precaution time for holding children near the patient's chest were calculated in two study periods. During the first and second study period, the mean estimated lifetime exposure doses were, respectively, 7.61 (range: 0.45, 20.21) mSv and 6.84 (range: 0.41, 19.20) mSv for patients, and 0.19 (range: 0.02, 0.54) mSv and 0.25 (range: 0.04, 1.00) mSv for family members. The mean ratios of first and second period measurements were 1.05 (range: 0.44, 3.18) for patients and 1.82 (range: 0.21, 7.04) for family members. The corresponding absolute differences between first and second period measurements were -0.77 (range: -11.40, 7.63) mSv and 0.06 (range: -0.26, 0.79) mSv, respectively. Assuming a dose limit of 1 mSv, the precaution times for holding a child every day of the first and second periods were 250.9 (range: 71.3, 849.4) min and 275.2 (range: 75.0, 883.4) min, respectively. Assuming a dose limit of 0.5 mSv, the corresponding precaution times were 179.0 (range: 35.6, 811.5) min and 178.9 (range: 37.5, 1131.8) min, respectively. Our study demonstrated low radiation exposures to family members of patients undergoing (125)I prostate implantation. It was clear that (125)I seed implantation did not pose a threat to the safety of family members. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adaptive integration of habits into depth-limited planning defines a habitual-goal–directed spectrum

PubMed Central

Keramati, Mehdi; Smittenaar, Peter; Dolan, Raymond J.; Dayan, Peter

2016-01-01

Behavioral and neural evidence reveal a prospective goal-directed decision process that relies on mental simulation of the environment, and a retrospective habitual process that caches returns previously garnered from available choices. Artificial systems combine the two by simulating the environment up to some depth and then exploiting habitual values as proxies for consequences that may arise in the further future. Using a three-step task, we provide evidence that human subjects use such a normative plan-until-habit strategy, implying a spectrum of approaches that interpolates between habitual and goal-directed responding. We found that increasing time pressure led to shallower goal-directed planning, suggesting that a speed-accuracy tradeoff controls the depth of planning with deeper search leading to more accurate evaluation, at the cost of slower decision-making. We conclude that subjects integrate habit-based cached values directly into goal-directed evaluations in a normative manner. PMID:27791110

[Is "evidence-based medicine" followed by "confidence-based medicine"?].

PubMed

Porzsolt, Franz; Fangerau, Heiner

2010-08-01

In an appeal concerning accusations of defamation, the England and Wales Court of Appeal Decisions determined that evidence-based statements are to be judged as opinions and not statements of fact. Since the authors consider it probable that this legal judgment will exert influence on physicians' decisions about the provision of health care services, they have compiled the implications of the judgment and discuss its consequences. The own analyses and considerations lead to the conclusion that confidence-based medicine follows evidence-based medicine. This extension is necessary because evidence-based medicine has not been able to generate the required trust. Therefore, it will be demanded to underpin the existing concept with additional data. These data will be necessary because it is no longer sufficient to convince scientists with data which are obtained under ideal conditions, but to convince critical members of society with additional data which have been obtained under everyday conditions.

Future Directions for Clinical Research, Services, and Training: Evidence-Based Assessment Across Informants, Cultures, and Dimensional Hierarchies.

PubMed

Achenbach, Thomas M

2017-01-01

As the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) acknowledges, DSM diagnostic categories do not fit the real-world heterogeneity, comorbidity, and complexity of most mental health problems. Many efforts to develop and test evidence-based treatments also fail to take account of the heterogeneity, comorbidity, and complexity of problems seen in the community settings where most mental health services are rendered. Most community services cannot attain the treatment specificity and fidelity characterizing randomized controlled trials, which often yield larger therapeutic effects than when the tested treatments are tried in community services. Widely applicable evidence-based assessments (EBAs) can bridge gaps between evidence-based treatments and the diverse providers, cases, and conditions characterizing community services. To advance community services, intake EBAs can help providers take account of cross-informant discrepancies, parents' problems, multicultural variations, and hierarchical dimensional aspects of psychopathology. To capitalize on intake EBAs, progress and outcome EBAs should be used to identify changes and failures-to-change on which to base recalibrations of treatments. To strengthen therapeutic alliances, the results of intake, progress, and outcome EBAs can be shared with parents. To bridge gaps between research and services, it is recommended that training in clinical research and services should (a) focus on widely applicable EBAs as essential foundations for evidence-based practice; (b) systematically promote intake, progress, and outcome EBAs; and (c) equip psychologists to advance evidence-based practice in community services. To implement these recommendations, research is needed on how to increase use of EBAs, organize services around routine use of EBAs, and help providers base service decisions on EBAs.

Geomagnetic referencing--the real-time compass for directional drillers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buchanan, Andrew; Finn, Carol; Love, Jeffrey J.; Worthington, E. William; Lawson, Fraser; Maus, Stefan; Okewunmi, Shola; Poedjono, Benny

2013-01-01

To pinpoint the location and direction of a wellborne, directional driller rely on measurements from accelerometers, magnetometer and gyroscopes. In the past, high-accuracy guidance methods required a halt in drilling to obtain directional measurements. Advances in geomagnetic referencing now allow companies to use real-time data acquired during drilling to accurately potion horizontal wells, decrease well spacing and drill multiple wells from limited surface locations.

Extending the Direct Behavior Rating: An Examination of Schoolwide Behavior Ratings and Academic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruhn, Allison; Barron, Sheila; Fernando, Josephine; Balint-Langel, Kinga

2018-01-01

Direct behavior ratings have been identified as a practical and feasible alternative to direct observation of behavior for monitoring behavioral progress. Despite the evidence of usability, there have been calls for further examination of direct behavior ratings using different behaviors and scales. To this end, we examined the ratings of…

Opioid receptors mediate direct predictive fear learning: evidence from one-trial blocking.

PubMed

Cole, Sindy; McNally, Gavan P

2007-04-01

Pavlovian fear learning depends on predictive error, so that fear learning occurs when the actual outcome of a conditioning trial exceeds the expected outcome. Previous research has shown that opioid receptors, including mu-opioid receptors in the ventrolateral quadrant of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), mediate such predictive fear learning. Four experiments reported here used a within-subject one-trial blocking design to study whether opioid receptors mediate a direct or indirect action of predictive error on Pavlovian association formation. In Stage I, rats were trained to fear conditioned stimulus (CS) A by pairing it with shock. In Stage II, CSA and CSB were co-presented once and co-terminated with shock. Two novel stimuli, CSC and CSD, were also co-presented once and co-terminated with shock in Stage II. The results showed one-trial blocking of fear learning (Experiment 1) as well as one-trial unblocking of fear learning when Stage II training employed a higher intensity footshock than was used in Stage I (Experiment 2). Systemic administrations of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (Experiment 3) or intra-vlPAG administrations of the selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist CTAP (Experiment 4) prior to Stage II training prevented one-trial blocking. These results show that opioid receptors mediate the direct actions of predictive error on Pavlovian association formation.

Direct immunofluorescence of normal skin in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, O M; Barnes, L; Woods, R; McHugh, L; Barry, C; O'Loughlin, S

1985-11-01

The clinical significance of previously described immunoglobulin and complement deposition in the superficial dermal vessel walls of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. In the present study, skin biopsies were obtained from the normal forearm and buttock of 48 unselected patients with rheumatoid arthritis and were examined by direct immunofluorescence (IF) for the presence of immunoglobulin (IgG,A,M) and complement (C3) in the vessel walls. Deposits of C3, IgM or IgG were detected in 10 patients. Five patients had deposits at the forearm sample alone, four patients had deposits at both biopsy sites, while one patient was positive at the buttock alone. Clinical features were similar in patients with and without vessel IF. However, patients with IF were significantly more seropositive with lower levels of complement and raised levels of serum IgA and IgM. There was also an increased level of circulating IgG immune complexes in these patients. Further analysis following exclusion of seronegative patients revealed similar results. This study suggests that the presence of vessel IF identifies a subgroup of patients who have evidence of more severe immunological disturbance.

Direct medical costs associated with atopic diseases among young children in Thailand.

PubMed

Ngamphaiboon, Jarungchit; Kongnakorn, Thitima; Detzel, Patrick; Sirisomboonwong, Krittawan; Wasiak, Radek

2012-01-01

Allergic diseases are the most common childhood illness in Thailand. Their prevalence has been rising over time, with several studies having revealed substantial economic burden. However, no such study had yet been conducted for Thailand. The aim of this study was to estimate direct medical costs associated with atopic diseases among children aged 0-5 years in Thailand. A cost-of-illness model was constructed to estimate the total direct medical costs of atopic diseases comprising atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinitis, asthma (i.e., recurrent wheeze), and cow's milk allergy. The model employed a prevalence-based approach, considering a total number of atopic cases in 2010. Direct medical costs were estimated using a bottom-up analysis with the estimation of the quantity of healthcare resource use and the unit costs. Epidemiological data were obtained from literature and Thai surveys, whereas treatment unit costs were from either a hospital database or Thai standard cost list. Expert opinion informed type, frequency, and quantity of medical resources utilized. Key limitations included lack of data-driven evidences on severity distribution for this particular age group, indirect costs, and medical resource use associated with each condition. Total direct cost was estimated to be THB 27.8 billion (US$899 million). Treatments contributed largest to the total costs (46%), followed by inpatient care (37%), outpatient care (12%), and monitoring and labs (5%). Costs per treated patient were highest in cow's milk allergy (THB 64,383; US$2077), followed by rhinitis (THB 12,669; US$409), asthma (THB 9633; US$312), and atopic dermatitis (THB 5432; US$175). Atopic diseases in young children are associated with substantial burden in direct medical costs to Thailand. These costs can be diminished through nutritional intervention recognized to effectively decrease the incidence of atopic diseases.

Advance directives lessen the decisional burden of surrogate decision-making for the chronically critically ill.

PubMed

Hickman, Ronald L; Pinto, Melissa D

2014-03-01

To identify the relationships between advance directive status, demographic characteristics and decisional burden (role stress and depressive symptoms) of surrogate decision-makers (SDMs) of patients with chronic critical illness. Although the prevalence of advance directives among Americans has increased, SDMs are ultimately responsible for complex medical decisions of the chronically critically ill patient. Decisional burden has lasting psychological effects on SDMs. There is insufficient evidence on the influence of advance directives on the decisional burden of surrogate decision-makers of patients with chronic critical illness. The study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data. Data were obtained from 489 surrogate decision-makers of chronically critically ill patients at two academic medical centres in Northeast Ohio, United States, between September 2005-May 2008. Data were collected using demographic forms and questionnaires. A single-item measure of role stress and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) scale were used to capture the SDM's decisional burden. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square and path analyses were performed. Surrogate decision-makers who were nonwhite, with low socioeconomic status and low education level were less likely to have advance directive documentation for their chronically critically ill patient. The presence of an advance directive mitigates the decisional burden by directly reducing the SDM's role stress and indirectly lessening the severity of depressive symptoms. Most SDMs of chronically critically ill patients will not have the benefit of knowing the patient's preferences for life-sustaining therapies and consequently be at risk of increased decisional burden. Study results are clinically useful for patient education on the influence of advance directives. Patients may be informed that SDMs without advance directives are at risk of increased decisional burden and will require

Diverse convergent evidence in the genetic analysis of complex disease: coordinating omic, informatic, and experimental evidence to better identify and validate risk factors

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In omic research, such as genome wide association studies, researchers seek to repeat their results in other datasets to reduce false positive findings and thus provide evidence for the existence of true associations. Unfortunately this standard validation approach cannot completely eliminate false positive conclusions, and it can also mask many true associations that might otherwise advance our understanding of pathology. These issues beg the question: How can we increase the amount of knowledge gained from high throughput genetic data? To address this challenge, we present an approach that complements standard statistical validation methods by drawing attention to both potential false negative and false positive conclusions, as well as providing broad information for directing future research. The Diverse Convergent Evidence approach (DiCE) we propose integrates information from multiple sources (omics, informatics, and laboratory experiments) to estimate the strength of the available corroborating evidence supporting a given association. This process is designed to yield an evidence metric that has utility when etiologic heterogeneity, variable risk factor frequencies, and a variety of observational data imperfections might lead to false conclusions. We provide proof of principle examples in which DiCE identified strong evidence for associations that have established biological importance, when standard validation methods alone did not provide support. If used as an adjunct to standard validation methods this approach can leverage multiple distinct data types to improve genetic risk factor discovery/validation, promote effective science communication, and guide future research directions. PMID:25071867

Physical evidence of predatory behavior in Tyrannosaurus rex.

PubMed

DePalma, Robert A; Burnham, David A; Martin, Larry D; Rothschild, Bruce M; Larson, Peter L

2013-07-30

Feeding strategies of the large theropod, Tyrannosaurus rex, either as a predator or a scavenger, have been a topic of debate previously compromised by lack of definitive physical evidence. Tooth drag and bone puncture marks have been documented on suggested prey items, but are often difficult to attribute to a specific theropod. Further, postmortem damage cannot be distinguished from intravital occurrences, unless evidence of healing is present. Here we report definitive evidence of predation by T. rex: a tooth crown embedded in a hadrosaurid caudal centrum, surrounded by healed bone growth. This indicates that the prey escaped and lived for some time after the injury, providing direct evidence of predatory behavior by T. rex. The two traumatically fused hadrosaur vertebrae partially enclosing a T. rex tooth were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota.

Physical evidence of predatory behavior in Tyrannosaurus rex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DePalma, Robert A., II; Burnham, David A.; Martin, Larry D.; Rothschild, Bruce M.; Larson, Peter L.

2013-07-01

Feeding strategies of the large theropod, Tyrannosaurus rex, either as a predator or a scavenger, have been a topic of debate previously compromised by lack of definitive physical evidence. Tooth drag and bone puncture marks have been documented on suggested prey items, but are often difficult to attribute to a specific theropod. Further, postmortem damage cannot be distinguished from intravital occurrences, unless evidence of healing is present. Here we report definitive evidence of predation by T. rex: a tooth crown embedded in a hadrosaurid caudal centrum, surrounded by healed bone growth. This indicates that the prey escaped and lived for some time after the injury, providing direct evidence of predatory behavior by T. rex. The two traumatically fused hadrosaur vertebrae partially enclosing a T. rex tooth were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota.

Physical evidence of predatory behavior in Tyrannosaurus rex

PubMed Central

DePalma, Robert A.; Burnham, David A.; Martin, Larry D.; Rothschild, Bruce M.; Larson, Peter L.

2013-01-01

Feeding strategies of the large theropod, Tyrannosaurus rex, either as a predator or a scavenger, have been a topic of debate previously compromised by lack of definitive physical evidence. Tooth drag and bone puncture marks have been documented on suggested prey items, but are often difficult to attribute to a specific theropod. Further, postmortem damage cannot be distinguished from intravital occurrences, unless evidence of healing is present. Here we report definitive evidence of predation by T. rex: a tooth crown embedded in a hadrosaurid caudal centrum, surrounded by healed bone growth. This indicates that the prey escaped and lived for some time after the injury, providing direct evidence of predatory behavior by T. rex. The two traumatically fused hadrosaur vertebrae partially enclosing a T. rex tooth were discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. PMID:23858435

Morphoproteomic-Guided Host-Directed Therapy for Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Brown, Robert E; Hunter, Robert L; Hwang, Shen-An

2017-01-01

In an effort to develop more effective therapy for tuberculosis (TB), research efforts are looking toward host-directed therapy, reprograming the body's natural defenses to better control the infection. While significant progress is being made, the efforts are limited by lack of understanding of the pathology and pathogenesis of adult type TB disease. We have recently published evidence that the developing lesions in human lungs are focal endogenous lipid pneumonia that constitutes a region of local susceptibility in a person with strong systemic immunity. Since most such lesions regress spontaneously, the ability to study them directly with immunohistochemistry provides means to investigate why some progress to clinical disease while others asymptomatically regress. Furthermore, this should enable us to develop more effective host-directed therapies. Morphoproteomics has proven to be an effective means of characterizing protein expression that can be used to identify metabolic pathways, which can lead to more effective therapies. The purpose of this perspective will argue that using morphoproteomics on human TB lung tissue is a particularly promising method to direct selection of host-directed therapeutics.

Method of obtaining intensified image from developed photographic films and plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Askins, B. S. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A method is explained of obtaining intensified images from silver images on developed photographic films and plates. The steps involve converting silver of the developed film or plate to a radioactive compound by treatment with an aqueous alkaline solution of an organo-S35 compound; placing the treated film or plate in direct contact with a receiver film which is then exposed by radiation from the activated film; and developing and fixing the resulting intensified image on the receiver film.

13 CFR 121.305 - What size eligibility requirements exist for obtaining financial assistance relating to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... small for financial assistance directly and primarily relating to the performance of the particular... exist for obtaining financial assistance relating to particular procurements? 121.305 Section 121.305... Eligibility Provisions and Standards Size Eligibility Requirements for Sba Financial Assistance § 121.305 What...

Anger is an approach-related affect: evidence and implications.

PubMed

Carver, Charles S; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2009-03-01

The authors review a range of evidence concerning the motivational underpinnings of anger as an affect, with particular reference to the relationship between anger and anxiety or fear. The evidence supports the view that anger relates to an appetitive or approach motivational system, whereas anxiety relates to an aversive or avoidance motivational system. This evidence appears to have 2 implications. One implication concerns the nature of anterior cortical asymmetry effects. The evidence suggests that such asymmetry reflects direction of motivational engagement (approach vs. withdrawal) rather than affective valence. The other implication concerns the idea that affects form a purely positive dimension and a purely negative dimension, which reflect the operation of appetitive and aversive motivational systems, respectively. The evidence reviewed does not support that view. The evidence is, however, consistent with a discrete-emotions view (which does not rely on dimensionality) and with an alternative dimensional approach. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Communication and dissemination strategies to facilitate the use of health-related evidence.

PubMed

McCormack, Lauren; Sheridan, Stacey; Lewis, Megan; Boudewyns, Vanessa; Melvin, Cathy L; Kistler, Christine; Lux, Linda J; Cullen, Katherine; Lohr, Kathleen N

2013-11-01

This review examined how to best communicate and disseminate evidence, including uncertain evidence, to inform health care decisions. The review focused on three primary objectives--comparing the effectiveness of: (1) communicating evidence in various contents and formats that increase the likelihood that target audiences will both understand and use the information (KQ 1); (2) a variety of approaches for disseminating evidence from those who develop it to those who are expected to use it (KQ 2); and (3) various ways of communicating uncertainty-associated health-related evidence to different target audiences (KQ 3). A secondary objective was to examine how the effectiveness of communication and dissemination strategies varies across target audiences, including evidence translators, health educators, patients, and clinicians. We searched MEDLINE®, the Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central Trials Registry, PsycINFO®, and the Web of Science. We used a variety of medical subject headings (MeSH terms) and major headings, and used free-text and title and abstract text-word searches. The search was limited to studies on humans published from 2000 to March 15, 2013, for communication and dissemination, given the prior systematic reviews, and from 1966 to March 15, 2013, for communicating uncertainty. We used standard Evidence-based Practice Center methods of dual review of abstracts, full-text articles, and abstractions, and quality ratings and group consensus to resolve disagreements. We used group consensus to grade strength of evidence. The search identified 4,152 articles (after removing duplicates) for all three KQs. After dual review at the title/abstract stage and full-text review stage, we retained 61 articles that directly (i.e., head to head) compared strategies to communicate and disseminate evidence. Across the KQs, many of the comparisons yielded insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions. For KQ 1, we found that investigators frequently blend more than

Direct evidence of stationary zonal flows and critical gradient behavior for Er during formation of the edge pedestal in JET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillesheim, Jon

2015-11-01

High spatial resolution measurements with Doppler backscattering in JET have provided new insights into the development of the edge radial electric field during pedestal formation. The characteristics of Er have been studied as a function of density at 2.5 MA plasma current and 3 T toroidal magnetic field. We observe fine-scale spatial structure in the edge Er well prior to the LH transition, consistent with stationary zonal flows. Zonal flows are a fundamental mechanism for the saturation of turbulence and this is the first direct evidence of stationary zonal flows in a tokamak. The radial wavelength of the zonal flows systematically decreases with density. The zonal flows are clearest in Ohmic conditions, weaker in L-mode, and absent in H-mode. Measurements also show that after neutral beam heating is applied, the edge Er builds up at a constant gradient into the core during L-mode, at radii where Er is mainly due to toroidal velocity. The local stability of velocity shear driven turbulence, such as the parallel velocity gradient mode, will be assessed with gyrokinetic simulations. This critical Er shear persists across the LH transition into H-mode. Surprisingly, a reduction in the apparent magnitude of the Er well depth is observed directly following the LH transition at high densities. Establishing the physics basis for the LH transition is important for projecting scalings to ITER and these observations challenge existing models based on increased Er shear or strong zonal flows as the trigger for the transition. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 633053. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

The role of massage in sports performance and rehabilitation: current evidence and future direction.

PubMed

Brummitt, Jason

2008-02-01

Massage is a popular treatment choice of athletes, coaches, and sports physical therapists. Despite its purported benefits and frequent use, evidence demonstrating its efficacy is scarce. To identify current literature relating to sports massage and its role in effecting an athlete's psychological readiness, in enhancing sports performance, in recovery from exercise and competition, and in the treatment of sports related musculoskeletal injuries. Electronic databases were used to identify papers relevant to this review. The following keywords were searched: massage, sports injuries, athletic injuries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, delayed onset muscle soreness, sports psychology, sports performance, sports massage, sports recovery, soft tissue mobilization, deep transverse friction massage, pre-event, and post exercise. RESEARCH STUDIES PERTAINING TO THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CATEGORIES WERE IDENTIFIED AND REVIEWED: pre-event (physiological and psychological variables), sports performance, recovery, and rehabilitation. Despite the fact clinical research has been performed, a poor appreciation exists for the appropriate clinical use of sports massage. Additional studies examining the physiological and psychological effects of sports massage are necessary in order to assist the sports physical therapist in developing and implementing clinically significant evidence based programs or treatments.

The Role of Massage in Sports Performance and Rehabilitation: Current Evidence and Future Direction

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Massage is a popular treatment choice of athletes, coaches, and sports physical therapists. Despite its purported benefits and frequent use, evidence demonstrating its efficacy is scarce. Purpose To identify current literature relating to sports massage and its role in effecting an athlete's psychological readiness, in enhancing sports performance, in recovery from exercise and competition, and in the treatment of sports related musculoskeletal injuries. Methods Electronic databases were used to identify papers relevant to this review. The following keywords were searched: massage, sports injuries, athletic injuries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, delayed onset muscle soreness, sports psychology, sports performance, sports massage, sports recovery, soft tissue mobilization, deep transverse friction massage, pre-event, and post exercise. Results Research studies pertaining to the following general categories were identified and reviewed: pre-event (physiological and psychological variables), sports performance, recovery, and rehabilitation. Discussion Despite the fact clinical research has been performed, a poor appreciation exists for the appropriate clinical use of sports massage. Conclusion Additional studies examining the physiological and psychological effects of sports massage are necessary in order to assist the sports physical therapist in developing and implementing clinically significant evidence based programs or treatments. PMID:21509135

A longitudinal comparison of consumer-directed and agency-directed personal assistance service programmes among persons with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Clark, Mary J; Hagglund, Kristofer J; Sherman, Ashley K

2008-01-01

To compare outcomes for persons who were enrolled in an agency-directed personal assistance services (PAS) programme and then changed to a consumer-directed PAS programme. A convenience sample was used for this longitudinal study. In-home interviews were conducted by a trained data collector from April 2000 to December 2001. Participants reported more satisfaction and safety with personal assistance, and fewer unmet needs after receiving consumer-directed services than after receiving agency-directed services. Other variables related to outcomes included race and ethnicity, employment, functional status, unmet needs, and the level of confidence in obtaining help if assistance is unavailable. Participants (74%) also reported high rates of unmet needs in the past month. Consumer-directed PAS enhances outcomes for many persons with disabilities. Self-reported outcomes are affected by many factors that could be addressed in PAS program development.

Experiences of nursing students of Evidence-Based Practice Education according to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Model: A Directed Content Analysis.

PubMed

Pashaeypoor, Shahzad; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Rassouli, Maryam; Alavi Majd, Hamid

2017-10-01

Evidence based practice (EBP) education is essential in promoting of clinical care, but an effective educational strategy for teaching EBP in nursing faculties is not available. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of nursing students of EBP Education according to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Model. This qualitative study was carried out using a directed content analysis method and purposeful sampling. Data were collected until saturation by fourteen semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews and two focus group discussions with nursing students from two nursing faculties in Tehran, Iran. Rogers' Model was used in this study. Data were classified into five themes and 11 categories according to the Rogers's Model. Themes and main categories were knowledge (educational enrichment, new strategy for education), persuasion (internalization of education, improvement of motivation), decision (acceptance, use in the future), implementation (objectivity, consolidation of learning) and confirmation (learning and teaching, achieving a goal, self-confidence). EBP Education, based on the teaching strategy of Rogers's Model, leads to an improved EBP learning. All the necessary steps for a better education of it are included in this educational approach which can be used to teach any new subject like EBP.

Geodetic analysis of disputed accurate qibla direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saksono, Tono; Fulazzaky, Mohamad Ali; Sari, Zamah

2018-04-01

Muslims perform the prayers facing towards the correct qibla direction would be the only one of the practical issues in linking theoretical studies with practice. The concept of facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca during the prayers has long been the source of controversy among the muslim communities to not only in poor and developing countries but also in developed countries. The aims of this study were to analyse the geodetic azimuths of qibla calculated using three different models of the Earth. The use of ellipsoidal model of the Earth could be the best method for determining the accurate direction of Kaaba from anywhere on the Earth's surface. A muslim cannot direct himself towards the qibla correctly if he cannot see the Kaaba due to setting out process and certain motions during the prayer this can significantly shift the qibla direction from the actual position of the Kaaba. The requirement of muslim prayed facing towards the Kaaba is more as spiritual prerequisite rather than physical evidence.

Direct evidence of hidden local spin polarization in a centrosymmetric superconductor LaO0.55 F0.45BiS2.

PubMed

Wu, Shi-Long; Sumida, Kazuki; Miyamoto, Koji; Taguchi, Kazuaki; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Kimura, Akio; Ueda, Yoshifumi; Arita, Masashi; Nagao, Masanori; Watauchi, Satoshi; Tanaka, Isao; Okuda, Taichi

2017-12-04

Conventional Rashba spin polarization is caused by the combination of strong spin-orbit interaction and spatial inversion asymmetry. However, Rashba-Dresselhaus-type spin-split states are predicted in the centrosymmetric LaOBiS 2 system by recent theory, which stem from the local inversion asymmetry of active BiS 2 layer. By performing high-resolution spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we have investigated the electronic band structure and spin texture of superconductor LaO 0.55 F 0.45 BiS 2 . Here we present direct spectroscopic evidence for the local spin polarization of both the valence band and the conduction band. In particular, the coexistence of Rashba-like and Dresselhaus-like spin textures has been observed in the conduction band. The finding is of key importance for fabrication of proposed dual-gated spin-field effect transistor. Moreover, the spin-split band leads to a spin-momentum locking Fermi surface from which superconductivity emerges. Our demonstration not only expands the scope of spintronic materials but also enhances the understanding of spin-orbit interaction-related superconductivity.

Evaluation of several microcrystalline celluloses obtained from agricultural by-products

PubMed Central

Rojas, John; Lopez, Alvin; Guisao, Santiago; Ortiz, Carlos

2011-01-01

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCCI) has been widely used as an excipient for direct compression due to its good flowability, compressibility, and compactibility. In this study, MCCI was obtained from agricultural by-products, such as corn cob, sugar cane bagasse, rice husk, and cotton by pursuing acid hydrolysis, neutralization, clarification, and drying steps. Further, infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, degree of polymerization (DP), and powder and tableting properties were evaluated and compared to those of Avicel PH101, Avicel PH102, and Avicel PH200. Except for the commercial products, all materials showed a DP from 55 to 97. Particles of commercial products and corn cob had an irregular shape, whereas bagasse particles were elongated and thick. Rice and cotton particles exhibited a flake-like and fiber-like shape, respectively. MCCI as obtained from rice husk and cotton was the most densified material, while that produced from corn cob and bagasse was bulky, porous, and more compressible. All products had a moisture content of less than 10% and yields from 7.4% to 60.4%. MCCI as obtained from bagasse was the most porous and compressible material among all materials. This product also showed the best tableting properties along with Avicel products. Likewise, all MCCI products obtained from the above-mentioned sources showed a more rapid disintegration time than that of Avicel products. These materials can be used as a potential source of MCCI in the production of solid dosage forms. PMID:22171310

Directional bilateral filters for smoothing fluorescence microscopy images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesh, Manasij; Mohan, Kavya; Seelamantula, Chandra Sekhar

2015-08-01

Images obtained through fluorescence microscopy at low numerical aperture (NA) are noisy and have poor resolution. Images of specimens such as F-actin filaments obtained using confocal or widefield fluorescence microscopes contain directional information and it is important that an image smoothing or filtering technique preserve the directionality. F-actin filaments are widely studied in pathology because the abnormalities in actin dynamics play a key role in diagnosis of cancer, cardiac diseases, vascular diseases, myofibrillar myopathies, neurological disorders, etc. We develop the directional bilateral filter as a means of filtering out the noise in the image without significantly altering the directionality of the F-actin filaments. The bilateral filter is anisotropic to start with, but we add an additional degree of anisotropy by employing an oriented domain kernel for smoothing. The orientation is locally adapted using a structure tensor and the parameters of the bilateral filter are optimized for within the framework of statistical risk minimization. We show that the directional bilateral filter has better denoising performance than the traditional Gaussian bilateral filter and other denoising techniques such as SURE-LET, non-local means, and guided image filtering at various noise levels in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). We also show quantitative improvements in low NA images of F-actin filaments.

An evidence-based approach to the management of low back pain and sciatica: how the evidence is applied in clinical cases.

PubMed

Goh, L; Bawendi, A; Samanta, J; Samanta, A

2003-09-01

Low back pain and sciatica are common complaints that affect a major proportion of the population at some time in their lives. The treatment and management of this condition may vary widely. The present paper aims to provide an evidence-based approach to the management of low back pain and sciatica, and demonstrates how to search for the evidence and how to apply it practically in individual patients. The principles underlying evidence-based medicine are explained. The practice of evidence-based medicine requires initial formulation of the appropriate clinical question, followed by searching databases for relevant evidence. Finally evidence needs to be applied on a patient-specific basis. Best Evidence, the Cochrane Library, Embase and Medline were searched to obtain quality controlled information regarding the management of low back pain and sciatica. Current evidence shows that an active exercise programme promotes early recovery. This may allow patients to resume an active and sportive lifestyle. Epidural corticosteroid injections may help to resolve additional troublesome symptoms of sciatica. Two clinical cases are used to show how evidence-based medicine can be individualized to specific patients. A patient-focused strategy combining best evidence and clinical expertise is suggested as the mainstay for the management of low back pain.

A knowledge management tool for public health: health-evidence.ca.

PubMed

Dobbins, Maureen; DeCorby, Kara; Robeson, Paula; Husson, Heather; Tirilis, Daiva; Greco, Lori

2010-08-18

librarians, dieticians, medical officers of health, and nutritionists. The majority of users (67%) access the website from direct traffic (e.g., have the health-evidence.ca webpage bookmarked, or type it directly into their browser). Consistent use of health-evidence.ca and particularly the searching for reviews that correspond with current public health priorities illustrates that health-evidence.ca may be playing an important role in achieving evidence-informed public health decision making.

Detection of oppositely directed reconnection jets in a solar wind current sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. S.; Phan, T. D.; Gosling, J. T.; Skoug, R. M.

2006-10-01

We report the first two-spacecraft (Wind and ACE) detection of oppositely directed plasma jets within a bifurcated current sheet in the solar wind. The event occurred on January 3, 2003 and provides further direct evidence that such jets result from reconnection. The magnetic shear across the bifurcated current sheet at both Wind and ACE was ~150°, indicating that the magnetic shear must have been the same at the reconnection site located between the two spacecraft. These observations thus provide strong evidence for component merging with a guide field ~ 30% of the antiparallel field. The dimensionless reconnection rate based on the measured inflow was 0.03, implying fast reconnection.

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field

PubMed Central

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-01-01

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals’ willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation. PMID:25349390

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field.

PubMed

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-11-11

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals' willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation.

Mirroring "meaningful" actions: sensorimotor learning modulates imitation of goal-directed actions.

PubMed

Catmur, Caroline; Heyes, Cecilia

2017-06-19

Imitation is important in the development of social and technological skills throughout the lifespan. Experiments investigating the acquisition and modulation of imitation (and of its proposed neural substrate, the mirror neuron system) have produced evidence that the capacity for imitation depends on associative learning in which connections are formed between sensory and motor representations of actions. However, evidence that the development of imitation depends on associative learning has been found only for non-goal-directed actions. One reason for the lack of research on goal-directed actions is that imitation of such actions is commonly confounded with the tendency to respond in a spatially compatible manner. However, since the most prominent account of mirror neuron function, and hence of imitation, suggests that these cells encode goal-directed actions, it is important to establish whether sensorimotor learning can also modulate imitation of goal-directed actions. Experiment 1 demonstrated that imitation of goal-directed grasping can be measured while controlling for spatial compatibility, and Experiment 2 showed that this imitation effect can be modulated by sensorimotor training. Together these data support the hypothesis that the capacity for behavioural imitation, and the properties of the mirror neuron system, are constructed in the course of development through associative learning.

Screen Time and Health Indicators Among Children and Youth: Current Evidence, Limitations and Future Directions.

PubMed

Saunders, Travis J; Vallance, Jeff K

2017-06-01

Despite accumulating evidence linking screen-based sedentary behaviours (i.e. screen time) with poorer health outcomes among children and youth <18 years of age, the prevalence of these behaviours continues to increase, with roughly half of children and youth exceeding the public health screen time recommendation of 2 h per day or less. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of key research initiatives aimed at understanding the associations between screen time and health indicators including physical health, quality of life and psychosocial health. Available evidence suggests that screen time is deleteriously associated with numerous health indicators in child and youth populations, including adiposity, aerobic fitness, quality of life, self-esteem, pro-social behaviour, academic achievement, depression and anxiety. However, few longitudinal or intervention studies have been conducted, with most of these studies focusing on physical health indicators. While most studies have used self-reported assessments of screen time, the availability of more objective assessment methods presents important opportunities (e.g. more accurate and precise assessment of sedentary time and screen time) and challenges (e.g. privacy and participant burden). Novel statistical approaches such as isotemporal substitution modelling and compositional analysis, as well as studies using longitudinal and experimental methodologies, are needed to better understand the health impact of excessive screen time, and to develop strategies to minimise or reverse the negative impacts of these behaviours. The evidence to date suggests a clear need for policy aimed at minimising the hazardous health consequences associated with screen time among children and youth.

Direct and indirect economic costs among private-sector employees with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Berger, Ariel; Hartrick, Craig; Edelsberg, John; Sadosky, Alesia; Oster, Gerry

2011-11-01

To estimate direct and indirect economic costs among private-sector employees with osteoarthritis (OA). Using a large US employer benefits database, we identified all employees with evidence of OA during calendar year 2007, and compared their costs of health care and work loss to age-and-sex-matched employees without evidence of OA in that year. Private-sector employees with OA (n = 2399) averaged 62.9 days of absenteeism versus 36.7 days among matched comparators (n = 2399) (P < 0.01). Mean total direct costs among these persons were $17,751 and $5057, respectively (P < 0.01); 34% of health care costs among persons with OA arose from medical encounters with listed diagnoses of OA. Mean total indirect costs were two-fold higher among persons with OA ($5002 versus $2120 for those without OA; P < 0.01). Private-sector employees with OA have higher direct and indirect costs than those without this condition.

Experimental Evidence for the Role of Intonation in Evidential Marking.

PubMed

Vanrell, Maria Del Mar; Armstrong, Meghan E; Prieto, Pilar

2017-06-01

This paper investigates the role of intonation in the marking of directly-perceived information in Majorcan Catalan polar questions. We conducted a perception experiment in which a total of 72 participants were introduced to a set of twins who were exposed to different types of evidence for a given p(roposition). One twin inferred p based on direct sensory information (via one of the five senses), while the other had been told that p by a third party, that is, reported information. Participants listened to a set of discourse contexts that ended in critical stimuli with three attested combinations of particle/intonation in this variety of Catalan: (1) polar questions produced with a falling nuclear contour ¡H+L* L%; (2) polar questions headed with the particle que 'that' produced with ¡H+L* L%; and (3) polar questions headed with the particle que and produced with a rise-fall L+H* L%. After hearing the stimulus, participants had to decide which of the twins had uttered the question-the one who inferred a proposition ( p) based on direct sensory information or the one who had been told p by a third party. The results show that listeners very consistently associate the que + L+H* L% combination with inferences drawn from direct sensory evidence as opposed to reported evidence. This shows that particles may work in tandem with intonation to convey the information source. Importantly, we show that intonation is a part of grammar that may be recruited for evidential strategies.