Pragmatic approach to chest pain patients discharged with undetectable high-sensitivity troponin T and normal electrocardiogram: the STABS + CT protocol.

PubMed

Bishop, Warrick; Girao, Gary

2017-06-01

A strategy that discharges chest pain patients with negative high-sensitivity troponin and non-ischaemic electrocardiography changes may still result in 0.44% of patients experiencing myocardial infarction within 30 days. We observed that a pragmatic approach that systematically discharged 25 patients on cardio-protective medications of aspirin, metoprolol and atorvastatin followed with prompt (<10 days) coronary computed tomography angiography resulted in no major adverse cardiac event and adverse drug reaction 30 days post-presentation. The strategy resulted in three patients (12%) ultimately diagnosed with likely unstable angina, which required planned coronary intervention in two patients and medical management in one patient. No unplanned readmissions for chest pains were noted from initial presentation through to 6-month follow up. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Thanks-a-Latte, Seniors: The Library Hosts an Election Day Event

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Repp, Anne

2009-01-01

This article presents the Louisa County High School Library's annual Thanks-a-Latte Day, an event that introduces the American political process to LCHS seniors in a real way. Thanks-a-Latte Day was born from an idea found in a "School Library Journal" article by Charli O'Dell published in 1999. Her basic idea was to promote the school library by…

Students Share Their Research at Student Poster Day | Poster

Cancer.gov

Students Share Their Research at Student Poster Day  By Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer More than 50 Werner H. Kirsten student interns and college interns presented their research at Summer Student Poster Day on August 6 in the Building 549 lobby.  Joseph Bergman, a high school intern in the Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Laboratory, participated in the event “for the

Stroke Risk After Non-Stroke ED Dizziness Presentations: A Population-Based Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Kerber, Kevin A.; Zahuranec, Darin B.; Brown, Devin L.; Meurer, William J.; Burke, James F.; Smith, Melinda A.; Lisabeth, Lynda D.; Fendrick, A. Mark; McLaughlin, Thomas; Morgenstern, Lewis B.

2014-01-01

Objective Acute stroke is a serious concern in Emergency Department (ED) dizziness presentations. Prior studies, however, suggest that stroke is actually an unlikely cause of these presentations. Lacking are data on short- and long-term follow-up from population-based studies to establish stroke risk after presumed non-stroke ED dizziness presentations. Methods From 5/8/2011 to 5/7/2012, patients ≥ 45 years of age presenting to EDs in Nueces County, Texas, with dizziness, vertigo, or imbalance were identified, excluding those with stroke as the initial diagnosis. Stroke events after the ED presentation up to 10/2/2012 were determined using the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) study, which uses rigorous surveillance and neurologist validation. Cumulative stroke risk was calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results 1,245 patients were followed for a median of 347 days (IQR 230- 436 days). Median age was 61.9 years (IQR, 53.8-74.0 years). After the ED visit, fifteen patients (1.2%) had a stroke. Stroke risk was 0.48% (95% CI, 0.22%-1.07%) at 2 days; 0.48% (95% CI, 0.22%-1.07%) at 7 days; 0.56% (95% CI, 0.27%-1.18%) at 30 days; 0.56% (95% CI, 0.27%-1.18%) at 90 days; and 1.42% (95% CI, 0.85%-2.36%) at 12 months. Interpretation Using rigorous case ascertainment and outcome assessment in a population-based design, we found that the risk of stroke after presumed non-stroke ED dizziness presentations is very low, supporting a non-stroke etiology to the overwhelming majority of original events. High-risk subgroups likely exist, however, because most of the 90-day stroke risk occurred within 2-days. Vascular risk stratification was insufficient to identify these cases. PMID:24788511

Present-day and future Antarctic ice sheet climate and surface mass balance in the Community Earth System Model

DOE PAGES

Lenaerts, Jan T. M.; Vizcaino, Miren; Fyke, Jeremy Garmeson; ...

2016-02-01

Here, we present climate and surface mass balance (SMB) of the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) as simulated by the global, coupled ocean–atmosphere–land Community Earth System Model (CESM) with a horizontal resolution of ~1° in the past, present and future (1850–2100). CESM correctly simulates present-day Antarctic sea ice extent, large-scale atmospheric circulation and near-surface climate, but fails to simulate the recent expansion of Antarctic sea ice. The present-day Antarctic ice sheet SMB equals 2280 ± 131Gtyear –1, which concurs with existing independent estimates of AIS SMB. When forced by two CMIP5 climate change scenarios (high mitigation scenario RCP2.6 and high-emission scenariomore » RCP8.5), CESM projects an increase of Antarctic ice sheet SMB of about 70 Gtyear –1 per degree warming. This increase is driven by enhanced snowfall, which is partially counteracted by more surface melt and runoff along the ice sheet’s edges. This intensifying hydrological cycle is predominantly driven by atmospheric warming, which increases (1) the moisture-carrying capacity of the atmosphere, (2) oceanic source region evaporation, and (3) summer AIS cloud liquid water content.« less

Proposed clinical pathway for nonoperative management of high-grade pediatric pancreatic injuries based on a multicenter analysis: A pediatric trauma society collaborative.

PubMed

Naik-Mathuria, Bindi J; Rosenfeld, Eric H; Gosain, Ankush; Burd, Randall; Falcone, Richard A; Thakkar, Rajan; Gaines, Barbara; Mooney, David; Escobar, Mauricio; Jafri, Mubeen; Stallion, Anthony; Klinkner, Denise B; Russell, Robert; Campbell, Brendan; Burke, Rita V; Upperman, Jeffrey; Juang, David; St Peter, Shawn; Fenton, Stephon J; Beaudin, Marianne; Wills, Hale; Vogel, Adam; Polites, Stephanie; Pattyn, Adam; Leeper, Christine; Veras, Laura V; Maizlin, Ilan; Thaker, Shefali; Smith, Alexis; Waddell, Megan; Drews, Joseph; Gilmore, James; Armstrong, Lindsey; Sandler, Alexis; Moody, Suzanne; Behrens, Brandon; Carmant, Laurence

2017-10-01

Guidelines for nonoperative management (NOM) of high-grade pancreatic injuries in children have not been established, and wide practice variability exists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate common clinical strategies across multiple pediatric trauma centers to develop a consensus-based standard clinical pathway. A multicenter, retrospective review was conducted of children with high-grade (American Association of Surgeons for Trauma grade III-V) pancreatic injuries treated with NOM between 2010 and 2015. Data were collected on demographics, clinical management, and outcomes. Eighty-six patients were treated at 20 pediatric trauma centers. Median age was 9 years (range, 1-18 years). The majority (73%) of injuries were American Association of Surgeons for Trauma grade III, 24% were grade IV, and 3% were grade V. Median time from injury to presentation was 12 hours and median ISS was 16 (range, 4-66). All patients had computed tomography scan and serum pancreatic enzyme levels at presentation, but serial enzyme level monitoring was variable. Pancreatic enzyme levels did not correlate with injury grade or pseudocyst development. Parenteral nutrition was used in 68% and jejunal feeds in 31%. 3Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram was obtained in 25%. An organized peripancreatic fluid collection present for at least 7 days after injury was identified in 59% (42 of 71). Initial management of these included: observation 64%, percutaneous drain 24%, and endoscopic drainage 10% and needle aspiration 2%. Clear liquids were started at a median of 6 days (IQR, 3-13 days) and regular diet at a median of 8 days (IQR 4-20 days). Median hospitalization length was 13 days (IQR, 7-24 days). Injury grade did not account for prolonged time to initiating oral diet or hospital length; indicating that the variability in these outcomes was largely due to different surgeon preferences. High-grade pancreatic injuries in children are rare and significant variability exists in NOM strategies, which may affect outcomes and effective resource utilization. A standard clinical pathway is proposed. Therapeutic/care management, level V (case series).

Effect of salt intake and potassium supplementation on urinary renalase and serum dopamine levels in Chinese adults.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Wang, Dan; Chu, Chao; Mu, Jian-Jun; Wang, Man; Liu, Fu-Qiang; Xie, Bing-Qing; Yang, Fan; Dong, Zhen-Zhen; Yuan, Zu-Yi

2015-01-01

The aim of our study was to assess the effects of altered salt and potassium intake on urinary renalase and serum dopamine levels in humans. Forty-two subjects (28–65 years of age) were selected from a rural community of northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day of NaCl), a high-salt diet for an additional 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl), and a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation for a final 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl + 4.5 g/day of KCl). Urinary renalase excretions were significantly higher during the high-salt diet intervention than during the low-salt diet. During high-potassium intake, urinary renalase excretions were not significantly different from the high-salt diet, whereas they were significantly higher than the low-salt levels. Serum dopamine levels exhibited similar trends across the interventions. Additionally, a significant positive relationship was observed between the urine renalase and serum dopamine among the different dietary interventions. Also, 24-hour urinary sodium excretion positively correlated with urine renalase and serum dopamine in the whole population. The present study indicates that dietary salt intake and potassium supplementation increase urinary renalase and serum dopamine levels in Chinese subjects. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel

Minimal effects of latitude on present-day speciation rates in New World birds

PubMed Central

Rabosky, Daniel L.; Title, Pascal O.; Huang, Huateng

2015-01-01

The tropics contain far greater numbers of species than temperate regions, suggesting that rates of species formation might differ systematically between tropical and non-tropical areas. We tested this hypothesis by reconstructing the history of speciation in New World (NW) land birds using BAMM, a Bayesian framework for modelling complex evolutionary dynamics on phylogenetic trees. We estimated marginal distributions of present-day speciation rates for each of 2571 species of birds. The present-day rate of speciation varies approximately 30-fold across NW birds, but there is no difference in the rate distributions for tropical and temperate taxa. Using macroevolutionary cohort analysis, we demonstrate that clades with high tropical membership do not produce species more rapidly than temperate clades. For nearly any value of present-day speciation rate, there are far more species in the tropics than the temperate zone. Any effects of latitude on speciation rate are marginal in comparison to the dramatic variation in rates among clades. PMID:26019156

L'Arenig Llanvirn du Haut Atlas occidental et central (Maroc). Environnements sédimentaires, paléogéographie et contrôle de la sédimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chacrone, Choukri; Hamoumi, Naïma

2005-09-01

The sedimentological study of Arenig-Llanvirn successions of Aït Lahsen (western High Atlas), Tizi-n-Tichka and Imini (central High Atlas) allow us to recognise two independent epeiric seas. In the western High Atlas, the sedimentation occurred in a wave- and storm-influenced delta, alimented by a source situated at the present-day location of the Argana corridor, under the control of sea-level fluctuations and subsidence. In the central High Atlas, the sedimentation occurred in an influenced tide and episodic storm delta, alimented by sources situated at the present-day location of the Siroua and Ouzellagh Massifs under the control of sea-level fluctuations and tectonics. To cite this article: C. Chacrone, N. Hamoumi, C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).

Anxiety sensitivity class membership moderates the effects of pre-quit reduction in anxiety sensitivity on quit-day tobacco craving.

PubMed

Bakhshaie, Jafar; Zvolensky, Michael J; Langdon, Kirsten J; Leventhal, Adam M; Smits, Jasper A J; Allan, Nicholas; Schmidt, Norman B

2016-04-01

Although anxiety sensitivity has been primarily conceptualized as a dimensional latent construct, empirical evidence suggests that it also maintains a latent class structure, reflecting low-, moderate-, and high-risk underlying classes. The present study sought to explore whether these anxiety sensitivity classes moderated the relations between the degree of pre-quit reductions in anxiety sensitivity and the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms and craving experienced on quit-day. Participants included 195 adult smokers (47% female; Mage=39.4) participating in a larger "anxiety sensitivity reduction-smoking cessation" intervention trial. Anxiety sensitivity class significantly moderated relations between pre-quit reduction in anxiety sensitivity and quit-day craving. Specifically, smokers within the anxiety sensitivity high-risk class, who also demonstrated lesser pre-quit reductions in anxiety sensitivity, experienced the highest levels of craving on quit-day. These findings highlight the importance of 'high-risk' classes of anxiety sensitivity to better understand the experience of craving on quit day. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Achieving Consistent Multiple Daily Low-Dose Bacillus anthracis Spore Inhalation Exposures in the Rabbit Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-13

plethysmography. Overall, the presented results show that the animal aerosol system was stable and highly reproducible between different studies and over...develop and deliver low-doses of B. anthracis spores via inhalation in a reproducible manner. The pilot feasibility study (see Table 1 for results) enabled...results presented in Figure 3 show that exposures produced by the aerosol system were stable and reproducible from day-to-day. In all testing, the

The effect of 10 days of intermittent fasting on Wingate anaerobic power and prolonged high-intensity time-to-exhaustion cycling performance.

PubMed

Naharudin, Mohamed Nashrudin Bin; Yusof, Ashril

2018-06-01

Many physically active individuals have undertaken intermittent fasting to reduce their daily caloric intake. However, abstaining from meals for a specific length of time may lead to the acute disturbance of highly carbohydrate-dependent exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of 10 days of intermittent fasting on high-intensity type exercises, Wingate anaerobic (WT) and prolonged high-intensity time-to-exhaustion (HIT) cycling test. Twenty participants were randomised into an intermittent fasting (FAS) and a control group (CON). One day after baseline data collection on Day-0 where participants consumed their recommended daily caloric intake (FAS = 2500 ± 143 kcal day -1 ; CON = 2492 ± 20 kcal day -1 ) served over a course of five meals, the FAS group consumed only four meals where 40% was restricted by the omission of lunch (FAS = 1500 ± 55 kcal day -1 ). This diet was then continued for 10 days. Data on exercise performance and other dependent variables were collected on Day-2, -4, -6, -8 and -10. A reduction in WT power in the FAS group was observed on Day-2 (821.74 ± 66.07 W) compared to Day-0 (847.63 ± 95.94 W) with a moderate effect size (p < .05, ES = 0.4), while HIT time-to-exhaustion performance declined over the 10 days with a trend of recovery from a large to a minimum effect size (p < .05, ES = 0.8-0.3). Body weight and triglyceride were consistently reduced in the FAS group (p < .01). The present study suggests that intermittent fasting must exceed 10 days to ensure that high-intensity performance does not deteriorate because this length of time seems to be required for effective adaptation to the new dietary regimen.

Discontinuation of Hemodialysis in a Patient with Anti-GBM Disease by the Treatment with Corticosteroids and Plasmapheresis despite Several Predictors for Dialysis-Dependence.

PubMed

Fujigaki, Yoshihide; Morimoto, Chikayuki; Iino, Risa; Taniguchi, Kei; Kawamorita, Yosuke; Asakawa, Shinichiro; Toyoki, Daigo; Miyano, Shinako; Fujii, Wataru; Ota, Tatsuru; Shibata, Shigeru; Uchida, Shunya

2017-01-01

A 26-year-old man highly suspected of having antiglomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease was treated with corticosteroid pulse therapy 9 days after initial infection-like symptoms with high procalcitonin value. The patient required hemodialysis the next day of the treatment due to oliguria. In addition to corticosteroid therapy, plasmapheresis was introduced and the patient could discontinue hemodialysis 43 days after the treatment. Kidney biopsy after initiation of hemodialysis confirmed anti-GBM disease with 86.3% crescent formation. Physician should keep in mind that active anti-GBM disease shows even high procalcitonin value in the absence of infection. To pursue recovery of renal function, the challenge of the immediate and persistent treatment with high-dose corticosteroids plus plasmapheresis for highly suspected anti-GBM disease is vitally important despite the presence of reported predictors for dialysis-dependence including oliguria and requiring hemodialysis at presentation.

An exploration of emergency department presentations related to high heel footwear in Victoria, Australia, 2006-2010.

PubMed

Williams, Cylie M; Haines, Terry P

2014-01-23

Many women are warned against the dangers of wearing high heel footwear however there is limited empirical evidence demonstrating an association between wearing high heel with injury. Gait laboratory testing has found a higher heel height placed the foot in a position that increases the risk of ankle sprain. Women have also been surveyed about wearing high heels and approximately half of those reported inconvenience and pain after wearing a high heel shoe. This study aims to explore emergency department presentations of injuries and the estimated costs that have been directly attributed to wearing high heeled footwear within Victoria, Australia during 2006-2010. The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) was searched for all injuries attributed to wearing high heel footwear presenting to emergency departments in Victoria Australia, between the years of 2006-2010. The VEMD produced a report detailing sex, age at presentation, month of presentation, time of day of presentation, day of presentation, location that injury occurred and type of injury for presentation. Monash Health in Victoria Australia, provided emergency department estimates for injury types to calculate an estimated cost of an acute injury related to wearing high heel footwear. There were 240 injuries presenting to Victorian emergency departments directly attributed to wearing high heeled footwear. The majority of people injured were women (n = 236) and all were less than 55 years of age. More injuries presented on a Sunday (n = 83) and more in the 8 am-12 pm time bracket (n = 64). There were also more injuries presenting in the months of November, December and January (n = 80). The most commonly injured body part was the ankle (n = 123). The emergency department estimate of the cost of these injuries over this time-frame was almost $72,000 (mean of $316.72 per presentation). People who wear high heel footwear on weekends appear to be at higher risk for injury that leads to emergency department presentation. However, there was not a large cost associated with emergency department presentations attributable to wearing high heel footwear over a 5 year period.

An exploration of emergency department presentations related to high heel footwear in Victoria, Australia, 2006–2010

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Many women are warned against the dangers of wearing high heel footwear however there is limited empirical evidence demonstrating an association between wearing high heel with injury. Gait laboratory testing has found a higher heel height placed the foot in a position that increases the risk of ankle sprain. Women have also been surveyed about wearing high heels and approximately half of those reported inconvenience and pain after wearing a high heel shoe. This study aims to explore emergency department presentations of injuries and the estimated costs that have been directly attributed to wearing high heeled footwear within Victoria, Australia during 2006–2010. Methods The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) was searched for all injuries attributed to wearing high heel footwear presenting to emergency departments in Victoria Australia, between the years of 2006–2010. The VEMD produced a report detailing sex, age at presentation, month of presentation, time of day of presentation, day of presentation, location that injury occurred and type of injury for presentation. Monash Health in Victoria Australia, provided emergency department estimates for injury types to calculate an estimated cost of an acute injury related to wearing high heel footwear. Results There were 240 injuries presenting to Victorian emergency departments directly attributed to wearing high heeled footwear. The majority of people injured were women (n = 236) and all were less than 55 years of age. More injuries presented on a Sunday (n = 83) and more in the 8 am-12 pm time bracket (n = 64). There were also more injuries presenting in the months of November, December and January (n = 80). The most commonly injured body part was the ankle (n = 123). The emergency department estimate of the cost of these injuries over this time-frame was almost $72,000 (mean of $316.72 per presentation). Conclusions People who wear high heel footwear on weekends appear to be at higher risk for injury that leads to emergency department presentation. However, there was not a large cost associated with emergency department presentations attributable to wearing high heel footwear over a 5 year period. PMID:24456691

Toxicity profiles in rats treated with tumorigenic and nontumorigenic triazole conazole fungicides: Propiconazole, triadimefon, and myclobutanil.

PubMed

Wolf, Douglas C; Allen, James W; George, Michael H; Hester, Susan D; Sun, Guobin; Moore, Tanya; Thai, Sheau-Fung; Delker, Don; Winkfield, Ernest; Leavitt, Sharon; Nelson, Gail; Roop, Barbara C; Jones, Carlton; Thibodeaux, Julie; Nesnow, Stephen

2006-01-01

Conazoles are a class of azole based fungicides used in agriculture and as pharmaceutical products. They have a common mode of antifungal action through inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis. Some members of this class have been shown to be hepatotoxic and will induce mouse hepatocellular tumors and/or rat thyroid follicular cell tumors. The particular mode of toxic and tumorigenic action for these compounds is not known, however it has been proposed that triadimefon-induced rat thyroid tumors arise through the specific mechanism of increased TSH. The present study was designed to identify commonalities of effects across the different conazoles and to determine unique features of the tissue responses that suggest a toxicity pathway and a mode of action for the observed thyroid response for triadimefon. Male Wistar/Han rats were treated with triadimefon (100, 500, 1800 ppm), propiconazole (100, 500, 2500 ppm), or myclobutanil (100, 500, 2000 ppm) in feed for 4, 30, or 90 days. The rats were evaluated for clinical signs, body and liver weight, histopathology of thyroid and liver, hepatic metabolizing enzyme activity, and serum T3, T4, TSH, and cholesterol levels. There was a dose-dependent increase in liver weight but not body weight for all treatments. The indication of cytochrome induction, pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (PROD) activity, had a dose-related increase at all time points for all conazoles. Uridine diphopho-glucuronosyl transferase (UDPGT), the T4 metabolizing enzyme measured as glucuronidation of 1-naphthol, was induced to the same extent after 30 and 90 days for all three conazoles. Livers from all high dose treated rats had centrilobular hepatocyte hypertrophy after 4 days, while only triadimefon and propiconazole treated rats had hepatocyte hypertrophy after 30 days, and only triadimefon treated rats had hepatocyte hypertrophy after 90 days. Thyroid follicular cell hypertrophy, increased follicular cell proliferation, and colloid depletion were present only after 30 days in rats treated with the high dose of triadimefon. A dose-dependent decrease in T4 was present after 4 days with all 3 compounds but only the high doses of propiconazole and triadimefon produced decreased T4 after 30 days. T3 was decreased after high-dose triadimefon after 4 days and in a dose-dependent manner for all compounds after 30 days. Thyroid hormone levels did not differ from control values after 90 days and TSH was not increased in any exposure group. A unique pattern of toxic responses was not identified for each conazole and the hypothesized mode of action for triadimefon-induced thyroid gland tumors was not supported by the data.

Characterising the three-dimensional ozone distribution of a tidally locked Earth-like planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proedrou, Elisavet; Hocke, Klemens

2016-06-01

We simulate the 3D ozone distribution of a tidally locked Earth-like exoplanet using the high-resolution, 3D chemistry-climate model CESM1(WACCM) and study how the ozone layer of a tidally locked Earth (TLE) (Ω _{TLE}= 1/365 days) differs from that of our present-day Earth (PDE) (Ω _{PDE}= 1/1 day). The middle atmosphere reaches a steady state asymptotically within the first 80 days of the simulation. An upwelling, centred on the subsolar point, is present on the day side while a downwelling, centred on the antisolar point, is present on the night side. In the mesosphere, we find similar global ozone distributions for the TLE and the PDE, with decreased ozone on the day side and enhanced ozone on the night side. In the lower mesosphere, a jet stream transitions into a large-scale vortex around a low-pressure system, located at low latitudes of the TLE night side. In the middle stratosphere, the concentration of odd oxygen is approximately equal to that of the ozone [({O}x) ≈ ({O}3)]. At these altitudes, the lifetime of odd oxygen is ˜16 h and the transport processes significantly contribute to the global distribution of stratospheric ozone. Compared to the PDE, where the strong Coriolis force acts as a mixing barrier between low and high latitudes, the transport processes of the TLE are governed by jet streams variable in the zonal and meridional directions. In the middle stratosphere of the TLE, we find high ozone values on the day side, due to the increased production of atomic oxygen on the day side, where it immediately recombines with molecular oxygen to form ozone. In contrast, the ozone is depleted on the night side, due to changes in the solar radiation distribution and the presence of a downwelling. As a result of the reduced Coriolis force, the tropical and extratropical air masses are well mixed and the global temperature distribution of the TLE stratosphere has smaller horizontal gradients than the PDE. Compared to the PDE, the total ozone column global mean is reduced by ˜19.3 %. The day side and the night side total ozone column means are reduced by 23.21 and 15.52 %, respectively. Finally, we present the total ozone column (TOC) maps as viewed by a remote observer for four phases of the TLE during its revolution around the star. The mean TOC values of the four phases of the TLE vary by up to 23 %.

Impaired gas exchange: accuracy of defining characteristics in children with acute respiratory infection1

PubMed Central

Pascoal, Lívia Maia; Lopes, Marcos Venícios de Oliveira; Chaves, Daniel Bruno Resende; Beltrão, Beatriz Amorim; da Silva, Viviane Martins; Monteiro, Flávia Paula Magalhães

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the accuracy of the defining characteristics of the Impaired gas exchange nursing diagnosis in children with acute respiratory infection. METHOD: open prospective cohort study conducted with 136 children monitored for a consecutive period of at least six days and not more than ten days. An instrument based on the defining characteristics of the Impaired gas exchange diagnosis and on literature addressing pulmonary assessment was used to collect data. The accuracy means of all the defining characteristics under study were computed. RESULTS: the Impaired gas exchange diagnosis was present in 42.6% of the children in the first assessment. Hypoxemia was the characteristic that presented the best measures of accuracy. Abnormal breathing presented high sensitivity, while restlessness, cyanosis, and abnormal skin color showed high specificity. All the characteristics presented negative predictive values of 70% and cyanosis stood out by its high positive predictive value. CONCLUSION: hypoxemia was the defining characteristic that presented the best predictive ability to determine Impaired gas exchange. Studies of this nature enable nurses to minimize variability in clinical situations presented by the patient and to identify more precisely the nursing diagnosis that represents the patient's true clinical condition. PMID:26155010

Day Persons, Night Persons, and Time of Birth: Preliminary Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Benjamin; Fisher, Leslie E.

2001-01-01

Presents the results from two surveys that explored the relationship between time of birth and being a day or night person. Explains that in survey one, U.S. high school students completed a questionnaire related to daytime or nighttime activity, while in survey two, U.S. college students completed the same questionnaire. (CMK)

Trade and Industry in History. National History Day, 1982.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Womack, Miriam L.; And Others

Presented are winning essays written by junior and senior high school students for the historical paper category of the 1982 National History Day program contest. This unique program encourages young people to explore a historical subject related to a specific theme. The winning papers, responding to the 1982 theme of trade and industry in…

Effect of food seasoning spices mixture on biomarkers of oxidative stress in tissues of fructose-fed insulin-resistant rats.

PubMed

Suganthi, R; Rajamani, S; Ravichandran, M K; Anuradha, C V

2007-03-01

High fructose feeding in normal rats induces insulin resistance and also facilitates oxidative damage. The present study examines the effects of a spices mixture (SM) on oxidative stress markers and antioxidant potential in tissues of high fructose-fed insulin-resistant rats. Male Wistar rats received a semisynthetic diet containing either 60% fructose or 60% starch. SM administration at three different doses (10, 30, and 50 mg/day per rat) was initiated orally 15 days later and continued for the next 30 days. After the total experimental period of 45 days, peroxidation of lipids and antioxidant status in liver and kidney were quantified. Fructose-treated rats showed increased levels of peroxidation indices such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and lipid hydroperoxides in tissues. The condition was associated with an inadequate antioxidant system. Administration of SM along with fructose diet reduced the levels of peroxidation markers in tissues and improved the antioxidant status. The positive effect of SM on the oxidant-antioxidant balance could be attributed to the active constituents of the different spices present in the mixture.

Early somatic embryo induction events in alfalfa callus cultures. [Medicago sativa

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

El-Bakry, A.A.; Hildebrand, D.F.

1987-04-01

High and low regenerating alfalfa Medicago sativa L. cv Regen S full sibs were isolated from a callus culture screen on modified Blaydes medium. The average number of embryos per ovary were thirty and zero for the high and low genotypes respectively after six weeks in culture. Proembryonic cell masses (4-8 celled) were observed after 4-5 days in culture and maximum meristematic activity was at 6-7 days in culture, for the high regenerating genotypes. Well formed globular embryos, both epidermal and subepidermal in origin, were observed after 2 weeks is culture. Samples in culture for 3, 6 and 14 daysmore » from the high and low regenerating genotypes were radiolabeled in vivo with /sup 35/S-methionine and run both on one and two dimension gels. The results will be discussed in relation to differences in proteins between the high and low regenerating genotypes at the stage of maximum meristematic activity (day 6) and differences occurring relative to the appearance of globular stage embryos (day 14) will be presented.« less

Shallow transient liquid water environments on present-day mars, and their implications for life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Eriita G.

2018-05-01

The identification and characterisation of subsurface liquid water environments on Mars are of high scientific interest. Such environments have the potential to support microbial life, and, more broadly, to develop our understanding of the habitability of planets and moons beyond Earth. Given our current state of knowledge of life on Earth, three pre-requisites are necessary for an environment to be considered 'habitable' and therefore capable of supporting terrestrial-like life: energy, biogenic elements, and liquid water with a sufficiently high water activity. The surface of Mars today is predominately cold and dry, and any liquid water exposed to the atmosphere will vaporise or freeze on timescales of hours to days. These conditions have likely persisted for much of the last 10 million years, and perhaps longer. Despite this, briny liquid water flows (Recurrent Slope Linea) have been observed in a number of locations in the present-day. This review examines evidence from the Phoenix Lander (2008) and the Mars Science Laboratory (2012-current), to assess the occurrence of habitable conditions in the shallow Martian regolith. It will be argued that shallow, transient, liquid water brines are potentially habitable by microbial life, are likely a widespread occurrence on Mars, and that future exploration aimed at finding present-day habitable conditions and potential biology should 'follow the salt'.

Searching for Life: The Case for Halobacteria on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.

2001-01-01

A major objective for NASA exploration of Mars is to determine whether life has existed on Mars in the past, and whether such life on Mars may persist to the present day. On Earth, life exists in all niches in which water exists in liquid form for at least a portion of the year. On Mars, any liquid water would have to be a highly concentrated brine solution. It is likely, therefore, that any present-day Martian microorganisms would be similar to terrestrial halophiles.

Detection of erythropoietin misuse by the Athlete Biological Passport combined with reticulocyte percentage.

PubMed

Bejder, Jacob; Aachmann-Andersen, Niels Jacob; Bonne, Thomas Christian; Olsen, Niels Vidiendal; Nordsborg, Nikolai Baastrup

2016-10-01

The sensitivity of the adaptive model of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) and reticulocyte percentage (ret%) in detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) misuse was evaluated using both a long-term normal dose and a brief high dose treatment regime. Sixteen subjects received either 65 IU rHuEPO × kg -1 every second day for two weeks (normal-dose), 390 IU rHuEPO × kg -1 on three consecutive days (high-dose), or frequent placebo treatment for 13 days in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover design. Blood variables were measured 4, 11, and 25 days following treatment initiation. The ABP based on haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and OFF-hr score ([Hb] - 60 × √ret%) yielded atypical profiles following both normal-dose and high-dose treatment (0 %, 31 %, 13 % vs. 21 %, 33 %, 20 % at days 4, 11, and 25 after normal and high dose, respectively). Including ret% as a stand-alone marker for atypical blood profiles increased (P < 0.05) the sensitivity of the adaptive model at day 11 to 63 % and 67 % for normal-dose and high-dose rHuEPO administration, respectively. In conclusion, ~30 % of subjects injecting a normal-dose rHuEPO for two weeks or a high-dose rHuEPO for three days will present an atypical ABP profile. Including ret% as a stand-alone parameter improves the sensitivity two-fold. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adaptive changes in translation initiation activities for rat pancreatic protein synthesis with feeding of a high-protein diet.

PubMed

Hashi, Masaru; Yoshizawa, Fumiaki; Onozuka, Emi; Ogata, Momoko; Hara, Hiroshi

2005-08-01

We have previously demonstrated that dietary protein induced pancreatic hypergrowth in pancreaticobiliary diverted (PBD) rats. Dietary protein and dietary amino acids stimulate protein synthesis by regulating translation initiation in the rat skeletal muscle and liver. The aim of the present study was to determine whether feeding a high-protein diet induces activation of translation initiation for protein synthesis in the rat pancreas. In PBD rats in which the bile-pancreatic juice was surgically diverted to the upper ileum for 11-13 days, pancreatic dry weight and protein content were doubled compared with those in sham rats and further increased with feeding of a high-protein diet (60% casein diet) for 2 days. These pancreatic growth parameters were maintained at high levels for the next 5 days and were much higher than those of sham rats fed a high-protein diet. In both sham and PBD rats, feeding of a high-protein diet for 2 days induced phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 and 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase, indicating the activation of the initiation phase of translation for pancreatic protein synthesis. However, this increased phosphorylation returned to normal levels on Day 7 in PBD but not in sham rats. We concluded that feeding a high-protein diet induced pancreatic growth with increases in the translation initiation activities for pancreatic protein synthesis within 2 days and that prolonged feeding of a high-protein diet changed the initiation activities differently in sham and PBD rats.

Feasibility and early outcome of high-dose-rate Ir-192 brachytherapy as monotherapy in two fractions within 1 day for high-/very high-risk prostate cancer.

PubMed

Ashida, Shingo; Yamasaki, Ichiro; Tamura, Kenji; Shimamoto, Tsutomu; Inoue, Keiji; Kariya, Shinji; Kobayashi, Kana; Yamagami, Takuji; Shuin, Taro

2016-05-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of high-dose-rate (HDR)-brachytherapy as a monotherapy in two fractions within 1 day for localized prostate cancer, including high-/very high-risk cases. Among the 68 patients treated with HDR monotherapy between July 2011 and December 2014, 65 had a minimal follow-up of 12 months without adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy and were enrolled in the present study [42/65 (64.6%) exhibited high-/very high-risk diseases]. HDR monotherapy was performed in two fractions with a minimal interval of 6 h and the prescribed dose was 13.5 Gy (×2). Adverse events (AEs) were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4; http://ctep.cancer.gov/protocolDevelopment/electronic_applications/ctc.htm#ctc_40), and biochemical failure was assessed by the Phoenix definition. The median follow-up time was 30.1 months. The majority of patients had Grade 0-1 acute AEs. Four patients (6.2%) exhibited urinary retention, requiring a Foley catheter. Grade 3 acute AEs occurred at a frequency of 3.1% and hematuria at 1.5%. The majority of patients also exhibited Grade 0-1 chronic AEs. Grade 3 chronic AEs occurred at a frequency of 1.5% and urethral stricture at 1.5%, for which endoscopic treatment was indicated. Acute and chronic gastrointestinal AEs were uncommon, and no Grade 3 or above AEs developed. Biochemical failure occurred in 4 patients who all exhibited high-/very high-risk diseases. Kaplan-Meier estimated that 3 year biochemical failure-free survival was 91.6% overall and 88.0% in high-/very high-risk cases. The present two-fraction 1 day HDR monotherapy is feasible with minimal AEs and achieved acceptable biochemical control of localized prostate cancer, including high-/very high-risk cases, although long-term follow-up is required.

Clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and genetic factors associated with measurable response of high-risk canine mast cell tumours to tyrosine kinase inhibitors

PubMed Central

Horta, Rodrigo dos Santos; Giuliano, Antonio; Lavalle, Gleidice Eunice; Costa, Mariana de Pádua; de Araújo, Roberto Baracat; Constantino-Casas, Fernando; Dobson, Jane Margaret

2018-01-01

The aim of the present prospective-retrospective study was to evaluate the response of high-risk canine mast cell tumours (MCTs) to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and to correlate this with prognostic factors. A total of 24 dogs presented with macroscopic cutaneous MCTs at disease stage II or III, and therefore, at high-risk of associated mortality, were included in the study and treated with masitinib (n=20) or toceranib (n=4). A total of 12/24 dogs achieved an objective response and the overall survival (OS) for all subjects was 113 days. Dogs responding to treatment had a significant increase in OS compared to non-responders (146.5 days vs. 47 days, P=0.02). Internal tandem duplications in exon 11 of the c-kit gene were identified in 6/24 cases. Ki67, KIT immunolabelling and c-kit mutation did not provide information regarding prognosis or prediction of response to TKIs in this population. Initial response to TKIs appears to be the most reliable prognostic factor for survival duration. PMID:29387214

Effects of high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets on fat and carbohydrate oxidation and plasma metabolites in healthy cats.

PubMed

Gooding, M A; Flickinger, E A; Atkinson, J L; Duncan, I J H; Shoveller, A K

2014-06-01

High-fat (HF) or high-carbohydrate (HC) diets (30% fat, 18.9% carbohydrate; HF and 10% fat, 46.3% carbohydrate; HC) and lengths of adaptation were investigated in cats (Felis catus; 10 ± 2 months, 3.6 ± 0.3 kg). Cats randomly received each treatment for 14 days in a crossover design with a 14-day washout period between each diet. Three 22-h indirect calorimetry studies were conducted after acute (day 0), semichronic (day 4) and chronic (day 13) dietary exposure. Blood samples were collected after a 24-h fast on days 1, 5 and 14. When cats consumed the HC and HF diet, oxidation of the restricted nutrient exceeded intake while oxidation of the nutrient in excess matched intake. Mean max energy expenditure (EE) of cats consuming the HF and HC diet were 107 and 102 kcal/kg(0.67)/day and occurred at a mean of 4 and 12 h post-feeding respectively. Maximal fat (0.90 g/h) and carbohydrate (carbohydrate; 1.42 g/h) oxidation were attained at 26 min and 10.4 h post-feeding respectively. The changes observed in macronutrient oxidation and EE suggest that cats adapt whole-body nutrient metabolism in response to changes in dietary macronutrient content, but may require longer than 14 day to adapt to a macronutrient that is present at a lower concentration in the diet. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Stroke risk after nonstroke emergency department dizziness presentations: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Kerber, Kevin A; Zahuranec, Darin B; Brown, Devin L; Meurer, William J; Burke, James F; Smith, Melinda A; Lisabeth, Lynda D; Fendrick, A Mark; McLaughlin, Thomas; Morgenstern, Lewis B

2014-06-01

Acute stroke is a serious concern in emergency department (ED) dizziness presentations. Prior studies, however, suggest that stroke is actually an unlikely cause of these presentations. Lacking are data on short- and long-term follow-up from population-based studies to establish stroke risk after presumed nonstroke ED dizziness presentations. From May 8, 2011 to May 7, 2012, patients ≥45 years of age presenting to EDs in Nueces County, Texas, with dizziness, vertigo, or imbalance were identified, excluding those with stroke as the initial diagnosis. Stroke events after the ED presentation up to October 2, 2012 were determined using the BASIC (Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi) study, which uses rigorous surveillance and neurologist validation. Cumulative stroke risk was calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. A total of 1,245 patients were followed for a median of 347 days (interquartile range [IQR] = 230-436 days). Median age was 61.9 years (IQR = 53.8-74.0 years). After the ED visit, 15 patients (1.2%) had a stroke. Stroke risk was 0.48% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.22-1.07%) at 2 days, 0.48% (95% CI = 0.22-1.07%) at 7 days, 0.56% (95% CI = 0.27-1.18%) at 30 days, 0.56% (95% CI = 0.27-1.18%) at 90 days, and 1.42% (95% CI = 0.85-2.36%) at 12 months. Using rigorous case ascertainment and outcome assessment in a population-based design, we found that the risk of stroke after presumed nonstroke ED dizziness presentations is very low, supporting a nonstroke etiology to the overwhelming majority of original events. High-risk subgroups likely exist, however, because most of the 90-day stroke risk occurred within 2 days. Vascular risk stratification was insufficient to identify these cases. © 2014 American Neurological Association.

Expedient Caution: Approximating Exposure and Dosimetry to Understand Chemical Risk (OSU EMT Research Day keynote presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

I describe research on high throughput exposure and toxicokinetics. These tools provide context for data generated by high throughput toxicity screening to allow risk-based prioritization of thousands of chemicals.

Observations of the 5-day wave in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, D. L.; Hays, P. B.; Skinner, W. R.

1994-01-01

The 5-day planetary wave has been detected in the winds measured by the High Resolution Doppler Imager (HRDI) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (50-110 km). The appearances of the 5-day wave are transient, with a lifetime of 10-20 days in the two-year data set. The structures of selected 5-day wave events are in generally good agreement with the (1,1) Rossby normal mode for both zonal and meridional components. A climatology of the 5-day wave is presented for an altitude of 95 km and latitudes mainly between 40 deg S and 40 deg N.

Oral administration of kefiran induces changes in the balance of immune cells in a murine model.

PubMed

Medrano, Micaela; Racedo, Silvia M; Rolny, Ivanna S; Abraham, Analía G; Pérez, Pablo F

2011-05-25

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the oral administration of kefiran on the balance of immune cells in a murine model. Six week old BALB/c mice were treated with kefiran (300 mg/L) for 0, 2 and 7 days. Kefiran treatment increased the number of IgA+ cells in lamina propria after 2 and 7 days. Percentage of B220+/MHCII(high) cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (2 days) and Peyer's patches (7 days) was higher compared to untreated control mice. An increase of macrophages (F4/80+ cells) was observed in lamina propria and peritoneal cavity (2 and 7 days). In contrast, at day 7, macrophage population decreased in Peyer's patches. These results show the ability of kefiran to modify the balance of immune cells in intestinal mucosa. This property could be highly relevant for the comprehension of the probiotic effect attributed to kefir.

The fate of mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into immunocompetent neonatal mice: implications for skeletal gene therapy via stem cells.

PubMed

Niyibizi, Christopher; Wang, Sujing; Mi, Zhibao; Robbins, Paul D

2004-06-01

To explore the feasibility of skeletal gene and cell therapies, we transduced murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a retrovirus carrying the enhanced green fluorescent protein and zeocin-resistance genes prior to transplantation into 2-day-old immunocompetent neonatal mice. Whole-body imaging of the recipient mice at 7 days post-systemic cell injection demonstrated a wide distribution of the cells in vivo. Twenty-five days posttransplantation, most of the infused cells were present in the lung as assessed by examination of the cells cultured from the lungs of the recipient mice. The cells persisted in lung and maintained a high level of gene expression and could be recovered from the recipient mice at 150 days after cell transplantation. A significant number of GFP-positive cells were also present in the bones of the recipient mice at 35 days post-cell transplantation. Recycling of the cells recovered from femurs of the recipient mice at 25 days posttransplantation by repeated injections into different neonatal mice resulted in the isolation of a clone of cells that was detected in bone and cartilage, but not in lung and liver after systemic injection. These data demonstrate that MSCs persist in immunocompetent neonatal mice, maintain a high level of gene expression, and may participate in skeletal growth and development of the recipient animals.

Selenium metabolites in urine of cancer patients receiving L-selenomethionine at high doses

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

Kuehnelt, Doris; Juresa, Dijana; Francesconi, Kevin A.

2007-04-15

We investigated, with quantitative HPLC/mass spectrometry, the selenium metabolites in urine from five cancer patients receiving high doses of L-selenomethionine over an extended period (2 x 4000 {mu}g Se/day for 7 days, then 4000 {mu}g Se/day for 21 days) as an adjunct to their normal cancer chemotherapy. Urine samples were collected at day 0 (all 5 patients), and at 2-3 additional collection times ranging from 1 to 33 days. The background selenium concentrations ranged from 12 to 55 {mu}g Se/L and increased to 870 to 4420 {mu}g Se/L for the five patients during the study. All five patients had appreciablemore » levels of selenosugars in their background urine sample, and the concentrations increased dramatically after selenium intake. Trimethylselenonium ion (TMSe), on the other hand, was generally present as only a trace metabolite in background urine, and, although the concentration of TMSe increased following selenium exposure, it became a less significant proportion relative to selenosugars. These data refute the currently accepted role of TMSe as the preferred excretion metabolite when selenium exposure is high.« less

Evidence for impulsive solar wind plasma penetration through the dayside magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundin, R.; Sauvaud, J.-A.; Rème, H.; Balogh, A.; Dandouras, I.; Bosqued, J. M.; Carlson, C.; Parks, G. K.; Möbius, E.; Kistler, L. M.; Klecker, B.; Amata, E.; Formisano, V.; Dunlop, M.; Eliasson, L.; Korth, A.; Lavraud, B.; McCarthy, M.

2003-02-01

This paper presents in situ observational evidence from the Cluster Ion Spectrometer (CIS) on Cluster of injected solar wind "plasma clouds" protruding into the day-side high-latitude magnetopause. The plasma clouds, presumably injected by a transient process through the day-side magnetopause, show characteristics implying a generation mechanism denoted impulsive penetration (Lemaire and Roth, 1978).

Advising Transfer Military Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Steven

2011-01-01

Today's students can come from a larger area than just high school. With the entire world's conflicts and today's society, more and more of our present day students may have come from the military ranks. Though we have not come to an actual draft system, more and more modern day students have served their time in the military, to keep America…

Evaluation of a dot ELISA kit for measuring immunoglobulin M antibodies to canine parvovirus and distemper virus.

PubMed

Waner, T; Mazar, S; Nachmias, E; Keren-Kornblatt, E; Harrus, S

2003-05-10

A dot ELISA for the detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to canine distemper virus (CDC) and canine parvovirus (CPV) was assessed. The titres of IgM antibodies to CDV and CPV in 100 dogs were measured by the Immunocomb ELISA kit and compared with the results derived from the immunofluorescence assay (IFA). There was a strong correlation between the results of the dot ELISA technique and the IFA (P < 0.001). The dot ELISA kit was also used to assess the changes in the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to CPV and CDV in 10 puppies vaccinated with a polyvalent vaccine. High levels of IgM antibodies to CPV were first detected seven days after they were vaccinated, and after nine days all the pups had high titres of IgG antibodies to CPV. High levels of IgM antibodies to CDV were detected after nine days and the highest average titres were recorded after 12 days. IgG antibodies to CDV were present from nine days after vaccination.

Daily Mean Temperature Affects Urolithiasis Presentation in Seoul: a Time-series Analysis.

PubMed

Lee, SeoYeon; Kim, Min-Su; Kim, Jung Hoon; Kwon, Jong Kyou; Chi, Byung Hoon; Kim, Jin Wook; Chang, In Ho

2016-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the overall cumulative exposure-response and the lag response relationships between daily temperature and urolithiasis presentation in Seoul. Using a time-series design and distributing lag nonlinear methods, we estimated the relative risk (RR) of urolithiasis presentation associated with mean daily temperature, including the cumulative RR for a 20 days period, and RR for individual daily lag through 20 days. We analyzed data from 14,518 patients of 4 hospitals emergency department who sought medical evaluation or treatment of urolithiasis from 2005-2013 in Seoul. RR was estimated according to sex and age. Associations between mean daily temperature and urolithiasis presentation were not monotonic. Furthermore, there was variation in the exposure-response curve shapes and the strength of association at different temperatures, although in most cases RRs increased for temperatures above the 13°C reference value. The RRs for urolothiasis at 29°C vs. 13°C were 2.54 in all patients (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67-3.87), 2.59 in male (95% CI, 1.56-4.32), 2.42 in female (95% CI, 1.15-5.07), 3.83 in male less than 40 years old (95% CI, 1.78-8.26), and 2.47 in male between 40 and 60 years old (95% CI, 1.15-5.34). Consistent trends of increasing RR of urolithiasis presentation were observed within 5 days of high temperatures across all groups. Urolithiasis presentation increased with high temperature with higher daily mean temperatures, with the strongest associations estimated for lags of only a few days, in Seoul, a metropolitan city in Korea.

Prolonged duration of fertility of dog ova.

PubMed

Tsutsui, T; Takahashi, F; Hori, T; Kawakami, E; Concannon, P W

2009-07-01

The fertile period for natural mating in dogs extends from before ovulation until day 5 post ovulation (PO) and involves a delay in oocyte maturation until 2-3 days PO and viability of secondary oocytes for 48-60 h or more. Spermatozoa do not enter the uterus after vaginal insemination in late oestrus. Cervical closure appears to occur on average 5 days PO, but conception may occur following intrauterine artificial insemination (IUAI) up to 8 days PO. Therefore, the present study was conducted to clarify the duration of fertility of canine ova. Using IUAI at 6, 7, 8 and 9 days PO (n = 5 bitches each) conception rates were 100%, 71.4%, 37.5% and 0%, respectively, with an average litter resorption rate of 30.8%, and with mean litter sizes and times to delivery PO being 4.3 +/- 1.6 and 64.3 +/- 0.3 days, 4.0 +/- 1.4 and 66.3 +/- 0.4 days, and 2.5 and 68 days for IUAI at 6, 7 and 8 days, respectively. The high pregnancy rates with IUAI at 6 and 7 days PO confirm that many canine oocytes are fertile at 4-5 days after maturation. The high rate of resorption was presumably because of aging of ova or asynchrony between embryonic development and the intrauterine environment.

The effects of compression garments on intermittent exercise performance and recovery on consecutive days.

PubMed

Duffield, Rob; Edge, Johann; Merrells, Robert; Hawke, Emma; Barnes, Matt; Simcock, David; Gill, Nicholas

2008-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether compression garments improve intermittent-sprint performance and aid performance or self-reported recovery from high-intensity efforts on consecutive days. Following familiarization, 14 male rugby players performed two randomized testing conditions (with or without garments) involving consecutive days of a simulated team sport exercise protocol, separated by 24 h of recovery within each condition and 2 weeks between conditions. Each day involved an 80-min high-intensity exercise circuit, with exercise performance determined by repeated 20-m sprints and peak power on a cart dynamometer (single-man scrum machine). Measures of nude mass, heart rate, skin and tympanic temperature, and blood lactate (La-) were recorded throughout each day; also, creatine kinase (CK) and muscle soreness were recorded each day and 48 h following exercise. No differences (P=.20 to 0.40) were present between conditions on either day of the exercise protocol for repeated 20-m sprint efforts or peak power on a cart dynamometer. Heart rate, tympanic temperature, and body mass did not significantly differ between conditions; however, skin temperature was higher under the compression garments. Although no differences (P=.50) in La- or CK were present, participants felt reduced levels of perceived muscle soreness in the ensuing 48 h postexercise when wearing the garments (2.5+/-1.7 vs 3.5+/-2.1 for garment and control; P=.01). The use of compression garments did not improve or hamper simulated team-sport activity on consecutive days. Despite benefits of reduced self-reported muscle soreness when wearing garments during and following exercise each day, no improvements in performance or recovery were apparent.

Congenital Cutaneous Candidiasis: Prompt Systemic Treatment Is Associated With Improved Outcomes in Neonates.

PubMed

Kaufman, David A; Coggins, Sarah A; Zanelli, Santina A; Weitkamp, Jörn-Hendrik

2017-05-15

Congenital cutaneous candidiasis (CCC) is a challenging diagnosis due to various rash presentations. Inadequate early treatment is associated with high rates of dissemination and death. The effects of early diagnosis, dermatologic presentation, and antifungal treatment on outcomes are lacking. CCC cases were reviewed from 2 academic neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) from 2004 to 2015. We defined CCC as a diffuse rash involving the body, extremities, face or scalp, and/or funisitis, presenting in the first week (≤7 days), with identification of Candida species from skin or mucous membrane cultures, and/or by culture or staining of the placenta or umbilical cord. CCC occurred in 0.1% of all NICU admissions (21 of 19 303) and 0.6% of infants <1000 grams birth weight. Median gestational age of CCC infants was 26 3/7 (range, 23 0/7-40 4/7) weeks. Skin findings were commonly present on the day of birth [median (range): 0 (0-6) days], appearing most frequently as a desquamating, maculopapular, papulopustular, and/or erythematous diffuse rash. When systemic antifungal therapy was started empirically at the time of rash presentation and continued for a median (interquartile range) of 14 (14-15) days, all patients survived and none developed dissemination. Delaying systemic treatment, exclusive use of nystatin, and treating for <10 days was associated with Candida bloodstream dissemination. CCC is an invasive infection that presents as a diffuse rash in preterm and term infants. Prompt systemic antifungal treatment at the time of skin presentation for ≥14 days prevents dissemination and Candida-related mortality. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reduction in fluoride-induced genotoxicity in mouse bone marrow cells after substituting high fluoride-containing water with safe drinking water.

PubMed

Podder, Santosh; Chattopadhyay, Ansuman; Bhattacharya, Shelley

2011-10-01

Treatment of mice with 15 mg l(-1) sodium fluoride (NaF) for 30 days increased the number of cell death, chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and 'cells with chromatid breaks' (aberrant cells) compared with control. The present study was intended to determine whether the fluoride (F)-induced genotoxicity could be reduced by substituting high F-containing water after 30 days with safe drinking water, containing 0.1 mg F ions l(-1). A significant fall in percentage of CAs and aberrant cells after withdrawal of F-treatment following 30 days of safe water treatment in mice was observed which was highest after 90 days, although their levels still remained significantly high compared with the control group. This observation suggests that F-induced genotoxicity could be reduced by substituting high F-containing water with safe drinking water. Further study is warranted with different doses and extended treatment of safe water to determine whether the induced damages could be completely reduced or not. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of Salt Intake and Potassium Supplementation on Serum Renalase Levels in Chinese Adults

PubMed Central

Wang, Yang; Liu, Fu-Qiang; Wang, Dan; Mu, Jian-Jun; Ren, Ke-Yu; Guo, Tong-Shuai; Chu, Chao; Wang, Lan; Geng, Li-Ke; Yuan, Zu-Yi

2014-01-01

Abstract Renalase, a recently discovered enzyme released by the kidneys, breaks down blood-borne catecholamines and may thus regulate blood pressure (BP). Animal studies have suggested that high levels of dietary salt might reduce blood and kidney renalase levels. We conducted a randomized trial to assess the effects of altered salt and potassium intake on serum renalase levels and the relationship between serum renalase levels and BP in humans. Forty-two subjects (28–65 years of age) were selected from a rural community of northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day of NaCl), a high-salt diet for additional 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl), and a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation for final 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl + 4.5 g/day of KCl). Serum renalase levels were significantly higher than baseline levels during the low-salt diet intervention period. Renalase levels decreased with the change from the low-salt to high-salt diet, whereas dietary potassium prevented the decrease in serum renalase induced by the high-salt diet. There was a significant inverse correlation between the serum renalase level and 24-h urinary sodium excretion. No significant correlation was found between the renalase level and BP among the different dietary interventions. The present study indicates that variations in dietary salt intake and potassium supplementation affect the serum renalase concentration in Chinese subjects. PMID:25058146

Effect of salt intake and potassium supplementation on serum renalase levels in Chinese adults: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Liu, Fu-Qiang; Wang, Dan; Mu, Jian-Jun; Ren, Ke-Yu; Guo, Tong-Shuai; Chu, Chao; Wang, Lan; Geng, Li-Ke; Yuan, Zu-Yi

2014-07-01

Renalase, a recently discovered enzyme released by the kidneys, breaks down blood-borne catecholamines and may thus regulate blood pressure (BP). Animal studies have suggested that high levels of dietary salt might reduce blood and kidney renalase levels. We conducted a randomized trial to assess the effects of altered salt and potassium intake on serum renalase levels and the relationship between serum renalase levels and BP in humans.Forty-two subjects (28-65 years of age) were selected from a rural community of northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day of NaCl), a high-salt diet for additional 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl), and a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation for final 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl + 4.5 g/day of KCl).Serum renalase levels were significantly higher than baseline levels during the low-salt diet intervention period. Renalase levels decreased with the change from the low-salt to high-salt diet, whereas dietary potassium prevented the decrease in serum renalase induced by the high-salt diet. There was a significant inverse correlation between the serum renalase level and 24-h urinary sodium excretion. No significant correlation was found between the renalase level and BP among the different dietary interventions.The present study indicates that variations in dietary salt intake and potassium supplementation affect the serum renalase concentration in Chinese subjects.

Present-day nearshore pH differentially depresses fertilization in congeneric sea urchins.

PubMed

Frieder, Christina A

2014-02-01

Ocean acidification impacts fertilization in some species of sea urchin, but whether sensitivity is great enough to be influenced by present-day pH variability has not been documented. In this study, fertilization in two congeneric sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and S. franciscanus, was found to be sensitive to reduced pH, <7.50, but only within a range of sperm-egg ratios that was species-specific. By further testing fertilization across a broad range of pH, pH-fertilization curves were generated and revealed that S. purpuratus was largely robust to pH, while fertilization in S. franciscanus was sensitive to even modest reductions in pH. Combining the pH-fertilization response curves with pH data collected from these species' habitat demonstrated that relative fertilization success remained high for S. purpuratus but could be as low as 79% for S. franciscanus during periods of naturally low pH. In order for S. franciscanus to maintain high fertilization success in the present and future, adequate adult densities, and thus sufficient sperm-egg ratios, will be required to negate the effects of low pH. In contrast, fertilization of S. purpuratus was robust to a broad range of pH, encompassing both present-day and future ocean acidification scenarios, even though the two congeners have similar habitats.

Isolation and prominent aboriginal maternal legacy in the present-day population of La Gomera (Canary Islands)

PubMed Central

Fregel, Rosa; Cabrera, Vicente M; Larruga, José M; Hernández, Juan C; Gámez, Alejandro; Pestano, Jose J; Arnay, Matilde; González, Ana M

2015-01-01

The present-day population structure of La Gomera is outstanding in its high aboriginal heritage, the greatest in the Canary Islands. This was earlier confirmed by both mitochondrial DNA and autosomal analyses, although genetic drift due to the fifteenth century European colonization could not be excluded as the main factor responsible. The present mtDNA study of aboriginal remains and extant samples from the six municipal districts of the island indeed demonstrates that the pre-Hispanic colonization of La Gomera by North African people involved a strong founder event, shown by the high frequency of the indigenous Canarian U6b1a lineage in the aboriginal samples (65%). This value is even greater than that observed in the extant population (44%), which in turn is the highest of all the seven Canary Islands. In contrast to previous results obtained for the aboriginal populations of Tenerife and La Palma, haplogroups related to secondary waves of migration were not detected in La Gomera aborigines, indicating that isolation also had an important role in shaping the current population. The rugged relief of La Gomera divided into several distinct valleys probably promoted subsequent aboriginal intra-insular differentiation that has continued after the European colonization, as seen in the present-day population structure observed on the island. PMID:25407001

Evaluating the effects of historical land cover change on summertime weather and climate in New Jersey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wichansky, Paul Stuart

The 19th-century agrarian landscape of New Jersey (NJ) and the surrounding region has been extensively transformed to the present-day land cover by urbanization, reforestation, and localized areas of deforestation. This study used a mesoscale atmospheric numerical model to investigate the sensitivity of the warm season climate of NJ to these land cover changes. Reconstructed 1880s-era and present-day land cover datasets were used as surface boundary conditions for a set of simulations performed with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). Three-member ensembles with historical and present-day land cover were compared to examine the sensitivity of surface air and dewpoint temperatures, rainfall, the individual components of the surface energy budget, horizontal and vertical winds, and the vertical profiles of temperature and humidity to these land cover changes. Mean temperatures for the present-day landscape were 0.3-0.6°C warmer than for the historical landscape over a considerable portion of NJ and the surrounding region, with daily maximum temperatures at least 1.0°C warmer over some of the highly urbanized locations. Reforested regions in the present-day landscape, however, showed a slight cooling. Surface warming was generally associated with repartitioning of net radiation from latent to sensible heat flux, and conversely for cooling. Reduced evapotranspiration from much of the present-day land surface led to dewpoint temperature decreases of 0.3-0.6°C. While urbanization was accompanied by strong surface albedo decreases and increases in net shortwave radiation, reforestation and potential changes in forest composition have generally increased albedos and also enhanced landscape heterogeneity. The increased deciduousness of forests may have further reduced net downward longwave radiation. These land cover changes have modified boundary-layer dynamics by increasing low-level convergence and upper-level divergence in the interior of NJ, especially where sensible heat fluxes have increased for the present-day landscape, hence enhancing uplift in the mid-troposphere. The mesoscale circulations that developed in the present-day ensemble were also more effective at lifting available moisture to higher levels of the boundary layer, lowering dewpoints near the surface but increasing them aloft. Likewise, the sea breeze in coastal areas of NJ in the present-day ensemble had stronger uplift during the afternoon and enhanced moisture transport to higher levels.

Martian water: are there extant halobacteria on Mars?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, G. A.

2001-01-01

On Earth, life exists in all niches where water exists in liquid form for at least a portion of the year. On Mars, any liquid water would have to be a highly concentrated brine solution. It is likely, therefore, that any present-day Martian microorganisms would be similar to terrestrial halophiles. Even if present-day life does not exist on Mars, it is an interesting speculation that ancient bacteria preserved in salt deposits could be retrieved from an era when the climate of Mars was more conducive to life.

Day-to-day variability of midlatitude ionospheric currents due to magnetospheric and lower atmospheric forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamazaki, Y.; Häusler, K.; Wild, J. A.

2016-07-01

As known from previous studies on the solar quiet (Sq) variation of the geomagnetic field, the strength and pattern of ionospheric dynamo currents change significantly from day to day. The present study investigates the relative importance of two sources that contribute to the day-to-day variability of the ionospheric currents at middle and low latitudes. One is high-latitude electric fields that are caused by magnetospheric convection, and the other is atmospheric waves from the lower atmosphere. Global ionospheric current systems, commonly known as Sq current systems, are simulated using the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere-electrodynamics general circulation model. Simulations are run for 1-30 April 2010 with a constant solar energy input but with various combinations of high-latitude forcing and lower atmospheric forcing. The model well reproduces geomagnetic perturbations on the ground, when both forcings are taken into account. The contribution of high-latitude forcing to the total Sq current intensity (Jtotal) is generally smaller than the contribution of wave forcing from below 30 km, except during active periods (Kp≥4), when Jtotal is enhanced due to the leakage of high-latitude electric fields to lower latitudes. It is found that the penetration electric field drives ionospheric currents at middle and low latitudes not only on the dayside but also on the nightside, which has an appreciable effect on the Dst index. It is also found that quiet time day-to-day variability in Jtotal is dominated by symmetric-mode migrating diurnal and semidiurnal tidal winds at 45-60° latitude at ˜110 km.

Persistence of Bidrin® in Two Forest Soils

Treesearch

Richard A. Werner

1970-01-01

A field study conducted on two forest soils, mineral and organic, indicated that high residues of the systemic insecticide Bidrin® were present in the upper 6 inches of soil for only 15 days following application. The rate of downward movement of the insecticide was fastest in the mineral soil. The total residue level during a 90-day period following application was...

Establishing Systemic Social and Emotional Learning Approaches in Schools: A Framework for Schoolwide Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberle, Eva; Domitrovich, Celene E.; Meyers, Duncan C.; Weissberg, Roger P.

2016-01-01

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is a fundamental part of education. Incorporating high-quality SEL programming into day-to-day classroom and school practices has emerged as a main goal for many practitioners over the past decade. The present article overviews the current state of SEL research and practice, with a particular focus on the United…

Behavioral in-effectiveness of high frequency electromagnetic field in mice.

PubMed

Salunke, Balwant P; Umathe, Sudhir N; Chavan, Jagatpalsingh G

2015-03-01

The present investigation was carried out with an objective to study the influence of high frequency electromagnetic field (HF-EMF) on anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression-like behavior. For exposure to HF-EMF, non-magnetic material was used to fabricate the housing. Mice were exposed to HF-EMF (2.45GHz), 60min/day for 7 or 30 or 60 or 90 or 120days. The exposure was carried out by switching-on inbuilt class-I BLUETOOTH device that operates on 2.45GHz frequency in file transfer mode at a peak density of 100mW. Mice were subjected to the assessment of anxiety, OCD and depression-like behavior for 7 or 30 or 60 or 90 or 120days of exposure. The anxiety-like behavior was assessed by elevated plus maze, open field test and social interaction test. OCD-like behavior was assessed by marble burying behavior, whereas depression-like behavior was assessed by forced swim test and tail suspension test. The present experiment demonstrates that up to 120days of exposure to HF-EMF does not produce anxiety, OCD and depression-like behavior in mice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Temporal and Spatial Resolution Global GPS TEC Observations of the 2015 St. Patrick Day Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vierinen, J.

2015-12-01

High spatiotemperal resolution global GPS TEC measurements of the 2015 St. Patrick's day storm are presented. The high resolution data is useful, as it clearly shows the high latitude convection patterns, the equatorward progression of the auroral region, the tongue of ionization, as well as the increased electron density in the equatorial anomaly region. The measurements are compared with high power large aperture radar and passive radar measurements of coherent and incoherent scatter at Millstone Hill. Regions of fast convection identified in the GPS TEC data are found to coincide with coherent scatter in both radar data. Convection velocities determined from GPS TEC are compared with those obtained from incoherent scatter radar measurements.

Hypothyroidism and acute kidney injury: an unusual association.

PubMed

Neves, Precil Diego Miranda de Menezes; Bridi, Ramaiane Aparecida; Balbi, André Luis; Ponce, Daniela

2013-08-09

Association between severe hypothyroidism and acute kidney injury (AKI) is rare. A 40-year-old woman presented with 15 days history of generalised muscle pain, weakness, weight gain and oedema. hypertension and hypothyroidism. dry skin, peripheral/periorbital oedema, slow thought and speaking, thyroid increased. Laboratory examinations: high levels of creatine kinase , creatinine, uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase. Free T4 was very low (<0.3 ng/dL) and thyroid-stimulating hormone was high (21.7 µIU/mL). Urinalysis showed haem pigment without haematuria. We performed the diagnosis of AKI secondary to hypothyroidism-induced rhabdomyolysis. Intravenous fluids were started, urinary alkalisation and increased l-thyroxine dose replacement. On the day after admission, forced diuresis with furosemide was introduced leading to a progressive improvement of symptoms. Although hypothyroidism and AKI is unusual, it should be suspected in patients presenting decrease of renal function and high creatine kinase in the absence of other causes of rhabdomyolysis.

Effect of phosphate supplementation on oxygen delivery at high altitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, S. C.; Singh, M. V.; Rawal, S. B.; Sharma, V. M.; Divekar, H. M.; Tyagi, A. K.; Panwar, M. R.; Swamy, Y. V.

1987-09-01

In the present communication, effect of low doses of phosphate supplementation on short-term high altitude adaptation has been examined. Studies were carried out in 36 healthy, male, sea-level residents divided in a double blind fashion into drug and placebo treated groups. 3.2 mmol of phosphate were given orally to each subject of the drug treated group once a day for 4 days on arrival at an altitude of 3,500 m. Sequential studies were done in the subjects in both groups on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day of their altitude stay. Haemoglobin, haematocrit, erythrocyte and reticulocyte counts increased to the similar extent in both groups. Blood pH, pO2 and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) did not differ between the two groups. On 3rd day of the altitude stay, inorganic phosphate and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) levels in the drug treated group increased significantly as compared to the placebo group. No significant difference in inorganic phosphate and 2,3 DPG was observed later on in the two groups. Psychological and clinical tests also indicated that the drug treated subjects felt better as compared to the placebo treated subjects. The present study suggests that low doses of phosphate increases circulating 2,3-DPG concentration which in turn brings about beneficial effect towards short term high altitude adaptation.

Relationship between boundary layer heights and growth rates with ground-level ozone in Houston, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haman, C. L.; Couzo, E.; Flynn, J. H.; Vizuete, W.; Heffron, B.; Lefer, B. L.

2014-05-01

Measurements and predictions of ambient ozone (O3), planetary boundary layer (PBL) height, the surface energy budget, wind speed, and other meteorological parameters were made near downtown Houston, Texas, and were used to investigate meteorological controls on elevated levels of ground-level O3. Days during the study period (1 April 2009 to 31 December 2010 for measurements and 15 April 2009 to 17 October 2009 for modeled) were classified into low (LO3) and high ozone (HO3) days. The majority of observed high HO3 days occurred in a postfrontal environment. Observations showed there is not a significant difference in daily maximum PBL heights on HO3 and LO3 days. Modeling results showed large differences between maximum PBL heights on HO3 and LO3 days. Nighttime and early morning observed and modeled PBL heights are consistently lower on HO3 days than on LO3 days. The observed spring LO3 days had the most rapid early morning PBL growth (~350 m h-1) while the fall HO3 group had the slowest (~200 m h-1). The predicted maximum average hourly morning PBL growth rates were greater on HO3 (624 m h-1) days than LO3 days (361 m h-1). Observed turbulent mixing parameters were up to 2-3 times weaker on HO3 days, which indicate large-scale subsidence associated with high-pressure systems (leading to clear skies and weak winds) substantially suppresses mixing. Lower surface layer ventilation coefficients were present in the morning on HO3 days in the spring and fall, which promotes the accumulation of O3 precursors near the surface.

Eradication of pathogens from the nasopharynx after therapy of acute maxillary sinusitis with low- or high-dose amoxicillin/clavulanic acid.

PubMed

Brook, Itzhak; Foote, Perry A; Hausfeld, Jeffrey N

2005-11-01

The growing resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin can be overcome by increasing the dose of the penicillin administered. This generated the recommendation that the adult dose of amoxicillin for the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) be increased from 1.5 g/day to 4.0 g/day. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the higher dose of amoxicillin is more effective than the previously recommended dose in eradicating S. pneumoniae from the nasopharynx of patients who present with AMS. Nasopharyngeal cultures obtained from 58 patients with AMS were studied: 30 received amoxicillin 1.5 g/day given in divided doses three times a day for 10 days (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 4:1 formulation) and 28 were treated with amoxicillin 4.0 g/day given in divided doses twice a day for 10 days (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 16:1 formulation). Seventy-one potentially pathogenic organisms were isolated: S. pneumoniae (27 isolates), Haemophilus influenzae non-type b (25), Moraxella catarrhalis (5), Streptococcus pyogenes (5) and Staphylococcus aureus (9). The number of S. pneumoniae isolates in the 1.5 g/day group was reduced from 14 to 9 (2 intermediately resistant and 3 highly resistant). In contrast, the number of S. pneumoniae isolates in the 4.0 g/day group was reduced from 13 to 2 (1 highly resistant) (P<0.05). No differences were noted in the eradication rate of other groups of isolates, which were all susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. These data illustrate the superiority of 4.0 g/day amoxicillin/clavulanic acid compared with 1.5 g/day amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the eradication of S. pneumoniae from the nasopharynx.

Using self-organizing maps to develop ambient air quality classifications: a time series example

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Development of exposure metrics that capture features of the multipollutant environment are needed to investigate health effects of pollutant mixtures. This is a complex problem that requires development of new methodologies. Objective Present a self-organizing map (SOM) framework for creating ambient air quality classifications that group days with similar multipollutant profiles. Methods Eight years of day-level data from Atlanta, GA, for ten ambient air pollutants collected at a central monitor location were classified using SOM into a set of day types based on their day-level multipollutant profiles. We present strategies for using SOM to develop a multipollutant metric of air quality and compare results with more traditional techniques. Results Our analysis found that 16 types of days reasonably describe the day-level multipollutant combinations that appear most frequently in our data. Multipollutant day types ranged from conditions when all pollutants measured low to days exhibiting relatively high concentrations for either primary or secondary pollutants or both. The temporal nature of class assignments indicated substantial heterogeneity in day type frequency distributions (~1%-14%), relatively short-term durations (<2 day persistence), and long-term and seasonal trends. Meteorological summaries revealed strong day type weather dependencies and pollutant concentration summaries provided interesting scenarios for further investigation. Comparison with traditional methods found SOM produced similar classifications with added insight regarding between-class relationships. Conclusion We find SOM to be an attractive framework for developing ambient air quality classification because the approach eases interpretation of results by allowing users to visualize classifications on an organized map. The presented approach provides an appealing tool for developing multipollutant metrics of air quality that can be used to support multipollutant health studies. PMID:24990361

Police Work Absence: An Analysis of Stress and Resiliency

PubMed Central

Fekedulegn, Desta; Hartley, Tara A.; Andrew, Michael E.; Charles, Luenda; Tinney-Zara, Cathy A.; Burchfiel, Cecil M.

2015-01-01

Police work is a high stress occupation and stress has been implicated in work absence. The present study examined (1) associations between specific types of police stress and work absences, (2) distinctions between “voluntary” (1-day) and “involuntary” (> 3-days) absences; and (3) the modifying effect of resiliency. Officers (n=337) from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress study were included in the present study. The sample was 72% male, 77% Caucasian, 73% married, and 75% patrol officers. Mean age was 41 years (SD=6.4). Measures included: the Spielberger Police Stress Survey, 1-year payroll absence data, and the Dispositional Resilience Scale. The negative binomial regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RR) of 1-day and >3-days work absences for increasing stress scores. Models were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, rank, smoking status, alcohol intake, and sleep duration. For one-unit increase in stress scores, the covariate adjusted RRs for one-day work absences were: total stress score (RR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.04–1.36); administrative stress (RR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.05–2.18); physical/psychological stress (RR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.14–2.07); and lack of support (RR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.01–3.05). Results suggest that officers were more likely to take voluntary 1-day absences due to specific types of stress at work. When the entire sample was considered, there was no significant association between police specific stress and episodes of work absence lasting at least three consecutive days. Hardy individuals, including those with high scores on the challenge sub-score, may use 1-day absences as a positive coping strategy. PMID:26709384

Pre- and post-transplant monitoring of soluble CD30 levels as predictor of acute renal allograft rejection.

PubMed

Wang, Dong; Wu, Guo-Jun; Wu, Wei-Zhen; Yang, Shun-Liang; Chen, Jin-Hua; Wang, He; Lin, Wen-Hong; Wang, Qing-Hua; Zeng, Zhang-Xin; Tan, Jian-Ming

2007-06-01

Identification of renal graft candidates at high risk of impending acute rejection (AR) and graft loss may be helpful for patient-tailored immunosuppressive regimens and renal graft survival. To investigate the feasibility with soluble CD30 (sCD30) as predictor of AR, sCD30 levels of 70 patients were detected on day 0 pre-transplant and day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 30 post-transplant. AR episodes in 6 months were recorded and then patients were divided into Group AR (n=11) and Group UC (n=59). Results showed that the patients had higher pre-transplant sCD30 levels than healthy people. A significant decrease of sCD30 was observed on the first day post-transplant and continued until day 14 post-transplant. Soluble CD30 presented a stable level from day 14 to 30 post-transplant. Pre-transplant sCD30 levels of Group AR were much higher than those of Group UC (P<0.001). Patients of Group AR also had higher sCD30 levels than those of Group UC on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 (P<0.001). The sCD30 level presented a significantly delayed decrease in the patients of Group AR. Statistical results showed that the highest value of area under ROC curve (0.95) was obtained on day 5 post-transplant, suggesting that sCD30 levels on day 5 are of high predictive value. Therefore, sCD30 level may be a good marker of increased alloreactivity and of significant predictive value. It's necessary to monitor the variation of sCD30 in the early period post-transplant.

High-fat hyperphagia in neurotrophin-4 deficient mice reveals potential role of vagal intestinal sensory innervation in long-term controls of food intake.

PubMed

Byerly, Mardi S; Fox, Edward A

2006-06-12

Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) deficient mice exhibit substantial loss of intestinal vagal afferent innervation and short-term deficits in feeding behavior, suggesting reduced satiation. However, they do not show long-term changes in feeding or body weight because of compensatory behaviors. The present study examined whether high-fat hyperphagia induction would overcome compensation and reveal long-term effects associated with the reduced vagal sensory innervation of NT-4 mutants. First, modifications of a feeding schedule previously developed in rats were examined in wild-type mice to identify the regimen most effective at producing hyperphagia. The most successful schedule, which was run for 26 days, included access to a 43%-fat diet and pelleted chow every other day and access to only powdered chow on the alternate days. On high-fat access days mice consumed 25% more calories than mice with continuous daily access to the same high-fat diet and pelleted chow. This feeding regimen also induced hyperphagia in NT-4 deficient mice and their wild-type controls: on high-fat exposure days mutants consumed 35% more calories relative to continuous-access mutants, and wild types ate 25% more than continuous-access wild types. Moreover, on high-fat access days the alternating NT-4 mutants significantly increased caloric intake by 9% compared to alternating wild types. Thus, high-fat hyperphagia appeared to override compensation, permitting short-term changes in meal consumption by mutants that accrued into long-term changes in total daily food intake. This raises the possibility that intestinal vagal sensory innervation contributes to long-term, as well as to short-term regulation of food intake.

The role of sleep in adolescents' daily stress recovery: Negative affect spillover and positive affect bounce-back effects.

PubMed

Chue, Amanda E; Gunthert, Kathleen C; Kim, Rebecca W; Alfano, Candice A; Ruggiero, Aria R

2018-07-01

The present study examined the role of sleep in daily affective stress recovery processes in adolescents. Eighty-nine American adolescents recorded their emotions and stress through daily surveys and sleep with Fitbit devices for two weeks. Results show that objectively measured sleep (sleep onset latency and sleep debt) moderated negative affective responses to previous-day stress, such that stress-related negative affect spillover effects became more pronounced as amount of sleep decreased. Total sleep time and sleep debt moderated cross-day positive affect "bounce-back" effects. With more sleep, morning positive affect on days following high stress tended to bounce back to the levels that were common following low stress days. Conversely, if sleep was short following high stress days, positive affect remained low the next morning. No evidence for subjective sleep quality as a moderator of spillover/bounce-back effects was found. This research suggests that sleep quantity could relate to overnight affective stress recovery. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

27-day solar forcing of mesospheric temperature, water vapor and polar mesospheric clouds from the AIM SOFIE and CIPS satellite experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Gary; Thurairajah, Brentha; von Savigny, Christian; Hervig, Mark; Snow, Martin

2016-04-01

Solar cycle variations of ultraviolet radiation have been implicated in the 11-year and 27-day variations of Polar Mesospheric Cloud (PMC) properties. Both of these variations have been attributed to variable solar ultraviolet heating and photolysis, but no definitive studies of the mechanisms are available. The solar forcing issue is critical toward answering the broader question of whether PMC's have undergone long-term changes, and if so, what is the nature of the responsible long-term climate forcings? One of the principal goals of the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere satellite mission was to answer the question: "How does changing solar irradiance affect PMCs and the environment in which they form?" We describe an eight-year data set from the AIM Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) and the AIM Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) experiment. Together, these instruments provide high-precision measurements of high-latitude summertime temperature (T), water vapor (H2O), and PMC ice properties for the period 2007-present. The complete temporal coverage of the summertime polar cap region for both the primary atmospheric forcings of PMC (T and H2O), together with a continually updated time series of Lyman-alpha solar irradiance, allows an in-depth study of the causes and effects of 27-day PMC variability. The small responses of these variables, relative to larger day-to-day changes from gravity waves, tides, inter-hemispheric coupling, etc. require a careful statistical analysis to isolate the solar influence. We present results for the 27-day responses of T, H2O and PMC for a total of 15 PMC seasons, (30 days before summer solstice to 60 days afterward, for both hemispheres). We find that the amplitudes and phase relationships are not consistent with the expected mechanisms of solar UV heating and photolysis - instead we postulate a primarily dynamical response, in which a periodic vertical wind heats/cools the upper mesosphere, and modulates PMC properties via the strong T and H2O sensitivity of ice microphysics. We propose that the wind acting on the strong H2O gradient in the 80-85 km region causes water vapor to be vertically transported, amplifying the temperature effect. Supporting evidence of a ~27-day mode of oscillation will be presented. PMC height is also shown to have a 27-day periodicity, presumably a result of rising/falling of pressure surfaces. Implications of these results for the 11-year variability of PMC will be presented.

High-fiber rye diet increases ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients compared with low-fiber wheat diet independent of meal frequency in ileostomy subjects.

PubMed

Isaksson, Hanna; Landberg, Rikard; Sundberg, Birgitta; Lundin, Eva; Hallmans, Göran; Zhang, Jie-Xian; Tidehag, Per; Erik Bach Knudsen, Knud; Moazzami, Ali A; Aman, Per

2013-01-01

Whole-grain foods and cereal dietary fiber intake is associated with lower body weight. This may partly result from lower energy utilization of high-fiber diets. In the present study, the impact on ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients in response to a rye bread high-fiber diet compared to a refined wheat low-fiber diet was investigated. Furthermore, the effect of meal frequency on apparent absorption of nutrients was studied for the first time. Ten participants that had undergone ileostomy consumed standardized iso-caloric diets, including low-fiber wheat bread (20 g dietary fiber per day) for 2 weeks followed by high-fiber rye bread (52 g dietary fiber per day) for 2 weeks. The diets were consumed in an ordinary (three meals per day) and a nibbling (seven meals per day) meal frequency in a cross-over design. Ileal effluents were collected during 24 h at the third day of each of the four dietary periods and analyzed for gross energy and nutrient contents. The results showed that intake of rye bread high-fiber diet compared to the refined wheat low-fiber diet caused an increase in ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients. The effect was independent of meal frequency. This suggests that a high intake of rye may result in lower availability of macronutrients for small intestinal digestion and absorption. A regular intake of rye may therefore have implications for weight management.

High Dietary Sodium Intake Impairs Endothelium-Dependent Dilation in Healthy Salt-Resistant Humans

PubMed Central

DuPont, Jennifer J.; Greaney, Jody L.; Wenner, Megan M.; Lennon-Edwards, Shannon L.; Sanders, Paul W.; Farquhar, William B.; Edwards, David G.

2014-01-01

Excess dietary sodium has been linked to the development of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. In humans, the effects of sodium consumption on endothelial function have not been separated from the effects on blood pressure. The present study was designed to determine if dietary sodium intake affected endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) independently of changes in blood pressure. Fourteen healthy salt resistant adults were studied (9M, 5F; age 33 ± 2.4 years) in a controlled feeding study. After a baseline run-in diet, participants were randomized to a 7 day high sodium (HS) (300-350 mmol/day) and 7 day low sodium (LS) (20 mmol/day) diet. Salt resistance, defined as a ≤ 5 mm Hg change in a 24-hour mean arterial pressure, was individually assessed while on the low sodium and high sodium diets and confirmed in the subjects undergoing study (LS: 85±1 mm Hg; HS: 85±2 mmHg). EDD was determined in each subject via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation on the last day of each diet. Sodium excretion increased during the high sodium diet (p < 0.01). EDD was reduced on the high sodium diet (Low: 10.3±0.9%, High: 7.3±0.7%, p < 0.05). The HS diet significantly suppressed plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma angiotensin II, and aldosterone (p < 0.05). These data demonstrate that excess salt intake in humans impairs endothelium-dependent dilation independently of changes in blood pressure. PMID:23263240

High-speed ultraviolet photometry of HD 60435

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, M.; Nelson, M. J.; Bless, R. C.; Dolan, J. F.; Elliot, J. L.; Percival, J. W.; Robinson, E. L.; Van Citters, G. W.

1993-01-01

We present the first high-speed ultraviolet photometry of an oscillating Ap star, HD 60435. After removing known orbital effects related to the Hubble Space Telescope, we confirm the presence of a strong pulsation period at a frequency of 123.70 cycles per day. In addition, we find significant amplitude modulation of this frequency that we suggest could be the result of beating of multiple periodicities. In this context, we suggest evidence for the presence of four additional frequencies at nu = 120.56, 126.55, 149.49, and 221.03 cycles per day. Three of these frequencies correspond well to frequencies detected in optical observations of HD 60435. The fourth, at 149.49 cycles per day, if real, is a potentially new pulsation mode that has not been detected in ground-based observations of this star. The amplitude of the 123 cycles per day pulsation is significantly larger in the ultraviolet than it is in the blue.

Ancient wolf genome reveals an early divergence of domestic dog ancestors and admixture into high-latitude breeds.

PubMed

Skoglund, Pontus; Ersmark, Erik; Palkopoulou, Eleftheria; Dalén, Love

2015-06-01

The origin of domestic dogs is poorly understood [1-15], with suggested evidence of dog-like features in fossils that predate the Last Glacial Maximum [6, 9, 10, 14, 16] conflicting with genetic estimates of a more recent divergence between dogs and worldwide wolf populations [13, 15, 17-19]. Here, we present a draft genome sequence from a 35,000-year-old wolf from the Taimyr Peninsula in northern Siberia. We find that this individual belonged to a population that diverged from the common ancestor of present-day wolves and dogs very close in time to the appearance of the domestic dog lineage. We use the directly dated ancient wolf genome to recalibrate the molecular timescale of wolves and dogs and find that the mutation rate is substantially slower than assumed by most previous studies, suggesting that the ancestors of dogs were separated from present-day wolves before the Last Glacial Maximum. We also find evidence of introgression from the archaic Taimyr wolf lineage into present-day dog breeds from northeast Siberia and Greenland, contributing between 1.4% and 27.3% of their ancestry. This demonstrates that the ancestry of present-day dogs is derived from multiple regional wolf populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An 'injury-time integral' model for extrapolating from acute to chronic effects of phosgene.

PubMed

Hatch, G; Kodavanti, U; Crissman, K; Slade, R; Costa, D

2001-06-01

The present study compares acute and subchronic episodic exposures to phosgene to test the applicability of the 'concentrationxtime' (CxT) product as a measure of exposure dose, and to relate acute toxicity and adaptive responses to chronic toxicity. Rats (male Fischer 344) were exposed (six hours/day) to air or 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 ppm of phosgene one time or on a repeated regimen for up to 12 weeks as follows: 0.1 ppm (five days/week), 0.2 ppm (five days/week), 0.5 ppm (two days/week), or 1.0 ppm (one day/week) (note that the CxT for the three highest exposures was the same). Animals were sacrificed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks during the exposure and after four weeks recovery. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 18 hours after the last exposure for each time period and the BAL supernatant assayed for protein. Elevated BAL fluid protein was defined as 'acute injury', diminished response after repeated exposure was defined as 'adaptation', and increased lung hydroxyproline or trichrome staining for collagen was defined as 'chronic injury'. Results indicated that exposures that cause maximal chronic injury involve high exposure concentrations and longer times between exposures, not high CxT products. A conceptual model is presented that explains the lack of CxT correlation by the fact that adaptation reduces an 'injury-time integral' as phosgene exposure is lengthened from acute to subchronic. At high exposure concentrations, the adaptive response appears to be overwhelmed, causing a continued injury-time integral, which appears to be related to appearance of chronic injury. The adaptive response is predicted to disappear if the time between exposures is lengthened, leading to a continued high injury-time integral and chronic injury. It has generally been assumed that long, continuous exposures of rodents is a conservative approach for detecting possible chronic effects. The present study suggests that such an approach my not be conservative, but might actually mask effects that could occur under intermittent exposure conditions.

Injury risk-workload associations in NCAA American college football.

PubMed

Sampson, J A; Murray, A; Williams, S; Halseth, T; Hanisch, J; Golden, G; Fullagar, H H K

2018-05-22

To determine injury risk-workload associations in collegiate American Football. Retrospective analysis. Workload and injury data was recorded from 52 players during a full NCAA football season. Acute, chronic, and a range of acute:chronic workload ratios (ACWR: 7:14, 7:21 and 7:28 day) calculated using rolling and exponentially weighted moving averages (EWMA) were plotted against non-contact injuries (regardless of time lost or not) sustained within 3- and 7-days. Injury risks were also determined relative to position and experience. 105 non-contact injuries (18 game- and 87 training-related) were observed with almost 40% sustained during the pre-season. 7-21 day EWMA ACWR's with a 3-day injury lag were most closely associated with injury (R 2 =0.54). Relative injury risks were >3× greater with high compared to moderate and low ratios and magnified when combined with low 21-day chronic workloads (injury probability=92.1%). Injury risks were similar across positions. 'Juniors' presented likely and possibly increased overall injury risk compared to 'Freshman' (RR: 1.94, CI 1.07-3.52) and 'Seniors' (RR: 1.7, CI 0.92-3.14), yet no specific ACWR - experience or - position interactions were identified. High injury rates during college football pre-season training may be associated with high acute loads. In-season injury risks were greatest with high ACWR and evident even when including (more common and less serious) non-time loss injuries. Substantially increased injury risks when low 21-day chronic workloads and concurrently high EWMA ACWR highlights the importance of load management for individuals with chronic game- (non-involved on game day) and or training (following injury) absences. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Young Learners: Ideas for Preschool and Day Care Providers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brickman, Nancy Altman, Ed.; Taylor, Lynn Spencer, Ed.

The High/Scope Curriculum is a developmentally based approach to early childhood education. The curriculum's "Extensions" newsletter, in which the articles in this collection first appeared, informs curriculum users about new developments relating to the High/Scope "open framework" curriculum. The articles are presented in…

Elevation of Morning Blood Pressure in Sodium Resistant Subjects by High Sodium Diet

PubMed Central

Lim, Chi-Yeon; Shin, Sung-Joon; Oh, Sang-Woo; Park, Yong-Soon; Kim, Jong-Wook; Park, Hye-Kyoung; Kim, Cho-il; Park, Cheol-Young; Kim, Sun-Woong

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the response of blood pressure (BP) by dietary sodium in sodium resistant (SR) subjects. One hundred one subjects (mean age, 46.0 yr; 31 hypertensives) were admitted and given low sodium-dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet (LSD, 100 mM NaCl/day) for 7 days and high sodium-DASH diet (HSD, 300 mM NaCl/day) for the following 7 days. On the last day of each diet, 24 hr ambulatory BP was measured. Morning systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were elevated after HSD in all subjects (P < 0.01), but daytime SBP and DBP were not changed (P > 0.05). In hypertensive subjects, morning DBP elevation was greater than daytime DBP elevation (P = 0.036), although both DBPs were significantly elevated after HSD. The augmented elevation of morning DBP in hypertensive subjects was contributed by the absolute elevation of morning DBP (P = 0.032) and relative elevation to daytime DBP (P = 0.005) in sodium resistant (SR) subjects, but not by sodium sensitive subjects. Although there was no absolute elevation, SR subjects with normotension showed a relative elevation of morning SBP compared to daytime SBP change after HSD (P = 0.009). The present study demonstrates an absolute and relative elevation of morning BP in SR subjects by HSD. PMID:23580363

Accurate and Phenol Free DNA Sexing of Day 30 Porcine Embryos by PCR.

PubMed

Blanes, Milena S; Tsoi, Stephen C M; Dyck, Michael K

2016-02-14

Research into prenatal programming in the pig has shown that the sex of the developing embryo or fetus can influence the developmental outcome. Therefore, the ability to determine an embryo's sex is necessary in many experiments particularly regarding early development. The present protocol demonstrates an inexpensive, rapid and non-toxic preparation of pig genomic DNA for use with PCR. Day 30 embryos must be humanely collected according to the guidelines established by Institutional Animal Policy and Welfare Committees for the present protocol. The preparation of the whole embryo for this PCR based sexing technique simply involves grinding the frozen embryo to a fine powder using a pre-chilled mortar and pestle. PCR-quality DNA is released from a small amount of embryo powder by applying a hot incubation in an alkaline lysis reagent. Next, the DNA solution is mixed with neutralization buffer and used directly for PCR. Two primer pairs are generated to detect specific sex determining region of the Y- chromosome (SRY) and ZFX region of the X- chromosome with high accuracy and specificity. The same protocol can be applied to other elongated embryos (Day 10 to Day 14) earlier than Day 30. Also, this protocol can be carried with 96-welled plates when screening a large number of embryos, making it feasible for automation and high-throughput sex typing.

Accurate and Phenol Free DNA Sexing of Day 30 Porcine Embryos by PCR

PubMed Central

Dyck, Michael K.

2016-01-01

Research into prenatal programming in the pig has shown that the sex of the developing embryo or fetus can influence the developmental outcome. Therefore, the ability to determine an embryo's sex is necessary in many experiments particularly regarding early development. The present protocol demonstrates an inexpensive, rapid and non-toxic preparation of pig genomic DNA for use with PCR. Day 30 embryos must be humanely collected according to the guidelines established by Institutional Animal Policy and Welfare Committees for the present protocol. The preparation of the whole embryo for this PCR based sexing technique simply involves grinding the frozen embryo to a fine powder using a pre-chilled mortar and pestle. PCR-quality DNA is released from a small amount of embryo powder by applying a hot incubation in an alkaline lysis reagent. Next, the DNA solution is mixed with neutralization buffer and used directly for PCR. Two primer pairs are generated to detect specific sex determining region of the Y- chromosome (SRY) and ZFX region of the X- chromosome with high accuracy and specificity. The same protocol can be applied to other elongated embryos (Day 10 to Day 14) earlier than Day 30. Also, this protocol can be carried with 96-welled plates when screening a large number of embryos, making it feasible for automation and high-throughput sex typing. PMID:26966900

Low-Frequency Current Variability Observed at the Shelfbreak in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico: November 2004-May 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-22

lines LI-L. NDBC buoy 42040 is indicated by the triangle . Table I Mooring summary M LAT LON Start day End day dt Zl zn d: Bottom Type 2004 2005 I...to the Bermuda High, but in curl. Furthermore, they show reasonable correspondence winter, the wind forcing is dominated by the trade winds (presented

A Multidisciplinary Science Summer Camp for Students with Emphasis on Environmental and Analytical Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarz, Gunnar; Frenzel, Wolfgang; Richter, Wolfgang M.; Ta¨uscher, Lothar; Kubsch, Georg

2016-01-01

This paper presents the course of events of a five-day summer camp on environmental chemistry with high emphasis on chemical analysis. The annual camp was optional and open for students of all disciplines and levels. The duration of the summer camp was five and a half days in the Feldberg Lake District in northeast Germany (federal state of…

PHASE CHANGES IN THE 27 DAY TYPE OF INTENSITY VARIATION OF PRIMARY COSMIC RAYS FROM JANUARY 1955 TO JANUARY 1961

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

Freon, A.

1962-01-01

It is well known that 27-day recurrent variation of cosmic radiation presents long periods of stability in correlation with long-life high-activity regions of the sun. These variations have been previously studied during the last solar activity maximum (Oct. 1956 to Dec. 1958) using data from two neutron monitors located at Pic-du-Midi, France, and Port-aux-Francais, Kerguelen Island. Results are presented from a study of these recurrent variations for the Jan. 1955 to Jan. 1961 period. (W.D.M.)

A day in the life of a junior doctor: everyday ethical encounters.

PubMed

Quarini, Catherine J

2010-11-01

This paper presents a hypothetical 'day in the life' of junior doctors working on a busy hospital ward. It illustrates the fact that, although the everyday ethical encounters faced by doctors are generally not as dramatic as some of the ethical issues discussed at medical school, the underlying principles, such as consent, confidentiality and resource allocation, are highly relevant to daily practice. After presenting some of the ethical challenges faced by junior doctors, from patients confused by poor explanations to inadequate consent procedures, the paper ends with suggestions on how to improve the situation.

Teaching Wealth Distribution in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Richard

2015-01-01

This article presents detailed instructional plans for a two-day, high school-level lesson on wealth distribution in society. The terms "income" and "wealth" are defined and compared, and the significance of studying wealth is discussed. Resources for the lesson are identified, and a pedagogical mode is outlined in relation to…

Caveats when Analyzing Ultra-high Molar Mass Polymers by SEC

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The analysis of ultra-high molar mass (M > 1 million g/mol) polymers via size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) presents a number of non-trivial challenges. Dissolution and full solvation may take days, as is the case for cellulose dissolution in non-complexing non degrading solvents; very low concent...

Are High School Students Ready for Recombinant DNA?: The UOP Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minch, Michael J.

1989-01-01

Discusses a three-week summer college honors course for talented high school juniors with three exams, lab six days a week, a research paper, field trips, and student panel discussions. Presents an overview of the course. Describes the lab which uses "E. coli" for DNA recombination. (MVL)

Evaluation of Nighttime Seat Belt Enforcement Demonstration Program and Identification of Characteristics of Unbelted High-Risk Drivers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-04-01

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a high-visibility nighttime seat belt enforcement program conducted in Maryland by measuring changes in day and night self-reported and observed seat belt use and crash outcomes. To better understand t...

An Evaluation of a Peer-Based HIV/AIDS Education Program as Implemented in a Suburban High School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Brian P.; Nelson, Timothy D.; Steele, Ric G.

2008-01-01

This study presents the results of an evaluation of a peer-based HIV/AIDS education program, the BASE program, as implemented in a suburban high school setting. The participants were 132 high school students who participated in an "AIDS Awareness Day" as a part of the BASE program in their high school. Each student completed preintervention and…

Seasonal Fluctuations in Air Pollution in Dazaifu, Japan, and Effect of Long-Range Transport from Mainland East Asia.

PubMed

Coulibaly, Souleymane; Minami, Hiroki; Abe, Maho; Hasei, Tomohiro; Sera, Nobuyuki; Yamamoto, Shigekazu; Funasaka, Kunihiro; Asakawa, Daichi; Watanabe, Masanari; Honda, Naoko; Wakabayashi, Keiji; Watanabe, Tetsushi

2015-01-01

To clarify the seasonal fluctuations in air pollution and the effect of long-range transport, we collected airborne particles (n=118) at Dazaifu in Fukuoka, Japan, from June 2012 to May 2013 and measured Pb and SO4(2-), which are indicators of the long-range transport of anthropogenic air pollutants, as well as their mutagenicity, and other factors. The levels of airborne particles, Pb, and SO4(2-) were very high on March 4, 8, 9, and 19, and May 13, 21, and 22, 2013. The backward trajectories indicated that air masses had arrived from the Gobi Desert and northern China on those days. The mutagenicity of airborne particles was examined using the Ames test on Salmonella typhimurium YG1024. Highly mutagenic airborne particles were mostly collected in winter, and most of them showed high activity both with and without S9 mix. High levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in many samples that showed high mutagenicity. For the samples collected on January 30, February 21, and March 4, the levels of Pb, SO4(2-), PAHs, and mutagenicity were high, and the backward trajectories indicated that air masses present on those days had passed through northern or central China. The Japan Meteorological Agency registered Asian dust events at Fukuoka on March 8, 9, and 19, 2013. The results of the present study suggest that high levels of anthropogenic air pollutants were transported with Asian dust. Similarly, long-range transport of air pollutants including mutagens occurred on days when Asian dust events were not registered.

Seven days of doxycycline is an effective treatment for asymptomatic rectal Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

PubMed

Elgalib, A; Alexander, S; Tong, C Y W; White, J A

2011-08-01

There are no evidence-based guidelines for the specific management of rectal Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection. All men who have sex with men (MSM) diagnosed with asymptomatic rectal CT by nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) at a large London genitourinary (GU) medicine clinic between September 2006 and September 2009 were offered oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for seven days and invited for a test of cure (TOC) by CT NAAT four weeks after treatment. A total of 487 asymptomatic rectal CT infections were diagnosed and analysis was restricted to 165 TOCs from men whose only treatment had been doxycycline for seven days. The median time post-treatment for TOC was 45 days (interquartile range [IQR], 34-88). Only two patients tested CT-positive at follow-up. One had taken doxycycline only for three days; the other attended for TOC 240 days after the completion of doxycycline treatment and at this time presented with new symptoms in the context of ongoing high sexual risk. Our findings show that doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for seven days is highly effective treatment for asymptomatic rectal CT infection, achieving clearance of CT in 98.8% (163/165; 95% CI 95.4-99.9%) of cases. We advocate doxycycline for seven days as first-line therapy for asymptomatic rectal CT.

Impact of restricted amoxicillin/clavulanic acid use on Escherichia coli resistance--antibiotic DU90% profiles with bacterial resistance rates: a visual presentation.

PubMed

Mimica Matanovic, Suzana; Bergman, Ulf; Vukovic, Dubravka; Wettermark, Björn; Vlahovic-Palcevski, Vera

2010-10-01

High use of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC) at the University Hospital Osijek (Croatia) contributed to high rates of resistance in Enterobacteriaceae, in particular Escherichia coli (50%). Thus, in order to decrease bacterial resistance, AMC use was restricted. We present results of the restriction on resistance amongst antibiotics accounting for 90% of antibiotic use [drug utilisation 90% (DU90%)]. Data were analysed on antibiotic use and microbiological susceptibility of E. coli during two 9-month periods, before and after the restriction of AMC use. Drug use was presented as numbers of defined daily doses (DDDs) and DDDs/100 bed-days. Resistance of E. coli to antibiotics was presented as percentages of isolated strains in the DU90% segment. Use of AMC was 16 DDDs/100 bed-days or 30% of all antibiotics before the intervention. Use of AMC fell to 2 DDDs/100 bed-days or 4% after the intervention, and resistance of E. coli fell from 37% to 11%. In conclusion, restricted use of AMC resulted in a significant decrease of E. coli resistance. DU90% resistance profiles are simple and useful tools in highlighting problems in antibiotic use and resistance but may also be useful in long-term follow-up of antibiotic policy. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Using present day observations to detect when ocean acidification exceeds natural variability of surface seawater Ωaragonite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, A.; Sabine, C. L.; Feely, R. A.

2016-02-01

One of the major challenges to assessing the impact of ocean acidification on marine life is the need to better understand the magnitude of long-term change in the context of natural variability. High-frequency moored observations can be highly effective in defining interannual, seasonal, and subseasonal variability at key locations. Here we present monthly aragonite saturation state (Ωaragonite) climatology for 15 open ocean, coastal, and coral reef locations using 3-hourly moored observations of surface seawater pCO2 and pH collected together since as early as 2009. We then use these present day surface mooring observations to estimate pre-industrial variability at each location and compare these results to previous modeling studies addressing global-scale variability and change. Our observations suggest that open oceans sites, especially in the subtropics, are experiencing Ωaragonite values throughout much of the year which are outside the range of pre-industrial values. In coastal and coral reef ecosystems, which have higher natural variability, seasonal patterns where present day Ωaragonite values exceeding pre-industrial bounds are emerging with some sites exhibiting subseasonal conditions approaching Ωaragonite = 1. Linking these seasonal patterns in carbonate chemistry to biological processes in these regions is critical to identify when and where marine life may encounter Ωaragonite values outside the conditions to which they have adapted.

Impact of temperature and substrate concentration on degradation rates of acetate, propionate and hydrogen and their links to microbial community structure.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Westerholm, Maria; Qiao, Wei; Yin, Dongmin; Bi, Shaojie; Jiang, Mengmeng; Dong, Renjie

2018-05-01

The present study investigates the conversion of acetate, propionate and hydrogen consumption linked to the microbial community structure and related to temperature and substrate concentration. Biogas reactors were continuously fed with coffee powder (20 g-COD/L) or acetate (20, 40, and 60 g-COD/L) and operated for 193 days at 37 °C or 55 °C conditions. Starting HRT was 23 days which was then reduced to 7 days. The kinetics of acetate and propionate degradation and hydrogen consumption rates were measured in batch assays. At HRT 7 days, the degradation rate of propionate was higher in thermophilic batches, while acetate degradation rate was higher at mesophilic conditions. The gaseous hydrogen consumption in acetate reactors increased proportionally with temperature and substrate concentration, while the dissolved hydrogen was not affected. The relative high abundance of hydrogentrophic methanogens indicated that the methanogenesis was directed towards the syntrophic acetate oxidation pathway at high acetate concentration and high temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome and prolonged hypoperfusion lesions in an infant with respiratory syncytial virus encephalopathy.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Kenji; Fujisawa, Masahide; Hozumi, Hajime; Tsuboi, Tatsuo; Kuwashima, Shigeko; Hirao, Jun-ichi; Sugita, Kenichi; Arisaka, Osamu

2013-10-01

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a cause of neurological complications in infants. We report a rare case of RSV encephalopathy in an infant who presented with poor sucking and hypothermia at 17 days of age after suffering from rhinorrhea and a cough for several days. After hospitalization, the patient presented with stupor and hypotonia lasting for at least 24 h, and was intubated, sedated, and ventilated for treatment of pneumonia. These symptoms led to diagnosis of pediatric systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by RSV infection. High-dose steroid therapy was combined with artificial ventilation because the initial ventilation therapy was ineffective. Interleukin (IL)-6 levels in spinal fluid were markedly increased upon admission, and serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels showed even greater elevation. The patient was diagnosed with RSV encephalopathy. On day 5, high signal intensity in the bilateral hippocampus was observed on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). On day 14, the patient presented with delayed partial seizure and an electroencephalogram showed occasional unilateral spikes in the parietal area, but the hippocampal abnormality had improved to normal on MRI. (99m)Tc-labeled ethylcysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) on day 18 showed hypoperfusion of the bilateral frontal and parietal regions and the unilateral temporal region. SPECT at 3 months after onset still showed hypoperfusion of the bilateral frontal region and unilateral temporal region, but hypoperfusion of the bilateral parietal region had improved. The patient has no neurological deficit at 6 months. These findings suggest that RSV encephalopathy with cytokine storm induces several symptoms and complications, including SIRS and prolonged brain hypoperfusion on SPECT.

The Quality of High School Students' Problem Solving from an Expertise Development Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elvira, Quincy; Imants, Jeroen; deMaeyer, Sven; Segers, Mien

2015-01-01

The ability to solve problems is a key skill and is essential to our day-to-day lives, at home, at school and at work. The present study explores the quality of managerial problem-solving of participants who are in secondary education. We studied 10th, 11th, and 12th graders following a business track in the Netherlands. Participants were asked to…

Jussara berry (Euterpe edulis M.) oil-in-water emulsions are highly stable: the role of natural antioxidants in the fruit oil.

PubMed

Carvalho, Aline G A; Silva, Kelly A; Silva, Laís O; Costa, André M M; Akil, Emília; Coelho, Maria A Z; Torres, Alexandre G

2018-05-23

Antioxidants help prevent lipid oxidation, and therefore are critical to maintain sensory quality and chemical characteristics of edible oils. Jussara berry (Euterpe edulis M.) oil is a source of minor compounds with potential antioxidant activity. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of such compounds on the effectiveness to prevent or delay oxidation of oil present in oil-in-water emulsions, and how the emulsions physical stability would be affected. Jussara berry oil extracted by ethanol extraction, its stripped variations (partially stripped, highly stripped and highly stripped with added BHT), and expeller pressed oil were used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions. Jussara berry oils were analyzed before emulsions preparation to ensure its initial quality and composition, and oil-in-water emulsions were analyzed regarding their oxidative and physical stability. Ethanol extracted oil emulsion presented higher oxidative stability when compared to highly stripped oil emulsion with added synthetic antioxidant BHT (oxidative stability index 45% lower, after 60 days, and reached undetectable levels after 90 days). All emulsions maintained physically stable for up to 120 days of storage. Our results indicate that natural antioxidants in jussara berry oil protect emulsions from oxidation while keeping physical stability unchanged. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Hershberger Assays for Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate and Its Substitute Candidates

PubMed Central

Kim, Hee-Su; Cheon, Yong-Pil; Lee, Sung-Ho

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT In the present study, we employed Hershberger assay to determine possible androgenic or antiandrogenic activities of three di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) substitute candidates. The assay was carried out using immature castrated Sprague–Dawley male rats. After 7 days of the surgery, testosterone propionate (TP, 0.4 mg/kg/day) and test materials (low dose, 40 mg/kg/day; high dose, 400 mg/kg/day) were administered for 10 consecutive days by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection and oral gavage, respectively. Test materials were DEHP, 2-ethylhexyl oleate (IOO), 2-ethylhexyl stearate (IOS) and triethyl 2-acetylcitrate (ATEC). The rats were necropsied, and then the weights of five androgen-dependent tissues [ventral prostate, seminal vesicle, coagulating glands, levator ani-bulbocavernosus (LABC) muscle, paired Cowper’s glands, and glans penis] and four androgen-insensitive tissues (kidney, adrenal glands, spleen and liver) were measured. All test materials including DEHP did not exhibit any androgenic activity in the assay. On the contrary, antiandrogen-like activities were found in all test groups, and the order of the intensity was ATEC < DEHP < ISO < IOO in the five androgen-sensitive tissues. There was no statistical difference between low dose treatment and high dose treatment of all replacement candidate groups. In DEHP groups, high dose treatment exhibited significant weight gains in LABC and Glan Penis. There was no statistical difference in androgen-insensitive tissue measurements. Since the effects of ATEC treatment on the accessory sex organs were much less or not present at all when compared to those of DEHP, ATEC could be a strong candidate to replace DEHP. IOO treatment brought most severe weight reduction in all of androgen-sensitive tissues, so this material should be excluded for further screening of DEHP substitute selection. PMID:29707681

Xpert MTB/RIF testing in a low tuberculosis incidence, high-resource setting: limitations in accuracy and clinical impact.

PubMed

Sohn, Hojoon; Aero, Abebech D; Menzies, Dick; Behr, Marcel; Schwartzman, Kevin; Alvarez, Gonzalo G; Dan, Andrei; McIntosh, Fiona; Pai, Madhukar; Denkinger, Claudia M

2014-04-01

Xpert MTB/RIF, the first automated molecular test for tuberculosis, is transforming the diagnostic landscape in low-income countries. However, little information is available on its performance in low-incidence, high-resource countries. We evaluated the accuracy of Xpert in a university hospital tuberculosis clinic in Montreal, Canada, for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis on induced sputum samples, using mycobacterial cultures as the reference standard. We also assessed the potential reduction in time to diagnosis and treatment initiation. We enrolled 502 consecutive patients who presented for evaluation of possible active tuberculosis (most with abnormal chest radiographs, only 18% symptomatic). Twenty-five subjects were identified to have active tuberculosis by culture. Xpert had a sensitivity of 46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 26%-67%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI, 99%-100%) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sensitivity was 86% (95% CI, 42%-100%) in the 7 subjects with smear-positive results, and 28% (95% CI, 10%-56%) in the remaining subjects with smear-negative, culture-positive results; in this latter group, positive Xpert results were obtained a median 12 days before culture results. Subjects with positive cultures but negative Xpert results had minimal disease: 11 of 13 had no symptoms on presentation, and mean time to positive liquid culture results was 28 days (95% CI, 25-47 days) compared with 14 days (95% CI, 8-21 days) in Xpert/culture-positive cases. Our findings suggest limited potential impact of Xpert testing in high-resource, low-incidence ambulatory settings due to lower sensitivity in the context of less extensive disease, and limited potential to expedite diagnosis beyond what is achieved with the existing, well-performing diagnostic algorithm.

High-dose intensity cyclophosphamide, epidoxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone by shortened intervals and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a phase II study.

PubMed Central

Pronzato, P.; Lionetto, R.; Botto, F.; Pensa, F.; Tognoni, A.

1998-01-01

Twenty patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide (750 mg m(-2), day 1), epidoxorubicin (60 mg m(-2), day 1), vincristine (1.4 mg m(-2), day 1) and prednisone (100 mg m(-2), days 1-5) every 14 days. Shortening of intervals was associated with the prophylactic employment of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; specifically, filgrastim) administered at a dose of 300 microg subcutaneously from day 6 to day 11. The ratio between actually delivered dose intensity and planned dose intensity was 1.0 in 18 out the 20 patients. Toxicity was acceptable; response rate and survival are in the expected range. The present study demonstrated the feasibility of acceleration of chemotherapy cycles to obtain dose intensification in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PMID:9743300

Low Mass X-ray Binary 4U1705-44 Exiting an Extended High X-ray State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillipson, Rebecca; Boyd, Patricia T.; Smale, Alan P.

2017-09-01

The neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary 4U1705-44, which exhibited high amplitude long-term X-ray variability on the order of hundreds of days during the 16-year continuous monitoring by the RXTE ASM (1995-2012), entered an anomalously long high state in July 2012 as observed by MAXI (2009-present).

Water Treatment: Can You Purify Water for Drinking?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Mary E.

1996-01-01

Presents a three-day mini unit on purification of drinking water that uses the learning cycle approach. Demonstrates the typical technology that water companies use to provide high-quality drinking water. (JRH)

Effects of Meteorological Variables on the Incidence of Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysms in Central New Jersey.

PubMed

Kellogg, Marissa; Petrov, Dimitriy; Agarwal, Nitin; Patel, Nitesh V; Hansberry, David Richard; Agarwal, Prateek; Brimacombe, Michael; Gandhi, Chirag D; Prestigiacomo, Charles

2017-05-01

Introduction  Previous studies have suggested relationships between the rupture of intracranial aneurysms and meteorological variables such as season, barometric pressure, and temperature. Our objective was to examine the relationship between the incidence of hospital admissions secondary to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and meteorological variables in central New Jersey. Methods  The study population consisted of 312 patients who presented to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2008, with aSAH. Days in the 6-year period were classified as nonbleed days (no aSAH), bleed days (one or more aSAHs within 1 calendar day), cluster days (two or more aSAHs within 2 calendar days), and multiple-bleed days (two or more aSAHs within 1 calendar day). Results  The only significant meteorological risk factor for the occurrence of multiple-bleed days was high barometric pressure (1018.5 versus 1016.5 millibars [mbars]; p <  0.04), but an increase in barometric pressure (+ 2.8 mbars) over the 2 days prior to the multiple-bleed day, although not statistically significant, may be a risk factor ( p <  0.09). Barometric pressure was also noted to be increased on bleed days (1017.2 versus 1016.5 mbars) and cluster days (1017.7 versus 1016.5 mbars), but this relationship was not significant ( p <  0.1 and p <  0.1, respectively). Although aSAH days demonstrated consistently lower temperatures than non-aSAH days and dropping temperatures were consistently found in the days preceding the aSAH, these relationships were not significant. Conclusion  Among meteorological factors, high barometric pressure and low temperature may be risk factors for the onset of aSAH. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Predicting sleep quality from stress and prior sleep--a study of day-to-day covariation across six weeks.

PubMed

Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Orsini, Nicola; Petersen, Helena; Axelsson, John; Lekander, Mats; Kecklund, Göran

2012-06-01

The connection between stress and sleep is well established in cross-sectional questionnaire studies and in a few prospective studies. Here, the intention was to study the link between stress and sleep on a day-to-day basis across 42 days. Fifty participants kept a sleep/wake diary across 42 days and responded to daily questions on sleep and stress. The results were analyzed with a mixed model approach using stress during the prior day to predict morning ratings of sleep quality. The results showed that bedtime stress and worries were the main predictors of sleep quality, but that, also, late awakening, short prior sleep, high quality of prior sleep, and good health the prior day predicted higher sleep quality. Stress during the day predicts subsequent sleep quality on a day-to-day basis across 42 days. The observed range of variation in stress/worries was modest, which is why it is suggested that the present data underestimates the impact of stress on subsequent sleep quality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rates of Earth degassing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Onions, R. K.

1994-01-01

The degassing of the Earth during accretion is constrained by Pu-U-I-Xe systematics. Degassing was much more efficient during the first 100-200 Ma than subsequently, and it was more complete for Xe than for the lighter gases. More than 90 percent of the degassed Xe escaped from the atmosphere during this period. The combination of fractional degassing of melts and rare gas escape from the atmosphere is able to explain the deficit of terrestrial Xe as a simple consequence of this early degassing history. By the time Xe was quantitatively retained in the atmosphere, the abundances of Kr and the lighter gases in the Earth's interior were similar to or higher than the present-day atmospheric abundances. Subsequent transfer of these lighter rare gases into the atmosphere requires a high rate of post-accretion degassing and melt production. Considerations of Pu-U-Xe systematics suggest that relatively rapid post-accretion degassing was continued to ca. 4.1-4.2 Ga. The present-day degassing history of the Earth is investigated through consideration of rare gas isotope abundances. Although the Earth is a highly degassed body, depleted in rare gases by many orders of magnitude relative to their solar abundances, it is at the present-day losing primordial rare gases which were trapped at the time of accretion.

Biological effects of high ultraviolet radiation on early earth--a theoretical evaluation.

PubMed

Cockell, C S

1998-08-21

The surface of early Earth was exposed to both UVC radiation (< 280 nm) and higher doses of UVB (280-315 nm) compared with the surface of present day Earth. The degree to which this radiation environment acted as a selection pressure on organisms and biological systems has rarely been theoretically examined with respect to the biologically effective irradiances that ancient organisms would receive. Here action spectra for DNA inactivation and isolated chloroplast inhibition are used to estimate biologically effective irradiances on archean Earth. Comparisons are made with present day Earth. The theoretical estimations on the UV radiation screening required to protect DNA on archean Earth compare well with field and laboratory observations on protection strategies found in present day microbial communities. They suggest that many physical and biological methods may have been effective and would have allowed for the radiation of life even under the high UV radiation regimes of archean Earth. Such strategies would also have provided effective reduction of photoinhibition by UV radiation. The data also suggest that the UV regime on the surface of Mars is not a life limiting factor per se, although other environmental factors such as desiccation and low temperatures may contribute towards the apparent lack of a surface biota.

The Community College-High School Connection. Report of the Annual National Convention of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (66th, Orlando, FL, April 13-16, 1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, James C.; And Others

An overview is provided of the efforts initiated by San Juan College (SJC) to improve articulation with local high schools. Following introductory remarks describing SJC and its service area, information is presented on SJC's yearly in-service training day for 1,500 county educators, including a list of workshops presented during the 1984 program.…

An assessment of the ICE6G_C(VM5a) glacial isostatic adjustment model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purcell, A.; Tregoning, P.; Dehecq, A.

2016-05-01

The recent release of the next-generation global ice history model, ICE6G_C(VM5a), is likely to be of interest to a wide range of disciplines including oceanography (sea level studies), space gravity (mass balance studies), glaciology, and, of course, geodynamics (Earth rheology studies). In this paper we make an assessment of some aspects of the ICE6G_C(VM5a) model and show that the published present-day radial uplift rates are too high along the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula (by ˜8.6 mm/yr) and beneath the Ross Ice Shelf (by ˜5 mm/yr). Furthermore, the published spherical harmonic coefficients—which are meant to represent the dimensionless present-day changes due to glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA)—contain excessive power for degree ≥90, do not agree with physical expectations and do not represent accurately the ICE6G_C(VM5a) model. We show that the excessive power in the high-degree terms produces erroneous uplift rates when the empirical relationship of Purcell et al. (2011) is applied, but when correct Stokes coefficients are used, the empirical relationship produces excellent agreement with the fully rigorous computation of the radial velocity field, subject to the caveats first noted by Purcell et al. (2011). Using the Australian National University (ANU) groups CALSEA software package, we recompute the present-day GIA signal for the ice thickness history and Earth rheology used by Peltier et al. (2015) and provide dimensionless Stokes coefficients that can be used to correct satellite altimetry observations for GIA over oceans and by the space gravity community to separate GIA and present-day mass balance change signals. We denote the new data sets as ICE6G_ANU.

Harpicon camera for HDTV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanada, Jun

1992-08-01

Ikegami has been involved in broadcast equipment ever since it was established as a company. In conjunction with NHK it has brought forth countless television cameras, from black-and-white cameras to color cameras, HDTV cameras, and special-purpose cameras. In the early days of HDTV (high-definition television, also known as "High Vision") cameras the specifications were different from those for the cameras of the present-day system, and cameras using all kinds of components, having different arrangements of components, and having different appearances were developed into products, with time spent on experimentation, design, fabrication, adjustment, and inspection. But recently the knowhow built up thus far in components, , printed circuit boards, and wiring methods has been incorporated in camera fabrication, making it possible to make HDTV cameras by metbods similar to the present system. In addition, more-efficient production, lower costs, and better after-sales service are being achieved by using the same circuits, components, mechanism parts, and software for both HDTV cameras and cameras that operate by the present system.

Evaluation of present thermal barrier coatings for potential service in electric utility gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bratton, R. J.; Lau, S. K.; Lee, S. Y.

1982-01-01

The resistance of present-day thermal barrier coatings to combustion gases found in electric utility turbines was assessed. The plasma sprayed coatings, both duplex and graded types, were primarily zirconia-based, although a calcium silicate was also evaluated. Both atmospheric burner rig tests and high pressure tests (135 psig) showed that several present-day thermal barrier coatings have a high potential for service in gas turbines burning the relatively clean GT No. 2 fuel. However, coating improvements are needed for use in turbines burning lower grade fuel such as residual oil. The duplex ZrO2.8Y2O3/NiCrA1Y coating was ranked highest and selected for near-term field testing, with Ca2SiO4/NiCrA1Y ranked second. Graded coatings show potential for corrosive turbine operating conditions and warrant further development. The coating degradation mechanisms for each coating system subjected to the various environmental conditions are also described.

High-fiber rye diet increases ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients compared with low-fiber wheat diet independent of meal frequency in ileostomy subjects

PubMed Central

Isaksson, Hanna; Landberg, Rikard; Sundberg, Birgitta; Lundin, Eva; Hallmans, Göran; Zhang, Jie-Xian; Tidehag, Per; Erik Bach Knudsen, Knud; Moazzami, Ali A.; Åman, Per

2013-01-01

Background Whole-grain foods and cereal dietary fiber intake is associated with lower body weight. This may partly result from lower energy utilization of high-fiber diets. Objective In the present study, the impact on ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients in response to a rye bread high-fiber diet compared to a refined wheat low-fiber diet was investigated. Furthermore, the effect of meal frequency on apparent absorption of nutrients was studied for the first time. Design Ten participants that had undergone ileostomy consumed standardized iso-caloric diets, including low-fiber wheat bread (20 g dietary fiber per day) for 2 weeks followed by high-fiber rye bread (52 g dietary fiber per day) for 2 weeks. The diets were consumed in an ordinary (three meals per day) and a nibbling (seven meals per day) meal frequency in a cross-over design. Ileal effluents were collected during 24 h at the third day of each of the four dietary periods and analyzed for gross energy and nutrient contents. Results The results showed that intake of rye bread high-fiber diet compared to the refined wheat low-fiber diet caused an increase in ileal excretion of energy and macronutrients. The effect was independent of meal frequency. This suggests that a high intake of rye may result in lower availability of macronutrients for small intestinal digestion and absorption. A regular intake of rye may therefore have implications for weight management. PMID:24358035

Benzyl alcohol increases voluntary ethanol drinking in rats.

PubMed

Etelälahti, T J; Eriksson, C J P

2014-09-01

The anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate has been reported to increase voluntary ethanol intake in Wistar rats. In recent experiments we received opposite results, with decreased voluntary ethanol intake in both high drinking AA and low drinking Wistar rats after nandrolone treatment. The difference between the two studies was that we used pure nandrolone decanoate in oil, whereas in the previous study the nandrolone product Deca-Durabolin containing benzyl alcohol (BA) was used. The aims of the present study were to clarify whether the BA treatment could promote ethanol drinking and to assess the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-gonadal axes (HPAGA) in the potential BA effect. Male AA and Wistar rats received subcutaneously BA or vehicle oil for 14 days. Hereafter followed a 1-week washout and consecutively a 3-week voluntary alcohol consumption period. The median (± median absolute deviation) voluntary ethanol consumption during the drinking period was higher in BA-treated than in control rats (4.94 ± 1.31 g/kg/day vs. 4.17 ± 0.31 g/kg/day, p = 0.07 and 1.01 ± 0.26 g/kg/day vs. 0.38 ± 0.27 g/kg/day, p = 0.05, for AA and Wistar rats, respectively; combined effect p < 0.01). The present results can explain the previous discrepancy between the two nandrolone studies. No significant BA effects on basal and ethanol-mediated serum testosterone and corticosterone levels were observed in blood samples taken at days 1, 8 and 22. However, 2h after ethanol administration significantly (p = 0.02) higher frequency of testosterone elevations was detected in high drinking AA rats compared to low drinking Wistars, which supports our previous hypotheses of a role of testosterone elevation in promoting ethanol drinking. Skin irritation and dermatitis were shown exclusively in the BA-treated animals. Altogether, the present results indicate that earlier findings obtained with Deca-Durabolin containing BA need to be re-evaluated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of aerosol and meteorological parameters during major dust storm events (2005 - 2010) over Beijing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Sheng; Cao, Chunxiang; Singh, Ramesh

Multi satellite sensors are capable in monitoring dust storm, its path and changes in atmospheric parameters. The present paper discusses aerosol optical properties and meteorological parameters during major dust storm events (2005-2010) over Beijing, China. The back trajectory model shows that the dust is transported from the Inner Mongolia and Mongolia to Beijing. High aerosol optical depth (AOD) and low Ångström exponent (AE) values are observed during dusty days, the average AOD (675 nm) and AE (440-870 nm) during dusty days are 2.33 and 0.06, respectively. The aerosol size distribution (ASD) in coarse mode shows a large increase in the volume during dusty days. The single scattering albedo (SSA) increases with higher wavelength on dusty days, and higher compared to non-dusty days, indicating the presence of high scattering particles due to dust storm events. Characteristics of particles during dusty and non-dusty days are also supported by the real and imaginary parts of refractive index (RI). High air pollution index (API) during dusty days represent poor air quality is a serious health hazard at the time of dust events. The CO volume mixing ratio (COVMR) from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) shows decrease on the ground on dusty days, while the relative humidity (RH) and H _{2}0 mass mixing ratio (H _{2}OMMR) enhance. In addition, due to the dust storm in 2005, enhanced level of water vapor (WV) using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data is observed in and around Beijing over the dust storms track.

Relative sensitivity of five Hawaiian coral species to high temperature under high-pCO2 conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahr, Keisha D.; Jokiel, Paul L.; Rodgers, Ku'ulei S.

2016-06-01

Coral reef ecosystems are presently undergoing decline due to anthropogenic climate change. The chief detrimental factors are increased temperature and increased pCO2. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of these two stressors operating independently and in unison on the biological response of common Hawaiian reef corals. Manipulative experiments were performed using five species ( Porites compressa, Pocillopora damicornis, Fungia scutaria, Montipora capitata, and Leptastrea purpurea) in a continuous-flow mesocosm system under natural sunlight conditions. Corals were grown together as a community under treatments of high temperature (2 °C above normal maximum summer temperature), high pCO2 (twice present-day conditions), and with both factors acting in unison. Control corals were grown under present-day pCO2 and at normal summer temperatures. Leptastrea purpurea proved to be an extremely hardy coral. No change in calcification or mortality occurred under treatments of high temperature, high pCO2, or combined high temperature-high pCO2. The remaining four species showed reduced calcification in the high-temperature treatment. Two species ( L. purpurea and M. capitata) showed no response to increased pCO2. Also, high pCO2 ameliorated the negative effect of high temperature on the calcification rates of P. damicornis. Mortality was driven primarily by high temperature, with a negative synergistic effect in P. compressa only in the high-pCO2-high-temperature treatment. Results support the observation that biological response to temperature and pCO2 elevation is highly species-specific, so generalizations based on response of a single species might not apply to a diverse and complex coral reef community.

Extended duration orbiter medical project Microbial Air Sampler (STS-50/USML-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, Duane L.; Boettcher, Sheila W.

1994-01-01

The Microbial Air Sampler was used on mission days 1, 7, and 13 in the Spacelab during STS-50/USML-1. Microbial air samples were collected using two types of media strips containing agar (Rose Bengal for yeast and molds, TSA for bacteria). The bacterial level found on day 1 was lower than experienced on previous Spacelab missions. A high level of fungi was present on day 1, however subsequent samples on days 7 and 13 did not indicate fungal growth. Bacterial growth was also minimized in this microgravity environment as the mission progressed. No pathogenic microorganisms were isolated, and the health risk from airborne microbes was minimal throughout the mission.

Influence of red wine pomace seasoning and high-oxygen atmosphere storage on carcinogens formation in barbecued beef patties.

PubMed

García-Lomillo, Javier; Viegas, Olga; Gonzalez-SanJose, Maria L; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O

2017-03-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) are carcinogenic compounds formed in barbecued meat. Conditions that reduce their formation are of major interest. This study aims to evaluate the influence of red wine pomace seasoning (RWPS) and high-oxygen atmosphere storage on the formation of PAHs and HAs in barbecued beef patties. In general, the levels of PAHs and HAs quantified were low. The storage (9days) promoted higher formation of PAHs in control patties without increase of HAs. RWPS patties cooked at preparation day presented higher levels of PAHs and HAs than control. Nevertheless, RWPS patties cooked after storage presented lower levels of PAHs and HAs than control. ABTS assay pointed out that higher radical scavenging activity may be related to with lower PAHs or HAs formation. In conclusion, RWPS can be an interesting ingredient to inhibit the formation of cooking carcinogens in barbecued patties stored at high-oxygen atmosphere. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-Rate Strong-Signal Quantum Cryptography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuen, Horace P.

1996-01-01

Several quantum cryptosystems utilizing different kinds of nonclassical lights, which can accommodate high intensity fields and high data rate, are described. However, they are all sensitive to loss and both the high rate and the strong-signal character rapidly disappear. A squeezed light homodyne detection scheme is proposed which, with present-day technology, leads to more than two orders of magnitude data rate improvement over other current experimental systems for moderate loss.

Analysis of a Precambrian Resonance-Stabilized Day Length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, B. C.; Stevenson, D. J.

2014-12-01

Calculations indicate the average rate of decrease of Earth's angular momentum must have been less than its present value in the past; otherwise, the Earth should have a longer day length. Existing stromatolite data suggests the Earth's rotational frequency would have been near that of the atmospheric resonance frequency toward the end of the Precambrian era, approximately 600Ma. The semidiurnal atmospheric tidal torque would have reached a maximum near this day length of 21hr. At this point, the atmospheric torque would have been comparable in magnitude but opposite in direction to the lunar torque, creating a stabilizing effect which could preserve a constant day length while trapped in this resonant state, as suggested by Zahnle and Walker (1987). We examine the hypothesis that this resonant stability was encountered and sustained for a large amount of time during the Precambrian era and was broken by a large and relatively fast increase in global temperature, possibly in the deglaciation period following a snowball event. Computational simulations of this problem were performed, indicating that a persistent increase in temperature larger than around 10K over a period of time less than 107 years will break resonance (though these values vary with Q), but that the resonant stability is not easily broken by random high-amplitude high-frequency atmospheric temperature fluctuation or other forms of thermal noise. Further work also indicates it is possible to escape resonance simply by increasing the lunar tidal torque on the much longer timescale of plate tectonics, particularly for low atmospheric Q-factors, or that resonance could have never formed in the first place, had the lunar torque been very high or Q been very low when the Earth's rotational frequency was near the atmospheric resonance frequency. However, the need to explain the present day length given the current lunar torque favors the interpretation we offer, in which Earth's length of day was stabilized for hundreds of millions of years, escaping this stability in the aftermath of a sudden global temperature change.

Biology First: A History of the Grade Placement of High School Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard, Keith; Robbins, Dennis M.

2006-01-01

This article outlines the history of the high school "general biology" course and details how biology came to be placed first in the traditional order of science subjects (biology-chemistry-physics). The article briefly discusses the implications of the development of this sequence for the present day biology course.

Time-restricted feeding of a high-fat diet reduces adiposity and inflammatory cytokine production in mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Disruption of the circadian rhythms contributes to obesity. Restricting feeding to particular times of the day may reset the circadian rhythms and reduce obesity and resulting complications. The present study investigated the effects of time-restricted feeding (TRF) of a high-fat diet on adiposity...

High Speed Computing, LANs, and WAMs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergman, Larry A.; Monacos, Steve

1994-01-01

Optical fiber networks may one day offer potential capacities exceeding 10 terabits/sec. This paper describes present gigabit network techniques for distributed computing as illustrated by the CASA gigabit testbed, and then explores future all-optic network architectures that offer increased capacity, more optimized level of service for a given application, high fault tolerance, and dynamic reconfigurability.

Quality Systems: Lessons from Early Efforts to Disseminate the Youth PQA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiva, Tom; Yohalem, Nicole

2006-01-01

During 2006, High/Scope worked with the Forum to provide training and technical assistance to several state and regional networks which are building quality improvement and accountability systems. In each community, High/Scope staff presented to local decision-makers and provided one- or two-day pilot training workshops for parishioners and…

TeV Gamma-Ray Observations of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817 with H.E.S.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Büchele, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Caroff, S.; Carosi, A.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Colafrancesco, S.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Donath, A.; O'C. Drury, L.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Emery, G.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Funk, S.; Füssling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gaté, F.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glawion, D.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holch, T. L.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Iwasaki, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katsuragawa, M.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khangulyan, D.; Khélifi, B.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Malyshev, D.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Nakashima, S.; de Naurois, M.; Ndiyavala, H.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poireau, V.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Rauth, R.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Rinchiuso, L.; Romoli, C.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Saito, S.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seglar-Arroyo, M.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Shiningayamwe, K.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spir-Jacob, M.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Steppa, C.; Sushch, I.; Takahashi, T.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tsirou, M.; Tsuji, N.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Zorn, J.; Zywucka, N.; H. E. S. S. Collaboration

2017-12-01

We search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 with the H.E.S.S. Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. The observations presented here have been obtained starting only 5.3 hr after GW170817. The H.E.S.S. target selection identified regions of high probability to find a counterpart of the gravitational-wave event. The first of these regions contained the counterpart SSS17a that has been identified in the optical range several hours after our observations. We can therefore present the first data obtained by a ground-based pointing instrument on this object. A subsequent monitoring campaign with the H.E.S.S. telescopes extended over several days, covering timescales from 0.22 to 5.2 days and energy ranges between 270 {GeV} to 8.55 {TeV}. No significant gamma-ray emission has been found. The derived upper limits on the very-high-energy gamma-ray flux for the first time constrain non-thermal, high-energy emission following the merger of a confirmed binary neutron star system.

Study of tolerance and acceptance of a high energy density enteral formula in patients coronary unit study

PubMed

Izaola, Olatz; De la Fuente, Beatriz; Gómez Hoyos, Emilia; López Gómez, Juan José; Torres, Beatriz; Ortola, Ana; De Luis, Daniel A

2017-02-01

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the tolerance of enteral formula with high energetic density in patients hospitalized in a coronary care unit requering enteral support for at least five days. Methods: Opened, non-comparative, nonrandomized, descriptive study, evaluating the tolerance of enteral formula with high energy density in patients admitted to a coronary care unit. Results: 31 patients were included with a mean age of 67.32 ± 13.8 years, 66.7% were male. The average prescribed final volume Nutrison Energy® was 928.5 ± 278.5 mL/day (range: 800-1,500 mL/day). The average duration of enteral nutrition was 11.2 ± 3.2 days. The average calorie intake was 1,392 ± 417 cal/day, with 169.9 ± 50.9 g/day of carbohydrates, 53.8 ± 16.1 g/day of fat and 55.7 ± 16.9 g/day of protein. After administration there was a significant increased levels of transferrin. A total of 3 patients had an episode of diarrhea (9.7%). The number of patients experiencing at least one episode of gastric residue was 5 (16.1%) not forced in any way to withdra wing enteral nutrition, forcing in 2 patients to diminish the nutritional intake volume for 24 hours. During nutritional support, in only 3 patients it was required to decrease the volume made the previous day energy formula. With regard to vomiting, in 1 patient this situation (3.2%) was verified. No patient in the study presented any digestive complications associated with the administration of the enteral nutrition formula. Finally, no adverse events related to the administered formulation were recorded. Conclusions: The results show that enteral formula with high energy density is a well-tolerated formula with a very low frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms, which favors compliance.

Diversity of Cellulolytic Microbes and the Biodegradation of Municipal Solid Waste by a Potential Strain

PubMed Central

Gautam, S. P.; Bundela, P. S.; Pandey, A. K.; Jamaluddin; Awasthi, M. K.; Sarsaiya, S.

2012-01-01

Municipal solid waste contains high amounts of cellulose, which is an ideal organic waste for the growth of most of microorganism as well as composting by potential microbes. In the present study, Congo red test was performed for screening of microorganism, and, after selecting a potential strains, it was further used for biodegradation of organic municipal solid waste. Forty nine out of the 250 different microbes tested (165 belong to fungi and 85 to bacteria) produced cellulase enzyme and among these Trichoderma viride was found to be a potential strain in the secondary screening. During the biodegradation of organic waste, after 60 days, the average weight losses were 20.10% in the plates and 33.35% in the piles. There was an increase in pH until 20 days. pH however, stabilized after 30 days in the piles. Temperature also stabilized as the composting process progressed in the piles. The high temperature continued until 30 days of decomposition, after which the temperature dropped to 40°C and below during the maturation. Good quality compost was obtained in 60 days. PMID:22518141

High Dose Vitamin D Therapy for Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease: Results of a Randomized Double Blind Pilot Study

PubMed Central

I, Osunkwo; TR, Ziegler; J, Alvarez; C, McCracken; K, Cherry; CE, Osunkwo; SF, Ofori-Acquah; S, Ghosh; A, Ogunbobode; J, Rhodes; JR, Eckman; CD, Dampier; V, Tangpricha

2012-01-01

Summary We report results of a pilot study of high-dose vitamin D in sickle cell disease (SCD). Subjects were followed for 6 months after receiving a six-week course of oral high-dose cholecalciferol or placebo. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was present at baseline in 82.5% and 52.5% of subjects, respectively. Subjects who received high-dose vitamin D achieved higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, experienced fewer pain days per week, and had higher physical activity quality-of-life scores. These findings suggest a potential benefit of vitamin D in reducing the number of pain days in SCD. Larger prospective studies with longer duration are needed to confirm these effects. PMID:22924607

Climatology of GW-TIDs in the magnetic equatorial upper thermosphere over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manju, G.; Aswathy, R. P.

2017-11-01

An analysis of Gravity wave induced travelling ionospheric disturbances (GW-TIDs) in the thermosphere during high and low solar epochs is undertaken using ionosonde data at Trivandrum (8.50N, 770E). Wavelet analysis is performed on the temporal variations of foF2 and the amplitudes of waves present in two period bands of (0.5-1.5) h and (2-4) h are extracted. The real height profiles are generated at 15 min internal for the whole day (for sample days) during high and low solar activity years. The study reveals that the GW-TID activity is significantly greater for solar minimum compared to solar maximum for the period 8.5-17.5 h. Diurnally the GW-TID activity in the (2-4) h period band peaks in the post sunset hours for both high and low solar epochs. For the 0.5-1.5 h period band, the diurnal maximum in GW-TID is occurring in the post sunset hours for high solar epoch while it occurs in the morning hours around 10 h LT for low solar epoch. Seasonally the day time GW-TID activity maximizes (minimizes) for winter (vernal equinox). The post sunset time GW-TID maximizes (minimizes) either for summer/winter (vernal equinox). The other interesting observation is the anti correlation of GW-TID in upper thermosphere with solar activity for day time and the correlation of the same with solar activity in the post sunset hours. The present results for daytime are in agreement with the equatorial daytime GW-TID behaviour reported from CHAMP satellite observations. The GW-TID activity during post sunset time for equatorial region upper thermosphere has not been reported so far.

Basic diagnosis of solid waste generated at Agua Blanca State Park to propose waste management strategies.

PubMed

Laines Canepa, José Ramón; Zequeira Larios, Carolina; Valadez Treviño, Maria Elena Macías; Garduza Sánchez, Diana Ivett

2012-03-01

State parks are highly sensitive areas of great natural importance and tourism value. Herein a case study involving a basic survey of solid waste which was carried out in 2006 in Agua Blanca State Park, Macuspana, Tabasco, Mexico with two sampling periods representing the high and low tourist season is presented. The survey had five objectives: to find out the number of visitors in the different seasons, to consider the daily generation of solid waste from tourist activities, to determine bulk density, to select and quantify sub-products; and to suggest a possible treatment. A daily average of 368 people visited the park: 18,862 people in 14 days during the high season holiday (in just one day, Easter Sunday, up to 4425 visitors) and 2092 visitors in 43 days during the low season. The average weight of the generated solid waste was 61.267 kg day(-1) and the generated solid waste average per person was 0.155 kg person(-1 ) day(-1). During the high season, the average increased to 0.188 kg person(-1 ) day(-1) and during the low season, the average decreased to 0.144 kg person(-1 ) day(-1). The bulk density average was 75.014 kg m(-3), the maximum value was 92.472 kg m(-3) and the minimum was 68.274 kg m(-3). The sub-products comprised 54.52% inorganic matter; 32.03% organic matter, 10.60% non-recyclable and 2.85% others. Based on these results, waste management strategies such as reuse/recycling, aerobic and anaerobic digestion, the construction of a manual landfill and the employment of a specialist firm were suggested.

Effects of dosage and dosing frequency on the efficacy and safety of high-dose metformin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Kanto, Kousei; Ito, Hiroyuki; Noso, Shinsuke; Babaya, Naru; Hiromine, Yoshihisa; Taketomo, Yasunori; Toma, Junko; Niwano, Fumimaru; Yasutake, Sara; Kawabata, Yumiko; Ikegami, Hiroshi

2017-09-30

Differences in the efficacy and safety of antidiabetic drugs among different ethnic groups are well documented. Metformin is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Western countries, but high doses of metformin have been approved only recently for clinical use in Japan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dosage and dosing frequency on the efficacy and safety of high-dose metformin in Japanese patients. A total of 71 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes were prospectively studied for the effects of dosage and dosing frequency on the efficacy and safety of metformin during hospitalization. Dose effects were studied in 27 patients treated with 0, 500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,250 mg/day of metformin. The effect of dosing frequency was compared in 56 patients with 1,500 mg/day of metformin administered either two or three times per day. Significant dose-dependent improvement in daily profiles of blood glucose was observed with metformin dosages up to 1,500 mg/day, with a trend towards further improvement observed at 2,250 mg/day. The efficacy of 1,500 mg of metformin was comparable when the drug was administered either two or three times per day. The most frequently reported side-effects were gastrointestinal symptoms, which were not affected by the dosage or dosing frequency of metformin. These results show that the efficacy of high-dose metformin is dose-dependent in Japanese patients. The efficacy and safety of metformin were similar when the drug was administered either two or three times per day. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Neural reactivity to visual food stimuli is reduced in some areas of the brain during evening hours compared to morning hours: an fMRI study in women.

PubMed

Masterson, Travis D; Kirwan, C Brock; Davidson, Lance E; LeCheminant, James D

2016-03-01

The extent that neural responsiveness to visual food stimuli is influenced by time of day is not well examined. Using a crossover design, 15 healthy women were scanned using fMRI while presented with low- and high-energy pictures of food, once in the morning (6:30-8:30 am) and once in the evening (5:00-7:00 pm). Diets were identical on both days of the fMRI scans and were verified using weighed food records. Visual analog scales were used to record subjective perception of hunger and preoccupation with food prior to each fMRI scan. Six areas of the brain showed lower activation in the evening to both high- and low-energy foods, including structures in reward pathways (P < 0.05). Nine brain regions showed significantly higher activation for high-energy foods compared to low-energy foods (P < 0.05). High-energy food stimuli tended to produce greater fMRI responses than low-energy food stimuli in specific areas of the brain, regardless of time of day. However, evening scans showed a lower response to both low- and high-energy food pictures in some areas of the brain. Subjectively, participants reported no difference in hunger by time of day (F = 1.84, P = 0.19), but reported they could eat more (F = 4.83, P = 0.04) and were more preoccupied with thoughts of food (F = 5.51, P = 0.03) in the evening compared to the morning. These data underscore the role that time of day may have on neural responses to food stimuli. These results may also have clinical implications for fMRI measurement in order to prevent a time of day bias.

Day-Scale Variability of 3C 279 and Searches for Correlations in Gamma-Ray, X-Ray and Optical Bands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartman, R. C.; Villata, M.; Balonek, T. J.; Bertsch, D. L.; Bock, H.; Boettcher, M.; Carini, M. T.; Collmar, W.; DeFrancesco, G.; Ferrera, E. C.;

High sodium chloride intake is associated with low bone density in calcium stone-forming patients.

PubMed

Martini, L A; Cuppari, L; Colugnati, F A; Sigulem, D M; Szejnfeld, V L; Schor, N; Heilberg, I P

2000-08-01

Although renal stone disease has been associated with reduced bone mass, the impact of nutrient intake on bone loss is unknown. The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of nutrient intake on bone density of 85 calcium stone-forming (CSF) patients (47 male and 38 premenopausal females) aged 41+/-11 years (X+/-SD). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck sites, and low BMD was defined as a T score < -1 (WHO criteria). A 4-day dietary record and a 24-hour urine sample were obtained from each patient for the assessment of nutrient intake and urinary calcium (U(Ca)), sodium (U(Na)), phosphate and creatinine excretion. Forty-eight patients (56%) presented normal BMD and 37 (44%) low BMD. There were no statistical differences regarding age, weight, height, body mass index, protein, calcium and phosphorus intakes between both groups. The mean U(Ca), phosphorus and nitrogen appearance also did not differ between groups. However, there was a higher percentage of hypercalciuria among low vs normal BMD patients (62 vs 33%, p < 0.05). Low BMD patients presented a higher mean sodium chloride (NaCl) intake and excretion (UNa) than normal BMD (14+/-5 vs 12+/-4 g/day and 246+/-85 vs 204+/-68 mEq/day, respectively p < 0.05). The percentage of patients presenting NaCl intake > or = 16 g/day was also higher among low vs normal BMD patients (35 vs 12%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for calcium and protein intakes, age, weight, body mass index, urinary calcium, citrate and uric acid excretion, and duration of stone disease, multiple-regression analysis showed that a high NaCl intake (> or = 16 g/day) was the single variable that was predictive of risk of low bone density in CSF patients (odds ratio = 3.8). These data suggest that reducing salt intake should be recommended for CSF patients presenting hypercalciuria and osteopenia.

Very high volume hemofiltration with the Cascade system in septic shock patients.

PubMed

Quenot, Jean-Pierre; Binquet, Christine; Vinsonneau, Christophe; Barbar, Saber-David; Vinault, Sandrine; Deckert, Valerie; Lemaire, Stéphanie; Hassain, Ali Ait; Bruyère, Rémi; Souweine, Bertrand; Lagrost, Laurent; Adrie, Christophe

2015-12-01

We compared hemodynamic and biological effects of the Cascade system, which uses very high volume hemofiltration (HVHF) (120 mL kg(-1) h(-1)), with those of usual care in patients with septic shock. Multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label trial in three intensive care units (ICU). Adults with septic shock with administration of epinephrine/norepinephrine were eligible. Patients were randomized to usual care plus HVHF (Cascade group), or usual care alone (control group). Primary end point was the number of catecholamine-free days up to 28 days after randomization. Secondary end points were number of days free of mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy (RRT) or ICU up to 90 days, and 7-, 28-, and 90-day mortality. We included 60 patients (29 Cascade, 31 usual care). Baseline characteristics were comparable. Median number of catecholamine-free days was 22 [IQR 11-23] vs 20 [0-25] for Cascade vs control; there was no significant difference even after adjustment. There was no significant difference in number of mechanical ventilation-free days or ICU requirement. Median number of RRT-free days was 85 [46-90] vs 74 [0-90] for Cascade vs control groups, p = 0.42. By multivariate analysis, the number of RRT-free days was significantly higher in the Cascade group (up to 25 days higher after adjustment). There was no difference in mortality at 7, 28, or 90 days. Very HVHF using the Cascade system can safely be used in patients presenting with septic shock, but it was not associated with a reduction in the need for catecholamines during the first 28 days.

Delayed presentation of prolonged hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in a preterm small-for-gestational age neonate.

PubMed

Chong, Jin Ho; Chandran, Suresh; Agarwal, Prathibha; Rajadurai, Victor Samuel

2013-12-18

Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in small-for-gestational age infants usually presents in the first two postnatal days. We present a preterm, small-for-gestational age infant who had hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia on day 13 of life. A female twin infant weighing 1390 g was born at 32(+6) weeks of gestation. Her glycaemic profile was normal till day 13 of life, after which she was noted to be lethargic and hypoglycaemic and had hyperinsulinism, hypoketonaemia and hypofattyacidaemia, requiring high glucose infusion rate to maintain normoglycaemia, while negative for septic markers and metabolic screen. Initially, there was no response to diazoxide and the genetic studies for ABCC8 and KCNJ11 gene mutations were negative. Delayed response to diazoxide was followed by complete resolution of hypoglycaemia in 5 months. This case highlights the importance of glucose monitoring in small-for-date infants for hypoglycaemia till they achieve full feeds and gain weight. Early recognition and appropriate management of hypoglycaemia in this group of infants have important implications for neurodevelopmental outcome.

NASA Ames Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program: 1986 research papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Patricia

1988-01-01

Engineering enrollments are rising in universities; however the graduate engineering shortage continues. Particularly, women and minorities will be underrepresented for many years. As one means of solving this shortage, Federal agencies facing future scientific and technological challenges were asked to participate in the Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP). This program was created to provide an engineering experience for gifted female and minority high school students at an age when they could still make career and education decisions. The SHARP program is designed for high school juniors who are U.S. citizens, are 16 years old, and who have very high promise in math and science through outstanding academic performance in high school. Students who are accepted into this summer program will earn as they learn by working 8 hr days in a 5-day work week. Reports from SHARP students are presented.

Delayed diaphragm injury and diaphragm force production.

PubMed

Jiang, T X; Reid, W D; Road, J D

1998-03-01

The present study was designed to examine the effect of delayed diaphragm injury produced by inspiratory resistive loading (IRL) on diaphragm force production. On Day 1, three groups of anesthetized and intubated NZW rabbits (n = 7 in each group) were subjected to moderate IRL (Pao approximately 30 cm H2O), high IRL (Pao approximately 45 cm H2O), or no load for 1.5 h. On Day 3, the baseline twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) and Pdi at 10 to 80 Hz were measured during bilateral phrenic stimulation and these measurements were repeated after another IRL (high level) in all three groups. Diaphragm injury was assessed by the point-counting technique. Marked diaphragm injury was observed in the high-IRL group (p < 0.01), but no significant diaphragm injury was observed in the moderate-IRL or control groups. The baseline twitch Pdi was maintained in both IRL groups, whereas the baseline Pdi-frequency values in the high-IRL group were significantly reduced at most frequencies (p < 0.05). The decreases in twitch and Pdi at different frequencies were more pronounced after the IRL on Day 3 in the high-IRL group compared with controls. Moderate IRL did not decrease diaphragm force either before or after the high IRL on Day 3. We conclude that the diaphragm injury induced by high IRL has a significant impact on diaphragm force production and the attendant force loss produced by IRL is dependent on the intensity of inspiratory loading.

Brief communication: Improved simulation of the present-day Greenland firn layer (1960-2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ligtenberg, Stefan R. M.; Kuipers Munneke, Peter; Noël, Brice P. Y.; van den Broeke, Michiel R.

2018-05-01

By providing pore space for storage or refreezing of meltwater, the Greenland ice sheet firn layer strongly modulates runoff. Correctly representing the firn layer is therefore crucial for Greenland (surface) mass balance studies. Here, we present a simulation of the Greenland firn layer with the firn model IMAU-FDM forced by the latest output of the regional climate model RACMO2, version 2.3p2. In the percolation zone, much improved agreement is found with firn density and temperature observations. A full simulation of Greenland firn at high temporal (10 days) and spatial (11 km) resolution is available for the period 1960-2016.

Modeling monthly meteorological and agronomic frost days, based on minimum air temperature, in Center-Southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvares, Clayton Alcarde; Sentelhas, Paulo César; Stape, José Luiz

2017-09-01

Although Brazil is predominantly a tropical country, frosts are observed with relative high frequency in the Center-Southern states of the country, affecting mainly agriculture, forestry, and human activities. Therefore, information about the frost climatology is of high importance for planning of these activities. Based on that, the aims of the present study were to develop monthly meteorological (F MET) and agronomic (F AGR) frost day models, based on minimum shelter air temperature (T MN), in order to characterize the temporal and spatial frost days variability in Center-Southern Brazil. Daily minimum air temperature data from 244 weather stations distributed across the study area were used, being 195 for developing the models and 49 for validating them. Multivariate regression models were obtained to estimate the monthly T MN, once the frost day models were based on this variable. All T MN regression models were statistically significant (p < 0.001), presenting adjusted R 2 between 0.69 and 0.90. Center-Southern Brazil is mainly hit by frosts from mid-fall (April) to mid-spring (October). The period from November to March is considered as frost-free, being very rare a frost day within that period. Monthly F MET and F AGR presented significant sigmoidal relationships with T MN (p < 0.0001), with adjusted R 2 above of 0.82. The residuals of the frost day models were random, which means that the sigmoidal models performed quite well for interpreting the frost day variability throughout the study area. The highlands of Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais had in average more than 25 and 13 frosts per year, respectively, for F MET and F AGR. The F MET and F AGR maps developed in this study for Center-Southern Brazil is a useful tool for farmers, foresters, and researchers, since they contribute to reduce frost spatial and temporal uncertainty, helping in planning project for strategic purposes. Furthermore, the monthly F MET and F AGR maps for this Brazilian region are the first zoning of these variables for the country.

The Human Brain Does Not Need High Levels of Motivation to Learn a Foreign Language: Motivation Has Had Its Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Kieran

2016-01-01

Language is nature in action and something humans do. This literature review presents evidence from the literature that suggests that learning a foreign language in a classroom situation does not require high levels of student motivation. It is instead suggested that high levels of motivation are needed to make progress when a teacher is using…

Adolescent Views of Time Management: Rethinking the School Day in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strom, Paris S.; Strom, Robert D.; Sindel-Arrington, Tricia

2016-01-01

Junior high school presents a significant increase in time demands both for study and for social relationships. The students (N = 240) in grades 7 and 8 at a junior high school anonymously completed online the Time Management Poll concerning their own use of time and the way their school managed time. The 20 items in the poll allowed them to…

Retaining clients in an outcome monitoring evaluation study: HIV prevention efforts in community settings.

PubMed

Smith, Bryce D; Kalayil, Elizabeth J; Patel-Larson, Alpa; Chen, Brenda; Vaughan, Marla

2012-02-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) conducted outcome monitoring studies on evidence-based interventions (EBIs) provided by CDC-funded community-based organizations (CBOs). Critical to the success of outcome monitoring was the ability of CBOs to recruit and retain clients in evaluation studies. Two EBIs, Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex (VOICES/VOCES) and Healthy Relationships, were evaluated using repeated measure studies, which require robust follow-up retention rates to increase the validity and usefulness of the findings. The retention rates were high for both VOICES/VOCES CBOs (95.8% at 30 days and 91.1% at 120 days), and Healthy Relationships CBOs (89.5% at 90 days and 83.5% at 180 days). This paper presents an overview of the retention of clients, challenges to follow-up, and strategies developed by CBOs to achieve high retention rates. These strategies and rates are discussed within the context of the CBOs' target populations and communities. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fake news? Biotin interference in thyroid immunoassays.

PubMed

Koehler, Viktoria F; Mann, Ulrike; Nassour, Ayham; Alexander Mann, W

2018-05-29

We report on a 47 year old male patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) presenting in our outpatient neurology clinic in Frankfurt/Main for therapy evaluation. Before change of treatment laboratory investigations were performed. Thyroid function tests (TFTs) with a streptavidin/biotin based immunoassay revealed severe hyperthyroidism with positive thyroid autoantibodies suggestive for Graves' disease. Clinical presentation and thyroid sonography were unremarkable. Due to the discordance between clinical presentation and TFTs, we repeated medical history, in which the patient reported taking high-doses of biotin (300 mg/day) for MS. Recent studies with patients suffering from primary and secondary progressive MS, indicated promising effects of high-dose biotin on MS-related disability. In immunoassays relaying on streptavidin-biotin interaction, biotin intake can cause falsely high or low results. Two weeks after withdrawing biotin, biotin/streptavidin dependant assays showed no longer the biochemical picture of severe hyperthyroidism. Biotin intake should be paused for at least two to five days prior to the use of biotin/streptavidin dependant assays. Alternatively, non-biotin/streptavidin dependant assays (radioimmunoassay, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) may be used. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improved circadian sleep-wake cycle in infants fed a day/night dissociated formula milk.

PubMed

Cubero, J; Narciso, D; Aparicio, S; Garau, C; Valero, V; Rivero, M; Esteban, S; Rial, R; Rodríguez, A B; Barriga, C

2006-06-01

On the basis of the circadian nutritional variations present in breast milk, and of the implications for the sleep/wake cycle of the nutrients present in infant formula milks, we designed a formula milk nutritionally dissociated into a Day/Night composition. The goal was to improve the bottle-fed infant's sleep/wake circadian rhythm. A total of 21 infants aged 4-20 weeks with sleeping difficulties were enrolled in the three-week duration study. The sleep analysis was performed using an actimeter (Actiwatch) placed on an ankle of each infant to uninterruptedly record movements during the three weeks. The dissociated Day milk, designed to be administered from 06:00 to 18:00, contained low levels of tryptophan (1.5g/100g protein) and carbohydrates, high levels of proteins, and the nucleotides Cytidine 5 monophosphate, Guanosine 5 monophosphate and Inosine 5 monophosphate. The dissociated Night milk, designed to be administered from 18.00 to 06.00, contained high levels of tryptophan (3.4g/100g protein) and carbohydrates, low levels of protein, and the nucleotides Adenosine 5 monophosphate and Uridine 5 monophosphate. Three different milk-feeding experiments were performed in a double-blind procedure covering three weeks. In week 1 (control), the infants received both by day and by night a standard formula milk; in week 2 (inverse control), they received the dissociated milk inversely (Night/Day instead of Day/Night); and in week 3, they received the Day/Night dissociated formula concordant with the formula design. When the infants were receiving the Day/Night dissociated milk in concordance with their environment, they showed improvement in all the nocturnal sleep parameters analyzed: total hours of sleep, sleep efficiency, minutes of nocturnal immobility, nocturnal awakenings, and sleep latency. In conclusion, the use of a chronobiologically adjusted infant formula milk seems to be effective in improving the consolidation of the circadian sleep/wake cycle in bottle-fed infants.

Association of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Concentration With Cardiac Outcomes in Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Chapman, Andrew R.; Lee, Kuan Ken; McAllister, David A.; Cullen, Louise; Greenslade, Jaimi H.; Parsonage, William; Worster, Andrew; Kavsak, Peter A.; Blankenberg, Stefan; Neumann, Johannes; Söerensen, Nils A.; Westermann, Dirk; Buijs, Madelon M.; Verdel, Gerard J. E.; Pickering, John W.; Than, Martin P.; Twerenbold, Raphael; Badertscher, Patrick; Sabti, Zaid; Mueller, Christian; Anand, Atul; Adamson, Philip; Strachan, Fiona E.; Ferry, Amy; Sandeman, Dennis; Gray, Alasdair; Body, Richard; Keevil, Brian; Carlton, Edward; Greaves, Kim; Korley, Frederick K.; Metkus, Thomas S.; Sandoval, Yader; Apple, Fred S.; Newby, David E.; Shah, Anoop S. V.

2017-01-01

Importance High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I testing is widely used to evaluate patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. A cardiac troponin concentration of less than 5 ng/L identifies patients at presentation as low risk, but the optimal threshold is uncertain. Objective To evaluate the performance of a cardiac troponin I threshold of 5 ng/L at presentation as a risk stratification tool in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Data Sources Systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from January 1, 2006, to March 18, 2017. Study Selection Prospective studies measuring high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentrations in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome in which the diagnosis was adjudicated according to the universal definition of myocardial infarction. Data Extraction and Synthesis The systematic review identified 19 cohorts. Individual patient-level data were obtained from the corresponding authors of 17 cohorts, with aggregate data from 2 cohorts. Meta-estimates for primary and secondary outcomes were derived using a binomial-normal random-effects model. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was myocardial infarction or cardiac death at 30 days. Performance was evaluated in subgroups and across a range of troponin concentrations (2-16 ng/L) using individual patient data. Results Of 11 845 articles identified, 104 underwent full-text review, and 19 cohorts from 9 countries were included. Among 22 457 patients included in the meta-analysis (mean age, 62 [SD, 15.5] years; n = 9329 women [41.5%]), the primary outcome occurred in 2786 (12.4%). Cardiac troponin I concentrations were less than 5 ng/L at presentation in 11 012 patients (49%), in whom there were 60 missed index or 30-day events (59 index myocardial infarctions, 1 myocardial infarction at 30 days, and no cardiac deaths at 30 days). This resulted in a negative predictive value of 99.5% (95% CI, 99.3%-99.6%) for the primary outcome. There were no cardiac deaths at 30 days and 7 (0.1%) at 1 year, with a negative predictive value of 99.9% (95% CI, 99.7%-99.9%) for cardiac death. Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentration of less than 5 ng/L identified those at low risk of myocardial infarction or cardiac death within 30 days. Further research is needed to understand the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of this approach to risk stratification. PMID:29127948

Association of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Concentration With Cardiac Outcomes in Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome.

PubMed

Chapman, Andrew R; Lee, Kuan Ken; McAllister, David A; Cullen, Louise; Greenslade, Jaimi H; Parsonage, William; Worster, Andrew; Kavsak, Peter A; Blankenberg, Stefan; Neumann, Johannes; Sörensen, Nils A; Westermann, Dirk; Buijs, Madelon M; Verdel, Gerard J E; Pickering, John W; Than, Martin P; Twerenbold, Raphael; Badertscher, Patrick; Sabti, Zaid; Mueller, Christian; Anand, Atul; Adamson, Philip; Strachan, Fiona E; Ferry, Amy; Sandeman, Dennis; Gray, Alasdair; Body, Richard; Keevil, Brian; Carlton, Edward; Greaves, Kim; Korley, Frederick K; Metkus, Thomas S; Sandoval, Yader; Apple, Fred S; Newby, David E; Shah, Anoop S V; Mills, Nicholas L

2017-11-21

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I testing is widely used to evaluate patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. A cardiac troponin concentration of less than 5 ng/L identifies patients at presentation as low risk, but the optimal threshold is uncertain. To evaluate the performance of a cardiac troponin I threshold of 5 ng/L at presentation as a risk stratification tool in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from January 1, 2006, to March 18, 2017. Prospective studies measuring high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentrations in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome in which the diagnosis was adjudicated according to the universal definition of myocardial infarction. The systematic review identified 19 cohorts. Individual patient-level data were obtained from the corresponding authors of 17 cohorts, with aggregate data from 2 cohorts. Meta-estimates for primary and secondary outcomes were derived using a binomial-normal random-effects model. The primary outcome was myocardial infarction or cardiac death at 30 days. Performance was evaluated in subgroups and across a range of troponin concentrations (2-16 ng/L) using individual patient data. Of 11 845 articles identified, 104 underwent full-text review, and 19 cohorts from 9 countries were included. Among 22 457 patients included in the meta-analysis (mean age, 62 [SD, 15.5] years; n = 9329 women [41.5%]), the primary outcome occurred in 2786 (12.4%). Cardiac troponin I concentrations were less than 5 ng/L at presentation in 11 012 patients (49%), in whom there were 60 missed index or 30-day events (59 index myocardial infarctions, 1 myocardial infarction at 30 days, and no cardiac deaths at 30 days). This resulted in a negative predictive value of 99.5% (95% CI, 99.3%-99.6%) for the primary outcome. There were no cardiac deaths at 30 days and 7 (0.1%) at 1 year, with a negative predictive value of 99.9% (95% CI, 99.7%-99.9%) for cardiac death. Among patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentration of less than 5 ng/L identified those at low risk of myocardial infarction or cardiac death within 30 days. Further research is needed to understand the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of this approach to risk stratification.

Canadian user perspectives on Bt use for protection against spruce budworm

Treesearch

H. J. Irving

1985-01-01

Reference is made to a recent interprovincial review of the performance of present day B.t. viz a viz conventional chemicals. The argument is presented that in the Canadian context its practical acceptability to resource managers remains highly jurisdictionally-specific for reasons over and above conventional technical assessments. The New Brunswick situation is...

Growth and decline of shoreline industry in Sydney estuary (Australia) and influence on adjacent estuarine sediments.

PubMed

Birch, G F; Lean, J; Gunns, T

2015-06-01

Sydney estuary (Australia), like many urbanised waterways, is degraded due to an extended history of anthropogenic activity. Two major sources of contamination to this estuary are discharge by former shoreline industries and historic and contemporary catchment stormwater. The objectives of the present study were to document changes in shoreline land use from European settlement to the present day and determine the influence of this trend on the metal content of adjacent estuarine sediments. Temporal analysis of land use for seven time horizons between 1788 and 2010 showed rapid expansion of industry along much of the Sydney estuary foreshore soon after European settlement due to the benefits of easy and inexpensive access and readily available water for cooling and power. Shoreline industry attained maximum development in 1978 (32-km length) and declined rapidly to the present-day (9-km length) through redevelopment of industrial sites into medium- to high-density, high-value residential housing. Cores taken adjacent to 11 long-term industrial sites showed that past industrial practices contributed significantly to contamination of estuarine sediment. Subsurface metal concentrations were up to 35 times that of present-day surface sediment and over 100 times greater than natural background concentrations. Sedimentation rates for areas adjacent to shoreline industry were between 0.6 and 2.5 cm/year, and relaxation times were estimated at 50 to 100 years. Natural relaxation and non-disturbance of sediments may be the best management practice in most locations.

Stellar Populations of over 1000 z ∼ 0.8 Galaxies from LEGA-C: Ages and Star Formation Histories from D n 4000 and Hδ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Po-Feng; van der Wel, Arjen; Gallazzi, Anna; Bezanson, Rachel; Pacifici, Camilla; Straatman, Caroline; Franx, Marijn; Barišić, Ivana; Bell, Eric F.; Brammer, Gabriel B.; Calhau, Joao; Chauke, Priscilla; van Houdt, Josha; Maseda, Michael V.; Muzzin, Adam; Rix, Hans-Walter; Sobral, David; Spilker, Justin; van de Sande, Jesse; van Dokkum, Pieter; Wild, Vivienne

2018-03-01

Drawing from the LEGA-C data set, we present the spectroscopic view of the stellar population across a large volume- and mass-selected sample of galaxies at large look-back time. We measure the 4000 Å break (D n 4000) and Balmer absorption line strengths (probed by Hδ) from 1019 high-quality spectra of z = 0.6–1.0 galaxies with M * = 2 × 1010 M ⊙ to 3 × 1011 M ⊙. Our analysis serves as a first illustration of the power of high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio continuum spectroscopy at intermediate redshifts as a qualitatively new tool to constrain galaxy formation models. The observed D n 4000–EW(Hδ) distribution of our sample overlaps with the distribution traced by present-day galaxies, but z ∼ 0.8 galaxies populate that locus in a fundamentally different manner. While old galaxies dominate the present-day population at all stellar masses >2 × 1010 M ⊙, we see a bimodal D n 4000–EW(Hδ) distribution at z ∼ 0.8, implying a bimodal light-weighted age distribution. The light-weighted age depends strongly on stellar mass, with the most massive galaxies >1 × 1011 M ⊙ being almost all older than 2 Gyr. At the same time, we estimate that galaxies in this high-mass range are only ∼3 Gyr younger than their z ∼ 0.1 counterparts, at odds with purely passive evolution given a difference in look-back time of >5 Gyr; younger galaxies must grow to >1011 M ⊙ in the meantime, or small amounts of young stars must keep the light-weighted ages young. Star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 0.8 have stronger Hδ absorption than present-day galaxies with the same D n 4000, implying larger short-term variations in star formation activity.

[Adult-onset Still's disease with pulmonary and cardiac involvement and response to intravenous immunoglobulin].

PubMed

Neto, Nilton Salles Rosa; Waldrich, Leandro; de Carvalho, Jozélio Freire; Pereira, Rosa Maria Rodrigues

2009-01-01

Cardiopulmonary manifestations of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) include pericarditis, pleural effusion, transient pulmonary infiltrates, pulmonary interstitial disease and myocarditis. Serositis are common but pneumonitis and myocarditis are not and bring elevated risk of mortality. They may manifest on disease onset or flares. Previously reported cases were treated with high-dose glucocorticoids and immunosupressants and, when refractory, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). We report an AOSD patient whose flare presented with severe pleupneumonitis and myopericarditis and, following nonresponse to a methylprednisolone pulse, high dose of prednisone and cyclosporine A, recovered after a 2-day 1g/kg/day IVIG infusion.

High-Flux Hemodialysis and Levocarnitine in the Treatment of Severe Valproic Acid Intoxication

PubMed Central

Temel, V.; Arikan, Müge; Temel, G.

2013-01-01

Valproic acid (VPA) intoxication incidence is increasing, because of the use of VPA in psychiatric disorders. The most common finding of VPA intoxication is central nervous system depression which leads to coma and respiratory depression. Pancreatitis, hyperammonemia, metabolic, and bone marrow failure (thrombocytopenia and leukopenia) have also been described. Treatment is mainly supportive. We present the case of an 18-year-old female patient, who made an attempt to autolysis with VPA. Our patient's VPA plasma level was very high (924 μg/mL), confirming that it was a severe intoxication. Our treatment including levocarnitine (50 mg/kg per day for 3 days), and high-flux hemodialysis was performed for four hours. The patient's hemodynamic status and mental function improved in conjunction with the acute reduction in VPA concentrations. Her subsequent hospital course was complicated by transient thrombocytopenia and levocarnitine induced hypophosphatemia. By day 6, the patient's laboratory values had completely normalized, and she was transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility for continuing therapy. PMID:23762657

Effect of aqua exercise on recovery of lower limb muscles after downhill running.

PubMed

Takahashi, Junichiro; Ishihara, Keiji; Aoki, Junichiro

2006-08-01

The aim of the present study was to examine how the recovery of physiological functioning of the leg muscles after high-intensity eccentric exercise such as downhill running could be promoted by aqua exercise for a period until the damaged muscle had recovered almost completely. Ten male long-distance runners were divided equally into an aqua exercise group and a control group. From the first day (Day 0) to the fourth day (Day 3), the participants completed a questionnaire on muscle soreness, and serum creatine kinase activity, muscle power, flexibility, whole-body reaction time and muscle stiffness were measured. After measurements on Day 0, the participants performed downhill running (three 5 min runs with a 5 min rest interval at -10%, 335.7 +/- 6.1 m . min-1). The aqua exercise group performed walking, jogging and jumping in water on three successive days following the downhill running on Day 0 for 30 min each day. Muscle power was reduced on Day 1 in the control group (P < 0.05). Muscle soreness in the calf on Day 3 was greater in the control group than that in the aqua exercise group (P < 0.05). In the aqua exercise group, muscle stiffness in the calf was less than that in the control group over 4 days (time main effect: P < 0.05; group x time interaction: P < 0.05). We conclude that aqua exercise promoted physiological functioning of the muscles in the legs after high-intensity downhill running for a period until the damaged muscles had recovered almost completely.

Efficacy of high doses of levofloxacin in experimental foreign-body infection by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Murillo, O; Doménech, A; Garcia, A; Tubau, F; Cabellos, C; Gudiol, F; Ariza, J

2006-12-01

Antimicrobial efficacy in orthopedic device infections is diminished because of bacterial biofilms which express tolerance to antibiotics. Recently, the use of high doses of levofloxacin with rifampin has been recommended for staphylococcal infections. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of levofloxacin at doses of 50 mg/kg/day and 100 mg/kg/day (mimicking the usual and high human doses of 500 mg/day and 750 to 1,000 mg/day, respectively) and compared it to that of to linezolid, cloxacillin, vancomycin, and rifampin in a rat tissue cage model of experimental foreign-body infection by Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial efficacy in vitro (by MIC, minimum bactericidal concentration, and kill curves) for logarithmic- and stationary-phase bacteria was compared with the in vivo efficacy. In vitro bactericidal activity at clinically relevant concentrations was reached by all drugs except rifampin and linezolid in the log-phase studies but only by levofloxacin in the stationary-phase studies. The bacterial count decreases from in vivo tissue cage fluids (means) for levofloxacin at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, rifampin, cloxacillin, vancomycin, linezolid, and controls, respectively, were: -1.24, -2.26, -2.1, -1.56, -1.47, -1.15, and 0.33 (all groups versus controls, P < 0.05). Levofloxacin at 100 mg/kg/day (area under the concentration-time curve/MIC ratio, 234) was the most active therapy (P = 0.03 versus linezolid). Overall, in vivo efficacy was better predicted by stationary-phase studies, in which it reached a high correlation coefficient even if the rifampin group was excluded (r = 0.96; P < 0.05). Our results, including in vitro studies with nongrowing bacteria, pharmacodynamic parameters, and antimicrobial efficacy in experimental infection, provide good evidence to support the use of levofloxacin at high doses (750 to 1,000 mg/day), as recently recommended for treating patients with orthopedic prosthesis infections.

An Analysis of the Impact of Outward Bound on Twelve High Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, Joseph R.

Describing and analyzing the impact of Outward Bound (OB) programs on 12 high schools which reflect OB involvement varying from 1 to 5 years and include urban, suburban, and rural (public, private, boarding, and day) schools, this 1970-71 report is aimed at furthering OB philosophy and method. The report presents OB program: background; evaluation…

G.E.M.S. event

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-08

High school students register for activities during a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event attracted about 130 high school girls and 40 elementary girls from 18 Louisiana and Mississippi for a day of workshop and seminar presentations, a 'Dress for Success' fashion show and a tour of information technology facilities.

Implementing Educational Policies in Swaziland. World Bank Discussion Papers No. 88. Africa Technical Department Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magalula, Cisco

At the time of independence in 1968, education in Swaziland was characterized by poor quality, uneven distribution of schools, high dropout and repeater rates, serious shortages of teachers, and inappropriate and highly academic curricula. This paper describes the status of present-day education in Swaziland in terms of the effect of government…

Promoting Democratic Citizenship through Non-Formal Adult Education: The Case of Denmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milana, Marcella; Sorensen, Tore Bernt

2009-01-01

The article presents selected findings from in-depth case studies of two non-formal learning activities organized by the Danish Folk High Schools and Day High Schools, respectively. The purpose of the empirical study was to investigate how longstanding, non-formal, adult education institutions have worked to foster the acquisition of civic…

Selectivity of hexaphenylbenzene-based hydrocarbon stationary phase with propeller-like conformation for aromatic and aliphatic isomers.

PubMed

Yang, Yinhui; Chang, Zhengfeng; Yang, Xiaohong; Qi, Meiling; Wang, Jinliang

2018-08-03

Herein we report a propeller-like hexaphenylbenzene-based hydrocarbon material (denoted as BT) as the stationary phase for capillary gas chromatography (GC). The statically-coated BT capillary column showed a high column efficiency of 4340 plates m -1 and weak polarity. Owing to its unique conformation, π-electron toroidal delocalization and intrinsic microporosity, the BT stationary phase exhibited interesting selectivity for aromatic compounds over alkanes. Compared with the graphene (G) column, the BT column showed much prolonged retention and high selectivity for aromatic isomers, especially methylnaphthalenes, dimethylnaphthalenes and phenanthrene/anthracene, mainly because of its propeller-like conformation with rich intercalation effects. Moreover, it exhibited good column repeatability (intra-day, inter-day) and reproducibility (between-column) with RSD values on the retention times less than 0.08% for intra-day, 0.32% for inter-day and 3.8% for between-column, respectively. Also, it showed good potential for determination of minor isomer impurities in real samples. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the first example of employing an neat aromatic hydrocarbon material as the GC stationary phase with high selectivity for analytes of a wide ranging polarity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive functions and cerebral oxygenation changes during acute and prolonged hypoxic exposure.

PubMed

Davranche, Karen; Casini, Laurence; Arnal, Pierrick J; Rupp, Thomas; Perrey, Stéphane; Verges, Samuel

2016-10-01

The present study aimed to assess specific cognitive processes (cognitive control and time perception) and hemodynamic correlates using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during acute and prolonged high-altitude exposure. Eleven male subjects were transported via helicopter and dropped at 14 272 ft (4 350 meters) of altitude where they stayed for 4 days. Cognitive tasks, involving a conflict task and temporal bisection task, were performed at sea level the week before ascending to high altitude, the day of arrival (D0), the second (D2) and fourth (D4) day at high altitude. Cortical hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) area were monitored with fNIRS at rest and during the conflict task. Results showed that high altitude impacts information processing in terms of speed and accuracy. In the early hours of exposure (D0), participants displayed slower reaction times (RT) and decision errors were twice as high. While error rate for simple spontaneous responses remained twice that at sea level, the slow-down of RT was not detectable after 2 days at high-altitude. The larger fNIRS responses from D0 to D2 suggest that higher prefrontal activity partially counteracted cognitive performance decrements. Cognitive control, assessed through the build-up of a top-down response suppression mechanism, the early automatic response activation and the post-error adjustment were not impacted by hypoxia. However, during prolonged hypoxic exposure the temporal judgments were underestimated suggesting a slowdown of the internal clock. A decrease in cortical arousal level induced by hypoxia could consistently explain both the slowdown of the internal clock and the persistence of a higher number of errors after several days of exposure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Salt Intake and Potassium Supplementation on Serum Gastrin Levels in Chinese Adults: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuan-Yuan; He, Wen-Wen; Liu, Yan-Chun; Lin, Yi-Feng; Hong, Lu-Fei

2017-01-01

Excess dietary salt is strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease, morbidity, and mortality. Conversely, potassium likely elicits favorable effects against cardiovascular disorders. Gastrin, which is produced by the G-cells of the stomach and duodenum, can increase renal sodium excretion and regulate blood pressure by acting on the cholecystokinin B receptor. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of altered salt and potassium supplementation on serum gastrin levels in humans. A total of 44 subjects (38–65 years old) were selected from a rural community in northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a relatively low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day of NaCl), a high-salt diet for 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl), and then a high-salt diet supplemented with potassium for another 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl + 4.5 g/day of KCl). The high-salt intake significantly increased serum gastrin levels (15.3 ± 0.3 vs. 17.6 ± 0.3 pmol/L). This phenomenon was alleviated through potassium supplementation (17.6 ± 0.3 vs. 16.5 ± 0.4 pmol/L). Further analyses revealed that serum gastrin was positively correlated with 24 h urinary sodium excretion (r = 0.476, p < 0.001). By contrast, gastrin level was negatively correlated with blood pressure in all dietary interventions (r = −0.188, p = 0.031). The present study indicated that variations in dietary salt and potassium supplementation affected the serum gastrin concentrations in the Chinese subjects. PMID:28420122

A Study of Pulse Shape Evolution and X-Ray Reprocessing in Her X-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cushman, Paula P.

1998-01-01

This study focused on the pulse shape evolution and spectral properties of the X-ray binary Her X-1 with regard to the well known 35-day cycle of Her X-1. A follow-up set of RXTE observations has been conducted in RXTE AO-2 phase and the two observation sets are being analyzed together. We presented results of early analysis of pulse shape evolution in "Proceedings of the Fourth Compton Symposium". More advanced analysis was presented at the HEAD meeting in November, 1997 in Estes Park, Colorado. A related study of the 35-day cycle using RXTE/ASM data, which laid out the overall picture within which the more detailed PCA observations could be placed has also been conducted. The results of this study have been published. A pair of papers on the detailed pulse evolution and the spectral/color evolution are currently being prepared for publication. Some of the significant results of this study have been a confirmation of the detailed pulse profile changes at the end of the Main High state in HerX-1 first observed by GINGA, observations of the pulse evolution in several Short High states which agree with the pulse evolution pattern predicted using a disk occultation model, observation of a systematic lengthening of the eclipse egress during the Main High state of the 35-day phase and observation of a new type of extended eclipse ingress during which pulsations cease to observed during the Short High state.

Monitoring of injury induced brain regeneration of the adult zebrafish by using optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Zhen; Zhang, Jian

2018-02-01

The adult zebrafish has pronounced regenerative capacity of the brain, which makes it an ideal model organism of vertebrate biology for the investigation of recovery of central nervous system injuries. The aim of this study was to employ spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) system for long-term in vivo monitoring of tissue regeneration using an adult zebrafish model of brain injury. Based on a 1325 nm light source and two high-speed galvo mirrors, the SD-OCT system can offer a large field of view of the three-dimensional (3D) brain structures with high imaging resolution (12 μm axial and 13 μm lateral) at video rate. In vivo experiments based on this system were conducted to monitor the regeneration process of zebrafish brain after injury during a period of 43 days. To monitor and detect the process of tissue regeneration, we performed 3D in vivo imaging in a zebrafish model of adult brain injury during a period of 43 days. The coronal and sagittal views of the injured zebrafish brain at each time point (0 days, 10 days, 20 days and 43 days postlesion) were presented to show the changes of the brain lesion in detail. In addition, the 3D SD-OCT images for an injured zebrafish brain were also reconstructed at days 0 and days 43 post-lesion. We found that SD-OCT is able to effectively and noninvasively monitor the regeneration of the adult zebrafish brain after injury in real time with high 3D spatial resolution and good penetration depth. Our findings also suggested that the adult zebrafish has the extraordinary capability of brain regeneration and is able to repair itself after brain injury.

Preliminary analysis of aircraft fuel systems for use with broadened specification jet fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasion, A. J.; Thomas, I.

1977-01-01

An analytical study was conducted on the use of broadened specification hydrocarbon fuels in present day aircraft. A short range Boeing 727 mission and three long range Boeing 747 missions were used as basis of calculation for one-day-per-year extreme values of fuel loading, airport ambient and altitude ambient temperatures with various seasonal and climatic conditions. Four hypothetical fuels were selected; two high-vapor-pressure fuels with 35 kPa and 70 kPa RVP and two high-freezing-point fuels with -29 C and -18 C freezing points. In-flight fuel temperatures were predicted by Boeing's aircraft fuel tank thermal analyzer computer program. Boil-off rates were calculated for the high vapor pressure fuels and heating/insulation requirements for the high freezing point fuels were established. Possible minor and major heating system modifications were investigated with respect to heat output, performance and economic penalties for the high freezing point fuels.

Postnatal changes and sexual dimorphism in collagen expression in mouse skin

PubMed Central

Arai, Koji Y.; Hara, Takuya; Nagatsuka, Toyofumi; Kudo, Chikako; Tsuchiya, Sho; Nomura, Yoshihiro; Nishiyama, Toshio

2017-01-01

To investigate sexual dimorphism and postnatal changes in skin collagen expression, mRNA levels of collagens and their regulatory factors in male and female skin were examined during the first 120 days of age by quantitative realtime PCR. Levels of mRNAs encoding extracellular matrices did not show any differences between male and female mice until day 15. Col1a1 and Col1a2 mRNAs noticeably increased at day 30 and remained at high levels until day 120 in male mice, while those in female mice remained at low levels during the period. Consistent with the mRNA expression, pepsin-soluble type I collagen contents in skin was very high in mature male as compared to female. Col3a1 mRNA in male mice also showed significantly high level at day 120 as compared to female. On the other hand, expression of mRNAs encoding TGF-ßs and their receptors did not show apparent sexual dimorphism although small significant differences were observed at some points. Castration at 60 days of age resulted in a significant decrease in type I collagen mRNA expression within 3 days, and noticeably decreased expression of all fibril collagen mRNAs examined within 14 days, while administration of testosterone tube maintained the mRNA expression at high levels. Despite the in vivo effect of testosterone, administration of physiological concentrations of testosterone did not affect fibril collagen mRNA expression in either human or mouse skin fibroblasts in vitro, suggesting that testosterone does not directly affect collagen expression in fibroblasts. In summary, present study demonstrated dynamic postnatal changes in expression of collagens and their regulatory factors, and suggest that testosterone and its effects on collagen expression are responsible for the skin sexual dimorphism but the effects of testosterone is not due to direct action on dermal fibroblasts. PMID:28494009

What Are the Most Significant Cost and Value Drivers for Pancreatic Resection in an Integrated Healthcare System?

PubMed

Vuong, Brooke; Dehal, Ahmed; Uppal, Abhineet; Stern, Stacey L; Mejia, Juan; Weerasinghe, Roshanthi; Kapoor, Vandana; Ong, Evan; Hansen, Paul D; Bilchik, Anton J

2018-03-23

An initiative was established to improve value-based care for pancreatic surgery in a large nonprofit health system. Cost data were presented bimonthly to a hepatobiliary clinical performance group via videoconference. The direct costs were calculated for all patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy (DP) and pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) between January 2014 and July 2017. Median length of stay, 30-day and 90-day mortality rates, readmission rate, and costs were stratified by surgeon volume using 2 published criteria: "volume pledge" criteria (≥5 PDs/year) and Leapfrog criteria (≥11 PDs/year). There were 270 DPs and 526 PDs performed in 14 hospitals spanning 4 states. Median PD costs were lower for high-volume surgeons (≥5 PDs/year), $21,026 vs $24,706 (p = 0.005). High-volume surgeons had a shorter length of stay (9 days vs 11 days; p < 0.001) for PD and DP (6 days vs 7 days; p = 0.001). Increased costs for low-volume surgeons included operative/anesthesia costs ($7,321 vs $6,325; p = 0.03), room and board ($5,828 vs $4,580; p = 0.01), and intensive care costs ($4,464 vs $3,113; p = 0.04). Operating time was increased for high-volume surgeons for DP and PD (p < 0.001). There was no difference in 30-day or 90-day mortality rates or readmissions for DP or PD when stratified by volume pledge criteria. There was no difference in total costs for DP or PD when stratified by Leapfrog criteria. There was a significant cost reduction for PD but not DP when the threshold of 5 PDs was used as a definition of high volume. The sharing of detailed financial data with HPB surgeons on a regular basis provides an opportunity to evaluate practice patterns and thereby reduce direct costs. Copyright © 2018 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental evidence that bioenergetics disruption is not mainly involved in the brain injury of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficient mice submitted to lysine overload.

PubMed

Amaral, Alexandre Umpierrez; Cecatto, Cristiane; Seminotti, Bianca; Ribeiro, César Augusto; Lagranha, Valeska Lizzi; Pereira, Carolina Coffi; de Oliveira, Francine Hehn; de Souza, Diogo Gomes; Goodman, Stephen; Woontner, Michael; Wajner, Moacir

2015-09-16

Bioenergetics dysfunction has been postulated as an important pathomechanism of brain damage in glutaric aciduria type I, but this is still under debate. We investigated activities of citric acid cycle (CAC) enzymes, lactate release, respiration and membrane potential (ΔΨm) in mitochondrial preparations from cerebral cortex and striatum of 30-day-old glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficient (Gcdh-/-) and wild type mice fed a baseline or a high lysine (Lys, 4.7%) chow for 60 or 96h. Brain histological analyses were performed in these animals, as well as in 90-day-old animals fed a baseline or a high Lys chow during 30 days starting at 60-day-old. A moderate reduction of citrate synthase and isocitrate dehydrogenase activities was observed only in the striatum from 30-day-old Gcdh-/- animals submitted to a high Lys chow. In contrast, the other CAC enzyme activities, lactate release, the respiratory parameters state 3, state 4, the respiratory control ratio and CCCP-stimulated (uncoupled) state, as well as ΔΨm were not altered in the striatum. Similarly, none of the evaluated parameters were changed in the cerebral cortex from these animals under baseline or Lys overload. On the other hand, histological analyses revealed the presence of intense vacuolation in the cerebral cortex of 60 and 90-day-old Gcdh-/- mice fed a baseline chow and in the striatum of 90-day-old Gcdh-/- mice submitted to Lys overload for 30 days. Taken together, the present data demonstrate mild impairment of bioenergetics homeostasis and marked histological alterations in striatum from Gcdh-/- mice under a high Lys chow, suggesting that disruption of energy metabolism is not mainly involved in the brain injury of these animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the nature of extraversion: variation in conditioned contextual activation of dopamine-facilitated affective, cognitive, and motor processes

PubMed Central

Depue, Richard A.; Fu, Yu

2013-01-01

Research supports an association between extraversion and dopamine (DA) functioning. DA facilitates incentive motivation and the conditioning and incentive encoding of contexts that predict reward. Therefore, we assessed whether extraversion is related to the efficacy of acquiring conditioned contextual facilitation of three processes that are dependent on DA: motor velocity, positive affect, and visuospatial working memory. We exposed high and low extraverts to three days of association of drug reward (methylphenidate, MP) with a particular laboratory context (Paired group), a test day of conditioning, and three days of extinction in the same laboratory. A Placebo group and an Unpaired group (that had MP in a different laboratory context) served as controls. Conditioned contextual facilitation was assessed by (i) presenting video clips that varied in their pairing with drug and laboratory context and in inherent incentive value, and (ii) measuring increases from day 1 to Test day on the three processes above. Results showed acquisition of conditioned contextual facilitation across all measures to video clips that had been paired with drug and laboratory context in the Paired high extraverts, but no conditioning in the Paired low extraverts (nor in either of the control groups). Increases in the Paired high extraverts were correlated across the three measures. Also, conditioned facilitation was evident on the first day of extinction in Paired high extraverts, despite the absence of the unconditioned effects of MP. By the last day of extinction, responding returned to day 1 levels. The findings suggest that extraversion is associated with variation in the acquisition of contexts that predict reward. Over time, this variation may lead to differences in the breadth of networks of conditioned contexts. Thus, individual differences in extraversion may be maintained by activation of differentially encoded central representations of incentive contexts that predict reward. PMID:23785330

Herpes simplex encephalitis presenting as stroke-like symptoms with atypical MRI findings and lacking cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis.

PubMed

Tsuboguchi, Shintaro; Wakasugi, Takahiro; Umeda, Yoshitaka; Umeda, Maiko; Oyake, Mutsuo; Fujita, Nobuya

2017-07-29

A 73-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of right hemiparesis and was diagnosed as having cerebral infarction on the basis of diffusion-weighted brain MRI, which demonstrated lesions in the left parietal cortex. On the 3rd day, the patient developed right upper limb myoclonus, aphasia, and disturbance of consciousness with high fever. On the 6th day, she was transferred to our hospital with suspected viral encephalitis, and treatment with acyclovir was started. By the 6th day, the lesions detected by MRI had expanded to the gyrus cinguli, insula and thalamus, but not to the temporal lobe. At that time, the CSF cell count was 8/μl, and this later increased to 17/μl by the 13th day. Although herpes simplex virus DNA was detected in the CSF on the 6th day, there was no evidence of CSF pleocytosis or temporal lobe abnormalities demonstrable by brain MRI throughout the whole follow-up period. This was very atypical case of herpes simplex encephalitis characterized by a stroke-like episode, atypical MRI findings, and absence of cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. It is important to be mindful that herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) can have an atypical presentation, and that sufficient acyclovir treatment should be initiated until HSE can be ruled out.

Evidence for a 17-d periodicity from Cyg X-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holt, S. S.; Boldt, E. A.; Serlemitsos, P. J.; Kaluzienski, L. J.; Pravdo, S. H.; Peacock, A.; Elvis, M.; Watson, M. G.; Pounds, K. A.

1976-01-01

Data are presented from the Ariel-V All-Sky Monitor which indicate a 17-day periodicity of the X-ray spectra from Cyg X-3 (3U2030+40). The data are consistent with data from the Ariel V Sky Survey Experiment. Assuming that the high intensity state of Cyg X-3 is well fitted by a structureless black body (Serlemitsos et al., 1975), and that the 17-day maxima correspond to increased electron scattering in the source, it is suggested that the 17-day effect is analogous to the 35-day variation in Her X-1. The possible explanation of this phenomenon as a result of the 17-day orbital period of the binary system containing Cyg X-3 is severely constrained by the stability of the well-known 4.8-hour variation.

Man-made mineral fiber hazardous properties assessment using transgenic rodents: example of glass fiber testing.

PubMed

Bottin, M C; Vigneron, J C; Rousseau, R; Micillino, J C; Eypert-Blaison, C; Kauffer, E; Martin, P; Binet, S; Rihn, B H

2003-09-01

Transgenic BigBlue rats were exposed to CM 44 glass fibers (6.3 mg/m3) by nose only, 6 h/day for 5 days. Two endpoints were examined 1, 3, 14, 28, and 90 days following exposure: fiber biopersistence and mutations in lung DNA. The half-time of the fibers >20 microm was 12.8 days, and mutant frequencies of control and exposed rats were similar across all time points. The mutation spectra of both series were similar after 28 days of fixation time. These results showed that a glass fiber with a high clearance in the lung seems to not present any significant effect on mutagenesis on lung DNA and are in marked contrast to results for asbestos, which caused a twofold mutant frequency increase as described in a previous study.

Sky Sculpture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woody, Howard

1980-01-01

Described is a five-day workshop in the new environmental art form of sky sculpture, which was presented at Wingfield High School in Jackson, Mississippi. Included are daily activities and the design considerations faced by students when planning their balloon creations for flight. (SJL)

Rapid Rule-Out of Acute Myocardial Injury Using a Single High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Measurement.

PubMed

Sandoval, Yader; Smith, Stephen W; Shah, Anoop S V; Anand, Atul; Chapman, Andrew R; Love, Sara A; Schulz, Karen; Cao, Jing; Mills, Nicholas L; Apple, Fred S

2017-01-01

Rapid rule-out strategies using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays are largely supported by studies performed outside the US in selected cohorts of patients with chest pain that are atypical of US practice, and focused exclusively on ruling out acute myocardial infarction (AMI), rather than acute myocardial injury, which is more common and associated with a poor prognosis. Prospective, observational study of consecutive patients presenting to emergency departments [derivation (n = 1647) and validation (n = 2198) cohorts], where high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) was measured on clinical indication. The negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic sensitivity of an hs-cTnI concentration

Origin of amagmatic hydrothermal solutions inferred from TL, FT and K-Ar dating, and fluid inclusion data: A case study in the southern part of Kii Peninsula, SW Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanamuro, T.; Umeda, K.; Maeda, K.

2008-12-01

Although there is no known evidence of volcanism during the Pliocene nor the Quaternary in the Kii Peninsula, it has long been recognized to host several hot springs with discharge temperatures greater than 60°C. In addition, numerous small-scale vein-type metal deposits are distributed around the southern part of the peninsula, with a heat source thought to be the Middle Miocene acidic magmatism associated with Kumano Acidic Rocks. The results of the TL (Thermoluminescence), FT (Fission Track) and K-Ar dating of altered rocks from these hot spring areas showed that the vein-type ore deposits and their surrounding altered rocks experienced high temperature hydrothermal alteration related to acidic magmatism in the Middle Miocene, whereas relatively low temperature alteration has occurred since the Pliocene in the Hongu and Totsukawa hot spring areas [Hanamuro et al., 2008]. Chemical and isotope data were obtained for fluid inclusions trapped in hydrothermal minerals in the peripheral parts of the high-temperature hot springs and in vein-type ore deposits. The hot spring inclusions indicate temperatures reached ~100°C with salinities of about 2 wt % (NaCl equiv.). In contrast, the inclusions in the vein-type deposits are characterized by high temperature fluids (>260°C) with high salinity (>5 wt %). The 3He/4He ratios of the hot spring inclusions have relatively high values, generally in agreement with those of the present-day hydrothermal fluids, indicating a significant contribution by deep source gases (i.e., mantle helium). These results suggest that the amagmatic hydrothermal system related to high-temperature hot springs in the southern Kii Peninsula have formed since the Pliocene and were caused by high temperature fluids with a lower crust provenance, presumably supplied from the subducting slab of the Philippine Sea Plate (PHS) [Umeda et al., 2006]. After a hiatus of about 4 Ma, the PHS resumed subduction beneath the SW Japan Arc at around 6 Ma [Kamata and Kodama, 1994]. This indicates that the present-day plate system for the SW Japan arc formed at around 6 Ma and continues to the present day. Although we lack definitive information on the age of hydrothermal alteration, it seems reasonable to infer that the amagmatic hydrothermal activity since about 6 Ma in the southern Kii Peninsula has occurred in a manner synchronous with the present-day plate system of the SW Japan Arc. Reference Hanamuro et al. (2008): Japanese Magazine of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences, 37, 27-38 (in Japanese with English Abstract). Kamata and Kodama (1994): Journal of Geophysical Research, 233, 69-81. Umeda et al. (2006): Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 149, 47-61.

Evaluating the effects of historical land cover change on summertime weather and climate in New Jersey: Land cover and surface energy budget changes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wichansky, P.S.; Steyaert, L.T.; Walko, R.L.; Waever, C.P.

2008-01-01

The 19th-century agrarian landscape of New Jersey (NJ) and the surrounding region has been extensively transformed to the present-day land cover by urbanization, reforestation, and localized areas of deforestation. This study used a mesoscale atmospheric numerical model to investigate the sensitivity of the warm season climate of NJ to these land cover changes. Reconstructed 1880s-era and present-day land cover data sets were used as surface boundary conditions for a set of simulations performed with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). Three-member ensembles with historical and present-day land cover were compared to examine the sensitivity of surface air and dew point temperatures, rainfall, and the individual components of the surface energy budget to these land cover changes. Mean temperatures for the present-day landscape were 0.3-0.6??C warmer than for the historical landscape over a considerable portion of NJ and the surrounding region, with daily maximum temperatures at least 1.0??C warmer over some of the highly urbanized locations. Reforested regions, however, were slightly cooler. Dew point temperatures decreased by 0.3-0.6??C, suggesting drier, less humid near-surface air for the present-day landscape. Surface warming was generally associated with repartitioning of net radiation from latent to sensible heat flux, and conversely for cooling. While urbanization was accompanied by strong surface albedo decreases and increases in net shortwave radiation, reforestation and potential changes in forest composition have generally increased albedos and also enhanced landscape heterogeneity. The increased deciduousness of forests may have further reduced net downward longwave radiation. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

Reconstructing Mid-Pleistocene paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Golan Heights using the δ(13)C values of modern vegetation and soil organic carbon of paleosols.

PubMed

Hartman, Gideon

2011-04-01

The Golan Heights borders the Upper Jordan Valley on its eastern side and likely served as a prime foraging area for hominin groups that inhabited the Upper Jordan Valley during the Mid-Pleistocene. This study tests the hypothesis that Mid-Pleistocene climate in the Golan region was similar to that of the present day. Carbon isotope composition of present day plant communities and soil organic carbon from the Golan were compared to those of paleosols from Nahal Orvim to reconstruct Mid-Pleistocene paleoclimatic conditions. After correcting the paleosol values for recent changes in atmospheric carbon isotope values and potential biodegradation, the isotopic results show a strong similarity to those of present day local plants and soils. These results indicate that during the Mid-Pleistocene, the Golan was dominated by C(3) vegetation, shared similar climatic conditions with the present day, and displayed long-term environmental stability. The span of time of paleosol formation is unknown and might cover multiple climatic episodes; thus, although short climatic fluctuations may have occurred, their impact was not substantial enough to be detected in the Nahal Orvim paleosols. This study concludes that the Golan slopes provided hominins and large grazers with a reliable and highly nutritious foraging area that complemented the Jordan Valley riparian ecosystem. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of vitamin C on male fertility in rats subjected to forced swimming stress.

PubMed

Vijayprasad, Sanghishetti; Bb, Ghongane; Bb, Nayak

2014-07-01

Stress is defined as a general body response to initially threatening external or internal demands, involving the mobilization of physiological and psychological resources to deal with them. Recently, oxidative stress has become the focus of interest as a potential cause of male infertility. Normally, equilibrium exists between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant scavenging activities in the male reproductive organs. The ascorbic acid is a known antioxidant present in the testis with the precise role of protecting the latter from the oxidative damage. It also contributes to the support of spermatogensis at least in part through its capacity to maintain antioxidant in an active state. Group1: Normal Control animal received Distilled water, Group 2: Positive control (Only Stress), Group 3: Normal rats received an intermediate dose of Vitamin C (20mg/kg/day), Group 4: Stress + Low dose Vitamin C (10mg/kg/day), Group 5: Stress+ Intermediate dose Vitamin C (20mg/kg/day), Group 6: High dose Vitamin C (30mg/kg/day). On 16(th) day effect of stress on body weight, Reproductive organ weight, sperm parameters, and hormonal assay was studied. In the present context, in stress group the sperm count, motility, testicular weight declined significantly. The intermediate dose and high dose of vitamin C showed significantly increased effect on the sperm count and motility. Various physiological changes produced force swimming indicates that swimming is an effective model for producing stress in albino rats. The results suggest that Vitamin C supplementation improves the stress induced reproductive infertility due to both their testosterone increase effect and their antioxidant effect.

Melatonin levels, determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS, fluctuate during the day/night cycle in Vitis vinifera cv Malbec: evidence of its antioxidant role in fruits.

PubMed

Boccalandro, Hernán E; González, Carina V; Wunderlin, Daniel A; Silva, María F

2011-09-01

The identification of melatonin in plants has inspired new investigations to understand its biological function and which endogenous and external factors control its levels in these organisms. Owing to the therapeutical and nutraceutical properties of melatonin, it should be important to develop reliable analytical methods for its quantification in vegetal matrices containing this indoleamine, such as grape and wine. The main objectives of the present study were to test whether melatonin levels fluctuate during the day in berry skins of Vitis vinifera L. cv Malbec, thereby possibly relating its abundance to its putative antioxidant function, to determine whether daylight reaching clusters negatively controls melatonin levels, and to evaluate whether total polyphenols and anthocyanins also change through a 24-hr period. Grapes were harvested throughout the day/night to determine the moment when high levels of these components are present in grapes. The presence of melatonin in grapes was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. It is shown for the first time that melatonin levels fluctuate during the day/night cycle in plants grown under field conditions in a fruit organ of the species Vitis vinifera. We also determined that the diurnal decay of melatonin in berry skins is induced by sunlight, because covered bunches retained higher melatonin levels than exposed ones, thus explaining at least part of the basis of its daily fluctuation. Evidence of melatonin's antioxidant role in grapes is also suggested by monitoring malondialdehyde levels during the day. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Extinction of a conditioned response in rainbow trout selected for high or low responsiveness to stress.

PubMed

Moreira, P S A; Pulman, K G T; Pottinger, T G

2004-11-01

Two lines of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that exhibit divergent endocrine responsiveness to stressors also display disparate behavioral traits. To investigate whether the high-responding (HR) and low-responding (LR) fish also differ in cognitive function, the rate of extinction of a conditioned response was compared between the two lines. Groups of HR and LR fish were exposed to a paired conditioned stimulus (CS; water off) and unconditioned stimulus (US; confinement stressor). After exposure to 18 CS-US pairings, at least 70% of individuals of both lines acquired a conditioned response (CR) manifested as an elevation of blood cortisol levels on presentation of the CS only. Post-conditioning, the fish were tested by presentation of the CS at weekly intervals, for 4 weeks, with no further reinforcement, and the extinction of the CR in the two lines was compared. The decline in mean plasma cortisol levels after exposure to the CS over successive tests suggested that the CR was retained for a shorter period among the HR (<14 days) than LR fish (<21 days). The frequency of individuals within each line whose plasma cortisol levels indicated a stress response when exposed to the CS was significantly greater among the LR than HR fish at 14 and 21 days with no HR fish falling into this category at 21 days. At 28 days post-conditioning, there were no HR fish and only three LR fish were categorized as "stressed". These results suggest that there are differences in cognitive function between the two lines. Possible mechanisms underlying these differences are discussed.

Observations and mechanisms of GATE waterspouts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, J.; Mccumber, M. C.; Morton, B. R.; Penc, R. S.

1986-01-01

The present numerical and observational investigation of interacting cumulus processes implicated in the formation of waterspouts, the GATE database for days 261 and 186 is noted to imply that the existence of cumulus-scale parent vortices is a necessary (albeit not sufficient) condition for the production of waterspouts. A high resolution version of the Schlessinger (1975) three-dimensional cumulus model with a Kessler (1969) type precipitation scheme is used to analyze cumulus-scale vorticity organization, which on the two days in question exhibited contrasting thermal stratification and cloud features. The observations from both days suggest that the waterspouts formed ahead of the wind shift, due to the passage of a gust front.

RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals a Positive Role of HTR2A in Adipogenesis in Yan Yellow Cattle.

PubMed

Yun, Jinyan; Jin, Haiguo; Cao, Yang; Zhang, Lichun; Zhao, Yumin; Jin, Xin; Yu, Yongsheng

2018-06-13

In this study, we performed high throughput RNA sequencing at the primary bovine preadipocyte (Day-0), mid-differentiation (Day-4), and differentiated adipocyte (Day-9) stages in order to characterize the transcriptional events regulating differentiation and function. The preadipocytes were isolated from subcutaneous fetal bovine adipose tissues and were differentiated into mature adipocytes. The adipogenic characteristics of the adipocytes were detected during various stages of adipogenesis (Day-0, Day-4, and Day-9). We used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate a comprehensive transcriptome information of adipocytic differentiation. Compared to the pre-differentiation stage (Day-0), 2510 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the mid-differentiation stage (Day-4). We found 2446 DEGs in the mature adipocytic stage relative to the mid-differentiation stage. Some adipogenesis-related transcription factors, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) were differentially expressed at Day-0, Day-4, and Day-9. We further investigated the adipogenic function of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A) in adipogenesis. Overexpression of HTR2A stimulated the differentiation of preadipocytes, and knockdown of HTR2A had opposite effects. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis of DEGs revealed that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was the significantly enriched pathway, and HTR2A regulated adipogenesis by activating or inhibiting phosphorylation of phospho-AKT (Ser473). In summary, the present study provides the first comparative transcription of various periods of adipocytes in cattle, which presents a solid foundation for further study into the molecular mechanism of fat deposition and the improvement of beef quality in cattle.

EXPLORING A 'FLOW' OF HIGHLY ECCENTRIC BINARIES WITH KEPLER

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

Dong Subo; Katz, Boaz; Socrates, Aristotle

2013-01-20

With 16-month of Kepler data, 15 long-period (40-265 days) eclipsing binaries on highly eccentric orbits (minimum e between 0.5 and 0.85) are identified from their closely separated primary and secondary eclipses ({Delta}t{sub I,II} = 3-10 days). These systems confirm the existence of a previously hinted binary population situated near a constant angular momentum track at P(1 - e {sup 2}){sup 3/2} {approx} 15 days, close to the tidal circularization period P{sub circ}. They may be presently migrating due to tidal dissipation and form a steady-state 'flow' ({approx}1% of stars) feeding the close-binary population (few % of stars). If so, futuremore » Kepler data releases will reveal a growing number (dozens) of systems at longer periods, following dN/dlgP {proportional_to} P {sup 1/3} with increasing eccentricities reaching e {yields} 0.98 for P {yields} 1000 days. Radial-velocity follow-up of long-period eclipsing binaries with no secondary eclipses could offer a significantly larger sample. Orders of magnitude more (hundreds) may reveal their presence from periodic 'eccentricity pulses', such as tidal ellipsoidal variations near pericenter passages. Several new few-day-long eccentricity-pulse candidates with long periods (P = 25-80 days) are reported.« less

Isotopic constraints on crustal growth and recycling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobsen, Stein B.

1988-01-01

The Sm-Nd isotopic data on clastic and chemical sediments are used with the present-day age distribution of continental crustal rocks to estimate the rates of crustal accretion, growth and recycling throughout earth's history. A new method for interpreting Nd model ages on both chemical and clastic sediments is proposed. A general relationship is derived between the mean crustal residence time of material recycled from the crust to the mantle (i.e., sediments), the mean age of the crust, and the crustal growth and recycling rates. This relationship takes into account the fact that the age distribution of material in the continental crust is generally different from the age distribution of material recycled into the mantle. The episodic nature of the present-day age distribution in crustal rocks results in similar episodicity in the accretion and recycling rates. The results suggest that by about 3.8 Ga ago, about 40 percent of the present continental volume was present. Recycling rates were extremely high 3-4 Ga ago and declined rapidly to an insignificant value of about 0.1 cu km/a during most of the Phanerozoic. The Nd model age pattern on sediments suggests a fairly high rate of growth during the Phanerozoic.

Combination of High-Dose Methylprednisolone and Defibrotide for Veno-Occlusive Disease in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

PubMed

Gloude, Nicholas J; Jodele, Sonata; Teusink-Cross, Ashley; Grimley, Michael; Davies, Stella M; Lane, Adam; Myers, Kasiani C

2018-01-01

Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a serious complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), with high mortality in severe cases and until recently very limited therapeutic options consisting largely of supportive care. Defibrotide was recently approved in the United States for the treatment of severe VOD in patients with renal or pulmonary dysfunction after HSCT. Our group previously published on the use of high-dose methylprednisolone (500 mg/m 2 per dose every 12 hours for 6 doses) in patients with VOD, showing good success. A small subset of these individuals were also treated with defibrotide, but additional studies using the combination of high-dose methylprednisolone and defibrotide for the treatment of VOD are lacking. We present a single-institution retrospective chart review of 15 HSCT patients with VOD treated with the combination of high-dose methylprednisolone and defibrotide. VOD developed at a median of 17 days post-HSCT, and combination therapy was initiated within 1 day of VOD diagnosis. Twelve of 15 patients (80%) had multiorgan failure. Our single-center experience using both high-dose methylprednisolone and defibrotide showed a day +100 survival rate of 73% and an overall VOD complete resolution rate of 66.7%, higher than the rates reported in the recent literature using defibrotide alone (40% to 50% day +100 overall survival). These data suggest that the combination of high-dose steroids and defibrotide may be superior to defibrotide alone and warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Workshop on Crystal Gowth for High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumas, K. A. (Editor)

1985-01-01

A Workshop on Crystal Growth for High-Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells was held December 3 and 4, 1984, in San Diego, California. The Workshop offered a day and a half of technical presentations and discussions and an afternoon session that involved a panel discussion and general discussion of areas of research that are necessary to the development of materials for high-efficiency solar cells. Topics included the theoretical and experimental aspects of growing high-quality silicon crystals, the effects of growth-process-related defects on photovoltaic devices, and the suitability of various growth technologies as cost-effective processes. Fifteen invited papers were presented, with a discussion period following each presentation. The meeting was organized by the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These Proceedings are a record of the presentations and discussions, edited for clarity and continuity.

The variability of SE2 tide extracted from TIMED/SABER observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xing; Wan, Weixing; Ren, Zhipeng; Yu, You

2017-04-01

Based on the temperature observations of the SABER/TIMED, the variability of the non-migrating tide SE2 with high resolution (one-day) is analyzed, using the method from Li et al., [2015]. From the temperature observation data measured in the mesosphere and lower atmosphere region (MLT, 70-110 km altitudes) and at the low- and mid -latitudes (45S - 45N) from2002 to 2012), we obtained the non-migrating tide SE2 and further studied it in detail. It is found that the climatological features (large time scale variability and spatial distribution) of the SE2 tidal component are similar with the results from the previous researches, which are picked up from the interpolated data with 60-day resolution. The climatological features are that the SE2 tidal component manifests mainly at the low-mid latitudes around 30. The northern hemisphere tidal amplitudes below 110 km are larger than the southern hemisphere tide, at the same time, its peaks below 110 km mainly present between 100 and 110 km altitude; the tidal amplitudes below 110 km occur a north-south asymmetry about the equator in the annual variation: in the southern hemisphere, SE2 occurs with an obvious annual variation with a maximum of tidal amplitudes in December; while, in the northern one, the semi-annual variations with maximum at the equinoxes are stronger than that in the southern one. Herein, owing to the high-resolution tidal data (one day), we could research the short term (day-to-day) variations of the SE2 tide. We found that: (1) the day-to-day variations manifests mainly at the altitudes range between 100 and 110 km; (2) it increases gradually with latitudes and it is stronger at the low-mid latitudes; (3) it is relatively slightly stronger around solstices than equinoxes; (4) it does not present a remarkably inter-annual variation. Finally, the SE2 day-to-day variations may be composed by the absolute amplitudes' variance and the impact of the wave phases. In addition, the variations of variance are more important.

Urinary Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio Tracks the Changes in Salt Intake during an Experimental Feeding Study Using Standardized Low-Salt and High-Salt Meals among Healthy Japanese Volunteers

PubMed Central

Yatabe, Midori Sasaki; Watanabe, Ami; Takano, Kozue; Sanada, Hironobu; Ichihara, Atsuhiro; Felder, Robin A.; Miura, Katsuyuki; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Kimura, Junko; Yatabe, Junichi

2017-01-01

The Na/K ratio is considered to be a useful index, the monitoring of which allows an effective Na reduction and K increase, because practical methods (self-monitoring devices and reliable individual estimates from spot urine) are available for assessing these levels in individuals. An intervention trial for lowering the Na/K ratio has demonstrated that a reduction of the Na/K ratio mainly involved Na reduction, with only a small change in K. The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between dietary Na intake and the urinary Na/K molar ratio, using standardized low- and high-salt diets, with an equal dietary K intake, to determine the corresponding Na/K ratio. Fourteen healthy young adult volunteers ingested low-salt (3 g salt per day) and high-salt (20 g salt per day) meals for seven days each. Using a portable urinary Na/K meter, participants measured their spot urine at each voiding, and 24-h urine was collected on the last day of each diet period. On the last day of the unrestricted, low-salt, and high-salt diet periods, the group averages of the 24-h urine Na/K ratio were 4.2, 1.0, and 6.9, while the group averages of the daily mean spot urine Na/K ratio were 4.2, 1.1, and 6.6, respectively. The urinary Na/K ratio tracked changes in dietary salt intake, and reached a plateau approximately three days after each change in diet. Frequent monitoring of the spot urine Na/K ratio may help individuals adhere to an appropriate dietary Na intake. PMID:28850062

Urinary Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio Tracks the Changes in Salt Intake during an Experimental Feeding Study Using Standardized Low-Salt and High-Salt Meals among Healthy Japanese Volunteers.

PubMed

Yatabe, Midori Sasaki; Iwahori, Toshiyuki; Watanabe, Ami; Takano, Kozue; Sanada, Hironobu; Watanabe, Tsuyoshi; Ichihara, Atsuhiro; Felder, Robin A; Miura, Katsuyuki; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Kimura, Junko; Yatabe, Junichi

2017-08-29

The Na/K ratio is considered to be a useful index, the monitoring of which allows an effective Na reduction and K increase, because practical methods (self-monitoring devices and reliable individual estimates from spot urine) are available for assessing these levels in individuals. An intervention trial for lowering the Na/K ratio has demonstrated that a reduction of the Na/K ratio mainly involved Na reduction, with only a small change in K. The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between dietary Na intake and the urinary Na/K molar ratio, using standardized low- and high-salt diets, with an equal dietary K intake, to determine the corresponding Na/K ratio. Fourteen healthy young adult volunteers ingested low-salt (3 g salt per day) and high-salt (20 g salt per day) meals for seven days each. Using a portable urinary Na/K meter, participants measured their spot urine at each voiding, and 24-h urine was collected on the last day of each diet period. On the last day of the unrestricted, low-salt, and high-salt diet periods, the group averages of the 24-h urine Na/K ratio were 4.2, 1.0, and 6.9, while the group averages of the daily mean spot urine Na/K ratio were 4.2, 1.1, and 6.6, respectively. The urinary Na/K ratio tracked changes in dietary salt intake, and reached a plateau approximately three days after each change in diet. Frequent monitoring of the spot urine Na/K ratio may help individuals adhere to an appropriate dietary Na intake.

Heart rate variabilty changes during first week of acclimatization to 3500 m altitude in Indian military personnel.

PubMed

Bhaumik, G; Dass, D; Bhattacharyya, D; Sharma, Y K; Singh, S B

2013-01-01

Acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia induces the changes in autonomic control of heart rate. Due to emergencies or war like conditions, rapid deployment of Indian military personnel into high altitude frequently occurs. Rapid deployment to high altitude soldiers are at risk of developing high altitude sickness. The present study was conducted to evaluate the acute exposure to high altitude hypobaric hypoxia (3500 m altitude) on the autonomic nervous control of heart rate in Indian military personnel during first week of acclimatization Indices of heart rate variability (viz; R-R interval, total power, low frequency, high frequency, ratio of low to high frequency) and pulse arterial oxygen saturation were measured at sea level and 3500m altitude. Power spectrum of heart rate variability was quantified by low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF: 0.15-0.5 Hz) widths. The ratio of LF to HF was also assessed as an index of the sympathovagal balance. Mean R-R interval decreased significantly on day 2 on induction to altitude which tended to increase on day 5. Total power (TP) decreased high altitude and tended to recover within a week. Both HF and LF power showed decrement at 3500m in comparison to sea level. The ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF) at 3500m was significantly higher at 3500m. SpO2 values decreased significantly (P < 0.05) at high altitude on day-2 which increased on day-5. We conclude that autonomic control of the heart rate measured by heart rate variability was altered on acute induction to 3500m which showed a significant decrease in parasympathetic tone and increase in sympathetic tone, then acclimatization seems to be characterized by progressive shift toward a higher parasympathetic tone.

Effect of long residence time and high temperature over anaerobic biodegradation of Scenedesmus microalgae grown in wastewater.

PubMed

Greses, S; Zamorano-López, N; Borrás, L; Ferrer, J; Seco, A; Aguado, D

2018-07-15

Anaerobic digestion of indigenous Scenedesmus spp. microalgae was studied in continuous lab-scale anaerobic reactors at different temperatures (35 °C and 55 °C), and sludge retention time - SRT (50 and 70 days). Mesophilic digestion was performed in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) and in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). Mesophilic CSTR operated at 50 days SRT only achieved 11.9% of anaerobic biodegradability whereas in the AnMBR at 70 days SRT and 50 days HRT reached 39.5%, which is even higher than the biodegradability achieved in the thermophilic CSTR at 50 days SRT (30.4%). Microbial analysis revealed a high abundance of cellulose-degraders in both reactors, AnMBR (mainly composed of 9.4% Bacteroidetes, 10.1% Chloroflexi, 8.0% Firmicutes and 13.2% Thermotogae) and thermophilic CSTR (dominated by 23.8% Chloroflexi and 12.9% Firmicutes). However, higher microbial diversity was found in the AnMBR compared to the thermophilic CSTR which is related to the SRT. since high SRT promoted low growth-rate microorganisms, increasing the hydrolytic potential of the system. These results present the membrane technology as a promising approach to revalue microalgal biomass, suggesting that microalgae biodegradability and consequently the methane production could be improved operating at higher SRT. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of ionospheric modification on system performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganguly, Suman

1989-12-01

Controlled ionospheric modification can be used for disrupting as well as facilitating communication and radar systems. After briefly describing the results achieved with the present day ionospheric modification facilities, a scenario is presented for the generation of strong and significant ionospheric modification. A few schemes are presented for the development of modern high power facilities using the state of the art technology and then the impact of such facilities on the system performance is described.

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

Cole, K.C.; Noel, D.; Hechler, J.J.

Data are presented on physicochemical tests carried out on room-temperature aged samples of a commercially available carbon-epoxy composite prepreg system. The analytical methods used included Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), high-speed RPLC, high-performance size-exclusion chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry, and pyrolysis/gas chromatography. All data indicated significant changes in these samples due to aging, with the most sensitive indices being those of FTIR and RPLC procedures. Results indicate that the number of unreacted epoxy groups decreased steadily at a rate of 0.34 percent per day, based on the initial amount, and the number of free amine-hardenermore » molecules decreased at a rate of 1.05 percent per day. The amount of initial epoxy-amine reaction product increased significantly over the first 30 days, but then declined, due to further reactions of these to give higher-molecular-weight products. 23 refs.« less

Prolonged and high dosage of tigecycline - successful treatment of spondylodiscitis caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: a case report.

PubMed

Tsachouridou, Olga; Georgiou, Adamantini; Nanoudis, Sideris; Chrysanthidis, Theofilos; Loli, Georgia; Morfesis, Petros; Zebekakis, Pantelis; Metallidis, Symeon

2017-07-08

The incidence of infectious spondylodiscitis has been increasing over the last few years. This reflects the expanding elderly and immunocompromised populations and the rising implementation of invasive spinal procedures. Infection may be inoculated into the disc space directly during invasive spinal procedures. Osteomyelitis caused by Acinetobacter species is rare and mainly caused by multidrug-resistant strains. We present the case of a 72-year-old Greek woman with postoperative spondylodiscitis caused by a multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain that was successfully treated, after she declined surgical treatment, with prolonged and high dosage of tigecycline. She received intravenously administered tigecycline 200 mg per day for 60 days and then 100 mg per day for a total of 102 days and was infection-free. We reviewed the literature on the role of Acinetobacter baumannii as a cause of osteomyelitis, emphasizing the difficulty of treatment and the potential role of tigecycline in conservative treatment of the infection. We believe that 102 days in total is the longest time that any patient has received tigecycline in the literature, thus our patient is a unique case of successful treatment of spondylodiscitis.

Air pollution control and decreasing new particle formation lead to strong climate warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makkonen, R.; Asmi, A.; Kerminen, V.-M.; Boy, M.; Arneth, A.; Hari, P.; Kulmala, M.

2012-02-01

The number concentration of cloud droplets determines several climatically relevant cloud properties. A major cause for the high uncertainty in the indirect aerosol forcing is the availability of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which in turn is highly sensitive to atmospheric new particle formation. Here we present the effect of new particle formation on anthropogenic aerosol forcing in present-day (year 2000) and future (year 2100) conditions. The present-day total aerosol forcing is increased from -1.0 W m-2 to -1.6 W m-2 when nucleation is introduced into the model. Nucleation doubles the change in aerosol forcing between years 2000 and 2100, from +0.6 W m-2 to +1.4 W m-2. Two climate feedbacks are studied, resulting in additional negative forcings of -0.1 W m-2 (+10% DMS emissions in year 2100) and -0.5 W m-2 (+50% BVOC emissions in year 2100). With the total aerosol forcing diminishing in response to air pollution control measures taking effect, warming from increased greenhouse gas concentrations can potentially increase at a very rapid rate.

Use of high doses of quetiapine in bipolar disorder episodes are not linked to high activity of cytochrome P4503A4 and/or cytochrome P4502D6.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; Preisig, Martin; Chatton, Anne; Kaufmann, Nadine; Bilancioni, Romain; Eap, Chin B

2013-09-01

The use of quetiapine for treatment of bipolar disorders at a higher dosage than the licensed range is not unusual in clinical practice. Quetiapine is predominantly metabolised by cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and to a lesser extent by CYP2D6. The large interindividual variability of those isozyme activities could contribute to the variability observed in quetiapine dosage. The aim of the present study is to evaluate if the use of high dosages of quetiapine in some patients, as compared to patients treated with a dosage in the licensed range (up to 800 mg/day), could be explained by a high activity of CYP3A4 and/or of CYP2D6. CYP3A4 activities were determined using the midazolam metabolic ratio in 21 bipolar and schizoaffective bipolar patients genotyped for CYP2D6. 9 patients were treated with a high quetiapine dosage (mean ± SD, median; range: 1467 ± 625, 1200; 1000-3000 mg/day) and 11 with a normal quetiapine dosage (433 ± 274, 350; 100-800 mg/day). One patient in the high dose and one patient in the normal dose groups were genotyped as CYP2D6 ultrarapid metabolizers. CYP3A4 activities were not significantly different between the two groups (midazolam metabolic ratio: 9.4 ± 8.2; 6.2; 1.7-26.8 vs 3.9 ± 2.3; 3.8; 1.5-7.6, in the normal dose group as compared to the high dose group, respectively, NS). The use of high quetiapine dosage for the patients included in the present study cannot be explained by variations in pharmacokinetics parameters such as a high activity of CYP3A4 and/or of CYP2D6.

Vocational/Industrial Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School & University, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents high school and college vocational/industrial arts buildings considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, highlighting unique concepts and ideas. For each citation, the article offers information on the…

The Business of Being Dean of Women: A Letter from Lucy Diggs Slowe to Howard University Board of Trustees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell-Scott, Patricia

1991-01-01

Describes background of Lucy Diggs Slowe, high school teacher, junior high school principal, dean of women, and writer who was important philosopher and advocate of African American women's higher education of her day. Presents unedited letter written by Slowe to Howard University Board of Trustees in which she outlines incidents detrimental to…

TeV Gamma-Ray Observations of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817 with H.E.S.S.

DOE PAGES

Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; ...

2017-11-22

Here, we search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 with the H.E.S.S. Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. The observations presented here have been obtained starting only 5.3 hr after GW170817. The H.E.S.S. target selection identified regions of high probability to find a counterpart of the gravitational-wave event. The first of these regions contained the counterpart SSS17a that has been identified in the optical range several hours after our observations. We can therefore present the first data obtained by a ground-based pointing instrument on this object. A subsequent monitoring campaign with the H.E.S.S. telescopes extended over several days, covering timescales from 0.22 to 5.2 days and energy ranges betweenmore » $$270\\,\\mathrm{GeV}$$ to $$8.55\\,\\mathrm{TeV}$$. No significant gamma-ray emission has been found. The derived upper limits on the very-high-energy gamma-ray flux for the first time constrain non-thermal, high-energy emission following the merger of a confirmed binary neutron star system.« less

TeV Gamma-Ray Observations of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817 with H.E.S.S.

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

Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.

Here, we search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 with the H.E.S.S. Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. The observations presented here have been obtained starting only 5.3 hr after GW170817. The H.E.S.S. target selection identified regions of high probability to find a counterpart of the gravitational-wave event. The first of these regions contained the counterpart SSS17a that has been identified in the optical range several hours after our observations. We can therefore present the first data obtained by a ground-based pointing instrument on this object. A subsequent monitoring campaign with the H.E.S.S. telescopes extended over several days, covering timescales from 0.22 to 5.2 days and energy ranges betweenmore » $$270\\,\\mathrm{GeV}$$ to $$8.55\\,\\mathrm{TeV}$$. No significant gamma-ray emission has been found. The derived upper limits on the very-high-energy gamma-ray flux for the first time constrain non-thermal, high-energy emission following the merger of a confirmed binary neutron star system.« less

Lunar South Pole Illumination: Review, Reassessment, and Power System Implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fincannon, James

2007-01-01

This paper reviews past analyses and research related to lunar south pole illumination and presents results of independent illumination analyses using an analytical tool and a radar digital elevation model. The analysis tool enables assessment at most locations near the lunar poles for any time and any year. Average illumination fraction, energy storage duration, solar/horizon terrain elevation profiles and illumination fraction profiles are presented for various highly illuminated sites which have been identified for manned or unmanned operations. The format of the data can be used by power system designers to develop mass optimized solar and energy storage systems. Data are presented for the worse case lunar day (a critical power planning bottleneck) as well as three lunar days during lunar south pole winter. The main site under consideration by present lunar mission planners (on the Crater Shackleton rim) is shown to have, for the worse case lunar day, a 0.71 average illumination fraction and 73 to 117 hours required for energy storage (depending on power system type). Linking other sites and including towers at either site are shown to not completely eliminate the need for energy storage.

What records have we been breaking?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholow, J.M.; Milhous, R.

2002-01-01

"Today was another record-breaking day," the evening radio or television declares. High temperatures, low temperatures, floods, drought - take your choice. But how can we put these pronouncements in perspective? What do they really mean?We present two types of information in this article: 1) an analysis of daily air temperature and precipitation for Fort Collins and 2) an analysis of annual precipitation for Fort Collins. Each analysis provides a different meaning to the statement about a record-breaking day or year.

Biodegradation of polycyclic hydrocarbons by Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

PubMed

Bumpus, J A

1989-01-01

The ability of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are present in anthracene oil (a distillation product obtained from coal tar) was demonstrated. Analysis by capillary gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography showed that at least 22 PAHs, including all of the most abundant PAH components present in anthracene oil, underwent 70 to 100% disappearance during 27 days of incubation with nutrient nitrogen-limited cultures of this fungus. Because phenanthrene is the most abundant PAH present in anthracene oil, this PAH was selected for further study. In experiments in which [14C]phenanthrene was incubated with cultures of P. chrysosporium containing anthracene oil for 27 days, it was shown that 7.7% of the recovered radiolabeled carbon originally present in [14C]phenanthrene was metabolized to 14CO2 and 25.2% was recovered from the aqueous fraction, while 56.1 and 11.0% were recovered from the methylene chloride and particulate fractions, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography of the 14C-labeled material present in the methylene chloride fraction revealed that most (91.9%) of this material was composed of polar metabolites of [14C]phenanthrene. These results suggest that this microorganism may be useful for the decontamination of sites in the environment contaminated with PAHs.

Biodegradation of polycyclic hydrocarbons by Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

PubMed Central

Bumpus, J A

1989-01-01

The ability of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are present in anthracene oil (a distillation product obtained from coal tar) was demonstrated. Analysis by capillary gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography showed that at least 22 PAHs, including all of the most abundant PAH components present in anthracene oil, underwent 70 to 100% disappearance during 27 days of incubation with nutrient nitrogen-limited cultures of this fungus. Because phenanthrene is the most abundant PAH present in anthracene oil, this PAH was selected for further study. In experiments in which [14C]phenanthrene was incubated with cultures of P. chrysosporium containing anthracene oil for 27 days, it was shown that 7.7% of the recovered radiolabeled carbon originally present in [14C]phenanthrene was metabolized to 14CO2 and 25.2% was recovered from the aqueous fraction, while 56.1 and 11.0% were recovered from the methylene chloride and particulate fractions, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography of the 14C-labeled material present in the methylene chloride fraction revealed that most (91.9%) of this material was composed of polar metabolites of [14C]phenanthrene. These results suggest that this microorganism may be useful for the decontamination of sites in the environment contaminated with PAHs. PMID:2705768

[Severely increased serum lipid levels in diabetic ketoacidosis - case report].

PubMed

Stefansson, Hrafnkell; Sigvaldason, Kristinn; Kjartansson, Hilmar; Sigurjonsdottir, Helga Águsta

2017-01-01

Severe hypertriglyceridemia is a known, but uncommon complication of diabetic ketoacidosis. We discuss the case of a 23-year-old, previously healthy, woman who initially presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. Grossly lipemic serum due to extremely high triglyceride (38.6 mmol/L) and cholesterol (23.2 mmol/L) levels were observed with a high blood glucose (23 mmol/L) and a low pH of 7.06 on a venous blood gas. She was treated successfully with fluids and insulin and had no sequale of pancreatitis or cerebral edema. Her triglycerides and cholesterol was normalized in three days and she was discharged home on insulin therapy after five days. Further history revealed a recent change in diet with no meat, fish or poultry consumption in the last 12 months and concomitantly an increase in carbohydrate intake which might have contributed to her extremely high serum lipid levels. This case demonstrates that clinicians should be mindful of the different presentations of diabetic ketoacidosis. Key words: diabetic ketoacidosis, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperlipidemia, vegan diet, carbohydrate diet. Correspondence: Hrafnkell Stefansson, hrafnkell.stefans@gmail.com.

Possible application of urinary analysis to estimate dissolution of some man-made vitreous fibers.

PubMed Central

Wastiaux, A; Blanchard, O; Honnons, S

1994-01-01

A preliminary study at the institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS) examined the dissolution of three man-made vitreous fiber samples (glasswool, rockwool, glass microfibers: JM 100) after intraperitoneal injections in male Wistar rats. The chemical composition of the original fibers was determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP). The urine of the rats was collected at fixed times between day 1 and day 204, and the ICP was used to look for elements known to be present in the original fibers. At day 204, a piece of omentum was removed at autopsy, ashed and analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) to identify the elements remaining in the fibers. Silicon and aluminium were retained in the fibers from all samples at day 204. Losses in calcium, sodium, magnesium, and sulfur were observed, but these elements were not studied in the urine samples because they are naturally present in relatively high concentrations in rat cells and biological fluids. Although there was a loss of zinc from the glass microfibers, no corresponding difference was observed between the zinc levels excreted by the treated animals and by the controls. Similarly, despite the loss of manganese from the rockwool fibers at day 204, none was detectable in the urine samples. Titanium, present at the 0.3% level in rockwool, was not detectable by EDXA at day 204, but small quantities were detected in the first 2 weeks in the urine samples of rats treated with rockwool.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:7882936

Rain core structure statistics derived from radar and disdrometer measurements in the mid-Atlantic coast of the US

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldhirsh, Julius; Musiani, Bert H.

1989-01-01

During a period spanning more than 5 years, low elevation radar measurements of rain were systematically obtained in the mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. Drop size distribution measurements with a disdrometer were also acquired on the same rain days. The drop size data were utilized to convert the radar reflectivity factors to estimated rain rates for the respective rain days of operation. Applying high level algorithms to the rain data, core values of rain intensities were identified (peak rain rates), and families of rain rate isopleths analyzed. In particular, equicircle diameters of the family of isopleths enveloping peak rain intensities were statistically characterized. The presented results represents the analysis of two rain days, 12 radar scans, corresponding to 430 culled rain rate isopleths from an available data base of 22,000 contours, approximately 100 scans encompassing 17 rain days. The results presented show trends of the average rain rate vs. contour scale dimensions, and cumulative distributions of rain cell dimensions which belong to core families of precipitation.

High-Speed Research: Sonic Boom, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darden, Christine M. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

A High-Speed Sonic Boom Workshop was held at LaRC of Feb. 25-27, 1992. The purpose was to make presentations on current research activities and accomplishments and to assess progress in the area of sonic boom since the program was initiated in FY-90. Twenty-nine papers were presented during the 2-1/2 day workshop. Attendees included representatives from academia, industry, and government who are actively involved in sonic-boom research. Volume 1 contains papers related to atmospheric effects on the sonic-boom signature during propagation and on acceptability studies.

Degradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics and identification of metabolites/transformation products by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Maia, Alexandra S; Ribeiro, Ana R; Amorim, Catarina L; Barreiro, Juliana C; Cass, Quezia B; Castro, Paula M L; Tiritan, Maria Elizabeth

2014-03-14

Antibiotics are a therapeutic class widely found in environmental matrices and extensively studied due to its persistence and implications for multi-resistant bacteria development. This work presents an integrated approach of analytical multi-techniques on assessing biodegradation of fluorinated antibiotics at a laboratory-scale microcosmos to follow removal and formation of intermediate compounds. Degradation of four fluoroquinolone antibiotics, namely Ofloxacin (OFL), Norfloxacin (NOR), Ciprofloxacin (CPF) and Moxifloxacin (MOX), at 10 mg L(-1) using a mixed bacterial culture, was assessed for 60 days. The assays were followed by a developed and validated analytical method of LC with fluorescence detection (LC-FD) using a Luna Pentafluorophenyl (2) 3 μm column. The validated method demonstrated good selectivity, linearity (r(2)>0.999), intra-day and inter-day precisions (RSD<2.74%) and accuracy. The quantification limits were 5 μg L(-1) for OFL, NOR and CPF and 20 μg L(-1) for MOX. The optimized conditions allowed picturing metabolites/transformation products formation and accumulation during the process, stating an incomplete mineralization, also shown by fluoride release. OFL and MOX presented the highest (98.3%) and the lowest (80.5%) extent of degradation after 19 days of assay, respectively. A representative number of samples was selected and analyzed by LC-MS/MS with triple quadrupole and the molecular formulas were confirmed by a quadruple time of flight analyzer (QqTOF). Most of the intermediates were already described as biodegradation and/or photodegradation products in different conditions; however unknown metabolites were also identified. The microbial consortium, even when exposed to high levels of FQ, presented high percentages of degradation, never reported before for these compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The origin of ICM enrichment in the outskirts of present-day galaxy clusters from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biffi, V.; Planelles, S.; Borgani, S.; Rasia, E.; Murante, G.; Fabjan, D.; Gaspari, M.

2018-05-01

The uniformity of the intracluster medium (ICM) enrichment level in the outskirts of nearby galaxy clusters suggests that chemical elements were deposited and widely spread into the intergalactic medium before the cluster formation. This observational evidence is supported by numerical findings from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, as presented in Biffi et al., including the effect of thermal feedback from active galactic nuclei. Here, we further investigate this picture, by tracing back in time the spatial origin and metallicity evolution of the gas residing at z = 0 in the outskirts of simulated galaxy clusters. In these regions, we find a large distribution of iron abundances, including a component of highly enriched gas, already present at z = 2. At z > 1, the gas in the present-day outskirts was distributed over tens of virial radii from the main cluster and had been already enriched within high-redshift haloes. At z = 2, about 40 {per cent} of the most Fe-rich gas at z = 0 was not residing in any halo more massive than 10^{11} h^{-1} M_{⊙} in the region and yet its average iron abundance was already 0.4, w.r.t. the solar value by Anders & Grevesse. This confirms that the in situ enrichment of the ICM in the outskirts of present-day clusters does not play a significant role, and its uniform metal abundance is rather the consequence of the accretion of both low-metallicity and pre-enriched (at z > 2) gas, from the diffuse component and through merging substructures. These findings do not depend on the mass of the cluster nor on its core properties.

A High-resolution 3D Geodynamical Model of the Present-day India-Asia Collision System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaus, B.; Baumann, T.

2015-12-01

We present a high-resolution, 3D geodynamic model of the present-day India-Asia collision system. The model is separated into multiple tectonic blocks, for which we estimate the first order rheological properties and the impact on the dynamics of the collision system. This is done by performing systematic simulations with different rheologies to minimize the misfit to observational constraints such as the GPS-velocity field. The simulations are performed with the parallel staggered grid FD code LaMEM using a numerical resolution of at least 512x512x256 cells to resolve dynamically important shear zones reasonably well. A fundamental part of this study is the reconstruction of the 3D present-day geometry of Tibet and the adjacent regions. Our interpretations of crust and mantle lithosphere geometry are jointly based on a globally available shear wave tomography (Schaeffer and Lebedev, 2013) and the Crust 1.0 model (Laske et al. http://igppweb.ucsd.edu/~gabi/crust1.html). We regionally refined and modified our interpretations based on seismicity distributions and focal mechanisms and incorporated regional receiver function studies to improve the accuracy of the Moho in particular. Results suggest that we can identify at least one "best-fit" solution in terms of rheological model properties that reproduces the observed velocity field reasonably well, including the strong rotation of the GPS velocity around the eastern syntax of the Himalaya. We also present model co-variances to illustrate the trade-offs between the rheological model parameters, their respective uncertainties, and the model fit. Schaeffer, A.J., Lebedev, S., 2013. Global shear speed structure of the upper mantle and transition zone. Geophysical Journal International 194, 417-449. doi:10.1093/gji/ggt095

Predictors of 90-day mortality in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis: Experience with 183 patients at a tertiary care center from India.

PubMed

Daswani, Ravi; Kumar, Ashish; Anikhindi, Shrihari Anil; Sharma, Praveen; Singla, Vikas; Bansal, Naresh; Arora, Anil

2018-03-01

Severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is not an uncommon indication for hospital admission in India. However, there is limited data from India on predictors of mortality in patients of severe AH. We analyzed the data on patients with severe AH admitted to our institute and compared various parameters and severity scores in predicting 90-day mortality. In this prospective study, we analyzed patients with severe AH (defined as discriminant function ≥ 32) admitted from January 2015 to February 2017 to our institute. All patients were administered standard treatment according to various guidelines, and their 90-day mortality was determined. Various hematologic, biochemical factors, and severity scores were compared between survivors and patients who died. A total of 183 patients (98% males, median age 41 years [range 20-70 years]) were included in our study. The median model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) was 26 (15-40). Ascites were present in 83% and hepatic encephalopathy in 38%. Only 21 (12%) could be offered steroid therapy, due to contraindications in the remaining. By 90 days, only 103 (56%) patients survived while 80 (44%) died. All patients died due to progressive liver failure and its complications. On multivariate analysis, presence of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, high bilirubin, low albumin, high creatinine, high INR, and low potassium independently predicted 90-day mortality. All the scores performed significantly in predicting 90-day mortality with no statistically significant difference between them. MELD score had a maximum area under the curve 0.76 for 90-day mortality. A combination of Child class and presence of acute kidney injury (creatinine ≥ 1.35) was good in predicting 90-day mortality. Our patients had severe AH characterized by a median MELD score of 26 and had a 90-day mortality of 44%. Most patients were not eligible to receive corticosteroids. Presence of Child C status and high serum creatinine value (≥ 1.35 mg/dL) accurately predicted mortality. Newer treatment options need to be explored for these patients.

Laparoscopic versus Open Omental Patch Repair for Early Presentation of Perforated Peptic Ulcer: Matched Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel Jin Keat; Ye, MaDong; Sun, Keith Haozhe; Shelat, Vishalkumar G; Koura, Aaryan

2016-01-01

Introduction. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes between laparoscopic and open omental patch repair (LOPR versus OR) in patients with similar presentation of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). The secondary aim was to evaluate the outcomes according to the severity of peritonitis. Methods. All patients who underwent omental patch repair at two university-affiliated institutes between January 2010 and December 2014 were reviewed. Matched cohort between LOPR and OR groups was achieved by only including patients that had ulcer perforation <2 cm in size and symptoms occurring <48 hours. Outcome measures were defined in accordance with length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, and mortality. Results. 148 patients met the predefined inclusion criteria with LOPR performed in 40 patients. Outcome measures consistently support laparoscopic approach but only length of hospital stay (LOS) achieved statistical significance (LOPR 4 days versus OR 5 days, p < 0.01). In a subgroup analysis of patients with MPI score >21, LOPR is also shown to benefit, particularly resulting in significant shorter LOS (4 days versus 11 days, p < 0.01). Conclusion. LOPR offers improved short-term outcomes in patients who present within 48 hours and with perforation size <2 cm. LOPR also proved to be more beneficial in high MPI cases.

Laparoscopic versus Open Omental Patch Repair for Early Presentation of Perforated Peptic Ulcer: Matched Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Sun, Keith Haozhe; Koura, Aaryan

2016-01-01

Introduction. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes between laparoscopic and open omental patch repair (LOPR versus OR) in patients with similar presentation of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU). The secondary aim was to evaluate the outcomes according to the severity of peritonitis. Methods. All patients who underwent omental patch repair at two university-affiliated institutes between January 2010 and December 2014 were reviewed. Matched cohort between LOPR and OR groups was achieved by only including patients that had ulcer perforation <2 cm in size and symptoms occurring <48 hours. Outcome measures were defined in accordance with length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, and mortality. Results. 148 patients met the predefined inclusion criteria with LOPR performed in 40 patients. Outcome measures consistently support laparoscopic approach but only length of hospital stay (LOS) achieved statistical significance (LOPR 4 days versus OR 5 days, p < 0.01). In a subgroup analysis of patients with MPI score >21, LOPR is also shown to benefit, particularly resulting in significant shorter LOS (4 days versus 11 days, p < 0.01). Conclusion. LOPR offers improved short-term outcomes in patients who present within 48 hours and with perforation size <2 cm. LOPR also proved to be more beneficial in high MPI cases. PMID:27722200

Effect of Propranolol on Metabolic Responses to Exercise at High Altitude

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

the low carbohydrate/ hypocaloric diet often assumed by altitude sojourners due to anorexia or ration restrictions. The results of the present...end of the altitude sojourn than at sea level. Although the subjects in this study consumed an ad libitum diet , they 15 were strongly encouraged to...consume a high carbohydrate diet particularly during the last five days at high altitude preceding the biopsy experiment. Dietary records were not kept

Present-day crustal deformation and strain transfer in northeastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuhang; Liu, Mian; Wang, Qingliang; Cui, Duxin

2018-04-01

The three-dimensional present-day crustal deformation and strain partitioning in northeastern Tibetan Plateau are analyzed using available GPS and precise leveling data. We used the multi-scale wavelet method to analyze strain rates, and the elastic block model to estimate slip rates on the major faults and internal strain within each block. Our results show that shear strain is strongly localized along major strike-slip faults, as expected in the tectonic extrusion model. However, extrusion ends and transfers to crustal contraction near the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. The strain transfer is abrupt along the Haiyuan Fault and diffusive along the East Kunlun Fault. Crustal contraction is spatially correlated with active uplifting. The present-day strain is concentrated along major fault zones; however, within many terranes bounded by these faults, intra-block strain is detectable. Terranes having high intra-block strain rates also show strong seismicity. On average the Ordos and Sichuan blocks show no intra-block strain, but localized strain on the southwestern corner of the Ordos block indicates tectonic encroachment.

A genomic view of the peopling of the Americas

PubMed Central

Skoglund, Pontus; Reich, David

2016-01-01

Whole-genome studies have documented that most Native American ancestry stems from a single population that diversified within the continent more than twelve thousand years ago. However, this shared ancestry hides a more complex history whereby at least four distinct streams of Eurasian migration have contributed to present-day and prehistoric Native American populations. Whole genome studies enhanced by technological breakthroughs in ancient DNA now provide evidence of a sequence of events involving initial migrations from a structured Northeast Asian source population with differential relatedness to present-day Australasian populations, followed by a divergence into northern and southern Native American lineages. During the Holocene, new migrations from Asia introduced the Saqqaq/Dorset Paleoeskimo population to the North American Arctic ~4,500 years ago, ancestry that is potentially connected with ancestry found in Athabaskan-speakers today. This was then followed by a major new population turnover in the high Arctic involving Thule-related peoples who are the ancestors of present-day Inuit. We highlight several open questions that could be addressed through future genomic research. PMID:27507099

A genomic view of the peopling of the Americas.

PubMed

Skoglund, Pontus; Reich, David

2016-12-01

Whole-genome studies have documented that most Native American ancestry stems from a single population that diversified within the continent more than twelve thousand years ago. However, this shared ancestry hides a more complex history whereby at least four distinct streams of Eurasian migration have contributed to present-day and prehistoric Native American populations. Whole genome studies enhanced by technological breakthroughs in ancient DNA now provide evidence of a sequence of events involving initial migrations from a structured Northeast Asian source population with differential relatedness to present-day Australasian populations, followed by a divergence into northern and southern Native American lineages. During the Holocene, new migrations from Asia introduced the Saqqaq/Dorset Paleoeskimo population to the North American Arctic ∼4500 years ago, ancestry that is potentially connected with ancestry found in Athabaskan-speakers today. This was then followed by a major new population turnover in the high Arctic involving Thule-related peoples who are the ancestors of present-day Inuit. We highlight several open questions that could be addressed through future genomic research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of high-dose dronabinol (oral THC) maintenance on cannabis self-administration.

PubMed

Schlienz, Nicolas J; Lee, Dustin C; Stitzer, Maxine L; Vandrey, Ryan

2018-06-01

There is a clear need for advancing the treatment of cannabis use disorders. Prior research has demonstrated that dronabinol (oral THC) can dose-dependently suppress cannabis withdrawal and reduce the acute effects of smoked cannabis. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether high-dose dronabinol could reduce cannabis self-administration among daily users. Non-treatment seeking daily cannabis users (N = 13) completed a residential within-subjects crossover study and were administered placebo, low-dose dronabinol (120 mg/day; 40 mg tid), or high-dose dronabinol (180-240 mg/day; 60-80 mg tid) for 12 consecutive days (order counterbalanced). During each 12-day dronabinol maintenance phase, participants were allowed to self-administer smoked cannabis containing <1% THC (placebo) or 5.7% THC (active) under forced-choice (drug vs. money) or progressive ratio conditions. Participants self-administered significantly more active cannabis compared with placebo in all conditions. When active cannabis was available, self-administration was significantly reduced during periods of dronabinol maintenance compared with placebo maintenance. There was no difference in self-administration between the low- and high-dose dronabinol conditions. Chronic dronabinol dosing can reduce cannabis self-administration in daily cannabis users and suppress withdrawal symptoms. Cannabinoid agonist medications should continue to be explored for therapeutic utility in the treatment of cannabis use disorders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

History of irrigation and characteristics of streamflow in Nebraska, part of the North and South Platte River basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shaffer, F. Butler

1976-01-01

Statistics on streamflow for selected periods of time are presented for 28 gaging sites in the Nebraska part of the North and South Platte River basins. Monthly mean discharges, monthly means in percent of annual runoff, standard deviations, coefficients of variation, and monthly extremes are given. Also tabulated are probabilities of high discharges for 1 day and for 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 consecutive days and of low discharges for 1 day and for 3, 7, 14, 30, and 60 consecutive days. All statistics are based on records that are representative of 1973 conditions of streamflow. Brief historical data are given for 27 of the principal irrigation canals diverting from the North and South Platte Rivers. (Woodard-USGS)

The cost of empathy: Parent-adolescent conflict predicts emotion dysregulation for highly empathic youth.

PubMed

Van Lissa, Caspar J; Hawk, Skyler T; Koot, Hans M; Branje, Susan; Meeus, Wim H J

2017-09-01

Empathy plays a key role in maintaining close relationships and promoting prosocial conflict resolution. However, research has not addressed the potential emotional cost of adolescents' high empathy, particularly when relationships are characterized by more frequent conflict. The present 6-year longitudinal study (N = 467) investigated whether conflict with parents predicted emotion dysregulation more strongly for high-empathy adolescents than for lower-empathy adolescents. Emotion dysregulation was operationalized at both the experiential level, using mood diary data collected for 3 weeks each year, and at the dispositional level, using annual self-report measures. In line with predictions, we found that more frequent adolescent-parent conflict predicted greater day-to-day mood variability and dispositional difficulties in emotion regulation for high-empathy adolescents, but not for average- and low-empathy adolescents. Mood variability and difficulties in emotion regulation, in turn, also predicted increased conflict with parents. These links were not moderated by empathy. Moreover, our research allowed for a novel investigation of the interplay between experiential and dispositional emotion dysregulation. Day-to-day mood variability predicted increasing dispositional difficulties in emotion regulation over time, which suggests that experiential dysregulation becomes consolidated into dispositional difficulties in emotion regulation. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that, for high-empathy adolescents, conflict was a driver of this dysregulation consolidation process. Finally, emotion dysregulation played a role in overtime conflict maintenance for high-empathy adolescents. This suggests that, through emotion dysregulation, high empathy may paradoxically also contribute to maintaining negative adolescent-parent interactions. Our research indicates that high empathy comes at a cost when adolescent-parent relationships are characterized by greater negativity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A HIGH COVERAGE GENOME SEQUENCE FROM AN ARCHAIC DENISOVAN INDIVIDUAL

PubMed Central

Meyer, Matthias; Kircher, Martin; Gansauge, Marie-Theres; Li, Heng; Racimo, Fernando; Mallick, Swapan; Schraiber, Joshua G.; Jay, Flora; Prüfer, Kay; de Filippo, Cesare; Sudmant, Peter H.; Alkan, Can; Fu, Qiaomei; Do, Ron; Rohland, Nadin; Tandon, Arti; Siebauer, Michael; Green, Richard E.; Bryc, Katarzyna; Briggs, Adrian W.; Stenzel, Udo; Dabney, Jesse; Shendure, Jay; Kitzman, Jacob; Hammer, Michael F.; Shunkov, Michael V.; Derevianko, Anatoli P.; Patterson, Nick; Andrés, Aida M.; Eichler, Evan E.; Slatkin, Montgomery; Reich, David; Kelso, Janet; Pääbo, Svante

2013-01-01

We present a DNA library preparation method that has allowed us to reconstruct a high coverage (30X) genome sequence of a Denisovan, an extinct relative of Neandertals. The quality of this genome allows a direct estimation of Denisovan heterozygosity indicating that genetic diversity in these archaic hominins was extremely low. It also allows tentative dating of the specimen on the basis of “missing evolution” in its genome, detailed measurements of Denisovan and Neandertal admixture into present-day human populations, and the generation of a near-complete catalog of genetic changes that swept to high frequency in modern humans since their divergence from Denisovans. PMID:22936568

Ash Features from Present-day Activity at Stromboli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannata, Chiara; Taddeucci, Jacopo; Lautze, Nicole; de Rosa, Rosanna; Donato, Paola; Scarlato, Piergiorgio

2010-05-01

The present-day explosive activity at Stromboli volcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy) is characterized by a relatively large variability of eruptive styles on a relatively small temporal and spatial scale. Despite volcanic ash is a common product of this explosive activity, few studies have been conducted so far on ash of Stromboli and in particular on the products of individual explosions. Here we focus on micro-scale textural observations of ash particles erupted from a number of different vents during three sampling campaigns. Component analysis under the binocular microscope reveal that ash from present-day activity at Stromboli is dominated by two main end-members of fragments with a wide variability of color and degree of surface alteration: blocky and dark, fragments (i.e. tachylite) and glassy, highly vesiculated and fluidal fragments (i.e. sideromelane). In addition, individual phenocrysts or composite fragments (crystals plus tachylite or sideromelane) and rare, highly altered accessory lithic fragments are also present. Thin section investigation show that tachylite has micro- to crypto-crystalline groundmass, while sideromelane is partially or totally glassy. Component and modal analyses reveal that, in the sampling period, sideromelane is the most abundant component only in one vent while the other vents erupted mainly tachylite-rich ash. The morphology, micro-textures and chemical composition of particles surface were also analyzed using a Field Emission SEM equipped with EDS. In general, particle morphology and surface chemistry poorly discriminates between the different samples, while tachylite particles show a higher compactness, lower elongation, and more extensive overgrowth of secondary phases (mainly gypsum, sulphate and halide salts) in respect with sideromelane ones.

Oxygen consumption and survival prediction in neonatal rats exposed to prenatal hypervitaminosis A.

PubMed

Newman, L M; Johnson, E M; Cadogan, A S

1983-10-01

Fetal exposure to excess vitamin A results in a highly variable degree of lung pathology and high neonatal mortality in the Long-Evans rat. The present study evaluated O2 consumption in newborn of vitamin A-treated, vehicle-treated, and untreated pregnancies on five consecutive postnatal days beginning with the day of delivery (D0). Pregnant female rats were treated by gavage with 160,000 USP units of retinyl acetate dissolved in 0.5 ml corn oil on days 15 through 19 of gestation. Vehicle and undisturbed controls were run concurrently. All animals delivered spontaneously, and the pups were tattooed and individually tested in a closed system consisting of three chambers submerged within a thermostatically controlled water bath at 33 degrees C. Vitamin A-exposed pups, as a group, have significantly lower QO2 (ml O2 consumed/min/kg body weight) values than controls through postnatal day 2 (p less than 0.05). By days 3 and 4 of age, the mean QO2 values of surviving vitamin A-treated pups were similar to those of controls. A QO2 of 30 or greater on day 0 appears to be critical for early neonatal survival of vitamin A-exposed pups, as 87% of the pups with initial QO2 less than 30 died prior to day 4. Oxygen consumption rates in teratogen-exposed pups exhibiting low QO2 on day 0 rarely reached normal levels. In contrast, the occasional control pup with such low initial levels were well within normal limits (means +/- 1 SD) by the following day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

High dose vitamin D therapy for chronic pain in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease: results of a randomized double blind pilot study.

PubMed

Osunkwo, Ifeyinwa; Ziegler, Thomas R; Alvarez, Jessica; McCracken, Courtney; Cherry, Korin; Osunkwo, Chinyere E; Ofori-Acquah, Solomon F; Ghosh, Samit; Ogunbobode, Adeolu; Rhodes, Jim; Eckman, James R; Dampier, Carlton; Tangpricha, Vin

2012-10-01

We report results of a pilot study of high-dose vitamin D in sickle cell disease (SCD). Subjects were given a 6-week course of oral high-dose cholecalciferol (4000-100 000 IU per week) or placebo and monitored prospectively for a period of six months. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was present at baseline in 82·5% and 52·5% of subjects, respectively. Subjects who received high-dose vitamin D achieved higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, experienced fewer pain days per week, and had higher physical activity quality-of-life scores. These findings suggest a potential benefit of vitamin D in reducing the number of pain days in SCD. Larger prospective studies with longer duration are needed to confirm these effects. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Extended acute toxicity study of (188) Re-liposome in rats.

PubMed

Chi-Mou, Liu; Chia-Che, Tsai; Chia-Yu, Yu; Wan-Chi, Lee; Chung-Li, Ho; Tsui-Jung, Chang; Chih-Hsien, Chang; Te-Wei, Lee

2013-09-01

Liposomes can selectively target cancer sites and carry payloads, thereby improving diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness as well as reducing toxicity. To evaluate therapeutic strategies, it is essential to use animal models reflecting important safety aspects before clinical application. As our previous study found that a high dosage (185 of MBq) of (188) Re-N,N-bis (2-mercaptoethyl)-N',N'-diethylethylenediamine-labeled pegylated liposomes ((188) Re-liposome) induced a decrease in white blood cell (WBC) count in Sprague-Dawley rats 7 days postinjection, the objective of the present study was to investigate extended acute radiotoxicity of (188) Re-liposome. Rats were administered via intravenous (i.v.) injection with (188) Re-liposome (185, 55.5 and 18.5 MBq), normal saline as a blank control or non-radioactive liposome as a vehicle control. Mortality, clinical signs, food consumption, body weights, urinary, biochemical and hematological analyzes were examined. In addition, gross necropsy and histopathological examinations were also performed at the end of the follow-up period. None of the rats died and no clinical sign was observed during the 28-day study period. Only male rats receiving (188) Re-liposome at a high dosage (185 MBq) displayed a slight weight loss compared with the control rats. In both male and female rats, the WBC counts of both high-dose and medium-dose (55.5 MBq) groups reduced significantly 7 days postinjection, but recovered to the normal range on Study Day 29. There was no significant difference in urinary analyzes, biochemical parameters and histopathological assessments between the (188) Re-liposome-treated and control groups. The information generated from the present study on extended acute toxicity of (188) Re-liposome will serve as a safety reference for radiopharmaceuticals in early-phase clinical trials. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Metabolic fate of yolk fatty acids in the developing king penguin embryo.

PubMed

Groscolas, René; Fréchard, Françoise; Decrock, Frédéric; Speake, Brian K

2003-10-01

This study examines the metabolic fate of total and individual yolk fatty acids (FA) during the embryonic development of the king penguin, a seabird characterized by prolonged incubation (53 days) and hatching (3 days) periods, and a high n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated FA ratio in the egg. Of the approximately 15 g of total FA initially present in the egg lipid, 87% was transferred to the embryo by the time of hatching, the remaining 13% being present in the internalized yolk sac of the chick. During the whole incubation, 83% of the transferred FA was oxidized for energy, with only 17% incorporated into embryo lipids. Prehatching (days 0-49), the fat stores (triacylglycerol) accounted for 58% of the total FA incorporated into embryo lipid. During hatching (days 49-53), 40% of the FA of the fat stores was mobilized, the mobilization of individual FA being nonselective. At hatch, 53% of the arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) of the initial yolk had been incorporated into embryo lipid compared with only 15% of the total FA and 17-24% of the various n-3 polyunsaturated FA. Similarly, only 32% of the yolk's initial content of 20:4n-6 was oxidized for energy during development compared with 72% of the total FA and 58-66% of the n-3 polyunsaturated FA. The high partitioning of yolk FA toward oxidization and the intense mobilization of fat store FA during hatching most likely reflect the high energy cost of the long incubation and hatching periods of the king penguin. The preferential partitioning of 20:4n-6 into the structural lipid of the embryo in the face of its low content in the yolk may reflect the important roles of this FA in tissue function.

Investigation of mechanical properties of hemp/glass fiber reinforced nano clay hybrid composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unki, Hanamantappa Ningappa; Shivanand, H. K.; Vidyasagar, H. N.

2018-04-01

Over the last twenty to thirty years composite materials have been used in engineering field. Composite materials possess high strength, high strength to weight ratio due to these facts composite materials are becoming popular among researchers and scientists. The major proportion of engineering materials consists of composite materials. Composite materials are used in vast applications ranging from day-to-day household articles to highly sophisticated applications. In this paper an attempt is made to prepare three different composite materials using e-glass and Hemp. In this present investigation hybrid composite of Hemp, Glass fiber and Nano clay will be prepared by Hand-layup technique. The glass fiber used in this present investigation is E-glass fiber bi-directional: 90˚ orientation. The composite samples will be made in the form of a Laminates. The wt% of nanoclay added in the preparation of sample is 20 gm constant. The fabricated composite Laminate will be cut into corresponding profiles as per ASTM standards for Mechanical Testing. The effect of addition of Nano clay and variation of Hemp/glass fibers will be studied. In the present work, a new Hybrid composite is developed in which Hemp, E glass fibers is reinforced with epoxy resin and with Nano clay.

Treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia with intermediate-dose and step-down to low-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: lessons from an observational cohort study.

PubMed

Creemers-Schild, Dina; Kroon, Frank P; Kuijper, Ed J; de Boer, Mark G J

2016-06-01

The recommended treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is high-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in an equivalent of TMP 15-20 mg/kg/day and SMX 75-100 mg/kg/day for 2 or 3 weeks. High rates of adverse events are reported with this dose, which raises the question if lower doses are possible. All adult patients diagnosed with PCP in various immune dysfunctions and treated with TMP-SMX between January 1, 2003 and July 1, 2013 in a tertiary university hospital were included. Per institutional protocol, patients initiated treatment on intermediate-dose TMP-SMX (TMP 10-15 mg/kg/day) and could be stepped down to low-dose TMP-SMX (TMP 4-6 mg/kg/day) during treatment. Clinical variables at presentation, relapse rate and mortality rates were compared between intermediate- and step-down treatment groups by uni- and multivariate analyses. A total of 104 patients were included. Twenty-four patients (23 %) were switched to low-dose TMP-SMX after a median of 4.5 days (IQR 2.8-7.0 days). One relapse (4 %) occurred in the step-down group versus none in the intermediate-dose group. The overall 30-day mortality was 13 %. There was 1 death in the step-down group (4 %) compared to 13 deaths (16 %) in the intermediate-dose group. We observed high cure rates of PCP by treatment with intermediate-dose TMP-SMX. In addition, a step-down strategy to low-dose TMP-SMX during treatment in selected patients appears to be safe and does not compromise the outcome of treatment.

Prolonged performance-related neuroendocrine activation and perseverative cognition in low- and high-anxious university music students.

PubMed

Gomez, Patrick; Nielsen, Carole; Studer, Regina K; Hildebrandt, Horst; Klumb, Petra L; Nater, Urs M; Wild, Pascal; Danuser, Brigitta

2018-05-14

Music performances are social-evaluative situations that can elicit marked short-term neuroendocrine activation and anxious thoughts especially in musicians suffering from music performance anxiety (MPA). The temporal patterns of neuroendocrine activity and concert-related worry and rumination (perseverative cognition, PC) days before and after a concert in low- and high-anxious musicians are unknown. The first goal of the present study was to investigate the prolonged effects of a solo music performance and the effects of trait MPA on salivary cortisol (sC), alpha-amylase (sAA), and concert-related PC. The second goal was to investigate whether concert-related PC is associated with neuroendocrine activity and mediates the effects of measurement day and trait MPA on neuroendocrine responses. Seventy-two university music students collected saliva samples and reported their PC for seven consecutive days. On the fifth day, they performed solo. Measurement day and trait MPA were tested as main predictors of the diurnal area under the curve with respect to ground (sC AUCg, sAA AUCg), awakening responses, and PC. SC AUCg, sAA AUCg, and concert-related PC were highest on concert day. SC AUCg decreased only partially on post-concert days. SAA AUCg remained elevated on the first post-concert day among students with moderate to very high trait MPA. Throughout the assessment period, trait MPA was associated with smaller sC AUCg and higher concert-related PC. Concert-related PC showed significant positive associations with sC AUCg and sAA AUCg but did not mediate the effects of measurement day and trait MPA on these measures. These findings suggest that solo music performances have prolonged neuroendocrine effects and that trait MPA is an important factor having specific effects on university music students' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, and cognitive activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico: repeat acoustic surveying shows highly temporally and spatially variable venting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaumont, B. C.; Raineault, N.

2016-02-01

Scientists have recognized that natural seeps account for a large amount of methane emissions. Despite their widespread occurrence in areas like the Gulf of Mexico, little is known about the temporal variability and site-scale spatial variability of venting over time. We used repeat acoustic surveys to compare multiple days of seep activity and determine the changes in the locus of methane emission and plume height. The Sleeping Dragon site was surveyed with an EM302 multibeam sonar on three consecutive days in 2014 and 4 days within one week in 2015. The data revealed three distinctive plume regions. The locus of venting varied by 10-60 meters at each site. The plume that exhibited the least spatial variability in venting, was also the most temporally variable. This seep was present in one-third of survey dates in 2014 and three quarters of survey dates in 2015, showing high day-to-day variability. The plume height was very consistent for this plume, whereas the other plumes were more consistent temporally, but varied in maximum plume height detection by 25-85 m. The single locus of emission at the site that had high day-to-day variability may be due to a single conduit for methane release, which is sometimes closed off by carbonate or clathrate hydrate formation. In addition to day-to-day temporal variability, the locus of emission at one site was observed to shift from a point-source in 2014 to a diffuse source in 2015 at a nearby location. ROV observations showed that one of the seep sites that closed off temporarily, experienced an explosive breakthrough of gas, releasing confined methane and blowing out rock. The mechanism that causes on/off behavior of certain plumes, combined with the spatial variability of the locus of methane release shown in this study may point to carbonate or hydrate formation in the seep plumbing system and should be further investigated.

Transcriptional abundance of antioxidant enzymes in endometrium and their circulating levels in Zebu cows with and without uterine infection.

PubMed

Baithalu, R K; Singh, S K; Kumaresan, A; Mohanty, A K; Mohanty, T K; Kumar, S; Kerketta, S; Maharana, B R; Patbandha, T K; Attupuram, N; Agarwal, S K

2017-02-01

Oxidative stress during peripartum period may compromise the uterine immunity. In the present study, we assessed the oxidative stress and antioxidant status during peripartum period and studied their relationship with postpartum uterine infection in dairy cows. Peripheral blood concentrations of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined (day -21, -7, on the day of calving and day +7, +21, +35) in normal (n=11), puerperal metritic (n=7) and clinical endometritic (n=6) cows. Endometrial biopsy was performed on the day of calving and expression of CAT, GPx4 and SOD2 genes was studied using qRT-PCR. Puerperal metritic cows had significantly (P<0.05) lower TAC (on day -7, day 0, day +7, +21 & +35), higher MDA (on day -21, -7 & on the day of calving) and NO (on day 0, +7 & day +35) concentrations compared to normal cows. Similarly, clinical endometritic cows had significantly (P<0.05) lower TAC (on day -7, 0, +7 & +21), higher MDA (on day -21, -7, +7 and +35) and NO (on day +7, +21 & +35) concentrations compared to normal cows. The expression of CAT and GPx4 genes was lower (P<0.05) and SOD2 gene was higher (P<0.05) in endometrial tissue of cows that developed uterine infection compared to normal cows. The relationship of peripheral levels of MDA and NO with antioxidant enzymes expression in endometrial tissue was found significant. Receiver operator characteristic analysis revealed that the concentrations of TAC on day -7 to day +35, MDA on day -21 to day +7 and NO on the day of calving to day +35 were highly correlated to the development of postpartum uterine infection in cows. It may be inferred that the low serum TAC level and high level of lipid peroxidation and NO during peripartum period influenced the endometrial expression of anitioxidative genes that compromised the uterine health during postpartum period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling economic losses of historic and present-day high-impact winter storms in Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welker, Christoph; Martius, Olivia; Stucki, Peter; Bresch, David; Dierer, Silke; Brönnimann, Stefan

2015-04-01

Windstorms can cause significant financial damage and they rank among the most hazardous meteorological hazards in Switzerland. Risk associated with windstorms involves the combination of hazardous weather conditions, such as high wind gust speeds, and socio-economic factors, such as the distribution of assets as well as their susceptibilities to damage. A sophisticated risk assessment is important in a wide range of areas and has benefits for e.g. the insurance industry. However, a sophisticated risk assessment needs a large sample of storm events for which high-resolution, quantitative meteorological and/or loss data are available. Latter is typically an aggravating factor. For present-day windstorms in Switzerland, the data basis is generally sufficient to describe the meteorological development and wind forces as well as the associated impacts. In contrast, historic windstorms are usually described by graphical depictions of the event and/or by weather and loss reports. The information on historic weather events is overall sparse and the available historic weather and loss reports mostly do not provide quantitative information. It has primarily been the field of activity of environmental historians to study historic weather extremes and their impacts. Furthermore, the scarce availability of atmospheric datasets reaching back sufficiently in time has so far limited the analysis of historic weather events. The Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) ensemble dataset, a global atmospheric reanalysis currently spanning 1871 to 2012, offers potentially a very valuable resource for the analysis of historic weather events. However, the 2°×2° latitude-longitude grid of the 20CR is too coarse to realistically represent the complex orography of Switzerland, which has considerable ramifications for the representation of smaller-scale features of the surface wind field influenced by the local orography. Using the 20CR as a starting point, this study illustrates a method to simulate the wind field and related economic impact of both historic and present-day high-impact winter storms in Switzerland since end of the 19th century. Our technique involves the dynamical downscaling of the 20CR to 3 km horizontal resolution using the numerical Weather Research and Forecasting model and the subsequent loss simulation using an open-source impact model. This impact model estimates, for modern economic and social conditions, storm-related economic losses at municipality level, and thus allows a numerical simulation of the impact from both historic and present-day severe winter storms in Switzerland on a relatively fine spatial scale. In this study, we apply the modelling chain to a storm sample of almost 90 high-impact winter storms in Switzerland since 1871, and we are thus able to make a statement of the typical wind and loss patterns of hazardous windstorms in Switzerland. To evaluate our modelling chain, we compare simulated storm losses with insurance loss data for the present-day windstorms "Lothar" and "Joachim" in December 1999 and December 2011, respectively. Our study further includes a range of sensitivity experiments and a discussion of the main sources of uncertainty.

The Attenuated Nine Mile Phase II Clone 4/RSA439 Strain of Coxiella burnetii Is Highly Virulent for Severe Combined Immunodeficient (SCID) Mice

PubMed Central

Islam, Aminul; Lockhart, Michelle; Stenos, John; Graves, Stephen

2013-01-01

The Nine Mile phase II clone 4 (NMIIC4) strain of Coxiella burnetii is an attenuated phase II strain that has lost the genes for virulence determinant type 1 lipopolysaccharide. These bacteria were very virulent for severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The lethal dose 50 (LD50) was ∼10 bacteria. Infected SCID mice died between Day 28 and Day 53 post-infection. At termination of the experiment (Day 60) only 5 of 24 mice had survived. The degree of splenomegaly was directly related to the bacterial load in the SCID mice spleens. The NMIIC4 was avirulent in immunocompetent wild mice and bacterial DNA copies in splenic tissue were extremely low. The SCID mice that were inoculated with high doses of heat inactivated NMIIC4 C. burnetii were all alive at Day 60 and without splenomegaly. It appears that the phase I lipopolysaccharide present in virulent Nine Mile phase I but not in attenuated NMIIC4 is not the only virulence factor for C. burnetii. PMID:23958905

The attenuated nine mile phase II clone 4/RSA439 strain of Coxiella burnetii is highly virulent for severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice.

PubMed

Islam, Aminul; Lockhart, Michelle; Stenos, John; Graves, Stephen

2013-10-01

The Nine Mile phase II clone 4 (NMIIC4) strain of Coxiella burnetii is an attenuated phase II strain that has lost the genes for virulence determinant type 1 lipopolysaccharide. These bacteria were very virulent for severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The lethal dose 50 (LD50) was ~10 bacteria. Infected SCID mice died between Day 28 and Day 53 post-infection. At termination of the experiment (Day 60) only 5 of 24 mice had survived. The degree of splenomegaly was directly related to the bacterial load in the SCID mice spleens. The NMIIC4 was avirulent in immunocompetent wild mice and bacterial DNA copies in splenic tissue were extremely low. The SCID mice that were inoculated with high doses of heat inactivated NMIIC4 C. burnetii were all alive at Day 60 and without splenomegaly. It appears that the phase I lipopolysaccharide present in virulent Nine Mile phase I but not in attenuated NMIIC4 is not the only virulence factor for C. burnetii.

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

Ratcliffe, D.R.

This study on passive immunity dealt principally with the following topics: pathogenesis of the pneumonia produced by influenza virus (PR8) in CF-1 mice; the distribution and retention of monoclonal antibody instilled intratracheally (IT) into the lung; and prophylaxis and therapy of influenza pneumonia using specific monoclonal antibody (IgG 2a/k anti-HA). The fate of a single 50 ul bolus of antibody instilled IT was determined by monitoring the activity of /sup 125/I-labelled monoclonal IgG in the lungs and by lavage recovery of functional antibody.Antibody was demonstrated in high concentrations for the first 3 days and was present in the lungs formore » a period of 7 days. For prophylaxis several trials indicated that monoclonal antibody provided significant protection from lethal effects of the virus. Antibody given to clinically ill mice on day 3 produced a highly significant reduction in mortality (P < 0.001) when compared to control mice. The treatment reversed the weight loss and apparently arrested the development of lesions in most of the mice within 2 days following antibody administration.« less

The impact of ambient particle pollution during extreme-temperature days in Guangzhou City, China.

PubMed

Li, Guoxing; Jiang, Lai; Zhang, Yajuan; Cai, Yue; Pan, Xiaochuan; Zhou, Maigeng

2014-11-01

The aim of this study is to explore whether the effect of PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 µm) on daily mortality was modified by extreme temperatures in Guangzhou from 2005 to 2009. The present study used time-series analysis to explore the modification effects of temperature on the association between PM10 and the cause-specific mortalities for cardiovascular, respiratory, cardiopulmonary, and nonaccidental mortality. The interactions between PM10 and temperature were statistically significant on respiratory mortality. The effect estimates per 10-µg/m(3) increase in PM10 concentrations at the moving average of lags of 0 and 1 day on high-temperature days were 2.34% (95% confidence interval = 0.55, 4.16) for nonaccidental, 1.35% (-1.69, 4.48) for cardiovascular, 6.09% (2.42, 9.89) for respiratory, and 3.36% (0.92, 5.86) for cardiopulmonary mortalities. The results suggest that it is important to control and reduce the emission of air particles in Guangzhou, particularly on extreme-high-temperature days. © 2014 APJPH.

Exploitation of rapid acidification phenomena of food waste in reducing the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of high rate anaerobic digester without conceding on biogas yield.

PubMed

Kuruti, Kranti; Begum, Sameena; Ahuja, Shruti; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao; Juntupally, Sudharshan; Gandu, Bharath; Ahuja, Devender Kumar

2017-02-01

The aim of the present work was to study and infer a full scale experience on co-digestion of 1000kg of FW (400kg cooked food waste and 600kg uncooked food waste) and 2000L of rice gruel (RG) on daily basis based on a high rate biomethanation technology called "Anaerobic gas lift reactor" (AGR). The pH of raw substrate was low (5.2-5.5) that resulted in rapid acidification phenomena with in 12h in the feed preparation tank that facilitated to obtain a lower hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 10days. At full load, AGR was fed with 245kg of total solids, 205kg of volatile solids (167kg of organic matter in terms of chemical oxygen demand) which resulted in the generation of biogas and bio manure of 140m 3 /day and 110kg/day respectively. The produced biogas replaced 60-70kg of LPG per day. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endometrial biopsy in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. II. Correlations between histological criteria.

PubMed Central

Bonnett, B N; Miller, R B; Martin, S W; Etherington, W G; Buckrell, B C

1991-01-01

Endometrial biopsies were taken for histological assessment from 97 cows which calved in a commercial dairy herd between April and August 1984. The main objectives of this study were to analyze the interrelationships among histological criteria and to identify a shortlist of histological parameters to be included in subsequent analysis of associations with results of bacteriological culture, clinical findings and reproductive performance. Epithelial height and segmented cell counts were highly correlated within biopsy, between horns and between days. Subjective assessment of inflammation in the epithelium and/or stratum compactum generally identified biopsies which had any inflammation present. Cows which had inflammation in a biopsy from day 26 were likely to show inflammatory changes at day 40. Quantitative and subjective assessments of gland number, dilation and fibrosis were highly correlated. There was a positive association between the number of cross sections and the diameter of glands, and both of these criteria were negatively correlated with fibrosis and inflammatory changes. There may be different functional significance of the same histological finding at a different number of days postpartum. PMID:1884296

Self-Regulatory Strategies in Daily Life: Selection, Optimization, and Compensation and Everyday Memory Problems

PubMed Central

Stephanie, Robinson; Margie, Lachman; Elizabeth, Rickenbach

2015-01-01

The effective use of self-regulatory strategies, such as selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) requires resources. However, it is theorized that SOC use is most advantageous for those experiencing losses and diminishing resources. The present study explored this seeming paradox within the context of limitations or constraints due to aging, low cognitive resources, and daily stress in relation to everyday memory problems. We examined whether SOC usage varied by age and level of constraints, and if the relationship between resources and memory problems was mitigated by SOC usage. A daily diary paradigm was used to explore day-to-day fluctuations in these relationships. Participants (n=145, ages 22 to 94) completed a baseline interview and a daily diary for seven consecutive days. Multilevel models examined between- and within-person relationships between daily SOC use, daily stressors, cognitive resources, and everyday memory problems. Middle-aged adults had the highest SOC usage, although older adults also showed high SOC use if they had high cognitive resources. More SOC strategies were used on high stress compared to low stress days. Moreover, the relationship between daily stress and memory problems was buffered by daily SOC use, such that on high-stress days, those who used more SOC strategies reported fewer memory problems than participants who used fewer SOC strategies. The paradox of resources and SOC use can be qualified by the type of resource-limitation. Deficits in global resources were not tied to SOC usage or benefits. Conversely, under daily constraints tied to stress, the use of SOC increased and led to fewer memory problems. PMID:26997686

Finite Element Modeling of In-Situ Stresses near Salt Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz, P.; Gray, G.; Albertz, M.

2011-12-01

The in-situ stress field is modified around salt bodies because salt rock has no ability to sustain shear stresses. A reliable prediction of stresses near salt is important for planning safe and economic drilling programs. A better understanding of in-situ stresses before drilling can be achieved using finite element models that account for the creeping salt behavior and the elastoplastic response of the surrounding sediments. Two different geomechanical modeling techniques can be distinguished: "dynamic" modeling and "static" modeling. "Dynamic" models, also known as forward models, simulate the development of structural processes in geologic time. This technique provides the evolution of stresses and so it is used to simulate the initiation and development of structural features, such as, faults, folds, fractures, and salt diapers. The original or initial configuration and the unknown final configuration of forward models are usually significantly different therefore geometric non-linearities need to be considered. These models may be difficult to constrain when different tectonic, deposition, and erosion events, and the timing among them, needs to be accounted for. While dynamic models provide insight into the stress evolution, in many cases is very challenging, if not impossible, to forward model a configuration to its known present-day geometry; particularly in the case of salt layers that evolve into highly irregular and complex geometries. Alternatively, "static" models use the present-day geometry and present-day far-field stresses to estimate the present-day in-situ stress field inside a domain. In this case, it is appropriate to use a small deformation approach because initial and final configurations should be very similar, and more important, because the equilibrium of stresses should be stated in the present-day initial configuration. The initial stresses and the applied boundary conditions are constrained by the geologic setting and available data. This modeling technique does not predict the evolution of structural elements or stresses with time; therefore it does not provide any insight into the formation of fractures that were previously developed under a different stress condition or the development of overpressure generated by a high sedimentation rate. This work provides a validation for predicting in-situ stresses near salt using "static" models. We compare synthetic examples using both modeling techniques and show that stresses near salt predicted with "static" models are comparable to the ones generated by "dynamic" models.

Quantitative geochemical modeling along a transect off Peru: Carbon cycling in time and space, and the triggering factors for carbon loss and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arning, Esther T.; van Berk, Wolfgang; Schulz, Hans-Martin

2012-12-01

Early diagenetic processes in Peruvian shelf and slope sediments are numerically reproduced by applying chemical thermodynamics in a complex, universal approach using the PHREEQC (version 2) computer code. The reaction kinetics of organic carbon remineralization are integrated into a set of equilibrium reactions by defining the type and the amount of converted organic matter in a certain time step. We calculate the most intense remineralization of organic carbon for present-day shelf sites, and the final carbon pool is dominated by secondary carbonates. This serves to highlight the influence of organic matter degradation and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) on diagenetic mineral formation. The enrichment of aqueous methane and the formation of methane hydrate only takes place in slope sediments with high sedimentation rates that prevent diffusive loss of methane (e.g., Sites 682 and 688). Moreover, AOM prevents the diffusion of dissolved methane into overlying seawater. Throughout the Miocene period, these sites were located on a former shelf and the total carbon loss from the sediments was significantly higher in comparison with the present-day. Compared with the present-day shelf site, organic matter remineralization is high, and methane is produced but not stored within the sediments. Our model calculations rule out the possibility of present-day and former shelf site sediments off the coast of Peru as methane reservoirs. Remineralized TOC has to be considered, particularly in older sediments, when interpreting TOC profiles and calculating mass accumulation rates of total organic carbon (MARTOC). The more organic matter has been remineralized during the depositional history, the larger the difference between MARTOC calculated from measured TOC data, and from the sum of modeled and measured TOC data. Consequently, most reliable primary productivity calculations are based on the sum of measured relict TOC and the amount of remineralized organic carbon determined by modeling.

Task one report: Optical system study. [characteristics of laser equipment for space communication systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

An optical system which can be incorporated in a present day or near future space-borne laser communications system is described. Techniques of implementing these systems are presented and their design problems and use are discussed. Optical system weight is estimated as a function of aperture diameter for a typical present day or near future laser communication system. The optical communications system considered is a two-way, high data rate optical communications link from a spacecraft to a spacecraft or from a spacecraft to a ground station. Each station has a laser transmitter and receiver and a pointing and tracking system. Thus each station can track the laser transmitter of the other. Optical beamwidths are considered to be as small as an arc-second with the beam pointed to a fraction of this beamwidth.

Feeding bovine milks with low or high IgA levels is associated with altered re-establishment of murine intestinal microbiota after antibiotic treatment

PubMed Central

Young, Wayne; Cakebread, Julie A.; Haigh, Brendan J.

2016-01-01

Antibiotics are a vital and commonly used therapeutic tool, but their use also results in profound changes in the intestinal microbiota that can, in turn, have significant health consequences. Understanding how the microbiota recovers after antibiotic treatment will help to devise strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of antibiotics. Using a mouse model, we have characterized the changes occurring in the intestinal microbiota immediately after five days exposure to ampicillin, and then at three and fourteen days thereafter. During the fourteen day period of antibiotic recovery, groups of mice were fed either water, cows’ milk containing high levels of IgA, or cows’ milk containing low levels of IgA as their sole source of liquid. Effects on microbiota of feeding milks for 14 days were also assessed in groups of mice that had no ampicillin exposure. Changes in microbiota were measured by high throughput sequencing of the V4 to V6 variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. As expected, exposure to ampicillin led to profound changes to the types and abundance of bacteria present, along with a loss of diversity. At 14 days following antibiotic exposure, mice fed water had recovered microbiota compositions similar to that prior to antibiotics. However, feeding High-IgA milk to mice that has been exposed to antibiotics was associated with altered microbiota compositions, including increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Barnesiella compared to the start of the study. Mice exposed to antibiotics then fed Low-IgA milk also showed increased Barnesiella at day 14. Mice without antibiotic perturbation, showed no change in their microbiota after 14 days of milk feeding. Overall, these findings add to a knowledge platform for optimizing intestinal function after treatment with antibiotics in the human population. PMID:27703861

Florence Bascom and the Exclusion of Women From Earth Science Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Lois

1975-01-01

Numerous excerpts from present day earth science curriculum materials reveal sexual discrimination. In addition, studies of photographs included in the materials reveal a high male dominance. The significant contributions of one earth scientist, Florence Bascom, are remembered. (CP)

A new `bio-comfort' perspective for Melbourne based on heat stress, air pollution and pollen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Stephanie J.; Pezza, Alexandre B.; Barras, Vaughan; Bye, John

2014-03-01

Humans are at risk from exposure to extremes in their environment, yet there is no consistent way to fully quantify and understand the risk when considering more than just meteorological variables. An outdoor `bio-comfort' threshold is defined for Melbourne, Australia using a combination of heat stress, air particulate concentration and grass pollen count, where comfortable conditions imply an ideal range of temperature, humidity and wind speed, acceptable levels of air particulates and a low pollen count. This is a new approach to defining the comfort of human populations. While other works have looked into the separate impacts of different variables, this is the first time that a unified bio-comfort threshold is suggested. Composite maps of surface pressure are used to illustrate the genesis and evolution of the atmospheric structures conducive to an uncomfortable day. When there is an uncomfortable day due to heat stress conditions in Melbourne, there is a high pressure anomaly to the east bringing warm air from the northern interior of Australia. This anomaly is part of a slow moving blocking high originating over the Indian Ocean. Uncomfortable days due to high particulate levels have an approaching cold front. However, for air particulate cases during the cold season there are stable atmospheric conditions enhanced by a blocking high emanating from Australia and linking with the Antarctic continent. Finally, when grass pollen levels are high, there are northerly winds carrying the pollen from rural grass lands to Melbourne, due to a stationary trough of low pressure inland. Analysis into days with multiple types of stress revealed that the atmospheric signals associated with each type of discomfort are present regardless of whether the day is uncomfortable due to one or multiple variables. Therefore, these bio-comfort results are significant because they offer a degree of predictability for future uncomfortable days in Melbourne.

A new 'bio-comfort' perspective for Melbourne based on heat stress, air pollution and pollen.

PubMed

Jacobs, Stephanie J; Pezza, Alexandre B; Barras, Vaughan; Bye, John

2014-03-01

Humans are at risk from exposure to extremes in their environment, yet there is no consistent way to fully quantify and understand the risk when considering more than just meteorological variables. An outdoor 'bio-comfort' threshold is defined for Melbourne, Australia using a combination of heat stress, air particulate concentration and grass pollen count, where comfortable conditions imply an ideal range of temperature, humidity and wind speed, acceptable levels of air particulates and a low pollen count. This is a new approach to defining the comfort of human populations. While other works have looked into the separate impacts of different variables, this is the first time that a unified bio-comfort threshold is suggested. Composite maps of surface pressure are used to illustrate the genesis and evolution of the atmospheric structures conducive to an uncomfortable day. When there is an uncomfortable day due to heat stress conditions in Melbourne, there is a high pressure anomaly to the east bringing warm air from the northern interior of Australia. This anomaly is part of a slow moving blocking high originating over the Indian Ocean. Uncomfortable days due to high particulate levels have an approaching cold front. However, for air particulate cases during the cold season there are stable atmospheric conditions enhanced by a blocking high emanating from Australia and linking with the Antarctic continent. Finally, when grass pollen levels are high, there are northerly winds carrying the pollen from rural grass lands to Melbourne, due to a stationary trough of low pressure inland. Analysis into days with multiple types of stress revealed that the atmospheric signals associated with each type of discomfort are present regardless of whether the day is uncomfortable due to one or multiple variables. Therefore, these bio-comfort results are significant because they offer a degree of predictability for future uncomfortable days in Melbourne.

Projection of seasonal summer precipitation over Indian sub-continent with a high-resolution AGCM based on the RCP scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Sumin; Singh, Gyan Prakash; Oh, Jai-Ho; Lee, Kyoung-Min

2018-05-01

Seasonal changes in precipitation characteristics over India were projected using a high-resolution (40-km) atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) during the near- (2010-2039), mid- (2040-2069), and far- (2070-2099) futures. For the model evaluation, we simulated an Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project-type present-day climate using AGCM with observed sea-surface temperature and sea-ice concentration. Based on this simulation, we have simulated the current climate from 1979 to 2009 and subsequently the future climate projection until 2100 using a CMCC-CM model from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 models based on RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Using various observed precipitation data, the validation of the simulated precipitation indicates that the AGCM well-captured the high and low rain belts and also onset and withdrawal of monsoon in the present-day climate simulation. Future projections were performed for the above-mentioned time slices (near-, mid-, and far futures). The model projected an increase in summer precipitation from 7 to 18% under RCP4.5 and from 14 to 18% under RCP8.5 from the mid- to far futures. Projected summer precipitation from different time slices depicts an increase over northwest (NWI) and west-south peninsular India (SPI) and a reduction over northeast and north-central India. The model projected an eastward shift of monsoon trough around 2° longitude and expansion and intensification of Mascarene High and Tibetan High seems to be associated with projected precipitation. The model projected extreme precipitation events show an increase (20-50%) in rainy days over NWI and SPI. While a significant increase of about 20-50% is noticed in heavy rain events over SPI during the far future.

Development of operationally stable inverted organic light-emitting diode prepared without using alkali metals (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukagawa, Hirohiko; Morii, Katsuyuki; Hasegawa, Munehiro; Gouda, Shun; Tsuzuki, Toshimitsu; Shimizu, Takahisa; Yamamoto, Toshihiro

2015-10-01

The OLED is one of the key devices for realizing future flexible displays and lightings. One of the biggest challenges left for the OLED fabricated on a flexible substrate is the improvement of its resistance to oxygen and moisture. A high barrier layer [a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of about 10-6 g/m2/day] is proposed to be necessary for the encapsulation of conventional OLEDs. Some flexible high barrier layers have recently been demonstrated; however, such high barrier layers require a complex process, which makes flexible OLEDs expensive. If an OLED is prepared without using air-sensitive materials such as alkali metals, no stringent encapsulation is necessary for such an OLED. In this presentation, we will discuss our continuing efforts to develop an inverted OLED (iOLED) prepared without using alkali metals. iOLEDs with a bottom cathode are considered to be effective for realizing air-stable OLEDs since the electron injection layer (EIL) can be prepared by fabrication processes that might damage the organic layers, resulting in the enhanced range of materials suitable for EILs. We have demonstrated that a highly efficient and relatively air-stable iOLED can be realized by employing poly(ethyleneimine) as an EIL. Dark spot formation was not observed after 250 days in the poly(ethyleneimine)-based iOLED encapsulated by a barrier film with a WVTR of 10-4 g/m2/day. In addition, we have demonstrated the fabrication of a highly operational stable iOLED utilizing a newly developed EIL. The iOLED exhibits an expected half-lifetime of over 10,000 h from an initial luminance of 1,000 cd/m2.

A 3-day high-fat/low-carbohydrate diet does not alter exercise-induced growth hormone response in healthy males.

PubMed

Sasaki, Hiroto; Ishibashi, Aya; Tsuchiya, Yoshihumi; Shimura, Nobuhiro; Kurihara, Toshiyuki; Ebi, Kumiko; Goto, Kazushige

2015-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of 3 days isoenergetic high-fat/low-carbohydrate diet (HF-LC) relative to low-fat/high-carbohydrate diet (LF-HC) on the exercise-induced growth hormone (GH) response in healthy male subjects. Ten healthy young males participated in this study. Each subject consumed the HF-LC (18±1% protein, 61±2% fat, 21±1% carbohydrate, 2720 kcal per day) for 3 consecutive days after consuming the LF-HC (18±1% protein, 20±1% fat, 62±1% carbohydrate, 2755 kcal per day) for 3 consecutive days. After each dietary intervention period, the hormonal and metabolic responses to an acute exercise (30 min of continuous pedaling at 60% of V˙O2max) were compared. The intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) contents in the vastus lateralis, soleus, and tibialis anterior were evaluated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Serum GH concentrations increased significantly during the exercise after both the HF-LC and LF-HC periods (P<0.05). However, the exercise-induced GH response was not significantly different between the two periods. Fat utilization and lipolytic responses during the exercise were enhanced significantly after the HF-LC period compared with the LF-HC period. IMCL content did not differ significantly in any portion of muscle after the dietary interventions. We could not show that short-term HF-LC consumption changed significantly exercise-induced GH response or IMCL content in healthy young males. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate sensitivity of Tibetan Plateau glaciers - past and future implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyman, Jakob; Hubbard, Alun; Stroeven, Arjen P.; Harbor, Jonathan M.

2013-04-01

The Tibetan Plateau is one of the most extensively glaciated, non-Polar regions of the world, and its mountain glaciers are the primary source of melt water for several of the largest Asian rivers. During glacial cycles, Tibetan Plateau glaciers advanced and retreated multiple times, but remained restricted to the highest mountain areas as valley glaciers and ice caps. Because glacier extent is dominantly controlled by climate, the past extent of Tibetan glaciers provide information on regional climate. Here we present a study analyzing the past maximum extents of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau with the output of a 3D glacier model, in an effort to quantify Tibetan Plateau climate. We have mapped present-day glaciers and glacial landforms deposited by formerly more extensive glaciers in eight mountain regions across the Tibetan Plateau, allowing us to define present-day and past maximum glacier outlines. Using a high-resolution (250 m) higher-order glacier model calibrated against present-day glacier extents, we have quantified the climate perturbations required to expand present-day glaciers to their past maximum extents. We find that a modest cooling of at most 6°C for a few thousand years is enough to attain past maximum extents, even with 25-75% precipitation reduction. This evidence for limited cooling indicates that the temperature of the Tibetan Plateau remained relatively stable over Quaternary glacial cycles. Given the significant sensitivity to temperature change, the expectation is perhaps that a future warmer climate might result in intense glacier reduction. We have tested this hypothesis and modeled the future glacier development for the three mountain regions with the largest present-day glacier cover using a projected warming of 2.8 to 6.2°C within 100 years (envelope limits from IPCC). These scenarios result in dramatic glacier reductions, including 24-100% ice volume loss after 100 years and 77-100% ice volume loss after 300 years.

Genetic structure of Flores island (Azores, Portugal) in the 19th century and in the present day: evidence from surname analysis.

PubMed

Santos, Cristina; Abade, Augusto; Cantons, Jordi; Mayer, Francine M; Aluja, M Pilar; Lima, Manuela

2005-06-01

The island of Flores is the most westerly of the Azores archipelago (Portugal). Despite its marked geographic isolation and reduced population size, biodemographic and genetic studies conducted so far do not support the idea that its population constitutes a genetic isolate. In this study we conducted a surname analysis of the Flores population for two time periods: the second half of the 19th century and the present day. Our main purposes were (1) to biodemographically and genetically characterize the island, taking into account the strong reduction in population observed from the middle of the 19th century to the present day; and (2) to analyze the influence that the effective population size and geographic distance have on the genetic structure of populations. For both periods analyzed, all indicators of diversity revealed a high level of surname diversity. Our results are in accordance with the diversity estimates obtained from both monoparental genetic markers located in the Y chromosome and frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups. Contrary to what could be expected, considering the strong reduction of population in the last 150 years, we observed that diversity was maintained and that microdifferentiation decreased. Both observations support a higher openness of parishes as a consequence of the increase in communication routes. From the first to the second period analyzed, a change in surname composition is evident, although the more frequent surnames in Flores are almost the same for both periods and some of them are reported to be surnames present in the first settlers of Flores. This result testifies to the impact of founders on the present-day gene pool of Flores island and allows us to infer that the genetic characterization of the present-day population of Flores could provide reliable information about the history of the peopling of the Azores.

Pulse Shape Evolution, HER X-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanParadijs, Johannes A.

1998-01-01

This study focuses on the pulse shape evolution and spectral properties of the X-ray binary Her X-1 with regard to the well known 35-day cycle of Her X-1. A follow-up set of RXTE observations has been conducted in RXTE AO-2 phase and the two observation sets are being analyzed together. We presented results of early analysis of pulse shape evolution in "Proceedings of the Fourth Compton Symposium." More advanced analysis was presented at the HEAD meeting in November, 1997 in Estes Park, Colorado. A related study of the 35-day cycle using RXTE/ASM data, which laid out the overall picture within which the more detailed PCA observations could be placed has also been conducted. The results of this study have been published in The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 510, 974. A pair of papers on the detailed pulse evolution and the spectral/color evolution are currently being prepared for publication. Some of the significant results of this study have been a confirmation of the detailed pulse profile changes at the end of the Main High state in Her X-1 first observed by GINGA, observations of the pulse evolution in several Short High states which agree with the pulse evolution pattern predicted using a disk occultation model in the PhD Thesis of Scott 1993, observation of a systematic lengthening of the eclipse egress during the Main High state of the 35-day phase and observation of a new type of extended eclipse ingress during which pulsations cease to observed during the Short High state.

Effects of castration and time-on-feed on Mertolenga breed beef quality.

PubMed

Monteiro, A C G; Navas, D R; Lemos, J P C

2014-04-01

Physicochemical characteristics were determined in the longissimus lumborum muscle, after 8 days of ageing of steers (n=12) and bulls (n=12) from Mertolenga breed slaughtered directly from pasture (day 0) or after a finishing period of 50, 100 and 150 days in a feed-lot facility. Bulls and steers presented similar live weight (averaging 388 kg), carcass weight (CW; averaging 213 kg), dressing percentage (averaging 60%), carcass fatness (11.9% CW) and carcass fat thickness (averaging 3.03 mm). Live weight, CW, carcass fatness and fat thickness increased along time-on-feed. Gender only had a negligible effect on meat characteristics, with b and h being the only parameters of colour affected by gender, also presenting a significant interaction gender × time-on-feed. Nevertheless, both the genders presented a high-quality grade concerning tenderness (Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF)). L increased until 50 days on feed and decreased afterwards, whereas a and C values increased along time-on-feed. Pigment content was also affected by time-on-feed and showed a gender × time-on-feed interaction. Beef colour became darker and redder along time-on-feed, but still in a colour range highly acceptable by Portuguese consumers. Despite the increase in intramuscular fat and myofibrillar fragmentation index, as well as the decrease in collagen content of steers and bulls along time-on-feed, it did not affect the tenderness/hardness, indicating a small effect of time-on-feed in meat characteristics. Despite only small differences in carcass characteristics and meat-quality parameters that have been noticed along time-on-feed, those differences were only significant after 100 days on feed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The first PC axis (39.6% of the total variance) included colour variables a, b and C, and carcass fatness, fat thickness, CW and live weight, whereas the second one (12.7% of the total variance) included h, cooking losses and dressing-out. The principal component (PC) analysis confirmed the lack of differences between bulls and steers and indicates a differentiation of the first two periods of feeding (0 and 50 days on feed) from the two latter (100 and 150 days on feed) periods of feeding.

A single vaccination of commercial broilers does not reduce transmission of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Vaccination of chickens has become routine practice in Asian countries in which H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is endemically present. This mainly applies to layer and breeder flocks, but broilers are usually left unvaccinated. Here we investigate whether vaccination is able to reduce HPAI H5N1 virus transmission among broiler chickens. Four sets of experiments were carried out, each consisting of 22 replicate trials containing a pair of birds. Experiments 1-3 were carried out with four-week-old birds that were unvaccinated, and vaccinated at day 1 or at day 10 of age. Experiment 4 was carried out with unvaccinated day-old broiler chicks. One chicken in each trial was inoculated with H5N1 HPAI virus. One chicken in each trial was inoculated with virus. The course of the infection chain was monitored by serological analysis, and by virus isolation performed on tracheal and cloacal swabs. The analyses were based on a stochastic SEIR model using a Bayesian inferential framework. When inoculation was carried out at the 28th day of life, transmission was efficient in unvaccinated birds, and in birds vaccinated at first or tenth day of life. In these experiments estimates of the latent period (~1.0 day), infectious period (~3.3 days), and transmission rate parameter (~1.4 per day) were similar, as were estimates of the reproduction number (~4) and generation interval (~1.4 day). Transmission was significantly less efficient in unvaccinated chickens when inoculation was carried out on the first day of life. These results show that vaccination of broiler chickens does not reduce transmission, and suggest that this may be due to the interference of maternal immunity. PMID:21635732

Comparison of post-tonsillectomy pain with two different types of bipolar forceps: low temperature quantum molecular resonance device versus high temperature conventional electrocautery.

PubMed

Chang, Hyun; Hah, J Hun

2012-06-01

The low temperature device did not show any advantages over the conventional high temperature electrocautery in terms of the postoperative pain, operation time, and complications in pediatric tonsillectomy. To compare post-tonsillectomy pain following the use of two different instruments with the same bipolar forceps techniques: low temperature quantum molecular resonance (QMR) device versus conventional high temperature electrocautery. Pediatric patients admitted from July 2008 through January 2009 were included. The participants underwent bilateral tonsillectomy; one side by the QMR device and the other by the bipolar electrocautery. The sides for each instrument were counterbalanced by the order of presentation. The postoperative pain was measured using the faces pain rating scale. In all, 33 patients with a mean age of 7.6 years were enrolled. The postoperative pain, operation time, and complications in 33 sides dissected by the electrocautery and 33 sides by the QMR device were compared. The average operation times with each device were not statistically different. The mean ratings of the perception of pain related to each instrument were not different on operation day and postoperative day 1, day 4, and day 7 (p = 0.133, 0.057, 0.625, and 1.0, respectively). There was no postoperative complication in any of the patients.

COPE Method Implementation Program to Reduce Communication Apprehension Level in Full Day Yunior High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, A. R.

2017-02-01

This study was aimed to explore the effect of COPE method to reduce communication apprehension level of students in Early Adolescence who become Full Day Junior High School students. Full Day Junior High School students, especially in Surabaya coastal area, have more demands to develop the communication aspects such as group discussions and presentations and extracurricular activities. Higher demands to develop such aspects of communication may cause them to experience communication apprehension. The subject was Full Day School students totaling 31 students. The design of the research was experimental design. The experimental method used was a non-randomized pretest posttest control group design and purposive sampling was also used. COPE method is a process that consists of four main stages where people are trying to deal with and control of stressful situations as a result of the problem being faced by conducting cognitive and behavioral changes. Four main stages COPE method is Calming the nervous system, Originating an imaginative plan, Persisting in the face of obstacles and failure, and Evaluating and adjusting the plan. Results of quantitative analysis based on U-Mann Whitney Test shows significant effect on the COPE Method to decrease anxiety levels of communication (0.000 <0.005).

Time of day determines Arabidopsis transcriptome and growth dynamics under mild drought.

PubMed

Dubois, Marieke; Claeys, Hannes; Van den Broeck, Lisa; Inzé, Dirk

2017-02-01

Drought stress is a major problem for agriculture worldwide, causing significant yield losses. Plants have developed highly flexible mechanisms to deal with drought, including organ- and developmental stage-specific responses. In young leaves, growth is repressed as an active mechanism to save water and energy, increasing the chances of survival but decreasing yield. Despite its importance, the molecular basis for this growth inhibition is largely unknown. Here, we present a novel approach to explore early molecular mechanisms controlling Arabidopsis leaf growth inhibition following mild drought. We found that growth and transcriptome responses to drought are highly dynamic. Growth was only repressed by drought during the day, and our evidence suggests that this may be due to gating by the circadian clock. Similarly, time of day strongly affected the extent, specificity, and in certain cases even direction of drought-induced changes in gene expression. These findings underscore the importance of taking into account diurnal patterns to understand stress responses, as only a small core of drought-responsive genes are affected by drought at all times of the day. Finally, we leveraged our high-resolution data to demonstrate that phenotypic and transcriptome responses can be matched to identify putative novel regulators of growth under mild drought. © 2016 The Authors Plant, Cell & Environment Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and other cardiovascular disease risk markers in subjects with elevated waist circumference.

PubMed

Maki, Kevin C; Rubin, Martyn R; Wong, Les G; McManus, Jamie F; Jensen, Christopher D; Lawless, Andrea

2011-06-01

The objective of the present trial was to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in subjects with high waist circumference. Subjects were randomly assigned a daily multivitamin and mineral (MVM) supplement or a MVM supplement plus vitamin D 1,200 IU/day (MVM+D) for 8 weeks. There was a significant difference in mean change for 25(OH)D between the MVM and MVM+D treatment groups ( - 1.2 ± 2.5 nmol/l vs. 11.7 ± 3.0 nmol/l, respectively; P = 0.003). Vitamin D 1,200 IU/day did not increase 25(OH)D to a desirable level ( ≥ 75 nmol/l) in 61% of participants. There were no significant changes in cardiovascular disease risk markers. Thus, vitamin D supplementation with 1,200 IU/day was insufficient to achieve desirable serum 25(OH)D in most participants and did not affect cardiovascular disease risk markers.

Anti-inflammatory activity of green versus black tea aqueous extract in a rat model of human rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Ramadan, Gamal; El-Beih, Nadia M; Talaat, Roba M; Abd El-Ghffar, Eman A

2017-02-01

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in tea (Camellia sinensis) as a protective agent against inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated/compared the anti-inflammatory activity of two different doses (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg body weight) of green tea aqueous extract (GTE, rich in catechins) and black tea aqueous extract (BTE, rich in theaflavins and thearubigins) in rat adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model received orally/daily distilled water as vehicle, indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg body weight; a non-steroidal/anti-inflammatory drug), or tea aqueous extracts (for 28 or 14 consecutive days starting from day 0 or 14 of arthritis induction, respectively). The present study showed that only the high dose of GTE (from day 0) significantly alleviated (P < 0.05-0.001) all complications shown in arthritic rats, including synovial joint inflammation, elevation in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood leukocytosis (due to lymphocytosis and neutrocytosis), and changes in weight/cellularity of lymphoid organs. The anti-arthritic activity of the high dose of GTE (from day 0) was comparable (P > 0.05) with that of indomethacin (12.9-53.8 vs. 9.5-48.4%, respectively) and mediated by significantly decreasing and down-regulating (P < 0.001) the systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of chemokine receptor-5 in synovial tissues, respectively. Moreover, the anti-arthritic activity of tea aqueous extracts was in the following order: high dose of GTE > low dose of GTE ≥ high dose of BTE > low dose of BTE. The present study proved the anti-inflammatory activity of GTE over BTE and equal to that of indomethacin in AIA rat model. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Effect of troxerutin on insulin signaling molecules in the gastrocnemius muscle of high fat and sucrose-induced type-2 diabetic adult male rat.

PubMed

Sampath, Sathish; Karundevi, Balasubramanian

2014-10-01

Troxerutin is a trihydroxyethylated derivative of the flavonoid, rutin. It has been reported to possess the hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperlipidemic activities. Troxerutin treatment reduced the blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in high-cholesterol-induced insulin-resistant mice and in type-2 diabetic patients. However, the mechanism by which it exhibits antidiabetic property was unknown. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of troxerutin on insulin signaling molecules in gastrocnemius muscle of high fat and sucrose-induced type-2 diabetic rats. Wistar male albino rats were selected and divided into five groups. Group I: Control. Group II: High fat and sucrose-induced type-2 diabetic rats. Group III: Type-2 diabetic rats treated with troxerutin (150 mg/kg body weight/day orally). Group IV: Type-2 diabetic rats treated with metformin (50 mg/kg body weight/day orally). Group V: Normal rats treated with troxerutin (150 mg/kg body weight/day orally). After 30 days of treatment, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, serum lipid profile, and the levels of insulin signaling molecules, glycogen, glucose uptake, and oxidation in gastrocnemius muscle were assessed. Diabetic rats showed impairment in insulin signaling molecules (IR, p-IRS-1(Tyr632), p-Akt(Ser473), β-arrestin-2, c-Src, p-AS160(Thr642), and GLUT4 proteins), glycogen concentration, glucose uptake, and oxidation. Oral administration of troxerutin showed near normal levels of blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile, and insulin signaling molecules as well as GLUT4 proteins in type-2 diabetic rats. It is concluded from the present study that troxerutin may play a significant role in the management of type-2 diabetes mellitus, by improving the insulin signaling molecules and glucose utilization in the skeletal muscle.

SN 2016esw: a luminous Type II supernova observed within the first day after the explosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jaeger, Thomas; Galbany, Lluis; Gutiérrez, Claudia P.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Zheng, WeiKang; Brink, Thomas G.; Foley, Ryan J.; Sánchez, Sebastian F.; Channa, Sanyum; de Kouchkovsky, Maxime; Halevi, Goni; Kilpatrick, Charles D.; Kumar, Sahana; Molloy, Jeffrey; Pan, Yen-Chen; Ross, Timothy W.; Shivvers, Isaac; Siebert, Matthew R.; Stahl, Benjamin; Stegman, Samantha; Yunus, Sameen

2018-05-01

We present photometry, spectroscopy, and host-galaxy integral-field spectroscopy of the Type II supernova (SN) 2016esw in CGCG 229-009 from the first day after the explosion up to 120 days. Its light-curve shape is similar to that of a typical SN II; however, SN 2016esw is near the high-luminosity end of the SN II distribution, with a peak of M^maxV=-18.36 mag. The V-band light curve exhibits a long recombination phase for a SN II (similar to the long-lived plateau of SN 2004et). Considering the well-known relation between the luminosity and the plateau decline rate, SN 2016esw should have a V-band slope of ˜2.10 mag (100 days)-1; however, SN 2016esw has a substantially flatter plateau with a slope of 1.01 ± 0.26 mag (100 days)-1, perhaps indicating that interacting Type II supernovae are not useful for cosmology. At 19.5 days post-explosion, the spectrum presents a boxy Hα emission line with flat absorption profiles, suggesting interaction between the ejecta and circumstellar matter. Finally, based on the spectral properties, SN 2016esw shows similarities with the luminous and interacting SN 2007pk at early epochs, particularly in terms of observable line features and their evolution.

Effect of dietary Garcinia cambogia extract on serum essential minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) and trace elements (iron, copper, zinc) in rats fed with high-lipid diet.

PubMed

Gürsel, Feraye Esen; Ateş, Atila; Bilal, Tanay; Altiner, Ayşen

2012-09-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Garcinia cambogia extract on serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations in rats fed with the normal or the high-lipid and -cholesterol diet. Thirty 1-year-old female Sprague-Dawley rats (pathogen-free), weighing an average of 229 g, were randomly assigned to three experimental groups of ten animals each. Diets and tap water were given ad libitum for 75 days. Group 1 (control group) was fed with basal diet (2 % liquid vegetable oil, 0 % cholesterol), while the diets of groups 2 and 3 contained vegetable oil (2 % liquid vegetable oil and 5 % hydrogenated vegetable oil) and cholesterol (3 %) in high levels. 4,5 % G. cambogia extract containing 65 % HCA was added to the diet of group 3 as from day 45. Blood samples were withdrawn on days 0, 45 and 75. Serum mineral levels were analyzed using standard enzymatic colorimetric methods with a spectrophotometer. All significant differences were p<0.05. Serum Ca levels were not significantly different between all groups on days 45 and 75. Serum P level was significantly higher in the group fed with high-lipid diet and G. cambogia extract than in the control group on day 45. Serum Mg level was significantly higher in group 2 than in the control group on day 45. Serum Fe levels were significantly lower in the control group than in the other groups on days 45 and 75. Serum Zn level of the group fed with high-lipid diet and G. cambogia extract was significantly higher than in the control group on day 75. Serum Cu levels were significantly higher in group 2 than in the control group, and in group 3 than in group 2 on day 75. In conclusion, a diet containing the high fat amounts may lead to the increase in circular levels of some minerals due to the short-chain fatty acid production lowering the luminal pH which increases mineral solubility, or serving as a fuel for mucosal cells and stimulating cell proliferation in the large intestine. G. cambogia extract may be used in the P and Cu deficiencies due to increases resulting in the present P and Cu amounts in G. cambogia extract, or the use of phytate P in diet. It was hoped that with further evidence-based study this product will enter to mainstream medicines.

Growth of urea crystals by physical vapor transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, R. S.; Route, R. K.; Kao, T.-M.

1985-01-01

This work demonstrates that high optical quality crystals of urea can be grown by the physical vapor transport method. The unique features of this method are compared with growth from methanol/water solutions. High growth rates, exceeding 2.5 mm/day, were achieved, and cm-size optical quality single crystals were obtained. Details of the growth technique and the physical properties of the crystals are presented.

The 1992 NASA Langley Measurement Technology Conference: Measurement Technology for Aerospace Applications in High-Temperature Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Jag J. (Editor); Antcliff, Richard R. (Editor)

1992-01-01

An intensive 2-day conference to discuss the current status of measurement technology in the areas of temperature/heat flux, stress/strain, pressure, and flowfield diagnostics for high temperature aerospace applications was held at Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, on April 22 and 23, 1993. Complete texts of the papers presented at the Conference are included in these proceedings.

Girltalk: Energy, Climate and Water in the 21ST Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, H. C.; Osborne, V.; Bush, R.; Bauer, S.; Bourgeois, E.; Brownlee, D.; Clark, C.; Ellins, K. K.; Hempel-Medina, D.; Hernandez, A.; Hovorka, S. D.; Olson, J. E.; Romanak, K.; Smyth, R. C.; Tinker, S.; Torres-Verdin, C.; Williams, I. P.

2011-12-01

In preparation for Earth Science Week, The University of Texas at Austin, Striker Communications and Ursuline Academy of Dallas partnered on a GirlTalk event ("Energy, Climate and Water in the 21st Century") to create a two-day (Fri-Sat), community science symposium and open house on critical issues surrounding energy, water and climate. On Friday, over 800 high school girls and 100 teachers from Ursuline participated in hands-on activities (led by faculty, researchers and graduate students from UT Austin and professionals from the surrounding Dallas community), films and discussions, plenary sessions and an expert panel discussion. An opening talk by Dr. Hilary Olson on "Energy, Water and Climate in the 21st Century: Critical Issues for the Global Community" began the day. A series of hands-on activities, and science and technology films with discussion followed. Each girl had an individualized, modular schedule for the day, completing four of the over twenty modules offered. During lunch, Dr. Scott Tinker, Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, presented a compelling talk on "Time, Technology and Transition", and afterwards girls attended another round of hands-on activities in the afternoon. The day ended with a panel discussion where girls could submit questions to the various participants from the day's activities. The exciting experience of a full day of GirlTalk led many high school girls to volunteer for the middle school event on the following morning (Sat.), when 150 middle school girls and their mentors (parents, teachers) attended a community-wide public event to learn about the energy, water and climate nexus. "Breakfast with a Pro" was hosted by the various professionals. Girls and their mentors enjoyed breakfast and discussion about topics and careers in the earth sciences and engineering with presenters, followed by an informal discussion with a panel of professionals. Next, girls and their mentors were each given a pre-assigned individual schedule: the program was an abbreviated version of the high school program, with each girl able to attend four different sessions during the half-day program. Many of the activities used were developed as part of the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution project, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the STORE (Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research and Education) project, sponsored by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy.

Geochemical characterization of the Jurassic Amran deposits from Sharab area (SW Yemen): Origin of organic matter, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate conditions during deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakimi, Mohammed Hail; Abdullah, Wan Hasiah; Makeen, Yousif M.; Saeed, Shadi A.; Al-Hakame, Hitham; Al-Moliki, Tareq; Al-Sharabi, Kholah Qaid; Hatem, Baleid Ali

2017-05-01

Calcareous shales and black limestones of the Jurassic Amran Group, located in the Sharab area (SW Yemen), were analysed based on organic and inorganic geochemical methods. The results of this study were used to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic conditions during Jurassic time and their relevance to organic matter enrichment during deposition of the Amran calcareous shale and black limestone deposits. The analysed Amran samples have present-day TOC and Stotal content values in the range of 0.25-0.91 wt % and 0.59-4.96 wt %, respectively. The relationship between Stotal and TOC contents indicates that the Jurassic Amran deposits were deposited in a marine environment as supported by biomarker environmental indicators. Biomarker distributions also reflect that the analysed Amran deposits received high contributions of marine organic matter (e.g., algal and microbial) with minor amount of land plant source inputs. Low oxygen (reducing) conditions during deposition of the Jurassic Amran deposits are indicated from low Pr/Ph values and relatively high elemental ratios of V/Ni and V/(V + Ni). Enrichment in the pyrite grains and very high DOPT and high Fe/Al ratios further suggest reducing bottom waters. This paleo-redox (i.e., reducing) conditions contributed to preservation of organic matter during deposition of the Jurassic Amran deposits. Semi-arid to warm climatic conditions are also evidenced during deposition of the Amran sediments and consequently increased biological productivity within the photic zone of the water column during deposition. Therefore, the increased bio-productivity in combination with good preservation of organic matter identified as the major mechanisms that gave rise to organic matter enrichment. This contradicts with the low organic matter content of the present-day TOC values of less than 1%. The biomarker maturity data indicate that the analysed Amran samples are of high thermal maturity; therefore, the low present-day TOC is attributed to the thermal effect on the original organic matter. This high thermal maturity level is due to the presence of volcanic rocks, which have invaded the Jurassic rocks during Late Oligocene to Early Miocene.

Time-to-subsequent head injury from sports and recreation activities.

PubMed

Harris, Andrew W; Voaklander, Donald C; Jones, C Allyson; Rowe, Brian H

2012-03-01

To provide population-based risk estimates for sustaining subsequent head injuries (HIs), which occur in sports and recreation (SR). Population-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study. Retrospective review of data from 2 tertiary care and 3 community care emergency departments (EDs) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Individuals younger than 36 years presenting to an ED with an SR-related injury between April 1, 1997, and March 31, 2008. There were 9246 subsequent ED records identified for 8958 patients in the main analysis. Clinically diagnosed HI occurring in SR activities after an index presentation, and the number of days between ED presentations for diagnosed SR-HIs. Individuals with 1 and 2 previous SR-related HIs were 2.62 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.23-3.07] and 5.94 times, respectively, more likely (95% CI, 3.43-10.29) to sustain a subsequent HI than those without a previous HI. The median time-to first HI was 758 days from an initial injury and decreased to 613 days and 303 days for those at risk of second and third SR-related HIs (P < 0.0001). Individuals aged 7 to 13 years were 4.29 times more likely (95% CI, 2.65-6.92) to sustain an HI when presenting with a subsequent SR injury, compared with those aged 30 to 35 years. The odds of sustaining a subsequent HI substantially increase with each successive HI. Time between SR-related HIs shortens as the number of HIs increases. Initial HI may be a key marker to institute high-risk injury prevention measures directed at young persons who present to EDs.

Effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on selective fitness profile parameters in young untrained Muslim men.

PubMed

Roy, Anindita Singha; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of sleep deprivation and dietary irregularities during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on selective fitness profile parameters in young untrained male Muslim individuals. 77 untrained Muslim men were recruited in the study. They were divided into the experimental group (EG; n=37, age: 22.62±1.77 years) and the control group (CG; n=40, age: 23.00±1.48 years). EG was undergoing RIF while CG abstained. Aerobic fitness, anaerobic capacity or high-intensity efforts (HIEs), agility, flexibility, vertical jump height and handgrip strength were measured on 8 separate occasions-15 days before RIF, 7 days before RIF, 1st day of RIF, 7th day of RIF, 15th day of RIF, 21st day of RIF, last day of RIF and 15 days after RIF. Aerobic fitness and HIE showed a significant difference (p<0.05) during RIF in EG. Agility and flexibility score showed a significant decrease in EG during RIF, whereas changes in the vertical jump score (VJT) and handgrip strength were statistically insignificant. Studied parameters showed an insignificant variation in CG during RIF. Aerobic fitness, HIEs, agility and flexibility showed a significant intergroup variation during different experimental trials. The present investigation revealed that RIF had adverse effects on aerobic fitness, HIEs, agility and flexibility of young untrained Muslims of Kolkata, India. VJT, waist-hip ratio and handgrip strength were not affected by RIF in the studied population. Mild but statistically insignificant reduction in body mass was also reflected after the mid-Ramadan week.

Embolization of congenital intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt by n-butyl cyanoacrylate.

PubMed

Gupta, Vivek; Kalra, Naveen; Vyas, Sameer; Sodhi, K S; Thapa, B R; Khandelwal, N

2009-10-01

Congenital intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt (IHPSVS) is rare vascular anomaly. We present one case of a 14-month male child who presented with global developmental delay. Child had high ammonia levels with low glutamine and high bile salts on the previous investigations and had history of neonatal seizures since day 13 of life. On admission, serum ammonia levels were elevated to 112micromol/L. Other laboratory investigations including liver and renal function test, and electrolytes were normal. He was, diagnosed to have IHPSVS on the basis of Doppler and CT, and treated by embolization with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (glue). A brief review of diagnostic modalities and endovascular management for the IHPSVS is presented including the present case.

High-resolution spectroscopy of jet-cooled CH5+: Progress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, C.; Dong, F.; Nesbitt, D. J.

2015-01-01

Protonated methane (CH5+) is thought to be a highly abundant molecular ion in interstellar medium, as well as a potentially bright μwave- mm wave emitter that could serve as a tracer for methane. This paper describes progress and first successful efforts to obtain a high resolution, supersonically cooled spectrum of CH5+ in the 2900-3100 cm-1 region, formed in a slit supersonic discharge at low jet temperatures and with sub-Doppler resolution. Short term precision in frequency measurement (< 5 MHz on an hour time scale) is obtained from a thermally controlled optical transfer cavity servoloop locked onto a frequency stabilized HeNe laser. Long term precision (< 20 MHz day-to-day) due to pressure, temperature and humidity dependent index of refraction effects in the optical transfer cavity is also present and discussed.

Phenotypic and molecular differences between rats selectively bred to voluntarily run high vs. low nightly distances

PubMed Central

Roberts, Michael D.; Brown, Jacob D.; Company, Joseph M.; Oberle, Lauren P.; Heese, Alexander J.; Toedebusch, Ryan G.; Wells, Kevin D.; Cruthirds, Clayton L.; Knouse, John A.; Ferreira, J. Andries; Childs, Thomas E.; Brown, Marybeth

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to partially phenotype male and female rats from generations 8–10 (G8–G10) that had been selectively bred to possess low (LVR) vs. high voluntary running (HVR) behavior. Over the first 6 days with wheels, 34-day-old G8 male and female LVRs ran shorter distances (P < 0.001), spent less time running (P < 0.001), and ran slower (P < 0.001) than their G8 male and female HVR counterparts, respectively. HVR and LVR lines consumed similar amounts of standard chow with or without wheels. No inherent difference existed in PGC-1α mRNA in the plantaris and soleus muscles of LVR and HVR nonrunners, although G8 LVR rats inherently possessed less NADH-positive superficial plantaris fibers compared with G8 HVR rats. While day 28 body mass tended to be greater in both sexes of G9–G10 LVR nonrunners vs. G9–G10 HVR nonrunners (P = 0.06), body fat percentage was similar between lines. G9–G10 HVRs had fat mass loss after 6 days of running compared with their prerunning values, while LVR did not lose or gain fat mass during the 6-day voluntary running period. RNA deep sequencing efforts in the nucleus accumbens showed only eight transcripts to be >1.5-fold differentially expressed between lines in HVR and LVR nonrunners. Interestingly, HVRs presented less Oprd1 mRNA, which ties in to potential differences in dopaminergic signaling between lines. This unique animal model provides further evidence as to how exercise may be mechanistically regulated. PMID:23552494

Halloween High Jinks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Doreen; And Others

1992-01-01

Presents a collection of fall and Halloween activities for elementary students, including pumpkin poetry, batty bulletin boards (graphing), vegetable variety art, old time radio mysteries, paper doll Halloween safety, career dress-up day, imaginative Halloween writing, and matching animals with foods they eat. A student page offers a Dracula…

Whale-Watching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lande, Rivian

1973-01-01

Describes a program initiated by the Cabrillo Beach Museum (San Pedro, California) and the American Cetacean Society to take students of the fourth grade through high school on half-day cruises to observe gray whales. College students assist in the program with related field projects and presentations in the schools. (JR)

Modification of the Western Gondwana craton by plume-lithosphere interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jiashun; Liu, Lijun; Faccenda, Manuele; Zhou, Quan; Fischer, Karen M.; Marshak, Stephen; Lundstrom, Craig

2018-03-01

The longevity of cratons is generally attributed to persistence of neutrally-to-positively buoyant and mechanically strong lithosphere that shields the cratonic crust from underlying mantle dynamics. Here we show that large portions of the cratonic lithosphere in South America and Africa, however, experienced significant modification during and since the Mesozoic era, as demonstrated by widespread Cretaceous uplift and volcanism, present-day high topography, thin crust, and the presence of seismically fast but neutrally buoyant upper-mantle anomalies. We suggest that these observations reflect a permanent increase in lithospheric buoyancy due to plume-triggered delamination of deep lithospheric roots during the Late Cretaceous and early Cenozoic periods. Lithosphere in these regions has been thermally reestablished since then, as confirmed by its present-day low heat flow, high seismic velocities and realigned seismic anisotropy. We conclude that the original lowermost cratonic lithosphere is compositionally denser than the asthenospheric mantle and can be removed when perturbed by underlying mantle upwelling. Therefore, it is the buoyancy of the upper lithosphere that perpetuates stabilization of cratons.

[Severe pulmonary embolism revealed by status epilepticus].

PubMed

Allou, N; Coolen-Allou, N; Delmas, B; Cordier, C; Allyn, J

2016-12-01

High-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with high mortality rate (>50%). In some cases, diagnosis of PE remains a challenge with atypical presentations like in this case report with a PE revealed by status epilepticus. We report the case of a 40-year-old man without prior disease, hospitalized in ICU for status epilepticus. All paraclinical examinations at admission did not show any significant abnormalities (laboratory tests, cardiologic and neurological investigations). On day 1, he presented a sudden circulatory collapse and echocardiography showed right intra-auricular thrombus. He was treated by thrombolysis and arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. After stabilization, computed tomography showed severe bilateral PE. He developed multi-organ failure and died 4days after admission. Pulmonary embolism revealed by status epilepticus has rarely been reported and is associated with poor prognosis. Physicians should be aware and think of the possibility of PE in patients with status epilepticus without any history or risk factors of seizure and normal neurological investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fulminate Hepatic Failure as an Initial Presentation of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Bizhan; Shafieipour, Sara; Akhavan Rezayat, Kambiz

2014-01-01

Viral hepatitis and toxins comprise most common causes of fulminate hepatic failure that are often diagnosed with standard laboratory tests. Herein we discuss a rare, difficult to diagnosis etiology of acute liver failure (ALF). A 62-year-old man presented with a two-week history of fever and fatigue. At four days before admission he became lethargic. His past medical and drug histories were unremarkable. Physical examination revealed generalized jaundice, fever and loss of consciousness. Laboratory tests showed elevated liver transaminases with direct hyper-bilirubinemia. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan showed hepatosplenomegaly and para-aortic abdominal lymphadenopathy. A further work-up included liver biopsy. The histopathology and imunohistochemistry was compatible with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. He underwent high dose glucocorticoid therapy but his condition deteriorated rapidly and he died eight days after admission. ALF as an initial manifestation of malignant hepatic infiltration is extremely rare yet should be considered in all patients with unknown hepatic failure that are highly suspicious for malignant neoplasm. PMID:24872870

New Insights on "Next Day" Ozone Increases in the Northeastern U.S. using Continuous Vertical Profiles of Ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, J. T.; McGee, T. J.; Rabenhorst, S. D.; Delgado, R.; Dreessen, J.; Sumnicht, G. K.; Twigg, L.

2016-12-01

A unique multi-day air quality event occurred throughout the Mid-Atlantic region from June 9-12, 2015. The June event was coupled to the advection of widespread smoke and debris from western Canada throughout the region. Observations indicated that the aged smoke impacted the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and greatly enhanced ozone concentrations at the surface. Many ground sites in the region, particularly in Maryland, recorded 8-hr ozone concentrations that were in exceedance of the 75 ppb EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). After the high O3 episode occurred, a nocturnal low-level jet developed throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, which was spatially correlated with next day high O3 at several sites within the New England region. During this event, nearly continuous vertical profiles of ozone are presented at Beltsville, MD from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center TROPospheric OZone DIfferential Absorption Lidar (GSFC TROPOZ DIAL), which has been developed and validated within the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet). Lidar observations reveal a well-mixed polluted PBL, nocturnal residual layer, and subsequent mixing down of the residual layer in the morning. Additional measurements of surface ozone, aerosol lidar profiles, wind profiles, and balloon borne profiles are also presented. Model output and trajectory analyses are also presented to illustrate the complex flow regimes that occurred during the daytime and nighttime to help redistribute the polluted air mass.

Global Simultaneous Estimation of Present-Day Surface Mass Trend and GIA Using Multi-Sensor Geodetic Data Combination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, X.; Heflin, M. B.; Schotman, H.; Vermeersen, B. L.; Dong, D.; Gross, R. S.; Ivins, E. R.; Moore, A. W.; Owen, S. E.

2009-12-01

Separating geodetic signatures of present-day surface mass trend and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) requires multi-data types of different physical characteristics. We take a kinematic approach to the global simultaneous estimation problem. Three sets of global spherical harmonic coefficients from degree 1 to 60 of the present-day surface mass trend, vertical and horizontal GIA induced surface velocity fields, as well as rotation vectors of 15 major tectonic plates are solved for. The estimation is carried out using GRACE geoid trend, 3-dimensional velocities measured at 664 SLR/VLBI/GPS sites, the data-assimilated JPL ECCO ocean model. The ICE-5G/IJ05 (VM2) predictions are used as a priori GIA mean model. An a priori covariance matrix is constructed in the spherical harmonic domain for the GIA model by propagating the covariance matrices of random and geographically correlated ice thickness errors and upper/lower mantle viscosity errors so that the resulting magnitude and geographic pattern of the geoid uncertainties roughly reflect the difference between two recent GIA models. Unprecedented high-precision results are achieved. For example, geocenter velocities due to present-day surface mass trend and due to GIA are both determined to uncertainties of better than 0.1 mm/yr without using direct geodetic geocenter information. Information content of the data sets, future improvements, and benefits from new data will also be explored in the global inverse framework.

Prospective evaluation of antibiotic treatment for urological procedure in patients presenting with neurogenic bladder.

PubMed

Weglinski, L; Rouzaud, C; Even, A; Bouchand, F; Davido, B; Duran, C; Salomon, J; Perronne, C; Denys, P; Chartier-Kastler, E; Dinh, A

2016-09-01

Patients presenting with neurogenic bladder often require urological procedures (urodynamic testing and botulinum toxin injections) and a preventive antibiotic therapy. We aimed to assess the efficacy of this little known strategy in a cohort of patients. All patients presenting with neurogenic bladder who underwent urological procedure were included in the study. They received an antibiotic therapy in accordance with the urine cytobacteriological examination results. The antibiotic therapy was initiated two days before the procedure and prolonged up until two days after the procedure if the culture was positive. Patients were treated with a single dose of fosfomycin-trometamol in case of a negative culture. The main study outcome was the occurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI), defined by a positive urine culture and symptoms, up until 14 days after the procedure. A total of 80 urological procedures were performed. Mean patient age was 47±13.1 years (sex ratio 1.22); 59 (73.8%) presented with asymptomatic bacteriuria before the procedure. Nine (11.1%) UTIs were recorded on Day 14, of which one (1.2%) was febrile. Two patients required an additional curative antibiotic therapy. No patient was hospitalized. Overall, 77.8% of UTIs were cured without antibiotic therapy. Screening and treating asymptomatic bacteriuria before urological procedures seems unnecessary and vainly exposes this population at high risk of infectious diseases to antibiotic therapies. This data should be confirmed by a randomized clinical trial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis following morbilli-parotitis-rubella vaccination.

PubMed

Dobrosavljevic, D; Milinkovic, M V; Nikolic, M M

1999-07-01

We present the first reported case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) caused by morbilli-parotitis-rubella (MPR) vaccine. A 13-year-old girl developed TEN 7 days after she received live, attenuated, triple MPR vaccine. The history of drug intake and any illness was negative. At admission the patient was acutely ill with high fever. The whole body was erythematous. The epidermis was wrinkled and the Nikolsky sign was positive. Numerous erosions were present on the lips and genital region. On the seventh day of illness, the eruption involved 80% of the skin. Systemic corticosteroid therapy was not employed. The skin and mucosal defects completely epithelized by the end of the third week of illness. Mild keratoconjunctivitis sicca remained because of permanent cup cell damage.

High temporal resolution delayed analysis of clinical microdialysate streams† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c7an01209h

PubMed Central

Gowers, S. A. N.; Hamaoui, K.; Cunnea, P.; Anastasova, S.; Curto, V. F.; Vadgama, P.; Yang, G.-Z.; Papalois, V.; Drakakis, E. M.; Fotopoulou, C.; Weber, S. G.

2018-01-01

This paper presents the use of tubing to store clinical microdialysis samples for delayed analysis with high temporal resolution, offering an alternative to traditional discrete offline microdialysis sampling. Samples stored in this way were found to be stable for up to 72 days at –80 °C. Examples of how this methodology can be applied to glucose and lactate measurement in a wide range of in vivo monitoring experiments are presented. This paper presents a general model, which allows for an informed choice of tubing parameters for a given storage time and flow rate avoiding high back pressure, which would otherwise cause the microdialysis probe to leak, while maximising temporal resolution. PMID:29336454

Apparent diffusion coefficient is highly reproducible on preclinical imaging systems: Evidence from a seven-center multivendor study.

PubMed

Doblas, Sabrina; Almeida, Gilberto S; Blé, François-Xavier; Garteiser, Philippe; Hoff, Benjamin A; McIntyre, Dominick J O; Wachsmuth, Lydia; Chenevert, Thomas L; Faber, Cornelius; Griffiths, John R; Jacobs, Andreas H; Morris, David M; O'Connor, James P B; Robinson, Simon P; Van Beers, Bernard E; Waterton, John C

2015-12-01

To evaluate between-site agreement of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in preclinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. A miniaturized thermally stable ice-water phantom was devised. ADC (mean and interquartile range) was measured over several days, on 4.7T, 7T, and 9.4T Bruker, Agilent, and Magnex small-animal MRI systems using a common protocol across seven sites. Day-to-day repeatability was expressed as percent variation of mean ADC between acquisitions. Cross-site reproducibility was expressed as 1.96 × standard deviation of percent deviation of ADC values. ADC measurements were equivalent across all seven sites with a cross-site ADC reproducibility of 6.3%. Mean day-to-day repeatability of ADC measurements was 2.3%, and no site was identified as presenting different measurements than others (analysis of variance [ANOVA] P = 0.02, post-hoc test n.s.). Between-slice ADC variability was negligible and similar between sites (P = 0.15). Mean within-region-of-interest ADC variability was 5.5%, with one site presenting a significantly greater variation than the others (P = 0.0013). Absolute ADC values in preclinical studies are comparable between sites and equipment, provided standardized protocols are employed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

How to quantify microparticles in RBCs? A validated flow cytometry method allows the detection of an increase in microparticles during storage.

PubMed

Gamonet, Clémentine; Mourey, Guillaume; Aupet, Sophie; Biichle, Sabéha; Petitjean, Régis; Vidal, Chrystelle; Pugin, Aurore; Naegelen, Christian; Tiberghien, Pierre; Morel, Pascal; Angelot-Delettre, Fanny; Seilles, Estelle; Saas, Philippe; Bardiaux, Laurent; Garnache-Ottou, Francine

2017-03-01

The procoagulant and proinflammatory microparticles (MPs) released during storage of packed red blood cells (pRBCs) can potentially modify transfusion benefits. A robust method to quantify MPs in pRBCs is needed to evaluate their impact in clinical trials. The objective was to validate the preanalytic conditions required to prepare pRBC supernatant as well as a method to quantify and evaluate MP variations over 42 days of pRBC storage.A flow cytometry method with size-calibrated beads was developed and fully validated. Quantification of MPs in pRBCs (n = 109) was assessed during short-term (7 days) and long-term (42 days) storage at 4°C, during short-term storage (8 hours) at room temperature, and after 2 years frozen. Repeatability, reproducibility, and linearity of the quantification method were validated, and variations during conservation are presented. There was high variability in RBC (erythrocyte) MP (ERMP) and platelet MP (PMP) levels between RBC units, depending on the filter used for leukocyte reduction. During the 42 days of storage at 4°C, significant increases in ERMPs and PMPs occurred (from 58 to 138 ERMPs/µL from Day 2 to Day 42; p = 0.0002; and from 326 to 771 PMPs/µL from Day 2 to Day 42; p = 0.00026). We use a robust method to confirm that ERMPs and PMPs are present to various degrees in pRBCs and that storage for 42 days significantly increases their generation. This method is robust enough to allow MP quantification in pRBCs and is adapted to evaluate the clinical impact of transfused MPs in prospective clinical trials. © 2017 AABB.

A randomized clinical trial with high dose of chloroquine for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Brazil.

PubMed

de Andrade, J G; de Andrade, A L; Araujo, E S; Oliveira, R M; Silva, S A; Martelli, C M; Zicker, F

1992-01-01

This clinical trial compared parasitological efficacy, levels of in vivo resistance and side effects of oral chloroquine 25 mg/Kg and 50 mg/Kg in 3 days treatment in Plasmodium falciparum malaria with an extended followed-up of 30 days. The study enrolled 58 patients in the 25 mg/Kg group and 66 in the 50 mg/Kg group. All eligible subjects were over 14 years of age and came from Amazon Basin and Central Brazil during the period of August 1989 to April 1991. The cure rate in the 50 mg/Kg group was 89.4% on day 7 and 71.2% on day 14 compared to 44.8% and 24.1% in the 25 mg/Kg group. 74.1% of the patients in the 25 mg/Kg group and 48.4% of the patients in the 50 mg/Kg group had detectable parasitaemia at the day 30. However, there was a decrease of the geometric mean parasite density in both groups specially in the 50 mg/Kg group. There was 24.1% of RIII and 13.8% of RII in the 25 mg/Kg group. Side effects were found to be minimum in both groups. The present data support that there was a high level resistance to chloroquine in both groups, and the high dose regimen only delayed the development of resistance and its administration should not be recommended as first choice in malaria P. falciparum therapy in Brazil.

Prenatal development of the digestive system in the horse.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Marcio N; Carvalho, Rafael C; Franciolli, Andre L R; Rodrigues, Rosângela F; Rigoglio, Nathia N; Jacob, Julio C F; Gastal, Eduardo L; Miglino, Maria A

2014-07-01

Since the horse has a highly precocial reproductive strategy, most organs are functionally well developed at birth and thus, embryonic and fetal life is interesting. Data on the development of important organs are very limited. Here, we detailed macroscopically and histologically the equine digestive system, focusing on the first third of gestation. At 21 days, the oral cavity was an empty space, and the liver contained proliferating endodermal cells. At 25 days, a fusiform stomach and the pancreatic bud were present. At 28 days, a small tongue and the esophagus occurred. At 30 days, primary and secondary palates were developed, the liver contained cords of hepatocytes, and the pancreas was triangular. At 40 days, crypts had formed in the intestinal loops, cell differentiation was observed in the hepatic parenchyma, and the pancreas was elongated. Pancreatic acini and islets were observed in fetuses of 50 days and intestines were highly convoluted. Three segments of the pharynx were distinguishable at 75 days. At 105 days, the intestinal villi were wide with round tips; especially, the liver, stomach, and oral cavity showed key steps of anatomical and cellular differentiation in early fetuses, whereas other areas, such as pancreas or pharynx were still immature in the investigated phase. Pluripotency analysis using Oct4 showed initial intense staining in all of the digestive system tissues and a later decreased becoming restricted to specific cell layers. In conclusion, our data may contribute to perform a chronological reference of developmental events for approaches predicting pregnancy disorders in horses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical activity, sleep pattern and energy expenditure in double-handed offshore sailing.

PubMed

Galvani, C; Ardigò, L P; Alberti, M; Daniele, F; Capelli, C

2015-12-01

The aim of the present study was to quantify total energy expenditure, activity energy expenditure and time spent at three levels of physical activity (low, moderate, high intensity) in four two-person crews during a 500-mile double-handed sailing regatta. Physical activity intensity and energy expenditure were assessed during a 500-nautical-mile double-handed offshore competition in eight male sailors (46.3±3.4 years; 180±13 cm; 85.4±12.5 kg). During the whole regatta, they wore an activity monitor that estimated energy expenditure and minutes spent at each level of intensity (sedentary, <1.5 METs; light physical activity, 1.5-2.9 METs; moderate physical activity, 3.0-6.0 METs; vigorous physical activity, >6.0 METs). The sailors spent longer periods (P<0.0001) of time in sedentary (823±193 min/day) and light physical activities (516±177 min/day) than in moderate (95±34 min/day) or vigorous (6±4 min/day) physical activities. They slept 5 times per day (±1.4) for 36 min (±9) in each sleeping period. The total energy expenditure was 14.26±1.89 MJ/day and the activity energy expenditure was 5.06±1.42 MJ/day. Activity energy expenditure was significantly correlated with total sleep time, boat speed, and distance covered each day (P<0.05). CONCLUSION;:The high total energy expenditure was more likely a consequence of the short and rare periods of sleep during the competition rather than of the bouts of moderate and vigorous physical activities.

Minds That Matter: 2007 Gairdner International Awards Lectures

PubMed Central

Krasnoshtein, F.; Nikolov, N.

2007-01-01

On October 25 and 26, 2007, at the University of Toronto, the Gairdner Foundation in partnership with Canadian Institutes of Health Research presented a two-day international symposium titled Minds That Matter. The symposium featured academic lectures by Gairdner Award winners past and present and by other leading biomedical scientists. These distinguished researchers share many characteristics in common: creativity, vision, tenacity, and driving curiosity to illuminate discovery with high degree of relevance. The present article summarizes the 2007 Gairdner Award lectures.

The development of Fournier's gangrene following rubber band ligation of haemorrhoids

PubMed Central

Subramaniam, Daryl; Hureibi, Khalid; Zia, Khawaja; Uheba, Mokthar

2013-01-01

The development of Fournier's gangrene in an 80-year-old male patient with diabetes after a routine outpatient haemorrhoid banding procedure is described. Four days following the procedure, the patient noticed an increasing amount of pain and swelling of the perianal region. When the patient presented to the emergency department 18 days later, immediate radical debridement of ischiorectal necrotic tissue was performed. A defunctioning loop sigmoid colostomy was also formed. Subsequent operations required excision of the scrotum and abdominoperineal excision of the rectum. Histology studies later confirmed the presence of necrotising fasciitis. The case acts as a reminder that clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for high-risk patients still suffering from problems following the procedure. PMID:24287481

Acute Exposure to High Dose γ-Radiation Results in Transient Activation of Bone Lining Cells

PubMed Central

Turner, Russell T.; Iwaniec, Urszula T.; Wong, Carmen P.; Lindenmaier, Laurence B.; Wagner, Lindsay A.; Branscum, Adam J.; Menn, Scott A.; Taylor, James; Zhang, Ye; Wu, Honglu; Sibonga, Jean D.

2014-01-01

The present studies investigated the cellular mechanisms for the detrimental effects of high dose whole body γ-irradiation on bone. In addition, radioadaptation and bone marrow transplantation were assessed as interventions to mitigate the skeletal complications of irradiation. Increased trabecular thickness and separation and reduced fractional cancellous bone volume, connectivity density, and trabecular number were detected in proximal tibia and lumbar vertebra 14 days following γ-irradiation with 6 Gy. To establish the cellular mechanism for the architectural changes, vertebrae were analyzed by histomorphometry 1, 3, and 14 days following irradiation. Marrow cell density decreased within 1 day (67% reduction, p<0.0001), reached a minimum value after 3 days (86% reduction, p<0.0001), and partially rebounded by 14 days (30% reduction, p=0.0025) following irradiation. In contrast, osteoblast-lined bone perimeter was increased by 290% (1 day, p=0.04), 1230% (3 days, p<0.0001), and 530% (14 days, p=0.003), respectively. There was a strong association between radiation-induced marrow cell death and activation of bone lining cells to express the osteoblast phenotype (Pearson correlation −0.85, p<0.0001). An increase (p=0.004) in osteoclast-lined bone perimeter was also detected with irradiation. A priming dose of γ-radiation (0.5 mGy), previously shown to reduce mortality, had minimal effect on the cellular responses to radiation and did not prevent detrimental changes in bone architecture. Bone marrow transplantation normalized marrow cell density, bone turnover, and most indices of bone architecture following irradiation. In summary, radiation-induced death of marrow cells is associated with 1) a transient increase in bone formation due, at least in part, to activation of bone lining cells, and 2) an increase in bone resorption due to increased osteoclast perimeter. Bone marrow transplantation is effective in mitigating the detrimental effects of acute exposure to high dose whole body γ-radiation on bone turnover. PMID:23954507

Relative Fluid Novelty Differentially Alters the Time Course of Limited-Access Ethanol and Water Intake in Selectively Bred High Alcohol Preferring Mice

PubMed Central

Linsenbardt, David N.; Boehm, Stephen L.

2015-01-01

Background The influence of previous alcohol (ethanol) drinking experience on increasing the rate and amount of future ethanol consumption might be a genetically-regulated phenomenon critical to the development and maintenance of repeated excessive ethanol abuse. We have recently found evidence supporting this view, wherein inbred C57BL/6J (B6) mice develop progressive increases in the rate of binge-ethanol consumption over repeated Drinking-in-the-Dark (DID) ethanol access sessions (i.e. ‘front-loading’). The primary goal of the present study was to evaluate identical parameters in High Alcohol Preferring (HAP) mice to determine if similar temporal alterations in limited-access ethanol drinking develop in a population selected for high ethanol preference/intake under continuous (24hr) access conditions. Methods Using specialized volumetric drinking devices, HAP mice received 14 daily 2 hour DID ethanol or water access sessions. A subset of these mice was then given one day access to the opposite assigned fluid on day 15. Home cage locomotor activity was recorded concomitantly on each day of these studies. The possibility of behavioral/metabolic tolerance was evaluated on day 16 using experimenter administered ethanol. Results The amount of ethanol consumed within the first 15 minutes of access increased markedly over days. However, in contrast to previous observations in B6 mice, ethanol front-loading was also observed on day 15 in mice that only had previous DID experience with water. Furthermore, a decrease in the amount of water consumed within the first 15 minutes of access compared to animals given repeated water access was observed on day 15 in mice with 14 previous days of ethanol access. Conclusions These data further illustrate the complexity and importance of the temporal aspects of limited-access ethanol consumption, and suggest that previous procedural/fluid experience in HAP mice selectively alters the time course of ethanol and water consumption. PMID:25833024

[Impact of environmental factors on the incidence of posteropative nausea and vomiting. Influence of the weather and cycle of the moon].

PubMed

Eberhart, L H; Jakobi, G; Winterhalter, M; Georgieff, M

2000-10-01

In a survey concerning postoperative nausea and vomiting an unexpected high number of the participants stressed the impact of environmental factors, like weather and--even more surprising--the phase of the moon, on the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of these factors on the incidence of PONV. On 203 days within the 19-month study period, 2488 patients were followed up for at least 24 hours postoperatively to determine the occurrence of PONV. For each day the actual incidence of PONV was compared with the mean predicted risk of PONV calculated with two risk scores for prediction of PONV (Koivuranta, 1997; Apfel, 1998). 32 days with the most significant difference between actual and predicted incidence of PONV were analysed retrospectively by two biometeorological experts, who were blind to the information whether each day was associated with a high or low incidence of PONV, evaluated the possible impact of the weather of these days. To analyse the influence of the cycle of the moon it was prospectively classified into four different phases. The two biometeorologists rated 22 out of the presented 32 days correctly. The likelihood p that this rating happened by chance is 0.0251, assuming that the likelihood for predicting each day correctly is 0.5 (independent Bernoulli-experiments, e.g. throwing a coin). However, days with a high or low incidence of PONV were equally distributed within the four phases of the moon (p = 0.97; chi 2-test with Yates' correction). Results from this analysis suggest that the weather may have some impact on the occurrence of PONV. However, our data do not support the hypothesis that the phases of the moon have any influence on this symptom.

Operational Collision Avoidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guit, Bill

2015-01-01

This presentation will describe the early days of the EOS Aqua and Aura operational collision avoidance process. It will highlight EOS debris avoidance maneuvers, EOS high interest event statistic and A-Train systematic conjunctions and conclude with future challenges. This is related to earlier e-DAA (tracking number 21692) that an abstract was submitted to a different conference. Eric Moyer, ESMO Deputy Project Manager has reviewed and approved this presentation on May 6, 2015

A case report: delayed high fever and maculopapules during Sorafenib treatment of ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Cui, Tianxiang; Diao, Xinwei; Chen, Xiewan; Huang, Shaojiang; Sun, Jianguo

2016-07-27

Sorafenib is the standard first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and probably ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (EHCC) as well. No report involves a side effect of delayed high fever of sorafenib. This manuscript describes a case of EHCC in the thoracic and abdominal cavities, who showed a delayed high fever and maculopapules during sorafenib treatment. The patient is a 63-year-old Chinese male with advanced EHCC, taking sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. On the tenth day, red maculopapules appeared all over the body. On the same day, the patient began to suffer from continuous high fever. Due to these effects, the patient was asked to cease sorafenib treatment, and the high fever and maculopapules were alleviated quickly. However, the symptoms were present again upon re-challenge of sorafenib. Prednisone was then administered to control the symptoms, with the dosage gradually reduced from 30 to 5 mg/day in 1.5 months. No recurrence of fever or maculopapules has been found. Tumor response reached partial response (PR) and progression free survival (PFS) reached 392 days + by the date of Apr. 14th, 2016. EHCC could be treated like orthotopic HCC by oral administration of sorafenib, which shows good tumor response and survival benefit. Delayed high fever and maculopapules are potential, rare and severe side effects of sorafenib, and could be effectively controlled by glucocorticoid.

Use of CMIP3 simulations to estimate the changes of temperature indicators over France and Europe during the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leboucher, V.; Couillaux, A.; Parey, S.; Fil, C.

2007-12-01

Projections of changes in temperature are essential to assess the impact of climate change on the energy supply sector as heating and cooling, energy demand highly depends on temperature. A selection of temperature indicators and their changes are examined for several simulations using SRES Emission Scenario A2 from the CMIP3 archive. We compare the present day simulated indicators to those in European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA40 reanalysis The results are analysed for six areas over Europe and two time periods during the 21st century. We focus our study on changes in number and duration of hot and cold events and on changes in heating degree-days and cooling degree-days, which are commonly used to estimate the weather-related variations in energy consumption. Results are presented for the different models with some comparisons to the regional model simulations from the European PRUDENCE project to evaluate uncertainties.

Poster Day Showcases Student Work | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nathalie Walker, Guest Writer, and Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer On July 31, NCI at Frederick hosted Student Poster Day, an annual event in which student interns can showcase the work they do in their various positions in NCI at Frederick labs and offices. Participating students are interns in the Student Internship Program, a program designed for undergraduate and graduate students during their summer breaks, as well as interns in the Werner H. Kirsten Student Internship Program (WHK SIP), a program for high school seniors. All the students have an opportunity to present their scientific posters.

Forecasting Electricity Prices in an Optimization Hydrothermal Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matías, J. M.; Bayón, L.; Suárez, P.; Argüelles, A.; Taboada, J.

2007-12-01

This paper presents an economic dispatch algorithm in a hydrothermal system within the framework of a competitive and deregulated electricity market. The optimization problem of one firm is described, whose objective function can be defined as its profit maximization. Since next-day price forecasting is an aspect crucial, this paper proposes an efficient yet highly accurate next-day price new forecasting method using a functional time series approach trying to exploit the daily seasonal structure of the series of prices. For the optimization problem, an optimal control technique is applied and Pontryagin's theorem is employed.

Does acute or habitual protein deprivation influence liking for monosodium glutamate?

PubMed

Masic, Una; Yeomans, Martin R

2017-03-15

The umami flavour generated by monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been proposed as the marker for the presence of protein in foods. As protein is the most closely regulated macronutrient in the diet, the present study addressed whether acute protein deprivation, habitual protein intake or a combination of the two influenced liking for the taste of MSG. 24 low-restraint male participants (mean age: 22; BMI: 23) consumed either their habitual breakfast (baseline), a low protein breakfast (breakfast meal with low protein milk and milkshake) or a high protein breakfast (breakfast meal with high protein milk and milkshake) on three different days, and then evaluated the acceptability of umami (MSG), salty (NaCl) or sweet (Acesulphame K) tastes at low or high concentrations in a soup context at lunchtime. Participants also completed a habitual protein intake questionnaire (39-item protein Food Frequency Questionnaire). Liking for all tastes was higher on the low than on the high protein day, and NaCl and Acesulphame K were liked less on both protein manipulation days when compared to the no added flavour control. Habitual protein intake was not related to liking for MSG stimuli alone but habitual high protein consumers rated a high concentration of MSG as more pleasant than any other taste when in protein deficit. Overall, these findings suggest that liking for high MSG concentrations may be moderated by nutritional need in high protein consumers. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-identical distribution pattern of epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor in the mouse uterus during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy.

PubMed

Jaber, L; Kan, F W

1998-10-01

In the present study, we examined by immunohistochemistry the cell-specific distribution of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in the mouse uterus during the oestrous cycle and throughout the first 7 days of pregnancy. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples were immunostained using the avidin-biotin peroxidase technique and then examined by light microscopy. Our results showed that immunostaining for EGF was detected in the stroma but not in the luminal or glandular epithelium. A high concentration of EGF was detected in the stroma around the time of embryo implantation at days 3, 4 and 5 of pregnancy. The implanted embryo at day 7 of gestation showed immunostaining for EGF between the ectoderm and endoderm layers. The cell distribution pattern for PDGF was found to be different from that observed with EGF. Luminal and glandular epithelia displayed PDGF immunostaining throughout the first 7 days of pregnancy, with the highest intensity at days 4 and 5 of gestation. In contrast, no immunostaining was observed in the luminal and glandular epithelia at post-oestrus, dioestrus and pro-oestrus stages. However, a weak reaction started to appear at oestrus. The embryo at the blastocyst stage displayed a strong immunoreaction for antibody against PDGF. In addition, the decidual boundary zone surrounding the implanted embryo at days 5, 6 and 7 of gestation also showed an immunostaining for PDGF. The present observations demonstrate clearly the presence of EGF and PDGF in the mouse uterus in high concentrations at the peri-implantation period. Thus, our results, together with what is known about the effect of EGF and PDGF in controlling the growth, differentiation and activation of a variety of cell types, suggest a possible role for these growth factors during the preparation of the endometrium for implantation in controlling the proliferation activity of stromal and/or epithelial cells.

Acute photosensitisation and mortality in a herd of dairy cattle in Tasmania.

PubMed

Golder, H M; Moss, N; Rogers, G; Jackson, B; Gannon, N; Wong, Ptw; Lean, I J

2017-01-01

A herd of Holstein, Jersey, or Holstein-Jersey cross lactating cattle of mixed ages presented with a sudden drop in milk yield in 94/678 cows on 3 October 2014 (Day 0). The herd was located in Gretna in the Derwent Valley (Tasmania, Australia) and had been grazing dryland pasture. On Day 0 the cows variably showed recumbency, peracute photosensitisation, inflamed coronary bands, conjunctival erythema, periauricular oedema, distress indicated by kicking at the flank, bruxism, discomfort, weight shifting, vocalisation indicating pain and depression. Blood samples collected on Day 4 from five clinically affected cows showed high activities of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyl transferase. Morbidity, based on the number of treated cases within 72 hours of clinical onset, was estimated at 165/678 cows (24.3%). Mortality over the first 30 days was 19/678 cows (2.8%). Necropsies of two cows on Day 4 showed marked distension of the gall bladder and extensive icterus. Necropsies of another two cows on Day 5 showed enlarged livers with severe damage and oedema of the distal abomasum. Severe ulcerative abomasal gastritis was present in both cows. Hepatic histopathology was consistent with chronic cholangiohepatitis. Fifty-five different mycotoxins were detected from a barley grass (Hordeum murinum) sample from the presumably contaminated pasture. Concentrations of B-trichothecenes, fumonisins, and zearalenone metabolites from this sample were remarkably high. The leaf smut, Jamesdicksonia dactylidis, that has not been previously reported in Tasmania, was identified from the sample of barley grass, but it is not known whether the smut can produce toxins. Probably an undescribed peracute mycotoxicosis associated with the ingestion of contaminated dryland pasture. A definitive diagnosis could not be reached in this case of acute photosensitisation and mortality in dairy cattle grazing possibly contaminated dryland pasture. The findings differed from both facial eczema and acute bovine liver disease, suggesting an undescribed mycotoxicosis.

Hallucinatory Experience: A Personal Account

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Alvin G.

1976-01-01

A nonpsychotic experimental psychologist presents a self-report of several highly organized visual, auditory, and kinesthetic hallucinations that occurred during a 3-day period prior to spinal disc surgery. Probable factors related to the production of the phenomena are described and the relation between hallucination and diagnosis is briefly…

High-Speed Research: Sonic Boom, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darden, Christine M. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

A High-Speed Sonic Boom Workshop was held at NASA Langley Research Center on February 25-27, 1992. The purpose of the workshop was to make presentations on current research activities and accomplishments and to assess progress in the area of sonic boom since the program was initiated in FY-90. Twenty-nine papers were presented during the 2-1/2 day workshop. Attendees included representatives from academia, industry, and government who are actively involved in sonic-boom research. Volume 2 contains papers related to low sonic-boom design and analysis using both linear theory and higher order computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods.

Electrocardiogram transmission - The state of the art.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Firstenberg, A.; Huston, S. W.; Olsen, D. E.; Hahn, P. M.

1971-01-01

A comparative analysis of available clinical EKG telemetry systems was conducted. Although present day electrocardiogram diagnosis requires a high degree of measurement accuracy, there exists wide variations in the performance characteristics of the various telemeters marketed today necessitating careful consideration of specifications prior to procurement. The authors have endeavored to provide the physicians with a clear understanding, in terms of the effects on the electrocardiogram, of the factors he must evaluate in order to ensure high fidelity EKG reproduction. A tabulation of comparative parameter values for each unit obtained from manufacturers' specifications and substantiated by standardized performance tests conducted in our laboratory is presented.

Unsupported inferences of high-severity fire in historical dry forests of the western United States: Response to Williams and Baker

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulé, Peter Z.; Swetnam, Thomas W.; Brown, Peter M.; Falk, Donald A.; Peterson, David L.; Allen, Craig D.; Aplet, Gregory H.; Battaglia, Mike A.; Binkley, Dan; Farris, Calvin; Keane, Robert E.; Margolis, Ellis Q.; Grissino-Mayer, Henri; Miller, Carol; Sieg, Carolyn Hull; Skinner, Carl; Stephens, Scott L.; Taylor, Alan

2014-01-01

Reconstructions of dry western US forests in the late 19th century in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon based on General Land Office records were used by Williams & Baker (2012; Global Ecology and Biogeography, 21, 1042–1052; hereafter W&B) to infer past fire regimes with substantial moderate and high-severity burning. The authors concluded that present-day large, high-severity fires are not distinguishable from historical patterns. We present evidence of important errors in their study. First, the use of tree size distributions to reconstruct past fire severity and extent is not supported by empirical age–size relationships nor by studies that directly quantified disturbance history in these forests. Second, the fire severity classification of W&B is qualitatively different from most modern classification schemes, and is based on different types of data, leading to an inappropriate comparison. Third, we note that while W&B asserted ‘surprising’ heterogeneity in their reconstructions of stand density and species composition, their data are not substantially different from many previous studies which reached very different conclusions about subsequent forest and fire behaviour changes. Contrary to the conclusions of W&B, the preponderance of scientific evidence indicates that conservation of dry forest ecosystems in the western United States and their ecological, social and economic value is not consistent with a present-day disturbance regime of large, high-severity fires, especially under changing climate

Mucormycosis: a rare fungal infection in tornado victims.

PubMed

Austin, Cindy L; Finley, Phillip J; Mikkelson, Debbie R; Tibbs, Brian

2014-01-01

This article reviews four immunocompetent patients who developed a rare fungal infection, mucormycosis, secondary to multiple traumatic injuries sustained during an EF-5 tornado in Joplin, MO. Commonly found in soil and decaying organic matter, mucorales are fungi associated with soft tissue and cutaneous infections. Onset of this fungal infection can occur without clinical signs, presenting several days to several weeks after injury, delaying diagnosis. A multidisciplinary treatment approach including aggressive antifungal therapy and aggressive surgical debridement is critical. This diagnosis should be considered in all patients presenting with injuries sustained from high-velocity embedment of debris such as natural disasters or explosions. We present four cases of mucormycosis, species Apophysomyces trapeziformis. Data reported includes predisposing factors, number of days between injury and diagnosis of mucormycosis, surgical treatment, antifungal therapy, outcomes, and potential risk factors that may have contributed to the development of mucormycosis.

NV-CMOS HD camera for day/night imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogelsong, T.; Tower, J.; Sudol, Thomas; Senko, T.; Chodelka, D.

2014-06-01

SRI International (SRI) has developed a new multi-purpose day/night video camera with low-light imaging performance comparable to an image intensifier, while offering the size, weight, ruggedness, and cost advantages enabled by the use of SRI's NV-CMOS HD digital image sensor chip. The digital video output is ideal for image enhancement, sharing with others through networking, video capture for data analysis, or fusion with thermal cameras. The camera provides Camera Link output with HD/WUXGA resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels operating at 60 Hz. Windowing to smaller sizes enables operation at higher frame rates. High sensitivity is achieved through use of backside illumination, providing high Quantum Efficiency (QE) across the visible and near infrared (NIR) bands (peak QE <90%), as well as projected low noise (<2h+) readout. Power consumption is minimized in the camera, which operates from a single 5V supply. The NVCMOS HD camera provides a substantial reduction in size, weight, and power (SWaP) , ideal for SWaP-constrained day/night imaging platforms such as UAVs, ground vehicles, fixed mount surveillance, and may be reconfigured for mobile soldier operations such as night vision goggles and weapon sights. In addition the camera with the NV-CMOS HD imager is suitable for high performance digital cinematography/broadcast systems, biofluorescence/microscopy imaging, day/night security and surveillance, and other high-end applications which require HD video imaging with high sensitivity and wide dynamic range. The camera comes with an array of lens mounts including C-mount and F-mount. The latest test data from the NV-CMOS HD camera will be presented.

Impaired Word and Face Recognition in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Jones, Nicola; Riby, Leigh M; Smith, Michael A

2016-07-01

Older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) exhibit accelerated decline in some domains of cognition including verbal episodic memory. Few studies have investigated the influence of DM2 status in older adults on recognition memory for more complex stimuli such as faces. In the present study we sought to compare recognition memory performance for words, objects and faces under conditions of relatively low and high cognitive load. Healthy older adults with good glucoregulatory control (n = 13) and older adults with DM2 (n = 24) were administered recognition memory tasks in which stimuli (faces, objects and words) were presented under conditions of either i) low (stimulus presented without a background pattern) or ii) high (stimulus presented against a background pattern) cognitive load. In a subsequent recognition phase, the DM2 group recognized fewer faces than healthy controls. Further, the DM2 group exhibited word recognition deficits in the low cognitive load condition. The recognition memory impairment observed in patients with DM2 has clear implications for day-to-day functioning. Although these deficits were not amplified under conditions of increased cognitive load, the present study emphasizes that recognition memory impairment for both words and more complex stimuli such as face are a feature of DM2 in older adults. Copyright © 2016 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lidar observations revealing transport of O3 in the presence of a nocturnal low-level jet: Regional implications for ;next-day; pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, John T.; Rabenhorst, Scott D.; Dreessen, Joel; McGee, Thomas J.; Delgado, Ruben; Twigg, Laurence; Sumnicht, Grant

2017-06-01

Remotely sensed profiles of ozone (O3) and wind are presented continuously for the first time during a nocturnal low-level jet (NLLJ) event occurring after a severe O3 episode in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. (BW) urban corridor throughout 11-12 June 2015. High-resolution O3 lidar observations indicate a well-mixed and polluted daytime O3 reservoir, which decayed into a contaminated nocturnal residual layer (RL) with concentrations between 70 and 100 ppbv near 1 km above the surface. Observations indicate the onset of the NLLJ was responsible for transporting polluted O3 away from the region, while simultaneously affecting the height and location of the nocturnal residual layer. High-resolution modeling analyses and next-day (12 June) lidar, surface, and balloon-borne observations indicate the trajectory of the NLLJ and polluted residual layer corresponds with "next-day" high O3 at sites throughout the southern New England region (New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts). The novel O3 lidar observations are evidence of both nocturnal advection (via high NLLJ wind fields) and entrainment of the polluted residual layer in the presence of the "next-day" convectively growing boundary layer. In the greater context, the novel observational suite described in this work has shown that the chemical budget in areas downwind of major urban centers can be altered significantly overnight during transport events such as the NLLJ.

The Effect of Inschool Suspension on the Academic Progress of High School Science and English Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvey, Donald F.

This paper presents findings of a study that explored the effects of assignment to an inschool suspension (ISS) program on high school students' academic performance. The study compared the before- and after-ISS grades in English and science of 32 ninth- and tenth-grade students who had spent a minimum of 5 days in an ISS program during a 6-week…

Petrology and mineral chemistry of 67667, a unique feldspathic lherzolite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, E. C.; Smith, J. V.; Steele, I. M.

1980-01-01

The petrography and mineral chemistry of 67667 lherzolite suggests cataclasis of a fine-grained high-temperature rock, perhaps formed as a cumulate in a high-level pluton. With the exception of the Sr content of plagioclase, the mineral chemistry fits with that of major rock types ascribed to the lunar crust. No evidence is found to favor a relationship between 67667 and present-day meteorites falling on the earth.

Unsupported inferences of high-severity fire in historical dry forests of the western United States: Response to Williams and Baker

Treesearch

Peter Z. Fule; Thomas W. Swetnam; Peter M. Brown; Donald A. Falk; David L. Peterson; Craig D. Allen; Gregory H. Aplet; Mike A. Battaglia; Dan Binkley; Calvin Farris; Robert E. Keane; Ellis Q. Margolis; Henri Grissino-Mayer; Carol Miller; Carolyn Hull Sieg; Carl Skinner; Scott L. Stephens; Alan Taylor

2014-01-01

Reconstructions of dry western US forests in the late 19th century in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon based on General Land Office records were used by Williams & Baker (2012; Global Ecology and Biogeography, 21, 1042-1052; hereafter W&B) to infer past fire regimes with substantial moderate and high-severity burning. The authors concluded that present-day large,...

Evolution of Lyman-α Emitters, Lyman-break Galaxies and Elliptical Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, M.; Umemura, M.

2008-10-01

High redshift Lyman-α emitters (LAEs) and Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) possibly provide a significant key for the embryology of galaxies. LBGs have been argued as candidate progenitors of present-day elliptical galaxies in terms of their observed properties. But, what evolutionary stages LBGs correspond to and how they are related to LAEs are still under debate. Here, we present an ultra-high-resolution hydrodynamic simulation of galaxy formation. We show that, at the earliest stages of less than 3×10^8 years, continual supernova explosions produce multitudinous hot bubbles and cooled HI shells in between. The HI shells radiate intense Lyman-α emission like LAEs. We found that the bubbly structures produced are quite similar to the observed features in the Lyman-α surface brightness distribution of the extended LAEs. After 10^9 years, the galaxy emission is dominated by stellar continuum, exhibiting an LBG-like spectrum. Also, we find that, as a result of purely dynamical evolution over 13 billion years, the properties of this galaxy match those of present-day elliptical galaxies well. It is implied that the major episode of star formation and chemical enrichment in elliptical galaxies is almost completed in the evolutionary path from LAEs to LBGs.

Melioidosis: A Rare Cause of Liver Abscess

PubMed Central

Teh, Catherine S. C.; Casupang, Ma. Amornetta J.

2016-01-01

Case Presentation. This is a case of a 44-year-old male, farmer, known to be diabetic, presenting with two-week history of vague abdominal pain associated with high grade fever. Abdominal CT scan showed localized liver abscess at segment 8 measuring 7.5 × 6.8 × 6.1 cm. Patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic ultrasound guided pigtail insertion for drainage of abscess. Culture studies showed moderate growth of Burkholderia pseudomallei in which the patient completed seven days of IV Meropenem. On follow-up after 12 weeks of oral Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim, taken twice a day, the patient remained asymptomatic with no residual findings based on the abdominal ultrasound. Discussion. Diagnosis of melioidosis, a known “great masquerader,” relies heavily on culture studies. Consensus with regard to the management of liver abscess caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei has not yet been established due to the rarity of cases. Surgical intervention through either a percutaneous or open drainage has shown good outcomes compared to IV antibiotics alone. In Philippines, the possibility of underreporting is highly plausible. This write-up serves not only to report a rare presentation of melioidosis but also to add to the number of cases reported in the country, possibly indicative of disease emergence. PMID:27529039

Melioidosis: A Rare Cause of Liver Abscess.

PubMed

Martin, Peter Franz M San; Teh, Catherine S C; Casupang, Ma Amornetta J

2016-01-01

Case Presentation. This is a case of a 44-year-old male, farmer, known to be diabetic, presenting with two-week history of vague abdominal pain associated with high grade fever. Abdominal CT scan showed localized liver abscess at segment 8 measuring 7.5 × 6.8 × 6.1 cm. Patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic ultrasound guided pigtail insertion for drainage of abscess. Culture studies showed moderate growth of Burkholderia pseudomallei in which the patient completed seven days of IV Meropenem. On follow-up after 12 weeks of oral Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim, taken twice a day, the patient remained asymptomatic with no residual findings based on the abdominal ultrasound. Discussion. Diagnosis of melioidosis, a known "great masquerader," relies heavily on culture studies. Consensus with regard to the management of liver abscess caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei has not yet been established due to the rarity of cases. Surgical intervention through either a percutaneous or open drainage has shown good outcomes compared to IV antibiotics alone. In Philippines, the possibility of underreporting is highly plausible. This write-up serves not only to report a rare presentation of melioidosis but also to add to the number of cases reported in the country, possibly indicative of disease emergence.

Scapular Fractures in Blunt Chest Trauma – Self-Experience Study

PubMed Central

Al-Sadek, Tabet A.; Niklev, Desislav; Al-Sadek, Ahmed; Al-Sadek, Lina

2016-01-01

AIM: The aim of this retrospective study was to report the scapular fractures in patients with blunt chest trauma and to present the type and the frequency of associated thoracic injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine patients with fractures of the scapula were included in the study. The mechanisms of the injury, the type of scapular fractures and associated thoracic injuries were analysed. RESULTS: Scapular fractures were caused by high-energy blunt chest trauma. The body of the scapula was fractured in all scapular fractures. In all cases, scapular fractures were associated with other thoracic injuries (average 3.25/per case). Rib fractures were present in eight patients, fractured clavicula - in four cases, the affection of pleural cavity - in eight of the patients and pulmonary contusion in all nine cases. Eight patients were discharged from the hospital up to the 15th day. One patient had died on the 3rd day because of postconcussional lung oedema. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the role of scapular fractures as a marker for the severity of the chest trauma (based on the number of associated thoracic injuries), but doesn’t present scapular fractures as an indicator for high mortality in blunt chest trauma patients. PMID:28028415

Time-of-day-dependent global distribution of lunar surficial water/hydroxyl.

PubMed

Wöhler, Christian; Grumpe, Arne; Berezhnoy, Alexey A; Shevchenko, Vladislav V

2017-09-01

A new set of time-of-day-dependent global maps of the lunar near-infrared water/hydroxyl (H 2 O/OH) absorption band strength near 2.8 to 3.0 μm constructed on the basis of Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M 3 ) data is presented. The analyzed absorption band near 2.8 to 3.0 μm indicates the presence of surficial H 2 O/OH. To remove the thermal emission component from the M 3 reflectance spectra, a reliable and physically realistic mapping method has been developed. Our maps show that lunar highlands at high latitudes show a stronger H 2 O/OH absorption band in the lunar morning and evening than at midday. The amplitude of these time-of-day-dependent variations decreases with decreasing latitude of the highland regions, where below about 30°, absorption strength becomes nearly constant during the lunar day at a similar level as in the high-latitude highlands at midday. The lunar maria exhibit weaker H 2 O/OH absorption than the highlands at all, but showing a smaller difference from highlands absorption levels in the morning and evening than at midday. The level around midday is generally higher for low-Ti than for high-Ti mare surfaces, where it reaches near-zero values. Our observations contrast with previous studies that indicate a significant concentration of surficial H 2 O/OH at high latitudes only. Furthermore, although our results generally support the commonly accepted mechanism of H 2 O/OH formation by adsorption of solar wind protons, they suggest the presence of a more strongly bounded surficial H 2 O/OH component in the lunar highlands and parts of the mare regions, which is not removed by processes such as diffusion/thermal evaporation and photolysis in the course of the lunar day.

Four Weeks of β-alanine Supplementation Improves High-Intensity Game Activities in Water Polo.

PubMed

Brisola, Gabriel Motta Pinheiro; de Souza Malta, Elvis; Santiago, Paulo Roberto Pereira; Vieira, Luiz Henrique Palucci; Zagatto, Alessandro Moura

2018-04-13

The present study aimed to investigate whether four weeks of β-alanine supplementation improves total distance covered, distance covered and time spent in different speed zones, and sprint numbers during a simulated water polo game. The study design was double-blind, parallel and placebo controlled. Eleven male water polo players participated in the study, divided randomly into two homogeneous groups (placebo and β-alanine groups). The participants performed a simulated water polo game before and after the supplementation period (4 weeks). Participants received 4.8g∙day -1 of dextrose or β-alanine on the first ten days and 6.4g∙day -1 on the final 18 days. Only the β-alanine group presented a significant improvement in total sprint numbers compared to the pre-supplementation moment (PRE=7.8±5.2a.u.; POST=20.2±7.8a.u.; p=.002). Furthermore, β-alanine supplementation presented a likely beneficial effect on improving total distance covered (83%) and total time spent (81%) in zone 4 of speed (i.e., speed≥1.8m∙s -1 ). There was no significant interaction effect (group×time) for any variable. To conclude, four weeks of β-alanine supplementation can slightly improve sprint numbers and had a likely beneficial effect on improving distance covered and time spent in zone 4 of speed in a water polo simulated game.

Case Studies of Forecasting Ionospheric Total Electron Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannucci, A. J.; Meng, X.; Verkhoglyadova, O. P.; Tsurutani, B.; McGranaghan, R. M.

2017-12-01

We report on medium-range forecast-mode runs of ionosphere-thermosphere coupled models that calculate ionospheric total electron content (TEC), focusing on low-latitude daytime conditions. A medium-range forecast-mode run refers to simulations that are driven by inputs that can be predicted 2-3 days in advance, for example based on simulations of the solar wind. We will present results from a weak geomagnetic storm caused by a high-speed solar wind stream on June 29, 2012. Simulations based on the Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model (GITM) and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) significantly over-estimate TEC in certain low latitude daytime regions, compared to TEC maps based on observations. We will present the results from a more intense coronal mass ejection (CME) driven storm where the simulations are closer to observations. We compare high latitude data sets to model inputs, such as auroral boundary and convection patterns, to assess the degree to which poorly estimated high latitude drivers may be the largest cause of discrepancy between simulations and observations. Our results reveal many factors that can affect the accuracy of forecasts, including the fidelity of empirical models used to estimate high latitude precipitation patterns, or observation proxies for solar EUV spectra, such as the F10.7 index. Implications for forecasts with few-day lead times are discussed

Breast tumor segmentation in high resolution x-ray phase contrast analyzer based computed tomography.

PubMed

Brun, E; Grandl, S; Sztrókay-Gaul, A; Barbone, G; Mittone, A; Gasilov, S; Bravin, A; Coan, P

2014-11-01

Phase contrast computed tomography has emerged as an imaging method, which is able to outperform present day clinical mammography in breast tumor visualization while maintaining an equivalent average dose. To this day, no segmentation technique takes into account the specificity of the phase contrast signal. In this study, the authors propose a new mathematical framework for human-guided breast tumor segmentation. This method has been applied to high-resolution images of excised human organs, each of several gigabytes. The authors present a segmentation procedure based on the viscous watershed transform and demonstrate the efficacy of this method on analyzer based phase contrast images. The segmentation of tumors inside two full human breasts is then shown as an example of this procedure's possible applications. A correct and precise identification of the tumor boundaries was obtained and confirmed by manual contouring performed independently by four experienced radiologists. The authors demonstrate that applying the watershed viscous transform allows them to perform the segmentation of tumors in high-resolution x-ray analyzer based phase contrast breast computed tomography images. Combining the additional information provided by the segmentation procedure with the already high definition of morphological details and tissue boundaries offered by phase contrast imaging techniques, will represent a valuable multistep procedure to be used in future medical diagnostic applications.

Pre-industrial to End 21st Century Projections of Tropospheric Ozone from the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, P. J.; Archibald, A. T.; Bowman, K. W.; Lamarque, J.-F.; Naik, V.; Stevenson, D. S.; Tilmes, S.; Voulgarakis, A.; Wild, O.; Bergmann, D.;

Prevention of status epilepticus-induced brain edema and neuronal cell loss by repeated treatment with high-dose levetiracetam.

PubMed

Itoh, Kouichi; Inamine, Moriyoshi; Oshima, Wataru; Kotani, Masaharu; Chiba, Yoichi; Ueno, Masaki; Ishihara, Yasuhiro

2015-05-22

The management of status epilepticus (SE) is important to prevent mortality and the development of post-SE symptomatic epilepsy. Acquired epilepsy after an initial brain insult by SE can be experimentally reproduced in the murine model of SE induced by pilocarpine. In the present study, we evaluated the possibility of treatment with a high-dose of levetiracetam in this model. Repeated treatment with high-dose levetiracetam after termination of SE by diazepam significantly prevented the incidence of spontaneous recurrent seizures and mortality for at least 28 days. To determine the brain alterations after SE, magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Both T2-weighted imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging showed changes in the limbic regions. These changes in the limbic regions demonstrated the development of cytotoxic edema three hours after SE, followed by the development of vasogenic edema two days after SE. In the pilocarpine-SE model, the incidence of spontaneous recurrent seizures after SE was strongly associated with neuronal damage within a few hours to days after SE by the development of vasogenic edema via the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier in the limbic regions. High-dose levetiracetam significantly suppressed the parameters in the limbic areas. These data indicate that repeated treatment with high-dose levetiracetam for at least two days after SE termination by diazepam is important for controlling the neuronal damage by preventing brain edema. Therefore, these findings suggest that early treatment with high-dose levetiracetam after SE termination by diazepam may protect against adverse sequelae via the inhibition of neurotoxicity induced by brain edema events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Food consumption in and around the school].

PubMed

Alvear-Galindo, M Guadalupe; Yamamoto-Kimura, Liria T; Morán-Álvarez, Cristina; Solís-Días, M Guadalupe; Torres-Durán, Patricia Victoria; Juárez-Oropeza, Marco Antonio; Acuña-Sánchez, M Eugenia; Ferreira-Hermosillo, Aldo

2013-01-01

elementary school students usually stay in school 4.5 hours a day in Mexico. The main food consumption is outside school. The objective was to explore behaviors on food consumption beyond the school environment. descriptive trial that included 173 children, both sexes, from public elementary school in Mexico City. Eating habits were obtained through questionnaire and anthropometric characteristics from physical measurement. participants reported to consume soft drinks and canned juices at high frequency and quantity (80 %) and low consumption of animal foods. They also eat industrialized dairy products with high caloric content and low in protein. Moreover, 30 % of children eat 4 or 5 times a day, whereas 10 % eat one or two times a day. These results were associated with the somatometric characteristics of the children, 37.6 % of whom presented as overweight or obese while 12 % were underweight. it is necessary that health education involves teachers, parents and children in programs for obesity prevention with the objective of increasing healthy behaviors.

Information theory in econophysics: stock market and retirement funds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, Eugenio; Saravia, G.; Astete, J.; Díaz, J.; Erribarren, R.; Riadi, F.

2013-03-01

Information theory can help to recognize magnetic phase transitions, what can be seen as a way to recognize different regimes. This is achieved by means of zippers specifically designed to compact data in a meaningful way at is the case for compressor wlzip. In the present contribution we first apply wlzip to the Chilean stock market interpreting the compression rates for the files storing the minute variation of the IPSA indicator. Agitated days yield poor compression rates while calm days yield high compressibility. We then correlate this behavior to the value of the five retirement funds related to the Chilean economy. It is found that the covariance between the profitability of the retirement funds and the compressibility of the IPSA values of previous day is high for those funds investing in risky stocks. Surprisingly, there seems to be no great difference among the three riskier funds contrary to what could be expected from the limitations on the portfolio composition established by the laws that regulate this market.

Eating disorders in individuals with type 1 diabetes: case series and day hospital treatment outcome.

PubMed

Colton, Patricia Anne; Olmsted, Marion Patricia; Wong, Harmonie; Rodin, Gary Michael

2015-07-01

Women with type 1 diabetes are at high risk for eating disorders (ED), a combination that can increase medical complications and mortality. As little is known about treatment response in this population, clinical presentation and treatment outcome in an extended case series were assessed. A chart review at the Eating Disorders Day Hospital Program at Toronto General Hospital identified a total of 100 individuals with type 1 diabetes assessed 1990-2012. Of 37 who attended day hospital, most experienced improvement in ED symptoms, but only 18.8% had a good immediate treatment outcome, while 43.8% had an intermediate outcome and 37.5% had a poor outcome (meeting diagnostic criteria at discharge). This is poorer than program outcomes in individuals without diabetes (χ(2)  = 12.2, df = 2; p = 0.002). Factors influencing treatment engagement and outcome must be further studied and used to improve treatment results in this high-risk group. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

The feasibility of trace element supplementation for stable operation of wheat stillage-fed biogas tank reactors.

PubMed

Gustavsson, J; Svensson, B H; Karlsson, A

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trace element supplementation on operation of wheat stillage-fed biogas tank reactors. The stillage used was a residue from bio-ethanol production, containing high levels of sulfate. In biogas production, high sulfate content has been associated with poor process stability in terms of low methane production and accumulation of process intermediates. However, the results of the present study show that this problem can be overcome by trace element supplementations. Four lab-scale wheat stillage-fed biogas tank reactors were operated for 345 days at a hydraulic retention time of 20 days (37 degrees C). It was concluded that daily supplementation with Co (0.5 mg L(-1)), Ni (0.2 mg L(-1)) and Fe (0.5 g L(-1)) were required for maintaining process stability at the organic loading rate of 4.0 g volatile solids L(-1) day(-1).

Enhanced Nutrients Removal Using Reeds Straw as Carbon Source in a Laboratory Scale Constructed Wetland.

PubMed

Wang, Tong; Wang, Haiyan; Chang, Yang; Chu, Zhaosheng; Zhao, Yaqian; Liu, Ranbin

2018-05-27

The low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio and high nitrate content characteristics of agricultural runoff restricted the nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands (CWs). To resolve such problems, the economically- and easily-obtained Phragmites Australis (reeds) litters were applied and packed in the surface layer of a surface flow CW as external carbon sources. The results demonstrated that the introduction of the reeds straw increased the C concentration as a result of their decomposition during the CW operation, which will help the denitrification in the ensuing operation of an entire 148 days. The total nitrogen (TN) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) () in the effluent reached the peak level of 63.2 mg/L and 83 mg/L at the fourth and the second day, respectively. Subsequently, the pollutants in the CW that were filled with straw decreased rapidly and achieved a stable removal after 13 days of operation. Moreover, the present study showed that the N removal efficiency increased with the increase of the hydraulic retention time (HRT). Under the HRT of four days, the CW presented 74.1 ± 6%, 87.4 ± 6% and 56.0 ± 6% removal for TN, NO₃⁻, and TP, respectively.

[Workplace bullying and sickness absenteeism].

PubMed

Campanini, Paolo; Conway, Paul Maurice; Neri, Luca; Punzi, Silvia; Camerino, Donatella; Costa, Giovanni

2013-01-01

To assess the relationship between workplace bullying and sickness absenteeism in a large sample of Italian workers. A cross-sectional study conducted by means of questionnaires. In all, 8,992 subjects filled in a questionnaire to detect workplace bullying, the presence of work stress factors and days of sickness absence in the last year. Workplace bullying and psychosocial stressor were measured by the means of the CDL 2.0 questionnaire. Days of sickness absence reported by the subjects. On average, days of sickness absence were 7.4, and 7.2% of the respondents were defined as bullied. Results from logistic regression analyses showed that a workplace bullying was associated with more days of sickness absence after controlling for gender, age, professional qualification, company sector and juridical nature and other psychosocial factors (men: OR =1.62; women: OR =2.15). The present study confirms that workers exposed to a workplace bullying reported higher sickness absenteeism as compared with non-exposed subjects, also when a potentially highly stressful work environment is considered. The results of the present study support that workplace bullying may be viewed as an extreme stressful condition. Interventions to avoid workplace bullying not only favoure workers' health, but also avoid the company costs associated with workers' sickness absenteeism.

A case of acyclovir neurotoxicity presenting with atypical cerebrospinal fluid findings.

PubMed

Thind, Guramrinder Singh; Roach, Richard

2017-05-22

An 82-year-old man with a history of end-stage renal disease presented with progressively worsening confusion and somnolence for the past 4-5 days. The patient was diagnosed with herpes zoster by his primary care physician 5 days ago and was started on a course of valacyclovir 1 g three times a day (dose not adjusted for renal impairment).A lumbar puncture was performed and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies revealed 37 white blood cells (WBCs)/hpf (100% monocytes), protein 64 mg/dL and glucose 52 mg/dL. He was started on ceftriaxone, ampicillin and acyclovir. MRI of the brain was done and was unremarkable. Acyclovir-induced encephalopathy was high on differential, but his CSF findings were concerning for viral encephalitis. Nonetheless, all antimicrobials were discontinued and he was scheduled for a 5-hour dialysis session. The very next day, he showed immense improvement and eventually recovered completely. CSF PCR tests for both herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus came back negative. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Efficacy of Amitraz plus Metaflumizone for the treatment of canine demodicosis associated with Malassezia pachydermatis

PubMed Central

Tarallo, Viviana D; Lia, Riccardo P; Sasanelli, Mariateresa; Cafarchia, Claudia; Otranto, Domenico

2009-01-01

This case reports the efficacy of metaflumizone plus amitraz spot-on formulation (ProMeris Duo®; Fort Dodge) against generalized demodectic mange. A two year-old male dog presented at clinical examination with poor general condition, diffused alopecia, crusted lesions, pruritus, skin scales and pustules. Demodex mites, Malassezia pachydermatis yeasts and bacteria were diagnosed. The dog was treated with cephalexin and topically with metaflumizone plus amitraz spot on formulation at two weeks intervals until two consecutive skin scrapings resulted negative for mites. The number of adult mites statistically decreased at follow-up with a reduction of approximately 42 and 94% at +14 and +28 days post treatment (p.t.) respectively. Nymphs and larvae could not be detected from +28 day p.t. while eggs were no longer present +42 day p.t. The dog was negative for both bacteria and M. pachydermatis at 14 days p.t., coinciding with improved general clinical conditions, recovering skin lesions and no further signs of pruritus. These results show that metaflumizone plus amitraz associated with the antibiotic therapy is highly effective for treating generalized demodectic mange and could also be effective toward controlling M. pachydermatis opportunistic infections. PMID:19265536

Infantile hypophosphatasia combined with vitamin B6-responsive seizures and reticular formation lesions on magnetic resonance imaging: A case report.

PubMed

Fukazawa, Mitsuharu; Tezuka, Junichiro; Sasazuki, Momoko; Masumoto, Natsuko; Baba, Haruhisa; Doi, Takehiko; Tsutsumi, Yasushi; Mizuno, Yuji; Mihara, Futoshi; Nakayama, Hideki

2018-02-01

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by rachitic bone manifestations and a low serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level. It is caused by mutations in the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) gene, which encodes the tissue non-specific isozyme of ALP. HPP patients exhibit various presentations depending on their age at onset, such as infantile HPP combined with vitamin B6-responsive seizures. A newborn with infantile HPP presented with tonic convulsions from day 5 after birth and received intravenous vitamin B6 (10mg/kg/day pyridoxal phosphate). Eleven days later, frequent apneic episodes occurred, and head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral reticular formation lesions in the brain stem, including the medulla oblongata. After the pyridoxal phosphate dose was increased (to 40mg/kg/day), the patient's seizures and apnea resolved, and her MRI findings also improved. Genetic testing revealed that she was homozygous for the 1559delT mutation of TNSALP. High-dose pyridoxal phosphate is a useful treatment for HPP-induced seizures and might improve reticular formation lesions. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chaotic dynamics of Comet 1P/Halley: Lyapunov exponent and survival time expectancy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Gutiérrez, M. A.; Reyes-Ruiz, M.; Pichardo, B.

2015-03-01

The orbital elements of Comet Halley are known to a very high precision, suggesting that the calculation of its future dynamical evolution is straightforward. In this paper we seek to characterize the chaotic nature of the present day orbit of Comet Halley and to quantify the time-scale over which its motion can be predicted confidently. In addition, we attempt to determine the time-scale over which its present day orbit will remain stable. Numerical simulations of the dynamics of test particles in orbits similar to that of Comet Halley are carried out with the MERCURY 6.2 code. On the basis of these we construct survival time maps to assess the absolute stability of Halley's orbit, frequency analysis maps to study the variability of the orbit, and we calculate the Lyapunov exponent for the orbit for variations in initial conditions at the level of the present day uncertainties in our knowledge of its orbital parameters. On the basis of our calculations of the Lyapunov exponent for Comet Halley, the chaotic nature of its motion is demonstrated. The e-folding time-scale for the divergence of initially very similar orbits is approximately 70 yr. The sensitivity of the dynamics on initial conditions is also evident in the self-similarity character of the survival time and frequency analysis maps in the vicinity of Halley's orbit, which indicates that, on average, it is unstable on a time-scale of hundreds of thousands of years. The chaotic nature of Halley's present day orbit implies that a precise determination of its motion, at the level of the present-day observational uncertainty, is difficult to predict on a time-scale of approximately 100 yr. Furthermore, we also find that the ejection of Halley from the Solar system or its collision with another body could occur on a time-scale as short as 10 000 yr.

Suppurative thyroiditis due to aspergillosis: a case report

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Aspergillus, a nosocomial agent, is the most common fungal cause of suppurative thyroiditis. Most patients with Aspergillus thyroiditis have disseminated infection, primarily with lung compromise. Late diagnosis and treatment, severity of immunosuppressive state and thyroid hormone overload contribute to extremely high mortality rates. Case presentation We describe a 20-year-old Caucasian man receiving corticosteroid suppression therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus. He presented persistent fever with neck pain and pulmonary infection. Piperacillin/tazobactam was initiated but after 2 days he developed hypoxemia, vascular shock, severe anemia, lymphopenia, and high C-reactive protein. Thyroid ultrasound revealed well-defined hypoechogenic clusters in both lobes and laboratorial thyrotoxicosis but low triiodothyronine concentration. A purulent substance was obtained on fine needle aspiration and drained. Amphotericin B and fluconazole were added but he had unfavorable evolution and died. Aspergillus fumigatus was defined only 2 days after his death. Conclusions This case serves to alert clinicians to the possibility of infectious thyroiditis and reinforces the high risk of aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, management including voriconazole as first-line treatment or amphotericin B, in association with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, should be adopted to improve treatment outcome. PMID:25412755

Present-day dynamics and future evolution of the world's northernmost ice cap, Hans Tausen Iskappe (Greenland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zekollari, Harry; Huybrechts, Philippe; Noël, Brice; van de Berg, Willem Jan; van den Broeke, Michiel R.

2017-04-01

In this study the dynamics of Hans Tausen Iskappe (western Peary Land, Greenland) are investigated with a coupled ice flow - mass balance model. Precipitation is obtained from the Regional Climate Model RACMO 2.3 and the surface mass balance is calculated from a Positive Degree-Day runoff/retention model, for which the input parameters are derived from field observations. For the ice flow a 3-D higher-order thermo-mechanical model is used, which is run at a 250 m resolution. Under 1961-1990 climatic conditions a steady state ice cap is obtained that is overall similar in geometry to the present-day ice cap. Ice thickness, temperature and flow velocity in the interior agree well with observations. For the outlet glaciers a reasonable agreement with temperature and ice thickness measurements can only be obtained with an additional heat source related to infiltrating meltwater. The simulations indicate that the SMB-elevation feedback has a major effect on the ice cap response time and stability. This causes the southern part of the ice cap to be extremely sensitive to a change in climatic conditions and leads to thresholds in the ice cap evolution. Under constant 2005-2014 climatic conditions the entire southern part of the ice cap cannot be sustained and the ice cap loses about 80% of its present-day volume. The future projected loss of surrounding permanent sea-ice and corresponding potential sharp precipitation increase may however lead to an attenuation of the retreat and even potential stabilization of the ice cap for a warming of up to 2-3°C. In a warmer and wetter climate the ice margin will retreat while the interior is projected to grow, leading to a steeper ice cap, in line with the present-day observed trends. For intermediate (+4°C) and high warming scenarios (+8°C) the ice cap is projected to disappear respectively around 2400 and 2200 A.D., almost irrespective of the projected precipitation regime and the simulated present-day geometry.

Sensitivity, stability and future evolution of the world's northernmost ice cap, Hans Tausen Iskappe (Greenland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zekollari, Harry; Huybrechts, Philippe; Noël, Brice; van de Berg, Willem Jan; van den Broeke, Michiel R.

2017-03-01

In this study the dynamics and sensitivity of Hans Tausen Iskappe (western Peary Land, Greenland) to climatic forcing is investigated with a coupled ice flow-mass balance model. The surface mass balance (SMB) is calculated from a precipitation field obtained from the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO2.3), while runoff is calculated from a positive-degree-day runoff-retention model. For the ice flow a 3-D higher-order thermomechanical model is used, which is run at a 250 m resolution. A higher-order solution is needed to accurately represent the ice flow in the outlet glaciers. Under 1961-1990 climatic conditions a steady-state ice cap is obtained that is overall similar in geometry to the present-day ice cap. Ice thickness, temperature and flow velocity in the interior agree well with observations. For the outlet glaciers a reasonable agreement with temperature and ice thickness measurements can be obtained with an additional heat source related to infiltrating meltwater. The simulations indicate that the SMB-elevation feedback has a major effect on the ice cap response time and stability. This causes the southern part of the ice cap to be extremely sensitive to a change in climatic conditions and leads to thresholds in the ice cap evolution. Under constant 2005-2014 climatic conditions the entire southern part of the ice cap cannot be sustained, and the ice cap loses about 80 % of its present-day volume. The projected loss of surrounding permanent sea ice and resultant precipitation increase may attenuate the future mass loss but will be insufficient to preserve the present-day ice cap for most scenarios. In a warmer and wetter climate the ice margin will retreat, while the interior is projected to thicken, leading to a steeper ice cap, in line with the present-day observed trends. For intermediate- (+4 °C) and high- warming scenarios (+8 °C) the ice cap is projected to disappear around AD 2400 and 2200 respectively, almost independent of the projected precipitation regime and the simulated present-day geometry.

Present and projected future mean radiant temperature for three European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorsson, Sofia; Rayner, David; Lindberg, Fredrik; Monteiro, Ana; Katzschner, Lutz; Lau, Kevin Ka-Lun; Campe, Sabrina; Katzschner, Antje; Konarska, Janina; Onomura, Shiho; Velho, Sara; Holmer, Björn

2017-09-01

Present-day and projected future changes in mean radiant temperature, T mrt in one northern, one mid-, and one southern European city (represented by Gothenburg, Frankfurt, and Porto), are presented, and the concept of hot spots is adopted. Air temperature, T a , increased in all cities by 2100, but changes in solar radiation due to changes in cloudiness counterbalanced or exacerbated the effects on T mrt. The number of days with high T mrt in Gothenburg was relatively unchanged at the end of the century (+1 day), whereas it more than doubled in Frankfurt and tripled in Porto. The use of street trees to reduce daytime radiant heat load was analyzed using hot spots to identify where trees could be most beneficial. Hot spots, although varying in intensity and frequency, were generally confined to near sunlit southeast-southwest facing walls, in northeast corner of courtyards, and in open spaces in all three cities. By adding trees in these spaces, the radiant heat load can be reduced, especially in spaces with no or few trees. A set of design principles for reducing the radiant heat load is outlined based on these findings and existing literature.

Paediatric otogenic tetanus: an evidence of poor immunization in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogunkeyede, Segun Ayodeji; Daniel, Adekunle; Ogundoyin, Omowonuola

2017-01-01

Suppurative otitis media is a common childhood infection that predisposes to otogenic tetanus. Tetanus is a vaccine preventable disease that is associated with high cost of care and mortality. This study highlights reasons for otogenic tetanus in Nigerian children and way of reducing the menace. This is a 5-year retrospective review of all patients managed for otogenic tetanus in at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University College Hospital, Ibadan. The data collected include demographic, clinical presentations, tetanus immunisation history, and duration of hospital admission, and management- outcome. There were 23 patients comprising of 13(56.5 %) males and 10 (43.5%) females, male to female ratio was 1.3:1. The age ranged between 11 months and12 years (mean age 3.4 years ± 2.1). All the patients presented with discharging ear, trismus and spasms. The onset of symptoms prior hospital presentation ranged between 2 - 11 days (mean 3.0 days ± 1.3). Only 12(52.1%) patients had complete childhood tetanus immunisation, 6(26.1) % had no tetanus immunisation and no other childhood immunisation, while 5(21.7%) had partial tetanus immunisation. The discharging ears were managed by self-medication and other harmful health practices. The hospital admission ranged from 20 days - 41days (average of 23days) and there were 3(13.0 %) death. Tetanus immunization was not received because of; non- availability of the vaccine at health centers, lack of health facility in communities, fear of complications from immunization, poor awareness of the immunization programme. Tetanus, an immunisable disease, is still a major problem in Nigeria.

Golden West College FACTS: Fall Enrollment Trends through 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden West Coll., Huntington Beach, CA. Research Office.

This report presents the fall enrollment trends through 1999 at California's Golden West College (GWC). This report contains charts and graphs of the following enrollment trend topics: (1) fall 1998 student enrollment snapshot, which includes counts and percentages by gender, time of day, age, educational goal, entrance level, high school…

Introduction to Norsk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonsen, Reidar G.

This Norsk language unit is intended to introduce high school students in the United States to modern spoken Norwegian and to Norwegian culture. The document is presented in 18 chapters. Topics include greetings, family, speaking Norwegian, the alphabet, travel in Norway, parts of the country, telling time, pronouns and articles, days of the week,…

Embodied Spirituality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trousdale, Ann

2013-01-01

This article explores the concept of embodied spirituality from early Celtic traditions through the British medieval mystic Julian of Norwich to the present day. A "high theology" of the body in early Christianity and early Christian understandings of the relation among body, soul and spirit gave way to the influences of Greek thought with its…

Confirmation of radial velocity variability in Arcturus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cochran, William D.

1988-01-01

The paper presents results of high-precision measurements of radial-velocity variations in Alpha Boo. Significant radial-velocity variability is detected well in excess of the random and systematic measurement errors. The radial velocity varies by an amount greater than 200 m/sec with a period of around 2 days.

Mathematics and Literature: An Approach to Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Sara Jane; Wichman, Ann Marie

This paper describes a program for minimizing students' inability to relate present day school mathematics to real-world experiences, including the high-tech communities around them. The targeted population consisted of second grade elementary students in a growing middle class community located in a suburb of a large metropolitan area in the…

Narrating Regional Identity in Tourism--Sketches from the Austrian Danube Valley

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ploner, Josef

2009-01-01

This article sketches the processes of regionalisation in the realm of present day tourism. By exploring issues of "regional culture" and "diversity" in Austria, and more particular, in the highly symbolic Danube valley "Wachau", the article shows how the imaginaries of contested cultural spaces--be they…

Team Teaching at Upper Arlington School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Annette R.

1968-01-01

Team teaching has been used for 4 years in the 10th-grade English classes at Upper Arlington High School near Columbus, Ohio. Units are prepared, presented, and evaluated by teachers working together voluntarily. A 6-day American literature unit introducing Romanticism has been particularly successful. The contrasts between Neoclassicism and…

Are the parasiticidal avermectins resistant to dissipation in the environment? The case of eprinomectin.

PubMed

Litskas, V D; Karamanlis, X N; Batzias, G C; Tsiouris, S E

2013-10-01

Eprinomectin (EPM) is a veterinary drug currently licensed in many countries for the treatment of endo- and ecto-parasites in cattle. Despite the notable evidence for its high toxicity to the terrestrial and aquatic environment ecosystems, its environmental behavior and fate are currently unknown. In the present research, the dissipation of EPM was studied in three soils and in cattle manure by using the OECD 307 guideline and the recently developed European Medicines Agency (EMA/CVMP/ERA/430327) guideline, respectively. The procedure presented by the FOrum for Co-ordination of pesticide models and their USe (FOCUS) was adopted for estimating the EPM degradation kinetics in soil and cattle manure. The EPM dissipation in soil was best described by the SFO (Simple First Order) and the HS (Hockey Stick) models, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. The EPM dissipation in cattle manure was best described by the FOMC (First Order Multi Compartment) model. The Dissipation Time for the 50% of the initial EPM mass (DT50) range was 38-53days under aerobic and 691-1491days under anaerobic conditions. In addition, the DT50 for EPM in cattle manure was 333days. Therefore, EPM could be characterized as moderately to highly persistent to dissipation in soil, which depends on soil type, its oxygen content (aerobic or anaerobic conditions in soil) and the microbial activity. Moreover, the EPM resists dissipation in cattle manure, resulting to a high load in soil after manure application in agricultural land (or direct defecation in grassland). Consequently, the high possibility for EPM accumulation in soil and cattle manure should be considered when assessing the environmental risk of the drug. © 2013.

Effects of dietary Spirulina on antioxidant status, lipid profile, immune response and performance characteristics of broiler chickens reared under high ambient temperature

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Seyed Abdollah

2018-01-01

Objective Spirulina has been recognized formerly as a filamentous spiral-shaped blue-green algae but more recently as a genus of photosynthetic bacteria (Arthrospira). This microorganism is considered as a rich source of essential nutrients for human and animals. The present study was conducted to determine potential application of Spirulina for heat-exposed broilers. Methods Two hundred and fifty Cobb 500 chicks with male to female in equal ratio with average initial weight of 615.6 g at 17 days of age were divided into 5 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 chicks. Treatment groups were as follows: positive and negative controls with 0% Spirulina supplement and three Spirulina receiving groups with 5 g/kg (0.5%), 10 g/kg (1%), and 20 g/kg (2%) supplementation. Spirulina receiving groups as well as positive control were exposed to high ambient temperature at 36°C for 6 h/d from 38 to 44 days of age. Biochemical variables were measured in serum samples at 35, 38, 42, and 45 days of broiler chickens age. Results The results showed that supplementation of the diet with Spirulina decreased concentration of stress hormone and some serum lipid parameters while enhanced humoral immunity response and elevated antioxidant status whereas it didn’t meaningfully affect performance characteristics. Nevertheless, feed conversion ratio was improved numerically but not statistically in broilers fed with 1% Spirulina under high ambient temperature. Conclusion Overall, the present study suggests that alleviation of adverse impacts due to high ambient temperature at biochemical level including impaired enzymatic antioxidant system, elevated stress hormone and lipid profile can be approached in broiler chickens through supplementation of the diet with Spirulina platensis. PMID:28920419

The effects of Momordica charantia on obesity and lipid profiles of mice fed a high-fat diet.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Ryu, Ho Kyung

2015-10-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dried Momordica charantia aqueous extracts (MCA) and ethanol extracts (MCE) on obesity and lipid profiles in mice fed a high-fat diet. Forty two ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups. The normal group was fed a basal diet, and other groups were fed a 45% high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 weeks. The normal and HFD groups were also orally administered distilled water each day for 7 weeks. The remaining groups received Momordica charantia extract (0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCA, and 0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCE). In order to measure the anti-obesity and lipid profile improvement effects, body and visceral tissue weight, lipid profiles, plasma insulin levels, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. Both MCA and MCE significantly decreased body and visceral tissue weight relative to those of the HFD group (P < 0.05). Additionally high doses of MCE and MCA significantly reduced the plasmatic insulin levels compared to the HFD groups (P < 0.05) to concentrations comparable to those found in the normal group. MCA and MCE supplementation also significantly modulated the lipid profiles in plasma, liver, and feces compared to mice fed the HFD (P < 0.05). Furthermore MCA and MCE significantly increased hepatic SOD activity, and reduced MDA generation in the liver of the HFD mice (P < 0.05). Results from the present study suggest that Momordica charantia extracts have anti-obesity effects and the ability to modulate lipid prolife of mice fed a HFD by suppressing body weight gain, visceral tissue weight, plasma and hepatic lipid concentrations, and lipid peroxidation along with increasing lipid metabolism.

The effects of Momordica charantia on obesity and lipid profiles of mice fed a high-fat diet

PubMed Central

Wang, Jun

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dried Momordica charantia aqueous extracts (MCA) and ethanol extracts (MCE) on obesity and lipid profiles in mice fed a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS Forty two ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups. The normal group was fed a basal diet, and other groups were fed a 45% high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 weeks. The normal and HFD groups were also orally administered distilled water each day for 7 weeks. The remaining groups received Momordica charantia extract (0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCA, and 0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCE). In order to measure the anti-obesity and lipid profile improvement effects, body and visceral tissue weight, lipid profiles, plasma insulin levels, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. RESULTS Both MCA and MCE significantly decreased body and visceral tissue weight relative to those of the HFD group (P < 0.05). Additionally high doses of MCE and MCA significantly reduced the plasmatic insulin levels compared to the HFD groups (P < 0.05) to concentrations comparable to those found in the normal group. MCA and MCE supplementation also significantly modulated the lipid profiles in plasma, liver, and feces compared to mice fed the HFD (P < 0.05). Furthermore MCA and MCE significantly increased hepatic SOD activity, and reduced MDA generation in the liver of the HFD mice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Results from the present study suggest that Momordica charantia extracts have anti-obesity effects and the ability to modulate lipid prolife of mice fed a HFD by suppressing body weight gain, visceral tissue weight, plasma and hepatic lipid concentrations, and lipid peroxidation along with increasing lipid metabolism. PMID:26425278

The initial repair response of articular cartilage after mechanically induced damage.

PubMed

van Haaften, Eline E; Ito, Keita; van Donkelaar, Corrinus C

2017-06-01

The regenerative potential of articular cartilage (AC) defects is limited and depends on defect size, biomechanical conditions, and age. Early events after overloading might be predictive for cartilage degeneration in the long term. Therefore, the present aim is to investigate the temporal response of cartilage to overloading at cell, matrix, and tissue level during the first period after mechanical overloading. In the present study, the effect of high loading (∼8 MPa) at a high rate (∼14 MPa/s) at day 0 during a 9 day period on collagen damage, gene expression, cell death, and biochemical composition in AC was investigated. A model system was developed which enabled culturing osteochondral explants after loading. Proteoglycan content was repeatedly monitored over time using μCT, whereas other evaluations required destructive measurements. Changes in matrix related gene expressions indicated a degenerative response during the first 6 h after loading. After 24 h, this was restored and data suggested an initial repair response. Cell death and microscopic damage increased after 24 h following loading. These degradative changes were not restored within the 9 day culture period, and were accompanied by a slight loss of proteoglycans at the articular surface that extended into the middle zones. The combined findings indicate that high magnitude loading of articular cartilage at a high rate induces an initial damage that later initiates a healing response that can probably not be retained due to loss of cell viability. Consequently, the matrix cannot be restored in the short term. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1265-1273, 2017. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occupational injury costs and alternative employment in construction trades.

PubMed

Waehrer, Geetha M; Dong, Xiuwen S; Miller, Ted; Men, Yurong; Haile, Elizabeth

2007-11-01

To present the costs of fatal and non-fatal days-away-from-work injuries in 50 construction occupations. Our results also provide indirect evidence on the cost exposure of alternative construction workers such as independent contractors, on-call or day labor, contract workers, and temporary workers. We combine data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on average annual incidence from 2000 to 2002 with updated per-case costs from an existing cost model for occupational injuries. The Current Population Survey provides data on the percentage of alternative construction workers. Construction laborers and carpenters were the two costliest occupations, with 40% of the industry's injury costs. The 10 costliest construction occupations also have a high percentage of alternative workers. The construction industry has both a high rate of alternative employment and high costs of work injury. Alternative workers, often lacking workers' compensation, are especially exposed to injury costs.

An intensive longitudinal examination of daily physical activity and sleep in midlife women.

PubMed

Kishida, Moé; Elavsky, Steriani

2016-03-01

Previous research examining physical activity (PA) and sleep link has largely ignored the day-to-day variability that is present in these 2 health behaviors, and few studies have addressed this relation using objective assessments of PA and sleep. Through an intensive longitudinal design, the present study aimed: (1) to elucidate the reciprocal associations between PA and sleep; and (2) to better understand the role of body mass index (BMI) in these 2 health behaviors. Community-dwelling midlife women (N = 103; M = 53, age range= 40-60 years) wore an accelerometer for the objective assessment of PA and sleep for 21 days. A series of multilevel models were estimated to test concurrent and lagged associations between PA (activity counts, moderate-to-vigorous PA) and sleep (total sleep time [TST], sleep efficiency, sleep fragmentation indices). In concurrent, same-day analyses, a positive association emerged between PA and sleep such that as activity counts increased during the day, TST at night also increased (P < .05). In lagged analyses examining next-day effect of sleep on PA, a negative association was found such that greater TST on a given night was associated with less moderate-to-vigorous PA the subsequent day (P < .05). A moderation effect by BMI was also observed such that women with a high BMI engaging in overall lower levels of PA demonstrated poorer-quality sleep. The data suggest that leading a physically active lifestyle may have protective effects on sleep, particularly for overweight and obese women. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with Surgical Gloves to Repair Soft Tissue Defects in Hands.

PubMed

Fujitani, Teruaki; Zenke, Yukichi; Shinone, Michitaka; Menuki, Kunitaka; Fukumoto, Keizo; Sakai, Akinori

2015-09-01

The efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the treatment of skin defect wounds has been established, but it is difficult to apply to hand surgery because of the easy occurrence of air leaks. We report two cases of performing NPWT with surgical gloves. Case1: A 37-year-old male was injured on his right dorsal hand from a punch. He presented to our hospital three days after the injury because of swelling and pain. The wound was infected and contused, so wound lavage and debridement (W&D) were performed under local anesthesia. The infected condition didn't improve after antimicrobial infusion, so W&D were performed again 8 days after the first visit. Then W&D were performed every day, and the infection subsided 15 days after the first visit. NPWT was initiated for the purpose of managing exudate and the wound condition, and healthy granulation tissue formed gradually. Finally, transpositional flap and full-thickness skin graft were performed on day 29. Case2: A 43-year-old male accidentally sustained a high pressure injection of oil into his dorsal hand. He presented to our hospital the next day, and W&D were performed. W&D were performed again two days after the first visit, and artificial dermis was applied over a part of the wound that was impossible to close. A decision was made to apply NPWT and a surgical glove for the purpose of reducing swelling and managing wound exudate. The swelling decreased and granulation tissue formed gradually, then nine days after the first visit a sural nerve graft was applied to bridge the defective area, and a full thickness skin graft was applied. We achieved good wound closure and hand function recovery after using NPWT and a surgical glove.

Anthelmintic efficacy of ivermectin and abamectin, administered orally for seven consecutive days (100 µg/kg/day), against nematodes in naturally infected pigs.

PubMed

Lopes, Welber Daniel Zanetti; Teixeira, Weslen Fabricio Pires; Felippelli, Gustavo; Cruz, Breno Cayeiro; Buzulini, Carolina; Maciel, Willian Giquelin; Fávero, Flávia Carolina; Gomes, Lucas Vinicius Costa; Prando, Luciana; Bichuette, Murilo A; Dos Santos, Thais Rabelo; da Costa, Alvimar José

2014-12-01

The present study aimed to evaluate ivermectin and abamectin, both administered orally in naturally infected domestic swine, as well as analysing if the EPG (eggs per gram of faeces) values were equivalent with the ivermectin and abamectin efficacy obtained by parasitological necropsies. The animals were randomly selected based on the average of three consecutive EPG counts of Strongylida, Ascaris suum and Trichuris for experiment I, and of Strongylida and Trichuris for experiment II. After the random draw, eight animals were treated, orally, during seven consecutive days with 100 µg/kg/day ivermectin (Ivermectina® premix, Ouro Fino Agronegócios), eight other animals were treated, orally, during seven consecutive days with 100 µg/kg/day abamectin (Virbamax® premix - Virbac do Brasil Indústria e Comércio Ltda.), and eight pigs were kept as controls. EPG counts were performed for each individual animal at 14th day post-treatment (DPT). All animals (control and treatment) were necropsied at the 14th DPT. The results from both experiments demonstrate that both ivermectin and abamectin, administered orally for a continuous period of seven days, at a daily dosage of 100 µg/kg, were highly effective (>95%) against Hyostrongylus rubidus, Strongyloides ransomi, Ascaris suum and Metastrongylus salmi. Against Oesophagostomum dentatum, abamectin presented over 95% efficacy against both evaluated strains, while ivermectin reached other strain as resistant. Regarding T. suis, both ivermectin and abamectin were effective (efficacies >90%) against one of the tested strains, while the other one was classified as resistant. Furthermore, the EPG values were equivalent with the ivermectin and abamectin efficacy obtained by parasitological necropsies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical course and quality of care in ART-naïve patients newly presenting in a HIV outpatient clinic.

PubMed

Platten, M; Linnemann, R; Kümmerle, T; Jung, N; Wyen, C; Ehren, K; Gravemann, S; Gillor, D; Cornely, O A; Fischer, J; Lehmann, C; Rockstroh, J K; Fätkenheuer, G; Vehreschild, J J

2014-10-01

Little data exist about the quality of care for HIV-infected subjects in Germany. We investigated the clinical course of HIV-infected subjects newly presenting in our HIV outpatient clinic. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve HIV-infected subjects presenting between 2007 and 2008 were followed until June 2012. Clinical data and laboratory parameters were collected prospectively and analysed retrospectively. From 281 subjects included, 34 patients (12%) were lost to follow-up. 247 subjects remained, and 171 patients were followed for 1,497 days [1,121/1,726] (all data: median [interquartile range]). ART was started in 199 patients (81%) 182 days [44/849] after HIV diagnosis, and all patients were treated according to European guidelines or within clinical trials. The CD4 cell count at first presentation was 320/µL [160/500] and declined to 210/µL [100/300] at ART start. 12 months thereafter, the CD4 cell count increased to 410/µL [230/545]. The HIV RNA was suppressed below 50 copies/mL after 108 days [63/173] in 182 patients (91%). Initial ART was changed in 71 patients (36%) after 281 days [99/718], in five patients (7%) due to virological failure, in 66 patients (93%) due to other reasons, e.g. side effects or patient's request. Two-thirds of the included patients were followed for more than 3 years, and ART was initiated in 81% of the patients leading to complete virological suppression in most patients. Compliance of physicians with treatment guidelines was high. Late presentation with a severely compromised immune function remains a problem and impairs the otherwise good prognosis of HIV infection.

Enhanced biodegradation of methylhydrazine and hydrazine contaminated NASA wastewater in fixed-film bioreactor.

PubMed

Nwankwoala, A U; Egiebor, N O; Nyavor, K

2001-01-01

The aerobic biodegradation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wastewater that contains mixtures of highly concentrated methylhydrazine/hydrazine, citric acid and their reaction product was studied on a laboratory-scale fixed film trickle-bed reactor. The degrading organisms, Achromobacter sp., Rhodococcus B30 and Rhodococcus J10, were immobilized on coarse sand grains used as support-media in the columns. Under continuous flow operation, Rhodococcus sp. degraded the methylhydrazine content of the wastewater from a concentration of 10 to 2.5 mg/mL within 12 days and the hydrazine from approximately 0.8 to 0.1 mg/mL in 7 days. The Achromobacter sp. was equally efficient in degrading the organics present in the wastewater, reducing the concentration of the methylhydrazine from 10 to approximately 5 mg/mL within 12 days and that of the hydrazine from approximately 0.8 to 0.2 mg/mL in 7 days. The pseudo first-order rate constants of 0.137 day(-1) and 0.232 day(-1) were obtained for the removal of methylhydrazine and hydrazine, respectively, in wastewater in the reactor column. In the batch cultures, rate constants for the degradation were 0.046 and 0.079 day(-1) for methylhydrazine and hydrazine respectively. These results demonstrate that the continuous flow bioreactor afford greater degradation efficiencies than those obtained when the wastewater was incubated with the microbes in growth-limited batch experiments. They also show that wastewater containing hydrazine is more amenable to microbial degradation than one that is predominant in methylhydrazine, in spite of the longer lag period observed for hydrazine containing wastewater. The influence of substrate concentration and recycle rate on the degradation efficiency is reported. The major advantages of the trickle-bed reactor over the batch system include very high substrate volumetric rate of turnover, higher rates of degradation and tolerance of the 100% concentrated NASA wastewater. The results of the present laboratory scale study will be of great importance in the design and operation of an industrial immobilized biofilm reactor for the treatment of methylhydrazine and hydrazine contaminated NASA wastewater.

Application of HF Doppler measurements for the investigation of internal atmospheric waves in the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova, I. R.; Bochkarev, V. V.; Latipov, R. R.

2009-09-01

We present results of the spectral analysis of data series of Doppler frequency shifted signals reflected from the ionosphere, using experimental data received at Kazan University, Russia. Spectra of variations with periods from 1 min to 60 days have been calculated and analyzed for different scales of periods. The power spectral density for spring and winter differs by a factor of 3-4. Local maxima of variation amplitude are detected, which are statistically significant. The periods of these amplitude increases range from 6 to 12 min for winter, and from 24 to 48 min for autumn. Properties of spectra for variations with the periods of 1-72 h have been analyzed. The maximum of variation intensity for all seasons and frequencies corresponds to the period of 24 h. Spectra of variations with periods from 3 to 60 days have been calculated. The maxima periods of power spectral density have been detected by the MUSIC method for the high spectral resolution. The detected periods correspond to planetary wave periods. Analysis of spectra for days with different level of geomagnetic activity shows that the intensity of variations for days with a high level of geomagnetic activity is higher.

Age differences in daily predictors of forgetting to take medication: the importance of context and cognition.

PubMed

Neupert, Shevaun D; Patterson, Taryn R; Davis, Agnes A; Allaire, Jason C

2011-07-01

The present study examined age differences in the within-person daily associations of basic cognition, everyday cognition, and busyness with forgetting to take medication. The authors extend previous interindividual difference findings by conducting a daily diary study of a baseline assessment and 8 consecutive days of 40 older adults (age = 60-89 years, M = 74.86) and 31 younger adults (age = 18-20 years, M = 18.30) where basic cognition, everyday cognition, busyness, and forgetting medication were assessed each day and entered simultaneously into one model. Results from a logistic multilevel model indicated that performance on Letter Series was beneficial for both age groups, but the role of fluctuations in busyness on forgetting to take medications was opposite for younger and older adults. Younger adults remembered to take their medication the most on days when they had high everyday cognition and were busier. Older adults remembered to take their medication the most on days when they had high everyday cognition but were less busy. These findings highlight the importance of contextual variation in busyness in relation to daily medication adherence for younger and older adults.

The design of common aperture and multi-band optical system based on day light telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiao; Wang, Ling; Zhang, Bo; Teng, Guoqi; Wang, Meng

2017-02-01

As the development of electro-optical weapon system, the technique of common path and multi-sensor are used popular, and becoming a trend. According to the requirement of miniaturization and lightweight for electro-optical stabilized sighting system, a day light telescope/television viewing-aim system/ laser ranger has been designed in this thesis, which has common aperture. Thus integration scheme of multi-band and common aperture has been adopted. A day light telescope has been presented, which magnification is 8, field of view is 6°, and distance of exit pupil is more than 20mm. For 1/3" CCD, television viewing-aim system which has 156mm focal length, has been completed. In addition, laser ranging system has been designed, with 10km raging distance. This paper outlines its principle which used day light telescope as optical reference of correcting the optical axis. Besides, by means of shared objective, reserved image with inverting prism and coating beam-splitting film on the inclined plane of the cube prism, the system has been applied to electro-optical weapon system, with high-resolution of imaging and high-precision ranging.

Present-day constraint for tropical Pacific precipitation changes due to global warming in CMIP5 models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ham, Yoo-Geun; Kug, Jong-Seong

2016-11-01

The sensitivity of the precipitation responses to greenhouse warming can depend on the present-day climate. In this study, a robust linkage between the present-day precipitation climatology and precipitation change owing to global warming is examined in inter-model space. A model with drier climatology in the present-day simulation tends to simulate an increase in climatological precipitation owing to global warming. Moreover, the horizontal gradient of the present-day precipitation climatology plays an important role in determining the precipitation changes. On the basis of these robust relationships, future precipitation changes are calibrated by removing the impact of the present-day precipitation bias in the climate models. To validate this result, the perfect model approach is adapted, which treats a particular model's precipitation change as an observed change. The results suggest that the precipitation change pattern can be generally improved by applying the present statistical approach.

Early life exposure to environmental levels of the aromatase inhibitor tributyltin causes masculinisation and irreversible sperm damage in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

McAllister, Brian G; Kime, David E

2003-11-19

To determine whether early life exposure to tributyltin (TBT), an aromatase inhibitor, impaired reproductive function in fish, Danio rerio were exposed to environmentally realistic levels (0.01-100 ng l(-1)) of TBT from 0 to 30, 30 to 60, and 0 to 70 days post-hatch, and the sex ratio and sperm motility of the adults examined 3-5 months after cessation of exposure. Fish exposed for 70 days to 0.1 ng l(-1) of TBT, a concentration presently below the detection limit in water, showed a male biased population which produced a high incidence of sperm lacking flagella. At 1 ng l(-1), the motility of sperm was significantly lower than that of control fish, while at 10 ng l(-1), all sperm lacked flagella and, at 100 ng l(-1), milt volume had increased. The effect of exposure on sex ratio was similar after exposure from 0 to 70 and 0 to 30 days, but even 100 ng l(-1) gave only 65% males after exposure from 30 to 60 days. Effects on sperm motility and morphology and on milt volume were less pronounced after 30 day than 70 day exposure. Our data suggest that screening for aromatase inhibiting activity and assessment of its risks in early life to human and wildlife fertility needs to be urgently addressed, and that the reproductive toxicity of TBT may presently be underestimated.

Cell phenotypic change due to Cryptosporidium parvum infection in immunocompetent mice.

PubMed

Codices, Vera; Martins, Catarina; Novo, Carlos; Pinho, Mário; de Sousa, Bruno; Lopes, Angela; Borrego, Miguel; Matos, Olga

2013-03-01

Cryptosporidium parvum is an intracellular parasite causing enteritis which can become life-threatening in immunocompromised host. Immunoregulatory T cells play a central role in the regulatory network of the host. Here, we proposed to characterize the populations of immune cells during infection and reinfection with C. parvum. Four-week-old BALB/C mice were inoculated with oocysts of C. parvum at days 0 and 22. Fecal and blood samples, spleens, and small intestines were collected for analysis. Peripheral blood and spleen cell populations were characterized by flow cytometry. After infection (days 0 to 21), mice presented higher values of neutrophils, eosinophils, NK cells and CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells in peripheral blood. After reinfection, this upward trend continued in the following days for all four populations in infected mice. At day 35, infected mice presented similar values to the control group, except for CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells, which remained higher in infected mice. A possible correlation between alterations in blood and spleen cell populations was also studied, but no consistent association could be established. Small intestine sections were screened for intracellular stages of the parasite but no evidence of pathology was observed. Here, we report information which may be important for the understanding of the specific cell-mediated response in immunocompetent mice to C. parvum infection. Although some questions remain unanswered and complementary studies are needed, our results are expected to contribute to a better understanding of innate and Treg cells role in the clearance process of this parasite.

The Orbital Parameters and Nature of the X-ray Pulsar IGR J16393-4643 Using Pulse Timing Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearlman, Aaron B.; Corbet, R. H. D.; Pottschmidt, K.; Skinner, G. K.

2011-09-01

A 3.7 day orbital period was previously suggested for the 910 s X-ray pulsar IGR J16393-4643 from a pulse timing study of widely separated X-ray observations (Thompson et al., 2006), placing the system in the supergiant wind-fed region of the Ppulse-Porb diagram. However, orbital periods of 50.2 and 8.1 days could not be excluded. Nespoli et al. (2010) refute this wind-accreting high-mass X-ray binary classification and suggest a symbiotic X-ray binary (SyXB) designation based on infrared spectroscopy of the proposed counterpart and the potential 50.2 day orbital solution. SyXBs are low-mass X-ray binaries in which a neutron star accretes from the inhomogeneous medium around an M-type giant companion. We find that two statistically independent light curves of IGR J16393-4643, from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (15-50 keV) and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (PCA) Galactic bulge scans (2-10 keV), show highly significant orbital modulation near 4.24 days. Making use of this precise orbital period, we present the results from pulse arrival time analysis on IGR J16393-4643 using RXTE PCA observations. We provide significantly improved phase-connected pulse timing results using archival observations presented in Thompson et al. (2006) and additional pulse timing data not included in their study to determine the orbital parameters of the system. The derived 7.5 M⊙ mass function is inconsistent with a SyXB identification.

Aptian ‘Shale Gas’ Prospectivity in the Downdip Mississippi Interior Salt Basin, Gulf Coast, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, Paul C.; Valentine, Brett J.; Enomoto, Catherine B.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Scott, Krystina R.; Dulong, Frank T.; Bove, Alana M.

2016-01-01

This study evaluates regional ‘shale gas’ prospectivity of the Aptian section (primarily Pine Island Shale) in the downdip Mississippi Salt Basin (MSB). Previous work by the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean undiscovered gas resource of 8.8 trillion cubic feet (TCF) in the chronostratigraphic-equivalent Pearsall Formation in the Maverick Basin of south Texas, where industry has established a moderately successful horizontal gas and liquids play. Wells penetrating the downdip MSB Aptian section at depths of 12,000-15,000 ft were used to correlate formation tops in a 15-well cross-section extending about 200 miles (mi) east-southeastward from Adams Co. to Jackson Co. Legacy cuttings from these wells were analyzed for thermal maturity and source rock quality. Bitumen reflectance (n=53) increases with increasing present-day burial depth in the east-central study area from 1.0% to 1.7%. As the Aptian section shallows in Adams Co. to the west, bitumen Ro values are higher (1.7-2.0%), either from relatively greater heat flux or greater mid-Cenomanian uplift and erosion in this area. Total organic carbon (TOC) content ranges 0.01-1.21 and averages 0.5 wt.% (n=51); pyrolysis output (S2; n=51) averages 0.40 mg HC/g rock, indicating little present-day hydrocarbon-generative potential. Bitumen reflectance is preferred as a thermal maturity parameter as Tmax values are unreliable. Normalized X-ray diffraction (XRD) mineral analyses (n=26) indicate high average clay abundance (53 wt.%) relative to quartz (29%) and carbonate (18%). Mineral content shows a spatial relationship to an Appalachian orogen clastic sediment source, with proximal high clay and quartz and distal high carbonate content. Clastic influx from the Appalachian orogen is confirmed by detrital zircon U-Pb ages with dominant Grenville and Paleozoic components [105 ages from a Rodessa sandstone and 112 ages from a Paluxy (Albian) sandstone]. Preliminary information from fluid inclusion microthermometry (41 aqueous measurements from calcite cements in one argillaceous James Limestone sample) indicates homogenization temperatures (Th) of 120-135°C, consistent with present-day bottom-hole conditions and measured bitumen Ro values towards the western end of the MSB. Downdip in the central MSB, microthermometry (26 aqueous measurements from quartz dust rims in one Paluxy sandstone sample) and measured bitumen Ro values indicate maximum temperatures may have been significantly higher (~25°C) than present-day conditions. High inclusion salinities (15-25 wt.% salt) at both locations suggest interaction of pore fluids with evaporites. Mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) analyses (n=3) indicate porosity ranges 1.3-2.1% and permeability 0.006-0.02 µD for Pine Island and Rodessa shales. Overall, results from this work indicate generally poor ‘shale gas’ prospectivity compared to other shale reservoirs based primarily on depth, low organic content, low porosity, and high clay content. However, thickness and thermal maturity are appropriate, moderate reservoir pressures are present, and petroleum systems modelling by others has indicated high undiscovered gas potential for the basin as a whole.

Models are likely to underestimate increase in heavy rainfall in regions with high rainfall intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borodina, Aleksandra; Fischer, Erich M.; Knutti, Reto

2017-04-01

Model projections of heavy rainfall are uncertain. On timescales of few decades, internal variability plays an important role and therefore poses a challenge to detect robust model responses. We show that spatial aggregation across regions with intense heavy rainfall events, - defined as grid cells with high annual precipitation maxima (Rx1day), - allows to reduce the role of internal variability and thus to detect a robust signal during the historical period. This enables us to evaluate models with observational datasets and to constrain long-term projections of the intensification of heavy rainfall, i.e., to recalibrate full model ensemble consistent with observations resulting in narrower range of projections. In the regions of intense heavy rainfall, we found two present-day metrics that are related to a model's projection. The first metric is the observed relationship between the area-weighted mean of the annual precipitation maxima (Rx1day) and the global land temperatures. The second is the fraction of land exhibiting statistically significant relationships between local annual precipitation maxima (Rx1day) and global land temperatures over the historical period. The models that simulate high values in both metrics are those that are in better agreement with observations and show strong future intensification of heavy rainfall. This implies that changes in heavy rainfall are likely to be more intense than anticipated from the multi-model mean.

An Interesting Case of Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome in a Young Male.

PubMed

Murtaza, Ghulam; Konowitz, Nicholas; Lu, Hannah; Faqah, Anadil; Kuruvilla, Aneesh

2017-01-01

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome is a rare disease with a limited number of cases reported in the literature. It typically presents with orbital pain associated with palsy of the third, fourth, or sixth cranial nerve. We present an interesting case of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome in a young male who responded well to high-dose steroids and in a few days had significant improvement in his retro-orbital pain and ocular movements.

A Practical HTS SQUID Magnetometer System for NDI of Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-10

based on present-day high Tc SQUIDs is feasible, and present a portable design cooled by a miniature cryocooler . In addition, a reevaluation of the basic...integration of this cryocooler with SQUIDs, is that there is no available electromagnetic field emission information. We did not find any for other types ...background signals. Third, there are several other types of cryocoolers , integrated or split, made of plastics available on the market. They will

[Morbidity and mortality rates in relation to the "surgeon factor" after duodenopancreatectomy].

PubMed

Targarona, Javier; Pando, Elizabeth; Garatea, Rafael; Vavoulis, Alexandra; Montoya, Eduardo

2007-10-01

The present study was designed to determine whether the surgeon factor has an independent effect on morbidity and mortality rates after duodenopancreatectomy. Between October 2002 and December 2006, we performed a study of 119 patients who underwent duodenopancreatectomy. The surgeons were divided into 3 groups according to the number of interventions they performed each year: a low volume group (three Whipple procedures per year), a medium volume group (four to 10 Whipple procedures per year) and a high volume group (> 10 Whipple procedures per year). The morbidity rate was higher in the low volume group (82%) than in the high volume group (35%). Length of hospital stay was clearly longer in the low and medium volume groups (27 days, and 21 days) than in the high volume group (17 days). Comparison of the results of the 3 groups revealed that the group performing three or less interventions per year (low volume) had the highest mortality rate (47%), while the group performing more than 10 interventions per year (high volume) had a very low mortality rate (4%). We found that the volume-to-surgeon ratio was inversely proportional to morbidity, length of hospital stay, return to oral intake, and mortality rates. Therefore, increasing surgical volume could improve morbidity and mortality rates.

The bacterial pneumonias: a new treatment paradigm.

PubMed

Marik, Paul E

2015-01-01

Pneumonia is a common disease that carries a high mortality. Traditionally, pneumonia has been classified and treated according to the setting where the pneumonia develops, namely community-acquired pneumonia, health-care-associated pneumonia, and hospital-acquired pneumonia. This classification was based on the risk of a patient being infected with a hospital-acquired drug-resistant pathogen. A new treatment paradigm has been proposed based on the risk of the patient being infected with a community-acquired drug-resistant pathogen. The risk factors for infection with a community-acquired drug-resistant pathogen include (1) hospitalization for > 2 days during the previous 90 days, (2) antibiotic use during the previous 90 days, (3) nonambulatory status, (4) tube feeds, (5) immunocompromised status, (6) use of acid-suppressive therapy, (7) chronic hemodialysis during the preceding 30 days, (8) positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus history within the previous 90 days, and (9) present hospitalization > 2 days. This article reviews this new treatment paradigm and other issues relevant to the diagnosis and management of pneumonia based on information from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials.

Analyzing fat embolism syndrome in trauma patients at AIIMS Apex Trauma Center, New Delhi, India

PubMed Central

Gupta, Babita; D’souza, Nita; Sawhney, Chhavi; Farooque, Kamran; Kumar, Ajeet; Agrawal, Pramendra; Misra, M C

2011-01-01

Background: Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a constellation of symptoms and signs subsequent to orthopedic trauma. Materials and Methods: The clinical profile of FES in the trauma population was studied over 2 years and 8 months. Results: The incidence of FES among all patients with long bone and pelvic fractures was 0.7% (12). The mean injury severity score was 10.37 (SD 1.69) (range 9-14). The diagnosis of FES was made by clinical and laboratory criteria. Hypoxia was the commonest presentation (92%). The average days of onset of symptoms were 3.5 (SD1.29) days. Management included ventilator support in 75%, average ventilator days being 7.8 (SD 4.08) days. The average ICU stay and hospital stay were 9.1 days and 29.7 days, respectively. A mortality of 8.3% (1) was observed. Conclusion: Fat embolism remains a diagnosis of exclusion and is a clinical dilemma. Clinically apparent FES is unusual and needs high index of suspicion, especially in long bone and pelvic fractures. PMID:21887021

Predicting bacterial growth in raw, salted, and cooked chicken breast fillets during storage.

PubMed

Galarz, Liane Aldrighi; Fonseca, Gustavo Graciano; Prentice, Carlos

2016-09-01

Growth curves were evaluated for aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. and Staphylococcus spp., grown in raw, salted, and cooked chicken breast at 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, and 20 ℃, respectively, using the modified Gompertz and modified logistic models. Shelf life was determined based on microbiological counts and sensory analysis. Temperature increase reduced the shelf life, which varied from 10 to 26 days at 2 ℃, from nine to 21 days at 4 ℃, from six to 12 days at 7 ℃, from four to eight days at 10 ℃, from two to four days at 15 ℃, and from one to two days at 20 ℃. In most cases, cooked chicken breast showed the highest microbial count, followed by raw breast and lastly salted breast. The data obtained here were useful for the generation of mathematical models and parameters. The models presented high correlation and can be used for predictive purposes in the poultry meat supply chain. © The Author(s) 2015.

Maintaining viability of white clover under very high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishihira, N.; Iwasaki, T.; Shinpou, R.; Hara, A.; Ono, F.; Hada, Y.; Mori, Y.; Takarabe, K.; Saigusa, M.; Matsushima, Y.; Saini, N. L.; Yamashita, M.

2012-06-01

The high pressure technique developed in physics may give a new possibility if it is applied to a biological study. We have been studying the tolerance of small living samples such as planktons and mosses, and found that all of them were alive after exposed to extremely high hydrostatic pressure of 7.5 GPa. This technique has been extended to a higher plant Trifolium lepens L. (white clover). A few seeds of white clover were exposed to 7.5 GPa for up to 6 days. After the pressure was released, they were seeded on agar, or directly on sowing soil. Seventeen out of the total 22 seeds exposed to the high pressure were found to be alive. Those exposed for up to 1 day and seeded on agar germinated roots. Those exposed for up to 1 h and seeded on soil germinated stems and leaves. The present technique has the possibility of being applied to improve breed of plants and to discover a very strong species that stands against very severe environmental conditions.

Development of Predictive Algorithms for Pre-Treatment Motor Deficit and 90-Day Mortality in Spinal Epidural Abscess.

PubMed

Shah, Akash A; Ogink, Paul T; Harris, Mitchel B; Schwab, Joseph H

2018-06-20

Spinal epidural abscess is a high-risk condition that can lead to paralysis or death. It would be of clinical and prognostic utility to identify which subset of patients with spinal epidural abscess is likely to develop a motor deficit or die within 90 days of discharge. We identified all patients ≥18 years of age who were admitted to our hospital system with a diagnosis of spinal epidural abscess during the period of 1993 to 2016. Explanatory variables were collected retrospectively. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed using these variables to identify independent predictors of motor deficit and 90-day mortality. Nomograms were then constructed to quantify the risk of these outcomes. Of the 1,053 patients we identified with spinal epidural abscess, 362 presented with motor weakness. One hundred and thirty-four patients died within 90 days of discharge, inclusive of those who died during hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression yielded 8 independent predictors of pre-treatment motor deficit and 8 independent predictors of 90-day mortality. We constructed nomograms that generated a probability of pre-treatment motor deficit or 90-day mortality on the basis of the presence of these factors. By quantifying the risk of pre-treatment motor deficit and 90-day mortality, our nomograms may provide useful prognostic information for the treatment team. Timely treatment of neurologically intact patients with a high risk of developing a motor deficit is necessary to avoid residual motor weakness and improve survival. Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of Levels of Evidence.

Milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a tool to investigate ovarian cyclicity of water buffaloes in relation to body condition score and milk production.

PubMed

Banu, Turgish A; Shamsuddin, Mohammed; Bhattacharjee, Jayonta; Islam, Mohammad F; Khan, Saiful I; Ahmed, Jalal U

2012-05-03

Application of assisted reproductive technologies in buffaloes is limited to some extent by farmers' inability to detect oestrus because of its poor expression. The present study aimed at investigating reliability of a milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the ovarian cyclicity during post partum, oestrus and post-breeding periods in water buffaloes. Progesterone concentrations were measured by an ELISA in milk of 23 postpartum buffaloes in relation to oestrus, pregnancy, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Two milk samples were taken at 10 days intervals, every month starting from day 30 and continued to day 150 post partum. BCS and milk production were recorded during sample collection. Milk samples from bred buffaloes were collected at Day 0 (day of breeding), Days 10-12 and Days 22-24. Defatted milk was preserved at -80°C until analysis. Pregnancy was confirmed by palpation per rectum on Days 70-90. Seventeen buffaloes had 47 ovulatory cycles, one to four in each, 13 were detected in oestrus once (28 % oestrus detection rate). Progesterone concentration ≥1 ng/ml in one of the two 10-day-interval milk samples reflected ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The intervals between calving to first luteal activity and to first detected oestrus varied from 41 to 123 days (n = 17) and 83 to 135 (n = 13) days, respectively. Eight buffaloes were bred in the course of the study and seven were found pregnant. These buffaloes had a progesterone profile of low (<1 ng/ml), high (≥ 1 ng/ml) and high (≥ 1 ng/ml) on Day 0, Days 10-12 and Days 22-24, respectively. Buffaloes cycling later in the postpartum period had fewer missed oestruses (P < 0.05). Buffaloes with a superior BCS had a shorter calving to oestrus interval and produced more milk (P < 0.05). Milk progesterone ELISA is a reliable tool for monitoring ovarian cyclicity and good BCS may be an indicator of resuming cyclicity in water buffalo.

Urinary leukotriene E(4) levels are not increased prior to high-altitude pulmonary edema.

PubMed

Bärtsch, P; Eichenberger, U; Ballmer, P E; Gibbs, J S; Schirlo, C; Oelz, O; Mayatepek, E

2000-05-01

To examine whether increased urinary cysteinyl-leukotriene E(4) (LTE(4)) excretion, which has been found to be elevated in patients presenting with high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), precedes edema formation. Prospective studies in a total of 12 subjects with susceptibility to HAPE. In a chamber study, seven subjects susceptible to HAPE and five nonsusceptible control subjects were exposed for 24 h to an altitude of 450 m (control day), and exposed for 20 h to 4,000 m after slow decompression over 4 h. In a field study, prospective measurements at low and high altitude were performed in five subjects developing HAPE at 4,559 m. Mountaineers with a radiographically documented history of HAPE and control subjects who did not develop HAPE with identical high-altitude exposure. 24-h urine collections. In the hypobaric chamber, none of the subjects developed HAPE. The 24-h urinary LTE(4) did not differ between HAPE susceptible and control subjects, nor between hypoxia and normoxic control day. In the field study, urinary LTE(4) was not increased in subjects with HAPE compared to values obtained prior to HAPE at high altitude and during 2 control days at low altitude. These data do not provide evidence that cysteinyl-leukotriene-mediated inflammatory response is associated with HAPE susceptibility or the development of HAPE within the context of our studies.

Diverse Long-Term Variability of Five Candidate High-Mass X-Ray Binaries from Swift Burst Alert Telescope Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbet, Robin H. D.; Coley, Joel B.; Krimm, Hans A.

2017-01-01

We present an investigation of long-term modulation in the X-ray light curves of five little-studied candidate high-mass X-ray binaries using the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (SWIFT-BAT). IGR J14488-5942 and AX J1700.2-4220 show strong modulation at periods of 49.6 and 44 days, respectively, which are interpreted as orbital periods of Be star systems. For IGR J14488-5942, observations with the Swift X-ray Telescope show a hint of pulsations at 33.4 seconds. For AX J1700.2-4220, 54 second-pulsations were previously found with XMM-Newton. Swift J1816.7-1613 exhibits complicated behavior. The strongest peak in the power spectrum is at a period near 150 days, but this conflicts with a determination of a period of 118.5 days by La Parola et al. AX J1820.5-1434 has been proposed to exhibit modulation near 54 days, but the extended BAT observations suggest modulation at slightly longer than double this at approximately 111 days. There appears to be a long-term change in the shape of the modulation near 111 days, which may explain the apparent discrepancy. The X-ray pulsar XTE J1906+090,which was previously proposed to be a Be star system with an orbital period of approximately 30 days from pulse timing, shows peaks in the power spectrum at 81 and 173 days. The origins of these periods are unclear, although theymight be the orbital period and a superorbital period respectively. For all five sources, the long-term variability, together with the combination of orbital and proposed pulse periods, suggests that the sources contain Be starmass donors.

Diverse Long-term Variability of Five Candidate High-mass X-Ray Binaries from Swift Burst Alert Telescope Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbet, Robin H. D.; Coley, Joel B.; Krimm, Hans A.

2017-09-01

We present an investigation of long-term modulation in the X-ray light curves of five little-studied candidate high-mass X-ray binaries using the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. IGR J14488-5942 and AX J1700.2-4220 show strong modulation at periods of 49.6 and 44 days, respectively, which are interpreted as orbital periods of Be star systems. For IGR J14488-5942, observations with the Swift X-ray Telescope show a hint of pulsations at 33.4 s. For AX J1700.2-4220, 54 s pulsations were previously found with XMM-Newton. Swift J1816.7-1613 exhibits complicated behavior. The strongest peak in the power spectrum is at a period near 150 days, but this conflicts with a determination of a period of 118.5 days by La Parola et al. AX J1820.5-1434 has been proposed to exhibit modulation near 54 days, but the extended BAT observations suggest modulation at slightly longer than double this at approximately 111 days. There appears to be a long-term change in the shape of the modulation near 111 days, which may explain the apparent discrepancy. The X-ray pulsar XTE J1906+090, which was previously proposed to be a Be star system with an orbital period of ˜30 days from pulse timing, shows peaks in the power spectrum at 81 and 173 days. The origins of these periods are unclear, although they might be the orbital period and a superorbital period respectively. For all five sources, the long-term variability, together with the combination of orbital and proposed pulse periods, suggests that the sources contain Be star mass donors.

Diverse Long-Term Variability of Five Candidate High-Mass X-ray Binaries from Swift Burst Alert Telescope Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbet, Robin; Coley, Joel Barry; Krimm, Hans A.

2017-08-01

We present an investigation of long-term modulation in the X-ray light curves of five little-studied candidate high-mass X-ray binaries using the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. IGR J14488-5942 and AX J1700.2-4220 show strong modulation at periods of 49.6 and 44 days, respectively, which are interpreted as orbital periods of Be star systems. For IGR J14488-5942, observations with Swift X-ray Telescope show a hint of pulsations at 33.4 s. For AX J1700.2-4220, 54 s pulsations were previously found with XMM-Newton. Swift J1816.7-1613 exhibits complicated behavior. The strongest peak in the power spectrum is at a period near 150 days, but this conflicts with a determination of a period of 118.5 days by La Parola et al. (2014). AX J1820.5-1434 has been proposed to exhibit modulation near 54 days, but the extended BAT observations suggest modulation at slightly longer than double this at approximately 111 days. There appears to be a long-term change in the shape of the modulation near 111 days, which may explain the apparent discrepancy. The X-ray pulsar XTE J1906+090, which was previously proposed to be a Be star system with an orbital period of ˜30 days from pulse timing, shows peaks in the power spectrum at 81 and 173 days. The origins of these periods are unclear, although they might be the orbital period and a superorbital period respectively. For all five sources, the long-term variability, together with the combination of orbital and proposed pulse periods, suggests that the sources contain Be star mass donors.

What rainfall events trigger landslides on the West Coast US?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biasutti, Michela; Seager, Richard; Kirschbaum, Dalia

2016-04-01

A dataset of landslide occurrences compiled by collating google news reports covers 9 full years of data. We show that, while this compilation cannot provide consistent and widespread monitoring everywhere, it is adequate to capture the distribution of events in the major urban areas of the West Coast US and it can be used to provide a quantitative relationship between landslides and rainfall events. The case of the Seattle metropolitan area is presented as an example. The landslide dataset shows a clear seasonality in landslide occurrence, corresponding to the seasonality of rainfall, modified by the accumulation of soil moisture as winter progresses. Interannual variability of landslide occurrences is also linked to interannual variability of monthly rainfall. In most instances, landslides are clustered on consecutive days or at least within the same pentad and correspond to days of large rainfall accumulation at the regional scale. A joint analysis of the landslide data and of the high-resolution PRISM daily rainfall accumulation shows that on days when landslides occurred, the distribution of rainfall was shifted, with rainfall accumulation higher than 10mm/day being more common. Accumulations above 50mm/day much increase the probability of landslides, including the possibility of a major landslide event (one with multiple landslides in a day). The synoptic meteorological conditions associated with these major events show a mid-tropospheric ridge to the south of the target area steering a surface low and bringing enhanced precipitable water towards the Pacific North West. The interaction of the low-level flow with the local orography results in instances of a strong Puget Sound Convergence Zone, with widespread rainfall accumulation above 30mm/day and localized maxima as high as 100mm/day or more.

Comparison of doubly labeled water with respirometry at low- and high-activity levels

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

Westerterp, K.R.; Brouns, F.; Saris, W.H.

1988-07-01

In previous studies the doubly labeled water method for measuring energy expenditure in free-living humans has been validated against respirometry under sedentary conditions. In the present investigation, energy expenditure is measured simultaneously with doubly labeled water and respirometry at low- and high-activity levels. Over 6 days, five subjects were measured doing mainly sedentary activities like desk work; their average daily metabolic rate was 1.40 +/- 0.09 (SD) times sleeping metabolic rate. Four subjects were measured twice over 3.5 days, including 2 days with heavy bicycle ergometer work, resulting in an average daily metabolic rate of 2.61 +/- 0.25 (SD) timesmore » sleeping metabolic rate. At the low-activity level, energy expenditures from the doubly labeled water method were on the average 1.4 +/- 3.9% (SD) larger than those from respirometry. At the high-activity level, the doubly labeled water method yielded values that were 1.0 +/- 7.0% (SD) lower than those from respirometry. Results demonstrate the utility of the doubly labeled water method for the determination of energy expenditure in the range of activity levels in daily life.« less

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for Streptococcus pyogenes toxic shock syndrome in pregnancy.

PubMed

Imaeda, Taro; Nakada, Taka-Aki; Abe, Ryuzo; Tateishi, Yoshihisa; Oda, Shigeto

2016-06-01

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), an invasive Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus) infection with hypotension and multiple organ failure, is quite rare in pregnancy but is characterized by rapid disease progression and high fatality rates. We present a case of STSS with infection-induced cardiac dysfunction in a pregnant woman who was treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). A 24-year-old multiparous woman in the third trimester had early symptoms of high fever and diarrhea 1 day prior to admission to the hospital emergency department. On admission, she had multiple organ failure including circulatory failure. Due to fetal distress, emergency Cesarean section was carried out and transferred to intensive care units. She had refractory circulatory failure with depressed myocardial contractility with progressive multiple organ failure, despite receiving significant hemodynamic supports including high-dose catecholamine. Thus, VA-ECMO was initiated 18 h after intensive care unit admission. Consequently, ECMO provided extra time to recover from infection and myocardial depression. She was successfully weaned from VA-ECMO on day 7 and was discharged home on day 53. VA-ECMO can be a therapeutic option for refractory circulatory failure with significant myocardial depression in STSS.

Reliability of rapid reporting of cancers in New Hampshire.

PubMed

Celaya, Maria O; Riddle, Bruce L; Cherala, Sai S; Armenti, Karla R; Rees, Judy R

2010-01-01

The New Hampshire State Cancer Registry (NHSCR) has a 2-phase reporting system. An abbreviated, "rapid" report of cancer diagnosis or treatment is due to the central registry within 45 days of diagnosis and a more detailed, definitive report is due within 180 days. Rapid reports are used for various research studies, but researchers who contact patients are warned that the rapid reports may contain inaccuracies. This study aimed to assess the reliability of rapid cancer reports. For diagnosis years 2000-2004, we compared the rapid and definitive reports submitted to NHSCR. We calculated the sensitivity and positive predictive value of rapid reports; the reliability of key data items overall and for major sites; and the time between diagnosis and submission of the report. Rapid reports identified incident cancer cases with a sensitivity of 88.5%. The overall accuracy of key data items was high. The accuracy of primary sites identified by rapid reports was high generally but lower for ovarian and unknown primaries. A subset analysis showed that 47% of cancers were reported within 90 days of diagnosis. Rapid reports submitted to NHSCR are generally of high quality and present a useful opportunity for research investigations in New Hampshire.

Cholera cases cluster in time and space in Matlab, Bangladesh: implications for targeted preventive interventions.

PubMed

Debes, Amanda K; Ali, Mohammad; Azman, Andrew S; Yunus, Mohammad; Sack, David A

2016-12-01

: Cholera remains a serious public health threat in Asia, Africa and in parts of the Americas. Three World health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines are now available but their supply is limited, so current supplies must be administered strategically. This requires an improved understanding of disease transmission and control strategies. : We used demographics and disease surveillance data collected from 1991 to 2000 in Matlab, Bangladesh, to estimate the spatial and temporal extent of the zone of increased risk around cholera cases. Specifically, we compare the cholera incidence among individuals living close to cholera cases with that among individuals living close to those without medically-attended cholera in this rural endemic setting. : Those living within 50 m of a confirmed cholera case had 36 times (95% confidence interval: 23-56) the risk of becoming a cholera case in the first 3 days (after case presentation) compared with risk elsewhere in the community. The relative risk gradually declined in space and time, but remained significantly high up to 450 me away within 3 days of case presentation, and up to 150 m away within 23 days from the date of presentation of the case. : These findings suggest that, if conducted rapidly, vaccinating individuals living close to a case (ring vaccination) could be an efficient and effective strategy to target vaccine to a high-risk population in an endemic setting. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Azithromycin in the treatment of uncomplicated genital chlamydial infections.

PubMed

Stamm, W E

1991-09-12

Chlamydia trachomatis is among the most prevalent of sexually transmitted diseases and causes serious sequelae, especially in women. A major difficulty facing the clinician has been the effective treatment of patients with chlamydial infections, since existing drugs require 7 or more days of multidose therapy, and hence considerable commitment from the patient. Many patients, especially those who are minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic, are likely to be noncompliant when given such multiple day regimens and thus may fail therapy. Azithromycin is an azalide antibiotic that has a minimum inhibitory concentration against C. trachomatis of between 0.03 and 0.25 mg/L, as well as good in vitro activity against other sexually transmitted pathogens that are often present concurrently. Azithromycin also achieves high intracellular concentrations, which may be beneficial in eradicating Chlamydia, an obligate intracellular pathogen. More importantly, azithromycin has high tissue bioavailability and a tissue half-life of between 2 and 4 days. These pharmacokinetic properties imply that the dosing period for azithromycin can be greatly reduced while still achieving high antimicrobial activity at sites of infection. Clinical experience to date shows that a single 1 g oral dose of azithromycin is as effective as a standard 7-day twice daily regimen of doxycycline and more effective than 7 days of ciprofloxacin in eradicating uncomplicated chlamydial genital infections. As such, azithromycin is the first single-dose therapy for the treatment of urethritis and cervicitis due to C. trachomatis. Single-dose therapy for chlamydial infection, which could be administered under supervision in the clinic, would be a significant advance in the management and public health control of chlamydial infections.

Purported addition of N-glycosylation sites on the globular head of the hemagglutinin induced escape of a 2015 Mexican H7 HPAI strain from vaccinal immunity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the past years, H7N3 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been reported in Mexico with a dramatic economic and ethical impact due to the high number of birds that have died or been culled. In the present study, one-day-old specific pathogen free (SPF) leghorn chickens were vaccinated with...

Effectiveness of artemether-lumefantrine provided by community health workers in under-five children with uncomplicated malaria in rural Tanzania: an open label prospective study.

PubMed

Ngasala, Billy E; Malmberg, Maja; Carlsson, Anja M; Ferreira, Pedro E; Petzold, Max G; Blessborn, Daniel; Bergqvist, Yngve; Gil, José P; Premji, Zul; Mårtensson, Andreas

2011-03-16

Home-management of malaria (HMM) strategy improves early access of anti-malarial medicines to high-risk groups in remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa. However, limited data are available on the effectiveness of using artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) within the HMM strategy. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of artemether-lumefantrine (AL), presently the most favoured ACT in Africa, in under-five children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Tanzania, when provided by community health workers (CHWs) and administered unsupervised by parents or guardians at home. An open label, single arm prospective study was conducted in two rural villages with high malaria transmission in Kibaha District, Tanzania. Children presenting to CHWs with uncomplicated fever and a positive rapid malaria diagnostic test (RDT) were provisionally enrolled and provided AL for unsupervised treatment at home. Patients with microscopy confirmed P. falciparum parasitaemia were definitely enrolled and reviewed weekly by the CHWs during 42 days. Primary outcome measure was PCR corrected parasitological cure rate by day 42, as estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00454961. A total of 244 febrile children were enrolled between March-August 2007. Two patients were lost to follow up on day 14, and one patient withdrew consent on day 21. Some 141/241 (58.5%) patients had recurrent infection during follow-up, of whom 14 had recrudescence. The PCR corrected cure rate by day 42 was 93.0% (95% CI 88.3%-95.9%). The median lumefantrine concentration was statistically significantly lower in patients with recrudescence (97 ng/mL [IQR 0-234]; n = 10) compared with reinfections (205 ng/mL [114-390]; n = 92), or no parasite reappearance (217 [121-374] ng/mL; n = 70; p ≤ 0.046). Provision of AL by CHWs for unsupervised malaria treatment at home was highly effective, which provides evidence base for scaling-up implementation of HMM with AL in Tanzania.

Efficacy and Safety of Proton-Pump Inhibitors in High-Risk Cardiovascular Subsets of the COGENT Trial.

PubMed

Vaduganathan, Muthiah; Cannon, Christopher P; Cryer, Byron L; Liu, Yuyin; Hsieh, Wen-Hua; Doros, Gheorghe; Cohen, Marc; Lanas, Angel; Schnitzer, Thomas J; Shook, Thomas L; Lapuerta, Pablo; Goldsmith, Mark A; Laine, Loren; Bhatt, Deepak L

2016-09-01

Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been demonstrated to reduce rates of gastrointestinal events in patients requiring dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Data are limited regarding the efficacy and safety of PPIs in high-risk cardiovascular subsets after acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary intervention. All patients enrolled in COGENT (Clopidogrel and the Optimization of Gastrointestinal Events Trial) were initiated on DAPT (with aspirin and clopidogrel) for various indications within the prior 21 days. These post hoc analyses of the COGENT trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of omeprazole compared with placebo in subsets of patients requiring DAPT for the 2 most frequent indications: 1) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (for any indication) within 14 days of randomization (n = 2676; 71.2%); and 2) patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome managed with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (n = 1573; 41.8%). Unadjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate effect sizes through final follow-up. Median follow-up duration was 110 days (interquartile range 55-167). In percutaneous coronary intervention-treated patients, omeprazole significantly reduced rates of composite gastrointestinal events at 180 days (1.2% vs 2.7%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.85; P = .02) without increasing composite cardiovascular events (5.4% vs 6.3%; HR 1.00; 95% CI, 0.67-1.50; P = 1.00). Similarly, omeprazole lowered risk of the primary gastrointestinal endpoint at 180 days in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (1.1% vs 2.7%; HR 0.37; 95% CI, 0.13-1.01; P = .05) without a significant excess in cardiovascular events (5.6% vs 4.5%; HR 1.40; 95% CI, 0.77-2.53; P = .27). PPI therapy attenuates gastrointestinal bleeding risk without significant excess in major cardiovascular events in high-risk cardiovascular subsets, regardless of indication for DAPT. Future studies will be needed to clarify optimal gastroprotective strategies for higher-intensity and longer durations of DAPT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Symptoms after ingestion of pig whipworm Trichuris suis eggs in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial.

PubMed

Bager, Peter; Kapel, Christian; Roepstorff, Allan; Thamsborg, Stig; Arnved, John; Rønborg, Steen; Kristensen, Bjarne; Poulsen, Lars K; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Melbye, Mads

2011-01-01

Symptoms after human infection with the helminth Trichuris suis have not previously been described. Exposure to helminths has been suggested as immune therapy against allergy and autoimmune diseases. We randomized adults with allergic rhinitis to ingest a dose of 2500 T. suis eggs or placebo every 21 days for 168 days (total 8 doses) in a double-blind clinical trial. In a previous publication, we reported a lack of efficacy and a high prevalence of adverse gastrointestinal reactions. The aim of the present study was to present a detailed description of the adverse event data and post-hoc analyses of gastrointestinal reactions. Adverse events and severity (mild, moderate, severe) were recorded daily by subjects, classified by organ using MedDRA 10.0, and event rates compared between subjects on T. suis treatment vs. subjects on placebo. T. suis-specific serum IgG antibodies were measured by a fluoroenzymeimmunoassay (Phadia ApS). During 163 days complete follow-up, subjects ingesting T. suis eggs (N = 49) had a three to 19-fold higher rate of events (median duration, 2 days) with gastrointestinal reactions (moderate to severe flatulence, diarrhea, and upper abdominal pain) compared with placebo subjects (N = 47). The highest incidence of affected subjects was seen from the first few days and until day 42 (3(rd) dose): 63% vs. 29% for placebo; day 163: 76% vs. 49% for placebo. Seroprevalences increased concurrently in the T. suis group: Day 59, 50%; day 90, 91%; day 170, 93%. The combined duration of episodes with onset before day 42 was ≤ 14 days in 80% of affected subjects. Age, gender, total IgE, and recent intestinal symptoms at baseline did not predict gastrointestinal side effects. In conclusion, during the first 2 months, repeated ingestions of 2500 T. suis eggs caused frequent gastrointestinal reactions lasting up to 14 days, whereas 4 months further treatment mainly provoked a subclinical stimulation. University hospital Medical Information Network trial registry Reg. no. R000001298, Trial ID UMIN000001070.

Symptoms after Ingestion of Pig Whipworm Trichuris suis Eggs in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Bager, Peter; Kapel, Christian; Roepstorff, Allan; Thamsborg, Stig; Arnved, John; Rønborg, Steen; Kristensen, Bjarne; Poulsen, Lars K.; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Melbye, Mads

2011-01-01

Symptoms after human infection with the helminth Trichuris suis have not previously been described. Exposure to helminths has been suggested as immune therapy against allergy and autoimmune diseases. We randomized adults with allergic rhinitis to ingest a dose of 2500 T. suis eggs or placebo every 21 days for 168 days (total 8 doses) in a double-blind clinical trial. In a previous publication, we reported a lack of efficacy and a high prevalence of adverse gastrointestinal reactions. The aim of the present study was to present a detailed description of the adverse event data and post-hoc analyses of gastrointestinal reactions. Adverse events and severity (mild, moderate, severe) were recorded daily by subjects, classified by organ using MedDRA 10.0, and event rates compared between subjects on T. suis treatment vs. subjects on placebo. T. suis-specific serum IgG antibodies were measured by a fluoroenzymeimmunoassay (Phadia ApS). During 163 days complete follow-up, subjects ingesting T. suis eggs (N = 49) had a three to 19-fold higher rate of events (median duration, 2 days) with gastrointestinal reactions (moderate to severe flatulence, diarrhea, and upper abdominal pain) compared with placebo subjects (N = 47). The highest incidence of affected subjects was seen from the first few days and until day 42 (3rd dose): 63% vs. 29% for placebo; day 163: 76% vs. 49% for placebo. Seroprevalences increased concurrently in the T. suis group: Day 59, 50%; day 90, 91%; day 170, 93%. The combined duration of episodes with onset before day 42 was ≤14 days in 80% of affected subjects. Age, gender, total IgE, and recent intestinal symptoms at baseline did not predict gastrointestinal side effects. In conclusion, during the first 2 months, repeated ingestions of 2500 T. suis eggs caused frequent gastrointestinal reactions lasting up to 14 days, whereas 4 months further treatment mainly provoked a subclinical stimulation. Trial registration University hospital Medical Information Network trial registry Reg. no. R000001298, Trial ID UMIN000001070. PMID:21829616

Search for Indirect Signals of Dark Matter with The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baughman, Brian; Harding, Patrick; HAWC Collaboration

2015-04-01

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory is a wide field-of-view observatory sensitive to 100 GeV-100 TeV gamma rays and cosmic rays. Located at an elevation of 4100 m on the Sierra Negra volcano in Mexico, HAWC observes extensive air showers from gamma rays via their production of Cherenkov light within an array of water tanks. With a wide field-of-view observing 2/3 of the sky each day and a sensitivity of greater than 1 Crab per day, HAWC has the ability to probe a large fraction of the sky for the signals of TeV-mass dark matter. HAWC's sensitivity to dark matter for several astrophysical sources and some early limits from the built detector will be presented.

Simulating the Thermal Response of High Explosives on Time Scales of Days to Microseconds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoh, Jack J.; McClelland, Matthew A.

2004-07-01

We present an overview of computational techniques for simulating the thermal cookoff of high explosives using a multi-physics hydrodynamics code, ALE3D. Recent improvements to the code have aided our computational capability in modeling the response of energetic materials systems exposed to extreme thermal environments, such as fires. We consider an idealized model process for a confined explosive involving the transition from slow heating to rapid deflagration in which the time scale changes from days to hundreds of microseconds. The heating stage involves thermal expansion and decomposition according to an Arrhenius kinetics model while a pressure-dependent burn model is employed during the explosive phase. We describe and demonstrate the numerical strategies employed to make the transition from slow to fast dynamics.

In situ analysis of lung antigen-presenting cells during murine pulmonary infection with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Pedroza-González, Alexander; García-Romo, Gina S; Aguilar-León, Diana; Calderon-Amador, Juana; Hurtado-Ortiz, Raquel; Orozco-Estevez, Hector; Lambrecht, Bart N; Estrada-García, Iris; Hernández-Pando, Rogelio; Flores-Romo, Leopoldo

2004-01-01

Scarce information exists about the role of lung antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in vivo during pulmonary tuberculosis. As APCs activate cellular immunity, following intratracheal inoculation with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we assessed in situ lung APC recruitment, distribution, granuloma involvement, morphology and mycobacterial burden by using MHC-CII, CD14, scavenger receptor class A (SRA), the murine dendritic cell (DC)-restricted marker CD11c and Ziehl–Neelsen staining. CD11c+ DC and CD14+ cell recruitment into lungs appeared by day 14, continuing until day 60. MHC-CII+ cells increased since day 7, persisting until day 60. Thus, virulent mycobacteria delays (14–21 days) lung APC recruitment compared to model antigens and nonvirulent bacilli (24–48 h). Regarding granuloma constitution, highly bacillary CD14+ and SRA+ cells were centrally located. MHC-CII+ cells were more peripheral, with less mycobacteria. CD11c+ cells were heterogeneously distributed within granulomas, with scarce bacilli. When labelling lung suspensions for MHC-CII and classifying cells as macrophages or DC, then staining for Ziehl–Neelsen, a remarkable segregation was found regarding bacillary burden. Most macrophage-like cells contained numerous bacilli, while DC had no or scarce mycobacteria. This implies differential APC contributions in situ during pulmonary tuberculosis regarding mycobacterial uptake, granuloma involvement and perhaps bacillary growth. PMID:15255967

Effects of local vibration and pulsed electromagnetic field on bone fracture: A comparative study.

PubMed

Bilgin, Hakkı Murat; Çelik, Ferhat; Gem, Mehmet; Akpolat, Veysi; Yıldız, İsmail; Ekinci, Aysun; Özerdem, Mehmet Siraç; Tunik, Selçuk

2017-07-01

The effectiveness of various therapeutic methods on bone fracture has been demonstrated in several studies. In the present study, we tried to evaluate the effect of local low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration (LMHFV) on rat tibia fracture in comparison with pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) during the healing process. Mid-diaphysis tibiae fractures were induced in 30 Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were assigned into groups such as control (CONT), LMHFV (15 min/day, 7 days/week), and PEMF (3.5 h/day, 7 days/week) for a three-week treatment. Nothing was applied to control group. Radiographs, serum osteocalcin levels, and stereological bone analyses of the three groups were compared. The X-rays of tibiae were taken 21 days after the end of the healing process. PEMF and LMHFV groups had more callus formation when compared to CONT group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.375). Serum osteocalcin levels were elevated in the experimental groups compared to CONT (P ≤ 0.001). Stereological tests also showed higher osteogenic results in experimental groups, especially in LMHFV group. The results of the present study suggest that application of direct local LMHFV on fracture has promoted bone formation, showing great potential in improving fracture outcome. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:339-348, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gangrenous cheilitis associated with all-trans retinoic acid therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia.

PubMed

Tanaka, Mariko; Fukushima, Noriyasu; Itamura, Hidekazu; Urata, Chisako; Yokoo, Masako; Ide, Masaru; Hisatomi, Takashi; Tomimasu, Rika; Sueoka, Eisaburo; Kimura, Shinya

2010-01-01

A 67-year-old Japanese woman who presented with erythema on the abdomen and pancytopenia was found to have acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). A skin biopsy revealed invasion of APL cells. She was started on induction treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) at 45 mg/m(2). On day 4, the leukemic cell number had increased to over 1.0 x 10(9)/L. Consequently, chemotherapy with idarubicin and cytarabine was initiated. On day 10, dryness of the lips appeared. The lower lip swelled and developed painful black eschars. A high fever was also present. Despite discontinuing ATRA on day 20 and administering antibiotics, an anti-fungal agent and valaciclovir, these signs did not improve. Histopathologically, the biopsied lip revealed infiltration of neutrophils and vasculitis. The patient was given ATRA on days 29 and 30 due to an increase in APL cell numbers, after which the gangrenous cheilitis extended over the whole lip. On day 49, the patient was started on re-induction treatment with arsenic trioxide. She achieved complete remission and the gangrenous cheilitis slowly healed over the following 8 weeks. Since the clinical features of the gangrenous cheilitis in this case were similar to those of ATRA-associated scrotal ulcers, it appears that activated neutrophils derived from differentiated APL cells may have caused the gangrenous cheilitis. Physicians should be alert to the development of gangrenous cheilitis during treatment with ATRA.

Oligomerization of glycine and alanine catalyzed by iron oxides: implications for prebiotic chemistry.

PubMed

Shanker, Uma; Bhushan, Brij; Bhattacharjee, G; Kamaluddin

2012-02-01

Iron oxide minerals are probable constituents of the sediments present in geothermal regions of the primitive earth. They might have adsorbed different organic monomers (amino acids, nucleotides etc.) and catalyzed polymerization processes leading to the formation of the first living cell. In the present work we tested the catalytic activity of three forms of iron oxides (Goethite, Akaganeite and Hematite) in the intermolecular condensation of each of the amino acids glycine and L-alanine. The effect of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on the oligomerization has also been studied. Oligomerization studies were performed for 35 days at three different temperatures 50, 90 and 120°C without applying drying/wetting cycling. The products formed were characterized by HPLC and ESI-MS techniques. All three forms of iron oxides catalyzed peptide bond formation (23.2% of gly2 and 10.65% of ala2). The reaction was monitored every 7 days. Formation of peptides was observed to start after 7 days at 50°C. Maximum yield of peptides was found after 35 days at 90°C. Reaction at 120°C favors formation of diketopiperazine derivatives. It is also important to note that after 35 days of reaction, goethite produced dimer and trimer with the highest yield among the oxides tested. We suggest that the activity of goethite could probably be due to its high surface area and surface acidity.

A multitechnique evaluation of topical corticosteroid treatment.

PubMed

Josse, G; Rouvrais, C; Mas, A; Haftek, M; Delalleau, A; Ferraq, Y; Ossant, F; George, J; Lagarde, J M; Schmitt, A M

2009-02-01

Corticosteroids are widely prescribed for systemic or local treatment of inflammatory autoimmune disorders. Long-term therapy is associated with side effects and causes cutaneous atrophy of the epidermis and the dermis. The present study aims to evaluate with several noninvasive techniques, the skin modifications observed during corticosteroids treatment. The potential of skin mechanical measurement and ultrasound radio frequency (RF) signal analysis are proposed as new measures more closely related to the functional impairments. Thirteen young healthy women volunteers had two applications per day on one arm of topical Clobetasol propionate 0.05% for 28 days, and they were followed for 28 days more. Skin modifications were studied by high-frequency ultrasound imaging, ultrasound RF signal analysis, optical coherence tomography and by the suction test. For all the techniques, a statistically significant change is observed with treatment. Large variations, around 30%, are observed for all techniques, but less for ultrasound imaging (10%). Dermis and epidermis thickness presented stable measurements on the nontreated zone. At the end of the study, measures returned to normal. The dynamic is mainly observed within the first 14 days of treatment and within the first 14 days after its cessation. Similar dynamics of skin modification during corticosteroid treatment was observed with very different techniques. Moreover, the potential of RF ultrasound analysis and mechanical skin measurement for characterizing skin structural and functional impairments has been evaluated.

High-Speed Surface Reconstruction of Flying Birds Using Structured Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deetjen, Marc; Lentink, David

2017-11-01

Birds fly effectively through complex environments, and in order to understand the strategies that enable them to do so, we need to determine the shape and movement of their wings. Previous studies show that even small perturbations in wing shape have dramatic aerodynamic effects, but these shape changes have not been quantified automatically at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Hence, we developed a custom 3D surface mapping method which uses a high-speed camera to view a grid of stripes projected onto a flying bird. Because the light is binary rather than grayscale, and each frame is separately analyzed, this method can function at any frame rate with sufficient light. The method is automated, non-invasive, and able to measure a volume by simultaneously reconstructing from multiple views. We use this technique to reconstruct the 3D shape of the surface of a parrotlet during flapping flight at 3200 fps. We then analyze key dynamic parameters such as wing twist and angle of attack, and compute aerodynamic parameters such as lift and drag. While this novel system is designed to quantify bird wing shape and motion, it is adaptable for tracking other objects such as quickly deforming fish, especially those which are difficult to reconstruct using other 3D tracking methods. The presenter needs to leave by 3 pm on the final day of the conference (11/21) in order to make his flight. Please account for this in the scheduling if possible by scheduling the presentation earlier in the day or a different day.

Developments of sulcal pattern and subcortical structures of the forebrain in cynomolgus monkey fetuses: 7-tesla magnetic resonance imaging provides high reproducibility of gross structural changes.

PubMed

Sawada, Kazuhiko; Sun, Xue-Zhi; Fukunishi, Katsuhiro; Kashima, Masatoshi; Sakata-Haga, Hiromi; Tokado, Hiroshi; Aoki, Ichio; Fukui, Yoshihiro

2009-09-01

The aim of this study was to spatio-temporally clarify gross structural changes in the forebrain of cynomolgus monkey fetuses using 7-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). T(1)-weighted coronal, horizontal, and sagittal MR slices of fixed left cerebral hemispheres were obtained from one male fetus at embryonic days (EDs) 70-150. The timetable for fetal sulcation by MRI was in good agreement with that by gross observations, with a lag time of 10-30 days. A difference in detectability of some sulci seemed to be associated with the length, depth, width, and location of the sulci. Furthermore, MRI clarified the embryonic days of the emergence of the callosal (ED 70) and circular (ED 90) sulci, which remained unpredictable under gross observations. Also made visible by the present MRI were subcortical structures of the forebrain such as the caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, major subdivisions of the thalamus, and hippocampal formation. Their adult-like features were formed by ED 100, corresponding to the onset of a signal enhancement in the gray matter, which reflects neuronal maturation. The results reveal a highly reproducible level of gross structural changes in the forebrain using a high spatial 7-tesla MRI. The present MRI study clarified some changes that are difficult to demonstrate nondestructively using only gross observations, for example, the development of cerebral sulci located on the deep portions of the cortex, as well as cortical and subcortical neuronal maturation.

THE LIGHT CURVE OF HERCULES X-1 AS OBSERVED BY THE ROSSI X-RAY TIMING EXPLORER

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

Leahy, D. A.; Igna, Ciprian, E-mail: leahy@ucalgary.ca

2011-07-20

Analysis of the light curve of Hercules X-1 using the full set of archival observations of Hercules X-1 by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array (RXTE/PCA) is reported. The observations cover time periods that Her X-1 is in main high, short high, and low states, and an anomalous low state (ALS). They include over 1.4 Ms of net exposure time. We present 35 day and orbital phase folded light curves of the count rates and softness ratios, showing the range of behaviors of Her X-1 with the high sensitivity of the RXTE/PCA. New phenomena are uncovered and previous phenomenamore » are seen in greater detail. For both main high and short high states, the fraction of time in dips is found to be a function of orbital phase and of 35 day phase. It increases steadily with orbital phase past orbital phase 0.3 and is higher at the start and end of both main high and short high states. It is higher for short high state (62%) than for main high state (28%). The normal low state data and ALS data are compared: the low state count rate is {approx}twice as high as for ALS data. The 2-4 keV to 9-20 keV softness ratio changes smoothly with orbital phase for low states and ALSs, and is indistinguishable between the two, yet very different than for the high states. This supports models for which the cause of the ALS is changed disk geometry that prevents a direct line of sight from neutron star to observer at all 35 day phases.« less

Mortality trends and risk factors in advanced stage-2 Human African Trypanosomiasis: A critical appraisal of 23 years of experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Kazumba, Léon Mbiyangandu; Kaka, Jean-Claude Tshinzobe; Ngoyi, Dieudonné Mumba; Tshala-Katumbay, Désiré

2018-06-01

We conducted a retrospective study on mortality trends and risk factors in 781 naïve cases of advanced stage-2 sleeping sickness admitted between 1989 and 2012 at the National Reference Center for Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Department of Neurology, Kinshasa University, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Death was the outcome variable whereas age, gender, duration of disease, location of trypanosomes in body fluids, cytorachy, protidorachy, clinical status (assessed on a syndromic and functional basis) on admission, and treatment regimen were predictors in logistic regression models run at the 0.05 significance level. Death proportions were 17.2% in the standard melarsoprol schedule (3-series of intravenous melarsoprol on 3 successive days at 3.6 mg/kg/d, with a one-week interval between the series, ARS 9); 12.1% in the short schedule melarsoprol (10 consecutive days of intravenous melarsoprol at 2.2 mg/kg/d, ARS 10), 5.4% in the first-line eflornithine (14 days of eflornithine at 400 mg/kg/d in 4 infusions a day DFMO B), 9.1% in the NECT treatment regimen (eflornithine for 7 days at 400, mg/kg/d in 2 infusions a day combined with oral nifurtimox for 10 days at 15 mg/kg/d in 3 doses a day); and high (36%) in the group with select severely affected patients given eflornithine because of their clinical status on admission, at the time when this expensive drug was kept for treatment of relapses (14 days at 400 mg/kg/d in 4 infusions a day, DFMO A). After adjusting for treatment, death odds ratios were as follows: 10.40 [(95% CI: 6.55-16.51); p = .000] for clinical dysfunction (severely impaired clinical status) on admission, 2.14 [(95% CI: 1.35-3.39); p = .001] for high protidorachy, 1.99 [(95% CI: 1.18-3.37); p = .010] for the presence of parasites in the CSF and 1.70 [(95% CI: 1.03-2.81); p = .038] for high cytorachy. A multivariable analysis within treatment groups retained clinical status on admission (in ARS 9, ARS 10 and DFMO B groups) and high protidorachy (in ARS 10 and DFMO B groups) as significant predictors of death. The algorithm for initial clinical status assessment used in the present study may serve as the basis for further development of standardized assessment tools relevant to the clinical management of HAT and information exchange in epidemiological reports.

Aerodynamic design optimization of a fuel efficient high-performance, single-engine, business airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, B. J.

1980-01-01

A design study has been conducted to optimize a single-engine airplane for a high-performance cruise mission. The mission analyzed included a cruise speed of about 300 knots, a cruise range of about 1300 nautical miles, and a six-passenger payload (5340 N (1200 lb)). The purpose of the study is to investigate the combinations of wing design, engine, and operating altitude required for the mission. The results show that these mission performance characteristics can be achieved with fuel efficiencies competitive with present-day high-performance, single- and twin-engine, business airplanes. It is noted that relaxation of the present Federal Aviation Regulation, Part 23, stall-speed requirement for single-engine airplanes facilitates the optimization of the airplane for fuel efficiency.

A revolution in Distributed Virtual Globes creation with e-CORCE space program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antikidis, Jean-Pierre

2010-05-01

Space applications are to-day participating to our everyday life on a continuous fashion and most of the time in an invisible way. Meteorology, telecom and more recently GPS driven applications are these days fully participating to our modern and comfortable way of life. Therefore a new revolution is underway by which Space Remote Sensing technology will bring the full of the Earth available in a digital form. Present requirements for digital Earth creation at high resolution requirement are pushing space technology to a new technological frontier that could be called the: 1 day to one week, 1 meter, 1 Earth, challenge.The e-CORCE vision (e-Constellation d'Observation Recurrente Cellulaire) relies on a complete new avenue to create a full virtual earth with the help of small satellite constellation and make them operated as sensors connected to a powerful internet based ground network. To handle this incredibly high quantity of information (10 000 Billions metric pixel ), maximum use of psycho-visual compression associated to over-simplified platforms considered as space IP nodes and a massive World-wide Grid-based system composed of more than 40 receiving and processing nodes is contemplated. The presentation will introduce the technological hurdles and the way modern upcoming cyber-infrastructure technologies called WAG (Wide Area Grid) may open a practical and economically sound solution to this never attempted challenge.

Acceptability of a text message-based fertility awareness application for family planning in Lucknow, India.

PubMed

Lerma, Klaira; Reyes, Griselda; Tiwari, Siddharth; Tewari, Akhilesh; Hastings, Charlotte; Blumenthal, Paul D

2018-03-25

To assess user satisfaction and acceptability toward a cell phone-based short message system (SMS) application for fertility awareness. Between July 1 and September 30, 2013, the present observational study recruited women of reproductive age who were presenting for family planning services in Lucknow, India, who were not pregnant, agreed to use the application, and understood basic English. The application collected information on an individual's menstrual cycle and, using the calendar days approach, predicted fertility. Based on an algorithm, the application sent a daily SMS text indicating the participant's fertility status. Participants completed an acceptability survey at the end of the 60-day pilot period. There were 21 participants enrolled. All reported that the application was highly acceptable, and found it to be private, secure, and convenient. All participants were interested in receiving future SMS reminders for tracking fertility. Most participants (20 [95%]) reported being likely or very likely to recommend the family planning application to friends. The application, with the aims of helping participants to identify their most fertile days once a month during ovulation and make informed decisions regarding fertility and contraception, was highly acceptable and might be useful in low-resource settings worldwide. Larger studies are needed for software optimization and determination of long-term effectiveness. © 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Failure of standard antimicrobial therapy in children aged 3-59 months with mild or asymptomatic HIV infection and severe pneumonia.

PubMed Central

Jeena, Prakash; Thea, Donald M.; MacLeod, William B.; Chisaka, Noel; Fox, Matthew P.; Coovadia, H. M.; Qazi, Shamim

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether children aged 3-59 months with mild or non-symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and WHO-defined severe pneumonia have a higher failure rate than do HIV-uninfected children when treated with the standard WHO treatment of parenteral penicillin or oral amoxicillin. METHODS: This study was a planned sub-analysis of a randomized trial of 3-59-month-old children presenting with WHO-defined severe pneumonia (the APPIS study). We included two sites with high HIV prevalence in Durban, South Africa and Ndola, Zambia. Primary outcome measures were clinical treatment failure at day 2 and day 14. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: CT00227331http://www.clinicaltrialsgov/show/NCT00227331). FINDINGS: Of the 523 children enrolled, HIV status was known for 464 participants; 106 (23%) of these were infected with HIV. By day 2, 57 (12.3%) children had failed treatment and 110 (23.7%) failed by day 14. Twenty (18.9%) HIV-infected children failed by day 2 compared with 37 (10.3%) uninfected children (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-4.00). Thirty-four (32.1%) HIV-infected children failed treatment by day 14 compared with 76 (21.2%) uninfected children (adjusted OR 1.88; 95% CI: 1.11-3.17). Analysis stratified by age showed that the greatest differential in treatment failure at day 2 and day 14 occurred in the children aged 3-5 months. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected children with severe pneumonia fail WHO-standard treatment with parenteral penicillin or amoxicillin at day 2 and day 14 more often than do HIV-uninfected children, especially young infants. Standard case management of acute respiratory infection (ARI) using WHO treatment guidelines is inadequate in areas of high HIV prevalence and reappraisal of empiric antimicrobial therapy is urgently needed for severe pneumonia associated with HIV-1. PMID:16628299

Prophylactic Ozone Administration Reduces Intestinal Mucosa Injury Induced by Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion in the Rat

PubMed Central

Onal, Ozkan; Yetisir, Fahri; Sarer, A. Ebru Salman; Zeybek, N. Dilara; Onal, C. Oztug; Yurekli, Banu; Celik, H. Tugrul; Sirma, Ayse; Kılıc, Mehmet

2015-01-01

Objectives. Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury is associated with mucosal damage and has a high rate of mortality. Various beneficial effects of ozone have been shown. The aim of the present study was to show the effects of ozone in ischemia reperfusion model in intestine. Material and Method. Twenty eight Wistar rats were randomized into four groups with seven rats in each group. Control group was administered serum physiologic (SF) intraperitoneally (ip) for five days. Ozone group was administered 1 mg/kg ozone ip for five days. Ischemia Reperfusion (IR) group underwent superior mesenteric artery occlusion for one hour and then reperfusion for two hours. Ozone + IR group was administered 1 mg/kg ozone ip for five days and at sixth day IR model was applied. Rats were anesthetized with ketamine∖xyzlazine and their intracardiac blood was drawn completely and they were sacrificed. Intestinal tissue samples were examined under light microscope. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathioneperoxidase (GSH-Px), malondyaldehide (MDA), and protein carbonyl (PCO) were analyzed in tissue samples. Total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were analyzed in blood samples. Data were evaluated statistically by Kruskal Wallis test. Results. In the ozone administered group, degree of intestinal injury was not different from the control group. IR caused an increase in intestinal injury score. The intestinal epithelium maintained its integrity and decrease in intestinal injury score was detected in Ozone + IR group. SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT values were high in ozone group and low in IR. TOS parameter was highest in the IR group and the TAC parameter was highest in the ozone group and lowest in the IR group. Conclusion. In the present study, IR model caused an increase in intestinal injury.In the present study, ozone administration had an effect improving IR associated tissue injury. In the present study, ozone therapy prevented intestine from ischemia reperfusion injury. It is thought that the therapeutic effect of ozone is associated with increase in antioxidant enzymes and protection of cells from oxidation and inflammation. PMID:26161005

Time of Day Differences in Neural Reward Functioning in Healthy Young Men.

PubMed

Byrne, Jamie E M; Hughes, Matthew E; Rossell, Susan L; Johnson, Sheri L; Murray, Greg

2017-09-13

Reward function appears to be modulated by the circadian system, but little is known about the neural basis of this interaction. Previous research suggests that the neural reward response may be different in the afternoon; however, the direction of this effect is contentious. Reward response may follow the diurnal rhythm in self-reported positive affect, peaking in the early afternoon. An alternative is that daily reward response represents a type of prediction error, with neural reward activation relatively high at times of day when rewards are unexpected (i.e., early and late in the day). The present study measured neural reward activation in the context of a validated reward task at 10.00 h, 14.00 h, and 19.00 h in healthy human males. A region of interest BOLD fMRI protocol was used to investigate the diurnal waveform of activation in reward-related brain regions. Multilevel modeling found, as expected, a highly significant quadratic time-of-day effect focusing on the left putamen ( p < 0.001). Consistent with the "prediction error" hypothesis, activation was significantly higher at 10.00 h and 19.00 h compared with 14.00 h. It is provisionally concluded that the putamen may be particularly important in endogenous priming of reward motivation at different times of day, with the pattern of activation consistent with circadian-modulated reward expectancies in neural pathways (i.e., greater activation to reward stimuli at unexpected times of day). This study encourages further research into circadian modulation of reward and underscores the methodological importance of accounting for time of day in fMRI protocols. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is one of the first studies to use a repeated-measures imaging procedure to explore the diurnal rhythm of reward activation. Although self-reported reward (most often operationalized as positive affect) peaks in the afternoon, the present findings indicate that neural activation is lowest at this time. We conclude that the diurnal neural activation pattern may reflect a prediction error of the brain, where rewards at unexpected times (10.00 h and 19.00 h) elicit higher activation in reward brain regions than at expected (14.00 h) times. These data also have methodological significance, suggesting that there may be a time of day influence, which should be accounted for in neural reward studies. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378895-06$15.00/0.

Thromboprophylaxis for Patients with High-risk Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter Discharged from the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Vinson, David R; Warton, E Margaret; Mark, Dustin G; Ballard, Dustin W; Reed, Mary E; Chettipally, Uli K; Singh, Nimmie; Bouvet, Sean Z; Kea, Bory; Ramos, Patricia C; Glaser, David S; Go, Alan S

2018-03-01

Many patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (AF/FL) who are high risk for ischemic stroke are not receiving evidence-based thromboprophylaxis. We examined anticoagulant prescribing within 30 days of receiving dysrhythmia care for non-valvular AF/FL in the emergency department (ED). This prospective study included non-anticoagulated adults at high risk for ischemic stroke (ATRIA score ≥7) who received emergency AF/FL care and were discharged home from seven community EDs between May 2011 and August 2012. We characterized oral anticoagulant prescribing patterns and identified predictors of receiving anticoagulants within 30 days of the index ED visit. We also describe documented reasons for withholding anticoagulation. Of 312 eligible patients, 128 (41.0%) were prescribed anticoagulation at ED discharge or within 30 days. Independent predictors of anticoagulation included age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.89 per year, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82-0.96); ED cardiology consultation (aOR 1.89, 95% CI [1.10-3.23]); and failure of sinus restoration by time of ED discharge (aOR 2.65, 95% CI [1.35-5.21]). Reasons for withholding anticoagulation at ED discharge were documented in 139 of 227 cases (61.2%), the most common of which were deferring the shared decision-making process to the patient's outpatient provider, perceived bleeding risk, patient refusal, and restoration of sinus rhythm. Approximately 40% of non-anticoagulated AF/FL patients at high risk for stroke who presented for emergency dysrhythmia care were prescribed anticoagulation within 30 days. Physicians were less likely to anticoagulate older patients and those with ED sinus restoration. Opportunities exist to improve rates of thromboprophylaxis in this high-risk population.

Improving overly manufacturing metrics through application of feedforward mask-bias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joubert, Etienne; Pellegrini, Joseph C.; Misra, Manish; Sturtevant, John L.; Bernhard, John M.; Ong, Phu; Crawshaw, Nathan K.; Puchalski, Vern

2003-06-01

Traditional run-to-run controllers that rely on highly correlated historical events to forecast process corrections have been shown to provide substantial benefit over manual control in the case of a fab that is primarily manufacturing high volume, frequent running parts (i.e., DRAM, MPU, and similar operations). However, a limitation of the traditional controller emerges when it is applied to a fab whose work in process (WIP) is composed of primarily short-running, high part count products (typical of foundries and ASIC fabs). This limitation exists because there is a strong likelihood that each reticle has a unique set of process corrections different from other reticles at the same process layer. Further limitations exist when it is realized that each reticle is loaded and aligned differently on multiple exposure tools.A structural change in how the run-to-run controller manages the frequent reticle changes associated with the high part count environment has allowed for breakthrough performance to be achieved. This breakthrough was mad possible by the realization that; 1. Reticle sourced errors were highly stable over long periods of time, thus allowing them to be deconvolved from the day to day tool and process drifts. 2. Reticle sourced errors can be modeled as a feedforward disturbance rather than as discriminates in defining and dividing process streams. In this paper, we show how to deconvolve the static (reticle) and dynamic (day to day tool and process) components from the overall error vector to better forecast feedback for existing products as well as how to compute or learn these values for new product introductions - or new tool startups. Manufacturing data will presented to support this discussion with some real world success stories.

Febuxostat-associated drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).

PubMed

Chou, H-Y; Chen, C-B; Cheng, C-Y; Chen, Y-A; Ng, C Y; Kuo, K-L; Chen, W-L; Chen, C-H

2015-12-01

Febuxostat is recommended as an alternative drug for gouty patients with a history of allopurinol hypersensitivity or carrying the HLA-B*5801 allele. An 81-year-old man with the medical history of gout presented to our clinic with generalized rashes for 2 days. After taking febuxostat for 2 days, he developed generalized skin rash with high fever. Laboratory tests showed elevated liver enzymes and acute kidney injury. This is the first identified case of febuxostat-associated DRESS. Febuxostat should be withdrawn immediately when DRESS is observed to avoid further serious complications. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The annual cycle of pressure on Mars measured by Viking landers 1 and 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, S. L.; Ryan, J. A.; Tillman, J. E.; Henry, R. M.; Leovy, C. B.

1980-01-01

Daily mean atmospheric pressures at the two Viking landers are presented for slightly more than a Martian year. The seasonal variation of pressure owing to exchange of CO2 with the polar caps is quite evident and contradicts, in part, earlier theoretical results. Day-to-day variations are the result of passage of synoptic-scale high and low pressure systems and are an important clue to the general circulation of the atmosphere. The effects of global dust storms on the general circulation and on the diurnal variation of pressure are detected and interpreted.

Dynamics of protein and lipid intake regulation of rainbow trout studied with a wide lipid range of encapsulated diets and self-feeders.

PubMed

Forsman, Antti; Ruohonen, Kari

2009-01-08

Feed intake in fish is examined extensively but there is not much information about the dynamics of regulation i.e. how fish react to different diets, and how these reactions change, over a longer period of time. The present study was designed to evaluate the dynamics of food intake regulation in rainbow trout over a very wide range of dietary protein and lipid levels; from a very low lipid level (5%) to an extremely high level (55%). The study was conducted with three subsequent 40-day blocks of 20 fish and the intake dynamics of the lipid effect were studied by splitting the 40-day experimental period to shorter periods of 10 days. Depending on a diet the rainbow trout were more willing to ingest larger surpluses of both protein and lipid during the periods 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 days if compared with the anticipated nutritional intake target of rainbow trout. A strong regulatory response against high lipid intake was seen during the last period (days 30-40) leading not only to a decrease in lipid intake but much more drastic decrease in protein intake. Thus, a significant nonlinear interaction between time and dietary protein and lipid was found indicating that the effect of protein and lipid was dynamic.

Ionospheric ion temperature forecasting in multiples of 27 days

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sojka, Jan J.; Schunk, Robert W.; Nicolls, Michael J.

2014-03-01

The ionospheric variability found at auroral locations is usually assumed to be unpredictable. The magnetosphere, which drives this ionospheric variability via storms and substorms, is at best only qualitatively describable. In this study we demonstrate that over a 3 year period, ionospheric variability observed from Poker Flat, Alaska, has, in fact, a high degree of long-term predictability. The observations used in this study are (a) the solar wind high speed stream velocity measured by the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer satellite, used to define the corotating interaction region (CIR), and (b) the ion temperature at 300 km altitude measured by the National Science Foundation Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar over Poker Flat, Alaska. After determining a seasonal and diurnal climatology for the ion temperature, we show that the residual ion temperature heating events occur synchronously with CIR-geospace interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate examples of ion temperature forecasting at 27, 54, and 81 days. A rudimentary operational forecasting scenario is described for forecasting recurrence 27 days ahead for the CIR-generated geomagnetic storms. These forecasts apply specifically to satellite tracking operations (thermospheric drag) and emergency HF-radio communications (ionospheric modifications) in the polar regions. The forecast is based on present-day solar and solar wind observations that can be used to uniquely identify the coronal hole and its CIR. From this CIR epoch, a 27 day forecast is then made.

High-Throughput Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Metabolomic Footprinting for Tissue Engineering

PubMed Central

Seagle, Christopher; Christie, Megan A.; Winnike, Jason H.; McClelland, Randall E.; Ludlow, John W.; O'Connell, Thomas M.; Gamcsik, Michael P.

2008-01-01

Abstract We report a high-throughput (HTP) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method for analysis of media components and a metabolic schematic to help easily interpret the data. Spin-lattice relaxation values and concentrations were measured for 19 components and 2 internal referencing agents in pure and 2-day conditioned, hormonally defined media from a 3-dimensional (3D) multicoaxial human bioartificial liver (BAL). The 1H NMR spectral signal-to-noise ratio is 21 for 0.16 mM alanine in medium and is obtained in 12 min using a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. For comparison, 2D gel cultures and 3D multicoaxial BALs were batch cultured, with medium changed every day for 15 days after inoculation with human liver cells in Matrigel–collagen type 1 gels. Glutamine consumption was higher by day 8 in the BAL than in 2D culture; lactate production was lower through the 15-day culture period. Alanine was the primary amino acid produced and tracked with lactate or urea production. Glucose and pyruvate consumption were similar in the BAL and 2D cultures. NMR analysis permits quality assurance of the bioreactor by identifying contaminants. Ethanol was observed because of a bioreactor membrane “wetting” procedure. A biochemical scheme is presented illustrating bioreactor metabolomic footprint results and demonstrating how this can be translated to modify bioreactor operational parameters or quality assurance issues. PMID:18544027

Persistence and biodegradation of kerosene in high-arctic intertidal sediment.

PubMed

Røberg, Stian; Stormo, Svein Kristian; Landfald, Bjarne

2007-10-01

A kerosene type hydrocarbon fraction (equivalent to 7 L m(-2)) was added to enclosures in the surface layer of high-arctic intertidal beach sediment. The experimental spill was repeated in two consecutive years in the period July-September. The rate and extent of hydrocarbon removal and the accompanying bacterial response were monitored for 79 days (2002) and 78 days (2003). The bulk of added kerosene, i.e. 94-98%, was lost from the upper 5 cm layer by putatively abiotic processes within 2 days and a residual fraction in the range 0.6-1.2mg per g dry sediment was stably retained. Concomitant addition of oleophilic fertilizer led to higher initial retention, as 24% of the kerosene remained after 2 days in the presence of a modified, cold-climate adapted version of the well-known Inipol EAP 22 bioremediation agent. In these enclosures, which showed an increase in hydrocarbon-degrader counts from 6.5 x 10(3) to 4.1 x 10(7) per g dry sediment within 8 days, a 17% contribution by biodegradation to subsequent hydrocarbon removal was estimated. Stimulation in hydrocarbon-degrader counts in fertilizer-alone control enclosures was indistinguishable from the stimulation observed with both kerosene and fertilizer present, suggesting that the dynamics in numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria was primarily impacted by the bioremediation agent.

The efficacy of intrauterine devices for emergency contraception: a systematic review of 35 years of experience

PubMed Central

Cleland, Kelly; Zhu, Haoping; Goldstuck, Norman; Cheng, Linan; Trussell, James

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Intrauterine devices (IUDs) have been studied for use for emergency contraception for at least 35 years. IUDs are safe and highly effective for emergency contraception and regular contraception, and are extremely cost-effective as an ongoing method. The objective of this study was to evaluate the existing data to estimate the efficacy of IUDs for emergency contraception. METHODS The reference list for this study was generated from hand searching the reference lists of relevant articles and our own article archives, and electronic searches of several databases: Medline, Global Health, Clinicaltrials.gov, Popline, Wanfang Data (Chinese) and Weipu Data (Chinese). We included studies published in English or Chinese, with a defined population of women who presented for emergency contraception and were provided with an IUD, and in which the number of pregnancies was ascertained and loss to follow-up was clearly defined. Data from each article were abstracted independently by two reviewers. RESULTS The 42 studies (of 274 retrieved) that met our inclusion criteria were conducted in six countries between 1979 and 2011 and included eight different types of IUD and 7034 women. The maximum timeframe from intercourse to insertion of the IUD ranged from 2 days to 10 or more days; the majority of insertions (74% of studies) occurred within 5 days of intercourse. The pregnancy rate (excluding one outlier study) was 0.09%. CONCLUSIONS IUDs are a highly effective method of contraception after unprotected intercourse. Because they are safe for the majority of women, highly effective and cost-effective when left in place as ongoing contraception, whenever clinically feasible IUDs should be included in the range of emergency contraception options offered to patients presenting after unprotected intercourse. This review is limited by the fact that the original studies did not provide sufficient data on the delay between intercourse and insertion of the IUD, parity, cycle day of intercourse or IUD type to allow analysis by any of these variables. PMID:22570193

Associations Between Sleep Quality and Migraine Frequency

PubMed Central

Lin, Yu-Kai; Lin, Guan-Yu; Lee, Jiunn-Tay; Lee, Meei-Shyuan; Tsai, Chia-Kuang; Hsu, Yu-Wei; Lin, Yu-Zhen; Tsai, Yi-Chien; Yang, Fu-Chi

2016-01-01

Abstract Migraine has been associated with sleep disturbances. Relationship between sleep quality and migraine frequency is yet to be determined. The present study aimed to investigate sleep disturbances among low-frequency, moderate-frequency, high-frequency, and chronic migraineurs, with and without auras, with well-controlled confounding variables. This cross-sectional controlled study included 357 subjects from an outpatient headache clinic in Taiwan. Standardized questionnaires were utilized to collect demographic, migraine, sleep, depression, anxiety, and restless leg syndrome characteristics in all participants. According to frequency of migraine attacks, patients were divided into 4 groups: with 1 to 4 migraine days per month, 5 to 8 migraine days in a month, 9 to 14 migraine days in a month, and >14 migraine days per month. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and subgroup items were used to evaluate sleep quality. The association between migraine frequency and sleep quality was investigated using multivariable linear regression and logistic regression. The PSQI total score was highest in patients with high frequent migraine (10.0 ± 3.4) and lowest in controls (7.0 ± 3.4) with a significant trend analysis (P for trend = 0.006). Migraine frequency had an independent effect on the items “Cannot get to sleep within 30 minutes” (P < 0.001), “Wake up in the middle of the night or early morning” (P < 0.001), “Bad dreams” (P = 0.001), “Pain” (P = 0.004), and “Quality of sleep” (P < 0.001). The result showed the effect of migraine frequency in both the aura-present (P for trend = 0.008) and the aura-absent subgroups (P for trend = 0.011). High migraine frequency correlates with poor sleep quality and a higher prevalence of poor sleepers. These associations occur in migraine with aura and without aura. PMID:27124064

Three Minute Method for Amino Acid Analysis by UHPLC and high resolution quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Nemkov, Travis; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Hansen, Kirk C.

2015-01-01

Amino acid analysis is a powerful bioanalytical technique for many biomedical research endeavors, including cancer, emergency medicine, nutrition and neuroscience research. In the present study, we present a three minute analytical method for underivatized amino acid analysis that employs ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and high resolution quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry. This method has demonstrated linearity (mM to nM range), reproducibility (intra-day<5%, inter-day<20%), sensitivity (low fmol) and selectivity. Here, we illustrate the rapidity and accuracy of the method through comparison with conventional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods. We further demonstrate the robustness and sensitivity of this method on a diverse range of biological matrices. Using this method we were able to selectively discriminate murine pancreatic cancer cells with and without knocked down expression of Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α; plasma, lymph and bronchioalveolar lavage fluid samples from control versus hemorrhaged rats; and muscle tissue samples harvested from rats subjected to both low fat and high fat diets. Furthermore, we were able to exploit the sensitivity of the method to detect and quantify the release of glutamate from sparsely isolated murine taste buds. Spiked in light or heavy standards (13C6-arginine, 13C6-lysine, 13C515N2-glutamine) or xenometabolites were used to determine coefficient of variations, confirm linearity of relative quantitation in four different matrices, and overcome matrix effects for absolute quantitation. The presented method enables high-throughput analysis of low abundance samples requiring only one percent of the material extracted from 100,000 cells, 10 μl of biological fluid, or 2 mg of muscle tissue. PMID:26058356

Program Evaluation of a High School Science Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLelland-Crawley, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Teachers may benefit more from a professional learning community (PLC) than from professional development initiatives presented in single day workshops. The purpose of this program evaluation study was to identify characteristics of an effective PLC and to determine how the members of the PLC have benefitted from the program. Fullan's educational…

A High-Tech Makeover for School Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marowitz, David R.

2011-01-01

Because people today are accustomed to listening to electronic instruments, school music ensembles need to rise to the challenge of reflecting present-day culture by doing a "contemporary makeover". This is all-important if ensembles are to command student respect and attract new members. With a creative mindset and openness to innovation, one can…

Prehistoric Life, Science (Experimental): 5311.15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenks, Lois

Presented is a survey course of the biological and geological history of the earth which includes: (1) theories of the formation of the earth, (2) theories of the formation of life, (3) geological eras (calendar), (4) fossil formation and fossil fuels, and (5) modern-day research. This course is intended for junior high level and no previous…

A Multidisciplinary Guided Practical on Type I Diabetes Engaging Students in Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingueneau, M.; Chaix, A.; Scotti, N.; Chaix, J.; Reynders, A.; Hammond, C.; Thimonier, J.

2015-01-01

In the present article, we describe a 3-day experimental workshop on type I diabetes aimed at helping high school students to understand how fundamental research on glycemia regulation contributes to the development of scientific knowledge and therapeutic strategies. The workshop engaged students in open-ended investigations and guided…

Reliving the History of WAC--Every Day.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thaiss, Chris

1997-01-01

In 1978, when writing across the curriculum (WAC) workshops began at George Mason University, some things were very different from today: (1) an outside speaker who had worked with educators in England testified to the fact that WAC was not just a "whim"; (2) session presentations were made by local high school English teachers who had…

Classroom Research: Implications for Mathematics and Science Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stallings, Jane A.

Presented is a review of findings from research of teaching in the 1970's. It is noted most research was directed toward identifying effective instructional strategies for low achievers, and may not generalize to high achievers. Information is related to student time on task, length of school day, academic time, allocation of time to specific…

Memory Deficits in Learning Disabled.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolan, John D.; Driscoll, Rosemary L.

Memory storage and retrieval of learning disabled (LD) and normal children at two age levels (8-9 years and 11-12 years) were compared using a multitrial free recall paradigm. Stimuli were two lists of 20 high frequency nouns. Each child was tested individually on both lists on different days; one presentation was blocked, one random with…

Muncie Remembers That Day of Infamy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brant, Heather; And Others

This document presents an oral history project in which 34 residents of Munice, Indiana were interviewed about their experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The project was conducted by the members of an Honors United States History class at Munice Southside High School. The students designed the…

Marijuana Use at School and Achievement-Linked Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Kristin V.

2012-01-01

Marijuana remains one of the most frequently used drugs among adolescents and usage has increased in recent years. In addition to general use, many high school students use marijuana during the school day. The present study focused on achievement-linked correlates of in-school marijuana use by comparing non-users, general users, and school users…

Global Impacts of Gas-Phase Chemistry-Aerosol Interactions on Direct Radiative Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols and Ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liao, Hong; Seinfeld, John H.

2005-01-01

We present here a first global modeling study on the influence of gas-phase chemistry/aerosol interactions on estimates of anthropogenic forcing by tropospheric O3 and aerosols. Concentrations of gas-phase species and sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, primary organic carbon, secondary organic carbon, sea salt, and mineral dust aerosols in the preindustrial, present-day, and year 2100 (IPCC SRES A2) atmospheres are simulated online in the Goddard Institute for Space Studies general circulation model II' (GISS GCM II'). With fully coupled chemistry and aerosols, the preindustrial, presentday, and year 2100 global burdens of tropospheric ozone are predicted to be 190, 319, and 519 Tg, respectively. The burdens of sulfate, nitrate, black carbon, and organic carbon are predicted respectively to be 0.32. 0.18, 0.01, 0.33 Tg in preindustrial time, 1.40, 0.48, 0.23, 1.60 Tg in presentday, and 1.37, 1.97, 0.54, 3.31 Tg in year 2100. Anthropogenic O3 is predicted to have a globally and annually averaged present-day forcing of +0.22 W m(sup -2) and year 2100 forcing of +0.57 W m(sup -2) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). Net anthropogenic TOA forcing by internally mixed sulfate, nitrate, organic carbon, and black carbon aerosols is estimated to be virtually zero in the present-day and +0.34 W m(sup -2) in year 2100, whereas it is predicted to be -0.39 W m(sup -2) in present-day and -0.61 W m(sup -2) in year 2100 if the aerosols are externally mixed. Heterogeneous reactions are shown to be important in affecting anthropogenic forcing. When reactions of N2O5, NO3, NO2, and HO2 on aerosols are accounted for, TOA anthropogenic O3 forcing is less by 20-45% in present-day and by 20-32% in year 2100 at mid to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, as compared with values predicted in the absence of heterogeneous gas aerosol reactions. Mineral dust uptake of HNO3 and O3 is shown to have practically no influence on anthropogenic O3 forcing. Heterogeneous reactions of N2Os, NO3, NO2, and HO2 are predicted to have noticeable impacts on anthropogenic aerosol forcing over industrialized areas, leading to 0-2 W m(sup -2) more anthropogenic aerosol cooling in present-day and 2-8 W m(sup -2) more cooling in year 2100 in these areas as compared with forcings calculated in the absence of heterogeneous reactions. Sea salt uptake of SO2 reduces the magnitude of TOA aerosol cooling by 0.5-1 W m(sup -2) over the oceans around 60 N in the present-day and year 2100 scenarios. Near dust sources, mineral dust uptake of SO2 and HNO3 leads to less anthropogenic aerosol cooling by 0.5-1 W m(sup -2) in the present day and 1-2 W m(sup -2) in year 2100.

No Evidence of Delayed Parasite Clearance after Oral Artesunate Treatment of Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria in Mali

PubMed Central

Maiga, Amelia W.; Fofana, Bakary; Sagara, Issaka; Dembele, Demba; Dara, Antoine; Traore, Oumar Bila; Toure, Sekou; Sanogo, Kassim; Dama, Souleymane; Sidibe, Bakary; Kone, Aminatou; Thera, Mahamadou A.; Plowe, Christopher V.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Djimde, Abdoulaye A.

2012-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinins by delayed parasite clearance is present in Southeast Asia. Scant data on parasite clearance after artemisinins are available from Africa, where transmission is high, burden is greatest, and artemisinin use is being scaled up. Children 1–10 years of age with uncomplicated malaria were treated with 7 days of artesunate and followed for 28 days. Blood smears were done every 8 hours until negative by light microscopy. Results were compared with a similar study conducted in the same village in 2002–2004. The polymerase chain reaction-corrected cure rate was 100%, identical to 2002–2004. By 24 hours after treatment initiation, 37.0% of participants had cleared parasitemia, compared with 31.9% in 2002–2004 (P = 0.5). The median parasite clearance time was 32 hours. Only one participant still had parasites at 48 hours and no participant presented parasitemia at 72 hours. Artesunate was highly efficacious, with no evidence of delayed parasite clearance. We provide baseline surveillance data for the emergence or dissemination of P. falciparum resistance in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:22764287

Isoquinoline alkaloids supplementation on performance and carcass traits of feedlot bulls.

PubMed

Michels, Alex; Neumann, Mikael; Leão, Guilherme Fernando Mattos; Reck, Angela Maria; Bertagnon, Heloisa Godoi; Lopes, Leandro Sâmia; Souza, André Martins; Santos, Leslei Caroline Dos; Stadler Júnior, Edelmir Silvio

2018-03-02

Isoquinoline Alkaloids, derived from one plant (Macleaya cordata) can be an alternative when it is desired to increase performance in feedlot cattle. However, results on these nutritional additives in high energy diets in ruminants are still incipient in literature. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate performance and carcass traits of feedlot bulls supplemented with sanguinarine, the main alkaloid presents in Macleaya cordata in high energy density diets. Thirty-two crossbred Angus-Nelore bulls with mean initial body weight of 365 ± 10 kg and mean initial age of 11 ± 3 months were used. The experiment lasted 119 days, with 14 days of adaptation and 105 experimental days. Experimental diet consisted of 85% whole corn grains and 15% protein-vitamin-mineral nucleus, and supplied ad libitum. Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and a diet with sanguinarine supplementation (SAN) at a dosage of 4g of product sufficient to provide 6 mg of sanguinarine/ day. Experimental design was completely randomized. Dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed conversion were similar (p> 0.05) between treatments. However, SAN group animals had higher carcass yield (p = 0.045) and were more efficient in the transformation of dry matter consumed in carcass gain (p = 0.046) than CON. In addition, haptoglobin, increased throughout feedlot duration meaning high challenge for the animals due to the diet, but this behavior was similar (p> 0.05) between treatments. Sanguinarine produced positive results in relation to carcass yield, and could be used as an additive for bulls fed diets receiving high energy density diet.

Raza de Tesoros. Programa de Lectura y Ensenanza del Lenguaje, Unidad B. Guia para el Maestro (Race of Treasures. Reading and Language Learning Program, Unit B. Teacher's Guide).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dissemination and Assessment Center for Bilingual Education, Austin, TX.

This is the teacher's guide accompanying a reader and a workbook that are part of an ungraded language arts and reading program that can be used in classes from upper elementary through high school. The program is designed around reading selections which present aspects of history, culture, and present-day experiences of special relevance to the…

Jet aircraft emissions during cruise: Present and future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grobman, J. S.

1975-01-01

Forecasts of engine exhaust emissions that may be practicably achievable for future commercial aircraft operating at high altitude cruise conditions are compared to cruise emission for present day aircraft. The forecasts are based on: (1) knowledge of emission characteristics of combustors and augmentors; (2) combustion research in emission reduction technology, and (3) trends in projected engine designs for advanced subsonic or supersonic commercial aircraft. Recent progress that was made in the evolution of emissions reduction technology is discussed.

Dissemination of bovine leukemia virus-infected cells from a newly infected sheep lymph node.

PubMed

Fulton, B E; Portella, M; Radke, K

2006-08-01

To investigate the early establishment of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection, we injected BLV-infected or mock-infected allogeneic cells into the shoulder of sheep in which an efferent lymphatic duct of the draining prescapular lymph node had been cannulated. Rare mononuclear cells acting as centers of BLV infection in culture were present within 4 to 6 days in efferent lymph and within 6 to 10 days in blood. Soon after BLV injection, immunoglobulin M+ (IgM+) and CD8+ cells increased in efferent lymph and oscillated reciprocally in frequency. CD8+ blasts increased on days 4 to 6, when infectious centers increased 100-fold in lymph. On days 6 and 7, both lymph and blood were enriched with CD8+ cells that were labeled late on day 5 with an intravenous pulse of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Lymph, but not blood, was enriched with BrdU+ B cells on day 7. Capsid-specific antibodies became detectable in efferent lymph on days 6 to 8 and surface glycoprotein-specific antibodies on day 9, preceding their detection in serum by 9 to 14 days. Systemic dissemination of BLV-infected cells was thus accompanied by an increase in proliferating CD8+ cells and the onset of BLV-specific antibodies in lymph. Infectious centers reached maximum frequencies of 0.2% in lymph by days 11 to 13, and then their frequencies increased by 5- to 40-fold in blood cells, suggesting that many infected blood cells do not recirculate back into lymph. Beginning on days 10 to 13, a subpopulation of B cells having high levels of surface IgM increased sharply in peripheral blood. Such cells were not present in lymph. After a day 16 pulse of BrdU, recently proliferated cells that stained intensely for surface IgM appeared in blood within 15 h. Predominantly B lymphocytes contained the viral capsid protein when lymph and blood cells were cultured briefly to allow BLV expression. However, both early in lymph and later in blood, BrdU+ B cells greatly exceeded productively infected cells, indicating that new BLV infections stimulate proliferation of two different populations of B cells.

Development of vestibular function: biochemical, morphological and electronystagmographical assessment in the rat.

PubMed

Meza, G; Acuña, D; Gutiérrez, A; Merchan, J M; Rueda, J

1996-07-01

Glutamate decarboxylase and choline acetyltransferase were measured in homogenated ampullar cristae of rats during development from postnatal day 13 to 60 to determine changes in levels of these enzymes during early postnatal development. Afferent and efferent innervation of the hair cells of the developing cristae were studied using electron microscopy. In parallel, groups of rats, postrotatory nystagmus were used to assess the development of semicircular canal function during the same time interval. The level of glutamate decarboxylase was high on postnatal day 15 and did not change notably over the remaining days to day 60. Activity of choline acetyltransferase was nearly absent at day 15, but reached levels seen in mature animals by day 17, and remained almost unchanged thereafter. In contrast, as revealed by electronmicroscopy, afferent and efferent innervation appeared to be mature by day 8. Postrotatory nystagmus presented the adult-like features from day 19 onward. According to these results, a role for glutamate decarboxylase in afferent transmission is suggested by the parallel development of levels of glutamate decarboxylase and afferent innervation of the ampullary cristae. The finding of a similar time course of development of choline acetyltransferase levels and postrotatory nystagmus suggests that a cholinergic efferent innervation is involved in the onset of vestibular-ocular function.

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India.

PubMed

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-11-01

Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2-13%). Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered.

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

PubMed Central

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-01-01

Purpose: Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Results: Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2–13%). Conclusion: Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered. PMID:26669336

Modeling the present and future geographic distribution of the Lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae), in the continental United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Springer, Yuri P.; Jarnevich, Catherine S.; Barnett, David T.; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Eisen, Rebecca J.

2015-01-01

The Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.) is the primary vector for pathogens of significant public health importance in North America, yet relatively little is known about its current and potential future distribution. Building on a published summary of tick collection records, we used an ensemble modeling approach to predict the present-day and future distribution of climatically suitable habitat for establishment of the Lone star tick within the continental United States. Of the nine climatic predictor variables included in our five present-day models, average vapor pressure in July was by far the most important determinant of suitable habitat. The present-day ensemble model predicted an essentially contiguous distribution of suitable habitat extending to the Atlantic coast east of the 100th western meridian and south of the 40th northern parallel, but excluding a high elevation region associated with the Appalachian Mountains. Future ensemble predictions for 2061–2080 forecasted a stable western range limit, northward expansion of suitable habitat into the Upper Midwest and western Pennsylvania, and range contraction along portions of the Gulf coast and the lower Mississippi river valley. These findings are informative for raising awareness of A. americanum-transmitted pathogens in areas where the Lone Star tick has recently or may become established.

Climate change may affect fish through an interaction of parental and juvenile environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donelson, J. M.; Munday, P. L.; McCormick, M. I.

2012-09-01

Changes to tropical sea surface temperature and plankton communities are expected to occur over the next 100 years due to climate change. There is a limited understanding of how these environmental changes are likely to impact coral reef fishes, especially in terms of population replenishment through the quality of progeny produced. The present study investigated the effect that elevated sea water temperature and changes to food availability may have on the production of offspring by the reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus (Pomacentridae), as well as the performance of progeny in environments of varying food availability. An orthogonal design of three water temperatures and two food availabilities (high and low ration) was used, with water temperatures being the current-day average for the collection location (28.5 °C), +1.5 °C (30.0 °C) and +3.0 °C (31.5 °C), representing likely temperatures by 2100. Generally, an increase in the water temperature for adults resulted in a reduction in the size, weight and amount of yolk possessed by newly hatched offspring. Offspring whose parents were maintained under elevated temperature (30.0 °C high ration) had lower survival than offspring produced by parents at the current-day temperature (28.5 °C high ration) at 15 days post-hatching, but only when juveniles were reared under conditions of low food availability. In contrast, by 30 days post-hatching, the growth and condition of these offspring produced by parents held under elevated temperature (30.0 °C high ration) were the best of all treatment groups in all levels of juvenile food availability. This result illustrates the potential for initial parental effects to be modified by compensatory growth early in life (within 1 month) and that parental effects are not necessarily long lasting. These findings suggest that the performance of juvenile reef fish in future ocean conditions may not only depend on initial parental effects, but the interaction between their parentally mediated phenotype and their present food availability.

Statistical survey of day-side magnetospheric current flow using Cluster observations: magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebert, Evelyn; Nabert, Christian; Perschke, Christopher; Fornaçon, Karl-Heinz; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz

2017-05-01

We present a statistical survey of current structures observed by the Cluster spacecraft at high-latitude day-side magnetopause encounters in the close vicinity of the polar cusps. Making use of the curlometer technique and the fluxgate magnetometer data, we calculate the 3-D current densities and investigate the magnetopause current direction, location, and magnitude during varying solar wind conditions. We find that the orientation of the day-side current structures is in accordance with existing magnetopause current models. Based on the ambient plasma properties, we distinguish five different transition regions at the magnetopause surface and observe distinctive current properties for each region. Additionally, we find that the location of currents varies with respect to the onset of the changes in the plasma environment during magnetopause crossings.

Refractory Cardiogenic Shock During Tramadol Poisoning: A Case Report.

PubMed

Belin, Nicolas; Clairet, Anne-Laure; Chocron, Sidney; Capellier, Gilles; Piton, Gaël

2017-04-01

Tramadol is a weak opioid analgesic indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Tramadol intoxication can be lethal, and this drug is frequently involved in voluntary overdose. Classically, tramadol intoxication is associated with neurological and respiratory side effects. In contrast, cardiac effects are poorly documented in the literature. We report a case of severe tramadol intoxication, with plasma concentration 20 times the toxic threshold, complicated by refractory cardiogenic shock, successfully treated by extra corporeal life support (ECLS) with a favorable cardiac outcome and ECLS weaning at day 10. Seizure, clonus, and nonreactive mydriasis were present during 4 days, and complete awakening was delayed to day 15. Poisoning caused by high doses of tramadol can lead to refractory cardiogenic shock, and ECLS can be considered as effective rescue therapy in this context.

Fundamental Techniques for High Photon Energy Stability of a Modern Soft X-ray Beamline

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

Senba, Yasunori; Kishimoto, Hikaru; Miura, Takanori

2007-01-19

High energy resolution and high energy stability are required for modern soft x-ray beamlines. Attempts at improving the energy stability are presented in this paper. Some measures have been adopted to avoid energy instability. It is clearly observed that the unstable temperature of the support frame of the optical elements results in photon energy instability. A photon energy stability of 10 meV for half a day is achieved by controlling the temperature with an accuracy of 0.01 deg. C.

Chemical composition, stratigraphy, and depositional environments of the Black River Group (Middle Ordovician), southwestern Ohio.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stith, David A.

1981-01-01

The chemical composition and stratigraphy of the Black River Group in southwestern Ohio were studied. Chemical analyses were done on two cores of the Black River from Adams and Brown Counties, Ohio. These studies show that substantial reserves of high-carbonate rock are present in the Black River at depths of less than 800 ft, in proximity to Cincinnati and the Ohio River. Stratigraphic studies show that the Black River Group has eight marker beds in its middle and upper portions and three distinct lithologic units in its lower portion; these marker beds and units are present throughout southwestern Ohio. The Black River Group correlates well with the High Bridge Group of Kentucky. Depositional environments of the Black River are similar to those of the High Bridge and to present-day tidal flats in the Bahamas.-Author

Chemical synthesis of battery grade super-iron barium and potassium Fe(VI) ferrate compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licht, Stuart; Naschitz, Vera; Liu, Bing; Ghosh, Susanta; Halperin, Nadezhda; Halperin, Leonid; Rozen, Dmitri

The chemical preparation of high purity potassium and barium ferrates for alkaline electrochemical storage are presented. The synthesized salts are used to demonstrate a variety of high capacity super-iron (Zn anode) alkaline AAA cell configurations which utilize these Fe(V) salts. Results of 500 days, full stability, of the synthesized K 2FeO 4 are presented. Synthetic pathways yielding 80-100 g of 96.5-99.5% pure K 2FeO 4 and BaFeO 4 are presented, and the products of these syntheses are demonstrated to provide a high energy electrochemical discharge in a variety of AAA alkaline cells. BaFeO 4 super-iron alkaline AAA cells provide over 0.8 W h during 2.8 Ω discharge, yielding over 200% higher capacity than conventional alkaline batteries. The barium super-iron cell configurations studied provide higher capacity than the potassium super-iron alkaline cell configurations studied.

Influence of the menstrual cycle on flight simulator performance after alcohol ingestion.

PubMed

Mumenthaler, M S; O'Hara, R; Taylor, J L; Friedman, L; Yesavage, J A

2001-07-01

Previous studies investigating the influence of the menstrual cycle on cognitive functioning of women after alcohol ingestion have obtained inconsistent results. The present study tested the hypothesis that flight simulator performance during acute alcohol intoxication and 8 hours after drinking differs between the menstrual and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. White female pilots (N = 24) were tested during the menstrual and the luteal phases of their menstrual cycles. On each test day they performed a baseline simulator flight, consumed 0.67 g/kg ethanol, and performed an acute-intoxication and an 8-hour-carryover simulator flight. Subjects reached highly significant increases in estradiol (E2) as well as progesterone (P) levels during the luteal test day. Yet, there were no significant differences in overall flight performance after alcohol ingestion between the menstrual and luteal phases during acute intoxication or at 8-hour carryover. We found no correlations between E, or P levels and overall flight performance. However, there was a statistically significant Phase x Order interaction: Pilots who started the experiment with their menstrual day were less susceptible to the effects of alcohol during the second test day than were pilots who started with their luteal day. The tested menstrual cycle phases and varying E2 and P levels did not significantly influence postdrink flight performance. Because the present study included a comparatively large sample size and because it involved complex "real world" tasks (piloting an aircraft), we believe that the present findings are important. We hope that our failure to detect menstrual cycle effects will encourage researchers to include women in their investigations of alcohol effects and human performance.

Virological and immunological characteristics of fatal Epstein-Barr virus mononucleosis in a 17-year-old Caucasian male presenting with meningoencephalitis and hemophagocytic syndrome.

PubMed

Vince, Adriana; Lepej, Snjezana Zidovec; Kurelac, Ivan; Barsic, Bruno; Kozic, Sanja; Klinar, Igor; Zarkovic, Kamelia

2007-08-01

In this report, the authors present a detailed immunological and virological assessment of an immunocompetent 17-year-old Caucasian male with a fatal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectious mononucleosis presenting with meningoencephalitis and hemophagocytic syndrome. The patient with serologically confirmed EBV infectious mononucleosis was admitted to the hospital because of 3 weeks' fever. Fine-needle aspiration of lymph nodes showed reactive hyperplasia with prominent hemophagocytosis. Percentages of intracellular interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the peripheral blood progressively increased during the course of disease (10.2% and 8.5% on day 35; 30.1% and 53.2% on day 44; 42.2% and 75.2% on day 50; 36.1% and 50.6% on day 59, respectively). On day 50, the patient developed meningoencephalitis. Brain computed tomography (CT) was normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multifocal inflammatory lesions in frontal and temporal cortex of the right hemisphere as well as severe perivascular inflammatory reaction. The patient was treated with steroids, cyclosporin A, and methotrexate intratecally. Following treatment, EBV viremia in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) decreased from pretreatment values (54,490 copies of EBV DNA/ml and 39,500 copies/ml, respectively) to 8715 copies/ml in the blood and 14,690 in the CSF. Despite treatment, the patient remained unconscious and died of sepsis and pneumonia 3 months after initial symptoms. Immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of EBV in both perivascular infiltrates and grey matter. Enhanced Th1 response as shown by high levels of IFN-gamma in peripheral blood lymphocytes may be a predictor of severe complications during acute EBV infection. Early implementation of immunosuppressive therapy in these patients should be considered.

The variability of SE2 tide extracted from TIMED/SABER observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Wan, W.; Ren, Z.

2017-12-01

Based on the temperature observations of the TIMED/SABER in mesosphere/lower thermosphere region (70-110 km altitudes) and at the low latitude and midlatitude (45°S-45°N) from 2002 to 2012, the variability of the nonmigrating tide SE2 with 1 day resolution is analyzed. It is found that the climatological features (large-scale variability) of the semidiurnal nonmigrating tide with zonal wave number 2 (SE2) tide are similar with the results from the previous research works. The SE2 tide manifests mainly at the low-mid latitudes around ±30°. The northern hemisphere tidal amplitudes below 110 km are larger than the southern hemisphere tide. SE2 peaks below 110 km mainly present between 100 and 110 km altitude. The tidal amplitudes below 110 km occur a north-south asymmetry about the equator in the annual variation: in the southern hemisphere, SE2 occurs with an obvious annual variation with a maximum of tidal amplitudes in December, while in the northern one, the semiannual variations with maximum at the equinoxes. Herein, owing to the high-resolution tidal data, we could research the short-term (day-to-day) variations of SE2. We found that the day-to-day variations manifest mainly at between 100 and 110 km altitudes; it increases gradually with latitudes, and it is stronger at the low-mid latitudes; it is relatively slightly stronger around solstices than equinoxes; and it does not present a remarkably interannual variation. The SE2 day-to-day variations may be composed by the absolute amplitudes' variance and the impact of the wave phases, and the latter ones are more important.

The variability of SE2 tide extracted from TIMED/SABER observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xing; Wan, Weixing; Ren, Zhipeng; Yu, You

2017-02-01

Based on the temperature observations of the TIMED/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry in mesosphere/lower thermosphere region (70-110 km altitudes) and at the low latitude and midlatitude (45°S-45°N) from 2002 to 2012, the variability of the nonmigrating tide SE2 with 1 day resolution is analyzed, using the method from Li et al. (2015). It is found that the climatological features (large-scale variability) of the SE2 tide are similar with the results from the previous research works. The SE2 tide manifests mainly at the low-mid latitudes around ±30°. The northern hemisphere tidal amplitudes below 110 km are larger than the southern hemisphere tide. SE2 peaks below 110 km mainly present between 100 and 110 km altitude. The tidal amplitudes below 110 km occur a north-south asymmetry about the equator in the annual variation: in the southern hemisphere, SE2 occurs with an obvious annual variation with a maximum of tidal amplitudes in December, while in the northern one, the semiannual variations with maximum at the equinoxes. Herein, owing to the high-resolution tidal data, we could research the short-term (day-to-day) variations of SE2. We found that the day-to-day variations manifest mainly at between 100 and 110 km altitudes; it increases gradually with latitudes, and it is stronger at the low-mid latitudes; it is relatively slightly stronger around solstices than equinoxes; and it does not present a remarkably interannual variation. The SE2 day-to-day variations may be composed by the absolute amplitudes' variance and the impact of the wave phases, and the latter ones are more important.

New solution to the problem of the tension between the high-redshift and low-redshift measurements of the Hubble constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolejko, Krzysztof

2018-01-01

During my talk I will present results suggesting that the phenomenon of emerging spatial curvature could resolve the conflict between Planck's (high-redshift) and Riess et al. (low-redshift) measurements of the Hubble constant. The phenomenon of emerging spatial curvature is absent in the Standard Cosmological Model, which has a flat and fixed spatial curvature (small perturbations are considered in the Standard Cosmological Model but their global average vanishes, leading to spatial flatness at all times).In my talk I will show that with the nonlinear growth of cosmic structures the global average deviates from zero. As a result, the spatial curvature evolves from spatial flatness of the early universe to a negatively curved universe at the present day, with Omega_K ~ 0.1. Consequently, the present day expansion rate, as measured by the Hubble constant, is a few percent higher compared to the high-redshift constraints. This provides an explanation why there is a tension between high-redshift (Planck) and low-redshift (Riess et al.) measurements of the Hubble constant. In the presence of emerging spatial curvature these two measurements should in fact be different: high redshift measurements should be slightly lower than the Hubble constant inferred from the low-redshift data.The presentation will be based on the results described in arXiv:1707.01800 and arXiv:1708.09143 (which discuss the phenomenon of emerging spatial curvature) and on a paper that is still work in progress but is expected to be posted on arxiv by the AAS meeting (this paper uses mock low-redshift data to show that starting from the Planck's cosmological models (in the early universe) but with the emerging spatial curvature taken into account, the low-redshift Hubble constant should be 72.4 km/s/Mpc.

Interactive effects of ocean acidification and warming on coral reef associated epilithic algal communities under past, present-day and future ocean conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, N.; Cantin, N. E.; Strahl, J.; Kaniewska, P.; Bay, L.; Wild, C.; Uthicke, S.

2016-06-01

Epilithic algal communities play critical ecological roles on coral reefs, but their response to individual and interactive effects of ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) is still largely unknown. We investigated growth, photosynthesis and calcification of early epilithic algal community assemblages exposed for 6 months to four temperature profiles (-1.1, ±0.0, +0.9, +1.6 °C) that were crossed with four carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) levels (360, 440, 650, 940 µatm), under flow-through conditions and natural light regimes. Additionally, we compared the cover of heavily calcified crustose coralline algae (CCA) and lightly calcified red algae of the genus Peyssonnelia among treatments. Increase in cover of epilithic communities showed optima under moderately elevated temperatures and present pCO2, while cover strongly decreased under high temperatures and high-pCO2 conditions, particularly due to decreasing cover of CCA. Similarly, community calcification rates were strongly decreased at high pCO2 under both measured temperatures. While final cover of CCA decreased under high temperature and pCO2 (additive negative effects), cover of Peyssonnelia spp. increased at high compared to annual average and moderately elevated temperatures. Thus, cover of Peyssonnelia spp. increased in treatment combinations with less CCA, which was supported by a significant negative correlation between organism groups. The different susceptibility to stressors most likely derived from a different calcification intensity and/or mineral. Notably, growth of the epilithic communities and final cover of CCA were strongly decreased under reduced-pCO2 conditions compared to the present. Thus, CCA may have acclimatized from past to present-day pCO2 conditions, and changes in carbonate chemistry, regardless in which direction, negatively affect them. However, if epilithic organisms cannot further acclimatize to OW and OA, the interacting effects of both factors may change epilithic communities in the future, thereby likely leading to reduced reef stability and recovery.

A universal minimal mass scale for present-day central black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Tal; Bar-Or, Ben

2017-08-01

The early stages of massive black hole growth are poorly understood1. High-luminosity active galactic nuclei at very high redshift2 z further imply rapid growth soon after the Big Bang. Suggested formation mechanisms typically rely on the extreme conditions found in the early Universe (very low metallicity, very high gas or star density). It is therefore plausible that these black hole seeds were formed in dense environments, at least a Hubble time ago (z > 1.8 for a look-back time of tH = 10 Gyr)3. Intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) of mass M• ≈ 102-105 solar masses, M⊙, are the long-sought missing link4 between stellar black holes, born of supernovae5, and massive black holes6, tied to galaxy evolution by empirical scaling relations7,8. The relation between black hole mass, M•, and stellar velocity dispersion, σ★, that is observed in the local Universe over more than about three decades in massive black hole mass, correlates M• and σ★ on scales that are well outside the massive black hole's radius of dynamical influence6, rh≈GM•/σ★2. We show that low-mass black hole seeds that accrete stars from locally dense environments in galaxies following a universal M•/σ★ relation9,10 grow over the age of the Universe to be above M0≈3×105M⊙ (5% lower limit), independent of the unknown seed masses and formation processes. The mass M0 depends weakly on the uncertain formation redshift, and sets a universal minimal mass scale for present-day black holes. This can explain why no IMBHs have yet been found6, and it implies that present-day galaxies with σ★ < S0 ≈ 40 km s-1 lack a central black hole, or formed it only recently. A dearth of IMBHs at low redshifts has observable implications for tidal disruptions11 and gravitational wave mergers12.

Heat flow study of the Emeishan large igneous province region: Implications for the geodynamics of the Emeishan mantle plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Qiang; Qiu, Nansheng; Zhu, Chuanqing

2018-01-01

The Emeishan large igneous province (ELIP) is widely considered to be a consequence of a mantle plume. The supporting evidence includes rapid emplacement, voluminous flood basalt eruptions, and high mantle potential temperature estimates. Several studies have suggested that there was surface uplift prior to the eruption of the Emeishan flood basalts. Additionally, the plume's lateral extent is hard to constrain and has been variously estimated to be 800-1400 km in diameter. In this study, we analyzed present-day heat flow data and reconstructed the Permian paleo-heat flow using vitrinite reflectance and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology data in the ELIP region and discussed implications for the geodynamics of the Emeishan mantle plume. The present-day heat flow is higher in the inner and intermediate zones than in the outer zone, with a decrease of average heat flow from 76 mW/m2 to 51 mW/m2. Thermal history modeling results show that an abnormal high paleo-heat flow of 90-110 mW/m2 was caused by the Emeishan mantle plume activity. Based on the present-day heat flow data, we can calculate that there is lithospheric thinning in the central ELIP region, which may be due to the destruction of the lithosphere by mantle plume upwelling and magmatic underplating. The Permian paleo-heat flow anomaly implies that there was a temperature anomaly in the mantle. The ascending high-temperature mantle plume and the thinned lithosphere may have induced the large-scale uplift in the ELIP region. According to the range of the surface heat flow anomaly, it can be estimated that the diameter of the flattened head of the Emeishan mantle plume could have reached 1600-1800 km. Our research provides new insights into the geodynamics of the Emeishan mantle plume through study of heat flow.

Effects of low-fat high-fibre diet and mitratapide on body weight reduction, blood pressure and metabolic parameters in obese dogs.

PubMed

Peña, Cristina; Suarez, Lourdes; Bautista-Castaño, Inmaculada; Juste, M Candelaria; Carretón, Elena; Montoya-Alonso, José Alberto

2014-09-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the impact on blood pressure and different metabolic parameters of a weight-loss program on obese dogs fed on a low-fat high-fibre diet and treated with and without mitratapide. The study sample consisted of 36 obese dogs, randomly assigned to a control group (n=17), which were fed on a low-fat high-fibre diet, and an intervention group (n=19), fed on the same diet and treated with mitratapide. Variables measured included body condition score, body weight, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures; total cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels; alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity, measured both at baseline (day 0) and at the end of the weight loss program (day 85). All the studied parameters had decreased in both groups at the end of the study; these being diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and alanine aminotransferase, significantly lower in dogs treated with mitratapide. The use of mitrapide in addition to low-fat high-fibre diet does not seem to offer any further useful effect in the loss of weight during the treatment of canine obesity. On the other hand, mitratapide seems to present certain beneficial effects on pathologies associated with obesity, these being mainly related to blood pressure, lipids and hepatic parameters.

Early-onset Lyme carditis with concurrent disseminated erythema migrans.

PubMed

Patel, Kinjan P; Farjo, Peter D; Juskowich, Joy J; Hama Amin, Ali; Mills, James D

2017-01-01

Lyme disease is an infection that is estimated to affect over 300,000 people in the United States annually. Typically, it presents with erythema migrans (EM), an annular rash at the site of tick attachment, within 3 to 30 days of inoculation. Untreated patients may progress to early disseminated disease. A further complication, Lyme carditis is rare but may occur several weeks later. It commonly manifests as a variable atrioventricular (AV) conduction block, with a high-grade AV block occurring in only 1% of untreated patients. This case demonstrates an unusually early presentation of Lyme carditis with complete heart block. A 21-year-old male was transferred from an outside emergency department (ED) for possible pacemaker placement due to symptomatic third-degree AV block. Four days earlier the patient presented to the outside ED with fever, chills, and unrecognized EM on his right neck. He was discharged with antipyretics, but no antibiotic therapy. On the day of transfer, he returned with persistent fevers, EM now on his trunk and upper extremities, lightheadedness, and substernal chest pressure. An electrocardiogram revealed the third-degree AV block leading to transfer. Upon arrival, the patient was promptly diagnosed with Lyme carditis. Pacemaker implantation was deferred, and intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone was initiated. Within 48 hours his third-degree AV block improved to a first-degree block. By this time, his EM had also resolved. He was discharged with oral doxycycline and a 30-day event monitor, which ultimately showed persistent first-degree AV block. This case reinforces a unique presentation of Lyme carditis. Disseminated EM and Lyme carditis may present concurrently within 2 weeks of tick attachment. Early recognition and treatment is important for preventing progression to disseminated infection. Lyme-associated AV block will reverse within 48 to 72 hours of initiating IV antibiotic therapy and will not require pacemaker implantation. Lyme carditis should be considered in patients without heart disease who present with any degree of AV block.

Bilateral adrenal hemorrhage in the background of Escherichia coli sepsis: a case report.

PubMed

Khwaja, Jahanzaib

2017-03-17

Sepsis is a syndrome of life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It can have devastating consequences, including bilateral adrenal hemorrhage, particularly in patients at high thrombotic risk, such as those with antiphospholipid syndrome and those on long-term anticoagulation. A 49-year-old white woman re-presented to hospital with a history suggestive of sepsis. She had a medical background of primary antiphospholipid syndrome on lifelong warfarin. Ten days prior to this presentation, she had been hospitalized following Escherichia coli bacteremia, commenced on intravenous antibiotics, and discharged 2 days later with a prescribed 5-day course of oral amoxicillin. On readmission, she had ongoing fever, myalgia, malaise, and hypotension. Investigations revealed anemia with thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, and acute-on-chronic kidney injury. Despite treatment for urosepsis, she became tachypneic, clammy, light-headed, drowsy, and hypothermic. Computed tomography revealed bilateral adrenal hemorrhage, and biochemical examination confirmed hypoadrenalism. Following discharge, she had persistent renal and hepatic injury lasting 3 months. Early identification, intensive monitoring, and aggressive support may reduce the acquired thrombotic risk and avoid potentially life-threatening outcomes of sepsis.

Individual differences affecting caffeine intake. Analysis of consumption behaviours for different times of day and caffeine sources.

PubMed

Penolazzi, Barbara; Natale, Vincenzo; Leone, Luigi; Russo, Paolo Maria

2012-06-01

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the individual variables contributing to determine the high variability in the consumption behaviours of caffeine, a psychoactive substance which is still poorly investigated in comparison with other drugs. The effects of a large set of specific personality traits (i.e., Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking, Anxiety, Reward Sensitivity and Circadian Preference) were compared along with some relevant socio-demographic variables (i.e., gender and age) and cigarette smoking behaviour. Analyses revealed that daily caffeine intake was significantly higher for males, older people, participants smoking more cigarettes and showing higher scores on Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking and a facet of Reward Sensitivity. However, more detailed analyses showed that different patterns of individual variables predicted caffeine consumption when the times of day and the caffeine sources were considered. The present results suggest that such detailed analyses are required to detect the critical predictive variables that could be obscured when only total caffeine intake during the entire day is considered. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritizing Positivity: An Effective Approach to Pursuing Happiness?

PubMed Central

Catalino, Lahnna I.; Algoe, Sara B.; Fredrickson, Barbara L.

2017-01-01

A decade of research reveals the benefits of positive emotions for mental and physical health; however, recent empirical work suggests the explicit pursuit of happiness may backfire. The present study hypothesized that the pursuit of happiness is not inherently self-defeating; in particular, individuals who seek positivity, as exemplified by how they make decisions about how to organize their day-to-day lives, may be happier. This individual difference is labeled prioritizing positivity. In a community sample of young to older adults (N = 233), prioritizing positivity predicted a host of well-being outcomes (positive emotions, depressive symptomology). In addition, people high in prioritizing positivity have greater resources, and these links are explained by more frequent experiences of positive emotions. In sum, the present study suggests that seeking happiness, although a delicate art, may be a worthwhile pursuit. PMID:25401290

Prioritizing positivity: an effective approach to pursuing happiness?

PubMed

Catalino, Lahnna I; Algoe, Sara B; Fredrickson, Barbara L

2014-12-01

A decade of research reveals the benefits of positive emotions for mental and physical health; however, recent empirical work suggests the explicit pursuit of happiness may backfire. The present study hypothesized that the pursuit of happiness is not inherently self-defeating; in particular, individuals who seek positivity, as exemplified by how they make decisions about how to organize their day-to-day lives, may be happier. This individual difference is labeled prioritizing positivity. In a community sample of young to older adults (N = 233), prioritizing positivity predicted a host of well-being outcomes (positive emotions, depressive symptomology). In addition, people high in prioritizing positivity have greater resources, and these links are explained by more frequent experiences of positive emotions. In sum, the present study suggests that seeking happiness, although a delicate art, may be a worthwhile pursuit.

Ancient human genomes suggest three ancestral populations for present-day Europeans.

PubMed

Lazaridis, Iosif; Patterson, Nick; Mittnik, Alissa; Renaud, Gabriel; Mallick, Swapan; Kirsanow, Karola; Sudmant, Peter H; Schraiber, Joshua G; Castellano, Sergi; Lipson, Mark; Berger, Bonnie; Economou, Christos; Bollongino, Ruth; Fu, Qiaomei; Bos, Kirsten I; Nordenfelt, Susanne; Li, Heng; de Filippo, Cesare; Prüfer, Kay; Sawyer, Susanna; Posth, Cosimo; Haak, Wolfgang; Hallgren, Fredrik; Fornander, Elin; Rohland, Nadin; Delsate, Dominique; Francken, Michael; Guinet, Jean-Michel; Wahl, Joachim; Ayodo, George; Babiker, Hamza A; Bailliet, Graciela; Balanovska, Elena; Balanovsky, Oleg; Barrantes, Ramiro; Bedoya, Gabriel; Ben-Ami, Haim; Bene, Judit; Berrada, Fouad; Bravi, Claudio M; Brisighelli, Francesca; Busby, George B J; Cali, Francesco; Churnosov, Mikhail; Cole, David E C; Corach, Daniel; Damba, Larissa; van Driem, George; Dryomov, Stanislav; Dugoujon, Jean-Michel; Fedorova, Sardana A; Gallego Romero, Irene; Gubina, Marina; Hammer, Michael; Henn, Brenna M; Hervig, Tor; Hodoglugil, Ugur; Jha, Aashish R; Karachanak-Yankova, Sena; Khusainova, Rita; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Kittles, Rick; Kivisild, Toomas; Klitz, William; Kučinskas, Vaidutis; Kushniarevich, Alena; Laredj, Leila; Litvinov, Sergey; Loukidis, Theologos; Mahley, Robert W; Melegh, Béla; Metspalu, Ene; Molina, Julio; Mountain, Joanna; Näkkäläjärvi, Klemetti; Nesheva, Desislava; Nyambo, Thomas; Osipova, Ludmila; Parik, Jüri; Platonov, Fedor; Posukh, Olga; Romano, Valentino; Rothhammer, Francisco; Rudan, Igor; Ruizbakiev, Ruslan; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Sajantila, Antti; Salas, Antonio; Starikovskaya, Elena B; Tarekegn, Ayele; Toncheva, Draga; Turdikulova, Shahlo; Uktveryte, Ingrida; Utevska, Olga; Vasquez, René; Villena, Mercedes; Voevoda, Mikhail; Winkler, Cheryl A; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Zalloua, Pierre; Zemunik, Tatijana; Cooper, Alan; Capelli, Cristian; Thomas, Mark G; Ruiz-Linares, Andres; Tishkoff, Sarah A; Singh, Lalji; Thangaraj, Kumarasamy; Villems, Richard; Comas, David; Sukernik, Rem; Metspalu, Mait; Meyer, Matthias; Eichler, Evan E; Burger, Joachim; Slatkin, Montgomery; Pääbo, Svante; Kelso, Janet; Reich, David; Krause, Johannes

2014-09-18

We sequenced the genomes of a ∼7,000-year-old farmer from Germany and eight ∼8,000-year-old hunter-gatherers from Luxembourg and Sweden. We analysed these and other ancient genomes with 2,345 contemporary humans to show that most present-day Europeans derive from at least three highly differentiated populations: west European hunter-gatherers, who contributed ancestry to all Europeans but not to Near Easterners; ancient north Eurasians related to Upper Palaeolithic Siberians, who contributed to both Europeans and Near Easterners; and early European farmers, who were mainly of Near Eastern origin but also harboured west European hunter-gatherer related ancestry. We model these populations' deep relationships and show that early European farmers had ∼44% ancestry from a 'basal Eurasian' population that split before the diversification of other non-African lineages.

HPHT reservoir evolution: a case study from Jade and Judy fields, Central Graben, UK North Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Primio, Rolando; Neumann, Volkmar

2008-09-01

3D basin modelling of a study area in Quadrant 30, UK North Sea was performed in order to elucidate the burial, thermal, pressure and hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation history in the Jurassic and Triassic high pressure high temperature sequences. Calibration data, including reservoir temperatures, pressures, petroleum compositional data, vitrinite reflectance profiles and published fluid inclusion data were used to constrain model predictions. The comparison of different pressure generating processes indicated that only when gas generation is taken into account as a pressure generating mechanism, both the predicted present day as well as palaeo-pressure evolution matches the available calibration data. Compositional modelling of hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation also reproduced present and palaeo bulk fluid properties such as the reservoir fluid gas to oil ratios. The reconstruction of the filling histories of both reservoirs indicates that both were first charged around 100 Ma ago and contained initially a two-phase system in which gas dominated volumetrically. Upon burial reservoir fluid composition evolved to higher GORs and became undersaturated as a function of increasing pore pressure up to the present day situation. Our results indicate that gas compositions must be taken into account when calculating the volumetric effect of gas generation on overpressure.

Callus Growth Kinetics of Physic Nut (Jatropha curcas L.) and Content of Fatty Acids from Crude Oil Obtained In Vitro.

PubMed

da Luz Costa, Jefferson; da Silva, André Luís Lopes; Bier, Mário César Jucoski; Brondani, Gilvano Ebling; Gollo, André Luiz; Letti, Luiz Alberto Junior; Erasmo, Eduardo Andrea Lemus; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2015-06-01

The callus growth kinetics allows identifying the appropriate moment for callus pealing and monitoring the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites. The physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) is a plant species used for biofuel production due to its high oil content; however, this plant presents a great amount of bioactive compounds which can be useful for industry. The aim of this research was to establish a calli growth curve and to evaluate the fatty acid profile of crude oil extracted from callus. The callus growth kinetics presented a sigmoid standard curve with six distinct phases: lag, exponential, linear, deceleration, stationary, and decline. Total soluble sugars were higher at the inoculation day. Reducing sugars were higher at the inoculation day and at the 80th day. The highest percentage of ethereal extract (oil content) was obtained at the 120th day of culture, reaching 18 % of crude oil from the callus. The calli produced medium-chain and long-chain fatty acids (from 10 to 18 carbon atoms). The palmitic acid was the fatty acid with the highest proportion in oil (55.4 %). The lipid profile obtained in callus oil was different from the seed oil profile.

Relationship between work-related accidents and hot weather conditions in Tuscany (central Italy).

PubMed

Morabito, Marco; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Crisci, Alfonso; Modesti, Pietro Amedeo; Orlandini, Simone

2006-07-01

Nowadays, no studies have been published on the relationship between meteorological conditions and work-related mortality and morbidity in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between hot weather conditions and hospital admissions due to work-related accidents in Tuscany (central Italy) over the period 1998-2003. Apparent temperature (AT) values were calculated to evaluate human weather discomfort due to hot conditions and then tested for work accident differences using non-parametric procedures. Present findings showed that hot weather conditions might represent a risk factor for work-related accidents in Italy during summer. In particular early warming days during June, characterized by heat discomfort, are less tolerated by workers than warming days of the following summer months. The peak of work-related accidents occurred on days characterized by high, but not extreme, thermal conditions. Workers maybe change their behaviour when heat stress increases, reducing risks by adopting preventive measures. Results suggested that days with an average daytime AT value ranged between 24.8 degrees C and 27.5 degrees C were at the highest risk of work-related accidents. In conclusion, present findings might represent the first step for the development of a watch/warning system for workers that might be used by employers for planning work activities.

Temporal Compounding of Heat Waves in the Present and Projected Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, J. W.; Dessy, J.; Vecchi, G. A.; Oppenheimer, M.

2017-12-01

The hazard of heat waves is projected to increase significantly with global warming, motivating much recent research characterizing various aspects of these extreme events. One less examined aspect of heat waves is their temporal structure. Here we first modify existing heat wave duration definitions to flexibly account for a variety of possible heat wave temporal structures (sequences of hot and cooler days). We then examine past heat waves associated with high mortality using observational reanalysis data, and note that many past heat waves might be better described as series of hot days compounded together with short breaks of cooler days in between. We employ Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) global climate model (GCM) simulations to compare the frequency of these compound heat waves in the present and projected future with higher levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Our results indicate that temporally compound heatwaves will constitute a greater proportion of heat wave risk with global warming. Via examining synthetic autoregressive model data, we propose that this phenomenon is expected when shifting the mean of a time series with some memory and noise. Notably, an increased proportion of compound events implies that vulnerability from prior hot days will play an increasingly large role in heat wave risk, with possible implications for both heat wave-related policy and preparedness.

Coupled nature of evening-time ionospheric electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, L. M.; Tsai, L. C.

2018-04-01

The F region evening electrodynamics in the equatorial region is characterized by a pre-reversal enhancement (PRE) in the zonal eastward electric field. Although the theoretical mechanisms for PRE are known, its variability, particularly day-to-day variability is not fully resolved. PRE is a large scale phenomenon driven by the F region dynamo after the sunset hours. This paper investigates whether the variability of the E region conductivity (particularly the one associated with the sporadic E, Es) has any influence on the F region dynamo and hence on the PRE of zonal electric field. Interestingly, ionosonde observations have indicated a higher occurrence of the blanketing type Es (Esb) over the low latitude on days with highly suppressed PRE of zonal electric field in comparison with the days with significantly larger PRE. Observational evidences presented in this paper suggests that the formation of the Esb in the evening hours is a sovereign process, not always controlled by the sheared F region vertical electric field of equatorial origin, mapping along the magnetic field line on to the low latitude E region. Model computations of the PRE suppression based on the measured Es densities have further substantiated the observational findings presented in this paper. These results clearly indicate that the low latitude Es has the potential to suppress the PRE of zonal electric field and possibly can play a vital role in explaining the PRE variability, particularly the day-to-day variability. Results have been discussed in light of earlier reports on PRE mechanisms and E-F region coupling processes.

Chloroquine efficacy for Plasmodium vivax in Myanmar in populations with high genetic diversity and moderate parasite gene flow.

PubMed

Htun, Myo Win; Mon, Nan Cho Nwe; Aye, Khin Myo; Hlaing, Chan Myae; Kyaw, Myat Phone; Handayuni, Irene; Trimarsanto, Hidayat; Bustos, Dorina; Ringwald, Pascal; Price, Ric N; Auburn, Sarah; Thriemer, Kamala

2017-07-10

Plasmodium vivax malaria remains a major public health burden in Myanmar. Resistance to chloroquine (CQ), the first-line treatment for P. vivax, has been reported in the country and has potential to undermine local control efforts. Patients over 6 years of age with uncomplicated P. vivax mono-infection were enrolled into clinical efficacy studies in Myawaddy in 2014 and Kawthoung in 2012. Study participants received a standard dose of CQ (25 mg/kg over 3 days) followed by weekly review until day 28. Pvmdr1 copy number (CN) and microsatellite diversity were assessed on samples from the patients enrolled in the clinical study and additional cross-sectional surveys undertaken in Myawaddy and Shwegyin in 2012. A total of 85 patients were enrolled in the CQ clinical studies, 25 in Myawaddy and 60 in Kawthoung. One patient in Myawaddy (1.2%) had an early treatment failure and two patients (2.3%) in Kawthoung presented with late treatment failures on day 28. The day 28 efficacy was 92.0% (95% CI 71.6-97.9) in Myawaddy and 98.3% (95% CI 88.7-99.8) in Kawthoung. By day 2, 92.2% (23/25) in Myawaddy and 85.0% (51/60) in Kawthoung were aparasitaemic. Genotyping and pvmdr1 CN assessment was undertaken on 43, 52 and 46 clinical isolates from Myawaddy, Kawthoung and Shwegyin respectively. Pvmdr1 amplification was observed in 3.2% (1/31) of isolates in Myawaddy, 0% (0/49) in Kawthoung and 2.5% (1/40) in Shwegyin. Diversity was high in all sites (H E 0.855-0.876), with low inter-population differentiation (F ST 0.016-0.026, P < 0.05). Treatment failures after chloroquine were observed following chloroquine monotherapy, with pvmdr1 amplification present in both Myawaddy and Shwegyin. The results emphasize the importance of ongoing P. vivax drug resistance surveillance in Myanmar, particularly given the potential connectivity between parasite population at different sites.

Behavioral Alterations in Response to Fear-Provoking Stimuli and Tranylcypromine Induced by Perinatal Exposure to Bisphenol A and Nonylphenol in Male Rats

PubMed Central

Negishi, Takayuki; Kawasaki, Katsuyoshi; Suzaki, Shingo; Maeda, Haruna; Ishii, Yoshiyuki; Kyuwa, Shigeru; Kuroda, Yoichiro; Yoshikawa, Yasuhiro

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether perinatal exposure to two major environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA; 0.1 mg/kg/day orally) and nonylphenol [NP; 0.1 mg/kg/day (low dose) and 10 mg/kg/day (high dose) orally] daily from gestational day 3 to postnatal day 20 (transplacental and lactational exposures) would lead to behavioral alterations in the male offspring of F344 rats. Neither BPA nor NP exposure affected behavioral characteristics in an open-field test (8 weeks of age), in a measurement of spontaneous motor activity (12 weeks of age), or in an elevated plus-maze test (14 weeks of age). A passive avoidance test (13 weeks of age) showed that both BPA- and NP-treated offspring tended to delay entry into a dark compartment. An active avoidance test at 15 weeks of age revealed that BPA-treated offspring showed significantly fewer avoidance responses and low-dose NP-treated offspring exhibited slightly fewer avoidance responses. Furthermore, BPA-treated offspring significantly increased the number of failures to avoid electrical unconditioned stimuli within 5-sec electrical shock presentation compared with the control offspring. In a monoamine-disruption test using 5 mg/kg (intraperitoneal) tranylcypromine (Tcy), a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, both BPA-treated and low-dose NP-treated offspring at 22–24 weeks of age failed to show a significant increment in locomotion in response to Tcy, whereas control and high-dose NP-treated offspring significantly increased locomotion behavior after Tcy injection. In addition, when only saline was injected during a monoamine-disruption test, low-dose NP-treated offspring showed frequent rearing compared with the control offspring. The present results indicate that perinatal low-dose BPA or NP exposure irreversibly influenced the reception of fear-provoking stimuli (e.g., electrical shock), as well as monoaminergic neural pathways. PMID:15289160

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a patient with Malaria

PubMed Central

Sonani, Rajesh; Bhatnagar, Nidhi; Maitrey, Gajjar

2013-01-01

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA), a very infrequent condition which represents a group of disorders in which presence of autoantibodies directed against self-antigens leads to shortened red cell survival. Till date, a very few cases of AIHA in Malaria patients are reported worldwide but still AIHA should be considered a relatively rare cause of anemia in malaria. A 20 year male presented with intermittent fever since seven days and yellowish discoloration of urine and sclera since 5 days. He was transfused three units of blood at a private clinic before one month. On examination, pallor, icterus and spelnomegaly were present. Hemoglobin (Hb) was 3.2 gm% and peripheral smear revealed ring forms of both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Serum LDH and Serum billirubin (Indirect and Direct) were high. This patient’s blood group was B +ve with positive autocontrol. Indirect Antiglobulin Test (IAT), antibody screening and antibody identification were pan-positive with reaction strength of +4 against each cell. Direct Antiglobulin Test was +4 positive anti IgG and negative with anti C3. He was treated with Artesunate and methylprednisone. Least incompatible, saline washed O Neg and B neg red cells were transfused on the 2nd day of starting treatment. Hb was raised to 6.1 gm% on 4th day. Patient was discharged on 9th day with Hb 7.0 gm% with oral tapering dose of steroids. In the above case, patient was suffering from high grade malarial parasitemia with co-existing autoimmune RBC destruction by IgG auto-antibodies which led to sudden drop in Hb and rise in serum LDH and indirect billirubin. Least incompatible packed red cells along with antimalarials and steroids led to clinical improvement. So far, one case report each from India, Korea, Canada and Germany and one case series report of three cases from India have been reported. Under-reporting or rarity of this phenomenon may be accountable for this. PMID:24014948

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a patient with Malaria.

PubMed

Sonani, Rajesh; Bhatnagar, Nidhi; Maitrey, Gajjar

2013-07-01

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA), a very infrequent condition which represents a group of disorders in which presence of autoantibodies directed against self-antigens leads to shortened red cell survival. Till date, a very few cases of AIHA in Malaria patients are reported worldwide but still AIHA should be considered a relatively rare cause of anemia in malaria. A 20 year male presented with intermittent fever since seven days and yellowish discoloration of urine and sclera since 5 days. He was transfused three units of blood at a private clinic before one month. On examination, pallor, icterus and spelnomegaly were present. Hemoglobin (Hb) was 3.2 gm% and peripheral smear revealed ring forms of both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Serum LDH and Serum billirubin (Indirect and Direct) were high. This patient's blood group was B +ve with positive autocontrol. Indirect Antiglobulin Test (IAT), antibody screening and antibody identification were pan-positive with reaction strength of +4 against each cell. Direct Antiglobulin Test was +4 positive anti IgG and negative with anti C3. He was treated with Artesunate and methylprednisone. Least incompatible, saline washed O Neg and B neg red cells were transfused on the 2(nd) day of starting treatment. Hb was raised to 6.1 gm% on 4(th) day. Patient was discharged on 9th day with Hb 7.0 gm% with oral tapering dose of steroids. In the above case, patient was suffering from high grade malarial parasitemia with co-existing autoimmune RBC destruction by IgG auto-antibodies which led to sudden drop in Hb and rise in serum LDH and indirect billirubin. Least incompatible packed red cells along with antimalarials and steroids led to clinical improvement. So far, one case report each from India, Korea, Canada and Germany and one case series report of three cases from India have been reported. Under-reporting or rarity of this phenomenon may be accountable for this.

Rapid mixing and short storage timescale in the magma dynamics of a steady-state volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, Chiara Maria; Braschi, Eleonora; Francalanci, Lorella; Casalini, Martina; Tommasini, Simone

2018-06-01

Steady-state volcanic activity implies equilibrium between the rate of magma replenishment and eruption of compositionally homogeneous magmas, lasting for tens to thousands of years in an open conduit system. The Present-day activity of Stromboli volcano (Aeolian Islands, Southern Italy) has long been recognised as typical of a steady-state volcano, with a shallow magmatic reservoir (highly porphyritic or hp-magma) continuously refilled by more mafic magma (with low phenocryst content or lp-magma) at a constant rate and accompanied by mixing, crystallisation and eruption. Our aim is to clarify the timescale and dynamics of the plumbing system at the establishment of the Present-day steady-state activity (<1.2 ka) to pinpoint the onset of the steady-state regime. We investigated the Post-Pizzo (PP) pyroclastic sequence (∼1.7-1.5 ka) and one of the Early Paroxysms (EP) of the Present-day activity, focusing on the clinopyroxene population. Whole rock and clinopyroxene compositional variation among the PP and EP magmas is consistent with the time progression of the Stromboli system towards more mafic and lower 87Sr/86Sr compositions, pointing to the chemical and isotopic signature of the Present-day activity. Clinopyroxenes from both PP and EP record a complex history with compositional zoning that reflects growth in three different melt domains: a high-Mg# proto-lp recharging magma, a low-Mg# proto-hp resident magma, and a transient intermediate-Mg# magma. These are the result of complex turbulent flow fields and mixing regimes produced by repeated injections of the proto-lp magma in the shallow proto-hp magma reservoir. During the PP period the magmatic system was already able to regain the pre-input proto-hp composition, gradually changing toward a less evolved signature after the injection(s) of the more mafic proto-lp magma, owing to efficient (days to a few years) stirring and melt homogenisation (i.e., homogenisation time < residence time). Based upon Fe-Mg diffusion in clinopyroxene the total residence time during PP and EP periods, from the arrival of the mafic magma in the shallow system until the eruption, ranges from 1 to ∼50 years. Longer residence times (up to 150 years) have been recorded in the initial phase of the PP sequence, possibly testifying to the transition from a closed- to the open-conduit, steady-state regime of the Present-day activity. Some clinopyroxenes from the PP recorded the mafic triggering event of the feeding proto-lp magma occurring within few months to a few days before eruption. Remarkably, other clinopyroxene portions crystallised and captured the rapid timescales (a few days) of the on-going mixing and homogenisation process between the proto-lp and the proto-hp magmas leading to the eruption. The modelling of clinopyroxene zoning events at Stromboli provides evidence for growth and storage in three different melt domains, and sets robust constraints on their residence time from lp-magma recharge(s) to eruption, along with the timescales of melt homogenisation and triggering events. The lifetime history captured by Fe-Mg zoning of Stromboli clinopyroxenes suggests that the interplay between rapid mixing and short storage timescales can be a key parameter controlling the dynamics of the plumbing system of steady-state volcanoes.

Prospective evaluation of a shortened regimen of treatment for acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children.

PubMed

Jagodzinski, Nikolas Alan; Kanwar, Rajeev; Graham, Kerr; Bache, Christopher Edward

2009-01-01

We present the findings of a prospective, bi-center study to establish the appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy for acute, uncomplicated bone and joint infections in children. Historically, patients have been treated with prolonged courses of intravenous and oral therapy. Our hypothesis was that children could be safely treated with 3 days of high-dose intravenous therapy followed by 3 weeks of oral therapy. We prospectively collected data from children presenting to Birmingham Children's Hospital and The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne who fitted our diagnostic criteria for septic arthritis and osteomyelitis over a 52-month period. Inclusion criteria for entry into the database were children

Effect of high pressure treatment on microbiological quality of Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) during chilled storage.

PubMed

Ginson, J; Panda, Satyen Kumar; Bindu, J; Kamalakanth, C K; Srinivasa Gopal, T K

2015-04-01

High pressure treatment of 250 MPa for 6 min at 25 °C was applied to headless Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus) to evaluate changes in microbiological characteristics of the species during chilled storage. Changes in load of mesophilic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, proteolytic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., H2S producing bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Brochothrix thermosphacta and yeast & mold were estimated in pressurized and un-pressurized samples during chilled storage. All microbes were reduced significantly after high pressure treatment and there was significant difference in microbial quality of control and high pressure treated samples in the entire duration of chilled storage (p < 0.05). There was delay in the growth of Enterobacteriaceae and H2S producing bacteria up to 6th and 9th day of storage, respectively in high pressure treated samples. In high pressure treated sample, no lag phase (λ) was observed for psychrotrophic bacteria, H2S producing bacteria, B. thermosphacta, Pseudomonas spp. and lactic acid bacteria; however, other bacteria showed a reduced lag phase during chilled storage. Kinetic parameter such as specific growth rate (μmax) in high pressure treated samples was significantly reduced in most of the bacterial groups except for psychrotrophic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria. Mesophilic bacterial count of control samples crossed the marginal limit of acceptability on 12th day and unacceptable limit on 18th day of storage, whereas high pressure treated samples never breached the acceptability limit during entire duration of chilled storage. The present study indicated that application of high pressure processing can be used to improve microbial quality of Indian white prawn and extend the chilled storage life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annoyance from transportation noise: relationships with exposure metrics DNL and DENL and their confidence intervals.

PubMed Central

Miedema, H M; Oudshoorn, C G

2001-01-01

We present a model of the distribution of noise annoyance with the mean varying as a function of the noise exposure. Day-night level (DNL) and day-evening-night level (DENL) were used as noise descriptors. Because the entire annoyance distribution has been modeled, any annoyance measure that summarizes this distribution can be calculated from the model. We fitted the model to data from noise annoyance studies for aircraft, road traffic, and railways separately. Polynomial approximations of relationships implied by the model for the combinations of the following exposure and annoyance measures are presented: DNL or DENL, and percentage "highly annoyed" (cutoff at 72 on a scale of 0-100), percentage "annoyed" (cutoff at 50 on a scale of 0-100), or percentage (at least) "a little annoyed" (cutoff at 28 on a scale of 0-100). These approximations are very good, and they are easier to use for practical calculations than the model itself, because the model involves a normal distribution. Our results are based on the same data set that was used earlier to establish relationships between DNL and percentage highly annoyed. In this paper we provide better estimates of the confidence intervals due to the improved model of the relationship between annoyance and noise exposure. Moreover, relationships using descriptors other than DNL and percentage highly annoyed, which are presented here, have not been established earlier on the basis of a large dataset. PMID:11335190

Definitive surgical closure of enterocutaneous fistula: outcome and factors predictive of increased postoperative morbidity.

PubMed

Ravindran, P; Ansari, N; Young, C J; Solomon, M J

2014-03-01

Enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) presents a complex management problem with significant mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients undergoing surgical cure for ECF and to predict factors that might relate to increased postoperative morbidity. Medical records of all patients who underwent definitive surgery for cure of an ECF within our colorectal surgery unit between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Forty-one patients (18 male) were identified, in whom 44 definitive procedures were performed. The median age was 54 (17-81) years. The median postoperative length of stay in hospital was 14 (2-213) days. Half (50%) of the ECFs occurred as a postoperative complication followed by spontaneous fistulation in Crohn's disease (36%). The interval to definitive surgery was influenced by the aetiology of the fistula. The median time to surgery after formation of postoperative fistula was 240 days (7.9 months). There was no 30-day postoperative mortality. There were two (4.5%) recurrences at 3 months. Thirty-eight (86%) patients suffered postoperative morbidity as defined by the Clavien-Dindo classification. High-grade morbidity occurred in 32% of patients. On univariate analysis, factors identified as being significantly associated with high-grade morbidity included a fistula output of > 500 ml/day (P = 0.004) in patients with postoperative ECF, malnutrition at presentation (P = 0.04) and a serum albumin value of < 30 g/l (P = 0.02) in patients with spontaneous ECF due to Crohn's disease. The majority of persistent complex ECFs can be cured surgically with low mortality and recurrence in a multidisciplinary setting. Postoperative morbidity, however, remains a significant burden. Colorectal Disease © 2013 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Time-courses of plasma IL-6 and HMGB-1 reflect initial severity of clinical presentation but do not predict poor neurologic outcome following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PubMed

Kiiski, Heikki; Långsjö, Jaakko; Tenhunen, Jyrki; Ala-Peijari, Marika; Huhtala, Heini; Hämäläinen, Mari; Moilanen, Eeva; Öhman, Juha; Peltola, Jukka

2017-03-01

Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) experience high mortality and morbidity. Neuroinflammation causes brain damage expansion after aSAH. Due to the complexity of the inflammatory response multiple biomarkers are needed to evaluate its' progression. We studied inflammatory process after aSAH by measuring two inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) at simultaneous time-points after aSAH. In this prospective population-based study, IL-6 and HMGB1 were measured in aSAH patients (n = 47) for up to five days. Plasma concentrations of IL-6 and HMGB1 were measured at 0, 12 and 24 h after hospital admission, and thereafter daily for up to five days or until the patient was transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU). The patients' neurological outcomes were evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale at six months after aSAH. A high IL-6 level during the first day after aSAH was associated with a severe initial clinical presentation (p = 0.002) and infection during follow-up (p = 0.031). The HMGB1 level did not associate with these parameters. There was no correlation between IL-6 and HMGB1 levels at any time point during the follow-up. The concentrations of IL-6 and HMGB1 were not associated with neurological outcome. High initial IL-6 values seem to reflect the intensity of the inflammatory response but not the brain damage per se. An early inflammatory response might even be beneficial since although elevated IL-6 levels were observed in patients with a more severe initial clinical presentation, they were not associated with neurological outcome. The lack of correlation between IL-6 and HMGB1 questions the role of macrophages in the process of the secretion of these inflammatory markers after aSAH, instead pointing to the activation of alternative pro-inflammatory pathways.

Quantification of Quercetin Obtained from Allium cepa Lam. Leaves and its Effects on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Neuropathy.

PubMed

Dureshahwar, Khan; Mubashir, Mohammed; Une, Hemant Devidas

2017-01-01

Antioxidant potential has protective effects in diabetic neuropathy (DN); hence, the present study was designed with an objective to quantify quercetin from shade-dried leaves of Allium cepa Lam. and to study its effects on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced chronic DN. The shade-dried leaves of A. cepa Lam. were extracted with methanol and then fractionated using ethyl acetate (ACEA). The quantification of quercetin in ACEA was evaluated by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). The STZ (40 mg/kg) was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats (180-250 g) maintained at normal housing conditions. The STZ was administered once a day for 3 consecutive days. The elevation in blood glucose was monitored for 3 weeks periodically using flavin adenine dinucleotide-glucose dehydrogenase method by Contour TS glucometer. Rats showing blood glucose above 250 mg/dl were selected for the study. Animals were divided into eight groups. ACEA (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg), quercetin (40 mg/kg), metformin (120 mg/kg), and gabapentin (100 mg/kg) were given orally once a day for 2 weeks. The blood glucose level was again measured at the end of treatment to assess DN. Thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, motor incoordination, and neurotoxicity were studied initially and at the end of 2-week treatment. Biochemical parameters were also evaluated after 2-week drug treatment. The quercetin present in ACEA was 4.82% by HPTLC. All the ACEA treatment reduces blood glucose level at the end of the 2-week study and shows a significant neuroprotective effect in STZ-induced DN in the above experimental models. The quercetin present in ACEA proved protective effect in STZ-induced DN. High-performance thin layer chromatography reveals the presence of 4.82% quercetin in Allium cepa ethyl acetate. (ACEA). Its investigation against various diabetic neuropathy biomarkers has proved that ACEA has significant blood glucose reducing action shown neuroprotective action in thermal hyperalgesia, motor incoordination, and biochemical parameters. Abbreviations Used : HPTLC: High-performance thin layer chromatography, TLC: Thin layer chromatography, UV: Ultraviolet, ACEA: Allium cepa ethyl acetate, STZ: Streptozotocin, LDL: Low-density lipids, HDL: High-density lipids.

Determination of predevelopment denudation rates of an agricultural watershed (Cayaguas River, Puerto Rico) using in-situ-produced 10Be in river-borne quartz

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, E.T.; Stallard, R.F.; Larsen, M.C.; Bourles, D.L.; Raisbeck, G.M.; Yiou, F.

1998-01-01

Accurate estimates of watershed denudation absent anthropogenic effects are required to develop strategies for mitigating accelerated physical erosion resulting from human activities, to model global geochemical cycles, and to examine interactions among climate, weathering, and uplift. We present a simple approach to estimate predevelopment denudation rates using in-situ-produced cosmogenic 10Be in fluvial sediments. Denudation processes in an agricultural watershed (Cayaguas River Basin, Puerto Rico) and a matched undisturbed watershed (Icacos River Basin) were compared using 10Be concentrations in quartz for various size fractions of bed material. The coarse fractions in both watersheds bear the imprint of long subsurface residence times. Fine material from old shallow soils contributes little, however, to the present-day sediment output of the Cayaguas. This confirms the recent and presumably anthropogenic origin of the modern high denudation rate in the Cayaguas Basin and suggests that pre-agricultural erosional conditions were comparable to those of the present-day Icacos.

Essential thrombocythaemia in two dogs.

PubMed

Favier, R P; van Leeuwen, M; Teske, E

2004-06-01

In this report two dogs with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) are described. Both dogs were presented more or less at the same time with a combination of reduced exercise tolerance and pale mucous membranes without any report of blood loss. Moderate-to-severe, Coomb's-negative anaemia and thrombocytosis (> 1249 x 10'/l) were present. In addition, the peripheral blood smear revealed the presence of basophilia and large numbers of abnormally shaped megakaryocytes in the bone marrow of both dogs. Treatment with vincristine (0.7 mg/m2 once intravenously) and hydroxyurea (500 mg/m2 p.o. per day) was started. Because of insufficient response to treatment after 3 weeks, the dosage of hydroxyurea was increased in both dogs to 2000 mg/m2 p.o. per day. The dogs deteriorated further, however, and were euthanized at 6 weeks after the start of treatment. Blood examination revealed pancytopenia in both dogs, most likely due to the myelosuppressive effects of high-dose hydroxyurea. A survey of veterinary literature on ET is presented, including a comparison of ET in humans.

Mangiferin protects rat myocardial tissue against cyclophosphamide induced cardiotoxicity.

PubMed

Bhatt, Laxit; Sebastian, Binu; Joshi, Viraj

Mangiferin is a highly potent antioxidant present in mango leaves which is utilized for therapeutic purposes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of mangiferin against cyclophosphamide induced cardiotoxicity. Rats were treated with 100 mg/kg of mangiferin in alone and interactive groups for 10 days. Apart from normal and mangiferin control groups, all the groups were subjected to cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg, i.p.) toxicity on Day 1 and effects of different treatments were analyzed by changes in serum biomarkers, tissue antioxidant levels, electrocardiographic parameters, lipid profile and histopathological evaluation. Mangiferin treated group showed decrease in serum biomarker enzyme levels and increase in tissue antioxidant levels. Compared to cyclophosphamide control group, mangiferin treated animals showed improvement in lipid profile, electrocardiographic parameters, histological score and mortality. The present findings clearly suggest the protective role of mangiferin as a powerful antioxidant preventing cardiotoxicity caused by cyclophosphamide. Copyright © 2017 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predictability and Prediction of Low-Frequency Rainfall Over the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River Valley on the Time Scale of 20 to 30 days

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qiuming

2018-01-01

This paper presents a predictability study of the 20-30-day low-frequency rainfall over the lower reaches of the Yangtze River valley (LYRV). This study relies on an extended complex autoregressive (ECAR) model method, which is based on the principal components of the global 850 hPa low-frequency meridional wind. ECAR is a recently advanced climate forecast method, based on data-driven models. It not only reflects the lagged variations information between the leading low-frequency components of the global circulation and rainfall in a complex space, but also displays the ability to describe the synergy variations of low-frequency components of a climate system in a low dimensional space. A 6-year forecast experiment is conducted on the low-frequency rainfall over the LYRV for the extended-range daily forecasts during 2009-2014, based on the time-varying high-order ECAR. These experimental results demonstrate that the useful skills of the real-time forecasts are achieved for an extended lead-time up to 28 days with a fifth-order model, and are also shown to be 27-day lead for forecasts which are initiated from weak intraseasonal oscillation (ISO). This high-order ECAR displays the ability to significantly improve the predictions of the ISO. The analysis of the 20-30-day ISO predictability reveals a predictability limit of about 28-40 days. Therefore, the forecast framework used in this study is determined to have the potential to assist in improving the real-time forecasts for the 20-30-day oscillations related to the heavy rainfall over the LYRV in summer.

Sorbent Film-Coated Passive Samplers for Explosives Vapour Detection Part A: Materials Optimisation and Integration with Analytical Technologies.

PubMed

McEneff, Gillian L; Murphy, Bronagh; Webb, Tony; Wood, Dan; Irlam, Rachel; Mills, Jim; Green, David; Barron, Leon P

2018-04-11

A new thin-film passive sampler is presented as a low resource dependent and discrete continuous monitoring solution for explosives-related vapours. Using 15 mid-high vapour pressure explosives-related compounds as probes, combinations of four thermally stable substrates and six film-based sorbents were evaluated. Meta-aramid and phenylene oxide-based materials showed the best recoveries from small voids (~70%). Analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-high resolution accurate mass spectrometry which also enabled tentative identification of new targets from the acquired data. Preliminary uptake kinetics experiments revealed plateau concentrations on the device were reached between 3-5 days. Compounds used in improvised explosive devices, such as triacetone triperoxide, were detected within 1 hour and were stably retained by the sampler for up to 7 days. Sampler performance was consistent for 22 months after manufacture. Lastly, its direct integration with currently in-service explosives screening equipment including ion mobility spectrometry and thermal desorption mass spectrometry is presented. Following exposure to several open environments and targeted interferences, sampler performance was subsequently assessed and potential interferences identified. High-security building and area monitoring for concealed explosives using such cost-effective and discrete passive samplers can add extra assurance to search routines while minimising any additional burden on personnel or everyday site operation.

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

Brun, E., E-mail: emmanuel.brun@esrf.fr; Grandl, S.; Sztrókay-Gaul, A.

Purpose: Phase contrast computed tomography has emerged as an imaging method, which is able to outperform present day clinical mammography in breast tumor visualization while maintaining an equivalent average dose. To this day, no segmentation technique takes into account the specificity of the phase contrast signal. In this study, the authors propose a new mathematical framework for human-guided breast tumor segmentation. This method has been applied to high-resolution images of excised human organs, each of several gigabytes. Methods: The authors present a segmentation procedure based on the viscous watershed transform and demonstrate the efficacy of this method on analyzer basedmore » phase contrast images. The segmentation of tumors inside two full human breasts is then shown as an example of this procedure’s possible applications. Results: A correct and precise identification of the tumor boundaries was obtained and confirmed by manual contouring performed independently by four experienced radiologists. Conclusions: The authors demonstrate that applying the watershed viscous transform allows them to perform the segmentation of tumors in high-resolution x-ray analyzer based phase contrast breast computed tomography images. Combining the additional information provided by the segmentation procedure with the already high definition of morphological details and tissue boundaries offered by phase contrast imaging techniques, will represent a valuable multistep procedure to be used in future medical diagnostic applications.« less

High-Z plasma facing components in fusion devices: boundary conditions and operational experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neu, R.

2006-04-01

In present day fusion devices optimization of the performance and experimental freedom motivates the use of low-Z plasma facing materials (PFMs). However, in a future fusion reactor, for economic reasons, a sufficient lifetime of the first wall components is essential. Additionally, tritium retention has to be small to meet safety requirements. Tungsten appears to be the most realistic material choice for reactor plasma facing components (PFCs) because it exhibits the lowest erosion. But besides this there are a lot of criteria which have to be fulfilled simultaneously in a reactor. Results from present day devices and from laboratory experiments confirm the advantages of high-Z PFMs but also point to operational restrictions, when using them as PFCs. These are associated with the central impurity concentration, which is determined by the sputtering yield, the penetration of the impurities and their transport within the confined plasma. The restrictions could exclude successful operation of a reactor, but concomitantly there exist remedies to ameliorate their impact. Obviously some price has to be paid in terms of reduced performance but lacking of materials or concepts which could substitute high-Z PFCs, emphasis has to be put on the development and optimization of reactor-relevant scenarios which incorporate the experiences and measures.

Simulations of extragalactic magnetic fields and of their observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vazza, F.; Brüggen, M.; Gheller, C.; Hackstein, S.; Wittor, D.; Hinz, P. M.

2017-12-01

The origin of extragalactic magnetic fields is still poorly understood. Based on a dedicated suite of cosmological magneto-hydrodynamical simulations with the ENZO code we have performed a survey of different models that may have caused present-day magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters. The outcomes of these models differ in cluster outskirts, filaments, sheets and voids and we use these simulations to find observational signatures of magnetogenesis. With these simulations, we predict the signal of extragalactic magnetic fields in radio observations of synchrotron emission from the cosmic web, in Faraday rotation, in the propagation of ultra high energy cosmic rays, in the polarized signal from fast radio bursts at cosmological distance and in spectra of distant blazars. In general, primordial scenarios in which present-day magnetic fields originate from the amplification of weak (⩽nG ) uniform seed fields result in more homogeneous and relatively easier to observe magnetic fields than astrophysical scenarios, in which present-day fields are the product of feedback processes triggered by stars and active galaxies. In the near future the best evidence for the origin of cosmic magnetic fields will most likely come from a combination of synchrotron emission and Faraday rotation observed at the periphery of large-scale structures.

Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Home Guard Soldiers During Military Service and Civilian Life.

PubMed

Aandstad, Anders; Hageberg, Rune; Holme, Ingar M; Anderssen, Sigmund A

2016-07-01

Soldiers are encouraged to be physically active, and thereby maintain or increase their fitness level to meet job-related physical demands. However, studies on objectively measured physical activity (PA) in soldiers are scarce, particular for reserve soldiers. Hence, the aim of this study was to present PA data on Norwegian Home Guard (HG) soldiers. A total of 411 HG soldiers produced acceptable PA measurements (SenseWear Armband Pro2) during civilian life, of which 299 soldiers also produced acceptable data during HG military training. Reference data on total energy expenditure, metabolic equivalents, steps per day, and minutes of PA in three different metabolic equivalent categories are presented. The HG soldiers produced more minutes of moderate PA during HG military training compared to civilian life, but less vigorous and very vigorous PA. Furthermore, HG soldiers were more physically active during civilian week days compared to weekend days. The presented reference data can be used for comparisons against other groups of soldiers. Our data indicate that aerobic demands during HG military training were not very high. Promoting PA and exercise could still be important to ensure HG soldiers are physically prepared for more unforeseen job tasks. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Evidence of a higher late-Holocene treeline along the Continental Divide in central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carrara, Paul E.; McGeehin, John

2015-01-01

Using a combination of 23 radiocarbon ages and annual ring counts from 18 Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata) remnants above the local present-day limits, a period of higher treeline has been determined for two sites near the Continental Divide in central Colorado. The highest remnants were found about 30 m above live bristlecone pines of similar size. The majority of the remnants, consisting of standing snags, large logs, and smaller remains, are highly eroded, such that the innermost annual rings of all but one are missing. The radiocarbon ages obtained from the oldest wood recovered from each remnant indicate that the majority were established above the present-day limit of bristlecone pine from prior to 2700 cal. yr BP to no later than about 1200 cal. yr BP. These radiocarbon ages combined with the annual ring count from the corresponding remnant indicate that the majority of the sampled remnants grew above the present-day limit of bristlecone pine from sometime before 2700 cal. yr BP to about 800 cal. yr BP. Evidence of recent climatic warming is demonstrated at one of the sites by young bristlecone pine saplings growing next to the highest remnants; the saplings were established after AD 1965 and represent the highest advance of treeline in at least 1200 years.

The genetic relationship between extirpated and contemporary Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. lines from the southern Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Bernaś, Rafał; Poćwierz-Kotus, Anita; Dębowski, Piotr; Wenne, Roman

2016-04-01

The genetic relationship between original Atlantic salmon populations that are now extinct in the southern Baltic Sea and the present-day populations has long been controversial. To investigate and clarify this issue, we successfully genotyped individuals of the historical populations from the Oder and Vistula Rivers using DNA extracted from dried scales with the Atlantic salmon single nucleotide polymorphism array. Our results showed a global F ST of 0.2515 for all pairs of loci, which indicates a high level of genetic differentiation among the groups analyzed in this study. Pairwise F ST values were significant for all comparisons and the highest values were found between present-day reintroduced Slupia River salmon and extinct Vistula River Atlantic salmon. Bayesian analysis of genetic structure revealed the existence of substructures in the extirpated Polish populations and three main clades among studied stocks. The historical salmon population from the Oder River was genetically closer to present-day salmon from the Neman River than to the historical salmon from the Vistula River. Vistula salmon clearly separated from all other analyzed salmon stocks. It is likely that the origins of the Atlantic salmon population from the Morrum River and the Polish historical native populations are different.

Increased presentations to emergency departments for asthma associated with rye grass pollen season in inland NSW.

PubMed

Hayden, Timothy J; Muscatello, David J

2011-09-01

This study measured the frequency and geographical extent of peaks in asthma presentations to emergency departments in inland NSW; it assessed the characteristics of patients who presented at peak presentation times during the rye grass pollination season (October-November) and at other times of the year. Data describing over 13 years of daily emergency department presentations with a provisional diagnosis of asthma at nine inland NSW base hospitals were assembled. Days of counts in the top 0.1 percentile for each emergency department were classified as peak asthma count days. While the rye grass pollen season accounts for only 17% of days in the year, 53% of peak asthma count days fell within that period. Patients aged over 14 years represented 74% of visits on peak asthma count days during the pollen season and 50% on peak days at other times of the year. Under the right climatic conditions, rye grass pollen may be responsible for presentations for acute asthma to emergency departments in inland NSW.

High altitude memory impairment is due to neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus, cortex and striatum.

PubMed

Maiti, Panchanan; Singh, Shashi B; Mallick, Birendranath; Muthuraju, Sangu; Ilavazhagan, Govindasami

2008-12-01

Cognitive and neuropsychological functions have been impaired at high altitude and the effects depend on altitude and duration of stay. However, the neurobiological mechanism of this impairment is poorly understood especially exposure to different duration. Aim of the present study was to investigate the changes of behavior, biochemistry and morphology after exposure to different duration of hypobaric hypoxia. The rats were exposed continuously to a simulated high altitude of 6100m for 3, 7, 14 and 21 days in an animal decompression chamber. Spatial reference memory was tested by Morris water maze. The oxidative stress markers like free radicals, NO, lipid peroxidation, LDH activity and antioxidant systems like GSH, GSSG, GPx, GR, SOD were estimated from cortex, hippocampus and striatum. The morphological changes, neurodegeneration, DNA fragmentation and mode of cell death have also been studied. It was observed that the spatial reference memory was significantly affected after exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Increased oxidative stress markers along with decreased effectiveness of antioxidant system were also observed in hypoxia-exposed animals. Further pyknotic, shrunken, tangle-like neurons were observed in all these regions after hypoxia and neurodegeneration, DNA fragmentation and apoptosis were also observed in all the three regions. But after 21 days of exposure, the spatial memory was improved along with improvement of antioxidant activities. Our result suggests that the apoptotic death may be involved in HA-induced memory impairment and after 7 days of exposure the effect was more pronounced but after 21 days of exposure recovery was observed.

Two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of day-night variation of D-alanine in mammals and factors controlling the circadian changes.

PubMed

Karakawa, Sachise; Miyoshi, Yurika; Konno, Ryuichi; Koyanagi, Satoru; Mita, Masashi; Ohdo, Shigehiro; Hamase, Kenji

2013-10-01

D-Alanine (D-Ala) is one of the naturally occurring D-amino acids in mammals, and its amount is known to have characteristic circadian changes. It is a candidate for a novel physiologically active substance and/or a biomarker, and the regulation mechanisms of the intrinsic amounts of D-Ala are expected to be clarified. In the present study, the effects of the possible factors controlling the D-Ala amounts, e.g., diet, D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) and intestinal bacteria, on the day-night changes in the intrinsic D-Ala amounts have been investigated using a highly sensitive and selective two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatographic system combining a reversed-phase column and an enantioselective column. The circadian rhythm was not changed under fasting conditions. In the mice lacking D-amino acid oxidase activity (ddY/DAO(-) mice), clear day-night changes were still observed, suggesting that the factors controlling the D-Ala rhythm were not their food and DAO activity. On the other hand, in the germ-free mice, quite low amounts of D-Ala were detected compared with those in the control mice, indicating that the main origin of D-Ala in the mice is intestinal bacteria. Because the D-Ala amounts in the digesta containing intestinal bacteria did not show the day-night changes, the controlling factor of the circadian changes of the D-Ala amount was suggested to be the intestinal absorption.

SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF LONG-TERM INFRARED VARIABILITY AMONG YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN CHAMAELEON I

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

Flaherty, Kevin M.; Herbst, William; DeMarchi, Lindsay

Infrared variability is common among young stellar objects, with surveys finding daily to weekly fluctuations of a few tenths of a magnitude. Space-based observations can produce highly sampled infrared light curves, but are often limited to total baselines of about 1 month due to the orientation of the spacecraft. Here we present observations of the Chameleon I cluster, whose low declination makes it observable by the Spitzer Space Telescope over a 200-day period. We observe 30 young stellar objects with a daily cadence to better sample variability on timescales of months. We find that such variability is common, occurring inmore » ∼80% of the detected cluster members. The change in [3.6]–[4.5] color over 200 days for many of the sources falls between that expected for extinction and fluctuations in disk emission. With our high cadence and long baseline we can derive power spectral density curves covering two orders of magnitude in frequency and find significant power at low frequencies, up to the boundaries of our 200-day survey. Such long timescales are difficult to explain with variations driven by the interaction between the disk and stellar magnetic field, which has a dynamical timescale of days to weeks. The most likely explanation is either structural or temperature fluctuations spread throughout the inner ∼0.5 au of the disk, suggesting that the intrinsic dust structure is highly dynamic.« less

Prognostic Value of Dynamic Monitoring of Cellular Immunity and HMGB1 in Severe Sepsis: Delayed Chronic Inflammation may be the Leading Cause of Death in Late Severe Sepsis.

PubMed

Yu, Han; Qi, Zhijiang; Zhao, Lianxing; Shao, Rui; Fang, Yingying; Li, Chunsheng

2016-12-01

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection with a high mortality rate. In order to explore the prognostic value of dynamic monitoring of cellular immunity during late severe sepsis, we assessed levels of Tlymphocyte subsets, the human leukocyte antigen D-related (HLA-DR), and the high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein. Study participants included 247 consecutive severe sepsis patients who were admitted to Beijing ChaoYang Hospital's Emergency Intensive Care Unit. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors based on 90-day survival rates, and clinical data were collected. T-lymphocyte subsets on days 1 and 7, HLA-DR on days 1 and 12, and HMGB1 on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 12 were analyzed. Counts of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T cells on day 1 in non-survivors were lower than those in survivors. By day 7, counts of all three types of T cells had increased in both survivors and non-survivors, but CD3+ and CD3+CD8+ T cells remained lower in non-survivors than in survivors. There was no significant difference in HLA-DR levels between survivors and non-survivors on day 1, but HLA-DR levels increased in survivors and decreased in non-survivors by day 12. In contrast, over days 1 - 12, HMGB1 levels increased in non-survivors and decreased in survivors. Patients with severe sepsis present with cellular immune dysfunction and persistent chronic inflammation, both of which may lead to death in the late phase of severe sepsis. Dynamic monitoring of indicators of cellular immunity and HMGB1 is useful for evaluating the immune status, chronic inflammation processes, and prognoses of patients with severe sepsis.

Movement and dispersion of soluble pollutants in the Northeast Cape Fear Estuary, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hubbard, E.F.; Stamper, William G.

1972-01-01

This report presents the results of a fluorescent-dye-tracing study to determine the concentrations of a pollutant that would be present in the Northeast Cape Fear Estuary at various rates of continuous waste injection and freshwater inflow. Rhodamine WT dye was introduced into the estuary at a constant rate over a 24.8-hour period (two tidal cycles) at a point 6.4 miles upstream from the mouth in Wilmington, N.C., and concentrations were monitored at several selected sections in the tide-affected part of the river for 17 days. The range between high and low tide in this reach of the estuary averages at-rut 3.5 feet, and there is usually strong flow in both directions. Results of the dye study indicate that if a pollutant were injected at a rate of 100 pounds per day under the conditions of relatively low inflow existing' at the time, concentrations would ultimately build up to 20 micrograms of dye per liter of water 1,000 feet downstream. The flushing time during the study is estimated to be 17 days. These results are extrapolated to include periods of lower or higher inflow. For example, at average intervals of 10 years, it is estimated that inflow is so low that 100 days are required for a pollutant to travel the 6.4 miles from the point of waste release to the mouth of the river. Under these conditions it is expected that 1,000 feet downstream from the point of waste discharge, daily maximum concentrations will average about 130 micrograms per liter for each 100 pounds of pollutant injected per day. Results of a continuous discharge measurement of flow made by current meter during a complete tidal cycle are presented as a part of this report. Data from this measurement and other evidence indicate that net upstream flow in the estuary is possible over a period of several days.

The major-ion composition of Silurian seawater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brennan, S.T.; Lowenstein, T.K.

2002-01-01

One-hundred fluid inclusions in Silurian marine halite were analyzed in order to determine the major-ion composition of Silurian seawater. The samples analyzed were from three formations in the Late Silurian Michigan Basin, the A-1, A-2, and B Evaporites of the Salina Group, and one formation in the Early Silurian Canning Basin (Australia), the Mallowa Salt of the Carribuddy Group. The results indicate that the major-ion composition of Silurian seawater was not the same as present-day seawater. The Silurian ocean had lower concentrations of Mg2+, Na+, and SO2-4, and much higher concentrations of Ca2+ relative to the ocean's present-day composition. Furthermore, Silurian seawater had Ca2+ in excess of SO2-4. Evaporation of Silurian seawater of the composition determined in this study produces KC1-type potash minerals that lack the MgSO4-type late stage salts formed during the evaporation of present-day seawater. The relatively low Na+ concentrations in Silurian seawater support the hypothesis that oscillations in the major-ion composition of the oceans are primarily controlled by changes in the flux of mid-ocean ridge brine and riverine inputs and not global or basin-scale, seawater-driven dolomitization. The Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio of Silurian seawater was ~1.4, and the K+/Ca2+ ratio was ~0.3, both of which differ from the present-day counterparts of 5 and 1, respectively. Seawaters with Mg2+/Ca2+ 2 (e.g., modern seawater) facilitate the precipitation of aragonite and high-magnesian calcite. Therefore, the early Paleozoic calcite seas were likely due to the low Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio of seawater, not the pCO2 of the Silurian atmosphere. Copyright ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.