Planned Environmental Microbiology Aspects of Future Lunar and Mars Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, C. Mark; Castro, Victoria A.; Pierson, Duane L.

2006-01-01

With the establishment of the Constellation Program, NASA has initiated efforts designed similar to the Apollo Program to return to the moon and subsequently travel to Mars. Early lunar sorties will take 4 crewmembers to the moon for 4 to 7 days. Later missions will increase in duration up to 6 months as a lunar habitat is constructed. These missions and vehicle designs are the forerunners of further missions destined for human exploration of Mars. Throughout the planning and design process, lessons learned from the International Space Station (ISS) and past programs will be implemented toward future exploration goals. The standards and requirements for these missions will vary depending on life support systems, mission duration, crew activities, and payloads. From a microbiological perspective, preventative measures will remain the primary techniques to mitigate microbial risk. Thus, most of the effort will focus on stringent preflight monitoring requirements and engineering controls designed into the vehicle, such as HEPA air filters. Due to volume constraints in the CEV, in-flight monitoring will be limited for short-duration missions to the measurement of biocide concentration for water potability. Once long-duration habitation begins on the lunar surface, a more extensive environmental monitoring plan will be initiated. However, limited in-flight volume constraints and the inability to return samples to Earth will increase the need for crew capabilities in determining the nature of contamination problems and method of remediation. In addition, limited shelf life of current monitoring hardware consumables and limited capabilities to dispose of biohazardous trash will drive flight hardware toward non-culture based methodologies, such as hardware that rapidly distinguishes biotic versus abiotic surface contamination. As missions progress to Mars, environmental systems will depend heavily on regeneration of air and water and biological waste remediation and regeneration systems, increasing the need for environmental monitoring. Almost complete crew autonomy will be needed for assessment and remediation of contamination problems. Cabin capacity will be limited; thus, current methods of microbial monitoring will be inadequate. Future methodology must limit consumables, and these consumables must have a shelf life of over three years. In summary, missions to the moon and Mars will require a practical design that prudently uses available resources to mitigate microbial risk to the crew.

Continuous pulse oximeter monitoring for inapparent hypoxemia after long bone fractures.

PubMed

Wong, Margaret Wan Nar; Tsui, Hon For; Yung, Shu Heng; Chan, Kai Ming; Cheng, Jack Chun Yiu

2004-02-01

Continuous pulse oximeter monitoring (CPOM) and daily intermittent arterial blood gas (ABG) were used to define the incidence, pattern, and severity of inapparent hypoxemia after long bone fractures. Twenty long bone fracture patients and 19 normal control patients were studied. CPOM, daily ABG, hypoxic symptoms, and features of fat embolism syndrome were monitored for 72 hours after fractures and after surgical interventions. CPOM trend curves showed that all fracture patients except one had recurrent desaturations below 90% Sao2 of varying duration and depth. The lowest Sao2 was down to 60% and the longest episode lasted for 1.47 hours. ABG analysis could not show the recurrent phenomena and never detected the corresponding desaturation episodes. Long bone fracture patients had more desaturation episodes, longer total desaturation duration, and larger total area under desaturation curves in both the postfracture and postoperative periods (p < 0.05). The mean Sao2 was significantly lower in the postfracture period. Although most patients remained asymptomatic and recovered spontaneously, two required transient oxygen therapy and one progressed to fat embolism syndrome. Inapparent hypoxia with profound desaturation is common after long bone fractures. CPOM of all patients admitted with long bone fractures is recommended for early detection. In patients who develop inapparent hypoxia, additional pulmonary insult should be avoided or undertaken with care and well timed.

Microwave and millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits (MIMIC) program. MIMIC briefs: Summaries of phase 3 technology support programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kramer, Warner

1993-01-01

This publication contains technical and contractual summaries of the MIMIC program's Phase 3 technology support programs. Each project description includes a discussion of the objectives of the effort, the approach pursued, and recent progress. Also identified are the performing organization(s), principal investigator and/or other key personnel, contract number, program funding and duration, and program monitor/COTR. Concluding the document is a directory of the personnel associated with these projects, from whom more information may be requested.

Does self-perceived sleep reflect sleep estimated via activity monitors in professional rugby league athletes?

PubMed

Caia, Johnpaul; Thornton, Heidi R; Kelly, Vincent G; Scott, Tannath J; Halson, Shona L; Cupples, Balin; Driller, Matthew W

2018-07-01

This study examined agreement between self-perceived sleep and sleep estimated via activity monitors in professional rugby league athletes. 63 athletes, from three separate teams wore actigraphy monitors for 10.3 ± 3.9 days. During the monitoring period, ratings of perceived sleep quality (on a 1-5 and 1-10 Likert scale), and an estimate of sleep duration were recorded daily. Agreement between sleep estimated via activity monitors and self-perceived sleep was examined using mean bias, Pearson correlation (r) and typical error of the estimate (TEE). 641 nights of sleep were recorded, with a very large, positive correlation observed between sleep duration estimated via activity monitors and subjective sleep duration (r = 0.85), and a TEE of 48 minutes. Mean bias revealed subjective sleep duration overestimated sleep by an average of 19.8 minutes. The relationship between sleep efficiency estimated via activity monitors and self-perceived sleep quality on a 1-5 (r = 0.22) and 1-10 Likert scale (r = 0.28) was limited. The outcomes of this investigation support the use of subjective measures to monitor sleep duration in rugby league athletes when objective means are unavailable. However, practitioners should be aware of the tendency of athletes to overestimate sleep duration.

Visual field impairment captures disease burden in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ortiz-Perez, Santiago; Andorra, Magí; Sanchez-Dalmau, Bernardo; Torres-Torres, Rubén; Calbet, David; Lampert, Erika J; Alba-Arbalat, Salut; Guerrero-Zamora, Ana M; Zubizarreta, Irati; Sola-Valls, Nuria; Llufriu, Sara; Sepúlveda, María; Saiz, Albert; Villoslada, Pablo; Martinez-Lapiscina, Elena H

2016-04-01

Monitoring disease burden is an unmeet need in multiple sclerosis (MS). Identifying patients at high risk of disability progression will be useful for improving clinical-therapeutic decisions in clinical routine. To evaluate the role of visual field testing in non-optic neuritis eyes (non-ON eyes) as a biomarker of disability progression in MS. In 109 patients of the MS-VisualPath cohort, we evaluated the association between visual field abnormalities and global and cognitive disability markers and brain and retinal imaging markers of neuroaxonal injury using linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, disease duration and use of disease-modifying therapies. We evaluated the risk of disability progression associated to have baseline impaired visual field after 3 years of follow-up. Sixty-two percent of patients showed visual field defects in non-ON eyes. Visual field mean deviation was statistically associated with global disability; brain (normalized brain parenchymal, gray matter volume and lesion load) and retinal (peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and macular ganglion cell complex thickness) markers of neuroaxonal damage. Patients with impaired visual field had statistically significative greater disability, lower normalized brain parenchymal volume and higher lesion volume than patients with normal visual field testing. MS patients with baseline impaired VF tripled the risk of disability progression during follow-up [OR = 3.35; 95 % CI (1.10-10.19); p = 0.033]. The association of visual field impairment with greater disability and neuroaxonal injury and higher risk of disability progression suggest that VF could be used to monitor MS disease burden.

Wireless patient monitoring on shoe for the assessment of foot dysfunction: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, Jose K.; Whitchurch, Ashwin K.; Varadan, Vijay K.; Sarukesi, Karunakaran

2003-04-01

This paper presents an overview of the wireless monitoring and quantitative assessment of joint dynamics of ankle which has suffered from soft tissue injury, immobilization or any dysfunction with special focus on the treatment and rehabilitation applications. The inadequacy of a reliable and easy method for continuous measurement and recording of ankle movement while doing physical therapy makes the monitoring of its progress difficult. Development of a wireless ankle motion monitoring system inside the shoe provides information on several aspects of activities associated with a dysfunctional foot. The system is based on continuous wireless monitoring of signals from accelerometers and gyroscopes fixed inside the shoe. From these signals, the duration, rate, and moment of occurrence of activities associated with mobility (e.g., lying, sitting, standing, walking up and down, running, cycling, wheelchair use and general movement) and transitions (changes in angle) can be detected. Information about the movement can be obtained by the acceleration sensors, which is related to the intensity of body-segment movement. Apart from monitoring accelerations, other signals due to turning and angular movements can be obtained using the miniature gyroscope attached to the shoe.

Are there differences in the first stage of labor between Black and White women?

PubMed

Tuuli, Methodius G; Odibo, Anthony O; Caughey, Aaron B; Roehl, Kimberly; Macones, George A; Cahill, Alison G

2015-02-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether the duration and progress of the first stage of labor are different in black compared with white women. Retrospective cohort study of labor progress among consecutive black (n = 3,924) and white (n = 921) women with singleton term pregnancies (≥ 37 weeks) who completed the first stage of labor. Duration of labor and progression from 1 cm to the next was estimated using interval-censored regression. Labor duration and progress among black and white women in the entire cohort, and stratified by parity, were compared in multivariable interval-censored regression models. Repeated-measures analysis with 9th-degree polynomial modeling was used to construct average labor curves. There were no significant differences in duration of the first stage of labor in black compared with white women (median, 4-10 cm: 5.1 vs. 4.9 hours [p = 0.43] for nulliparous and 3.5 vs. 3.9 hours [p = 0.84] for multiparous women). Similarly, there were no significant differences in progression in increments of 1 cm. Average labor curves were also not significantly different. Duration and progress of the first stage of labor are identical in black and white women. This suggests similar standards may be applied in the first stage of labor. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Low Power Consumption Lasers for Next Generation Miniature Optical Spectrometers for Major Constituent and Trace Gas Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forouhar, Siamak; Soibel, Alexander; Frez, Clifford; Qiu, Yueming; Chen, J.; Hosoda, T.; Kipshidze, G.; Shterengas, L.; Tsvid, G.; Belenky, G.;

Monitoring of Crew Activity with FAMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, L.; Cajochen, C.; Bromundt, V.

2007-10-01

The success of long duration space missions, such as manned missions to Mars, depends on high and sustained levels of vigilance and performance of astronauts and operators working in the technology rich environment of a spacecraft. Experiment 'Monitoring of Crew Activity with FAMOS' was set up to obtain operational experience with complimentary methods / technologies to assess the alertness / sleepiness status of selected AustroMars crewmembers on a daily basis. We applied a neurobehavioral test battery consisting of 1) Karolinska Sleepiness Scale KSS, 2) Karolinska Drowsiness Test KDT, 3) Psychomotor Vigilance Task PVT, combined with 4) left eye video recordings with an early prototype of the FAMOS Fatigue Monitoring System headset currently being developed by Sowoon Technologies (CH), and 5) Actiwatches that were worn continuously. A test battery required approximately 15 minutes and was repeated up to 4 times daily by 2 to 4 subjects. Here we present the data analysis of methods 1, 2, 3, and 5, while data analysis of method 4 is still in progress.

Low power consumption lasers for next generation miniature optical spectrometers for trace gas analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forouhar, S.; Frez, C.; Franz, K. J.; Ksendzov, A.; Qiu, Y.; Soibel, K. A.; Chen, J.; Hosoda, T.; Kipshidze, G.; Shterengas, L.; Belenky, G.

2011-01-01

The air quality of any manned spacecraft needs to be continuously monitored in order to safeguard the health of the crew. Air quality monitoring grows in importance as mission duration increases. Due to the small size, low power draw, and performance reliability, semiconductor laser-based instruments are viable candidates for this purpose. Achieving a minimum instrument size requires lasers with emission wavelength coinciding with the absorption of the fundamental absorption lines of the target gases, which are mostly in the 3.0-5.0 μm wavelength range. In this paper we report on our progress developing high wall plug efficiency type-I quantum-well GaSb-based diode lasers operating at room temperatures in the spectral region near 3.0-3.5 μm and quantum cascade (QC) lasers in the 4.0-5.0 μm range. These lasers will enable the development of miniature, low-power laser spectrometers for environmental monitoring of the spacecraft.

Recovery of Posture Stability at Different Foot Placements in Patients Who Underwent Minimally Invasive Total Hip Arthroplasty: A One-Year Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Chang, Chun-Ju; Lin, Na-Ling; Lee, Mel S; Chern, Jen-Suh

2015-01-01

To understand the progression of recovery in postural stability and physical functioning after patients received the minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty (MTHA), we monitor the pain level, functional capacity, and postural stability before and after operation within one year. In total of 23 subjects in our study, we found out that MTHA was effective in relieving pain in first 2 weeks and restoring the hip joint integrity, but the postural stability was influenced especially in tandem stand in both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. The recovery of postural stability and functional capacity in one year duration fluctuated and no consistent improvement tendency was found. We suggested clinicians designing postsurgery rehabilitation program for consistent and progressive long-term recovery of postural stability and fall prevention to optimize surgical results and prevent undesired postoperative consequences.

Continuous monitoring of myocardial acid-base status during intermittent warm blood cardioplegia.

PubMed

Graffigna, A C L; Nollo, G; Pederzolli, C; Ferrari, P; Widesott, L; Antolini, R

2002-06-01

Intermittent warm blood cardioplegia (IWBC) is a well-established technique for myocardial protection during cardiac operations. According to standardized protocols, IWBC administration is currently performed every 15-20 min regardless of any individual variable and in the absence of any instrumental monitoring. We devised a new system for continuous measurement of the acid-base status of coronary sinus blood for on-line evaluation of myocardial oxygenation during IWBC. In 19 patients undergoing cardiac surgery for coronary artery bypass graft and/or valve surgery and receiving IWBC (34-37 degrees C) by antegrade induction (3 min) and retrograde or antegrade maintenance (2 min) every 15 min, continuous monitoring of myocardial oxygenation and acid/base status was performed by means of a multiparameter PO(2), PCO(2), pH, and temperature sensor (Paratrend7 (R), Philips Medical System) inserted into the coronary sinus. Mean cross-clamping time was 76+/-26 min; ischemic time was 13+/-0.2 min. pH decline was not linear, showing an initial fast decline, a point of flexus, and a progressive slow decline. After every ischemic period, the pH adaptation curve showed a complex pattern reaching step-by-step lower minimum levels (7.28+/-0.14 during the first ischemic period, to 7.16+/-0.19 during the third ischemic period - P=0.003). PO(2) decreased rapidly at 90% in 5.0+/-1.2 min after every reperfusion. During ischemia, PCO(2) increased steadily at 1.6+/-0.1 mmHg per minute, with progressively incomplete removal after successive reperfusion, and progressive increase of maximal level (42+/-12 mmHg during the first ischemic period, to 53+/-23 mmHg during the third ischemic period - P=0.05). Myocardial oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH show marked changes after repeated IWBC. Myocardial ischemia is not completely reversed by standardized reperfusions, as reflected by steady deterioration of PCO(2) and pH after each reperfusion. Progressive increase of reperfusion durations or direct monitoring of myocardial oxygenation could be advisable in cases of prolonged cross-clamping time.

Overview of Microbial Monitoring Technologies Considered for Use Inside Long Duration Spaceflights and Planetary Habitats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roman, M. C.; Ott, C. M.

2015-03-01

NASA has been looking at microbial monitoring technologies that could be used in long duration missions. This presentation will provide an overview of the microbial monitoring technologies that are been considered for use inside spacecrafts and planetary habitats.

Using a Self-Control Training Procedure To Increase Appropriate Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Mark R.; Hayes, Linda J.; Binder, Lisa M.; Manthey, Sharon; Sigman, Connie; Zdanowski, Darlene M.

1998-01-01

A study evaluated teaching a technique for self-control to three adults with developmental disabilities. Concurrent fixed-duration/progressive-duration reinforcement schedules were introduced in which both smaller and larger reinforcers were available immediately. When progressively increasing delays were introduced for the larger reinforcer,…

NASA Advanced Explorations Systems: 2017 Advancements in Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Walter F.; Shull, Sarah A.

2017-01-01

The NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems (LSS) project strives to develop reliable, energy-efficient, and low-mass spacecraft systems to provide environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) critical to enabling long duration human missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Highly reliable, closed-loop life support systems are among the capabilities required for the longer duration human space exploration missions planned in the mid-2020s and beyond. The LSS Project is focused on four are-as-architecture and systems engineering for life support systems, environmental monitoring, air revitalization, and wastewater processing and water management. Starting with the International Space Station (ISS) LSS systems as a point of departure where applicable, the three-fold mission of the LSS Project is to address discrete LSS technology gaps, to improve the reliability of LSS systems, and to advance LSS systems toward integrated testing aboard the ISS. This paper is a follow on to the AES LSS development status reported in 2016 and provides additional details on the progress made since that paper was published with specific attention to the status of the Aerosol Sampler ISS Flight Experiment, the Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor (SAM) Flight Experiment, the Brine Processor Assembly (BPA) Flight Experiment, the CO2 removal technology development tasks, and the work investigating the impacts of dormancy on LSS systems.

Chronic Posttraumatic Epilepsy following Neocortical Undercut Lesion in Mice

PubMed Central

Ping, Xingjie; Jin, Xiaoming

2016-01-01

Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) usually develops in a small percentage of patients of traumatic brain injury after a varying latent period. Modeling this chronic neurological condition in rodents is time consuming and inefficient, which constitutes a significant obstacle in studying its mechanism and discovering novel therapeutics for its prevention and treatment. Partially isolated neocortex, or undercut, is known to induce cortical hyperexcitability and epileptiform activity in vitro, and has been used extensively for studying the neurophysiological mechanism of posttraumatic epileptogenesis. However, whether the undercut lesion in rodents causes chronic epileptic seizures has not been systematically characterized. Here we used a miniature telemetry system to continuously monitor electroencephalography (EEG) in adult C57BL mice for up to 3 months after undercut surgery. We found that 50% of animals developed spontaneous seizures between 16–50 days after injury. The mean seizure duration was 8.9±3.6 seconds, and the average seizure frequency was 0.17±0.17 times per day. There was no progression in seizure frequency and duration over the recording period. Video monitoring revealed behavioral arrests and clonic limb movement during seizure attacks. A pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) test further showed increased seizure susceptibility in the undercut mice. We conclude that undercut lesion in mice is a model of chronic PTE that involves spontaneous epileptic seizures. PMID:27348225

An open-source data storage and visualization back end for experimental data.

PubMed

Nielsen, Kenneth; Andersen, Thomas; Jensen, Robert; Nielsen, Jane H; Chorkendorff, Ib

2014-04-01

In this article, a flexible free and open-source software system for data logging and presentation will be described. The system is highly modular and adaptable and can be used in any laboratory in which continuous and/or ad hoc measurements require centralized storage. A presentation component for the data back end has furthermore been written that enables live visualization of data on any device capable of displaying Web pages. The system consists of three parts: data-logging clients, a data server, and a data presentation Web site. The logging of data from independent clients leads to high resilience to equipment failure, whereas the central storage of data dramatically eases backup and data exchange. The visualization front end allows direct monitoring of acquired data to see live progress of long-duration experiments. This enables the user to alter experimental conditions based on these data and to interfere with the experiment if needed. The data stored consist both of specific measurements and of continuously logged system parameters. The latter is crucial to a variety of automation and surveillance features, and three cases of such features are described: monitoring system health, getting status of long-duration experiments, and implementation of instant alarms in the event of failure.

Increasing Psychotherapists’ Adoption and Implementation of the Evidence-based Practice of Progress Monitoring

PubMed Central

Persons, Jacqueline B.; Koerner, Kelly; Eidelman, Polina; Thomas, Cannon; Liu, Howard

2015-01-01

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) reach consumers slowly because practitioners are slow to adopt and implement them. We hypothesized that giving psychotherapists a tool + training intervention that was designed to help the therapist integrate the EBP of progress monitoring into his or her usual way of working would be associated with adoption and sustained implementation of the particular progress monitoring tool we trained them to use (the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales on our Online Progress Tracking tool) and would generalize to all types of progress monitoring measures. To test these hypotheses, we developed an online progress monitoring tool and a course that trained psychotherapists to use it, and we assessed progress monitoring behavior in 26 psychotherapists before, during, immediately after, and 12 months after they received the tool and training. Immediately after receiving the tool + training intervention, participants showed statistically significant increases in use of the online tool and of all types of progress monitoring measures. Twelve months later, participants showed sustained use of any type of progress monitoring measure but not the online tool. PMID:26618237

Increasing psychotherapists' adoption and implementation of the evidence-based practice of progress monitoring.

PubMed

Persons, Jacqueline B; Koerner, Kelly; Eidelman, Polina; Thomas, Cannon; Liu, Howard

2016-01-01

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) reach consumers slowly because practitioners are slow to adopt and implement them. We hypothesized that giving psychotherapists a tool + training intervention that was designed to help the therapist integrate the EBP of progress monitoring into his or her usual way of working would be associated with adoption and sustained implementation of the particular progress monitoring tool we trained them to use (the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales on our Online Progress Tracking tool) and would generalize to all types of progress monitoring measures. To test these hypotheses, we developed an online progress monitoring tool and a course that trained psychotherapists to use it, and we assessed progress monitoring behavior in 26 psychotherapists before, during, immediately after, and 12 months after they received the tool and training. Immediately after receiving the tool + training intervention, participants showed statistically significant increases in use of the online tool and of all types of progress monitoring measures. Twelve months later, participants showed sustained use of any type of progress monitoring measure but not the online tool. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Migration and generation of contaminants from launch through recovery: LDEF case history

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crutcher, E. R.; Nishimura, L. S.; Warner, K. J.; Wascher, W. W.

1992-01-01

It is possible to recreate the contamination history of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) through an analysis of its contaminants and selective samples that were collected from surfaces with better documented exposure histories. This data was then used to compare estimates based on monitoring methods that were selected for the purpose of tracking LDEF's exposure to contaminants. The LDEF experienced much more contamination than would have been assumed based on the monitors. Work is still in progress but much of what was learned so far is already being used in the selection of materials and in the design of systems for space. Now experiments are being prepared for flight to resolve questions created by the discoveries on the LDEF. A summary of what was learned about LDEF contaminants over the first year since recovery and deintegration is presented. Over 35 specific conclusions in 5 contamination related categories are listed.

Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence.

PubMed

Harkin, Benjamin; Webb, Thomas L; Chang, Betty P I; Prestwich, Andrew; Conner, Mark; Kellar, Ian; Benn, Yael; Sheeran, Paschal

2016-02-01

Control theory and other frameworks for understanding self-regulation suggest that monitoring goal progress is a crucial process that intervenes between setting and attaining a goal, and helps to ensure that goals are translated into action. However, the impact of progress monitoring interventions on rates of behavioral performance and goal attainment has yet to be quantified. A systematic literature search identified 138 studies (N = 19,951) that randomly allocated participants to an intervention designed to promote monitoring of goal progress versus a control condition. All studies reported the effects of the treatment on (a) the frequency of progress monitoring and (b) subsequent goal attainment. A random effects model revealed that, on average, interventions were successful at increasing the frequency of monitoring goal progress (d+ = 1.98, 95% CI [1.71, 2.24]) and promoted goal attainment (d+ = 0.40, 95% CI [0.32, 0.48]). Furthermore, changes in the frequency of progress monitoring mediated the effect of the interventions on goal attainment. Moderation tests revealed that progress monitoring had larger effects on goal attainment when the outcomes were reported or made public, and when the information was physically recorded. Taken together, the findings suggest that monitoring goal progress is an effective self-regulation strategy, and that interventions that increase the frequency of progress monitoring are likely to promote behavior change. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Otoacoustic emission responses of the cochlea to acute and total ischemia.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Yavuz Selim; Aksoy, Fadlullah; Ozturan, Orhan; Veyseller, Bayram; Demirhan, Hasan

2013-12-01

In the present experimental study, we sought to monitor distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) as an indicator of cochlear function, after sudden, total, and irreversible interruption of cochlear blood flow, to provide information on the time course of cochlear response to ischemia. Twenty rats with normal hearing function were included. Complete and abrupt ischemia was provided by decapitation. DPOAEs at 3-8 kHz frequencies were recorded at baseline and exactly every consecutive minute after decapitation, until emissions in all frequencies disappeared completely. Mean DPOAE values decreased significantly and progressively after decapitation for all frequencies. The mean duration of emissions was 8.20 ± 1.96 min (minimum 3 min, maximum 11 min). The longest durations of DPOAEs were observed with 4 and 5 kHz frequencies, and 3 and 6 kHz had the shortest durations. The outer hair cells exposed to acute ischemia seem to exhibit a rapid functional loss; thus, cautious handling of the cochlear vasculature and surrounding structures is necessary in surgical interventions. Additionally, our results provide some idea of the normal tolerance range of the cochlea to ischemia, which could be useful for future studies.

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crewmember Immune Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crucian, Brian; Stowe, Raymond; Mehta, Satish; Uchakin, Peter; Quiriarte, Heather; Pierson, Duane; Sams, Clarence

2009-01-01

There is ample evidence to suggest that space flight leads to immune system dysregulation, however the nature of the phenomenon as it equilibrates over longer flights has not been determined. This dysregulation may be a result of microgravity, confinement, physiological stress, radiation, environment or other mission-associated factors. The clinical risk (if any) for exploration-class space flight is unknown, but may include increased incidence of infection, allergy, hypersensitivity, hematological malignancy or altered wound healing. The objective of this Supplemental Medical Objective (SMO) is to determine the status of the immune system, physiological stress and latent viral reactivation (a clinical outcome that can be measured) during both short and long-duration spaceflight. In addition, this study will develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. Pre-mission, in-flight and post-flight blood and saliva samples will be obtained from participating crewmembers. Assays included peripheral immunophenotype, T cell function, cytokine profiles (RNA, intracellular, secreted), viral-specific immunity, latent viral reactivation (EBV, CMV, VZV), and stress hormone measurements. This study is currently ongoing. To date, 10 short duration and 5 long-duration crewmembers have completed the study. Technically, the study is progressing well. In-flight blood samples are being collected, and returned for analysis, including functional assays that require live cells. For all in-flight samples to date, sample viability has been acceptable. Preliminary data (n = 4/7; long/short duration, respectively) indicate that distribution of most peripheral leukocyte subsets is largely unaltered during flight. Exceptions include elevated T cells, reduced B/NK cells, increased memory T cells and increased central memory CD8+ T cells. General T cell function, early blastogenesis response to mitogenic stimulation, is markedly reduced in-flight. In-vivo cytokine production profiles are altered, with in-flight dysregulation observed in the Th1/Th2/Treg equilibrium. EBV specific T cell levels are increased during flight, whereas their function is reduced. VZV reactivation was observed inflight and several days post flight with highest levels measured later during long-duration flight. The shedding of CMV in the urine was detected of 4/5 long duration and 4/7 short duration crewmembers. Plasma cortisol was not elevated during flight. Further data will be required to validate the initial observations.

Application of effective drought index for quantification of meteorological drought events: a case study in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deo, Ravinesh C.; Byun, Hi-Ryong; Adamowski, Jan F.; Begum, Khaleda

2017-04-01

Drought indices (DIs) that quantify drought events by their onset, termination, and subsequent properties such as the severity, duration, and peak intensity are practical stratagems for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of drought. In this study, the effective drought index (EDI) calculated over daily timescales was utilized to quantify short-term (dry spells) and ongoing drought events using drought monitoring data in Australia. EDI was an intensive DI that considered daily water accumulation with a weighting function applied to daily rainfall data with the passage of time. A statistical analysis of the distribution of water deficit period relative to the base period was performed where a run-sum method was adopted to identify drought onset for any day ( i) with EDI i < 0 (rainfall below normal). Drought properties were enumerated in terms of (1) severity (AEDI ≡ accumulated sum of EDIi < 0), (2) duration (DS ≡ cumulative number of days with EDIi < 0), (3) peak intensity (EDImin ≡ minimum EDI of a drought event), (4) annual drought severity (YAEDI ≡ yearly accumulated negative EDI), and (5) accumulated severity of ongoing drought using event-accumulated EDI (EAEDI). The analysis of EDI signal enabled the detection and quantification of a number of drought events in Australia: Federation Drought (1897-1903), 1911-1916 Drought, 1925-1929 Drought, World War II Drought (1937-1945), and Millennium Drought (2002-2010). In comparison with the other droughts, Millennium Drought was exemplified as an unprecedented dry period especially in Victoria (EAEDI ≈ -4243, DS = 1946 days, EDImin = -4.05, and YAEDI = -4903). For the weather station tested in Northern Territory, the worst drought was recorded during 1925-1929 period. The results justified the suitability of effective drought index as a useful scientific tool for monitoring of drought progression, onset and termination, and ranking of drought based on severity, duration, and peak intensity, which allows an assessment of accumulated stress caused by short- and long-term (protracted) dry events.

Predicting reading outcomes with progress monitoring slopes among middle grade students

PubMed Central

Tolar, Tammy D.; Barth, Amy E.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Francis, David J.; Vaughn, Sharon

2013-01-01

Effective implementation of response-to-intervention (RTI) frameworks depends on efficient tools for monitoring progress. Evaluations of growth (i.e., slope) may be less efficient than evaluations of status at a single time point, especially if slopes do not add to predictions of outcomes over status. We examined progress monitoring slope validity for predicting reading outcomes among middle school students by evaluating latent growth models for different progress monitoring measure-outcome combinations. We used multi-group modeling to evaluate the effects of reading ability, reading intervention, and progress monitoring administration condition on slope validity. Slope validity was greatest when progress monitoring was aligned with the outcome (i.e., word reading fluency slope was used to predict fluency outcomes in contrast to comprehension outcomes), but effects varied across administration conditions (viz., repeated reading of familiar vs. novel passages). Unless the progress monitoring measure is highly aligned with outcome, slope may be an inefficient method for evaluating progress in an RTI context. PMID:24659899

The role of physiotherapy in the European Space Agency strategy for preparation and reconditioning of astronauts before and after long duration space flight.

PubMed

Lambrecht, Gunda; Petersen, Nora; Weerts, Guillaume; Pruett, Casey; Evetts, Simon; Stokes, Maria; Hides, Julie

2017-01-01

Spaceflight and exposure to microgravity have wide-ranging effects on many systems of the human body. At the European Space Agency (ESA), a physiotherapist plays a key role in the multidisciplinary ESA team responsible for astronaut health, with a focus on the neuro-musculoskeletal system. In conjunction with a sports scientist, the physiotherapist prepares the astronaut for spaceflight, monitors their exercise performance whilst on the International Space Station (ISS), and reconditions the astronaut when they return to Earth. This clinical commentary outlines the physiotherapy programme, which was developed over nine long-duration missions. Principles of physiotherapy assessment, clinical reasoning, treatment programme design (tailored to the individual) and progression of the programme are outlined. Implications for rehabilitation of terrestrial populations are discussed. Evaluation of the reconditioning programme has begun and challenges anticipated after longer missions, e.g. to Mars, are considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiographic progression of silicosis among Japanese tunnel workers in Kochi.

PubMed

Dumavibhat, Narongpon; Matsui, Tomomi; Hoshino, Eri; Rattanasiri, Sasivimol; Muntham, Dittapol; Hirota, Ryoji; Eitoku, Masamitsu; Imanaka, Momo; Muzembo, Basilua Andre; Ngatu, Nlandu Roger; Kondo, Shinichi; Hamada, Norihiko; Suganuma, Narufumi

2013-01-01

The aim of our study was to investigate the natural course of silicosis in terms of radiographic progression among Japanese tunnel workers. Tunnel workers with silicosis were included in our study between January 2008 and June 2011. We retrospectively assessed workers' radiographs from their first through last visits to see whether there was progression. All films were interpreted by two physicians, who had been specially trained in using the ILO (2000) International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses (ILO/ICRP). We classified the radiographic findings according to the ILO/ICRP. Survival analysis was performed and then presented as time to progression. Subgroup analysis among the progressed group was performed to demonstrate duration of progression. A total of 65 patients, who were no longer exposed to silica for the duration of the study, were included. The mean age at the first visit was 58.60 ± 7.10 years. The incidence rate of progression was 42 per 1,000 person-years with a median time to progression of 17 years. Progression was demonstrated among 33 cases (51%). The mean durations of progression from category 1 to category 4 and category 2 to category 4 were 14.55 and 10.65 years, respectively. Most patients (86%) had radiographic change from category 1 or 2 directly to category 4. Silicosis progressed at a relatively high rate among tunnel workers without further silica exposure. The high probability of progression directly from category 1 to category 4 may lead to further investigation for the improvement of disease prevention.

Progression of the first stage of spontaneous labour: A prospective cohort study in two sub-Saharan African countries

PubMed Central

Fawole, Bukola; Mugerwa, Kidza; Alves, Domingos; Souza, Hayala; Reis, Rodrigo; Oliveira-Ciabati, Livia; Maiorano, Alexandre; Akintan, Adesina; Alu, Francis E.; Oyeneyin, Lawal; Adebayo, Amos; Byamugisha, Josaphat; Idris, Hadiza A.; Okike, Ola; Althabe, Fernando; Hundley, Vanora; Pattinson, Robert; Sanghvi, Harshadkumar C.; Tunçalp, Özge; Vogel, Joshua P.; Stanton, Mary Ellen; Liljestrand, Jerker; ten Hoope-Bender, Petra; Mathai, Matthews; Bahl, Rajiv

2018-01-01

Background Escalation in the global rates of labour interventions, particularly cesarean section and oxytocin augmentation, has renewed interest in a better understanding of natural labour progression. Methodological advancements in statistical and computational techniques addressing the limitations of pioneer studies have led to novel findings and triggered a re-evaluation of current labour practices. As part of the World Health Organization's Better Outcomes in Labour Difficulty (BOLD) project, which aimed to develop a new labour monitoring-to-action tool, we examined the patterns of labour progression as depicted by cervical dilatation over time in a cohort of women in Nigeria and Uganda who gave birth vaginally following a spontaneous labour onset. Methods and findings This was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study of 5,606 women with singleton, vertex, term gestation who presented at ≤ 6 cm of cervical dilatation following a spontaneous labour onset that resulted in a vaginal birth with no adverse birth outcomes in 13 hospitals across Nigeria and Uganda. We independently applied survival analysis and multistate Markov models to estimate the duration of labour centimetre by centimetre until 10 cm and the cumulative duration of labour from the cervical dilatation at admission through 10 cm. Multistate Markov and nonlinear mixed models were separately used to construct average labour curves. All analyses were conducted according to three parity groups: parity = 0 (n = 2,166), parity = 1 (n = 1,488), and parity = 2+ (n = 1,952). We performed sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of oxytocin augmentation on labour progression by re-examining the progression patterns after excluding women with augmented labours. Labour was augmented with oxytocin in 40% of nulliparous and 28% of multiparous women. The median time to advance by 1 cm exceeded 1 hour until 5 cm was reached in both nulliparous and multiparous women. Based on a 95th percentile threshold, nulliparous women may take up to 7 hours to progress from 4 to 5 cm and over 3 hours to progress from 5 to 6 cm. Median cumulative duration of labour indicates that nulliparous women admitted at 4 cm, 5 cm, and 6 cm reached 10 cm within an expected time frame if the dilatation rate was ≥ 1 cm/hour, but their corresponding 95th percentiles show that labour could last up to 14, 11, and 9 hours, respectively. Substantial differences exist between actual plots of labour progression of individual women and the ‘average labour curves’ derived from study population-level data. Exclusion of women with augmented labours from the study population resulted in slightly faster labour progression patterns. Conclusions Cervical dilatation during labour in the slowest-yet-normal women can progress more slowly than the widely accepted benchmark of 1 cm/hour, irrespective of parity. Interventions to expedite labour to conform to a cervical dilatation threshold of 1 cm/hour may be inappropriate, especially when applied before 5 cm in nulliparous and multiparous women. Averaged labour curves may not truly reflect the variability associated with labour progression, and their use for decision-making in labour management should be de-emphasized. PMID:29338000

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crewmember Immune Function - Short Duration Biological Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sams, Clarence; Crucian, Brian; Stowe, Raymond; Pierson, Duane; Mehta, Satish; Morukov, Boris; Uchakin, Peter; Nehlsen-Cannarella, Sandra

2008-01-01

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crew Member Immune Function - Short Duration Biological Investigation (Integrated Immune-SDBI) will assess the clinical risks resulting from the adverse effects of space flight on the human immune system and will validate a flightcompatible immune monitoring strategy. Immune system changes will be monitored by collecting and analyzing blood, urine and saliva samples from crewmembers before, during and after space flight.

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading: Quality of Progress Monitoring Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christ, Theodore J.; Zopluoglu, Cengiz; Long, Jeffery D.; Monaghen, Barbara D.

2012-01-01

Curriculum-based measurement of oral reading (CBM-R) is frequently used to set student goals and monitor student progress. This study examined the quality of growth estimates derived from CBM-R progress monitoring data. The authors used a linear mixed effects regression (LMER) model to simulate progress monitoring data for multiple levels of…

Rapid Analysis, Self-Calibrating Array for Air Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homer, Margie L.; Shevade, Abhijit V.; Lara, Liana; Huerta, Ramon; Vergara, Alexander; Muezzinoglua, Mehmet K.

2012-01-01

Human space missions have critical needs for monitoring and control for life support systems. These systems have monitoring needs that include feedback for closed loop processes and quality control for environmental factors. Sensors and monitoring technologies assure that the air environment and water supply for the astronaut crew habitat fall within acceptable limits, and that the life support system is functioning properly and efficiently. The longer the flight duration and the more distant the destination, the more critical it becomes to have carefully monitored and automated control systems for life support. Past experiments with the JPL ENose have demonstrated a lifetime of the sensor array, with the software, of around 18 months. The lifetime of the calibration, for some analytes, was as long as 24 months. We are working on a sensor array and new algorithms that will include sensor response time in the analysis. The preliminary array analysis for two analytes shows that the analysis time, of an event, can be dropped from 45 minutes to less than10 minutes and array training time can be cut substantially. We will describe the lifetime testing of an array and show lifetime data on individual sensors. This progress will lead to more rapid identification of analytes, and faster training time of the array.

Wearable motion sensors to continuously measure real-world physical activities.

PubMed

Dobkin, Bruce H

2013-12-01

Rehabilitation for sensorimotor impairments aims to improve daily activities, walking, exercise, and motor skills. Monitoring of practice and measuring outcomes, however, is usually restricted to laboratory-based procedures and self-reports. Mobile health devices may reverse these confounders of daily care and research trials. Wearable, wireless motion sensor data, analyzed by activity pattern-recognition algorithms, can describe the type, quantity, and quality of mobility-related activities in the community. Data transmission from the sensors to a cell phone and the Internet enable continuous monitoring. Remote access to laboratory quality data about walking speed, duration and distance, gait asymmetry and smoothness of movements, as well as cycling, exercise, and skills practice, opens new opportunities to engage patients in progressive, personalized therapies with feedback about the performance. Clinical trial designs will be able to include remote verification of the integrity of complex physical interventions and compliance with practice, as well as capture repeated, ecologically sound, ratio scale outcome measures. Given the progressively falling cost of miniaturized wearable gyroscopes, accelerometers, and other physiologic sensors, as well as inexpensive data transmission, sensing systems may become as ubiquitous as cell phones for healthcare. Neurorehabilitation can develop these mobile health platforms for daily care and clinical trials to improve exercise and fitness, skills learning, and physical functioning.

Variations of bubble cavitation and temperature elevation during lesion formation by high-intensity focused ultrasound.

PubMed

Zhou, Yufeng; Gao, Xiaobin Wilson

2013-08-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is emerging as an effective therapeutic modality in both thermal ablations for solid tumor/cancer and soft-tissue fragmentation. Mechanical and thermal effects, which play an important role in the HIFU treatment simultaneously, are dependent on the operating parameters and may vary with the progress of therapy. Mechanical erosion in the shape of a "squid," a "dumbbell" lesion with both mechanical and thermal lesions, or a "tadpole" lesion with mechanical erosion at the center and thermal necrosis on the boundary in the transparent gel phantom could be produced correspondingly with the pulse duration of 5-30 ms, which is much longer than histotripsy burst but shorter than the time for tissue boiling, and pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 0.2-5 Hz. Meanwhile, variations of bubble cavitation (both inertial and stable cavitation) and temperature elevation in the focal region (i.e., z = -2.5, 0, and 2.5 mm) were measured by passive cavitation detection (PCD) and thermocouples during the therapeutic procedure, respectively. Stable cavitation increased with the pulse duration, PRF, and the number of pulses delivered. However, inertial cavitation was found to increase initially and then decrease with long pulse duration and high PRF. Temperature in the pre-focal region is always higher than those at the focal and post-focal position in all tests. Great variations of PCD signals and temperature elevation are due to the generation and persistence of large bubble, which is resistant to collapse and occurs with the increase of pulse duration and PRF. Similar lesion pattern and variations were also observed in ex vivo porcine kidneys. Hyperechoes in the B-mode ultrasound image were comparable to the shape and size of lesions in the dissected tissue. Thermal lesion volume increased with the increase of pulse duration and PRF, but mechanical erosion reached its maximum volume with the pulse duration of 20 ms and PRF of 1 Hz. Altogether, bubble cavitation and thermal field vary with the progress of HIFU treatment with different sonication parameters, which provide insights into the interaction of ultrasound burst with the induced bubbles for both soft tissue fractionation and enhancement in thermal accumulation. Appropriate synergy and monitoring of mechanical and thermal effects would broaden the HIFU application and enhance its efficiency as well as safety.

Influence of Activity Monitor Location and Bout Duration on Free-Living Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heil, Daniel P.; Bennett, Gary G.; Bond, Kathleen S.; Webster, Michael D.; Wolin, Kathleen Y.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the location (ankle, hip, wrist) where an activity monitor (AM) is worn and of the minimum bout duration (BD) on physical activity (PA) variables during free-living monitoring. Study 1 participants wore AMs at three locations for 1 day while wearing the Intelligent Device for Energy…

Damaging effects of visible light. Comprehensive progress report

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

None

1981-01-01

Research progress is reported on studies of retinal light damage. A myriad of variables effect the production of light damage. These include age, prior light history, body temperature, vitamin A status, intensity, wavelength and duration of light. The intensity-duration function and the age function have been studied in detail in rats. Studies have been begun on the wavelength variable. (ACR)

The validity of activity monitors for measuring sleep in elite athletes.

PubMed

Sargent, Charli; Lastella, Michele; Halson, Shona L; Roach, Gregory D

2016-10-01

There is a growing interest in monitoring the sleep of elite athletes. Polysomnography is considered the gold standard for measuring sleep, however this technique is impractical if the aim is to collect data simultaneously with multiple athletes over consecutive nights. Activity monitors may be a suitable alternative for monitoring sleep, but these devices have not been validated against polysomnography in a population of elite athletes. Participants (n=16) were endurance-trained cyclists participating in a 6-week training camp. A total of 122 nights of sleep were recorded with polysomnography and activity monitors simultaneously. Agreement, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated from epoch-for-epoch comparisons of polysomnography and activity monitor data. Sleep variables derived from polysomnography and activity monitors were compared using paired t-tests. Activity monitor data were analysed using low, medium, and high sleep-wake thresholds. Epoch-for-epoch comparisons showed good agreement between activity monitors and polysomnography for each sleep-wake threshold (81-90%). Activity monitors were sensitive to sleep (81-92%), but specificity differed depending on the threshold applied (67-82%). Activity monitors underestimated sleep duration (18-90min) and overestimated wake duration (4-77min) depending on the threshold applied. Applying the correct sleep-wake threshold is important when using activity monitors to measure the sleep of elite athletes. For example, the default sleep-wake threshold (>40 activity counts=wake) underestimates sleep duration by ∼50min and overestimates wake duration by ∼40min. In contrast, sleep-wake thresholds that have a high sensitivity to sleep (>80 activity counts=wake) yield the best combination of agreement, sensitivity, and specificity. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Common Progress Monitoring Graph Omissions: Missing Goal and Goal Line. Progress Monitoring Brief #2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Response to Intervention, 2013

2013-01-01

Progress monitoring assessment is one of the four essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI), as defined by the National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI). Progress data allow teachers to evaluate the academic performance of students over time, quantify rates of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and evaluate…

The neural basis of monitoring goal progress

PubMed Central

Benn, Yael; Webb, Thomas L.; Chang, Betty P. I.; Sun, Yu-Hsuan; Wilkinson, Iain D.; Farrow, Tom F. D.

2014-01-01

The neural basis of progress monitoring has received relatively little attention compared to other sub-processes that are involved in goal directed behavior such as motor control and response inhibition. Studies of error-monitoring have identified the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) as a structure that is sensitive to conflict detection, and triggers corrective action. However, monitoring goal progress involves monitoring correct as well as erroneous events over a period of time. In the present research, 20 healthy participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) while playing a game that involved monitoring progress toward either a numerical or a visuo-spatial target. The findings confirmed the role of the dACC in detecting situations in which the current state may conflict with the desired state, but also revealed activations in the frontal and parietal regions, pointing to the involvement of processes such as attention and working memory (WM) in monitoring progress over time. In addition, activation of the cuneus was associated with monitoring progress toward a specific target presented in the visual modality. This is the first time that activation in this region has been linked to higher-order processing of goal-relevant information, rather than low-level anticipation of visual stimuli. Taken together, these findings identify the neural substrates involved in monitoring progress over time, and how these extend beyond activations observed in conflict and error monitoring. PMID:25309380

Long-duration effect of multi-factor stresses on the cellular biochemistry, oil-yielding performance and morphology of Nannochloropsis oculata

PubMed Central

Wei, Likun; Huang, Xuxiong

2017-01-01

Microalga Nannochloropsis oculata is a promising alternative feedstock for biodiesel. Elevating its oil-yielding capacity is conducive to cost-saving biodiesel production. However, the regulatory processes of multi-factor collaborative stresses (MFCS) on the oil-yielding performance of N. oculata are unclear. The duration effects of MFCS (high irradiation, nitrogen deficiency and elevated iron supplementation) on N. oculata were investigated in an 18-d batch culture. Despite the reduction in cell division, the biomass concentration increased, resulting from the large accumulation of the carbon/energy-reservoir. However, different storage forms were found in different cellular storage compounds, and both the protein content and pigment composition swiftly and drastically changed. The analysis of four biodiesel properties using pertinent empirical equations indicated their progressive effective improvement in lipid classes and fatty acid composition. The variation curve of neutral lipid productivity was monitored with fluorescent Nile red and was closely correlated to the results from conventional methods. In addition, a series of changes in the organelles (e.g., chloroplast, lipid body and vacuole) and cell shape, dependent on the stress duration, were observed by TEM and LSCM. These changes presumably played an important role in the acclimation of N. oculata to MFCS and accordingly improved its oil-yielding performance. PMID:28346505

Thought suppression across time: Change in frequency and duration of thought recurrence.

PubMed

Lambert, Ann E; Hu, Yueqin; Magee, Joshua C; Beadel, Jessica R; Teachman, Bethany A

2014-01-01

Some studies have found that trying to suppress thoughts increases their long-term recurrence, a phenomenon associated with psychopathology, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, effect sizes in thought suppression studies have often been small and inconsistent. The present study sought to improve thought suppression conceptualization and measurement by examining two distinct dimensions of thought recurrence - frequency and duration of a thought's return - and how they evolve over time. After a thought focus period, 100 adults were assigned to either suppress or monitor the recurrence of an unpleasant thought for 4 min. Then, during a second four-minute period, all participants were asked to monitor the thought's recurrence. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that thought frequency declined across time and the rate of decline slowed as time went on. Initially, the extent of thought duration remained short and stable for those asked to suppress, and increased linearly over time for those asked to monitor. Later, this pattern reversed. Duration increased linearly for those initially asked to suppress but was short and stable for those who initially monitored. Accounting for change over time and means of measuring recurrence (frequency vs. duration) may help elucidate past mixed findings, and improve thought suppression research methodology.

Rare presentation of intractable tuberculous panophthalmitis with intraocular and intraorbital abscesses: a case report.

PubMed

Boonsopon, Sutasinee; Tesavibul, Nattaporn; Uiprasertkul, Mongkol; Leeamornsiri, Supinda; Choopong, Pitipol

2017-07-04

We report a rare presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. A 29-year-old Burmese woman with human immunodeficiency virus infection and known pulmonary tuberculosis who had been treated for 5 months presented to our hospital with unilateral progressive painful visual loss of 1 month's duration. She was diagnosed with tuberculous panophthalmitis with subretinal and intraorbital abscesses, conjunctival abscess, and extraocular muscle tuberculoma. The diagnosis was confirmed by a conjunctival pus swab with a positive result for acid-fast bacilli and a positive result for a mycobacterial culture. There was high suspicion of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Despite receiving ongoing aggressive treatment with conventional antituberculous medications, this patient required subtotal orbital exenteration to control her infection and prevent further progression. Second-line antituberculous medications were added to the first-line therapy, with satisfactory results achieved. Tuberculous panophthalmitis with intraocular and intraorbital abscesses is a rare presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Patients who do not respond to first-line antituberculous therapy might be infected with either single-drug or multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Patient compliance is one of the key factors that can alter the course of treatment. Careful patient monitoring can improve disease progression, outcome, and prognosis.

Structuralized box-trainer laparoscopic training significantly improves performance in complex virtual reality laparoscopic tasks.

PubMed

Laski, Dariusz; Stefaniak, Tomasz J; Makarewicz, Wojciech; Proczko, Monika; Gruca, Zbigniew; Sledziński, Zbigniew

2012-03-01

In the era of flowering minimally invasive surgical techniques there is a need for new methods of teaching surgery and supervision of progress in skills and expertise. Virtual and physical box-trainers seem especially fit for this purpose, and allow for improvement of proficiency required in laparoscopic surgery. The study included 34 students who completed the authors' laparoscopic training on physical train-boxes. Progress was monitored by accomplishment of 3 exercises: moving pellets from one place to another, excising and clipping. Analysed parameters included time needed to complete the exercise and right and left hand movement tracks. Students were asked to do assigned tasks prior to, in the middle and after the training. The duration of the course was 28 h in total. Significant shortening of the time to perform each exercise and reduction of the left hand track were achieved. The right hand track was shortened only in exercise number 1. Exercises in the laboratory setting should be regarded as an important element of the process of skills acquisition by a young surgeon. Virtual reality laparoscopic training seems to be a new, interesting educational tool, and at the same time allows for reliable control and assessment of progress.

Enhanced conflict monitoring via a short-duration, video-assisted deep breathing in healthy young adults: an event-related potential approach through the Go/NoGo paradigm.

PubMed

Cheng, Kok Suen; Chang, Yun Fah; Han, Ray P S; Lee, Poh Foong

2017-01-01

Practitioners of mindfulness are reported to have greater cognitive control especially in conflict monitoring, response inhibition and sustained attention. However, due to the various existing methods in each mindfulness practices and also, the high commitment factor, a barrier still exists for an individual to pick up the practices. Therefore, the effect of short duration deep breathing on the cognitive control is investigated here. Short duration guided deep breathing videos consisting of 5, 7 and 9 min respectively were created and used on subjects training. The effect on cognitive control was assessed using a Go/NoGo task along with event-related potential (ERP) measurements at Fz, Cz, and Pz. From the study, the significant outcome showed at the follow-up session in which participants engaged for 5 min deep breathing group showed a profound NoGo N2 amplitude increment as compared to the control group, indicating an enhanced conflict monitoring ability. An inverse relationship between the NoGo N2 amplitude and the breathing duration is observed as well at the follow-up session. These results indicated the possibility of performing short duration deep breathing guided by a video to achieve an enhanced conflict monitoring as an alternative to other mindfulness practices and 5 min is found to be the optimum practice duration. This study is the first to establish a relationship between deep breathing and conflict monitoring through ERP. The study population of young adults taken from the same environment reduces the variance in ERP results due to age and environment. A larger sample size would provide a greater statistical power. A longer duration of deep breathing should be investigated to further clarify the relationship between the practice duration and the NoGo N2 amplitude. The result can be split by gender and analyzed separately due to the different brain structure of males and females.

The role of mineral and bone disorders in the development and progression of cardiac and renal pathology in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus of long duration.

PubMed

Biragova, Margarita S; Gracheva, Svetlana A; Glazunova, Alexandra M; Martynov, Sergey A; Ulaynova, Irina N; Ilyin, Alexandr V; Philippov, Yury I; Musaeva, Guliya M; Shamkhalova, Minara S; Shestakova, Marina V

2016-08-01

The objective of our study was to evaluate the role of mineral and bone metabolism disorders associated with chronic kidney disease (MBD-CKD) in the development and progression of cardiac and renal pathology in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) of long duration. We investigated 96 patients with T1DM of long duration, with CKD at different stages (0-5), including patients on hemodialysis (HD) and with kidney transplantation (KT). Along with overall clinical examination, we assessed markers of MBD (calcium, phosphorus, parathormone, vitamin D, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23) and levels of cardiac injury marker (atrial natriuretic peptide, NT-proBNP). Multispiral computer tomography with Agatston index calculation was also included. Decreased kidney function was associated with increased of levels phosphorus, parathormone, FGF 23, and vitamin D deficiency, with the highest deviation from the reference ranges seen in patients on HD with a very high risk of cardiovascular events. In KT patients with satisfactory graft function, these parameters were at the same levels as in patients with CKD stages 0-4. Progression of cardiovascular pathology was accompanied by elevation of NT-proBNP levels as CKD duration increased, decreased glomerular filtration rate, and were correlated with the main parameters of mineral homeostasis. The severity of coronary arteries calcification was associated with patient age and duration of T1DM and arterial hypertension. Development and progression of kidney dysfunction is accompanied by MBD, a significant factor in progression of cardiac pathology, which remains a major cause of mortality in this patient population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Academic and Social Skills in Elementary School: A Psychometric Evaluation of the Classroom Performance Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldarella, Paul; Larsen, Ross A. A.; Williams, Leslie; Wehby, Joseph H.; Wills, Howard; Kamps, Debra

2017-01-01

Numerous well-validated academic progress monitoring tools are used in schools, but there are fewer behavioral progress monitoring measures available. Some brief behavior rating scales have been shown to be effective in monitoring students' progress, but most focus only on students' social skills and do not address critical academic-related…

Monitoring Academic and Social Skills in Elementary School: A Psychometric Evaluation of the Classroom Performance Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldarella, Paul; Larsen, Ross A. A.; Williams, Leslie; Wehby, Joseph H.; Wills, Howard P.; Kamps, Debra M.

2017-01-01

Numerous well validated academic progress monitoring tools are used in schools, but there are fewer behavioral progress monitoring measures available. Some brief behavior rating scales have been shown to be effective in monitoring students' progress, but most focus only on students' social skills and do not address critical academic-related…

Time vs. Money: A Quantitative Evaluation of Monitoring Frequency vs. Monitoring Duration.

PubMed

McHugh, Thomas E; Kulkarni, Poonam R; Newell, Charles J

2016-09-01

The National Research Council has estimated that over 126,000 contaminated groundwater sites are unlikely to achieve low ug/L clean-up goals in the foreseeable future. At these sites, cost-effective, long-term monitoring schemes are needed in order to understand the long-term changes in contaminant concentrations. Current monitoring optimization schemes rely on site-specific evaluations to optimize groundwater monitoring frequency. However, when using linear regression to estimate the long-term zero-order or first-order contaminant attenuation rate, the effect of monitoring frequency and monitoring duration on the accuracy and confidence for the estimated attenuation rate is not site-specific. For a fixed number of monitoring events, doubling the time between monitoring events (e.g., changing from quarterly monitoring to semi-annual monitoring) will double the accuracy of estimated attenuation rate. For a fixed monitoring frequency (e.g., semi-annual monitoring), increasing the number of monitoring events by 60% will double the accuracy of the estimated attenuation rate. Combining these two factors, doubling the time between monitoring events (e.g., quarterly monitoring to semi-annual monitoring) while decreasing the total number of monitoring events by 38% will result in no change in the accuracy of the estimated attenuation rate. However, the time required to collect this dataset will increase by 25%. Understanding that the trade-off between monitoring frequency and monitoring duration is not site-specific should simplify the process of optimizing groundwater monitoring frequency at contaminated groundwater sites. © 2016 The Authors. Groundwater published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of National Ground Water Association.

Brain MRI abnormalities in the adult form of myotonic dystrophy type 1: A longitudinal case series study.

PubMed

Conforti, Renata; de Cristofaro, Mario; Cristofano, Adriana; Brogna, Barbara; Sardaro, Angela; Tedeschi, Gioacchino; Cirillo, Sossio; Di Costanzo, Alfonso

2016-02-01

This study aimed to verify whether brain abnormalities, previously described in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), progressed over time and, if so, to characterize their progression. Thirteen DM1 patients, who had at least two MRI examinations, were retrospectively evaluated and included in the study. The mean duration (± standard deviation) of follow-up was 13.4 (±3.8) years, over a range of 7-20 years. White matter lesions (WMLs) were rated by semi-quantitative method, the signal intensity of white matter poster-superior to trigones (WMPST) by reference to standard images and brain atrophy by ventricular/brain ratio (VBR). At the end of MRI follow-up, the scores relative to lobar, temporal and periventricular WMLs, to WMPST signal intensity and to VBR were significantly increased compared to baseline, and MRI changes were more evident in some families than in others. No correlation was found between the MRI changes and age, onset, disease duration, muscular involvement, CTG repetition and follow-up duration. These results demonstrated that white matter involvement and brain atrophy were progressive in DM1 and suggested that progression rate varied from patient to patient, regardless of age, disease duration and genetic defect. © The Author(s) 2016.

Diagnostic Yield of Extended Cardiac Patch Monitoring in Patients with Stroke or TIA.

PubMed

Tung, Christie E; Su, Derek; Turakhia, Mintu P; Lansberg, Maarten G

2014-01-01

It is important to evaluate patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke for atrial fibrillation (AF) because the detection of AF changes the recommended anti-thrombotic regimen from treatment with an antiplatelet agent to oral anticoagulation. This study describes the diagnostic yield of a patch-based, single-use, and water-resistant 14-day continuous cardiac rhythm monitor (ZIO Patch) in patients with stroke or TIA. We obtained data from the manufacturer and servicer of the ZIO Patch (iRhythm Technologies). Patients who were monitored between January 2012 and June 2013 and whose indication for monitoring was TIA or stroke were included. The duration of monitoring, the number and type of arrhythmias, and the time to first arrhythmia were documented. One thousand one hundred seventy-one monitoring reports were analyzed. The mean monitor wear time was 10.9 days and the median wear time was 13.0 days (interquartile range 7.2-14.0). The median analyzable time relative to the total wear time was 98.7% (IQR 96.0-99.5%). AF was present in 5.0% of all reports. The mean duration before the first episode of paroxysmal AF (PAF) was 1.5 days and the median duration was 0.4 days. 14.3% of first PAF episodes occurred after 48 h. The mean PAF burden was 12.7% of the total monitoring duration. Excellent quality of the recordings and very good patient compliance coupled with a substantial proportion of AF detection beyond the first 48 h of monitoring suggest that the cardiac patch is superior to conventional 48-h Holter monitors for AF detection in patients with stroke or TIA.

Using the Fire Weather Index (FWI) to improve the estimation of fire emissions from fire radiative power (FRP) observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Giuseppe, Francesca; Rémy, Samuel; Pappenberger, Florian; Wetterhall, Fredrik

2018-04-01

The atmospheric composition analysis and forecast for the European Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Services (CAMS) relies on biomass-burning fire emission estimates from the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS). The GFAS is a global system and converts fire radiative power (FRP) observations from MODIS satellites into smoke constituents. Missing observations are filled in using persistence, whereby observed FRP values from the previous day are progressed in time until a new observation is recorded. One of the consequences of this assumption is an increase of fire duration, which in turn translates into an increase of emissions estimated from fires compared to what is available from observations. In this study persistence is replaced by modelled predictions using the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI), which describes how atmospheric conditions affect the vegetation moisture content and ultimately fire duration. The skill in predicting emissions from biomass burning is improved with the new technique, which indicates that using an FWI-based model to infer emissions from FRP is better than persistence when observations are not available.

Recent Advances in Water Analysis with Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacAskill, John A.; Tsikata, Edem

2014-01-01

We report on progress made in developing a water sampling system for detection and analysis of volatile organic compounds in water with a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS). Two approaches are described herein. The first approach uses a custom water pre-concentrator for performing trap and purge of VOCs from water. The second approach uses a custom micro-volume, split-splitless injector that is compatible with air and water. These water sampling systems will enable a single GC-based instrument to analyze air and water samples for VOC content. As reduced mass, volume, and power is crucial for long-duration, manned space-exploration, these water sampling systems will demonstrate the ability of a GCMS to monitor both air and water quality of the astronaut environment, thereby reducing the amount of required instrumentation for long duration habitation. Laboratory prototypes of these water sampling systems have been constructed and tested with a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer as well as a thermal conductivity detector. Presented herein are details of these water sampling system with preliminary test results.

Longitudinal change in dysarthria associated with Friedreich ataxia: a potential clinical endpoint.

PubMed

Rosen, Kristin M; Folker, Joanne E; Vogel, Adam P; Corben, Louise A; Murdoch, Bruce E; Delatycki, Martin B

2012-11-01

CNS functions that show change across short periods of time are particularly useful clinical endpoints for Friedreich ataxia. This study determined whether there is measurable acoustical change in the dysarthria associated with Friedreich ataxia across yearly intervals. A total of 29 participants diagnosed with Friedreich ataxia were recorded across 4 years at yearly intervals. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine which acoustic measures differed across time, and pairwise t tests were used to assess the consistency of the change across the time intervals. The relationship between the identified measures with perceptual severity was assessed with stepwise regression. Significant longitudinal change was observed with four measures that relate to the utterance duration and spectral changes in utterances. The spectral measures consistently detected change across time intervals of two or more years. The four measures combined moderately predicted perceptual severity. Together, the results implicate longitudinal change in speaking rate and utterance duration. Changes in speech associated with Friedreich ataxia can be measured across intervals of 2 years and therefore show rich potential for monitoring disease progression and therapy outcomes.

Syllable Durations of Preword and Early Word Vocalizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robb, Michael P.; Saxman, John H.

1990-01-01

The continuity in development of syllable duration patterns was examined in seven young children as they progressed from preword to multiword periods of vocalization development. Results revealed no systematic increase or decrease in the duration of bisyllables produced by the children as a group, whereas lengthening of final syllables was…

Go4Life

MedlinePlus Videos and Cool Tools

... Dr. Richard Hodes on 2013 - 2014 Alzheimer's Disease Report - Duration: 4 minutes, 2 seconds. National Institute On ... Play now Welcome to the Alzheimer's Disease Progress Report 2012-2013 - Duration: 2 minutes, 22 seconds. National ...

Worldwide variations in artificial skyglow

PubMed Central

Kyba, Christopher C. M.; Tong, Kai Pong; Bennie, Jonathan; Birriel, Ignacio; Birriel, Jennifer J.; Cool, Andrew; Danielsen, Arne; Davies, Thomas W.; Outer, Peter N. den; Edwards, William; Ehlert, Rainer; Falchi, Fabio; Fischer, Jürgen; Giacomelli, Andrea; Giubbilini, Francesco; Haaima, Marty; Hesse, Claudia; Heygster, Georg; Hölker, Franz; Inger, Richard; Jensen, Linsey J.; Kuechly, Helga U.; Kuehn, John; Langill, Phil; Lolkema, Dorien E.; Nagy, Matthew; Nievas, Miguel; Ochi, Nobuaki; Popow, Emil; Posch, Thomas; Puschnig, Johannes; Ruhtz, Thomas; Schmidt, Wim; Schwarz, Robert; Schwope, Axel; Spoelstra, Henk; Tekatch, Anthony; Trueblood, Mark; Walker, Constance E.; Weber, Michael; Welch, Douglas L.; Zamorano, Jaime; Gaston, Kevin J.

2015-01-01

Despite constituting a widespread and significant environmental change, understanding of artificial nighttime skyglow is extremely limited. Until now, published monitoring studies have been local or regional in scope, and typically of short duration. In this first major international compilation of monitoring data we answer several key questions about skyglow properties. Skyglow is observed to vary over four orders of magnitude, a range hundreds of times larger than was the case before artificial light. Nearly all of the study sites were polluted by artificial light. A non-linear relationship is observed between the sky brightness on clear and overcast nights, with a change in behavior near the rural to urban landuse transition. Overcast skies ranged from a third darker to almost 18 times brighter than clear. Clear sky radiances estimated by the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness were found to be overestimated by ~25%; our dataset will play an important role in the calibration and ground truthing of future skyglow models. Most of the brightly lit sites darkened as the night progressed, typically by ~5% per hour. The great variation in skyglow radiance observed from site-to-site and with changing meteorological conditions underlines the need for a long-term international monitoring program. PMID:25673335

Behavioral-Progress Monitoring Using the Electronic Daily Behavioral Report Card (e-DBRC) System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Mack D.; Vannest, Kimberly J.

2008-01-01

In this article, the authors present an overview of a Web-based electronic system for behavioral-progress monitoring. Behavioral-progress monitoring is necessary to evaluate responsiveness to behavioral interventions, the effects of positive behavioral support, and the attainment of individualized education program goals and objectives. The…

Decision-Making Accuracy of CBM Progress-Monitoring Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hintze, John M.; Wells, Craig S.; Marcotte, Amanda M.; Solomon, Benjamin G.

2018-01-01

This study examined the diagnostic accuracy associated with decision making as is typically conducted with curriculum-based measurement (CBM) approaches to progress monitoring. Using previously published estimates of the standard errors of estimate associated with CBM, 20,000 progress-monitoring data sets were simulated to model student reading…

Using an Online Tool for Learning about and Implementing Algebra Progress Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foegen, Anne; Stecker, Pamela M.; Genareo, Vincent R.; Lyons, Renée; Olson, Jeannette R.; Simpson, Amber; Romig, John Elwood; Jones, Rachel

2016-01-01

Research supports special educators' use of progress-monitoring data for instructional decision-making purposes as an evidence-based practice for improving student achievement. This article describes the Professional Development for Algebra Progress Monitoring (PD-APM) system. PD-APM, is an online system that includes two "hubs" that…

A Newly Global Drought Index Product Basing on Remotely Sensed Leaf Area Index Percentile Using Severity-Area-Duration Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinlu; Lu, Hui; Lyu, Haobo

2017-04-01

Drought is one of the typical natural disasters around the world, and it has also been an important climatic event particular under the climate change. Assess and monitor drought accurately is crucial for addressing climate change and formulating corresponding policies. Several drought indices have been developed and widely used in regional and global scale to present and monitor drought, which integrate datasets such as precipitation, soil moisture, snowpack, streamflow, evapotranspiration that deprived from land surface models or remotely sensed datasets. Vegetation is a prominent component of ecosystem that modulates the water and energy flux between land surface and atmosphere, and thus can be regarded as one of the drought indicators especially for agricultural drought. Leaf area index (LAI), as an important parameter that quantifying the terrestrial vegetation conditions, can provide a new way for drought monitoring. Drought characteristics can be described as severity, area and duration. Andreadis et al. has constructed a severity-area-duration (SAD) algorithm to reflect the spatial patterns of droughts and their dynamics over time, which is a progress of drought analysis. In our study, a newly drought index product was developed using the LAI percentile (LAIpct) SAD algorithm. The remotely sensed global GLASS (Global LAnd Surface Satellite) LAI ranging from 2001-2011 has been used as the basic data. Data was normalized for each time phase to eliminate the phenology effect, and then the percentile of the normalized data was calculated as the SAD input. 20% was set as the drought threshold, and a clustering algorithm was used to identify individual drought events for each time step. Actual drought events were identified when considering multiple clusters merge to form a larger drought or a drought event breaks up into multiple small droughts according to the distance of drought centers and the overlapping drought area. Severity, duration and area were recorded for each actual drought event. Finally, we utilized the existing DSI drought index product for comparison. LAIpct drought index can detect both short-term and long-term drought events. In the last decades, most of the droughts at global scale are short-term that less than 1 year, and the longest drought event lasts for 3 year. The LAIpct drought area percentage consist well with DSI, and according to the drought severity classification of United States Drought Monitor system, we found the 20% LAIpct corresponds to moderate drought, 15% LAIpct corresponds to severe drought, and 10% LAIpct corresponds to extreme drought. For some typical drought event, we found the LAIpct drought spatial patterns agree well with DSI, and from the aspect of temporal consistency, LAIpct seems smoother and fitter to the reality than DSI product. Although the short period LAIpct drought index product hinders the analysis of global climate change to some extent, it provides a new way to better monitor the agricultural drought.

Zero drift of intraventricular and subdural intracranial pressure monitoring systems.

PubMed

Chen, Li; Du, Hang-gen; Yin, Li-chun; He, Min; Zhang, Guo-jun; Tian, Yong; Wang, Cheng; Hao, Bi-lie; Li, Hong-yu

2013-01-01

To assess zero drift of intraventricular and subdural intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring systems. A prospective study was conducted in patients who received Codman ICP monitoring in the neurosurgical department from January 2010 to December 2011. According to the location of sensors, the patients were categorized into two groups: intraventricular group and subdural group. Zero drift between the two groups and its association with the duration of ICP monitor were analyzed. Totally, 22 patients undergoing intraventricular ICP monitoring and 27 receiving subdural ICP monitoring were enrolled. There was no significant difference in duration of ICP monitoring, zero drift value and its absolute value between intraventricular and subdural groups (5.38 d+/-2.58 d vs 4.58 d+/-2.24 d, 0.77 mm Hg+/-2.18 mm Hg vs 1.03 mm Hg+/-2.06 mm Hg, 1.68 mm Hg+/-1.55 mm Hg vs 1.70 mm Hg+/-1.53 mm Hg, respectively; all P larger than 0.05). Absolute value of zero drift in both groups significantly rose with the increased duration of ICP monitoring (P less than 0.05) while zero drift value did not. Moreover, daily absolute value in the intraventricular group was significantly smaller than that in the subdural group (0.27 mm Hg+/-0.32 mm Hg vs 0.29 mm Hg+/-0.18 mm Hg, P less than 0.05). This study demonstrates that absolute value of zero drift significantly correlates with duration of both intraventricular and subdural ICP monitoring. Due to the smaller daily absolute value, ICP values recorded from intraventricular system may be more reliable than those from subdural system.

Association of GBA Mutations and the E326K Polymorphism With Motor and Cognitive Progression in Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Davis, Marie Y.; Johnson, Catherine O.; Leverenz, James B.; Weintraub, Daniel; Trojanowski, John Q.; Chen-Plotkin, Alice; Van Deerlin, Vivianna M.; Quinn, Joseph F.; Chung, Kathryn A.; Peterson-Hiller, Amie L.; Rosenthal, Liana S.; Dawson, Ted M.; Albert, Marilyn S.; Goldman, Jennifer G.; Stebbins, Glenn T.; Bernard, Bryan; Wszolek, Zbigniew K.; Ross, Owen A.; Dickson, Dennis W.; Eidelberg, David; Mattis, Paul J.; Niethammer, Martin; Yearout, Dora; Hu, Shu-Ching; Cholerton, Brenna A.; Smith, Megan; Mata, Ignacio F.; Montine, Thomas J.; Edwards, Karen L.; Zabetian, Cyrus P.

2016-01-01

IMPORTANCE Parkinson disease (PD) is heterogeneous in symptom manifestation and rate of progression. Identifying factors that influence disease progression could provide mechanistic insight, improve prognostic accuracy, and elucidate novel therapeutic targets. OBJECTIVE To determine whether GBA mutations and the E326K polymorphism modify PD symptom progression. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The entire GBA coding region was screened for mutations and E326K in 740 patients with PD enrolled at 7 sites from the PD Cognitive Genetics Consortium. Detailed longitudinal motor and cognitive assessments were performed with patients in the on state. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Linear regression was used to test for an association between GBA genotype and motor progression, with the Movement Disorder Society–sponsored version of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS III) score at the last assessment as the outcome and GBA genotype as the independent variable, with adjustment for levodopa equivalent dose, sex, age, disease duration, MDS-UPDRS III score at the first assessment, duration of follow-up, and site. Similar methods were used to examine the association between genotype and tremor and postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) scores. To examine the effect of GBA genotype on cognitive progression, patients were classified into those with conversion to mild cognitive impairment or dementia during the study (progression) and those without progression. The association between GBA genotype and progression status was then tested using logistic regression, adjusting for sex, age, disease duration, duration of follow-up, years of education, and site. RESULTS Of the total sample of 733 patients who underwent successful genotyping, 226 (30.8%) were women and 507 (69.2%) were men (mean [SD] age, 68.1 [8.8] years). The mean (SD) duration of follow-up was 3.0 (1.7) years. GBA mutations (β = 4.65; 95% CI, 1.72–7.58; P = .002), E326K (β = 3.42; 95% CI, 0.66–6.17; P = .02), and GBA variants combined as a single group (β = 4.01; 95% CI, 1.95–6.07; P = 1.5 × 10−4) were associated with a more rapid decline in MDS-UPDRS III score. Combined GBA variants (β = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23–0.53; P = .01) and E326K (β = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43–0.86; P = .002) were associated with faster progression in PIGD scores, but not in tremor scores. A significantly higher proportion of E326K carriers (10 of 21 [47.6%]; P = .01) and GBA variant carriers (15 of 39 [38.5%]; P = .04) progressed to mild cognitive impairment or dementia. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE GBA variants predict a more rapid progression of cognitive dysfunction and motor symptoms in patients with PD, with a greater effect on PIGD than tremor. Thus, GBA variants influence the heterogeneity in symptom progression observed in PD. PMID:27571329

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring Crewmember Immune Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, Duane; Crucian, Brian; Mehta, Satish; Stowe, Raymond; Uchakin, Peter; Quiriarte, Heather; Sams, Clarence

2010-01-01

The objective of this Supplemental Medical Objective (SMO) is to determine the status of the immune system, physiological stress and latent viral reactivation (a clinical outcome that can be measured) during both short and long-duration spaceflight. In addition, this study will develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. Pre-mission, in-flight and post-flight blood and saliva samples will be obtained from participating crewmembers. Assays included peripheral immunophenotype, T cell function, cytokine profiles, viral-specific immunity, latent viral reactivation (EBV, CMV, VZV), and stress hormone measurements. To date, 18 short duration (now completed) and 8 long-duration crewmembers have completed the study. The long-duration phase of this study is ongoing. For this presentation, the final data set for the short duration subjects will be discussed.

Microbiological Monitoring for the Constellation Program: Current Requirements and Future Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, C. Mark

2007-01-01

Microbiological requirements for spaceflight are based on assessments of infectious disease risk which could impact crew health or mission success. The determination of risk from infectious disease is composed of several factors including (1) crew susceptibility, (2) crew exposure to the infectious disease agent, (3) the concentration of the infectious agent, and (4) the characteristics of the infectious agent. As a result of the Health Stabilization Program, stringent monitoring, and cleaning protocols, in-flight environmental microbial monitoring is not necessary for short-duration spaceflights. However, risk factors change for long-duration missions, as exemplified by the presence of medically significant organisms in the environments of both the Mir and International Space Station (ISS). Based upon this historical evidence, requirements for short duration usage aboard the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Lunar Lander Vehicle will not require in-flight monitoring; however, as mission duration increases with a Lunar Outpost, an ability to detect microbial hazard will be necessary. The nature of the detection requirements will depend on the maturity of technology in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Regardless, the hardware will still need to maximize information to discipline experts and the crew, while minimizing the size, mass, power consumption, and crew time usage. The refinement of these monitors will be a major goal in our efforts to travel successfully to Mars.

Common Progress Monitoring Omissions: Planning and Practice. Progress Monitoring Brief #1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Response to Intervention, 2013

2013-01-01

Progress monitoring, one of the essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI), is characterized by repeated measurement of academic performance that is conducted at least monthly. The process may be used to assess students' academic performance over time, to quantify student rates of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and to…

MAPP (Monitoring Academic Progress Policy): Providing Advising Direction Through the Use of a Degree Auditing System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severy, Lawrence J.; Slinger, Peter J.

1996-01-01

Describes a computerized partial degree auditing system, MAPP (Monitoring Academic Progress Policy), developed at the University of Florida to monitor students' progress into appropriate majors and apply institutional policy concerning degrees. The system generates letters directing students to advisors when needed. Discusses advantages for…

Common Progress Monitoring Omissions: Reporting Information to Parents. Progress Monitoring Brief #4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Response to Intervention, 2013

2013-01-01

Progress monitoring, one of the essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI), is characterized by repeated measurement of academic performance that is conducted at least monthly. The process may be used to assess students' academic performance over time, to quantify student rates of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and to…

Web-Based Mathematics Progress Monitoring in Second Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salaschek, Martin; Souvignier, Elmar

2014-01-01

We examined a web-based mathematics progress monitoring tool for second graders. The tool monitors the learning progress of two competences, number sense and computation. A total of 414 students from 19 classrooms in Germany were checked every 3 weeks from fall to spring. Correlational analyses indicate that alternate-form reliability was adequate…

Use of a Progress Monitoring System to Enable Teachers to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ysseldyke, Jim; Tardrew, Steve

2007-01-01

We explored how a progress monitoring and instructional management system can be used to help educators differentiate instruction and meet the wide-ranging learning needs of their increasingly diverse classrooms. We compared classrooms in 24 states that used a curriculum-based progress monitoring and instructional management system, Accelerated…

Cost per median overall survival month associated with abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide for treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

PubMed

Pilon, Dominic; Queener, Marykay; Lefebvre, Patrick; Ellis, Lorie A

2016-08-01

To calculate costs per median overall survival (OS) month in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA + P) or enzalutamide. Median treatment duration and median OS data from published Phase 3 clinical trials and prescribing information were used to calculate costs per median OS month based on wholesale acquisition costs (WACs) for patients with mCRPC treated with AA + P or enzalutamide. Sensitivity analyses were performed to understand how variations in treatment duration and treatment-related monitoring recommendations influenced cost per median OS month. Cost-effectiveness estimates of other Phase 3 trial outcomes were also explored: cost per month of chemotherapy avoided and per median radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) month. The results demonstrated that AA + P has a lower cost per median OS month than enzalutamide ($3231 vs 4512; 28% reduction), based on the following assumptions: median treatment duration of 14 months for AA + P and 18 months for enzalutamide, median OS of 34.7 months for AA + P and 35.3 months for enzalutamide, and WAC per 30-day supply of $8007.17 for AA + P vs $8847.98 for enzalutamide. Sensitivity analyses showed that accounting for recommended treatment-related monitoring costs or assuming identical treatment durations for AA + P and enzalutamide (18 months) resulted in costs per median OS month 8-27% lower for AA + P than for enzalutamide. Costs per month of chemotherapy avoided were $4448 for AA + P and $5688 for enzalutamide, while costs per month to achieve median rPFS were $6794 for AA + P and $7963 for enzalutamide. This cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated that costs per median OS month, along with costs of other Phase 3 trial outcomes, were lower for AA + P than for enzalutamide. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses. These results have important implications for population health decision-makers evaluating the relative value of therapies for mCRPC patients.

A Curricular-Sampling Approach to Progress Monitoring: Mathematics Concepts and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Zumeta, Rebecca O.

2008-01-01

Progress monitoring is an important component of effective instructional practice. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a form of progress monitoring that has been the focus of rigorous research. Two approaches for formulating CBM systems exist. The first is to assess performance regularly on a task that serves as a global indicator of competence…

Students, Teachers, and Schools as Sources of Variability, Integrity, and Sustainability in Implementing Progress Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolt, Daniel M.; Ysseldyke, Jim; Patterson, Michael J.

2010-01-01

A three-level variance decomposition analysis was used to examine the sources of variability in implementation of a technology-enhanced progress monitoring system within each year of a 2-year study using a randomized-controlled design. We show that results of technology-enhanced progress monitoring are not necessarily a measure of student…

Patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease Fail When Using Their Working Memory: Evidence from the Eye Tracking Technique.

PubMed

Fernández, Gerardo; Manes, Facundo; Politi, Luis E; Orozco, David; Schumacher, Marcela; Castro, Liliana; Agamennoni, Osvaldo; Rotstein, Nora P

2016-01-01

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) develop progressive language, visuoperceptual, attentional, and oculomotor changes that can have an impact on their reading comprehension. However, few studies have examined reading behavior in AD, and none have examined the contribution of predictive cueing in reading performance. For this purpose we analyzed the eye movement behavior of 35 healthy readers (Controls) and 35 patients with probable AD during reading of regular and high-predictable sentences. The cloze predictability of words N - 1, and N + 1 exerted an influence on the reader's gaze duration. The predictabilities of preceding words in high-predictable sentences served as task-appropriate cues that were used by Control readers. In contrast, these effects were not present in AD patients. In Controls, changes in predictability significantly affected fixation duration along the sentence; noteworthy, these changes did not affect fixation durations in AD patients. Hence, only in healthy readers did predictability of upcoming words influence fixation durations via memory retrieval. Our results suggest that Controls used stored information of familiar texts for enhancing their reading performance and imply that contextual-word predictability, whose processing is proposed to require memory retrieval, only affected reading behavior in healthy subjects. In AD patients, this loss reveals impairments in brain areas such as those corresponding to working memory and memory retrieval. These findings might be relevant for expanding the options for the early detection and monitoring in the early stages of AD. Furthermore, evaluation of eye movements during reading could provide a new tool for measuring drug impact on patients' behavior.

Social jetlag, chronotype, and body mass index in 14 to 17 year old adolescents

PubMed Central

Malone, Susan Kohl; Zemel, Babette; Compher, Charlene; Souders, Margaret; Chittams, Jesse; Thompson, Aleda Leis; Pack, Allan; Lipman, Terri H.

2016-01-01

The relationship between sleep duration and obesity in adolescents is inconclusive. This may stem from a more complex relationship between sleep and obesity than previously considered. Shifts towards evening preferences, later sleep-wake times, and irregular sleep-wake patterns are typical during adolescence but their relationship to body mass index has been relatively unexplored. This cross sectional study examined associations between sleep duration, midpoint of sleep, and social jetlag (estimated from seven days of continuous actigraphy monitoring) and morningness/eveningness with body mass indexes (BMI z scores) and waist to height ratios in 14 to 17 year old adolescents. Seventy participants were recruited from 9th and 10th grades at a public high school. Participant characteristics were as follows: 74% female, 75% post-pubertal, 36% Hispanic, 38% White, 22% Black, 4% Asian, and 64% free/reduced lunch participants with a mean age of 15.5 (SD, 0.7). Forty one percent of the participants were obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile); 54% were abdominally obese (waist to height ratio ≥ 0.5). Multivariable general linear models were used to estimate the association between the independent variables (school night sleep duration, free night sleep duration, midpoint of sleep (corrected), social jetlag, and morningness/eveningness) and the dependent variables (BMI z scores and waist to height ratios). Social jetlag positively associated with BMI z scores (p < 0.01) and waist to height ratios (p = 0.01). Midpoint of sleep (corrected) positively associated with waist to height ratios (p = 0.01). After adjusting for social jetlag, school night sleep duration was not associated with waist to height ratios or BMI z scores. Morningness/eveningness did not moderate the association between sleep duration and BMI z scores. Findings from this study suggest that chronobiological approaches to preventing and treating obesity may be important for accelerating progress in reducing obesity rates in adolescents. PMID:27715325

A practical guide to exercise training for heart failure patients.

PubMed

Smart, Neil; Fang, Zhi You; Marwick, Thomas H

2003-02-01

Exercise training has been shown to improve exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. We sought to examine the optimal strategy of exercise training for patients with heart failure. Review of the published data on the characteristics of the training program, with comparison of physiologic markers of exercise capacity in heart failure patients and healthy individuals and comparison of the change in these characteristics after an exercise training program. Many factors, including the duration, supervision, and venue of exercise training; the volume of working muscle; the delivery mode (eg, continuous vs. intermittent exercise), training intensity; and the concurrent effects of medical treatments may influence the results of exercise training in heart failure. Starting in an individually prescribed and safely monitored hospital-based program, followed by progression to an ongoing and progressive home program of exercise appears to be the best solution to the barriers of anxiety, adherence, and "ease of access" encountered by the heart failure patient. Various exercise training programs have been shown to improve exercise capacity and symptom status in heart failure, but these improvements may only be preserved with an ongoing maintenance program.

The vertical monitor position for presbyopic computer users with progressive lenses: how to reach clear vision and comfortable head posture.

PubMed

Weidling, Patrick; Jaschinski, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

When presbyopic employees are wearing general-purpose progressive lenses, they have clear vision only with a lower gaze inclination to the computer monitor, given the head assumes a comfortable inclination. Therefore, in the present intervention field study the monitor position was lowered, also with the aim to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. A comparison group comprised users of lenses that do not restrict the field of clear vision. The lower monitor positions led the participants to lower their head inclination, which was linearly associated with a significant reduction in musculoskeletal symptoms. However, for progressive lenses a lower head inclination means a lower zone of clear vision, so that clear vision of the complete monitor was not achieved, rather the monitor should have been placed even lower. The procedures of this study may be useful for optimising the individual monitor position depending on the comfortable head and gaze inclination and the vertical zone of clear vision of progressive lenses. For users of general-purpose progressive lenses, it is suggested that low monitor positions allow for clear vision at the monitor and for a physiologically favourable head inclination. Employees may improve their workplace using a flyer providing ergonomic-optometric information.

What Is Scientifically-Based Research on Progress Monitoring?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas

2001-01-01

When teachers use systematic progress monitoring to track their students progress in reading, mathematics, or spelling, they are better able to identify students in need of additional or different forms of instruction, they design stronger instructional programs, and their students achieve better. This document first describes progress monitoring…

Mechanical properties of sugar beet root during storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedomová, Šárka; Kumbár, Vojtěch; Pytel, Roman; Buchar, Jaroslav

2017-10-01

This paper is an investigation via two experimental methods, of the textural properties of sugar beet roots during the storage period. In the work, sugar beet roots mechanical properties were evaluated during the post-harvest period - 1, 8, 22, 43, and 71 days after crop. Both experimental methods, i.e. compression test and puncture test, suggest that the failure strength of the sugar beet root increases with the storage time. The parameters obtained using the puncture test, are more sensitive to the storage duration than those obtained by way of the compression test. We also found that such mechanical properties served as a reliable tool for monitoring the progress of sugar beet roots storage. The described methods could also be used to highlight important information on sugar beet evolution during storage.

Individualized Behavioral Health Monitoring Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mollicone, Daniel

2015-01-01

Behavioral health risks during long-duration space exploration missions are among the most difficult to predict, detect, and mitigate. Given the anticipated extended duration of future missions and their isolated, extreme, and confined environments, there is the possibility that behavior conditions and mental disorders will develop among astronaut crew. Pulsar Informatics, Inc., has developed a health monitoring tool that provides a means to detect and address behavioral disorders and mental conditions at an early stage. The tool integrates all available behavioral measures collected during a mission to identify possible health indicator warning signs within the context of quantitatively tracked mission stressors. It is unobtrusive and requires minimal crew time and effort to train and utilize. The monitoring tool can be deployed in space analog environments for validation testing and ultimate deployment in long-duration space exploration missions.

Presenters in Focus: Updating Your Toolkit for Monitoring Progress of Younger Struggling Readers--Q&A with Nathan Clemens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clemens, Nathan

2017-01-01

Using a data-driven approach to effectively monitor progress remains an important staple for school psychologists. However, progress monitoring approaches vary significantly based on the age and development of the student, requiring a nuanced and unique approach, particularly for young emerging readers. In this Presenters in Focus Q&A,…

Progress Monitoring with Computer Adaptive Assessments: The Impact of Data Collection Schedule on Growth Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Peter M.; Van Norman, Ethan R.; Klingbeil, Dave A.; Parker, David C.

2017-01-01

Although extensive research exists on the use of curriculum-based measures for progress monitoring, little is known about using computer adaptive tests (CATs) for progress-monitoring purposes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the frequency of data collection on individual and group growth estimates using a CAT. Data were…

Cytomegalovirus urinary excretion and long term outcome in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Congenital CMV Longitudinal Study Group.

PubMed

Noyola, D E; Demmler, G J; Williamson, W D; Griesser, C; Sellers, S; Llorente, A; Littman, T; Williams, S; Jarrett, L; Yow, M D

2000-06-01

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection, and both symptomatic and asymptomatic infants may have long term sequelae. Children with congenital CMV infection are chronically infected and excrete CMV in the urine for prolonged periods. However, the effect of prolonged viral replication on the long term outcome of these children is unknown. To determine whether duration of CMV excretion is associated with outcome at 6 years of life in symptomatic and asymptomatic congenitally infected children. Longitudinal cohort study. Children congenitally infected with CMV were identified at birth and followed prospectively in a study of long term effects of congenital CMV infection. The relationship between duration of CMV urinary excretion and growth, neurodevelopment and presence and progression of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) at 6 years of age was determined. There was no significant difference in the duration of viral urinary excretion between children born with asymptomatic (median, 4.55 years) and symptomatic (median, 2.97 years) congenital CMV infection (P = 0.11). Furthermore there was no association between long term growth or cognitive outcome and duration of viral excretion. However, a significantly greater proportion of children who excreted CMV for <4 years had SNHL and progressive SNHL compared with children with CMV excretion >4 years (P = 0.019, P = 0.009, respectively). Children congenitally infected with CMV are chronically infected for years, but the duration of CMV urinary excretion is not associated with abnormalities of growth, or neurodevelopmental deficits. However, SNHL and progressive SNHL were associated with a shorter duration of CMV excretion.

Dacarbazine in combination with bevacizumab for the treatment of unresectable/metastatic melanoma: a phase II study.

PubMed

Ferrucci, Pier F; Minchella, Ida; Mosconi, Massimo; Gandini, Sara; Verrecchia, Francesco; Cocorocchio, Emilia; Passoni, Claudia; Pari, Chiara; Testori, Alessandro; Coco, Paola; Munzone, Elisabetta

2015-06-01

The combined treatment of dacarbazine with an antiangiogenic drug such as bevacizumab may potentiate the therapeutic effects of dacarbazine in metastatic melanoma (MM). Preliminary antitumour activity of dacarbazine plus bevacizumab is evaluated, together with the toxicity and safety profile, in MM patients. This prospective, open-label, phase II study included patients with previously untreated MM or unresectable melanoma. Patients received dacarbazine and bevacizumab until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. The primary efficacy variable was the overall response rate. The secondary efficacy parameters included duration of response, duration of stable disease, time to progression/progression-free survival, time to treatment failure and overall survival. The safety analysis included recordings of adverse events and exposure to study treatment. The intention-to-treat population included 37 patients (24 men and 13 women, mean age 54.2±13.1 years). Overall response rate was 18.9% (seven patients achieved a response) and clinical benefit was 48.6%. In patients who achieved a response, the median duration of response was 16.9 months and the median duration of stable disease was 12.5 months. The median time to progression/progression-free survival and time to treatment failure were 5.5 and 3.1 months, respectively. The median overall survival was 11.4 months. Almost all patients (94.6%) experienced at least one adverse event; however, no new area of toxicity of bevacizumab emerged. The dacarbazine/bevacizumab combination provides benefits compared with dacarbazine monotherapy in historical controls, with an acceptable safety profile. This combination appears to be a valid option in specific subgroups of patients, namely, those triple negative (BRAF, C-KIT and NRAS wild type) or with a BRAF mutation who have already received, or are not eligible for, immunomodulating or targeted agents.

FOUR-YEAR INCIDENCE AND PROGRESSION OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AND MACULAR EDEMA: THE LOS ANGELES LATINO EYE STUDY

PubMed Central

Varma, Rohit; Choudhury, Farzana; Klein, Ronald; Chung, Jessica; Torres, Mina; Azen, Stanley P.

2010-01-01

Purpose To estimate the 4-year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy macular edema (ME), and clinically significant macular edema (CSME) among adult Latinos with diabetes mellitus. Design A population-based, longitudinal study of 4658 self-identified Latinos (primarily Mexican-Americans), residing in Los Angeles, examined at baseline (2000-2003) and at 4 years (2004-2008). Methods Participants underwent a standardized ophthalmic examination. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and CSME were detected by grading of stereoscopic fundus photographs using the Modified Airlie House classification scheme. Chi-square and trend tests were used to assess differences in incidence when stratifying by age and duration of diabetes. Results The 4-year incidence of DR, ME and CSME was 34.0% (182/535) and 5.4% (38/699) and 7.2% (50/699) respectively. Younger persons and those with longer duration of diabetes mellitus had a higher incidence on DR compared to those who were older and had shorter duration of diabetes mellitus. A higher incidence of ME was associated with longer duration of diabetes mellitus (P=0.004). Worsening/Progression of any DR was found in 38.9% (126/324) and improvement occurred in 14.0% (37/265) of participants. Progression from non-proliferative (NPDR) to proliferative DR (PDR) and from NPDR to PDR with high-risk characteristics occurred in 5.3% and 1.9% of participants. Conclusions The 4-year incidence and progression of DR and the incidence of ME and CSME among Latinos are high compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These findings support the need to identify and modify risk factors associated with these long-term complications. PMID:20149342

A generalized model for multi-marker analysis of cell cycle progression in synchrony experiments.

PubMed

Mayhew, Michael B; Robinson, Joshua W; Jung, Boyoun; Haase, Steven B; Hartemink, Alexander J

2011-07-01

To advance understanding of eukaryotic cell division, it is important to observe the process precisely. To this end, researchers monitor changes in dividing cells as they traverse the cell cycle, with the presence or absence of morphological or genetic markers indicating a cell's position in a particular interval of the cell cycle. A wide variety of marker data is available, including information-rich cellular imaging data. However, few formal statistical methods have been developed to use these valuable data sources in estimating how a population of cells progresses through the cell cycle. Furthermore, existing methods are designed to handle only a single binary marker of cell cycle progression at a time. Consequently, they cannot facilitate comparison of experiments involving different sets of markers. Here, we develop a new sampling model to accommodate an arbitrary number of different binary markers that characterize the progression of a population of dividing cells along a branching process. We engineer a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with fluorescently labeled markers of cell cycle progression, and apply our new model to two image datasets we collected from the strain, as well as an independent dataset of different markers. We use our model to estimate the duration of post-cytokinetic attachment between a S.cerevisiae mother and daughter cell. The Java implementation is fast and extensible, and includes a graphical user interface. Our model provides a powerful and flexible cell cycle analysis tool, suitable to any type or combination of binary markers. The software is available from: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~amink/software/cloccs/. michael.mayhew@duke.edu; amink@cs.duke.edu.

A framework for prospectively defining progression rules for internal pilot studies monitoring recruitment.

PubMed

Hampson, Lisa V; Williamson, Paula R; Wilby, Martin J; Jaki, Thomas

2017-01-01

Just over half of publicly funded trials recruit their target sample size within the planned study duration. When recruitment targets are missed, the funder of a trial is faced with the decision of either committing further resources to the study or risk that a worthwhile treatment effect may be missed by an underpowered final analysis. To avoid this challenging situation, when there is insufficient prior evidence to support predicted recruitment rates, funders now require feasibility assessments to be performed in the early stages of trials. Progression criteria are usually specified and agreed with the funder ahead of time. To date, however, the progression rules used are typically ad hoc. In addition, rules routinely permit adaptations to recruitment strategies but do not stipulate criteria for evaluating their effectiveness. In this paper, we develop a framework for planning and designing internal pilot studies which permit a trial to be stopped early if recruitment is disappointing or to continue to full recruitment if enrolment during the feasibility phase is adequate. This framework enables a progression rule to be pre-specified and agreed upon prior to starting a trial. The novel two-stage designs stipulate that if neither of these situations arises, adaptations to recruitment should be made and subsequently evaluated to establish whether they have been successful. We derive optimal progression rules for internal pilot studies which minimise the expected trial overrun and maintain a high probability of completing the study when the recruitment rate is adequate. The advantages of this procedure are illustrated using a real trial example.

The effects of awareness and count duration on adult respiratory rate measurements: An experimental study.

PubMed

Hill, Andrew; Kelly, Eliza; Horswill, Mark S; Watson, Marcus O

2018-02-01

To investigate whether awareness of manual respiratory rate monitoring affects respiratory rate in adults, and whether count duration influences respiratory rate estimates. Nursing textbooks typically suggest that the patient should ideally be unaware of respiratory rate observations; however, there is little published evidence of the effect of awareness on respiratory rate, and none specific to manual measurement. In addition, recommendations about the length of the respiratory rate count vary from text to text, and the relevant empirical evidence is scant, inconsistent and subject to substantial methodological limitations. Experimental study with awareness of respiration monitoring (aware, unaware; randomised between-subjects) and count duration (60 s, 30 s, 15 s; within-subjects) as the independent variables. Respiratory rate (breaths/minute) was the dependent variable. Eighty-two adult volunteers were randomly assigned to aware and unaware conditions. In the baseline block, no live monitoring occurred. In the subsequent experimental block, the researcher informed aware participants that their respiratory rate would be counted, and did so. Respirations were captured throughout via video recording, and counted by blind raters viewing 60-, 30- and 15-s extracts. The data were collected in 2015. There was no baseline difference between the groups. During the experimental block, the respiratory rates of participants in the aware condition were an average of 2.13 breaths/minute lower compared to unaware participants. Reducing the count duration from 1 min to 15 s caused respiratory rate to be underestimated by an average of 2.19 breaths/minute (and 0.95 breaths/minute for 30-s counts). The awareness effect did not depend on count duration. Awareness of monitoring appears to reduce respiratory rate, and shorter monitoring durations yield systematically lower respiratory rate estimates. When interpreting and acting upon respiratory rate data, clinicians should consider the potential influence of these factors, including cumulative effects. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Progress Monitoring the Effects of Daily Report Cards across Elementary and Secondary Settings Using Direct Behavior Rating: Single Item Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Faith G.; Crovello, Nicholas J.; Chafouleas, Sandra M.

2017-01-01

Direct Behavior Rating-Single Item Scales (DBR-SIS) have been advanced as a promising, systematic, behavioral, progress-monitoring method that is flexible, efficient, and defensible. This study aimed to extend existing literature on the use of DBR-SIS in elementary and secondary settings, and to examine methods of monitoring student progress in…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Kindergarten. Technical Report # 0921

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in kindergarten. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2008 and administered to approximately 2800 students from…

Monitoring Progress in Child Poverty Reduction: Methodological Insights and Illustration to the Case Study of Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Jose Manuel

2013-01-01

Important steps have been taken at international summits to set up goals and targets to improve the wellbeing of children worldwide. Now the world also has more and better data to monitor progress. This paper presents a new approach to monitoring progress in child poverty reduction based on the Alkire and Foster adjusted headcount ratio and an…

HIV-1 disease progression in immune-competent HIV-1-infected and breastfeeding mothers participating in the ANRS 12174 clinical trial in Burkina Faso, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia: a cohort study

PubMed Central

Engebretsen, Ingunn M S; Nagot, Nicolas; Meda, Nicolas Yelbomkan; Vallo, Roselyne; Kankasa, Chipepo; Tumwine, James K; Singata-Madliki, Mandisa; Harper, Kim; Hofmeyr, G Justus; Van de Perre, Philippe; Tylleskär, Thorkild

2018-01-01

Objective We have assessed HIV-1 disease progression among HIV-1-positive mothers in relation to duration of any or exclusive breast feeding in the context of ANRS 12174 trial. Methods The analysis was completed on 203, 212, 272 and 529 HIV-1-positive and lactating mothers with CD4 count >350 cells/µL from Burkina Faso, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia, respectively. The trial compared lamivudine and lopinavir/ritonavir as a peri-exposure prophylaxis during a 50-week follow-up time. A multiple logistic regression model was run with the mothers’ weight, CD4 count and HIV-1 viral load as separate dependent variables, then combined into a dependent composite endpoint called HIV-1 disease progression where HIV-1 viral load was replaced by the HIV-1 clinical stage. Exclusive or predominant breast feeding (EPBF) and any breastfeeding duration were the key explanatory variables. Results In the adjusted model, the associations between EPBF duration and weight change, CD4 cell count and the HIV-1 viral load were consistently insignificant. The CD4 cell count was associated with a significantly higher mothers’ body mass index (BMI; a mean increase of 4.9 (95% CI 2.1 to 7.7) CD4 cells/µL per each additional kilogram per square metre of BMI) and haemoglobin concentration (19.4 (95% CI 11.4 to 27.4) CD4 cells/µL per each additional gram per decilitre of haemoglobin concentration). There was no significant association between EPBF duration and HIV-1 disease progression. A higher education level was a factor associated with a slower HIV-1 disease progression. Conclusion Breast feeding was not a risk factor for a faster progression of HIV-1 disease in mothers of this cohort with a baseline CD4 cell count >350 cells/µL. Trial registration number NCT0064026; Post-results. PMID:29626043

Evaluating the Consistency of Current Mainstream Wearable Devices in Health Monitoring: A Comparison Under Free-Living Conditions

PubMed Central

Wen, Dong; Zhang, Xingting; Liu, Xingyu

2017-01-01

Background Wearable devices are gaining increasing market attention; however, the monitoring accuracy and consistency of the devices remains unknown. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the consistency of the monitoring measurements of the latest wearable devices in the state of normal activities to provide advice to the industry and support to consumers in making purchasing choices. Methods Ten pieces of representative wearable devices (2 smart watches, 4 smart bracelets of Chinese brands or foreign brands, and 4 mobile phone apps) were selected, and 5 subjects were employed to simultaneously use all the devices and the apps. From these devices, intact health monitoring data were acquired for 5 consecutive days and analyzed on the degree of differences and the relationships of the monitoring measurements ​​by the different devices. Results The daily measurements by the different devices fluctuated greatly, and the coefficient of variation (CV) fluctuated in the range of 2-38% for the number of steps, 5-30% for distance, 19-112% for activity duration, .1-17% for total energy expenditure (EE), 22-100% for activity EE, 2-44% for sleep duration, and 35-117% for deep sleep duration. After integrating the measurement data of 25 days among the devices, the measurements of the number of steps (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC=.89) and distance (ICC=.84) displayed excellent consistencies, followed by those of activity duration (ICC=.59) and the total EE (ICC=.59) and activity EE (ICC=.57). However, the measurements for sleep duration (ICC=.30) and deep sleep duration (ICC=.27) were poor. For most devices, there was a strong correlation between the number of steps and distance measurements (R2>.95), and for some devices, there was a strong correlation between activity duration measurements and EE measurements (R2>.7). A strong correlation was observed in the measurements of steps, distance and EE from smart watches and mobile phones of the same brand, Apple or Samsung (r>.88). Conclusions Although wearable devices are developing rapidly, the current mainstream devices are only reliable in measuring the number of steps and distance, which can be used as health assessment indicators. However, the measurement consistencies of activity duration, EE, sleep quality, and so on, are still inadequate, which require further investigation and improved algorithms. PMID:28270382

Program Monitoring Practices for Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Anne E.; Marvin, Christine A.

2016-01-01

Program monitoring is an important and necessary assessment practice within the field of early childhood deaf education. Effective program monitoring requires a focus on both the consistent implementation of intervention strategies (fidelity) and the assessment of children's ongoing progress in response to interventions (progress monitoring).…

The effects of electroshock on immune function and disease progression in juvenile spring chinook salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

VanderKooi, S.P.; Maule, A.G.; Schreck, C.B.

2001-01-01

Although much is known about the effects of electroshock on fish physiology, consequences to the immune system and disease progression have not received attention. Our objectives were to determine the effects of electroshock on selected immune function in juvenile spring chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, the mechanism of any observed alteration, and the effects of electroshock on disease progression. We found that the ability of anterior kidney leukocytes to generate antibody-producing cells (APC) was suppressed 3 h after a pulsed-DC electroshock (300 V, 50 Hz, 8 ms pulse width) but recovered within 24 h. This response was similar in timing and magnitude to that of fish subjected to an acute handling stress. The mechanism of suppression is hypothesized to be via an elevation of plasma cortisol concentrations in response to stress. Other monitored immune functions, skin mucous lysozyme levels, and respiratory burst activity were not affected by exposure to electroshock. The progression of a Renibacterium salmoninarum (RS) infection may have been altered after exposure to an electroshock. The electroshock did not affect infection severity or the number of mortalities, but may have accelerated the time to death. The limited duration of APC suppression and lack of effects on lysozyme and respiratory burst, as well as infection severity and mortality levels in RS-infected fish, led us to conclude that electrofishing under the conditions we tested is a safe procedure in regards to immunity and disease.

The long-term course of temporal lobe epilepsy: From unilateral to bilateral interictal epileptiform discharges in repeated video-EEG monitorings.

PubMed

Gollwitzer, Stephanie; Scott, Catherine A; Farrell, Fiona; Bell, Gail S; de Tisi, Jane; Walker, Matthew C; Wehner, Tim; Sander, Josemir W; Hamer, Hajo M; Diehl, Beate

2017-03-01

Bilateral interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) and ictal patterns are common in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and have been associated with decreased chances of seizure freedom after epilepsy surgery. It is unclear whether secondary epileptogenesis, although demonstrated in experimental models, exists in humans and may account for progression of epilepsy. We reviewed consecutive video-EEG recordings from 1992 to 2014 repeated at least two years apart (mean interval 6.14years) in 100 people diagnosed with TLE. Ictal EEG patterns and IED remained restricted to one hemisphere in 36 people (group 1), 46 exhibited bilateral abnormalities from the first recording (group 2), 18 progressed from unilateral to bilateral EEG pathology over time (group 3). No significant differences between the three groups were seen with respect to age at epilepsy onset, duration, or underlying pathology. Extra-temporal IED during the first EEG recording were associated with an increased risk of developing bilateral epileptiform changes over time (hazard ratio 3.67; 95% CI 1.4, 9.4). Our findings provide some support of progression in TLE and raise the possibility of secondary epileptogenesis in humans. The development of an independent contra-lateral epileptogenic focus is known to be associated with a less favorable surgical outcome. We defined reliable EEG markers for an increased risk of progression to more widespread or independent bitemporal epileptogenicity at an early stage, thus allowing for individualized pre-surgical counselling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Climate Variability and Change in Northern Alaska: Updates to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Climate and Permafrost Monitoring Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, F. E.; Clow, G. D.; Meares, D. C.

2004-12-01

Observations of long-term climate and surficial geological processes are sparse in most of the Arctic, despite the fact that this region is highly sensitive to climate change. Instrumental networks that monitor the interplay of climatic variability and geological/cryospheric processes are a necessity for documenting and understanding climate change. Improvements to the spatial coverage and temporal scale of Arctic climate data are in progress. The USGS, in collaboration with The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) currently maintains two types of monitoring networks in northern Alaska: (1) A 15 site network of continuously operating active-layer and climate monitoring stations, and (2) a 21 element array of deep bore-holes in which the thermal state of deep permafrost is monitored. Here, we focus on the USGS Alaska Active Layer and Climate Monitoring Network (AK-CLIM). These 15 stations are deployed in longitudinal transects that span Alaska north of the Brooks Range, (11 in The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, (NPRA), and 4 in The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)). An informative overview and update of the USGS AK-CLIM network is presented, including insight to current data, processing and analysis software, and plans for data telemetry. Data collection began in 1998 and parameters currently measured include air temperature, soil temperatures (5-120 cm), snow depth, incoming and reflected short-wave radiation, soil moisture (15 cm), wind speed and direction. Custom processing and analysis software has been written that calculates additional parameters such as active layer thaw depth, thawing-degree-days, albedo, cloudiness, and duration of seasonal snow cover. Data from selected AK-CLIM stations are now temporally sufficient to begin identifying trends, anomalies, and inter-annual variability in the climate of northern Alaska.

Evolution of telemedicine in the space program and earth applications.

PubMed

Nicogossian, A E; Pober, D F; Roy, S A

2001-01-01

Remote monitoring of crew, spacecraft, and environmental health has always been an integral part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) operations. Crew safety and mission success face a number of challenges in outerspace, including physiological adaptations to microgravity, radiation exposure, extreme temperatures and vacuum, and psychosocial reactions to space flight. The NASA effort to monitor and maintain crew health, system performance, and environmental integrity in space flight is a sophisticated and coordinated program of telemedicine combining cutting-edge engineering with medical expertise. As missions have increased in complexity, NASA telemedicine capabilities have grown apace, underlying its role in the field. At the same time, the terrestrial validation of telemedicine technologies to bring healthcare to remote locations provides feedback, improvement, and enhancement of the space program. As NASA progresses in its space exploration program, astronauts will join missions lasting months, even years, that take them millions of miles from home. These long-duration missions necessitate further technological breakthroughs in tele-operations and autonomous technology. Earth-based monitoring will no longer be real-time, requiring telemedicine capabilities to advance with future explorers as they travel deeper into space. The International Space Station will serve as a testbed for the telemedicine technologies to enable future missions as well as improve the quality of healthcare delivery on Earth.

Evolution of telemedicine in the space program and earth applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicogossian, A. E.; Pober, D. F.; Roy, S. A.

2001-01-01

Remote monitoring of crew, spacecraft, and environmental health has always been an integral part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) operations. Crew safety and mission success face a number of challenges in outerspace, including physiological adaptations to microgravity, radiation exposure, extreme temperatures and vacuum, and psychosocial reactions to space flight. The NASA effort to monitor and maintain crew health, system performance, and environmental integrity in space flight is a sophisticated and coordinated program of telemedicine combining cutting-edge engineering with medical expertise. As missions have increased in complexity, NASA telemedicine capabilities have grown apace, underlying its role in the field. At the same time, the terrestrial validation of telemedicine technologies to bring healthcare to remote locations provides feedback, improvement, and enhancement of the space program. As NASA progresses in its space exploration program, astronauts will join missions lasting months, even years, that take them millions of miles from home. These long-duration missions necessitate further technological breakthroughs in tele-operations and autonomous technology. Earth-based monitoring will no longer be real-time, requiring telemedicine capabilities to advance with future explorers as they travel deeper into space. The International Space Station will serve as a testbed for the telemedicine technologies to enable future missions as well as improve the quality of healthcare delivery on Earth.

Activity and heart rate-based measures for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

PubMed

Bidargaddi, N P; Sarela, A

2008-01-01

Derive activity and heart rate (HR) monitor-based clinically relevant measures for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR). We are currently collecting activity/ECG data from patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation over duration of six weeks. From these data sets, we a) derive various measures which can be used in assessing home-based CR patients remotely and b) investigate the usefulness of continuous ambulatory HR and heart rate variability (HRV) for various core components of CR. The information provided by these measures is interpreted according to the CR guidelines framework by American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), thus showing how these tools can be used in assessing the progress of patients' condition. The usefulness and significance of these measures from a health care professional perspective is also presented by evaluating them against the existing hospital-based measures through examples. Hospital-based CR programs, despite their clinical benefits are severely under-utilized and resource-demanding. Ambulatory monitoring technologies, which provide a means for continuous physiological monitoring of patients at home compared to hospital-based tools, can enable home-based CR. The clinically relevant measures derived from these tools not only reflect patients' condition in a similar way as conventional tools but also show the continuous status of functional capacity (FC).

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 1. Technical Report # 0919

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grade 1. These measures, available as part of easyCBM [TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2008 and administered to approximately 2800 students from schools…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 3. Technical Report # 09-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Lai, Cheng Fei; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 2. Technical Report # 0920

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Lai, Cheng Fei; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 5. Technical Report # 09-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Cheng Fei; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 4. Technical Report # 09-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonzo, Julie; Lai, Cheng Fei; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 7. Technical Report 0908

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Cheng Fei; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

The Development of K-8 Progress Monitoring Measures in Mathematics for Use with the 2% and General Education Populations: Grade 8. Technical Report # 09-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Cheng Fei; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2009-01-01

In this technical report, we describe the development and piloting of a series of mathematics progress monitoring measures intended for use with students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. These measures, available as part of easyCBM[TM], an online progress monitoring assessment system, were developed in 2007 and 2008 and administered to…

An Examination of an Early Intervention Reading Program Focusing on the Progress Monitoring of Literacy Skills and the Reading Self-Concepts of Struggling Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuelson, Teresa C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine progress monitoring, reading self-concept, and the literacy skills of first and second grade struggling readers. Progress monitoring is an instructional process used by teachers to assess students' academic performance on a regular basis, typically weekly or monthly. When based on the skill level of the…

How does the duration of active pushing in labor affect neonatal outcomes?

PubMed

Yli, Branka M; Kro, Grete A Birkeland; Rasmussen, Svein; Khoury, Janette; Norèn, Håkan; Amer-Wåhlin, Isis; Saugstad, Ola Didrik; Stray-Pedersen, Babill

2011-11-19

To assess the effect of time of active pushing (TAP) on neonatal outcome. The study population (n=36,432) was taken from a Swedish randomized control trial on intrapartum monitoring, a European Union fetal electrocardiogram trial, and from Mölndal Hospital. After validation of acid-base samples and TAP, 22,812 cases were accepted for analysis. The median active TAP was 36 min for P0 and 13 min for P≥1 (P<0.001). After adjustments for parity, epidural, labor induction, birth weight, and gender, pushing for 15-29 min (n=6589) relative to pushing for <15 min (n=7264) increased the OR of a cord artery pH of <7.00 to 3.20 (95% CI 1.7-6.0), and that of a base deficit in extracellular fluid of >12 mmol/L to 3.5 (95% CI 1.3-9.0). The group with a cord artery pH of <7.00 had a longer TAP than the group with pH≥7.00: median (5th-95th percentile), 38 (9-107) min vs. 23 (5-87) min, P<0.001. The probability of a spontaneous vaginal delivery decreased significantly with every subsequent increase of 30 min in TAP (P<0.05). The risks of severe acidemia, metabolic acidosis, and deteriorated neonatal outcome gradually increased with the length of TAP (>15 min), while the probability of a spontaneous vaginal delivery decreased with the duration of pushing. We suggest active physiological evaluation of the labor progress together with continuous electronic fetal monitoring during pushing irrespective of guideline thresholds.

19 CFR 360.105 - Duration of the steel import licensing requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Duration of the steel import licensing requirement. 360.105 Section 360.105 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.105 Duration of the steel import licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.105 - Duration of the steel import licensing requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Duration of the steel import licensing requirement. 360.105 Section 360.105 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.105 Duration of the steel import licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.105 - Duration of the steel import licensing requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Duration of the steel import licensing requirement. 360.105 Section 360.105 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.105 Duration of the steel import licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.105 - Duration of the steel import licensing requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Duration of the steel import licensing requirement. 360.105 Section 360.105 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.105 Duration of the steel import licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.105 - Duration of the steel import licensing requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Duration of the steel import licensing requirement. 360.105 Section 360.105 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.105 Duration of the steel import licensing requirement...

The Effects of Continuous Vs. Intermittent Self-Monitoring on the Duration and Magnitude of Behavior Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schayer, Laurel L.; Schroeder, Harold E.

Continuous self-monitoring (CSM) was compared with a demand characteristics control condition (non self-monitoring), with intermittent self-monitoring (ISM) and with another control condition. It was predicted that both self-monitoring conditions would produce effects over and above the demand characteristics inherent in the self-monitoring…

HALT to qualify electronic packages: a proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesham, Rajeshuni

2014-03-01

A proof of concept of the Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) technique was explored to assess and optimize electronic packaging designs for long duration deep space missions in a wide temperature range (-150°C to +125°C). HALT is a custom hybrid package suite of testing techniques using environments such as extreme temperatures and dynamic shock step processing from 0g up to 50g of acceleration. HALT testing used in this study implemented repetitive shock on the test vehicle components at various temperatures to precipitate workmanship and/or manufacturing defects to show the weak links of the designs. The purpose is to reduce the product development cycle time for improvements to the packaging design qualification. A test article was built using advanced electronic package designs and surface mount technology processes, which are considered useful for a variety of JPL and NASA projects, i.e. (surface mount packages such as ball grid arrays (BGA), plastic ball grid arrays (PBGA), very thin chip array ball grid array (CVBGA), quad flat-pack (QFP), micro-lead-frame (MLF) packages, several passive components, etc.). These packages were daisy-chained and independently monitored during the HALT test. The HALT technique was then implemented to predict reliability and assess survivability of these advanced packaging techniques for long duration deep space missions in much shorter test durations. Test articles were built using advanced electronic package designs that are considered useful in various NASA projects. All the advanced electronic packages were daisychained independently to monitor the continuity of the individual electronic packages. Continuity of the daisy chain packages was monitored during the HALT testing using a data logging system. We were able to test the boards up to 40g to 50g shock levels at temperatures ranging from +125°C to -150°C. The HALT system can deliver 50g shock levels at room temperature. Several tests were performed by subjecting the test boards to various g levels ranging from 5g to 50g, test durations of 10 minutes to 60 minutes, hot temperatures of up to +125°C and cold temperatures down to -150°C. During the HALT test, electrical continuity measurements of the PBGA package showed an open-circuit, whereas the BGA, MLF, and QFPs showed signs of small variations of electrical continuity measurements. The electrical continuity anomaly of the PBGA occurred in the test board within 12 hours of commencing the accelerated test. Similar test boards were assembled, thermal cycled independently from -150°C to +125°C and monitored for electrical continuity through each package design. The PBGA package on the test board showed an anomalous electrical continuity behavior after 959 thermal cycles. Each thermal cycle took around 2.33 hours, so that a total test time to failure of the PBGA was 2,237 hours (or ~3.1 months) due to thermal cycling alone. The accelerated technique (thermal cycling + shock) required only 12 hours to cause a failure in the PBGA electronic package. Compared to the thermal cycle only test, this was an acceleration of ~186 times (more than 2 orders of magnitude). This acceleration process can save significant time and resources for predicting the life of a package component in a given environment, assuming the failure mechanisms are similar in both the tests. Further studies are in progress to make systematic evaluations of the HALT technique on various other advanced electronic packaging components on the test board. With this information one will be able to estimate the number of mission thermal cycles to failure with a much shorter test program. Further studies are in progress to make systematic study of various components, constant temperature range for both the tests. Therefore, one can estimate the number of hours to fail in a given thermal and shock levels for a given test board physical properties.

Risk factors and serological markers of liver cirrhosis after Fontan procedure.

PubMed

Shimizu, Mikiko; Miyamoto, Kenji; Nishihara, Yunosuke; Izumi, Gaku; Sakai, Shuji; Inai, Kei; Nishikawa, Toshio; Nakanishi, Toshio

2016-09-01

Liver cirrhosis (LC), which may result in hepatic failure or cancer, has been reported in patients after Fontan procedure. The purpose of this study was to clarify the frequency and histological characteristics of LC, and to evaluate the risk factors and serological markers of LC with Fontan circulation. Retrospective review of contrast-enhanced CT scans (CT) of the liver was carried out in 57 patients after Fontan procedure. Patients were divided into two groups: LC group (n = 31) and no LC group (n = 26). Age at Fontan procedure, duration after Fontan procedure, catheterization data, and history of failing Fontan circulation were compared between groups. Serological data including γ-GTP and hyaluronic acid were compared. Histology of autopsy specimens was assessed when available. Duration after Fontan procedure was significantly longer in LC group than no LC group. History of failing Fontan circulation was more frequent in LC group than in no LC group. There was no correlation between type of procedure (APC/Bjork/lateral tunnel/TCPC) and LC in this series. Serum hyaluronic acid, γ-GTP, and Forns index were significantly higher in LC group. Significant risk factors for LC were duration after Fontan procedure (>20 years). In autopsy specimens, histopathological changes of LC were observed predominantly in the central venous area. LC diagnosed with CT is frequent in patients long after Fontan procedure, especially after 20 years. Hyaluronic acid and γ-GTP could be useful markers to monitor the progression of liver fibrosis in Fontan patients.

Assessment of progressively delayed prompts on guided skill learning in rats.

PubMed

Reid, Alliston K; Futch, Sara E; Ball, Katherine M; Knight, Aubrey G; Tucker, Martha

2017-03-01

We examined the controlling factors that allow a prompted skill to become autonomous in a discrete-trials implementation of Touchette's (1971) progressively delayed prompting procedure, but our subjects were rats rather than children with disabilities. Our prompted skill was a left-right lever-press sequence guided by two panel lights. We manipulated (a) the effectiveness of the guiding lights prompt and (b) the presence or absence of a progressively delayed prompt in four groups of rats. The less effective prompt yielded greater autonomy than the more effective prompt. The ability of the progressively delayed prompt procedure to produce behavioral autonomy depended upon characteristics of the obtained delay (trial duration) rather than on the pending prompt. Sequence accuracy was reliably higher in unprompted trials than in prompted trials, and this difference was maintained in the 2 groups that received no prompts but yielded equivalent trial durations. Overall sequence accuracy decreased systematically as trial duration increased. Shorter trials and their greater accuracy were correlated with higher overall reinforcement rates for faster responding. Waiting for delayed prompts (even if no actual prompt was provided) was associated with lower overall reinforcement rate by decreasing accuracy and by lengthening trials. These findings extend results from previous studies regarding the controlling factors in delayed prompting procedures applied to children with disabilities.

19 CFR 360.104 - Steel import monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Steel import monitoring. 360.104 Section 360.104 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.104 Steel import monitoring. (a) Throughout the duration of the licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.104 - Steel import monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Steel import monitoring. 360.104 Section 360.104 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.104 Steel import monitoring. (a) Throughout the duration of the licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.104 - Steel import monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Steel import monitoring. 360.104 Section 360.104 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.104 Steel import monitoring. (a) Throughout the duration of the licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.104 - Steel import monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Steel import monitoring. 360.104 Section 360.104 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.104 Steel import monitoring. (a) Throughout the duration of the licensing requirement...

19 CFR 360.104 - Steel import monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Steel import monitoring. 360.104 Section 360.104 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STEEL IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM § 360.104 Steel import monitoring. (a) Throughout the duration of the licensing requirement...

Training General Education Pupils to Monitor Reading Using Curriculum-Based Measurement Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentz, Johnell; And Others

1990-01-01

Although systematic monitoring of student progress has been associated with improved achievement, few teachers engage in progress monitoring because of testing-time requirements. Compared accuracy of 14 trained fourth- and fifth-grade general education students' curriculum-based reading assessments of second and third graders to accuracy of…

Use of paravascular admittance waveforms to monitor relative change in arterial blood pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielinski, Todd M.; Hettrick, Doug; Cho, Yong

2010-04-01

Non-invasive methods to monitor ambulatory blood pressure often have limitations that can affect measurement accuracy and patient adherence [1]. Minimally invasive measurement of a relative blood pressure surrogate with an implantable device may provide a useful chronic diagnostic and monitoring tool. We assessed a technique that uses electrocardiogram and paravascular admittance waveform morphology analysis to one, measure a time duration (vascular tone index, VTI in milliseconds) change from the electrocardiogram R-wave to admittance waveform peak and two, measure the admittance waveform minimum, maximum and magnitude as indicators of change in arterial compliance/distensibility or pulse pressure secondary to change in afterload. Methods: Five anesthetized domestic pigs (32 ± 4.2 kg) were used to study the effects of phenylephrine (1-5 ug/kg/min) on femoral artery pressure and admittance waveform morphology measured with a quadrapolar electrode array catheter placed next to the femoral artery to assess the relative change in arterial compliance due to change in peripheral vascular tone. Results: Statistical difference was observed (p < 0.05) comparing baseline VTI to phenylephrine VTI (246 ± .05 ms to 320 ± .07 ms) and baseline admittance waveform maximum to phenylephrine admittance waveform maximum (0.0148 ± .002 siemens to 0.0151 ± .002 siemens). Conclusion: Chronic minimally invasive admittance measurement techniques that monitor relative change in blood pressure may be suitable for implantable devices to detect progression of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension.

Evaluating the Consistency of Current Mainstream Wearable Devices in Health Monitoring: A Comparison Under Free-Living Conditions.

PubMed

Wen, Dong; Zhang, Xingting; Liu, Xingyu; Lei, Jianbo

2017-03-07

Wearable devices are gaining increasing market attention; however, the monitoring accuracy and consistency of the devices remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the consistency of the monitoring measurements of the latest wearable devices in the state of normal activities to provide advice to the industry and support to consumers in making purchasing choices. Ten pieces of representative wearable devices (2 smart watches, 4 smart bracelets of Chinese brands or foreign brands, and 4 mobile phone apps) were selected, and 5 subjects were employed to simultaneously use all the devices and the apps. From these devices, intact health monitoring data were acquired for 5 consecutive days and analyzed on the degree of differences and the relationships of the monitoring measurements ​​by the different devices. The daily measurements by the different devices fluctuated greatly, and the coefficient of variation (CV) fluctuated in the range of 2-38% for the number of steps, 5-30% for distance, 19-112% for activity duration, .1-17% for total energy expenditure (EE), 22-100% for activity EE, 2-44% for sleep duration, and 35-117% for deep sleep duration. After integrating the measurement data of 25 days among the devices, the measurements of the number of steps (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC=.89) and distance (ICC=.84) displayed excellent consistencies, followed by those of activity duration (ICC=.59) and the total EE (ICC=.59) and activity EE (ICC=.57). However, the measurements for sleep duration (ICC=.30) and deep sleep duration (ICC=.27) were poor. For most devices, there was a strong correlation between the number of steps and distance measurements (R 2 >.95), and for some devices, there was a strong correlation between activity duration measurements and EE measurements (R 2 >.7). A strong correlation was observed in the measurements of steps, distance and EE from smart watches and mobile phones of the same brand, Apple or Samsung (r>.88). Although wearable devices are developing rapidly, the current mainstream devices are only reliable in measuring the number of steps and distance, which can be used as health assessment indicators. However, the measurement consistencies of activity duration, EE, sleep quality, and so on, are still inadequate, which require further investigation and improved algorithms. ©Dong Wen, Xingting Zhang, Xingyu Liu, Jianbo Lei. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 07.03.2017.

A generalized model for multi-marker analysis of cell cycle progression in synchrony experiments

PubMed Central

Mayhew, Michael B.; Robinson, Joshua W.; Jung, Boyoun; Haase, Steven B.; Hartemink, Alexander J.

2011-01-01

Motivation: To advance understanding of eukaryotic cell division, it is important to observe the process precisely. To this end, researchers monitor changes in dividing cells as they traverse the cell cycle, with the presence or absence of morphological or genetic markers indicating a cell's position in a particular interval of the cell cycle. A wide variety of marker data is available, including information-rich cellular imaging data. However, few formal statistical methods have been developed to use these valuable data sources in estimating how a population of cells progresses through the cell cycle. Furthermore, existing methods are designed to handle only a single binary marker of cell cycle progression at a time. Consequently, they cannot facilitate comparison of experiments involving different sets of markers. Results: Here, we develop a new sampling model to accommodate an arbitrary number of different binary markers that characterize the progression of a population of dividing cells along a branching process. We engineer a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with fluorescently labeled markers of cell cycle progression, and apply our new model to two image datasets we collected from the strain, as well as an independent dataset of different markers. We use our model to estimate the duration of post-cytokinetic attachment between a S.cerevisiae mother and daughter cell. The Java implementation is fast and extensible, and includes a graphical user interface. Our model provides a powerful and flexible cell cycle analysis tool, suitable to any type or combination of binary markers. Availability: The software is available from: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~amink/software/cloccs/. Contact: michael.mayhew@duke.edu; amink@cs.duke.edu PMID:21685084

Progression of Renal Insufficiency in Patients with Essential Hypertension Treated with Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System Blockers: An Electrocardiographic Correlation.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Padial, Luis; Akerström, Finn; Barderas, María G; Vivanco, Fernando; Arias, Miguel A; Segura, Julian; Ruilope, Luis M

2017-12-08

There is a frequent association between renal insufficiency and cardiovascular disease in patients with essential hypertension (HTN). The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between ECG parameters and the progress of renal damage in patients with treated HTN. 109 patients with HTN had their microalbuminuria monitored over a 3-year time frame. During the last 3 months of follow-up, an ECG was recorded. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the deterioration of their renal function: normoalbuminuria during the study period (normo-normo; n = 51); normoalbuminuria developing microalbuminuria (normo-micro; n = 29); and microalbuminuria at baseline (micro-micro; n = 29). There were no differences in presence of left ventricular hypertrophy between the 3 groups. RV6/RV5 >1 was observed more frequently as renal function declined ( p = 0.025). The 12-lead QRS-complex voltage-duration product was significantly increased in patients without microalbuminuria at baseline who went on to develop microalbuminuria ( p = 0.006). Patients who developed microalbuminuria during follow-up, with positive Cornell voltage criteria, showed a lesser degree of progression of microalbuminuria when compared with the rest of the subgroups ( p = 0.044). Furthermore, patients with microalbuminuria at baseline treated with angiotensin receptor blockers and diuretics, and positive Cornell voltage criteria, showed a higher degree of microalbuminuria compared to those with negative Cornell voltage criteria ( p = 0.016). In patients with HTN, we identified some ECG parameters, which predict renal disease progression in patients with HTN, which may permit the identification of patients who are at risk of renal disease progression, despite optimal antihypertensive pharmacotherapy.

Fetal Electrocardiogram Extraction and Analysis Using Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Wavelet Transformation Techniques.

PubMed

Sutha, P; Jayanthi, V E

2017-12-08

Birth defect-related demise is mainly due to congenital heart defects. In the earlier stage of pregnancy, fetus problem can be identified by finding information about the fetus to avoid stillbirths. The gold standard used to monitor the health status of the fetus is by Cardiotachography(CTG), cannot be used for long durations and continuous monitoring. There is a need for continuous and long duration monitoring of fetal ECG signals to study the progressive health status of the fetus using portable devices. The non-invasive method of electrocardiogram recording is one of the best method used to diagnose fetal cardiac problem rather than the invasive methods.The monitoring of the fECG requires development of a miniaturized hardware and a efficient signal processing algorithms to extract the fECG embedded in the mother ECG. The paper discusses a prototype hardware developed to monitor and record the raw mother ECG signal containing the fECG and a signal processing algorithm to extract the fetal Electro Cardiogram signal. We have proposed two methods of signal processing, first is based on the Least Mean Square (LMS) Adaptive Noise Cancellation technique and the other method is based on the Wavelet Transformation technique. A prototype hardware was designed and developed to acquire the raw ECG signal containing the mother and fetal ECG and the signal processing techniques were used to eliminate the noises and extract the fetal ECG and the fetal Heart Rate Variability was studied. Both the methods were evaluated with the signal acquired from a fetal ECG simulator, from the Physionet database and that acquired from the subject. Both the methods are evaluated by finding heart rate and its variability, amplitude spectrum and mean value of extracted fetal ECG. Also the accuracy, sensitivity and positive predictive value are also determined for fetal QRS detection technique. In this paper adaptive filtering technique uses Sign-sign LMS algorithm and wavelet techniques with Daubechies wavelet, employed along with de noising techniques for the extraction of fetal Electrocardiogram.Both the methods are having good sensitivity and accuracy. In adaptive method the sensitivity is 96.83, accuracy 89.87, wavelet sensitivity is 95.97 and accuracy is 88.5. Additionally, time domain parameters from the plot of heart rate variability of mother and fetus are analyzed.

Analysis of inflight sleep, experiment M008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellaway, P.

1971-01-01

The feasibility of recording the electroencephalogram during space flight is demonstrated. The precise information that is collected with the electroencephalograph regarding the duration, depth, and number of sleep periods implies that electroencephalogram monitoring should be considered for routine use in the long-duration space flights that are contemplated for the Apollo Program and other programs. The importance of such information in the direction and execution of the flight, both to the medical monitors and to the crewmembers, is obvious.

Dominant frequency increase rate predicts transition from paroxysmal to long-term persistent atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Martins, Raphael P; Kaur, Kuljeet; Hwang, Elliot; Ramirez, Rafael J; Willis, B Cicero; Filgueiras-Rama, David; Ennis, Steven R; Takemoto, Yoshio; Ponce-Balbuena, Daniela; Zarzoso, Manuel; O'Connell, Ryan P; Musa, Hassan; Guerrero-Serna, Guadalupe; Avula, Uma Mahesh R; Swartz, Michael F; Bhushal, Sandesh; Deo, Makarand; Pandit, Sandeep V; Berenfeld, Omer; Jalife, José

2014-04-08

Little is known about the mechanisms underlying the transition from paroxysmal to persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). In an ovine model of long-standing persistent AF we tested the hypothesis that the rate of electric and structural remodeling, assessed by dominant frequency (DF) changes, determines the time at which AF becomes persistent. Self-sustained AF was induced by atrial tachypacing. Seven sheep were euthanized 11.5±2.3 days after the transition to persistent AF and without reversal to sinus rhythm; 7 sheep were euthanized after 341.3±16.7 days of long-standing persistent AF. Seven sham-operated animals were in sinus rhythm for 1 year. DF was monitored continuously in each group. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, patch clamping, and histological analyses were used to determine the changes in functional ion channel expression and structural remodeling. Atrial dilatation, mitral valve regurgitation, myocyte hypertrophy, and atrial fibrosis occurred progressively and became statistically significant after the transition to persistent AF, with no evidence for left ventricular dysfunction. DF increased progressively during the paroxysmal-to-persistent AF transition and stabilized when AF became persistent. Importantly, the rate of DF increase correlated strongly with the time to persistent AF. Significant action potential duration abbreviation, secondary to functional ion channel protein expression changes (CaV1.2, NaV1.5, and KV4.2 decrease; Kir2.3 increase), was already present at the transition and persisted for 1 year of follow up. In the sheep model of long-standing persistent AF, the rate of DF increase predicts the time at which AF stabilizes and becomes persistent, reflecting changes in action potential duration and densities of sodium, L-type calcium, and inward rectifier currents.

The Influence of Psycholinguistic Variables on Articulatory Errors in Naming in Progressive Motor Speech Degeneration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Code, Chris; Tree, Jeremy; Ball, Martin

2011-01-01

We describe an analysis of speech errors on a confrontation naming task in a man with progressive speech degeneration of 10-year duration from Pick's disease. C.S. had a progressive non-fluent aphasia together with a motor speech impairment and early assessment indicated some naming impairments. There was also an absence of significant…

Ibrutinib versus ofatumumab in previously treated chronic lymphoid leukemia.

PubMed

Byrd, John C; Brown, Jennifer R; O'Brien, Susan; Barrientos, Jacqueline C; Kay, Neil E; Reddy, Nishitha M; Coutre, Steven; Tam, Constantine S; Mulligan, Stephen P; Jaeger, Ulrich; Devereux, Steve; Barr, Paul M; Furman, Richard R; Kipps, Thomas J; Cymbalista, Florence; Pocock, Christopher; Thornton, Patrick; Caligaris-Cappio, Federico; Robak, Tadeusz; Delgado, Julio; Schuster, Stephen J; Montillo, Marco; Schuh, Anna; de Vos, Sven; Gill, Devinder; Bloor, Adrian; Dearden, Claire; Moreno, Carol; Jones, Jeffrey J; Chu, Alvina D; Fardis, Maria; McGreivy, Jesse; Clow, Fong; James, Danelle F; Hillmen, Peter

2014-07-17

In patients with chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), a short duration of response to therapy or adverse cytogenetic abnormalities are associated with a poor outcome. We evaluated the efficacy of ibrutinib, a covalent inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase, in patients at risk for a poor outcome. In this multicenter, open-label, phase 3 study, we randomly assigned 391 patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or SLL to receive daily ibrutinib or the anti-CD20 antibody ofatumumab. The primary end point was the duration of progression-free survival, with the duration of overall survival and the overall response rate as secondary end points. At a median follow-up of 9.4 months, ibrutinib significantly improved progression-free survival; the median duration was not reached in the ibrutinib group (with a rate of progression-free survival of 88% at 6 months), as compared with a median of 8.1 months in the ofatumumab group (hazard ratio for progression or death in the ibrutinib group, 0.22; P<0.001). Ibrutinib also significantly improved overall survival (hazard ratio for death, 0.43; P=0.005). At 12 months, the overall survival rate was 90% in the ibrutinib group and 81% in the ofatumumab group. The overall response rate was significantly higher in the ibrutinib group than in the ofatumumab group (42.6% vs. 4.1%, P<0.001). An additional 20% of ibrutinib-treated patients had a partial response with lymphocytosis. Similar effects were observed regardless of whether patients had a chromosome 17p13.1 deletion or resistance to purine analogues. The most frequent nonhematologic adverse events were diarrhea, fatigue, pyrexia, and nausea in the ibrutinib group and fatigue, infusion-related reactions, and cough in the ofatumumab group. Ibrutinib, as compared with ofatumumab, significantly improved progression-free survival, overall survival, and response rate among patients with previously treated CLL or SLL. (Funded by Pharmacyclics and Janssen; RESONATE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01578707.).

Ibrutinib versus Ofatumumab in Previously Treated Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia

PubMed Central

Byrd, J.C.; Brown, J.R.; O’Brien, S.; Barrientos, J.C.; Kay, N.E.; Reddy, N.M.; Coutre, S.; Tam, C.S.; Mulligan, S.P.; Jaeger, U.; Devereux, S.; Barr, P.M.; Furman, R.R.; Kipps, T.J.; Cymbalista, F.; Pocock, C.; Thornton, P.; Caligaris-Cappio, F.; Robak, T.; Delgado, J.; Schuster, S.J.; Montillo, M.; Schuh, A.; de Vos, S.; Gill, D.; Bloor, A.; Dearden, C.; Moreno, C.; Jones, J.J.; Chu, A.D.; Fardis, M.; McGreivy, J.; Clow, F.; James, D.F.; Hillmen, P.

2014-01-01

Background In patients with chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), a short duration of response to therapy or adverse cytogenetic abnormalities are associated with a poor outcome. We evaluated the efficacy of ibrutinib, a covalent inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, in patients at risk for a poor outcome. Methods In this multicenter, open-label, phase 3 study, we randomly assigned 391 patients with relapsed or refractory CLL or SLL to receive daily ibrutinib or the anti-CD20 antibody ofatumumab. The primary end point was the duration of progression-free survival, with the duration of overall survival and the overall response rate as secondary end points. Results At a median follow-up of 9.4 months, ibrutinib significantly improved progression-free survival; the median duration was not reached in the ibrutinib group (with a rate of progression-free survival of 88% at 6 months), as compared with a median of 8.1 months in the ofatumumab group (hazard ratio for progression or death in the ibrutinib group, 0.22; P<0.001). Ibrutinib also significantly improved overall survival (hazard ratio for death, 0.43; P = 0.005). At 12 months, the overall survival rate was 90% in the ibrutinib group and 81% in the ofatumumab group. The overall response rate was significantly higher in the ibrutinib group than in the ofatumumab group (42.6% vs. 4.1%, P<0.001). An additional 20% of ibrutinib-treated patients had a partial response with lymphocytosis. Similar effects were observed regardless of whether patients had a chromosome 17p13.1 deletion or resistance to purine analogues. The most frequent nonhematologic adverse events were diarrhea, fatigue, pyrexia, and nausea in the ibrutinib group and fatigue, infusion-related reactions, and cough in the ofatumumab group. Conclusions Ibrutinib, as compared with ofatumumab, significantly improved progression-free survival, overall survival, and response rate among patients with previously treated CLL or SLL. (Funded by Pharmacyclics and Janssen; RESONATE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01578707.) PMID:24881631

Assessing first-stage labor progression and its relationship to complications.

PubMed

Hamilton, Emily F; Warrick, Philip A; Collins, Kathleen; Smith, Samuel; Garite, Thomas J

2016-03-01

New labor curves have challenged the traditional understanding of the general pattern of dilation and descent in labor. They also revealed wide variation in the time to advance in dilation. An interval of arrest such as 4 hours did not fall beyond normal limits until dilation had reached 6 cm. Thus, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists/Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine first-stage arrest criteria, based in part on these findings, are applicable only in late labor. The wide range of time to dilate is unavoidable because cervical dilation has neither a precise nor direct relationship to time. Newer statistical techniques (multifactorial models) can improve precision by incorporating several factors that are related directly to labor progress. At each examination, the calculations adapt to the mother's current labor conditions. They produce a quantitative assessment that is expressed in percentiles. Low percentiles indicate potentially problematic labor progression. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between first-stage labor progress- and labor-related complications with the use of 2 different assessment methods. The first method was based on arrest of dilation definitions. The other method used percentile rankings of dilation or station based on adaptive multifactorial models. We included all 4703 cephalic-presenting, term, singleton births with electronic fetal monitoring and cord gases at 2 academic community referral hospitals in 2012 and 2013. We assessed electronic data for route of delivery, all dilation and station examinations, newborn infant status, electronic fetal monitoring tracings, and cord blood gases. The labor-related complication groups included 272 women with cesarean delivery for first-stage arrest, 558 with cesarean delivery for fetal heart rate concerns, 178 with obstetric hemorrhage, and 237 with neonatal depression, which left 3004 women in the spontaneous vaginal birth group. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for each assessment method by measurement of the sensitivity for each complication vs the false-positive rate in the normal reference group. The duration of arrest at ≥6 cm dilation showed poor levels of discrimination for the cesarean delivery interventions (area under the curve, 0.55-0.65; P < .01) and no significant relationship to hemorrhage or neonatal depression. The dilation and station percentiles showed high discrimination for the cesarean delivery-related outcomes (area under the curve, 0.78-0.93; P < .01) and low discrimination for the clinical outcomes of hemorrhage and neonatal depression (area under the curve, 0.58-0.61; P < .01). Duration of arrest of dilation at ≥6 cm showed little or no discrimination for any of the complications. In comparison, percentile rankings that were based on the adaptive multifactorial models showed much higher discrimination for cesarean delivery interventions and better, but low discrimination for hemorrhage. Adaptive multifactorial models present a different method to assess labor progress. Rather than "pass/fail" criteria that are applicable only to dilation in late labor, they produce percentile rankings, assess 2 essential processes for vaginal birth (dilation and descent), and can be applied from 3 cm onward. Given the limitations of labor-progress assessment based solely on the passage of time and because of the extreme variation in decision-making for cesarean delivery for labor disorders, the types of mathematic analyses that are described in this article are logical and promising steps to help standardize labor assessment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiscale assessment of progress of electrification in Indonesia based on brightness level derived from nighttime satellite imagery.

PubMed

Ramdani, Fatwa; Setiani, Putri

2017-06-01

Availability of electricity can be used as an indicator to proximate parameters related to human well-being. Overall, the electrification process in Indonesia has been accelerating in the past two decades. Unfortunately, monitoring the country's progress on its effort to provide wider access to electricity poses challenges due to inconsistency of data provided by each national bureau, and limited availability of information. This study attempts to provide a reliable measure by employing nighttime satellite imagery to observe and to map the progress of electrification within a duration of 20 years, from 1993 to 2013. Brightness of 67,021 settlement-size points in 1993, 2003, and 2013 was assessed using data from DMSP/OLS instruments to study the electrification progress in the three service regions (Sumatera, Java-Bali, and East Indonesia) of the country's public electricity company, PLN. Observation of all service areas shows that the increase in brightness, which correspond with higher electricity development and consumption, has positive correlation with both population density (R 2  = 0.70) and urban change (R 2  = 0.79). Moreover, urban change has a stronger correlation with brightness, which is probably due to the high energy consumption in urban area per capita. This study also found that the brightness in Java-Bali region is very dominant, while the brightness in other areas has been lagging during the period of analysis. The slow development of electricity infrastructure, particularly in major parts of East Indonesia region, affects the low economic growth in some areas and formed vicious cycle.

Incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy in Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes: 8 year follow-up study of the Japan Diabetes Complications Study (JDCS).

PubMed

Kawasaki, R; Tanaka, S; Tanaka, S; Yamamoto, T; Sone, H; Ohashi, Y; Akanuma, Y; Yamada, N; Yamashita, H

2011-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and progression rates of diabetic retinopathy and their associations in Japanese individuals with type 2 diabetes. This is a part of the Japan Diabetic Complications Study (JDCS), a multi-centred randomised trial of type 2 diabetes patients aged 40-70 years with an 8 year follow-up. There were 1,221 patients without diabetic retinopathy at baseline; incidence of diabetic retinopathy was defined as the development of any diabetic retinopathy. There were 410 patients with mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy at baseline; progression of diabetic retinopathy was defined as the development of severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. We used multivariate proportional Cox hazard models, and generalised additive models were also applied to identify potential threshold effect. The incidence and progression rate of diabetic retinopathy was 38.3/1,000 person-years and 21.1/1,000 person-years, respectively. Higher HbA(1c) (adjusted HR [aHR] per 1% [10.9 mmol/mol] 1.36 [95% CI 1.28-1.45]), longer duration of diabetes (aHR per 5 year period 1.26 [95% CI 1.17-1.35]), higher systolic blood pressure (aHR per +10 mmHg 1.01 [95% CI 1.00-1.02]) and higher body mass index (aHR per 1 kg/m(2) 1.05 [95% CI 1.00-1.09]) were associated with incident diabetic retinopathy. The association between HbA(1c) and incident diabetic retinopathy was linear; the association with duration of diabetes increased rapidly between 5 and 10 years. Higher HbA(1c) was also associated with progression of diabetic retinopathy (aHR per 1% [10.9 mmol/mol] 1.66 [95% CI 1.41-1.96]). Observed incidence and progression rates of diabetic retinopathy seemed lower than that in western populations. HbA(1c) was the only factor associated with both incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. The strength of the association between duration of diabetes and incidence of diabetic retinopathy increased rapidly during a period of 5 to 10 years duration of diabetes. C000000222 ( www.umin.ac.jp ) This study is supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.

Monitoring of patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy in a specialized diabetic nephropathy clinic seems to be beneficial.

PubMed

Vallianou, N; Stratigou, T; Paikopoulou, A; Apostolou, T; Vlassopoulou, B; Tsagarakis, S; Ioannidis, G

2018-04-13

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of DM2 patients with nephropathy when they are under surveillance of a joined clinic run by endocrinologists & nephrologists. A cohort of 106 patients with DM2, 42-83 years of age, and eGFR < 60 ml/min/m 2 were included. Age, sex, duration of diabetes, duration of attending our clinic, smoking habits, BMI, data regarding ischemic heart disease and induction of hemodialysis, urine albumin excretion (UAE) levels, eGFR (MDRD equation) and values of various biochemical parameters were recorded too. Follow-up period ranged from one to 25 years. Paired samples t-test and non-parametrical Kruskal-Wallis test were used for the analyses of the data. Fifty percent of patients had no further progression, 25.9% improvement, while 24.1% had worsening of the UAE levels. During the follow-up in the joined clinic, there was a smaller than the expected from the medical literature decrease in median eGFR, i.e. 2,3 ml/min/m 2 and a statistically significant improvement in glycosylated hemoglobin levels from 8.0% to 7.4% (p = 0.016). Time in years of follow-up in the joined clinic of our hospital appeared to be the most significant factor in the improvement or stabilization against deterioration of the UAE levels (p = 0.018). Close follow-up of DM2 patients with eGFR < 60 ml/min/m 2 has resulted in a minor annual eGFR decrease. Monitoring of these patients in a specialized diabetic nephropathy clinic is beneficial for this group of patients for delaying the occurrence of end-stage renal disease. Copyright © 2018 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of objective records and misreporting of personal radio use in a cohort of British Police forces (the Airwave Health Monitoring Study).

PubMed

Vergnaud, Anne-Claire; Aresu, Maria; McRobie, Dennis; Singh, Deepa; Spear, Jeanette; Heard, Andy; Elliott, Paul

2016-07-01

Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a digital communication system progressively adopted by Police Forces in Great Britain since 2001. In 2000, the UK Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones suggested that exposure to TETRA-like signal modulation might have adverse effects on health. The Airwave Health Monitoring Study was established to investigate possible long-term effects of TETRA use on health. This requires estimation of TETRA use among Police Force employees participating in the study. We investigated TETRA usage among 42,112 Police officers and staff. An algorithm was created to link each personal radio user to his/her objective radio usage records for the 26,035 participants with available data. We linked 16,577 personal radio users to their objective radio usage records and compared self-reported usage with data from the TETRA operator for those individuals. For weekly usage, the correlation between self-reported and operator-derived personal radio usage was r=0.69 for number and r=0.59 for the duration of calls. Compared with objective data, participants under-reported the number of calls and over-reported the duration of calls by a factor of around 4 and 1.6 respectively. Correlations were lower and bias higher when looking at daily usage. Where both objective and self-reported information were available, our study showed substantial misreporting in self-reported TETRA usage. Successful linkage of large numbers of TETRA users to objective data on their personal radios will allow objective assessment of TETRA radio usage for these participants and development of algorithms to correct bias in self-reported data for the remainder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric plume progression as a function of time and distance from the release point for radioactive isotopes.

PubMed

Eslinger, Paul W; Bowyer, Ted W; Cameron, Ian M; Hayes, James C; Miley, Harry S

2015-10-01

The radionuclide network of the International Monitoring System comprises up to 80 stations around the world that have aerosol and xenon monitoring systems designed to detect releases of radioactive materials to the atmosphere from nuclear explosions. A rule of thumb description of plume concentration and duration versus time and distance from the release point is useful when designing and deploying new sample collection systems. This paper uses plume development from atmospheric transport modeling to provide a power-law rule describing atmospheric dilution factors as a function of distance from the release point. Consider the plume center-line concentration seen by a ground-level sampler as a function of time based on a short-duration ground-level release of a nondepositing radioactive tracer. The concentration C (Bq m(-3)) near the ground varies with distance from the source with the relationship C=R×A(D,C) ×e (-λ(-1.552+0.0405×D)) × 5.37×10(-8) × D(-2.35) where R is the release magnitude (Bq), D is the separation distance (km) from the ground level release to the measurement location, λ is the decay constant (h(-1)) for the radionuclide of interest and AD,C is an attenuation factor that depends on the length of the sample collection period. This relationship is based on the median concentration for 10 release locations with different geographic characteristics and 365 days of releases at each location, and it has an R(2) of 0.99 for 32 distances from 100 to 3000 km. In addition, 90 percent of the modeled plumes fall within approximately one order of magnitude of this curve for all distances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Update on long-term treatment with bisphosphonates for postmenopausal osteoporosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Eriksen, Erik F; Díez-Pérez, Adolfo; Boonen, Steven

2014-01-01

Osteoporosis is a progressive skeletal disorder that requires long-term treatment. However, there is little guidance regarding optimal treatment duration and what the treatment discontinuation and retreatment criteria should be. Given that bisphosphonates are the most commonly prescribed class of agent for the treatment of osteoporosis, we reviewed the long-term data relating to these therapies and discussed the considerations for using bisphosphonates in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. A PubMed search, using the search terms 'bisphosphonate', 'postmenopausal osteoporosis' and 'long term' and/or 'extension' was conducted in January 2013. Results from nine controlled studies that prospectively assessed alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate or zoledronic acid in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were reviewed. Clinical studies in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis showed that long-term use of bisphosphonates resulted in persistent antifracture and bone mineral density (BMD) increasing effects beyond 3 years of treatment. No unexpected adverse events were identified in these studies and the long-term tolerability profiles of bisphosphonates remain favorable. Data from the withdrawal extension studies of alendronate and zoledronic acid also showed that residual fracture benefits were seen in patients who discontinued treatment for 3 to 5 years after an initial 3- to 5-year treatment period. BMD monitoring and fracture risk assessments should be conducted regularly to determine whether treatment could be stopped or should be reinitiated. Patients exhibiting T-scores<-2.5 or who have suffered a new fracture while on treatment should continue treatment, while patients with T-scores>-2.5 could be considered for discontinuation of active treatment while undergoing continued monitoring of their bone health. The duration and potential discontinuation of treatment should be personalized for individual patients based on their response to treatment, fracture risk and comorbidities. © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nocturnal hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetic patients, assessed with continuous glucose monitoring: frequency, duration and associations.

PubMed

Wentholt, I M E; Maran, A; Masurel, N; Heine, R J; Hoekstra, J B L; DeVries, J H

2007-05-01

We quantified the occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 1 diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple-injection therapy (MIT) using a continuous subcutaneous glucose sensor. A microdialysis sensor was worn at home by 24 patients on CSII (mean HbA(1c) 7.8 +/- 0.9%) and 33 patients on MIT (HbA(1c) 8.7 +/- 1.3%) for 48 h. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were assessed and using multivariate regression analysis, the association between HbA(1c), diabetes duration, treatment type (CSII vs. MIT), fasting and bedtime blood glucose values, total daily insulin dose and mean nocturnal glucose concentrations, and hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration was investigated. Nocturnal hypoglycaemia < or = 3.9 mmol/l occurred in 33.3% of both the CSII- (8/24) and MIT-treated patients (11/33). Mean (+/- sd; median, interquartile range) duration of hypoglycaemia < or = 3.9 mmol/l was 78 (+/- 76; 57, 23-120) min per night for the CSII- and 98 (+/- 80; 81, 32-158) min per night for the MIT-treated group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that bedtime glucose value had the strongest association with the occurrence (P = 0.026) and duration (P = 0.032) of nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Microdialysis continuous glucose monitoring has enabled more precise quantification of nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration in Type 1 diabetic patients. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were mainly associated with bedtime glucose value.

Noninvasive monitoring of plasma L-dopa concentrations using sweat samples in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Tsunoda, Makoto; Hirayama, Masaaki; Tsuda, Takao; Ohno, Kinji

2015-03-10

L-dopa (l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) is commonly used for treating Parkinson's disease (PD). However, regardless of its prominent effect, therapeutic range of L-dopa narrows down with disease progression, which leads to development of motor complications including wearing off and dyskinesias. In addition, intestinal absorption of L-dopa is inversely correlated with the amount of oral protein intake, and shows intra- and inter-day variability. Hence, frequent monitoring of plasma L-dopa concentrations is beneficial, but frequent venipuncture imposes physical and psychological burdens on patients with PD. We investigated the usefulness of sweat samples instead of plasma samples for monitoring L-dopa concentrations. With a monolithic silica disk-packed spin column and the high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection system, L-dopa in sweat samples was successfully quantified and analyzed in 23 PD patients. We found that the Pearson's correlation coefficient of the plasma and sweat l-dopa concentrations was 0.678. Although the disease durations and severities were not correlated with the deviation of the actual sweat L-dopa concentrations from the fitted line, acquisition of the sweat samples under a stable condition was technically difficult in severely affected patients. The deviations may also be partly accounted for by skin permeability of L-dopa. Measuring L-dopa concentrations in sweat is suitable to get further insights into the L-dopa metabolism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of a stress management program on subjects with neck pain: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Metikaridis, T Damianos; Hadjipavlou, Alexander; Artemiadis, Artemios; Chrousos, George; Darviri, Christina

2016-05-20

Studies have shown that stress is implicated in the cause of neck pain (NP). The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of a simple, zero cost stress management program on patients suffering from NP. This study is a parallel-type randomized clinical study. People suffering from chronic non-specific NP were chosen randomly to participate in an eight week duration program of stress management (N= 28) (including diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation) or in a no intervention control condition (N= 25). Self-report measures were used for the evaluation of various variables at the beginning and at the end of the eight-week monitoring period. Descriptive and inferential statistic methods were used for the statistical analysis. At the end of the monitoring period, the intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction of stress and anxiety (p= 0.03, p= 0.01), report of stress related symptoms (p= 0.003), percentage of disability due to NP (p= 0.000) and NP intensity (p= 0.002). At the same time, daily routine satisfaction levels were elevated (p= 0.019). No statistically significant difference was observed in cortisol measurements. Stress management has positive effects on NP patients.

[Progressive damage monitoring of corrugated composite skins by the FBG spectral characteristics].

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Wang, Bang-Feng; Lu, Ji-Yun; Gu, Li-Li; Su, Yong-Gang

2014-03-01

In the present paper, a method of monitoring progressive damage of composite structures by non-uniform fiber Bragg grating (FBG) reflection spectrum is proposed. Due to the finite element analysis of corrugated composite skins specimens, the failure process under tensile load and corresponding critical failure loads of corrugated composite skin was predicated. Then, the non-uniform reflection spectrum of FBG sensor could be reconstructed and the corresponding relationship between layer failure order sequence of corrugated composite skin and FBG sensor reflection spectrums was acquired. A monitoring system based on FBG non-uniform reflection spectrum, which can be used to monitor progressive damage of corrugated composite skins, was built. The corrugated composite skins were stretched under this FBG non-uniform reflection spectrum monitoring system. The results indicate that real-time spectrums acquired by FBG non-uniform reflection spectrum monitoring system show the same trend with the reconstruction reflection spectrums. The maximum error between the corresponding failure and the predictive value is 8.6%, which proves the feasibility of using FBG sensor to monitor progressive damage of corrugated composite skin. In this method, the real-time changes in the FBG non-uniform reflection spectrum within the scope of failure were acquired through the way of monitoring and predicating, and at the same time, the progressive damage extent and layer failure sequence of corru- gated composite skin was estimated, and without destroying the structure of the specimen, the method is easy and simple to operate. The measurement and transmission section of the system are completely composed of optical fiber, which provides new ideas and experimental reference for the field of dynamic monitoring of smart skin.

Teacher Progress Monitoring of Instructional and Behavioral Management Practices: An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Linda A.; Dudek, Christopher M.

2014-01-01

In the era of teacher evaluation and effectiveness, assessment tools that identify and monitor educators' instruction and behavioral management practices are in high demand. The Classroom Strategies Scale (CSS) Observer Form is a multidimensional teacher progress monitoring tool designed to assess teachers' usage of instructional and behavioral…

Ultrasonic Monitoring of the Progress of Lactic Acid Fermentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuzawa, Nobuyoshi; Kimura, Akihiro; Ohdaira, Etsuzo

2003-05-01

Promotion of lactic acid fermentation by ultrasonic irradiation has been attempted. It is possible to determine the progress of fermentation and production of a curd, i.e., yoghurt and or kefir, by measuring acidity using a pH meter. However, this method is inconvenient and indirect for the evaluation of the progress of lactic acid fermentation under anaerobic condition. In this study, an ultrasonic monitoring method for evaluating the progress of lactic acid fermentation was examined.

Long-term ex vivo and in vivo monitoring of tumor progression by using dual luciferases.

PubMed

Morita, Naoki; Haga, Sanae; Ohmiya, Yoshihiro; Ozaki, Michitaka

2016-03-15

We propose a new concept of tumor progression monitoring using dual luciferases in living animals to reduce stress for small animals and the cost of luciferin. The secreted Cypridina luciferase (CLuc) was used as an ex vivo indicator to continuously monitor tumor progression. On the other hand, the non-secreted firefly luciferase was used as an in vivo indicator to analyze the spatial distribution of the tumor at suitable time points indicated by CLuc. Thus, the new monitoring systems that use dual luciferases are available, allowing long-term bioluminescence imaging under minimal stress for the experimental animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Managing hypoglycaemia.

PubMed

Iqbal, Ahmed; Heller, Simon

2016-06-01

Intensive glycaemic control reduces the diabetic microvascular disease burden but iatrogenic hypoglycaemia is a major barrier preventing tight glycaemic control because of the limitations of subcutaneous insulin preparations and insulin secretagogues. Severe hypoglycaemia is uncommon early in the disease as robust physiological defences, particularly glucagon and adrenaline release, limit falls in blood glucose whilst associated autonomic symptoms drive patients to take action by ingesting oral carbohydrate. With increasing diabetes duration, glucagon release is progressively impaired and sympatho-adrenal responses are activated at lower glucose levels. Repeated hypoglycaemic episodes contribute to impaired defences, increasing the risk of severe hypoglycaemia in a vicious downward spiral. Managing hypoglycaemia requires a systematic clinical approach with structured insulin self-management training and support of experienced diabetes educators. Judicious use of technologies includes insulin analogues, insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring, and in a few cases islet cell transplantation. Some individuals require specialist psychological support. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Proteoglycan concentrations in healthy and diseased articular cartilage by Fourier transform infrared imaging and principal component regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Jianhua; Xia, Yang

2014-12-01

Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) combining with principal component regression (PCR) analysis were used to determine the reduction of proteoglycan (PG) in articular cartilage after the transection of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A number of canine knee cartilage sections were harvested from the meniscus-covered and meniscus-uncovered medial tibial locations from the control joints, the ACL joints at three time points after the surgery, and their contralateral joints. The PG loss in the ACL cartilage was related positively to the durations after the surgery. The PG loss in the contralateral knees was less than that of the ACL knees. The PG loss in the meniscus-covered cartilage was less than that of the meniscus-uncovered tissue in both ACL and contralateral knees. The quantitative mapping of PG loss could monitor the disease progression and repair processes in arthritis.

Testing the Importance of Individual Growth Curves in Predicting Performance on a High-Stakes Reading Comprehension Test in Florida. REL 2014-006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petscher, Yaacov; Kershaw, Sarah; Koon, Sharon; Foorman, Barbara R.

2014-01-01

Districts and schools use progress monitoring to assess student progress, to identify students who fail to respond to intervention, and to further adapt instruction to student needs. Researchers and practitioners often use progress monitoring data to estimate student achievement growth (slope) and evaluate changes in performance over time for…

[Continuous glucose monitoring with type 1 diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

López-Siguero, J P; García Arias, M J; del Pino de la Fuente, A; Moreno Molina, J A

2003-03-01

Appropriate metabolic control of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is based on frequent measurements of capillary glycemia. However, this method offers only partial information on fluctuations in glycemia during the day, while episodes of postprandial hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, mainly nocturnal, go unnoticed. To analyze pre- and postprandial blood glucose levels, as well as the presence and duration of hypoglycemic episodes in diabetic children aged more than 8 years old with more than one year of disease duration. Seventeen patients of both sexes (mean age: 12 years old) with type 1 DM were monitored with the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) during working days. Maximum values of pre- and postprandial glucose (1-3 hours after breakfast, lunch and dinner) were registered. Data were downloaded with a Com-station. The mean duration of sensor-wearing was 2.97 days. Pre- and postprandial values were high: mean preprandial values were between 144.9 and 160.5 mg % and mean postprandial values were between 230.4 and 248.8 mg %. The mean number of hypoglycemic episodes detected with the sensor was 4.9 compared with 1.8 detected with the glucometer (p < 0.05). Episodes of mainly nocturnal asymptomatic hypoglycemia were detected with a mean duration of 145 minutes during the night and 75 minutes during the day. The use of continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring demonstrates that glycemic objectives are not achieved by conventional insulin therapy. It also shows that there are a high number of hypoglycemic episodes, most of which are asymptomatic.

NASA's Plans for Developing Life Support and Environmental Monitoring and Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, B. Michael; Jan, Darrell

2006-01-01

Life Support and Monitoring have recently been reworked in response to the Vision for Space Exploration. The Exploration Life Support (ELS) Project has replaced the former Advanced Life Support Element of the Human Systems Research and Technology Office. Major differences between the two efforts include: the separation of thermal systems into a new stand alone thermal project, deferral of all work in the plant biological systems, relocation of food systems to another organization, an addition of a new project called habitation systems, and overall reduction in the number of technology options due to lower funding. The Advanced Environmental Monitoring and Control (AEMC) Element is retaining its name but changing its focus. The work planned in the ELS and AEMC projects is organized around the three major phases of the Exploration Program. The first phase is the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The ELS and AEMC projects will develop hardware for this short duration orbital and trans-lunar vehicle. The second phase is sortie landings on the moon. Life support hardware for lunar surface access vehicles including upgrades of the CEV equipment and technologies which could not be pursued in the first phase due to limited time and budget will be developed. Monitoring needs will address lunar dust issues, not applicable to orbital needs. The ELS and AEMC equipment is of short duration, but has different environmental considerations. The third phase will be a longer duration lunar outpost. This will consist of a new set of hardware developments better suited for long duration life support and associated monitoring needs on the lunar surface. The presentation will show the planned activities and technologies that are expected to be developed by the ELS and AEMC projects for these program phases.

Update to Practice Standards for Electrocardiographic Monitoring in Hospital Settings: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Sandau, Kristin E; Funk, Marjorie; Auerbach, Andrew; Barsness, Gregory W; Blum, Kay; Cvach, Maria; Lampert, Rachel; May, Jeanine L; McDaniel, George M; Perez, Marco V; Sendelbach, Sue; Sommargren, Claire E; Wang, Paul J

2017-11-07

This scientific statement provides an interprofessional, comprehensive review of evidence and recommendations for indications, duration, and implementation of continuous electro cardiographic monitoring of hospitalized patients. Since the original practice standards were published in 2004, new issues have emerged that need to be addressed: overuse of arrhythmia monitoring among a variety of patient populations, appropriate use of ischemia and QT-interval monitoring among select populations, alarm management, and documentation in electronic health records. Authors were commissioned by the American Heart Association and included experts from general cardiology, electrophysiology (adult and pediatric), and interventional cardiology, as well as a hospitalist and experts in alarm management. Strict adherence to the American Heart Association conflict of interest policy was maintained throughout the consensus process. Authors were assigned topics relevant to their areas of expertise, reviewed the literature with an emphasis on publications since the prior practice standards, and drafted recommendations on indications and duration for electrocardiographic monitoring in accordance with the American Heart Association Level of Evidence grading algorithm that was in place at the time of commissioning. The comprehensive document is grouped into 5 sections: (1) Overview of Arrhythmia, Ischemia, and QTc Monitoring; (2) Recommendations for Indication and Duration of Electrocardiographic Monitoring presented by patient population; (3) Organizational Aspects: Alarm Management, Education of Staff, and Documentation; (4) Implementation of Practice Standards; and (5) Call for Research. Many of the recommendations are based on limited data, so authors conclude with specific questions for further research. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Improving Procedure Start Times and Decreasing Delays in Interventional Radiology: A Department's Quality Improvement Initiative.

PubMed

Villarreal, Monica C; Rostad, Bradley S; Wright, Richard; Applegate, Kimberly E

2015-12-01

To identify and reduce reasons for delays in procedure start times, particularly the first cases of the day, within the interventional radiology (IR) divisions of the Department of Radiology using principles of continuous quality improvement. An interdisciplinary team representative of the IR and preprocedure/postprocedure care area (PPCA) health care personnel, managers, and data analysts was formed. A standardized form was used to document both inpatient and outpatient progress through the PPCA and IR workflow in six rooms and to document reasons for delays. Data generated were used to identify key problems areas, implement improvement interventions, and monitor their effects. Project duration was 6 months. The average number of on-time starts for the first case of the day increased from 23% to 56% (P value < .01). The average number of on-time, scheduled outpatients increased from 30% to 45% (P value < .01). Patient wait time to arrive at treatment room once they were ready for their procedure was reduced on average by 10 minutes (P value < .01). Patient care delay duration per 100 patients was reduced from 30.3 to 21.6 hours (29% reduction). Number of patient care delays per 100 patients was reduced from 46.6 to 40.1 (17% reduction). Top reasons for delay included waiting for consent (26% of delays duration) and laboratory tests (12%). Many complex factors contribute to procedure start time delays within an IR practice. A data-driven and patient-centered, interdisciplinary team approach was effective in reducing delays in IR. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progress Monitoring Using Direct Behavior Rating Single Item Scales in a Multiple-Baseline Design Study of the Daily Report Card Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fabiano, Gregory A.; Pyle, Kellina; Kelty, Mary Bridget; Parham, Brittany R.

2017-01-01

Direct behavior rating (DBR) may be a viable assessment for documenting current areas of impaired functioning and progress monitoring students' response to a behavioral intervention. Challenging behaviors are often addressed in general education settings using interventions such as the daily report card (DRC). To best implement and monitor such…

Monitoring Children with Reading Disabilities' Response to Phonics Intervention: Are There Differences between Intervention Aligned and General Skill Progress Monitoring Assessments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olinghouse, Natalie G.; Lambert, Warren; Compton, Donald L.

2006-01-01

This study investigated whether 2 different progress monitoring assessments differentially predicted growth in reading skills associated with systematic phonics instruction. Oral reading fluency (ORE) was compared with an intervention aligned word list (IAWL) as predictors of growth in untimed and timed decoding and word identification and text…

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3

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

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-03-31

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3(NOTE: Part II A item 1 indicates ''PAPER'', but a report is attached electronically)

Detection of atrial fibrillation after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kishore, Amit; Vail, Andy; Majid, Arshad; Dawson, Jesse; Lees, Kennedy R; Tyrrell, Pippa J; Smith, Craig J

2014-02-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) confers a high risk of recurrent stroke, although detection methods and definitions of paroxysmal AF during screening vary. We therefore undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the frequency of newly detected AF using noninvasive or invasive cardiac monitoring after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Prospective observational studies or randomized controlled trials of patients with ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or both, who underwent any cardiac monitoring for a minimum of 12 hours, were included after electronic searches of multiple databases. The primary outcome was detection of any new AF during the monitoring period. We prespecified subgroup analysis of selected (prescreened or cryptogenic) versus unselected patients and according to duration of monitoring. A total of 32 studies were analyzed. The overall detection rate of any AF was 11.5% (95% confidence interval, 8.9%-14.3%), although the timing, duration, method of monitoring, and reporting of diagnostic criteria used for paroxysmal AF varied. Detection rates were higher in selected (13.4%; 95% confidence interval, 9.0%-18.4%) than in unselected patients (6.2%; 95% confidence interval, 4.4%-8.3%). There was substantial heterogeneity even within specified subgroups. Detection of AF was highly variable, and the review was limited by small sample sizes and marked heterogeneity. Further studies are required to inform patient selection, optimal timing, methods, and duration of monitoring for detection of AF/paroxysmal AF.

Clinical Significance of TDP-43 Neuropathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Cykowski, Matthew D.; Powell, Suzanne Z.; Peterson, Leif E.; Appel, Joan W.; Rivera, Andreana L.; Takei, Hidehiro; Chang, Ellen; Appel, Stanley H.

2017-01-01

To determine the significance of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we examined the whole brains and spinal cords of 57 patients (35 men; 22 women; mean age 63.3 years; 15 patients with c9orf72-associated ALS [c9ALS]). TDP-43 pathologic burden was determined relative to symptom onset site, disease duration, progression rate, cognitive status, and c9ALS status. There was a trend for greater TDP-43 pathologic burden in cognitively impaired patients (p = 0.07), though no association with disease duration or progression rate was seen. Shorter disease duration (p = 0.0016), more severe striatal pathology (p = 0.0029), and a trend toward greater whole brain TDP-43 pathology (p = 0.059) were found in c9ALS. Cluster analysis identified “TDP43-limited,” “TDP43-moderate,” and “TDP43-severe” subgroups. The TDP43-limited group contained more cognitively intact (p = 0.005) and lower extremity onset site (p = 0.019) patients, while other subgroups contained more cognitively impaired patients. We conclude that TDP-43 pathologic burden in ALS is associated with cognitive impairment and c9ALS, but not duration of disease or rate of progression. Further, we demonstrate a subgroup of patients with low TDP-43 burden, lower extremity onset, and intact cognition, which requires further investigation. PMID:28521037

Building Construction Progress Monitoring Using Unmanned Aerial System (uas), Low-Cost Photogrammetry, and Geographic Information System (gis)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bognot, J. R.; Candido, C. G.; Blanco, A. C.; Montelibano, J. R. Y.

2018-05-01

Monitoring the progress of building's construction is critical in construction management. However, measuring the building construction's progress are still manual, time consuming, error prone, and impose tedious process of analysis leading to delays, additional costings and effort. The main goal of this research is to develop a methodology for building construction progress monitoring based on 3D as-built model of the building from unmanned aerial system (UAS) images, 4D as-planned model (with construction schedule integrated) and, GIS analysis. Monitoring was done by capturing videos of the building with a camera-equipped UAS. Still images were extracted, filtered, bundle-adjusted, and 3D as-built model was generated using open source photogrammetric software. The as-planned model was generated from digitized CAD drawings using GIS. The 3D as-built model was aligned with the 4D as-planned model of building formed from extrusion of building elements, and integration of the construction's planned schedule. The construction progress is visualized via color-coding the building elements in the 3D model. The developed methodology was conducted and applied from the data obtained from an actual construction site. Accuracy in detecting `built' or `not built' building elements ranges from 82-84 % and precision of 50-72 %. Quantified progress in terms of the number of building elements are 21.31% (November 2016), 26.84 % (January 2017) and 44.19 % (March 2017). The results can be used as an input for progress monitoring performance of construction projects and improving related decision-making process.

Is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist a Useful Tool for Monitoring Progress in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiati, I.; Moss, J.; Yates, R.; Charman, T.; Howlin, P.

2011-01-01

Background: There are few well validated brief measures that can be used to assess the general progress of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over time. In the present study, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used as part of a comprehensive assessment battery to monitor the progress of 22 school-aged children…

Testing the Importance of Individual Growth Curves in Predicting Performance on a High-Stakes Reading Comprehension Test in Florida. Summary. REL 2014-006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petscher, Yaacov; Kershaw, Sarah; Koon, Sharon; Foorman, Barbara R.

2014-01-01

Districts and schools use progress monitoring to assess student progress, to identify students who fail to respond to intervention, and to further adapt instruction to student needs. Researchers and practitioners often use progress monitoring data to estimate student achievement growth (slope) and evaluate changes in performance over time for…

Cardiovascular Response to Recreational Hockey in Middle-Aged Men.

PubMed

Goodman, Zack A; Thomas, Scott G; Wald, Robert C; Goodman, Jack M

2017-06-15

The present study examined the hemodynamic response to recreational pick-up hockey relative to maximal exercise testing in middle-aged men. A total of 23 men with a mean age of 53 ± 7 years were studied. Graded exercise testing on a cycle ergometer determined maximal oxygen consumption, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR). Ambulatory BP and Holter electrocardiographic monitoring was performed during one of their weekly hockey games (mean duration = 45 ± 7.2 minutes): for "On-Ice" responses (PLAY; data recorded while standing immediately after a shift; 8.0 ± 1.4 shifts per game) and during seated recovery (BENCH), 15 minutes after the game. On-Ice HRs and BPs were significantly higher than values obtained during maximal cycle exercise, respectively (HR 174 ± 8.9 vs 163 ± 11.0 beats/min) (systolic blood pressure 202 ± 20 vs 173 ± 31 mm Hg; p <0.05). Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly throughout the duration of the game, whereas HR increased from 139 ± 20 to 155 ± 16 beats/min during the game. The myocardial oxygen demand (myocardial time tension index) increased significantly during PLAY concurrent with a decrease in estimated myocardial oxygen supply (diastolic pressure time index), with the endocardial viability ratio during PLAY demonstrating a significant decrease during the third quarter of the game (1.25 ± 0.24) versus the first quarter (1.56 ± 0.30), which remained depressed 15 minutes post-game (p <0.05). In conclusion, recreational pick-up hockey in middle-aged men is an extremely vigorous interval exercise with increasing relative intensity as the game progresses. Hockey elicits peak BPs and HRs that can exceed values observed during maximal exercise testing and is characterized by progressive increases in myocardial oxygen demand and lowered supply during PLAY and BENCH time. Given the progressive and high cardiovascular demands, caution is warranted when estimating the cardiovascular demands of hockey from clinical stress testing, particularly in those whom coronary reserve may be compromised. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Domestic dog roaming patterns in remote northern Australian indigenous communities and implications for disease modelling.

PubMed

Hudson, Emily G; Brookes, Victoria J; Dürr, Salome; Ward, Michael P

2017-10-01

Although Australia is canine rabies free, the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA), Queensland and other northern Australian communities are at risk of an incursion due to proximity to rabies infected islands of Indonesia and existing disease spread pathways. Northern Australia also has large populations of free-roaming domestic dogs, presenting a risk of rabies establishment and maintenance should an incursion occur. Agent-based rabies spread models are being used to predict potential outbreak size and identify effective control strategies to aid incursion preparedness. A key component of these models is knowledge of dog roaming patterns to inform contact rates. However, a comprehensive understanding of how dogs utilise their environment and the heterogeneity of their movements to estimate contact rates is lacking. Using a novel simulation approach - and GPS data collected from 21 free-roaming domestic dogs in the NPA in 2014 and 2016 - we characterised the roaming patterns within this dog population. Multiple subsets from each individual dog's GPS dataset were selected representing different monitoring durations and a utilisation distribution (UD) and derived core (50%) and extended (95%) home ranges (HR) were estimated for each duration. Three roaming patterns were identified, based on changes in mean HR over increased monitoring durations, supported by assessment of maps of daily UDs of each dog. Stay-at-home dogs consolidated their HR around their owner's residence, resulting in a decrease in mean HR (both core and extended) as monitoring duration increased (median peak core and extended HR 0.336 and 3.696ha, respectively). Roamer dogs consolidated their core HR but their extended HR increased with longer monitoring durations, suggesting that their roaming patterns based on place of residence were more variable (median peak core and extended HR 0.391 and 6.049ha, respectively). Explorer dogs demonstrated large variability in their roaming patterns, with both core and extended HR increasing as monitoring duration increased (median peak core and extended HR 0.650 and 9.520ha, respectively). These findings are likely driven by multiple factors that have not been further investigated within this study. Different roaming patterns suggest heterogeneous contact rates between dogs in this population. These findings will be incorporated into disease-spread modelling to more realistically represent roaming patterns and improve model predictions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 742.1170 - Performance monitoring and progress reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Performance monitoring and progress reporting. 742.1170 Section 742.1170 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION Production, Surveillance, and Reporting...

48 CFR 742.1170 - Performance monitoring and progress reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Performance monitoring and progress reporting. 742.1170 Section 742.1170 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION Production, Surveillance, and Reporting...

Pilot study of long-term anaesthesia in broiler chickens.

PubMed

O'Kane, Peter M; Connerton, Ian F; White, Kate L

2016-01-01

To provide stable anaesthesia of long duration in broiler chickens in order to perform a terminal caecal ligated loop procedure. Prospective experimental study. Seven clinically healthy broiler chickens (Gallus domesticus) aged 27-36 days, weighing 884-2000 g. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. All birds underwent intermittent positive pressure ventilation for the duration. End-tidal carbon dioxide, peripheral haemoglobin oxygen saturation, heart rate and oesophageal temperature were monitored continuously. All birds received intraosseous fluids. Butorphanol (2 mg kg(-1)) was administered intramuscularly at two hourly intervals. Euthanasia by parenteral pentobarbitone was performed at the end of procedure. Stable anaesthesia was maintained in four chickens for durations ranging from 435 to 510 minutes. One bird died and one was euthanized after 130 and 330 minutes, respectively, owing to surgical complications and another died from anaesthetic complication after 285 minutes. Long-term, stable anaesthesia is possible in clinically healthy chickens, provided complications such as hypothermia and hypoventilation are addressed and vital signs are carefully monitored. There are no known previous reports describing monitored, controlled anaesthesia of this duration in chickens. © 2015 The Authors Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.

Long-term effects of a lock and dam and greentree reservoir management on a bottomland hardwood forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, S.L.; Allen, J.A.; McCoy, J.W.

1998-01-01

We investigated the long-term effects of a lock and dam and greentree reservoir management on a riparian bottomland hardwood forest in southern Arkansas, USA, by monitoring stress, mortality, and regeneration of bottomland hardwood trees in 53 permanent sampling plots from 1987-1995. The lock and dam and greentree reservoir management have altered the timing, depth, and duration of flooding within the wetland forest. Evaluation of daily river stage data indicates that November overbank flooding (i.e. 0.3 m above normal pool) of 1 week duration occurred only 10 times from 1950 to 1995 and four of these occurrences were the result of artificial flooding of the greentree reservoir. Results of the vegetation study indicate that the five most common dominant and co-dominant species were overcup oak, water hickory, Nuttall oak, willow oak, and sweetgum. Mortality of willow oak exceeded that of all other species except Nuttall oak. Nuttall oak, willow oak, and water hickory had much higher percentages of dead trees concentrated within the dominant and co-dominant crown classes. Probit analysis indicated that differences in stress and mortality were due to a combination of flooding and stand competition. Overcup oak appears to exhibit very little stress regardless of crown class and elevation and, with few exceptions, had a significantly greater probability of occurring within lower stress classes than any other species. Only 22 new stems were recruited into the 5 cm diameter-at-breast height size class between 1990-1995 and of these, three were Nuttall oak, three were water hickory, and one was sweetgum. No recruitment into the 5 cm diameter-at-breast height size class occurred for overcup oak or willow oak. The results of the study suggest that the forest is progressing to a more water-tolerant community dominated by overcup oak. A conservative flooding strategy would minimize tree stress and maintain quality wildlife habitat within the forested wetland.The long-term effects of a lock and dam and greentree reservoir management on a riparian bottomland hardwood forest in southern Arkansas, USA, were investigated by monitoring stress, mortality, and regeneration of bottomland hardwood trees in 53 permanent sampling plots from 1987-1995. Results of the study suggest that the forest is progressing to a more water-tolerant community dominated by overcup oak.

State of the Science in Heart Failure Symptom Perception Research: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Lee, Solim; Riegel, Barbara

Heart failure (HF) is a common condition requiring self-care to maintain physical stability, prevent hospitalization, and improve quality of life. Symptom perception, a domain of HF self-care newly added to the Situation-Specific Theory of HF Self-Care, is defined as a comprehensive process of monitoring and recognizing physical sensations and interpreting and labeling the meaning of the sensations. The purpose of this integrative review was to describe the research conducted on HF symptom perception to further understanding of this new concept. A literature search was conducted using 8 databases. The search term of HF was combined with symptom, plus symptom perception subconcepts of monitoring, somatic awareness, detection, recognition, interpretation, and appraisal. Only peer-reviewed original articles published in English with full-text availability were included. No historical limits were imposed. Study subjects were adults. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Each study was categorized into either symptom monitoring or symptom recognition and interpretation. Although daily weighing and HF-related symptom-monitoring behaviors were insufficient in HF patients, use of a symptom diary improved HF self-care, symptom distress and functional class, and decreased mortality, hospital stay, and medical costs. Most HF patients had trouble recognizing an exacerbation of symptoms. Aging, comorbid conditions, and gradual symptom progression made it difficult to recognize and correctly interpret a symptom exacerbation. Living with others, higher education, higher uncertainty, shorter symptom duration, worse functional class, and an increased number of previous hospitalizations were positively associated with symptom recognition. Existing research fails to capture all of the elements in the theoretical definition of symptom perception.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of neurofilament light chain NF-L, but not progranulin and S100B, in the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Data from the German MND-net.

PubMed

Steinacker, Petra; Huss, André; Mayer, Benjamin; Grehl, Torsten; Grosskreutz, Julian; Borck, Guntram; Kuhle, Jens; Lulé, Dorothée; Meyer, Thomas; Oeckl, Patrick; Petri, Susanne; Weishaupt, Jochen; Ludolph, Albert C; Otto, Markus

2017-02-01

There is a need for diagnostic, prognostic, and monitoring blood biomarkers for ALS. We aimed to analyse and compare proposed candidate markers for disease progression in the course of ALS. Blood samples were taken from 125 ALS patients, including nine patients with C9orf72 or SOD1 mutation, at regular intervals of six months. ALS patients were characterized by the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) and the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS). We quantified neurofilament light chain (NF-L), S100B, and progranulin (PGRN) and analysed it in relation to disease progression. Results showed that, at baseline, serum concentrations of NF-L but not PGRN or S100B discriminated significantly between ALS and controls. Within 24 months follow-up the marker concentrations remained stable. Baseline serum NF-L levels correlated with survival time, which was confirmed in subgroups with fast, intermediate, and slow disease progression and there was a weak association with disease duration. For S100B and PGRN we found an association with ALSFRS-R score changes and a trend for decreased levels in the fast progressor subgroup. In conclusion, serum NF-L in any ALS disease stage is a promising marker to support diagnosis and predict outcome, while serum PGRN and S100B are only of minor prognostic value.

Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language: A Progress-Monitoring Instrument for Measuring Narrative Discourse Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillam, Sandra Laing; Gillam, Ronald B.; Fargo, Jamison D.; Olszewski, Abbie; Segura, Hugo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the basic psychometric properties of a progress-monitoring tool designed to measure narrative discourse skills in school-age children with language impairments (LI). A sample of 109 children with LI between the ages of 5 years 7 months and 9 years 9 months completed the "Test of Narrative Language"…

Progress Monitoring in Reading: Comparison of Weekly, Bimonthly, and Monthly Assessments for Students at Risk for Reading Difficulties in Grades 2-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

January, Stacy-Ann A.; Van Norman, Ethan R.; Christ, Theodore J.; Ardoin, Scott P.; Eckert, Tanya L.; White, Mary Jane

2018-01-01

The present study examined the utility of two progress monitoring assessment schedules (bimonthly and monthly) as alternatives to monitoring once weekly with curriculum-based measurement in reading (CBM-R). General education students (N = 93) in Grades 2-4 who were at risk for reading difficulties but not yet receiving special education services…

Characteristics of diving in radio-marked Xantus's Murrelets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamilton, C.D.; Golightly, R.T.; Takekawa, John Y.

2005-01-01

We monitored diving activity of radio-marked Xantus's Murrelets Synthliboramphus hypoleucus near Anacapa Island, California, during the breeding season. Thirteen radio-marked murrelets were remotely monitored from Anacapa Island with a handheld antenna and radio receiver for 29 hours in three sample periods in April and May 2003. Mean dive durations in the sample periods were 18 s ?? 2 s, 28 s ?? 2 s, and 24 s ?? 4 s, suggesting that dives were less than 21 m from the surface. Dive duration and subsequent time on the surface differed between the sample periods. Dive duration and subsequent time on the surface were not correlated in observations stratified by individual bird or by sample period. Further, dive duration and subsequent time on the surface were not correlated within foraging bouts. Dive characteristics measured near Anacapa Island suggested that Xantus's Murrelets have the ability to capture prey found at varying depths, but will feed on prey that is most available near the surface of the water.

[The relationship between ischemic preconditioning-induced infarction size limitation and duration of test myocardial ischemia].

PubMed

Blokhin, I O; Galagudza, M M; Vlasov, T D; Nifontov, E M; Petrishchev, N N

2008-07-01

Traditionally infarction size reduction by ischemic preconditioning is estimated in duration of test ischemia. This approach limits the understanding of real antiischemic efficacy of ischemic preconditioning. Present study was performed in the in vivo rat model of regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and showed that protective effect afforded by ischemic preconditioning progressively decreased with prolongation of test ischemia. There were no statistically significant differences in infarction size between control and preconditioned animals when the duration of test ischemia was increased up to 1 hour. Preconditioning ensured maximal infarction-limiting effect in duration of test ischemia varying from 20 to 40 minutes.

Perspectives of UV nowcasting to monitor personal pro-health outdoor activities.

PubMed

Krzyścin, Janusz W; Lesiak, Aleksandra; Narbutt, Joanna; Sobolewski, Piotr; Guzikowski, Jakub

2018-07-01

Nowcasting model for online monitoring of personal outdoor behaviour is proposed. It is envisaged that it will provide an effective e-tool used by smartphone users. The model could estimate maximum duration of safe (without erythema risk) outdoor activity. Moreover, there are options to estimate duration of sunbathing to get adequate amount of vitamin D 3 and doses necessary for the antipsoriatic heliotherapy. The application requires information of starting time of sunbathing and the user's phototype. At the beginning the user will be informed of the approximate duration of sunbathing required to get the minimum erythemal dose, adequate amount of vitamin D 3 , and the dose necessary for the antipsoriatic heliotherapy. After every 20-min the application will recalculate the remaining duration of sunbathing based on the UVI measured in the preceding 20 min. If the estimate of remaining duration is <20 min the user will be informed that the deadline of sunbathing is approaching. Finally, a warning signal will be sent to stop sunbathing if the measured dose reaches the required dose. The proposed model is verified using the data collected at two measuring sites for the warm period of 2017 (1st April-30th September) in large Polish cities (Warsaw and Lodz). First instrument represents the UVI monitoring station. The information concerning sunbathing duration, which is sent to a remote user, is evaluated on the basis of the UVI measurements collected by the second measuring unit in a distance of ~7 km and 10 km for Warsaw and Lodz, respectively. The statistical analysis of the differences between sunbathing duration by nowcasting model and observation shows that the model provides reliable doses received by the users during outdoor activities in proximity (~10 km) to the UVI source site. Standard 24 h UVI forecast based on prognostic values of total ozone and cloudiness appears to only be valid for sunny days. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determinants of School Performance among Quechua Children in the Peruvian Andes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacoby, Enrique; Pollitt, Ernesto; Cueto, Santiago

1999-01-01

Tests the proposition that family and personal factors, in combination with school characteristics, contribute to the academic progress of Quechua school children. Finds that family background and nutritional history are not as important in shaping educational progress as initially envisioned, but that duration of schooling is an important factor…

40 CFR 63.1334 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of operation do not... of one or more parameters, averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel... monitored and recorded, according to the storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the...

40 CFR 63.1334 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of operation do not... of one or more parameters, averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel... monitored and recorded, according to the storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the...

40 CFR 63.1334 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of operation do not... of one or more parameters, averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel... monitored and recorded, according to the storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the...

Age of onset of myopia predicts risk of high myopia in later childhood in myopic Singapore children.

PubMed

Chua, Sharon Y L; Sabanayagam, Charumathi; Cheung, Yin-Bun; Chia, Audrey; Valenzuela, Robert K; Tan, Donald; Wong, Tien-Yin; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Saw, Seang-Mei

2016-07-01

To investigate the effect of age of myopia onset on the severity of myopia later in life among myopic children. In this prospective study, school children aged 7-9 years from the Singapore Cohort Of the Risk factors for Myopia (SCORM) were followed up till 11 years (n = 928). Age of myopia onset was defined either through questionnaire at baseline (age 7-9 years) or subsequent annual follow-up visits. Age of onset of myopia was a surrogate indicator of duration of myopia progression till age 11 years. Cycloplegic refraction and axial length were measured at every annual eye examination. High myopia was defined as spherical equivalent of ≤-5.0 D. A questionnaire determined the other risk factors. In multivariable regression models, younger age of myopia onset (per year decrease) or longer duration of myopia progression was associated with high myopia (odds ratio (OR) = 2.86; 95% CI: 2.39 to 3.43), more myopic spherical equivalent (regression coefficient (β) = -0.86 D; 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.80) and longer axial length (β = 0.28 mm; 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.32) at aged 11 years, after adjusting for gender, race, school, books per week and parental myopia. In Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analyses, age of myopia onset alone predicted high myopia by 85% (area under the curve = 0.85), while the addition of other factors including gender, race, school, books per week and parental myopia only marginally improved this prediction (area under the curve = 0.87). Age of myopia onset or duration of myopia progression was the most important predictor of high myopia in later childhood in myopic children. Future trials to retard the progression of myopia to high myopia could focus on children with younger age of myopia onset or with longer duration of myopia progression. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

Monitoring progress towards universal health coverage at country and global levels.

PubMed

Boerma, Ties; Eozenou, Patrick; Evans, David; Evans, Tim; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Wagstaff, Adam

2014-09-01

Universal health coverage (UHC) has been defined as the desired outcome of health system performance whereby all people who need health services (promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation) receive them, without undue financial hardship. UHC has two interrelated components: the full spectrum of good-quality, essential health services according to need, and protection from financial hardship, including possible impoverishment, due to out-of-pocket payments for health services. Both components should benefit the entire population. This paper summarizes the findings from 13 country case studies and five technical reviews, which were conducted as part of the development of a global framework for monitoring progress towards UHC. The case studies show the relevance and feasibility of focusing UHC monitoring on two discrete components of health system performance: levels of coverage with health services and financial protection, with a focus on equity. These components link directly to the definition of UHC and measure the direct results of strategies and policies for UHC. The studies also show how UHC monitoring can be fully embedded in often existing, regular overall monitoring of health sector progress and performance. Several methodological and practical issues related to the monitoring of coverage of essential health services, financial protection, and equity, are highlighted. Addressing the gaps in the availability and quality of data required for monitoring progress towards UHC is critical in most countries.

Monitoring Progress towards Universal Health Coverage at Country and Global Levels

PubMed Central

Boerma, Ties; Eozenou, Patrick; Evans, David; Evans, Tim; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Wagstaff, Adam

2014-01-01

Universal health coverage (UHC) has been defined as the desired outcome of health system performance whereby all people who need health services (promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation) receive them, without undue financial hardship. UHC has two interrelated components: the full spectrum of good-quality, essential health services according to need, and protection from financial hardship, including possible impoverishment, due to out-of-pocket payments for health services. Both components should benefit the entire population. This paper summarizes the findings from 13 country case studies and five technical reviews, which were conducted as part of the development of a global framework for monitoring progress towards UHC. The case studies show the relevance and feasibility of focusing UHC monitoring on two discrete components of health system performance: levels of coverage with health services and financial protection, with a focus on equity. These components link directly to the definition of UHC and measure the direct results of strategies and policies for UHC. The studies also show how UHC monitoring can be fully embedded in often existing, regular overall monitoring of health sector progress and performance. Several methodological and practical issues related to the monitoring of coverage of essential health services, financial protection, and equity, are highlighted. Addressing the gaps in the availability and quality of data required for monitoring progress towards UHC is critical in most countries. PMID:25243899

Effect of changing of the parameters of the cable network of monitoring systems of high-rise buildings on the basis of string converters on their operability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, Nikolay; Svatovskaya, Larisa; Kucherenko, Alexandr

2018-03-01

The article is devoted to the problem of improving the reliability of monitoring systems for the technical conditions of high-rise buildings. The improvement is based on string sensors with an impulsed excitation method ensuring the maximum signal-to-noise ratio at their output. The influence of the parameters of the monitoring system on the shape of the excitation impulses of the string, and, consequently, on the amplitude of the string vibration of the string converter is also considered in the article. It has been experimentally proved that the parameters of the excitation impulses of the string converters. The article presents the results of the experiments showing the effect of the fronts duration of the excitation impulses on the amplitude of the oscillations of the strings. The influence of the fronts duration of the excitation impulse with the frontal lengths up to 0.5 ms is studied at the excitation impulse duration not exceeding 0.5 times the duration of natural oscillation periods of the string. The experimental data are compared with the theoretical ones and hypotheses explaining their difference are advanced. The article suggests some methods of reducing the influence of the cable-switching equipment system parameters on the amplitude of string oscillations. The possibilities of improving the reliability of the systems developed on the basis of string sensors with an impulsed excitation method and used for monitoring the technical conditions of the high-rise buildings are proposed.

Progression from isolated growth hormone deficiency to combined pituitary hormone deficiency.

PubMed

Cerbone, Manuela; Dattani, Mehul T

2017-12-01

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) can present at any time of life from the neonatal period to adulthood, as a result of congenital or acquired insults. It can present as an isolated problem (IGHD) or in combination with other pituitary hormone deficiencies (CPHD). Pituitary deficits can evolve at any time from GHD diagnosis. The number, severity and timing of occurrence of additional endocrinopathies are highly variable. The risk of progression from IGHD to CPHD in children varies depending on the etiology (idiopathic vs organic). The highest risk is displayed by children with abnormalities in the Hypothalamo-Pituitary (H-P) region. Heterogeneous data have been reported on the type and timing of onset of additional pituitary hormone deficits, with TSH deficiency being most frequent and Diabetes Insipidus the least frequent additional deficit in the majority, but not all, of the studies. ACTH deficiency may gradually evolve at any time during follow-up in children or adults with childhood onset IGHD, particularly (but not only) in presence of H-P abnormalities and/or TSH deficiency. Hence there is a need in these patients for lifelong monitoring for ACTH deficiency. GH treatment unmasks central hypothyroidism mainly in patients with organic GHD, but all patients starting GH should have their thyroid function monitored closely. Main risk factors for development of CPHD include organic etiology, H-P abnormalities (in particular pituitary stalk abnormalities, empty sella and ectopic posterior pituitary), midline brain (corpus callosum) and optic nerves abnormalities, genetic defects and longer duration of follow-up. The current available evidence supports longstanding recommendations for the need, in all patients diagnosed with IGHD, of a careful and indefinite follow-up for additional pituitary hormone deficiencies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EVALUATION OF THE FILTER PACK FOR LONG-DURATION SAMPLING OF AMBIENT AIR

EPA Science Inventory

A 14-week filter pack (FP) sampler evaluation field study was conducted at a site near Bondville, IL to investigate the impact of weekly sampling duration. Simultaneous samples were collected using collocated filter packs (FP) from two independent air quality monitoring networks...

M and D SIG progress report: Laboratory simulations of LDEF impact features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horz, Friedrich; Bernhard, R. P.; See, Thomas H.; Atkinson, Dale R.; Allbrooks, Martha K.

1991-01-01

Reported here are impact simulations into pure Teflon and aluminum targets. These experiments will allow first order interpretations of impact features on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), and they will serve as guides for dedicated experiments that employ the real LDEF blankets, both unexposed and exposed, for a refined understanding of the Long Duration Exposure Facility's collisional environment.

Change detection technique for muscle tone during static stretching by continuous muscle viscoelasticity monitoring using wearable indentation tester.

PubMed

Okamura, Naomi; Kobayashi, Yo; Sugano, Shigeki; Fujie, Masakatsu G

2017-07-01

Static stretching is widely performed to decrease muscle tone as a part of rehabilitation protocols. Finding out the optimal duration of static stretching is important to minimize the time required for rehabilitation therapy and it would be helpful for maintaining the patient's motivation towards daily rehabilitation tasks. Several studies have been conducted for the evaluation of static stretching; however, the recommended duration of static stretching varies widely between 15-30 s in general, because the traditional methods for the assessment of muscle tone do not monitor the continuous change in the target muscle's state. We have developed a method to monitor the viscoelasticity of one muscle continuously during static stretching, using a wearable indentation tester. In this study, we investigated a suitable signal processing method to detect the time required to change the muscle tone, utilizing the data collected using a wearable indentation tester. By calculating a viscoelastic index with a certain time window, we confirmed that the stretching duration required to bring about a decrease in muscle tone could be obtained with an accuracy in the order of 1 s.

A phase Ib study of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer (PembroPlus).

PubMed

Weiss, Glen J; Waypa, Jordan; Blaydorn, Lisa; Coats, Jessica; McGahey, Kayla; Sangal, Ashish; Niu, Jiaxin; Lynch, Cynthia A; Farley, John H; Khemka, Vivek

2017-06-27

Pembrolizumab (P) is an anti-PD-1 antibody that blocks the interaction between programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on T-cells and PD-L1 and PD-L2 on tumour cells. A phase Ib trial of P plus chemotherapy was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy. Patients with advanced, metastatic solid tumours were enrolled onto one of six treatment arms. Pembrolizumab was given: with gemcitabine (G), G+docetaxel (D), G+nab-paclitaxel (NP), G+vinorelbine (V) or irinotecan (I) until progression or toxicity, or with liposomal doxorubicin (LD) for up to 15 cycles, progression or toxicity. Safety monitoring and response assessments were conducted. Forty-nine patients were enrolled and treated. The most common adverse events were transaminitis, cytopenias, rash, diarrhoea, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Arm 2 was closed due to poor accrual. The recommended phase II dose (RP2D) was determined for Arms 1, 3a, 4, 5 and 6. There were eight partial responses across multiple tumour types. Standard dose P can be safely combined with G, G+NP, G+V, I and LD. Efficacy was observed in multiple tumour types and evaluation to determine if response and duration of response are more robust than what would be expected for chemotherapy or immunotherapy alone requires further validation.

Immunomodulatory therapies for acute pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Li, Jing; Yang, Wen-Juan; Huang, Lu-Ming; Tang, Cheng-Wei

2014-01-01

It is currently difficult for conventional treatments of acute pancreatitis (AP), which primarily consist of anti-inflammatory therapies, to prevent the progression of AP or to improve its outcome. This may be because the occurrence and progression of AP, which involves various inflammatory cells and cytokines, includes a series of complex immune events. Considering the complex immune system alterations during the course of AP, it is necessary to monitor the indicators related to immune cells and inflammatory mediators and to develop more individualized interventions for AP patients using immunomodulatory therapy. This review discusses the recent advances in immunomodulatory therapies. It has been suggested that overactive inflammatory responses should be inhibited and excessive immunosuppression should be avoided in the early stages of AP. The optimal duration of anti-inflammatory therapy may be shorter than previously expected (< 24 h), and appropriate immunostimulatory therapies should be administered during the period from the 3rd d to the 14th d in the course of AP. A combination therapy of anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulating drugs would hopefully constitute an alternative to anti-inflammatory drug monotherapy. Additionally, the detection of the genotypes of critical inflammatory mediators may be useful for screening populations of AP patients at high risk of severe infections to enable the administration of early interventions to improve their prognosis. PMID:25493006

Behavioral Science as a New Frontier for Transformational ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Over the last 40 years, tremendous progress has been made toward protecting our life-sustaining resources of air, water, and land and improving ecosystems and public health despite increasing population pressures. Many disciplines have provided the scientific underpinnings for this progress, but perhaps none have been more influential than exposure science. Exposure science has fostered a receptor- rather than source-based perspective regarding strategies for monitoring and controlling pollution to protect public health and the environment. We have achieved many gains through control of far-field sources. Near-field sources related to consumer products and activities in the home, vehicle, school, and work environments present the next challenge. These near-field sources tend to dominate our exposures and are direct results of our behaviors in purchasing and using consumer products. Therefore, these types of sources are less amenable to traditional regulatory approaches for exposure reduction. Behavior determines not only the presence or absence of consumer product and use, but also the details that largely define critical chemical exposure metrics including amount, concentration, frequency, duration, and pathway of exposure. Thus, it is becoming increasingly evident that in order to both predict and control near-field chemical exposures, we need to better understand human behavior and the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that underlie consumer product rel

Parkinson's disease patients undershoot target size in handwriting and similar tasks

PubMed Central

Van Gemmert, A W A; Adler, C; Stelmach, G

2003-01-01

Objectives:Previous research suggested that people with Parkinson's disease are able to increase handwriting stroke size up to 1.5 cm without an increase of stroke duration; whereas age matched individuals in normal health are able to modulate stroke size without changes in stroke duration for sizes up to 2 cm. This study was designed to test this finding by examining whether sizes larger than 1.5 cm show different relationships with stroke duration for patients with Parkinson's disease as compared with age matched controls. Methods:The study included 13 subjects with Parkinson's disease and 13 age matched controls. Participants were required to write a cursive "llllllll" pattern, or a cursive "lililili" pattern without the dots, at a comfortable speed and also as fast as possible, in five different sizes (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 5.0 cm). The participants wrote with a ballpoint pen on a digitiser tablet. The target pattern was displayed at its required size on a screen, but disappeared as soon as the pen touched the surface of the digitiser tablet. Online visual monitoring of the hand was prevented by a cover over the digitiser. After each trial, the recorded movement of the tip of the pen was displayed with two lines to indicate whether the size requirement had been met. The writing conditions were presented in random order and consisted of 12 trials for each participant. Results:The results demonstrated that stroke size and duration produced by the participants with Parkinson's disease were independently modulated up to 1.5 cm; sizes over 1.5 cm resulted in progressive undershooting by patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). It was also shown that these participants modulated acceleration measures inefficiently as compared with controls. Conclusions:The findings suggest that individuals with Parkinson's disease writing at speed produce inadequate stroke sizes when these should equal or exceed 1.5 cm. PMID:14617705

Determining optimal fluid and air leak cut off values for chest drain management in general thoracic surgery

PubMed Central

Mesa-Guzman, Miguel; Periklis, Perikleous; Niwaz, Zakiyah; Socci, Laura; Raubenheimer, Hilgardt; Adams, Ben; Gurung, Lokesh; Uzzaman, Mohsin

2015-01-01

Background Chest drain duration is one of the most important influencing aspects of hospital stay but the management is perhaps one of the most variable aspects of thoracic surgical care. The aim of our study is to report outcomes associated with increasing fluid and air leak criteria of protocol based management. Methods A 6-year retrospective analysis of protocolised chest drain management starting in 2007 with a fluid criteria of 3 mL/kg increasing to 7 mL/kg in 2011 to no fluid criteria in 2012, and an air leak criteria of 24 hours without leak till 2012 when digital air leak monitoring was introduced with a criteria of <20 mL/min of air leak for more than 6 hours. Patient data were obtained from electronic hospital records and digital chest films were reviewed to determine the duration of chest tube drainage and post-drain removal complications. Results From 2009 to 2012, 626 consecutive patients underwent thoracic surgery procedures under a single consultant. A total of 160 did not require a chest drain and data was missing in 22, leaving 444 for analysis. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] was 57±19 years and 272 (61%) were men. There were no differences in the incidence of pneumothoraces (P=0.191), effusion (P=0.344) or re-interventions (P=0.431) for drain re-insertions as progressively permissive criteria were applied. The median drain duration dropped from 1-3 days (P<0.001) and accordingly hospital stay reduced from 4-6 days (P<0.001). Conclusions Our results show that chest drains can be safely removed without fluid criteria and air leak of less than 20 mL/min with median drain duration of 1 day, associated with a reduced length of hospital stay. PMID:26716045

Monitoring Students' Academic & Disciplinary Progression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Fred; Kellogg, Larry J.

This document outlines the objectives and procedures of a program at a New Mexico school district whose purpose is to enable school personnel to systematically monitor students' academic and disciplinary progression. The objectives of the program are to diagnose academic or disciplinary problems and prescribe remedies, to establish an oncampus…

Safe Gene Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

together with FoxP3+eGFP+ T- regulatory cells into prediabetic ID-TEC pups. Diabetes incidence and progression will be monitored. As well, the ability...together with FoxP3+eGFP+ T- regulatory cells into prediabetic ID-TEC pups. Diabetes incidence and progression will be monitored. As well, the ability of...10. In addition, we will continue to investigate their potential therapeutic function in halting the progression of islet-autoimmunity in prediabetic

Method and apparatus for producing durationally short ultraviolet or x-ray laser pulses

DOEpatents

MacGowan, B.J.; Matthews, D.L.; Trebes, J.E.

1987-05-05

A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing ultraviolet or x- ray laser pulses of short duration. An ultraviolet or x-ray laser pulse of long duration is progressively refracted, across the surface of an opaque barrier, by a streaming plasma that is produced by illuminating a solid target with a pulse of conventional line focused high power laser radiation. The short pulse of ultraviolet or x-ray laser radiation, which may be amplified to high power, is separated out by passage through a slit aperture in the opaque barrier.

Photometric and spectroscopic gamma-ray observations of solar transient phenomena using long duration balloons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelling, M. R.; Duttweiler, F.; Lin, R. F.; Levedahl, W. K.; Primbach, H.; Curtis, D. W.; Burley, K. C.

1985-01-01

A program currently in progress to conduct extended duration spectroscopic and photometric observation of solar X-ray phenomena from balloons is described. High photometric sensitivity to weak hard X-ray bursts is attained using a 600 sq cm array of phoswich scintillators. High spectral resolution for stronger bursts is available from an array of planar germanium detectors. These instruments are carried in a novel balloon gondola dssigned for the 15 to 20 day float durations available through using conventional zero pressure balloons in the radiation controlled (RACOON) mode.

Photometric and spectroscopic gamma-ray observations of solar transient phenomena using long duration balloons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelling, M. R.; Duttweiler, F.; Lin, R. F.; Levedahl, W. K.; Primbach, H.; Curtis, D. W.; Burley, K. C.

1985-08-01

A program currently in progress to conduct extended duration spectroscopic and photometric observation of solar X-ray phenomena from balloons is described. High photometric sensitivity to weak hard X-ray bursts is attained using a 600 sq cm array of phoswich scintillators. High spectral resolution for stronger bursts is available from an array of planar germanium detectors. These instruments are carried in a novel balloon gondola dssigned for the 15 to 20 day float durations available through using conventional zero pressure balloons in the radiation controlled (RACOON) mode.

Use of the Progressive Aphasia Severity Scale (PASS) in monitoring speech and language status in PPA

PubMed Central

Sapolsky, Daisy; Domoto-Reilly, Kimiko; Dickerson, Bradford C.

2014-01-01

Background Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a devastating neurodegenerative syndrome involving the gradual development of aphasia, slowly impairing the patient’s ability to communicate. Pharmaceutical treatments do not currently exist and intervention often focuses on speech-language behavioral therapies, although further investigation is warranted to determine how best to harness functional benefits. Efforts to develop pharmaceutical and behavioral treatments have been hindered by a lack of standardized methods to monitor disease progression and treatment efficacy. Aims Here we describe our current approach to monitoring progression of PPA, including the development and applications of a novel clinical instrument for this purpose, the Progressive Aphasia Severity Scale (PASS). We also outline some of the issues related to initial evaluation and longitudinal monitoring of PPA. Methods & Procedures In our clinical and research practice we perform initial and follow-up assessments of PPA patients using a multi-faceted approach. In addition to standardized assessment measures, we use the PASS to rate presence and severity of symptoms across distinct domains of speech, language, and functional and pragmatic aspects of communication. Ratings are made using the clinician’s best judgment, integrating information from patient test performance in the office as well as a companion’s description of routine daily functioning. Outcomes & Results Monitoring symptom characteristics and severity with the PASS can assist in developing behavioral therapies, planning treatment goals, and counseling patients and families on clinical status and prognosis. The PASS also has potential to advance the implementation of PPA clinical trials. Conclusions PPA patients display heterogeneous language profiles that change over time given the progressive nature of the disease. The monitoring of symptom progression is therefore crucial to ensure that proposed treatments are appropriate at any given stage, including speech-language therapy and potentially pharmaceutical treatments once these become available. Because of the discrepancy that can exist between a patient’s daily functioning and standardized test performance, we believe a comprehensive assessment and monitoring battery must include performance-based instruments, interviews with the patient and partner, questionnaires about functioning in daily life, and measures of clinician judgment. We hope that our clinician judgment-based rating scale described here will be a valuable addition to the PPA assessment and monitoring battery. PMID:25419031

Structural and characteristic variation of anodic oxide on pure Ti with anodization duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizukoshi, Yoshiteru; Ohtsu, Naofhumi; Masahashi, Naoya

2013-10-01

Change in the structural and characteristic of the anodic oxide on pure Ti with the duration of anodization time was investigated. With the progress of the anodization, the phase of the formed TiO2 successively changed from anatase phase to rutile phase. In the transition process, peak intensities of rutile TiO2 1 0 1, 1 1 1 and 2 1 1 planes of X-ray diffraction characteristically increased. The contact angles of water droplets on the anodize TiO2 were monotonously decreased with the progress of the anodization except on the characteristically oriented rutile surface. In the evaluations of acetaldehyde photocatalysis under UV illumination, the anatase TiO2 anodized for short period exhibited high activities. On the other hand, when illuminated with visible light (>422 nm), rutile-structured TiO2 formed by anodization with a long duration exhibited superior photocatalytic activities probably due to high rutile fraction and sulfur incorporation from the electrolyte.

Tapered Roller Bearing Damage Detection Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Kreider, Gary; Fichter, Thomas

2006-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage of tapered roller bearings. Tapered roller bearings are used in helicopter transmissions and have potential for use in high bypass advanced gas turbine aircraft engines. A diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from failure progression tests conducted using health monitoring hardware. Failure progression tests were performed with tapered roller bearings under simulated engine load conditions. Tests were performed on one healthy bearing and three pre-damaged bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor and three accelerometers were monitored and recorded for the occurrence of bearing failure. The bearing was removed and inspected periodically for damage progression throughout testing. Using data fusion techniques, two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting bearing surface fatigue pitting damage. The data fusion diagnostic tool was evaluated during bearing failure progression tests under simulated engine load conditions. This integrated system showed improved detection of fatigue damage and health assessment of the tapered roller bearings as compared to using individual health monitoring technologies.

Slow Wave Sleep and Long Duration Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmire, Alexandra; Orr, Martin; Arias, Diana; Rueger, Melanie; Johnston, Smith; Leveton, Lauren

2012-01-01

While ground research has clearly shown that preserving adequate quantities of sleep is essential for optimal health and performance, changes in the progression, order and /or duration of specific stages of sleep is also associated with deleterious outcomes. As seen in Figure 1, in healthy individuals, REM and Non-REM sleep alternate cyclically, with stages of Non-REM sleep structured chronologically. In the early parts of the night, for instance, Non-REM stages 3 and 4 (Slow Wave Sleep, or SWS) last longer while REM sleep spans shorter; as night progresses, the length of SWS is reduced as REM sleep lengthens. This process allows for SWS to establish precedence , with increases in SWS seen when recovering from sleep deprivation. SWS is indeed regarded as the most restorative portion of sleep. During SWS, physiological activities such as hormone secretion, muscle recovery, and immune responses are underway, while neurological processes required for long term learning and memory consolidation, also occur. The structure and duration of specific sleep stages may vary independent of total sleep duration, and changes in the structure and duration have been shown to be associated with deleterious outcomes. Individuals with narcolepsy enter sleep through REM as opposed to stage 1 of NREM. Disrupting slow wave sleep for several consecutive nights without reducing total sleep duration or sleep efficiency is associated with decreased pain threshold, increased discomfort, fatigue, and the inflammatory flare response in skin. Depression has been shown to be associated with a reduction of slow wave sleep and increased REM sleep. Given research that shows deleterious outcomes are associated with changes in sleep structure, it is essential to characterize and mitigate not only total sleep duration, but also changes in sleep stages.

Operating Experience Review of the INL HTE Gas Monitoring System

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

L. C. Cadwallader; K. G. DeWall

2010-06-01

This paper describes the operations of several types of gas monitors in use at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) High Temperature Electrolysis Experiment (HTE) laboratory. The gases monitored at hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. The operating time, calibration, and unwanted alarms are described. The calibration session time durations are described. Some simple statistics are given for the reliability of these monitors and the results are compared to operating experiences of other types of monitors.

Progress on the biomarkers for tuberculosis diagnosis.

PubMed

Fu, Tiwei; Xie, Jianping

2011-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major threat to global health. Biomarkers derived from pathogen-host interaction can facilitate the monitoring of active TB. The recent progress regarding such biomarkers is summarized, including those can be used from serum, sputum, urine, or breath monitoring. A wide range of potential biomarkers such as protein antigens, cell-free nucleic acids, and lipoarabinomannose were compiled. The possible use of biomarkers for infection identification and monitoring drug efficacy are also presented.

Progress Monitoring in Middle School Mathematics: Options and Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foegen, Anne

2008-01-01

This study investigated the technical features of six potential progress-monitoring measures in mathematics appropriate for use at the middle school level, including two commercially available measures for sixth-grade mathematics, two measures used in previous middle school studies, and two new measures of numeracy concepts. Five hundred…

Language Assessment in a Snap: Monitoring Progress up to 36 Months

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilkerson, Jill; Richards, Jeffrey A.; Greenwood, Charles R.; Montgomery, Judy K.

2017-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Developmental Snapshot, a 52-item parent questionnaire on child language and vocal communication development that can be administered monthly and scored automatically. The Snapshot was created to provide an easily administered monthly progress monitoring tool that enables parents to…

Advancing Stage 2 Research on Measures for Monitoring Kindergarten Reading Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clemens, Nathan H.; Soohoo, Michelle M.; Wiley, Colby P.; Hsiao, Yu-Yu; Estrella, Ivonne; Allee-Smith, Paula J.; Yoon, Myeongsun

2018-01-01

Although several measures exist for frequently monitoring early reading progress, little research has specifically investigated their technical properties when administered on a frequent basis with kindergarten students. In this study, kindergarten students (N = 137) of whom the majority was receiving supplemental intervention for reading skills…

Compact Multi-Gas Monitor for Life Support Systems Control in Space: Evaluation Under Realistic Environmental Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alonso, Jesus Delgado; Phillips, Straun; Chullen, Cinda; Mendoza, Edgar

2014-01-01

Advanced space life support systems require lightweight, low-power, durable sensors for monitoring critical gas components. A luminescence-based optical flow-through cell to monitor carbon dioxide, oxygen, and humidity has been developed and was demonstrated using bench-top instrumentation under environmental conditions relevant to portable life support systems, including initially pure oxygen atmosphere, temperature range from 50 F to 150 F, and humidity from dry to 100% RH and under conditions of water condensation. This paper presents the most recent progress in the development of this sensor technology. Trace gas contaminants in a space suit, originating from hardware and material off-gassing and crew member metabolism, are from many chemical families. The result is a gas mix much more complex than the pure oxygen fed into the space suit, and this complexity may interfere with gas sensor readings. This paper presents an evaluation of optical sensor performance when exposed to the most significant trace gases reported to be found in space suits. A study of the calibration stability of the sensors is also presented. For that purpose, a profile of temperature, pressure, humidity, and gas composition for the duration of an EVA has been defined, and the performance of sensors operated repeatedly under those conditions has been studied. Finally, this paper presents the first compact readout unit for these optical sensors, designed for the volume, power, and weight restrictions of a PLSS.

A Proposed Resident's Operative Case Tracking and Evaluation System.

PubMed

Sehli, Deema N; Esene, Ignatius N; Baeesa, Saleh S

2016-03-01

Neurosurgery program trainers are continuously searching for new methods to evaluate trainees' competency besides number of cases and training duration. Recently, efforts are made on the development of reliable methods to teach competency and valid methods to measure teaching efficacy. Herein, we propose the "Resident's Operative Case Tracking and Evaluation System" (ROCTES) for the assessment and monitoring of the resident's performance quality during each procedure. We developed a data-based website and smartphone application for neurosurgical attending physicians, residents, and resident review committees in our accredited neurosurgical institutions. ROCTES runs through five steps: Login (Resident), Case Entry, Login (Attending Physician), Case Approval and Evaluation, and Report. The Resident enters each case record under "Case Entry" field and can "save," "edit," or "submit" the case data to the Attending Physician. The latter from the attending physician login profile will be able to "approve and evaluate" the resident's "knowledge," "skills," and "attitude" ranking from 1 to 15 for that particular case; add his comments and then "save," "edit," or "submit" the data, which can be viewed by users as a "report." Program Directors can also "login" to monitor the resident's progress. The implementation of this communication tool should enable the filtering and retrieval of information needed for the better assessment and monitoring of residents' exposure to variety of cases in each training center. This proposed evaluation system will provide a transparent assessment for residency training programs and should convert trainees into competent neurosurgeons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 63.505 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... section, is less than 4 hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of..., averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel, is above the maximum level or... storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the storage vessel. (ii) If the monitoring...

40 CFR 63.505 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... section, is less than 4 hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of..., averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel, is above the maximum level or... storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the storage vessel. (ii) If the monitoring...

40 CFR 63.505 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... section, is less than 4 hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of..., averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel, is above the maximum level or... storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the storage vessel. (ii) If the monitoring...

40 CFR 63.505 - Parameter monitoring levels and excursions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... section, is less than 4 hours in an operating day and more than two of the hours during the period of..., averaged over the duration of the filling period for the storage vessel, is above the maximum level or... storage vessel's monitoring plan, during the filling period for the storage vessel. (ii) If the monitoring...

Loss of Intrinsic Organization of Cerebellar Networks in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1: Correlates with Disease Severity and Duration

PubMed Central

Peri, Eitan; Chen, E. Elinor; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Gomez, Christopher M.

2011-01-01

The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a genetically heterogeneous group of cerebellar degenerative disorders, characterized by progressive gait unsteadiness, hand incoordination, and dysarthria. The mutational mechanism in SCA1, a dominantly inherited form of SCA, consists of an expanded trinucleotide CAG repeat. In SCA1, there is loss of Purkinje cells, neuronal loss in dentate nucleus, olives, and pontine nuclei. In the present study, we sought to apply intrinsic functional connectivity analysis combined with diffusion tensor imaging to define the state of cerebellar connectivity in SCA1. Our results on the intrinsic functional connectivity in lateral cerebellum and thalamus showed progressive organizational changes in SCA1 noted as a progressive increase in the absolute value of the correlation coefficients. In the lateral cerebellum, the anatomical organization of functional clusters seen as parasagittal bands in controls is lost, changing to a patchy appearance in SCA1. Lastly, only fractional anisotropy in the superior peduncle and changes in functional organization in thalamus showed a linear dependence to duration and severity of disease. The present pilot work represents an initial effort describing connectivity biomarkers of disease progression in SCA1. The functional changes detected with intrinsic functional analysis and diffusion tensor imaging suggest that disease progression can be analyzed as a disconnection syndrome. PMID:20886327

[Personal experience with VP-16 in the treatment of malignant lymphomas at the Chemotherapy Clinic of the Oncology Center--M. Skłodowskiej-Curie Institute in Warsaw].

PubMed

Pałucka, A; Walewski, J; Siedlecki, P; Zborzil, J

1990-01-01

Eighteen patients with advanced malignant lymphomas who had progressed with previous chemotherapy were treated with LEPP (chlorambucil, VP-16, procarbazine, prednisone). One complete response and 5 partial remissions were observed, yielding an overall response rate of 33%, with median response duration of about 2 months. Twenty three patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease all who had progressed with previous chemotherapy (MOPP and ABVD) and 19 of them also after radiation therapy were treated with third line salvage chemotherapy consisting of OPEC (VP- 16, chlorambucil, vincristine and prednisone). Two complete response and 3 partial remissions were obtained for overall response rate of 21% with median duration of about 9 months.

Pharmacogenetics of clozapine treatment response and side-effects in schizophrenia: an update.

PubMed

Sriretnakumar, Venuja; Huang, Eric; Müller, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Clozapine (CLZ) is the most effective treatment for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (SCZ) patients, with potential added benefits of reduction in suicide risk and aggression. However, CLZ is also mainly underused due to its high risk for the potentially lethal side-effect of agranulocytosis as well as weight gain and related metabolic dysregulation. Pharmacogenetics promises to enable the prediction of patient treatment response and risk of adverse effects based on patients' genetics, paving the way toward individualized treatment. This article reviews pharmacogenetics studies of CLZ response and side-effects with a focus on articles from January 2012 to February 2015, as an update to the previous reviews. Pharmacokinetic genes explored primarily include CYP1A2, while pharmacodynamic genes consisted of traditional pharmacogenetic targets such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor as well novel mitochondrial genes, NDUFS-1 and translocator protein. Pharmacogenetics is a promising avenue for individualized medication of CLZ in SCZ, with several consistently replicated gene variants predicting CLZ response and side-effects. However, a large proportion of studies have yielded mixed results. Large-scale Genome-wide association studies (e.g., CRESTAR) and targeted gene studies with standardized designs (response measurements, treatment durations, plasma level monitoring) are required for further progress toward clinical translation. Additionally, in order to improve study quality, we recommend accounting for important confounders, including polypharmacy, baseline measurements, treatment duration, gender, and age at onset.

[Multivariate analysis of factors influencing the effect of radiosynovectomy].

PubMed

Farahati, J; Schulz, G; Wendler, J; Körber, C; Geling, M; Kenn, W; Schmeider, P; Reidemeister, C; Reiners, Chr

2002-04-01

In this prospective study, the time to remission after Radiosynovectomy (RSV) was analyzed and the influence of age, sex, underlying disease, type of joint, and duration of illness on the success rate of RSV was determined. A total number of 57 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 33) and arthrosis (n = 21) with a total number of 130 treated joints (36 knee, 66 small and 28 medium-size joints) were monitored using visual analogue scales (VAS) from one week before RSV up to four to six months after RSV. The patients had to answer 3 times daily for pain intensity of the treated joint. The time until remission was determined according to the Kaplan-Meier survivorship function. The influence of the prognosis parameters on outcome of RSV was determined by multivariate discriminant analysis. After six months, the probability of pain relief of more than 20% amounted to 78% and was significantly dependent on the age of the patient (p = 0.02) and the duration of illness (p = 0.05), however not on sex (p = 0.17), underlying disease (p = 0.23), and type of joint (p = 0.69). Irrespective of sex, type of joint and underlying disease, a measurable pain relief can be achieved with RSV in 78% of the patients with synovitis, whereby effectiveness is decreasing with increasing age and progress of illness.

Integrating Condition Indicators and Usage Parameters for Improved Spiral Bevel Gear Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Handschuh, Robert F.; Delgado, Irebert R.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to illustrate the importance of combining Health Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) data with usage monitoring system data when detecting rotorcraft transmission health. Six gear sets were tested in the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Rig. Damage was initiated and progressed on the gear and pinion teeth. Damage progression was measured by debris generation and documented with inspection photos at varying torque values. A contact fatigue analysis was applied to the gear design indicating the effect temperature, load and reliability had on gear life. Results of this study illustrated the benefits of combining HUMS data and actual usage data to indicate progression of damage for spiral bevel gears.

Integrating Condition Indicators and Usage Parameters for Improved Spiral Bevel Gear Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Handschuh, Robert F.; Delgado, Irebert, R.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to illustrate the importance of combining Health Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) data with usage monitoring system data when detecting rotorcraft transmission health. Three gear sets were tested in the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Rig. Damage was initiated and progressed on the gear and pinion teeth. Damage progression was measured by debris generation and documented with inspection photos at varying torque values. A contact fatigue analysis was applied to the gear design indicating the effect temperature, load and reliability had on gear life. Results of this study illustrated the benefits of combining HUMS data and actual usage data to indicate progression of damage for spiral bevel gears.

Operating experience review of an INL gas monitoring system

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

Cadwallader, Lee C.; DeWall, K. G.; Herring, J. S.

2015-03-12

This article describes the operations of several types of gas monitors in use at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) High Temperature Electrolysis Experiment (HTE) laboratory. The gases monitored in the lab room are hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. The operating time, calibration, and both actual and unwanted alarms are described. The calibration session time durations are described. In addition, some simple calculations are given to estimate the reliability of these monitors and the results are compared to operating experiences of other types of monitors.

15 CFR 990.55 - Restoration selection-developing restoration plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Foreign Trade (Continued) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE OIL... involvement of the responsible parties in the assessment; and (vii) A description of monitoring for.... (3) The monitoring component to the Draft Restoration Plan should address such factors as duration...

Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (CPST) Technology Demonstration For Long Duration In-Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael L.; Motil, Susan M.; Kortes, Trudy F.; Taylor, William J.; McRight, Patrick S.

2012-01-01

(1) Store cryogenic propellants in a manner that maximizes their availability for use regardless of mission duration; (2) Efficiently transfer conditioned cryogenic propellant to an engine or tank situated in a microgravity environment; and (3) Accurately monitor and gauge cryogenic propellants situated in a microgravity environment

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Progress Report 42-123

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuen, Joseph H. (Editor)

1995-01-01

The progress of research programs monitored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Telecommunications and Mission Operations Directorate (TMOD) are presented in this quarterly document. Areas monitored include space communications, radio navigation, radio science, ground-based radio and radar astronomy, information systems, and all other communication and research technology activities for the Deep Space Network (DSN).

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading Growth: Weekly versus Intermittent Progress Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Joseph; Schulze, Margaret; Marti, Allison; Harbaugh, Allen G.

2017-01-01

We examined the idea that leaner schedules of progress monitoring (PM) can lighten assessment demands without undermining decision-making accuracy. Using curriculum-based measurement of reading, we compared effects on decision accuracy of 5 intermittent PM schedules relative to that of every-week PM. For participating students with high-incidence…

Robust Regression for Slope Estimation in Curriculum-Based Measurement Progress Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Sterett H.; Lyons, Alina F.; Johnston, Lauren E.; Millhoff, Courtney L.

2015-01-01

Although ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression has been identified as a preferred method to calculate rates of improvement for individual students during curriculum-based measurement (CBM) progress monitoring, OLS slope estimates are sensitive to the presence of extreme values. Robust estimators have been developed that are less biased by…

Assessing and Monitoring Student Progress in an E-Learning Personnel Preparation Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyen, Edward L.; Aust, Ronald J.; Bui, Yvonne N.; Isaacson, Robert

2002-01-01

Discussion of e-learning in special education personnel preparation focuses on student assessment in e-learning environments. It includes a review of the literature, lessons learned by the authors from assessing student performance in e-learning environments, a literature perspective on electronic portfolios in monitoring student progress, and the…

Educational Progress Indicator (E.P.I.): Synthetic Indicator for Monitoring Education. Contribution to Education for All.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camara, Boubacar

This publication complements the "Education for All" program and is intended to provide a comprehensive and operational indicator for monitoring education. As a synthetic tool, the Educational Progress Indicator (EPI) facilitates the analytical assessment and projection work of educational planners, managers, actors, and policymakers. The EPI…

Daily Behavior Report Cards as Evidence-Based Practice for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vannest, Kimberly J.; Burke, Mack D.; Sauber, Stephanie B.; Davis, John L.; Davis, Cole R.

2011-01-01

Easy-to-use progress-monitoring and intervention techniques are attractive because most teachers are crunched for time and teacher instructional time is often consumed with paperwork, especially for progress monitoring and discipline. Some studies indicate up to 50% of a special educator's time may be spent on paperwork. Methods that serve a dual…

Monitoring Progress of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Susan

2007-01-01

Federal and state legislation has placed a renewed emphasis on accountability and academic outcomes among students who are deaf or hard of hearing. While much attention is given to norm-referenced standardized testing accommodations, there is a need for functional formative assessments for the purpose of monitoring students' academic progress.…

Progress Monitoring in Grade 5 Science for Low Achievers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vannest, Kimberly J.; Parker, Richard; Dyer, Nicole

2011-01-01

This article presents procedures and results from a 2-year project developing science key vocabulary (KV) short tests suitable for progress monitoring Grade 5 science in Texas public schools using computer-generated, -administered, and -scored assessments. KV items included KV definitions and important usages in a multiple-choice cloze format. A…

Effect of Technology-Enhanced Continuous Progress Monitoring on Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ysseldyke, Jim; Bolt, Daniel M.

2007-01-01

We examined the extent to which use of a technology-enhanced continuous progress monitoring system would enhance the results of math instruction, examined variability in teacher implementation of the program, and compared math results in classrooms in which teachers did and did not use the system. Classrooms were randomly assigned to within-school…

Psychometric Aspects of Pupil Monitoring Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glas, Cees A. W.; Geerlings, Hanneke

2009-01-01

Pupil monitoring systems support the teacher in tailoring teaching to the individual level of a student and in comparing the progress and results of teaching with national standards. The systems are based on the availability of an item bank calibrated using item response theory. The assessment of the students' progress and results can be further…

Measurement Properties of a Park Use Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Evenson, Kelly R.; Wen, Fang; Golinelli, Daniela; Rodríguez, Daniel A.; Cohen, Deborah A.

2012-01-01

We determined the criterion validity and test-retest reliability of a brief park use questionnaire. From five US locations, 232 adults completed a brief survey four times and wore a global positioning system (GPS) monitor for three weeks. We assessed validity for park visits during the past week and during a usual week by examining agreement between frequency and duration of park visits reported in the questionnaire to the GPS monitor results. Spearman correlation coefficients (SCC) were used to measure agreement. For past week park visit frequency and duration, the SCC were 0.62–0.65 and 0.62–0.67, respectively. For usual week park visit frequency and duration, the SCC were 0.40–0.50 and 0.50–0.53, respectively. Usual park visit frequency reliability was 0.78–0.88 (percent agreement 69%–82%) and usual park visit duration was 0.75–0.84 (percent agreement 64%–73%). These results suggest that the questionnaire to assess usual and past week park use had acceptable validity and reliability. PMID:23853386

Advanced biosensors for monitoring astronauts' health during long-duration space missions.

PubMed

Roda, Aldo; Mirasoli, Mara; Guardigli, Massimo; Zangheri, Martina; Caliceti, Cristiana; Calabria, Donato; Simoni, Patrizia

2018-07-15

Long-duration space missions pose important health concerns for astronauts, especially regarding the adverse effects of microgravity and exposure to high-energy cosmic rays. The long-term maintenance of crew health and performance mainly relies on prevention, early diagnoses, condition management, and medical interventions in situ. In-flight biosensor diagnostic devices and medical procedures must use few resources and operate in a microgravity environment, which complicates the collection and management of biological samples. Moreover, the biosensors must be certified for in-flight operation according to strict design and safety regulations. Herein, we report on the state of the art and recent advances in biosensing diagnostic instrumentation for monitoring astronauts' health during long-duration space missions, including portable and wearable biosensors. We discuss perspectives on new-format biosensors in autonomous space clinics. We also describe our own work in developing biosensing devices for non-invasively diagnosing space-related diseases, and how they are used in long-duration missions. Finally, we discuss the benefits of space exploration for Earth-based medicine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring the Impacts of Forest Management on Snowpack Duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Halloran, T.; Tyler, S.; Gaffney, R.; Pai, H.

2017-12-01

Seasonal snowpack constitutes a significant portion of the hydrologic budget in mountain watersheds and influences dynamic (e.g., runoff magnitude and timing, soil moisture availability) and energetic processes (e.g., surface-atmosphere energy fluxes, ground temperature). Altered forest structure can affect snow accumulation and ablation. As part of a long-term monitoring project, this work examines the impact of forest management practices on snow cover in Lassen National Forest, California. We deployed a fiber optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) cable and multiple meteorological stations in thinned, clear-cut, and untreated areas of forest. The DTS data was collected at 1 meter spatial intervals every 4 hours from February to May 2017. To determine snow cover, daily temperature variations were examined along locations of the DTS cable associated with our areas of interest. Between the various treatments, snow duration was greater in both clear-cut and untreated forest compared to the thinned area. However, snow duration varied by only six days. We also investigated other meteorological forcings, such as average winter temperature and precipitation, which coupled with forest modifications could explain snow duration in our study.

Ongoing behavior predicts perceptual report of interval duration

PubMed Central

Gouvêa, Thiago S.; Monteiro, Tiago; Soares, Sofia; Atallah, Bassam V.; Paton, Joseph J.

2014-01-01

The ability to estimate the passage of time is essential for adaptive behavior in complex environments. Yet, it is not known how the brain encodes time over the durations necessary to explain animal behavior. Under temporally structured reinforcement schedules, animals tend to develop temporally structured behavior, and interval timing has been suggested to be accomplished by learning sequences of behavioral states. If this is true, trial to trial fluctuations in behavioral sequences should be predictive of fluctuations in time estimation. We trained rodents in an duration categorization task while continuously monitoring their behavior with a high speed camera. Animals developed highly reproducible behavioral sequences during the interval being timed. Moreover, those sequences were often predictive of perceptual report from early in the trial, providing support to the idea that animals may use learned behavioral patterns to estimate the duration of time intervals. To better resolve the issue, we propose that continuous and simultaneous behavioral and neural monitoring will enable identification of neural activity related to time perception that is not explained by ongoing behavior. PMID:24672473

Determination of Spring Onset and Growing Season Duration using Satellite Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, Q.; Lin, Bing

2006-01-01

An integrated approach to retrieve microwave emissivity difference vegetation index (EDVI) over land regions has been developed from combined multi-platform/multi-sensor satellite measurements, including SSM/I measurements. A possible relationship of the remotely sensed EDVI and the leaf physiology of canopy is exploited at the Harvard Forest site for two growing seasons. This study finds that the EDVI is sensitive to leaf development through vegetation water content of the crown layer of the forest canopy, and has demonstrated that the spring onset and growing season duration can be determined accurately from the time series of satellite estimated EDVI within uncertainties about 3 and 7 days for spring onsets and growing season duration, respectively, compared to in-situ observations. The leaf growing stage may also be quantitatively monitored by a normalized EDVI. Since EDVI retrievals from satellite are generally possible during both daytime and nighttime under non-rain conditions, the EDVI technique studied here may provide higher temporal resolution observations for monitoring the onset of spring and the duration of growing season compared to currently operational satellite methods.

Diagnostic yield and optimal duration of continuous-loop event monitoring for the diagnosis of palpitations. A cost-effectiveness analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimetbaum, P. J.; Kim, K. Y.; Josephson, M. E.; Goldberger, A. L.; Cohen, D. J.

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND: Continuous-loop event recorders are widely used for the evaluation of palpitations, but the optimal duration of monitoring is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the yield, timing, and incremental cost-effectiveness of each week of event monitoring for palpitations. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PATIENTS: 105 consecutive outpatients referred for the placement of a continuous-loop event recorder for the evaluation of palpitations. MEASUREMENTS: Diagnostic yield, incremental cost, and cost-effectiveness for each week of monitoring. RESULTS: The diagnostic yield of continuous-loop event recorders was 1.04 diagnoses per patient in week 1, 0.15 diagnoses per patient in week 2, and 0.01 diagnoses per patient in week 3 and beyond. Over time, the cost-effectiveness ratio increased from $98 per new diagnosis in week 1 to $576 per new diagnosis in week 2 and $5832 per new diagnosis in week 3. CONCLUSIONS: In patients referred for evaluation of palpitations, the diagnostic yield of continuous-loop event recording decreases rapidly after 2 weeks of monitoring. A 2-week monitoring period is reasonably cost-effective for most patients and should be the standard period for continuous-loop event recording for the evaluation of palpitations.

Association of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patient Outcomes With Duration of Cerebrovascular Autoregulation Impairment Events.

PubMed

Preiksaitis, Aidanas; Krakauskaite, Solventa; Petkus, Vytautas; Rocka, Saulius; Chomskis, Romanas; Dagi, Teodoro Forcht; Ragauskas, Arminas

2016-07-01

Cerebrovascular autoregulation (CA) is an important hemodynamic mechanism that protects the brain against inappropriate fluctuations in cerebral blood flow in the face of changing cerebral perfusion pressure. Temporal CA failure is associated with worse outcomes in various acute neurological diseases. An integrative approach is presently used according to the existing paradigm for the association of series of temporal CA impairments with the outcomes of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). To explore the influence of the duration of CA impairment events on severe TBI patient outcomes. Patient age was also included in the analysis of the prospectively collected clinical data. CA monitoring included 33 prospective severe TBI patients. The pressure reactivity index [PRx(t)] was continuously monitored to collect information on the dynamics of CA status and to analyze associations between the duration of the longest CA impairment event and patient outcomes. The Glasgow outcome scale and the duration of the longest CA impairment were negatively correlated. The duration of autoregulation impairment significantly correlated with worse outcomes. Multidimensional representation of Glasgow outcome scale plots showed that better outcomes were obtained for younger patients (age < 47 years) and those whose longest CA impairment event was shorter than 40 minutes if PRx(t) was above 0.7 in the CA impairment event. Unfavorable outcomes for TBI patients are more significantly associated with the duration of the single longest CA impairment episode at a high PRx(t) value, rather than with averaged PRx(t) values or the average time of all CA impairment episodes. ABP, arterial blood pressureABP(t), continuous reference arterial blood pressureCA, cerebrovascular autoregulationCBF, cerebral blood flowCPP, cerebral perfusion pressureGOS, Glasgow outcome scaleGOSHD, Glasgow outcome scale after hospital dischargeGOS6M, Glasgow outcome scale at 6 months after dischargeICP, intracranial pressureICP(t), continuously monitored intracranial pressureLCAI, longest CA impairmentoptCPP, optimal cerebral perfusion pressurePRx(t), pressure reactivity indexTBI, traumatic brain injury.

Long-term recall accuracy for mobile phone calls in young Japanese people: A follow-up validation study using software-modified phones.

PubMed

Kiyohara, Kosuke; Wake, Kanako; Watanabe, Soichi; Arima, Takuji; Sato, Yasuto; Kojimahara, Noriko; Taki, Masao; Cardis, Elisabeth; Yamaguchi, Naohito

2018-03-01

This study examined changes in recall accuracy for mobile phone calls over a long period. Japanese students' actual call statuses were monitored for 1 month using software-modified phones (SMPs). Three face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain information regarding self-reported call status during the monitoring period: first interview: immediately after the monitoring period; second interview: after 10-12 months; third interview: after 48-55 months. Using the SMP records as the "gold standard", phone call recall accuracy was assessed for each interview. Data for 94 participants were analyzed. The number of calls made was underestimated considerably and the duration of calls was overestimated slightly in all interviews. Agreement between self-report and SMP records regarding the number of calls, duration of calls and laterality (i.e., use of the dominant ear while making calls) gradually deteriorated with the increase in the interval following the monitoring period (number of calls: first interview: Pearson's r=0.641, third interview: 0.396; duration of calls: first interview: Pearson's r=0.763, third interview: 0.356; laterality: first interview: weighted-κ=0.677, third interview: 0.448). Thus, recall accuracy for mobile phone calls would be consistently imperfect over a long period, and the results of related epidemiological studies should be interpreted carefully.

Analysis of streambed temperatures in ephemeral channels to determine streamflow frequency and duration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Constantz, James E.; Stonestrom, David A.; Stewart, Amy E.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Smith, Tyson R.

2001-01-01

Spatial and temporal patterns in streamflow are rarely monitored for ephemeral streams. Flashy, erosive streamflows common in ephemeral channels create a series of operational and maintenance problems, which makes it impractical to deploy a series of gaging stations along ephemeral channels. Streambed temperature is a robust and inexpensive parameter to monitor remotely, leading to the possibility of analyzing temperature patterns to estimate streamflow frequency and duration along ephemeral channels. A simulation model was utilized to examine various atmospheric and hydrological upper boundary conditions compared with a series of hypothetical temperature‐monitoring depths within the streambed. Simulation results indicate that streamflow events were distinguished from changing atmospheric conditions with greater certainty using temperatures at shallow depths (e.g., 10–20 cm) as opposed to the streambed surface. Three ephemeral streams in the American Southwest were instrumented to monitor streambed temperature for determining the accuracy of using this approach to ascertain the long‐term temporal and spatial extent of streamflow along each stream channel. Streambed temperature data were collected at the surface or at shallow depth along each stream channel, using thermistors encased in waterproof, single‐channel data loggers tethered to anchors in the channel. On the basis of comparisons with site information, such as direct field observations and upstream flow records, diurnal temperature variations successfully detected the presence and duration of streamflow for all sites.

Protection, promotion and support of breast-feeding in Europe: progress from 2002 to 2007.

PubMed

Cattaneo, Adriano; Burmaz, Tea; Arendt, Maryse; Nilsson, Ingrid; Mikiel-Kostyra, Krystyna; Kondrate, Irena; Communal, Marie José; Massart, Catherine; Chapin, Elise; Fallon, Maureen

2010-06-01

To assess progress in the protection, promotion and support of breast-feeding in Europe. Data for 2002 and 2007 were gathered with the same questionnaire. Of thirty countries, twenty-nine returned data for 2002, twenty-four for 2007. The number of countries with national policies complying with WHO recommendations increased. In 2007, six countries lacked a national policy, three a national plan, four a national breast-feeding coordinator and committee. Little improvement was reported in pre-service training; however, the number of countries with good coverage in the provision of WHO/UNICEF courses for in-service training increased substantially, as reflected in a parallel increase in the number of Baby Friendly Hospitals and the proportion of births taking place in them. Little improvement was reported as far as implementation of the International Code on Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is concerned. Except for Ireland and the UK, where some improvement occurred, no changes were reported on maternity protection. Due to lack of standard methods, it was difficult to compare rates of breast-feeding among countries. With this in mind, slight improvements in the rates of initiation, exclusivity and duration were reported by countries where data at two points in time were available. Breast-feeding rates continue to fall short of global recommendations. National policies are improving slowly but are hampered by the lack of action on maternity protection and the International Code. Pre-service training and standard monitoring of breast-feeding rates are the areas where more efforts are needed to accelerate progress.

Elimination of Drifts in Long-Duration Monitoring for Apnea-Hypopnea of Human Respiration.

PubMed

Jiang, Peng; Zhu, Rong

2016-10-25

This paper reports a methodology to eliminate an uncertain baseline drift in respiratory monitoring using a thermal airflow sensor exposed in a high humidity environment. Human respiratory airflow usually contains a large amount of moisture (relative humidity, RH > 85%). Water vapors in breathing air condense gradually on the surface of the sensor so as to form a thin water film that leads to a significant sensor drift in long-duration respiratory monitoring. The water film is formed by a combination of condensation and evaporation, and therefore the behavior of the humidity drift is complicated. Fortunately, the exhale and inhale responses of the sensor exhibit distinguishing features that are different from the humidity drift. Using a wavelet analysis method, we removed the baseline drift of the sensor and successfully recovered the respiratory waveform. Finally, we extracted apnea-hypopnea events from the respiratory signals monitored in whole-night sleeps of patients and compared them with golden standard polysomnography (PSG) results.

Elimination of Drifts in Long-Duration Monitoring for Apnea-Hypopnea of Human Respiration

PubMed Central

Jiang, Peng; Zhu, Rong

2016-01-01

This paper reports a methodology to eliminate an uncertain baseline drift in respiratory monitoring using a thermal airflow sensor exposed in a high humidity environment. Human respiratory airflow usually contains a large amount of moisture (relative humidity, RH > 85%). Water vapors in breathing air condense gradually on the surface of the sensor so as to form a thin water film that leads to a significant sensor drift in long-duration respiratory monitoring. The water film is formed by a combination of condensation and evaporation, and therefore the behavior of the humidity drift is complicated. Fortunately, the exhale and inhale responses of the sensor exhibit distinguishing features that are different from the humidity drift. Using a wavelet analysis method, we removed the baseline drift of the sensor and successfully recovered the respiratory waveform. Finally, we extracted apnea-hypopnea events from the respiratory signals monitored in whole-night sleeps of patients and compared them with golden standard polysomnography (PSG) results. PMID:27792151

Progression of HPV infection to detectable cervical lesions or clearance in adult women: Analysis of the control arm of the VIVIANE study.

PubMed

Skinner, S Rachel; Wheeler, Cosette M; Romanowski, Barbara; Castellsagué, Xavier; Lazcano-Ponce, Eduardo; Del Rosario-Raymundo, M Rowena; Vallejos, Carlos; Minkina, Galina; Pereira Da Silva, Daniel; McNeil, Shelly; Prilepskaya, Vera; Gogotadze, Irina; Money, Deborah; Garland, Suzanne M; Romanenko, Viktor; Harper, Diane M; Levin, Myron J; Chatterjee, Archana; Geeraerts, Brecht; Struyf, Frank; Dubin, Gary; Bozonnat, Marie-Cécile; Rosillon, Dominique; Baril, Laurence

2016-05-15

The control arm of the phase III VIVIANE (Human PapillomaVIrus: Vaccine Immunogenicity ANd Efficacy; NCT00294047) study in women >25 years was studied to assess risk of progression from cervical HPV infection to detectable cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The risk of detecting CIN associated with the same HPV type as the reference infection was analysed using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox models. Infections were categorised depending upon persistence as 6-month persistent infection (6MPI) or infection of any duration. The 4-year interim analysis included 2,838 women, of whom 1,073 (37.8%) experienced 2,615 infections of any duration and 708 (24.9%) experienced 1,130 6MPIs. Infection with oncogenic HPV types significantly increased the risk of detecting CIN grade 2 or greater (CIN2+) versus non-oncogenic types. For 6MPI, the highest risk was associated with HPV-33 (hazard ratio [HR]: 31.9 [8.3-122.2, p < 0.0001]). The next highest risk was with HPV-16 (21.1 [6.3-70.0], p < 0.0001). Similar findings were seen for infections of any duration. Significant risk was also observed for HPV-18, HPV-31, and HPV-45. Concomitant HPV infection or CIN grade 1 or greater associated with a different oncogenic HPV type increased risk. Most women (79.3%) with an HPV infection at baseline cleared detectable infections of any duration, and 69.9% cleared a 6MPI. The risk of progression of HPV infection to CIN2+ in women >25 years in this study was similar to that in women 15-25 years in PATRICIA. © 2015 The Authors and GlaxoSmithKline. International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.

Progression of HPV infection to detectable cervical lesions or clearance in adult women: Analysis of the control arm of the VIVIANE study

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Cosette M.; Romanowski, Barbara; Castellsagué, Xavier; Lazcano‐Ponce, Eduardo; Rowena Del Rosario‐Raymundo, M.; Vallejos, Carlos; Minkina, Galina; Pereira Da Silva, Daniel; McNeil, Shelly; Prilepskaya, Vera; Gogotadze, Irina; Money, Deborah; Garland, Suzanne M.; Romanenko, Viktor; Harper, Diane M.; Levin, Myron J.; Chatterjee, Archana; Geeraerts, Brecht; Struyf, Frank; Dubin, Gary; Bozonnat, Marie‐Cécile; Rosillon, Dominique; Baril, Laurence

2016-01-01

The control arm of the phase III VIVIANE (Human PapillomaVIrus: Vaccine Immunogenicity ANd Efficacy; NCT00294047) study in women >25 years was studied to assess risk of progression from cervical HPV infection to detectable cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The risk of detecting CIN associated with the same HPV type as the reference infection was analysed using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox models. Infections were categorised depending upon persistence as 6‐month persistent infection (6MPI) or infection of any duration. The 4‐year interim analysis included 2,838 women, of whom 1,073 (37.8%) experienced 2,615 infections of any duration and 708 (24.9%) experienced 1,130 6MPIs. Infection with oncogenic HPV types significantly increased the risk of detecting CIN grade 2 or greater (CIN2+) versus non‐oncogenic types. For 6MPI, the highest risk was associated with HPV‐33 (hazard ratio [HR]: 31.9 [8.3–122.2, p < 0.0001]). The next highest risk was with HPV‐16 (21.1 [6.3–70.0], p < 0.0001). Similar findings were seen for infections of any duration. Significant risk was also observed for HPV‐18, HPV‐31, and HPV‐45. Concomitant HPV infection or CIN grade 1 or greater associated with a different oncogenic HPV type increased risk. Most women (79.3%) with an HPV infection at baseline cleared detectable infections of any duration, and 69.9% cleared a 6MPI. The risk of progression of HPV infection to CIN2+ in women >25 years in this study was similar to that in women 15–25 years in PATRICIA. PMID:26685704

Multiplexed methylation profiles of tumor suppressor genes and clinical outcome in oligodendroglial tumors.

PubMed

Kuo, Lu-Ting; Lu, Hsueh-Yi; Lee, Chien-Chang; Tsai, Jui-Chang; Lai, Hong-Shiee; Tseng, Ham-Min; Kuo, Meng-Fai; Tu, Yong-Kwang

2016-08-01

Aberrant methylation has been associated with transcriptional inactivation of tumor-related genes in a wide spectrum of human neoplasms. The influence of DNA methylation in oligodendroglial tumors is not fully understood. Genomic DNA was isolated from 61 oligodendroglial tumors for analysis of methylation using methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay (MS-MLPA). We correlated methylation status with clinicopathological findings and outcome. The genes found to be most frequently methylated in oligodendroglial tumors were RASSF1A (80.3%), CASP8 (70.5%), and CDKN2A (52.5%). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated longer duration of progression-free survival in patients with 19q loss, aged less than 38 years, and with a proliferative index of less than 5%. Methylation of the ESR1 promoter is significantly associated with shorter duration of overall survival and progression-free survival, and that methylation of IGSF4 and RASSF1A is significantly associated with shorter duration of progression-free survival. However, none of the methylation status of ESR1, IGSF4, and RASSF1A was of prognostic value for survival in a multivariate Cox model. A number of novel and interesting epigenetic alterations were identified in this study. The findings highlight the importance of methylation profiles in oligodendroglial tumors and their possible involvement in tumorigenesis. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The application of micro UAV in construction project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaamin, Masiri; Razali, Siti Nooraiin Mohd; Ahmad, Nor Farah Atiqah; Bukari, Saifullizan Mohd; Ngadiman, Norhayati; Kadir, Aslila Abd; Hamid, Nor Baizura

2017-10-01

In every outstanding construction project, there is definitely have an effective construction management. Construction management allows a construction project to be implemented according to plan. Every construction project must have a progress development works that is usually created by the site engineer. Documenting the progress of works is one of the requirements in construction management. In a progress report it is necessarily have a visual image as an evidence. The conventional method used for photographing on the construction site is by using common digital camera which is has few setback comparing to Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Besides, site engineer always have a current issues involving limitation of monitoring on high reach point and entire view of the construction site. The purpose of this paper is to provide a concise review of Micro UAV technology in monitoring the progress on construction site through visualization approach. The aims of this study are to replace the conventional method of photographing on construction site using Micro UAV which can portray the whole view of the building, especially on high reach point and allows to produce better images, videos and 3D model and also facilitating site engineer to monitor works in progress. The Micro UAV was flown around the building construction according to the Ground Control Points (GCPs) to capture images and record videos. The images taken from Micro UAV have been processed generate 3D model and were analysed to visualize the building construction as well as monitoring the construction progress work and provides immediate reliable data for project estimation. It has been proven that by using Micro UAV, a better images and videos can give a better overview of the construction site and monitor any defects on high reach point building structures. Not to be forgotten, with Micro UAV the construction site progress is more efficiently tracked and kept on the schedule.

Ultrasound screening of periarticular soft tissue abnormality around metal-on-metal bearings.

PubMed

Nishii, Takashi; Sakai, Takashi; Takao, Masaki; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Sugano, Nobuhiko

2012-06-01

Although metal hypersensitivity or pseudotumors are concerns for metal-on-metal (MoM) bearings, detailed pathologies of patterns, severity, and incidence of periprosthetic soft tissue lesions are incompletely understood. We examined the potential of ultrasound for screening of periarticular soft tissue lesions around MoM bearings. Ultrasound examinations were conducted in 88 hips (79 patients) with MoM hip resurfacings or MoM total hip arthroplasties with a large femoral head. Four qualitative ultrasound patterns were shown, including normal pattern in 69 hips, joint-expansion pattern in 11 hips, cystic pattern in 5 hips, and mass pattern in 3 hips. Hips with the latter 3 abnormal patterns showed significantly higher frequency of clinical symptoms, without significant differences of sex, duration of implantation, head sizes, and cup abduction/anteversion angles, compared with hips with normal pattern. Ultrasound examination provides sensitive screening of soft tissue reactions around MoM bearings and may be useful in monitoring progression and defining treatment for periarticular soft tissue abnormalities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Fungal community structure in phase II composting of Volvariella volvacea].

PubMed

Chen, Changqing; Li, Tong; Jiang, Yun; Li, Yu

2014-12-04

To understand the fungal community succession during the phase II of Volvariella volvacea compost and clarify the predominant fungi in different fermentation stages, to monitor the dynamic compost at the molecular level accurately and quickly, and reveal the mechanism. The 18S rDNA-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing methods were used to analyze the fungal community structure during the course of compost. The DGGE profile shows that there were differences in the diversity of fungal community with the fermentation progress. The diversity was higher in the stages of high temperature. And the dynamic changes of predominant community and relative intensity was observed. Among the 20 predominant clone strains, 9 were unknown eukaryote and fungi, the others were Eurotiales, Aspergillus sp., Melanocarpus albomyces, Colletotrichum sp., Rhizomucor sp., Verticillium sp., Penicillium commune, Microascus trigonosporus and Trichosporon lactis. The 14 clone strains were detected in the stages of high and durative temperature. The fungal community structure and predominant community have taken dynamic succession during the phase II of Volvariella volvacea compost.

Analysis of MIR Condensate and Potable Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierre, L. M.; Bobe, L.; Protasov, N. N.; Sauer, R. L.; Schultz, J. R.; Sinyak, Y. E.; Skuratov, V. M.

1999-01-01

Approximately fifty percent of the potable water supplied to the Russian cosmonauts, American astronauts, and other occupants of the current Russian Mir Space Station is produced by the direct recycle of water from humidity condensate. The remainder comes from ground supplied potable water that is delivered on a Progress resupply spacecraft, or processed fuel cell water transferred from the Shuttle. Reclamation of water for potable and hygiene purposes is considered essential for extended duration missions in order to avoid massive costs associated with resupplying water from the ground. The Joint U.S/Russian Phase 1 program provided the U.S. the first opportunity to evaluate the performance of water reclamation hardware in microgravity. During the Phase I program, the U.S. collected recycled water, stored water, and humidity condensate samples for chemical and microbial evaluation. This experiment was conducted to determine the potability of the water supplied on Mir, to assess the reliability of the water reclamation and distribution systems, and to aid in developing water quality monitoring standards for International Space Station.

A retrospective study of proteinuria in dogs receiving toceranib phosphate.

PubMed

Piscoya, Sindy L; Hume, Kelly R; Balkman, Cheryl E

2018-06-01

The incidence of proteinuria in humans receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been well-documented. Reports of proteinuria with this class of drugs are limited in veterinary medicine. This retrospective study describes the incidence, severity, and progression of proteinuria in 55 dogs treated with toceranib phosphate, with or without concurrent glucocorticoid or NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). Six dogs were proteinuric at baseline. Twelve of the 49 dogs that were not proteinuric at baseline developed proteinuria while receiving toceranib phosphate. Median urine protein:creatinine (UPC) ratio when proteinuria developed was 0.75 (range: 0.6 to 4.9). There was no association with intermittent glucocorticoid or NSAID use and development of proteinuria ( P = 0.5 and P = 0.7, respectively). Overall duration of toceranib phosphate treatment ranged from 70 to 802 days in proteinuric dogs and 28 to 1285 days in non-proteinuric dogs. Our results indicate a subset of dogs receiving toceranib phosphate may develop proteinuria; careful monitoring with serial UPCs is recommended.

Cognitive impairment categorized in community-dwelling older adults with and without dementia using in-home sensors that recognise activities of daily living

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urwyler, Prabitha; Stucki, Reto; Rampa, Luca; Müri, René; Mosimann, Urs P.; Nef, Tobias

2017-02-01

Cognitive impairment due to dementia decreases functionality in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Its assessment is useful to identify care needs, risks and monitor disease progression. This study investigates differences in ADL pattern-performance between dementia patients and healthy controls using unobtrusive sensors. Around 9,600 person-hours of activity data were collected from the home of ten dementia patients and ten healthy controls using a wireless-unobtrusive sensors and analysed to detect ADL. Recognised ADL were visualized using activity maps, the heterogeneity and accuracy to discriminate patients from healthy were analysed. Activity maps of dementia patients reveal unorganised behaviour patterns and heterogeneity differed significantly between the healthy and diseased. The discriminating accuracy increases with observation duration (0.95 for 20 days). Unobtrusive sensors quantify ADL-relevant behaviour, useful to uncover the effect of cognitive impairment, to quantify ADL-relevant changes in the course of dementia and to measure outcomes of anti-dementia treatments.

Nailfold capillaroscopy as a diagnostic and prognostic method in rosacea.

PubMed

Fonseca, Gabriela Poglia; Brenner, Fabiane Mulinari; Muller, Carolina de Souza; Wojcik, Adma Lima

2011-01-01

There is no appropriate and reliable method of evaluating and monitoring severity in rosacea. To determine the importance of nailfold capillaroscopy as a diagnostic and prognostic method for patients with rosacea. A cross-sectional study where eight patients with rosacea and 8 control subjects were submitted to nailfold capillaroscopy from May to July 2009. We collected clinical data related to gender, age, skin phototype, and rosacea stage according to Plewig and Kligman classification and the classification of the National Rosacea Society. Additionally, we evaluated the progression of the disease and treatment therapies previously used. The majority of the patients evaluated (6 out of 8 patients) had rosacea subtype I (vascular) or erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. The mean duration of the disorder was 5.96 years, and 87.5% of the patients were under treatment with topical metronidazole. Nailfold cappilaroscopy showed that evidence of devascularization was absent in both groups. Nailfold capillaroscopy presents a nonspecific pattern and does not seem to help in the diagnosis or prognosis of rosacea.

Sensor Webs: Autonomous Rapid Response to Monitor Transient Science Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandl, Dan; Grosvenor, Sandra; Frye, Stu; Sherwood, Robert; Chien, Steve; Davies, Ashley; Cichy, Ben; Ingram, Mary Ann; Langley, John; Miranda, Felix

2005-01-01

To better understand how physical phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions, evolve over time, multiple sensor observations over the duration of the event are required. Using sensor web approaches that integrate original detections by in-situ sensors and global-coverage, lower-resolution, on-orbit assets with automated rapid response observations from high resolution sensors, more observations of significant events can be made with increased temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution. This paper describes experiments using Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) along with other space and ground assets to implement progressive mission autonomy to identify, locate and image with high resolution instruments phenomena such as wildfires, volcanoes, floods and ice breakup. The software that plans, schedules and controls the various satellite assets are used to form ad hoc constellations which enable collaborative autonomous image collections triggered by transient phenomena. This software is both flight and ground based and works in concert to run all of the required assets cohesively and includes software that is model-based, artificial intelligence software.

The Reliability and Validity of a Progress-Monitoring Tool: A Psychometric Examination of the Phonological Awareness Skills of Preschoolers with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martini, Jay R.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a psychometric evaluation the "Sound Beginning" phonological awareness progress monitoring tool. This assessment was used to track emergent literacy skills of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder who were participating in a randomized trial studying early literacy interventions. Research…

Technical Adequacy of Growth Estimates from a Computer Adaptive Test: Implications for Progress Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Norman, Ethan R.; Nelson, Peter M.; Parker, David C.

2017-01-01

Computer adaptive tests (CATs) hold promise to monitor student progress within multitiered systems of support. However, the relationship between how long and how often data are collected and the technical adequacy of growth estimates from CATs has not been explored. Given CAT administration times, it is important to identify optimal data…

Using Parents and Teachers to Monitor Progress among Children with ASD: A Review of Intervention Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witmer, Sara E.; Nasamran, Amy; Parikh, Purvi J.; Schmitt, Heather A.; Clinton, Marianne C.

2015-01-01

Despite growing knowledge of the effectiveness of various interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), it is never clear whether a particular intervention will be effective for a specific child with ASD. Careful monitoring of an individual child's progress is necessary to know whether an intervention is effective. In this…

Technical Adequacy of Early Numeracy Curriculum-Based Progress Monitoring Measures for Kindergarten and First-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, David D.; Lembke, Erica S.; Lee, Young-Sun; Pappas, Sandra; Chiong, Cynthia; Ginsburg, Herbert P.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine six early numeracy measures used to monitor the mathematics progress of kindergarten and first-grade students. Seventy-one kindergarten students and 75 first-grade students were administered the measures each week. Delayed-alternate form reliability was adequate for instructional decision making on some…

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading: Is 6 Weeks of Daily Progress Monitoring Enough?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornblad, Shannon C.; Christ, Theodore J.

2014-01-01

Curriculum-based measurement of reading (CBM-R) is used in research and practice to estimate the level and trend of student achievement. Although there is limited empirical or psychometric support to guide CBM-R progress monitoring practices, derived trend estimates are used to inform a variety of educational decisions including evaluations of…

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading Progress Monitoring: The Importance of Growth Magnitude and Goal Setting in Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Norman, Ethan R.; Christ, Theodore J.; Newell, Kirsten W.

2017-01-01

Research regarding the technical adequacy of growth estimates from curriculum-based measurement of reading progress monitoring data suggests that current decision-making frameworks are likely to yield inaccurate recommendations unless data are collected for extensive periods of time. Instances where data may not need to be collected for long…

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading: A Preliminary Investigation of Confidence Interval Overlap to Detect Reliable Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Norman, Ethan R.

2016-01-01

Curriculum-based measurement of oral reading (CBM-R) progress monitoring data is used to measure student response to instruction. Federal legislation permits educators to use CBM-R progress monitoring data as a basis for determining the presence of specific learning disabilities. However, decision making frameworks originally developed for CBM-R…

Use of Acoustic Emission to Monitor Progressive Damage Accumulation in KEVLAR® 49 Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, J. M.; Andrade, E.; Saulsberry, R. L.

2010-02-01

Acoustic emission (AE) data acquired during intermittent load hold tensile testing of epoxy impregnated Kevlar® 49 (K/Ep) composite strands were analyzed to monitor progressive damage during the approach to tensile failure. Insight into the progressive damage of K/Ep strands was gained by monitoring AE event rate and energy. Source location based on energy attenuation and arrival time data was used to discern between significant AE attributable to microstructural damage and spurious AE attributable to noise. One of the significant findings was the observation of increasing violation of the Kaiser effect (Felicity ratio <1.0) with damage accumulation. The efficacy of three different intermittent load hold stress schedules that allowed the Felicity ratio to be determined analytically is discussed.

50 CFR 216.217 - Requirements for monitoring and reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... summarizes the required mitigation and monitoring survey modes, duration and zones for all blasting scenarios... blast scenario shown in Table 1. Table 1. Blast Categories, Mitigation Scenarios, Survey and Time...) Species Delineation Zone Mitgation Scenario Impact Zone Radius Pre Det Surface Survey (min) Pre Det Aerial...

50 CFR 216.217 - Requirements for monitoring and reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... summarizes the required mitigation and monitoring survey modes, duration and zones for all blasting scenarios... blast scenario shown in Table 1. Table 1. Blast Categories, Mitigation Scenarios, Survey and Time...) Species Delineation Zone Mitgation Scenario Impact Zone Radius Pre Det Surface Survey (min) Pre Det Aerial...

50 CFR 216.217 - Requirements for monitoring and reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... summarizes the required mitigation and monitoring survey modes, duration and zones for all blasting scenarios... blast scenario shown in Table 1. Table 1. Blast Categories, Mitigation Scenarios, Survey and Time...) Species Delineation Zone Mitgation Scenario Impact Zone Radius Pre Det Surface Survey (min) Pre Det Aerial...

42 CFR 483.362 - Monitoring of the resident in and immediately after restraint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... CARE FACILITIES Condition of Participation for the Use of Restraint or Seclusion in Psychiatric... use of emergency safety interventions must be physically present, continually assessing and monitoring... duration of the emergency safety intervention. (b) If the emergency safety situation continues beyond the...

42 CFR 483.362 - Monitoring of the resident in and immediately after restraint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CARE FACILITIES Condition of Participation for the Use of Restraint or Seclusion in Psychiatric... use of emergency safety interventions must be physically present, continually assessing and monitoring... duration of the emergency safety intervention. (b) If the emergency safety situation continues beyond the...

Outcomes of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Infection: Results from Two International Cohort Studies

PubMed Central

Lynfield, Ruth; Davey, Richard; Dwyer, Dominic E.; Losso, Marcelo H.; Wentworth, Deborah; Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro; Herman-Lamin, Kathy; Cholewinska, Grazyna; David, Daniel; Kuetter, Stefan; Ternesgen, Zelalem; Uyeki, Timothy M.; Lane, H. Clifford; Lundgren, Jens; Neaton, James D.

2014-01-01

Background Data from prospectively planned cohort studies on risk of major clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus are limited. In 2009, in order to assess outcomes and evaluate risk factors for progression of illness, two cohort studies were initiated: FLU 002 in outpatients and FLU 003 in hospitalized patients. Methods and Findings Between October 2009 and December 2012, adults with influenza-like illness (ILI) were enrolled; outpatients were followed for 14 days and inpatients for 60 days. Disease progression was defined as hospitalization and/or death for outpatients, and hospitalization for >28 days, transfer to intensive care unit (ICU) if enrolled from general ward, and/or death for inpatients. Infection was confirmed by RT-PCR. 590 FLU 002 and 392 FLU 003 patients with influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 were enrolled from 81 sites in 17 countries at 2 days (IQR 1–3) and 6 days (IQR 4–10) following ILI onset, respectively. Disease progression was experienced by 29 (1 death) outpatients (5.1%; 95% CI: 3.4–7.2%) and 80 inpatients [death (32), hospitalization >28 days (43) or ICU transfer (20)] (21.6%; 95% CI: 17.5–26.2%). Disease progression (death) for hospitalized patients was 53.1% (26.6%) and 12.8% (3.8%), respectively, for those enrolled in the ICU and general ward. In pooled analyses for both studies, predictors of disease progression were age, longer duration of symptoms at enrollment and immunosuppression. Patients hospitalized during the pandemic period had a poorer prognosis than in subsequent seasons. Conclusions Patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, particularly when requiring hospital admission, are at high risk for disease progression, especially if they are older, immunodeficient, or admitted late in infection. These data reinforce the need for international trials of novel treatment strategies for influenza infection and serve as a reminder of the need to monitor the severity of seasonal and pandemic influenza epidemics globally. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: FLU 002- NCT01056354, FLU 003- NCT01056185. PMID:25004134

Outcomes of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection: results from two international cohort studies.

PubMed

Lynfield, Ruth; Davey, Richard; Dwyer, Dominic E; Losso, Marcelo H; Wentworth, Deborah; Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro; Herman-Lamin, Kathy; Cholewinska, Grazyna; David, Daniel; Kuetter, Stefan; Ternesgen, Zelalem; Uyeki, Timothy M; Lane, H Clifford; Lundgren, Jens; Neaton, James D

2014-01-01

Data from prospectively planned cohort studies on risk of major clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus are limited. In 2009, in order to assess outcomes and evaluate risk factors for progression of illness, two cohort studies were initiated: FLU 002 in outpatients and FLU 003 in hospitalized patients. Between October 2009 and December 2012, adults with influenza-like illness (ILI) were enrolled; outpatients were followed for 14 days and inpatients for 60 days. Disease progression was defined as hospitalization and/or death for outpatients, and hospitalization for >28 days, transfer to intensive care unit (ICU) if enrolled from general ward, and/or death for inpatients. Infection was confirmed by RT-PCR. 590 FLU 002 and 392 FLU 003 patients with influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 were enrolled from 81 sites in 17 countries at 2 days (IQR 1-3) and 6 days (IQR 4-10) following ILI onset, respectively. Disease progression was experienced by 29 (1 death) outpatients (5.1%; 95% CI: 3.4-7.2%) and 80 inpatients [death (32), hospitalization >28 days (43) or ICU transfer (20)] (21.6%; 95% CI: 17.5-26.2%). Disease progression (death) for hospitalized patients was 53.1% (26.6%) and 12.8% (3.8%), respectively, for those enrolled in the ICU and general ward. In pooled analyses for both studies, predictors of disease progression were age, longer duration of symptoms at enrollment and immunosuppression. Patients hospitalized during the pandemic period had a poorer prognosis than in subsequent seasons. Patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, particularly when requiring hospital admission, are at high risk for disease progression, especially if they are older, immunodeficient, or admitted late in infection. These data reinforce the need for international trials of novel treatment strategies for influenza infection and serve as a reminder of the need to monitor the severity of seasonal and pandemic influenza epidemics globally. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: FLU 002--NCT01056354, FLU 003--NCT01056185.

Protein Mediated Oxidative Stress in Patients with Diabetes and its Associated Neuropathy: Correlation with Protein Carbonylation and Disease Activity Markers

PubMed Central

Almogbel, Ebtehal

2017-01-01

Introduction Free radicals have been implicated as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) contributors in type 2 DM and its associated Diabetes Mellitus Neuropathy (DMN). However, the potential for protein mediated oxidative stress to contribute disease pathogenesis remains largely unexplored. Aim To investigate the status and contribution of protein mediated oxidative stress in patients with DM or DMN and to explore whether oxidative protein modification has a role in DM progression to DM associated neuropathy. Materials and Methods Sera from 42 DM and 37 DMN patients with varying levels of disease activities biomarkers (HbA1C, patients’ age or disease duration) and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of protein mediated oxidative stress. Results Serum analysis showed significantly higher levels of protein carbonyl contents in both DM and DMN patients compared with healthy controls. Importantly, not only was there an increased number of subjects positive for protein carbonylation, but also the levels of protein carbonyl contents were significantly higher among DM and DMN patients, whose HbA1C were ≥8.8 as compared with patients with lower HbA1C (HbA1C<8.8). Similar pattern of protein carbonyls formation was also observed with patients’ ages or with patient’s disease durations, suggesting a possible relationship between protein oxidation and disease progression. Furthermore, sera from DMN patients had higher levels of protein carbonylation compared with non-neuropathic DM patients’ sera, suggesting an involvement of protein oxidation in the progression of diabetes to diabetes neuropathy. Conclusion These findings support an association between protein oxidation and DM or DMN progression. The stronger response observed in patients with higher HbA1C or patients’ ages or disease durations suggests, that protein mediated oxidative stress may be useful in evaluating the progression of DM and its associated DMN and in elucidating the mechanisms of these disorders pathogenesis. PMID:28384853

Magma Supply Rate Controls Vigor (And Longevity) of Kīlauea's Ongoing East Rift Zone Eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poland, M. P.; Anderson, K. R.

2015-12-01

Since 1983, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i, has erupted almost continuously from vents on the East Rift Zone—at 32 years and counting, this is the longest-duration eruption in the past 500 years. Although forecasting the onset of eruptive activity using geophysical, geochemical, and geological monitoring has been demonstrated repeatedly at Kīlauea and elsewhere, little progress has been made in forecasting an eruption's waning or end, particularly in the case of long-lived eruptions. This is especially important at Kīlauea for at least two reasons: (1) caldera formation at the end of another decades-long eruption, in the 15th century, raises the possibility of a link between eruption duration and caldera formation; and (2) long-lived eruptions can have an enduring effect on local population and infrastructure, as demonstrated by the repeated destruction of property by Kīlauea's ongoing rift zone eruption. Data from the past 15 years indicate that the magma supply rate to Kīlauea is an important control on eruptive activity. Joint inversions of geophysical, geochemical, and geological observations demonstrate that in 2006 the supply rate was nearly double that of 2000-2001, resulting in an increase in lava discharge, summit inflation, and the formation of new eruptive vents. In contrast, the magma supply during 2012, and likely through 2014, was less than that of 2000-2001. This lower supply rate was associated with a lower lava discharge and may have played a role in the stalling of lava flows above population centers in the Puna District during 2014-2015. Heightened eruptive vigor may be expected if magma supply increases in the future; however, a further decrease in supply rate—which is likely already below the long-term average—may result in cessation of the eruption. Multidisciplinary monitoring, and particularly tracking of CO2 emissions and surface deformation, should be able to detect changes in supply rate before they are strongly manifested at the surface.

Multivoxel pattern similarity suggests the integration of temporal duration in hippocampal event sequence representations.

PubMed

Thavabalasingam, Sathesan; O'Neil, Edward B; Lee, Andy C H

2018-05-22

Recent rodent work suggests the hippocampus may provide a temporal representation of event sequences, in which the order of events and the interval durations between them are encoded. There is, however, limited human evidence for the latter, in particular whether the hippocampus processes duration information pertaining to the passage of time rather than qualitative or quantitative changes in event content. We scanned participants while they made match-mismatch judgements on each trial between a study sequence of events and a subsequent test sequence. Participants explicitly remembered event order or interval duration information (Experiment 1), or monitored order only, with duration being manipulated implicitly (Experiment 2). Hippocampal study-test pattern similarity was significantly reduced by changes to order or duration in mismatch trials, even when duration was processed implicitly. Our findings suggest the human hippocampus processes short intervals within sequences and support the idea that duration information is integrated into hippocampal mnemonic representations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoke monitoring network on 2006 Northern California fires

Treesearch

Brenda Belongie; Suraj Ahuja

2007-01-01

Long-duration fire activity during the 2006 northern California fire season presented an excellent opportunity to create a temporary air-quality/smoke-monitoring network in the complex terrain across northwestern California. The network was established through cooperative interagency coordination of Federal officials, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and...

Test Review: Mather, N., Hammill, D. D., Allen, E. A., & Roberts, R. (2004). "Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency." Austin, TX: PRO-ED

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Ashley; Bell, Sherry Mee

2005-01-01

With the recently passed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), federal law encourages monitoring student progress and gauging responsiveness to instruction. The Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency (TOSWRF; Mather, Hammill, Allen, & Roberts, 2004) is a group-administered test that holds promise for monitoring student progress.…

Progress Monitoring Change in Children's Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Functioning: Advancing the State of the Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Julie Sarno; Evans, Steven W.

2018-01-01

The studies in this special series examine the effectiveness of direct behavior ratings (DBRs) for use as a progress monitoring tool. In this article, we comment on the findings of the studies in the context of the broader school-based assessment movement and discuss areas for future inquiry within this line of research.

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Reading: An Evaluation of Frequentist and Bayesian Methods to Model Progress Monitoring Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christ, Theodore J.; Desjardins, Christopher David

2018-01-01

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM-R) is often used to monitor student progress and guide educational decisions. Ordinary least squares regression (OLSR) is the most widely used method to estimate the slope, or rate of improvement (ROI), even though published research demonstrates OLSR's lack of validity and reliability, and…

Curriculum-Based Measurement: Developing a Computer-Based Assessment Instrument for Monitoring Student Reading Progress on Multiple Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forster, Natalie; Souvignier, Elmar

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the technical adequacy of a computer-based assessment instrument which is based on hierarchical models of text comprehension for monitoring student reading progress following the Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) approach. At intervals of two weeks, 120 third-grade students finished eight CBM tests. To…

The Effects of Baseline Estimation on the Reliability, Validity, and Precision of CBM-R Growth Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Norman, Ethan R.; Christ, Theodore J.; Zopluoglu, Cengiz

2013-01-01

This study examined the effect of baseline estimation on the quality of trend estimates derived from Curriculum Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM-R) progress monitoring data. The authors used a linear mixed effects regression (LMER) model to simulate progress monitoring data for schedules ranging from 6-20 weeks for datasets with high and low…

Growth on Oral Reading Fluency Measures as a Function of Special Education and Measurement Sufficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tindal, Gerald; Nese, Joseph F. T.; Stevens, Joseph J.; Alonzo, Julie

2016-01-01

For 30 years, researchers have investigated oral reading fluency as a measure of growth in reading proficiency. Yet, little research has been done with these measures in the context of progress monitoring in Tier 2 systems. First, we document teachers' progress-monitoring decisions on type of passage (on-grade or off-grade) and how often to…

Using Curriculum Based Measures To Identify and Monitor Progress in an Adult Basic Education Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Rita M.; And Others

The purpose of a project was to develop and test curriculum-based procedures and measures to monitor and assess the reading and writing progress of adults in a basic education program. The most efficient, reliable, and feasible measure of reading performance from beginning reading level through eighth-grade level was the repeated oral reading…

Tear progression of symptomatic full-thickness and partial-thickness rotator cuff tears as measured by repeated MRI.

PubMed

Kim, Yang-Soo; Kim, Sung-Eun; Bae, Sung-Ho; Lee, Hyo-Jin; Jee, Won-Hee; Park, Chang Kyun

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse the natural course of symptomatic full-thickness and partial-thickness rotator cuff tears treated non-operatively and to identify risk factors affecting tear enlargement. One hundred and twenty-two patients who received non-surgical treatment for a partial- or full-thickness supraspinatus tear were included in this study. All rotator cuff tears were diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the same modality was used for follow-up studies. Follow-up MRI was performed after at least a 6-month interval. We evaluated the correlation between tear enlargement and follow-up duration. Eleven risk factors were analysed by both univariate and multivariate analyses to identify factors that affect enlargement of rotator cuff tears. The mean follow-up period was 24.4 ± 19.5 months. Out of 122 patients, 34 (27.9%) patients had an initial full-thickness tear and 88 (72.1%) patients had a partial-thickness tear. Considering all patients together, tear size increased in 51/122 (41.8%) patients, was unchanged in 65/122 (53.3%) patients, and decreased in 6/122 (4.9%) patients. Tear size increased for 28/34 (82.4%) patients with full-thickness tears and 23/88 (26.1%) patients with partial-thickness tears. From the two groups which were followed over 12 months, a higher rate of enlargement was observed in full-thickness tears than in partial-thickness tears (6-12 months, n.s.; 12-24 months, P = 0.002; over 24 months, P < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed that having a full-thickness tear was the most reliable risk factor for tear progression (P < 0.001). This study found that 28/34 (82.4%) of symptomatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears and 23/88 (26.1%) of symptomatic partial-thickness tears increased in size over a follow-up period of 6-100 months. Full-thickness tears showed a higher rate of enlargement than partial-thickness tears regardless of the follow-up duration. Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that full-thickness tear was the most reliable risk factor for tear enlargement. The clinical relevance of these observations is that full-thickness rotator cuff tears treated conservatively should be monitored more carefully for progression than partial-thickness tears. IV.

MORTALITY IN SMALL ANIMALS EXPOSED IN A SHOCK TUBE TO "SHARP"-RISING OVERPRESSURES OF 3-4 MSEC DURATION. Technical Progress Report

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

Richmond, D.R.; Goldizen, V.C.; Clare, V.R.

1961-06-15

A total of 661 animals was exposed to sharp''-rising overpressures of 3 to 4 msec duration using a shock tube of novel design which produced a pressure pulse similar to that obtained with high explosives. The reflected shock overpressures associated with 50% lethality were 29.0, rabbit, respectively. Other observations included the time of death in mortally wounded animals and gross pathological lesions likely to contribute to mortality. Selected data from the literature bearing upon the influence of overpressure and pulse duration on lethality were reviewed. These included pulse durations ranging from less than 1 msec to 8 sec. The criticalmore » pulse duration, that duration shorter than which the overpressures required for mortality increases sharply, was noted to depend upon animal size and to be of the order of many hundreds of microseconds to very few milliseconds for smaller'' animals and a few to many tens of milliseconds for larger'' animals. (auth)« less

Biowaste home composting: experimental process monitoring and quality control.

PubMed

Tatàno, Fabio; Pagliaro, Giacomo; Di Giovanni, Paolo; Floriani, Enrico; Mangani, Filippo

2015-04-01

Because home composting is a prevention option in managing biowaste at local levels, the objective of the present study was to contribute to the knowledge of the process evolution and compost quality that can be expected and obtained, respectively, in this decentralized option. In this study, organized as the research portion of a provincial project on home composting in the territory of Pesaro-Urbino (Central Italy), four experimental composters were first initiated and temporally monitored. Second, two small sub-sets of selected provincial composters (directly operated by households involved in the project) underwent quality control on their compost products at two different temporal steps. The monitored experimental composters showed overall decreasing profiles versus composting time for moisture, organic carbon, and C/N, as well as overall increasing profiles for electrical conductivity and total nitrogen, which represented qualitative indications of progress in the process. Comparative evaluations of the monitored experimental composters also suggested some interactions in home composting, i.e., high C/N ratios limiting organic matter decomposition rates and final humification levels; high moisture contents restricting the internal temperature regime; nearly horizontal phosphorus and potassium evolutions contributing to limit the rates of increase in electrical conductivity; and prolonged biowaste additions contributing to limit the rate of decrease in moisture. The measures of parametric data variability in the two sub-sets of controlled provincial composters showed decreased variability in moisture, organic carbon, and C/N from the seventh to fifteenth month of home composting, as well as increased variability in electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, and humification rate, which could be considered compatible with the respective nature of decreasing and increasing parameters during composting. The modeled parametric kinetics in the monitored experimental composters, along with the evaluation of the parametric central tendencies in the sub-sets of controlled provincial composters, all indicate that 12-15 months is a suitable duration for the appropriate development of home composting in final and simultaneous compliance with typical reference limits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2016 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The 2016 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report is the 12th annual progress report designed to provide the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving three key priorities for Nebraska's postsecondary education system. These priorities were developed by the 2003 LR 174 Higher Education Task…

Does tight control of systemic factors help in the management of diabetic retinopathy?

PubMed Central

Rajalakshmi, Ramachandran; Prathiba, Vijayaraghavan; Mohan, Viswanathan

2016-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), one of the leading causes of preventable blindness, is associated with many systemic factors that contribute to the development and progression of this microvascular complication of diabetes. While the duration of diabetes is the major risk factor for the development of DR, the main modifiable systemic risk factors for development and progression of DR are hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. This review article looks at the evidence that control of these systemic factors has significant benefits in delaying the onset and progression of DR. PMID:26953026

Fetal heart and uterine contraction monitor (image)

MedlinePlus

The fetal heart monitor and uterine contraction monitor provide a continuous record of the baby's heart rate and the mother's contraction rate as labor progresses. This device can provide early warning of fetal distress.

Remote Monitoring of the Structural Health of Hydrokinetic Composite Turbine Blades

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

J.L. Rovey

A health monitoring approach is investigated for hydrokinetic turbine blade applications. In-service monitoring is critical due to the difficult environment for blade inspection and the cost of inspection downtime. Composite blade designs have advantages that include long life in marine environments and great control over mechanical properties. Experimental strain characteristics are determined for static loads and free-vibration loads. These experiments are designed to simulate the dynamic characteristics of hydrokinetic turbine blades. Carbon/epoxy symmetric composite laminates are manufactured using an autoclave process. Four-layer composite beams, eight-layer composite beams, and two-dimensional eight-layer composite blades are instrumented for strain. Experimental results for strainmore » measurements from electrical resistance gages are validated with theoretical characteristics obtained from in-house finite-element analysis for all sample cases. These preliminary tests on the composite samples show good correlation between experimental and finite-element strain results. A health monitoring system is proposed in which damage to a composite structure, e.g. delamination and fiber breakage, causes changes in the strain signature behavior. The system is based on embedded strain sensors and embedded motes in which strain information is demodulated for wireless transmission. In-service monitoring is critical due to the difficult environment for blade inspection and the cost of inspection downtime. Composite blade designs provide a medium for embedding sensors into the blades for in-situ health monitoring. The major challenge with in-situ health monitoring is transmission of sensor signals from the remote rotating reference frame of the blade to the system monitoring station. In the presented work, a novel system for relaying in-situ blade health measurements in hydrokinetic systems is described and demonstrated. An ultrasonic communication system is used to transmit sensor data underwater from the rotating frame of the blade to a fixed relay station. Data are then broadcast via radio waves to a remote monitoring station. Results indicate that the assembled system can transmit simulated sensor data with an accuracy of ±5% at a maximum sampling rate of 500 samples/sec. A power investigation of the transmitter within the blade shows that continuous max-sampling operation is only possible for short durations (~days), and is limited due to the capacity of the battery power source. However, intermittent sampling, with long periods between samples, allows for the system to last for very long durations (~years). Finally, because the data transmission system can operate at a high sampling rate for short durations or at a lower sampling rate/higher duty cycle for long durations, it is well-suited for short-term prototype and environmental testing, as well as long-term commercially-deployed hydrokinetic machines.« less

Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Non-Insulin-Requiring Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD) Autoantibody-Positive Diabetes: A Nationwide Survey in Japan

PubMed Central

Yasui, Junichi; Kawasaki, Eiji; Tanaka, Shoichiro; Awata, Takuya; Ikegami, Hiroshi; Imagawa, Akihisa; Uchigata, Yasuko; Osawa, Haruhiko; Kajio, Hiroshi; Kawabata, Yumiko; Shimada, Akira; Takahashi, Kazuma; Yasuda, Kazuki; Yasuda, Hisafumi; Hanafusa, Toshiaki; Kobayashi, Tetsuro

2016-01-01

Aims Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADAb) differentiate slowly progressive insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus (SPIDDM) from phenotypic type 2 diabetes, but many GADAb-positive patients with diabetes do not progress to insulin-requiring diabetes. To characterize GADAb-positive patients with adult-onset diabetes who do not require insulin therapy for >5 years (NIR-SPIDDM), we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Japan. Methods We collected 82 GADAb-positive patients who did not require insulin therapy for >5 years (NIR-SPIDDM) and compared them with 63 patients with insulin-requiring SPIDDM (IR-SPIDDM). Clinical and biochemical characteristics, HLA-DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes, and predictive markers for progression to insulin therapy were investigated. Results Compared with the IR-SPIDDM group, the NIR-SPIDDM patients showed later diabetes onset, higher body mass index, longer duration before diagnosis, and less frequent hyperglycemic symptoms at onset. In addition, C-peptide, LDL-cholesterol, and TG were significantly higher in the NIR-SPIDDM compared to IR-SPIDDM patients. The NIR-SPIDDM group had lower frequency of susceptible HLA-DRB1*04:05-DQB1*04:01 and a higher frequency of resistant HLA-DRB1*15:01-DQB1*06:02 haplotype compared to IR-SPIDDM. A multivariable analysis showed that age at diabetes onset (OR = 0.82), duration before diagnosis of GADAb-positive diabetes (OR = 0.82), higher GADAb level (≥10.0 U/ml) (OR = 20.41), and fasting C-peptide at diagnosis (OR = 0.07) were independent predictive markers for progression to insulin-requiring diabetes. An ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off points for discriminating two groups was the GADAb level of 13.6 U/ml, age of diabetes onset of 47 years, duration before diagnosis of 5 years, and fasting C-peptide of 0.65 ng/ml. Conclusions Clinical, biochemical and genetic characteristics of patients with NIR-SPIDDM are different from those of IR-SPIDDM patients. Age of diabetes onset, duration before GADAb-positivity, GADAb level, and fasting C-peptide at diagnosis must be carefully considered in planning prevention trials for SPIDDM. PMID:27177031

Age and CD4 count at initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children: effects on long-term T-cell reconstitution.

PubMed

Lewis, Joanna; Walker, A Sarah; Castro, Hannah; De Rossi, Anita; Gibb, Diana M; Giaquinto, Carlo; Klein, Nigel; Callard, Robin

2012-02-15

Effective therapies and reduced AIDS-related morbidity and mortality have shifted the focus in pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from minimizing short-term disease progression to maintaining optimal long-term health. We describe the effects of children's age and pre-antiretroviral therapy (ART) CD4 count on long-term CD4 T-cell reconstitution. CD4 counts in perinatally HIV-infected, therapy-naive children in the Paediatric European Network for the Treatment of AIDS 5 trial were monitored following initiation of ART for a median 5.7 years. In a substudy, naive and memory CD4 counts were recorded. Age-standardized measurements were analyzed using monophasic, asymptotic nonlinear mixed-effects models. One hundred twenty-seven children were studied. Older children had lower age-adjusted CD4 counts in the long term and at treatment initiation (P < .001). At all ages, lower counts before treatment were associated with impaired recovery (P < .001). Age-adjusted naive CD4 counts increased on a timescale comparable to overall CD4 T-cell reconstitution, whereas age-adjusted memory CD4 counts increased less, albeit on a faster timescale. It appears the immature immune system can recover well from HIV infection via the naive pool. However, this potential is progressively damaged with age and/or duration of infection. Current guidelines may therefore not optimize long-term immunological health.

Compilation of 1989 annual reports of the Navy ELF Communications System Ecological Monitoring Program. Volume 2. tabs C-F. Annual progress report, Jan-Dec 89

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

Not Available

1990-08-01

This is the eighth compilation of annual reports for the Navy's ELF Communications Systems Ecological Monitoring Program. The reports document the progress of eight studies performed during 1989 near the Naval Radio Transmitting Facility -- Republic, Michigan. The purpose of the monitoring is to determine whether electromagnetic fields produced by the ELF Communications System will affect resident biota or their ecological relationships. Soil Amoeba: Arthropoda and Earthworms: Pollinating Insects: Small Mammals and Nesting Birds.

Use of Acoustic Emission to Monitor Progressive Damage Accumulation in Kevlar (R) 49 Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess M.; Saulsberry, Regor L.; Andrade, Eduardo

2009-01-01

Acoustic emission (AE) data acquired during intermittent load hold tensile testing of epoxy impregnated Kevlar(Registeres TradeMark) 49 (K/Ep) composite strands were analyzed to monitor progressive damage during the approach to tensile failure. Insight into the progressive damage of K/Ep strands was gained by monitoring AE event rate and energy. Source location based on energy attenuation and arrival time data was used to discern between significant AE attributable to microstructural damage and spurious AE attributable to noise. One of the significant findings was the observation of increasing violation of the Kaiser effect (Felicity ratio < 1.0) with damage accumulation. The efficacy of three different intermittent load hold stress schedules that allowed the Felicity ratio to be determined analytically is discussed.

Method and apparatus for producing durationally short ultraviolet or X-ray laser pulses

DOEpatents

MacGowan, Brian J.; Matthews, Dennis L.; Trebes, James E.

1988-01-01

A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing ultraviolet or X-ray laser pulses of short duration (32). An ultraviolet or X-ray laser pulse of long duration (12) is progressively refracted, across the surface of an opaque barrier (28), by a streaming plasma (22) that is produced by illuminating a solid target (16, 18) with a pulse of conventional line focused high power laser radiation (20). The short pulse of ultraviolet or X-ray laser radiation (32), which may be amplified to high power (40, 42), is separated out by passage through a slit aperture (30) in the opaque barrier (28).

Habitual Sleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality in a General Community Sample.

PubMed

Aurora, R Nisha; Kim, Ji Soo; Crainiceanu, Ciprian; O'Hearn, Daniel; Punjabi, Naresh M

2016-11-01

The current study sought to determine whether sleep duration and change in sleep duration are associated with all-cause mortality in a community sample of middle-aged and older adults while accounting for several confounding factors including prevalent sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Habitual sleep duration was assessed using self-report (< 7, 7-8, ≥ 9 h/night) at the baseline and at the follow-up visits of the Sleep Heart Health Study. Techniques of survival analysis were used to relate habitual sleep duration and change in sleep duration to all-cause mortality after adjusting for covariates such as age, sex, race, body mass index, smoking history, prevalent hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, antidepressant medication use, and SDB severity. Compared to a sleep duration of 7-8 h/night, habitually long sleep duration (≥ 9 h/night), but not short sleep duration (< 7 h/night), was associated with all-cause mortality with an adjusted hazards ratio of 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.47). Participants who progressed from short or normal sleep duration to long sleep duration had increased risk for all-cause mortality with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.78) and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.13), respectively. Finally, a change from long to short sleep duration was also associated with all-cause mortality. Long sleep duration or a shift from long to short sleep duration are independently associated with all-cause mortality. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Cognitive Assessment in Long-Duration Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kane, Robert; Seaton, Kimberly; Sipes, Walter

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the development and use of a tool for assessing spaceflight cognitive ability in astronauts. This tool. the Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) has been used to provide ISS flight surgeons with an objective clinical tool to monitor the astronauts cognitive status during long-duration space flight and allow immediate feedback to the astronaut. Its use is medically required for all long-duration missions and it contains a battery of five cognitive assessment subtests that are scheduled monthly and compared against the individual preflight baseline.

Seven Q-Tracks monitors of laboratory quality drive general performance improvement: experience from the College of American Pathologists Q-Tracks program 1999-2011.

PubMed

Meier, Frederick A; Souers, Rhona J; Howanitz, Peter J; Tworek, Joseph A; Perrotta, Peter L; Nakhleh, Raouf E; Karcher, Donald S; Bashleben, Christine; Darcy, Teresa P; Schifman, Ron B; Jones, Bruce A

2015-06-01

Many production systems employ standardized statistical monitors that measure defect rates and cycle times, as indices of performance quality. Clinical laboratory testing, a system that produces test results, is amenable to such monitoring. To demonstrate patterns in clinical laboratory testing defect rates and cycle time using 7 College of American Pathologists Q-Tracks program monitors. Subscribers measured monthly rates of outpatient order-entry errors, identification band defects, and specimen rejections; median troponin order-to-report cycle times and rates of STAT test receipt-to-report turnaround time outliers; and critical values reporting event defects, and corrected reports. From these submissions Q-Tracks program staff produced quarterly and annual reports. These charted each subscriber's performance relative to other participating laboratories and aggregate and subgroup performance over time, dividing participants into best and median performers and performers with the most room to improve. Each monitor's patterns of change present percentile distributions of subscribers' performance in relation to monitoring durations and numbers of participating subscribers. Changes over time in defect frequencies and the cycle duration quantify effects on performance of monitor participation. All monitors showed significant decreases in defect rates as the 7 monitors ran variously for 6, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 13 years. The most striking decreases occurred among performers who initially had the most room to improve and among subscribers who participated the longest. All 7 monitors registered significant improvement. Participation effects improved between 0.85% and 5.1% per quarter of participation. Using statistical quality measures, collecting data monthly, and receiving reports quarterly and yearly, subscribers to a comparative monitoring program documented significant decreases in defect rates and shortening of a cycle time for 6 to 13 years in all 7 ongoing clinical laboratory quality monitors.

A feasibility analysis of the employment of satellite imagery to monitor and inspect surface mining operations in western Kentucky, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fish, B. R. (Principal Investigator)

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Surface mining violation estimates were scaled by scores assigned by ten inspectors from western Kentucky to each violation. A sensitivity analysis was made by varying the violation costs; costs were varied by using three different average durations. These durations were: (1) best estimated duration; (2) longest possible duration as restricted by the one year permit renewal and bond release regulations, and (3) shortest possible duration when inspections were made. If a social cost cannot be reduced, then the value of the social cost is irrelevant. Indications from the increased inspection rate of 1975 were that the total amount of fines collected per year remains constant independent of the increased detection rate.

Session-RPE for quantifying the load of different youth basketball training sessions.

PubMed

Lupo, C; Tessitore, A; Gasperi, L; Gomez, Mar

2017-03-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate youth basketball training, verifying the reliability of the session-RPE method in relation to session duration (< and ≥ 80 minutes) and workout typology (reduced and high warm-up, conditioning, technical, tactical, game portions within a single session) categories. Six male youth basketball players (age, 16.5±0.5 years; height, 195.5±6.75 cm; body mass, 93.9±10.9 kg; and body mass index, 23.6±2.8 kg.m -2 ) were monitored (HR, type and duration of workouts) during 15 (66 individual) training sessions (80±26 minutes). Edwards' HR method was used as a reference measure of internal training load (ITL); the CR-10 RPE scale was administered 30 minutes after the end of each session. The results obtained showed that all comparisons between different session durations and workout portions revealed effects in term of Edwards' ITLs except for warm-up portions. Moderate to strong relationships between Edwards' and session- RPE methods emerged for all sessions (r = .85, P < .001), player's sessions (r range = .79 - .95, P < .001), session durations (< 80 minutes: r = .67, P < .001; ≥ 80 minutes: r = .75, P < .001), and workout portions (r range = .78 - .89, P range = .002 - < .001). The findings indicated that coaches of youth basketball players can successfully use session-RPE to monitor the ITL, regardless of session durations and workout portions.

A validation study comparing self-reported travel diaries and objective data obtained from in-vehicle monitoring devices in older drivers with bilateral cataract.

PubMed

Agramunt, Seraina; Meuleners, Lynn; Chow, Kyle Chi; Ng, Jonathon Q; Morlet, Nigel

2017-09-01

Advances in technology have made it possible to examine real-world driving using naturalistic data obtained from in-vehicle monitoring devices. These devices overcome the weaknesses of self-report methods and can provide comprehensive insights into driving exposure, habits and practices of older drivers. The aim of this study is to compare self-reported and objectively measured driving exposure, habits and practices using a travel diary and an in-vehicle driver monitoring device in older drivers with bilateral cataract. A cross-sectional study was undertaken. Forty seven participants aged 58-89 years old (mean=74.1; S.D.=7.73) were recruited from three eye clinics over a one year period. Data collection consisted of a cognitive test, a researcher-administered questionnaire, a travel diary and an in-vehicle monitoring device. Participants' driving exposure and patterns were recorded for one week using in-vehicle monitoring devices. They also completed a travel diary each time they drove a motor vehicle as the driver. Paired t-tests were used to examine differences/agreement between the two instruments under different driving circumstances. The data from the older drivers' travel diaries significantly underestimated the number of overall trips (p<0.001), weekend trips (p=0.002) and trips during peak hour (p=0.004). The travel diaries also significantly overestimated overall driving duration (p<0.001) and weekend driving duration (p=0.003), compared to the data obtained from the in-vehicle monitoring devices. No significant differences were found between instruments for kilometres travelled under any of the driving circumstances. The results of this study found that relying solely on self-reported travel diaries to assess driving outcomes may not be accurate, particularly for estimates of the number of trips made and duration of trips. The clear advantages of using in-vehicle monitoring devices over travel diaries to monitor driving habits and exposure among an older population are evident. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health Assessment Questionnaire disability progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: Systematic review and analysis of two inception cohorts

PubMed Central

Norton, Sam; Fu, Bo; Scott, David L.; Deighton, Chris; Symmons, Deborah P.M.; Wailoo, Allan J.; Tosh, Jonathan; Lunt, Mark; Davies, Rebecca; Young, Adam; Verstappen, Suzanne M.M

2014-01-01

Objective The Health Assessment Questionnaire is widely used for patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) and its subset, rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we evaluated the progression of HAQ scores in RA (i) by systematically reviewing the published literature on the methods used to assess changes in functional disability over time and (ii) to study in detail HAQ progression in two large prospective observational studies from the UK. Methods Data from two large inception cohorts, ERAS and NOAR, were studied to determine trajectories of HAQ progression over time by applying latent class growth models (LCGMs) to each dataset separately. Age, sex, baseline DAS28, symptom duration, rheumatoid factor, fulfilment of the 1987 ACR criteria and socio-economic status (SES) were included as potential predictors of HAQ trajectory subgroup membership. Results The literature search identified 49 studies showing that HAQ progression has mainly been based on average changes in the total study population. In the HAQ progression study, a LCGM with four HAQ trajectory subgroups was selected as providing the best fit in both cohorts. In both the cohorts, older age, female sex, longer symptom duration, fulfilment of the 1987 ACR criteria, higher DAS28 and lower SES were associated with increased likelihood of membership of subgroups with worse HAQ progression. Conclusion Four distinct HAQ trajectory subgroups were derived from the ERAS and NOAR cohorts. The fact that the subgroups identified were nearly identical supports their validity. Identifying distinct groups of patients who are at risk of poor functional outcome may help to target therapy to those who are most likely to benefit. PMID:24925692

Diabetic Foot Disease, Self-Care and Clinical Monitoring in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: The Alberta's Caring for Diabetes (ABCD) Cohort Study.

PubMed

Al Sayah, Fatima; Soprovich, Allison; Qiu, Weiyu; Edwards, Alun L; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2015-10-01

To examine the prevalence and predictors of foot disease, self-care and clinical monitoring in adults with type 2 diabetes in Alberta, Canada. Baseline data from a prospective cohort of adults with type 2 diabetes were used. Assessment of foot disease included self-reported peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vasculopathy, foot or leg ulcer/infection or gangrene/amputation. Foot self-care was assessed using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, and clinical monitoring using patients' reports of having feet checked for lesions or sensory loss. The mean age of respondents (N=2040) was 64 (SD 10.7) years; 45% were female, and 91% were Caucasian. Peripheral neuropathy was reported by 18% of the respondents, peripheral vasculopathy by 28%, ulcer/infection by 6% and gangrene/amputation by 1.4%. Only 14% of respondents performed foot self-care behaviours ≥6 days per week, and only 41% and 34% had their feet clinically checked for lesions or sensory loss, respectively. Predictors of foot disease included longer duration of diabetes, smoking, depressive symptoms, low self-efficacy and a history of cardiovascular diseases. Predictors of good self-care included older age, female sex, longer duration of diabetes and no report of hyperlipidemia. Predictors of clinical monitoring included female sex, current smoking, residing in urban areas, longer duration of diabetes, and histories of heart disease or hyperlipidemia. Peripheral neuropathy and vasculopathy were the most common reported foot problems in this population. Foot self-care is generally infrequent, and clinical monitoring is performed for less than half of these patients, with significant variations by patient demographics and clinical presentation. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EEG Monitoring Technique Influences the Management of Hypoxic-Ischemic Seizures in Neonates Undergoing Therapeutic Hypothermia.

PubMed

Jan, Saber; Northington, Frances J; Parkinson, Charlamaine M; Stafstrom, Carl E

2017-01-01

Electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring techniques for neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) are evolving over time, and the specific type of EEG utilized could influence seizure diagnosis and management. We examined whether the type of EEG performed affected seizure treatment decisions (e.g., the choice and number of antiseizure drugs [ASDs]) in therapeutic hypothermia-treated neonates with HI from 2007 to 2015 in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. During this period, 3 different EEG monitoring protocols were utilized: Period 1 (2007-2009), single, brief conventional EEG (1 h duration) at a variable time during therapeutic hypothermia treatment, i.e., ordered when a seizure was suspected; Period 2 (2009-2013), single, brief conventional EEG followed by amplitude-integrated EEG for the duration of therapeutic hypothermia treatment and another brief conventional EEG after rewarming; and Period 3 (2014-2015), continuous video-EEG (cEEG) for the duration of therapeutic hypothermia treatment (72 h) plus for an additional 12 h during and after rewarming. One hundred and sixty-two newborns were included in this retrospective cohort study. As a function of the type and duration of EEG monitoring, we assessed the risk (likelihood) of receiving no ASD, at least 1 ASD, or ≥2 ASDs. We found that the risk of a neonate being prescribed an ASD was 46% less during Period 3 (cEEG) than during Period 1 (brief conventional EEG only) (95% CI 6-69%, p = 0.03). After adjusting for initial EEG and MRI results, compared with Period 1, there was a 38% lower risk of receiving an ASD during Period 2 (95% CI: 9-58%, p = 0.02) and a 67% lower risk during Period 3 (95% CI: 23-86%, p = 0.01). The risk ratio of receiving ≥2 ASDs was not significantly different across the 3 periods. In conclusion, in addition to the higher sensitivity and specificity of continuous video-EEG monitoring, fewer infants are prescribed an ASD when undergoing continuous forms of EEG monitoring (aEEG or cEEG) than those receiving conventional EEG. We recommend that use of continuous video-EEG be considered whenever possible, both to treat seizures more specifically and to avoid overtreatment. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Examining the Technical Adequacy of Progress Monitoring Using Early Writing Curriculum-Based Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, David D.; Lembke, Erica S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine 4 early writing measures used to monitor the early writing progress of 1st-grade students. We administered the measures to 23 1st-grade students biweekly for a total of 16 weeks. We obtained 3-min samples and conducted analyses for each 1-min increment. We scored samples using 2 different methods: correct…

The Use of Individual Growth and Developmental Indicators for Progress Monitoring and Intervention Decision Making in Early Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Dale; Carta, Judith J.; Greenwood, Charles R.; Buzhardt, Joseph F.

2008-01-01

Progress monitoring tools have been shown to be essential elements in current approaches to intervention problem-solving models. Such tools have been valuable not only in marking individual children's level of performance relative to peers but also in measuring change in skill level in a way that can be attributed to intervention and development.…

The Development and Technical Adequacy of Seventh-Grade Reading Comprehension Measures in a Progress Monitoring Assessment System. Technical Report #1102

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Bitnara Jasmine; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2011-01-01

This technical report describes the process of development and piloting of reading comprehension measures that are appropriate for seventh-grade students as part of an online progress screening and monitoring assessment system, http://easycbm.com. Each measure consists of an original fictional story of approximately 1,600 to 1,900 words with 20…

Monitoring Progress: How the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education Can Inform a National K-12 STEM Education Indicator System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulkerson, William O.; Banilower, Eric R.

2014-01-01

"Monitoring Progress Toward Successful K-12 STEM Education: A Nation Advancing?" (National Research Council, 2013) describes a set of 14 indicators for assessing and tracking the health of pre-college STEM education in the United States. This 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME), is the fifth in a series of…

Complement pathway biomarkers and age-related macular degeneration

PubMed Central

Gemenetzi, M; Lotery, A J

2016-01-01

In the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) ‘inflammation model', local inflammation plus complement activation contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. Multiple genetic associations have now been established correlating the risk of development or progression of AMD. Stratifying patients by their AMD genetic profile may facilitate future AMD therapeutic trials resulting in meaningful clinical trial end points with smaller sample sizes and study duration. PMID:26493033

Department of Clinical Investigation Annual Research Progress Report, Fiscal Year 1993. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-01

stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). 2) To assess the frequency and severity of toxicities of the two treatment regimens. 3) To compare the duration of neutropenia ...and thrombocytopenia; the total of febrile days; the number of days of antibiotic therapy; the number and type of infection episodes; and the number...severity, and duration of neutropenia , thrombocytopenia, and anemia associated with each of the above courses. 3) To determine other systemic toxicities

Motor Speech Phenotypes of Frontotemporal Dementia, Primary Progressive Aphasia, and Progressive Apraxia of Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Matthew L.; Brodtmann, Amy; Darby, David; Vogel, Adam P.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Our purpose was to create a comprehensive review of speech impairment in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and progressive apraxia of speech in order to identify the most effective measures for diagnosis and monitoring, and to elucidate associations between speech and neuroimaging. Method: Speech and…

Timing and Duration of Flow in Ephemeral Streams of the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, Cochise County, Southeastern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gungle, Bruce

2006-01-01

Frequency, timing, and duration of streamflow were monitored in 20 ephemeral-stream channels across the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, southeastern Arizona, during an 18-month period. One channel (Walnut Gulch) had Agricultural Research Service streamflow-gaging stations in place. The sediments of the remaining 19 ephemeral-stream channels were instrumented with multiple temperature loggers along the channel lengths. A thermograph-interpretation technique was developed in order to determine frequency, timing, and duration of streamflow in these channels. Streamflow onset was characterized by exceedance of a critical minimum drop in temperature within the channel sediments during any 15-minute interval, whereas streamflow cessation was identified by the local temperature minimum that immediately followed the critical temperature drop. All data for the 18-month period from December 1, 2000, to May 31, 2002, were analyzed in terms of monsoon (June 1 to September 19) and nonmonsoon (September 20 to May 31) periods. Nonmonsoon precipitation during the 2000-2002 study period (excludes October and November 2000) was 82 percent and 39 percent of the 30-year average, respectively, whereas monsoon precipitation during 2001 was 99 percent of the 30-year average. Ephemeral streamflow was detected at least once during the monitoring period at 87 percent of the monitoring sites (45 of the 52 sites that returned useful data; includes 4 streamflow-gaging stations). The summer monsoon period accounted for 82 percent of all streamflow events by number and 71 percent of all events by total streamflow duration. Nonmonsoon streamflow events peaked in number, total streamflow duration, and mean streamflow duration midway between the Huachuca Mountains and the San Pedro River on the west side of the subwatershed. These three streamflow parameters dropped off sharply about 10 kilometers from the mountain front. The number and total duration of nonmonsoon streamflows on the east side of the subwatershed trended downward with increased distance from the mountain fronts. Monsoon streamflow events were more evenly distributed across the subwatershed than nonmonsoon events, and the number and duration of streamflows generally trended upward with distance from the mountain fronts. Additional years of data are needed to determine whether these patterns are consistent year to year, or were due to randomness in the spatial distribution of precipitation. Streamflows in three ephemeral-stream channels were analyzed in detail. More than two-thirds of the streamflow events detected in each of these channels occurred at no more than one monitoring site along the channel length. In only one of the three channels-Garden Canyon-was a streamflow event detected at all logger sites along its length. Five temperature loggers provided data from urbanized areas, and these loggers detected streamflow more than 50 percent more often and of a duration nearly three times greater than did temperature loggers across the rural parts of the subwatershed. Because historical records do not indicate that more precipitation occurs in the urbanized area than in the rural areas, the increased frequency of flow detection in the urban area is attributed to an increase in runoff from the impervious surfaces throughout the urbanized area.

Monitoring nutrition and glucose in acute brain injury.

PubMed

Badjatia, Neeraj; Vespa, Paul

2014-12-01

The metabolic response to injury is well described; however, very little is understood about optimal markers to measure this response. This summary will address the current evidence about monitoring nutritional status including blood glucose after acute brain injury (ABI). An electronic literature search was conducted for English language articles describing the testing, utility, and optimal methods to measure nutritional status and blood glucose levels in the neurocritical care population. A total of 45 articles were included in this review. Providing adequate and timely nutritional support can help improve outcome after ABI. However, the optimal content and total nutrition requirements remain unclear. In addition, how best to monitor the nutritional status in ABI is still being elucidated, and at present, there is no validated optimal method to monitor the global response to nutritional support on a day-to-day basis in ABI patients. Nitrogen balance may be monitored to assess the adequacy of caloric intake as it relates to protein energy metabolism, but indirect calorimetry, anthropometric measurement, or serum biomarker requires further validation. The adverse effects of hyperglycemia in ABI are well described, and data indicate that blood glucose should be carefully controlled in critically ill patients. However, the optimal frequency or duration for blood glucose monitoring after ABI remains poorly defined. There are significant knowledge gaps about monitoring nutritional status and response to nutritional interventions in ABI; these need to be addressed and hence few recommendations can be made. The optimal frequency and duration of blood glucose monitoring need further study.

Intensity and duration of activity bouts decreases in healthy children between 7 and 13 years of age: a new, higher resolution method to analyze StepWatch Activity Monitor data.

PubMed

Tulchin-Francis, Kirsten; Stevens, Wilshaw; Jeans, Kelly A

2014-11-01

Assessment of physical, ambulatory, activity using accelerometer-based devices has been reported in healthy individuals across a wide range of ages, as well as in multiple patient populations. Many researchers who utilize the StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM) rely on the default settings for data collection and analysis. A comparison was made between the standard output from the SAM software, and a novel method to evaluate all walking bouts using an Intensity-Duration-Volume (I-D-V) model in healthy children aged 7-13. 105 children without impairment wore the SAM for a total of 1691 d. Statistically significant differences were seen between 7-8-9 year olds and 10-11-12 year olds using the I-D-V model that were not seen using the standard SAM software default output. The increased sensitivity of this technique could be critical for observing the effect of various interventions on patients who experience physical limitations. This new analytical model also allows researchers to monitor activity and exercise-type behavior in a way which coincides with exercise prescription by assessing intensity, duration and volume of activity bouts.

Somatic mutation dynamics in MDS patients treated with azacitidine indicate clonal selection in patients-responders

PubMed Central

Polgarova, Kamila; Vargova, Karina; Kulvait, Vojtech; Dusilkova, Nina; Minarik, Lubomir; Zemanova, Zuzana; Pesta, Michal; Jonasova, Anna; Stopka, Tomas

2017-01-01

Azacitidine (AZA) for higher risk MDS patients is a standard therapy with limited durability. To monitor mutation dynamics during AZA therapy we utilized massive parallel sequencing of 54 genes previously associated with MDS/AML pathogenesis. Serial sampling before and during AZA therapy of 38 patients (reaching median overall survival 24 months (Mo) with 60% clinical responses) identified 116 somatic pathogenic variants with allele frequency (VAF) exceeding 5%. High accuracy of data was achieved via duplicate libraries from myeloid cells and T-cell controls. We observed that nearly half of the variants were stable while other variants were highly dynamic. Patients with marked decrease of allelic burden upon AZA therapy achieved clinical responses. In contrast, early-progressing patients on AZA displayed minimal changes of the mutation pattern. We modeled the VAF dynamics on AZA and utilized a joint model for the overall survival and response duration. While the presence of certain variants associated with clinical outcomes, such as the mutations of CDKN2A were adverse predictors while KDM6A mutations yield lower risk of dying, the data also indicate that allelic burden volatility represents additional important prognostic variable. In addition, preceding 5q- syndrome represents strong positive predictor of longer overall survival and response duration in high risk MDS patients treated with AZA. In conclusion, variants dynamics detected via serial sampling represents another parameter to consider when evaluating AZA efficacy and predicting outcome. PMID:29340104

Overview of Microbial Monitoring Technologies Considered for Use Inside Long Duration Spaceflights and Planetary Habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, Monsi C.; Ott, C. Mark

2015-01-01

The purpose of this presentation is to start a conversation including the Crew Health, ECLSS, and Planetary Protection communities about the best approach for inflight microbial monitoring as part of a risk mitigation strategy to prevent forward and back contamination while protecting the crew and vehicle.

Parenting by Cell Phone: Parental Monitoring of Adolescents and Family Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisskirch, Robert S.

2009-01-01

Cellular phones provide a means for parents to monitor and request information about whereabouts, associates, and current activities from adolescents. Simultaneously, adolescents can communicate with parents to inform them of activities and to solicit support or they can also choose to nondisclose. The frequency, duration, and nature of calls may…

Lightweight, Wearable, Metal Rubber Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Andrea

2015-01-01

For autonomous health monitoring. NanoSonic, Inc., has developed comfortable garments with multiple integrated sensors designed to monitor astronaut health throughout long-duration space missions. The combined high electrical conductivity, low mechanical modulus, and environmental robustness of the sensors make them an effective, lightweight, and comfortable alternative to conventional use of metal wiring and cabling.

Toward a Progress Indicator for Machine Learning Model Building and Data Mining Algorithm Execution: A Position Paper.

PubMed

Luo, Gang

2017-12-01

For user-friendliness, many software systems offer progress indicators for long-duration tasks. A typical progress indicator continuously estimates the remaining task execution time as well as the portion of the task that has been finished. Building a machine learning model often takes a long time, but no existing machine learning software supplies a non-trivial progress indicator. Similarly, running a data mining algorithm often takes a long time, but no existing data mining software provides a nontrivial progress indicator. In this article, we consider the problem of offering progress indicators for machine learning model building and data mining algorithm execution. We discuss the goals and challenges intrinsic to this problem. Then we describe an initial framework for implementing such progress indicators and two advanced, potential uses of them, with the goal of inspiring future research on this topic.

Toward a Progress Indicator for Machine Learning Model Building and Data Mining Algorithm Execution: A Position Paper

PubMed Central

Luo, Gang

2017-01-01

For user-friendliness, many software systems offer progress indicators for long-duration tasks. A typical progress indicator continuously estimates the remaining task execution time as well as the portion of the task that has been finished. Building a machine learning model often takes a long time, but no existing machine learning software supplies a non-trivial progress indicator. Similarly, running a data mining algorithm often takes a long time, but no existing data mining software provides a nontrivial progress indicator. In this article, we consider the problem of offering progress indicators for machine learning model building and data mining algorithm execution. We discuss the goals and challenges intrinsic to this problem. Then we describe an initial framework for implementing such progress indicators and two advanced, potential uses of them, with the goal of inspiring future research on this topic. PMID:29177022

Progression of regional grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Marinescu, Razvan V; Young, Alexandra L; Firth, Nicholas C; Jorge Cardoso, M; Tur, Carmen; De Angelis, Floriana; Cawley, Niamh; Brownlee, Wallace J; De Stefano, Nicola; Laura Stromillo, M; Battaglini, Marco; Ruggieri, Serena; Gasperini, Claudio; Filippi, Massimo; Rocca, Maria A; Rovira, Alex; Sastre-Garriga, Jaume; Geurts, Jeroen J G; Vrenken, Hugo; Wottschel, Viktor; Leurs, Cyra E; Uitdehaag, Bernard; Pirpamer, Lukas; Enzinger, Christian; Ourselin, Sebastien; Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A; Chard, Declan; Thompson, Alan J; Barkhof, Frederik; Alexander, Daniel C; Ciccarelli, Olga

2018-01-01

Abstract See Stankoff and Louapre (doi:10.1093/brain/awy114) for a scientific commentary on this article. Grey matter atrophy is present from the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis, but its temporal ordering is poorly understood. We aimed to determine the sequence in which grey matter regions become atrophic in multiple sclerosis and its association with disability accumulation. In this longitudinal study, we included 1417 subjects: 253 with clinically isolated syndrome, 708 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, 128 with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis, 125 with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, and 203 healthy control subjects from seven European centres. Subjects underwent repeated MRI (total number of scans 3604); the mean follow-up for patients was 2.41 years (standard deviation = 1.97). Disability was scored using the Expanded Disability Status Scale. We calculated the volume of brain grey matter regions and brainstem using an unbiased within-subject template and used an established data-driven event-based model to determine the sequence of occurrence of atrophy and its uncertainty. We assigned each subject to a specific event-based model stage, based on the number of their atrophic regions. Linear mixed-effects models were used to explore associations between the rate of increase in event-based model stages, and T2 lesion load, disease-modifying treatments, comorbidity, disease duration and disability accumulation. The first regions to become atrophic in patients with clinically isolated syndrome and relapse-onset multiple sclerosis were the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, followed by the middle cingulate cortex, brainstem and thalamus. A similar sequence of atrophy was detected in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis with the involvement of the thalamus, cuneus, precuneus, and pallidum, followed by the brainstem and posterior cingulate cortex. The cerebellum, caudate and putamen showed early atrophy in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis and late atrophy in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Patients with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis showed the highest event-based model stage (the highest number of atrophic regions, P < 0.001) at the study entry. All multiple sclerosis phenotypes, but clinically isolated syndrome, showed a faster rate of increase in the event-based model stage than healthy controls. T2 lesion load and disease duration in all patients were associated with increased event-based model stage, but no effects of disease-modifying treatments and comorbidity on event-based model stage were observed. The annualized rate of event-based model stage was associated with the disability accumulation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, independent of disease duration (P < 0.0001). The data-driven staging of atrophy progression in a large multiple sclerosis sample demonstrates that grey matter atrophy spreads to involve more regions over time. The sequence in which regions become atrophic is reasonably consistent across multiple sclerosis phenotypes. The spread of atrophy was associated with disease duration and with disability accumulation over time in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. PMID:29741648

Progression of regional grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Eshaghi, Arman; Marinescu, Razvan V; Young, Alexandra L; Firth, Nicholas C; Prados, Ferran; Jorge Cardoso, M; Tur, Carmen; De Angelis, Floriana; Cawley, Niamh; Brownlee, Wallace J; De Stefano, Nicola; Laura Stromillo, M; Battaglini, Marco; Ruggieri, Serena; Gasperini, Claudio; Filippi, Massimo; Rocca, Maria A; Rovira, Alex; Sastre-Garriga, Jaume; Geurts, Jeroen J G; Vrenken, Hugo; Wottschel, Viktor; Leurs, Cyra E; Uitdehaag, Bernard; Pirpamer, Lukas; Enzinger, Christian; Ourselin, Sebastien; Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A; Chard, Declan; Thompson, Alan J; Barkhof, Frederik; Alexander, Daniel C; Ciccarelli, Olga

2018-06-01

See Stankoff and Louapre (doi:10.1093/brain/awy114) for a scientific commentary on this article.Grey matter atrophy is present from the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis, but its temporal ordering is poorly understood. We aimed to determine the sequence in which grey matter regions become atrophic in multiple sclerosis and its association with disability accumulation. In this longitudinal study, we included 1417 subjects: 253 with clinically isolated syndrome, 708 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, 128 with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis, 125 with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, and 203 healthy control subjects from seven European centres. Subjects underwent repeated MRI (total number of scans 3604); the mean follow-up for patients was 2.41 years (standard deviation = 1.97). Disability was scored using the Expanded Disability Status Scale. We calculated the volume of brain grey matter regions and brainstem using an unbiased within-subject template and used an established data-driven event-based model to determine the sequence of occurrence of atrophy and its uncertainty. We assigned each subject to a specific event-based model stage, based on the number of their atrophic regions. Linear mixed-effects models were used to explore associations between the rate of increase in event-based model stages, and T2 lesion load, disease-modifying treatments, comorbidity, disease duration and disability accumulation. The first regions to become atrophic in patients with clinically isolated syndrome and relapse-onset multiple sclerosis were the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, followed by the middle cingulate cortex, brainstem and thalamus. A similar sequence of atrophy was detected in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis with the involvement of the thalamus, cuneus, precuneus, and pallidum, followed by the brainstem and posterior cingulate cortex. The cerebellum, caudate and putamen showed early atrophy in relapse-onset multiple sclerosis and late atrophy in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Patients with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis showed the highest event-based model stage (the highest number of atrophic regions, P < 0.001) at the study entry. All multiple sclerosis phenotypes, but clinically isolated syndrome, showed a faster rate of increase in the event-based model stage than healthy controls. T2 lesion load and disease duration in all patients were associated with increased event-based model stage, but no effects of disease-modifying treatments and comorbidity on event-based model stage were observed. The annualized rate of event-based model stage was associated with the disability accumulation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, independent of disease duration (P < 0.0001). The data-driven staging of atrophy progression in a large multiple sclerosis sample demonstrates that grey matter atrophy spreads to involve more regions over time. The sequence in which regions become atrophic is reasonably consistent across multiple sclerosis phenotypes. The spread of atrophy was associated with disease duration and with disability accumulation over time in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Remote glucose monitoring in cAMP setting reduces the risk of prolonged nocturnal hypoglycemia.

PubMed

DeSalvo, Daniel J; Keith-Hynes, Patrick; Peyser, Thomas; Place, Jérôme; Caswell, Kim; Wilson, Darrell M; Harris, Breanne; Clinton, Paula; Kovatchev, Boris; Buckingham, Bruce A

2014-01-01

This study tested the feasibility and effectiveness of remote continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in a diabetes camp setting. Twenty campers (7-21 years old) with type 1 diabetes were enrolled at each of three camp sessions lasting 5-6 days. On alternating nights, 10 campers were randomized to usual wear of a Dexcom (San Diego, CA) G4™ PLATINUM CGM system, and 10 were randomized to remote monitoring with the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM communicating with the Diabetes Assistant, a cell phone platform, to allow wireless transmission of CGM values. Up to 15 individual graphs and sensor values could be displayed on a single remote monitor or portable tablet. An alarm was triggered for values <70 mg/dL, and treatment was given for meter-confirmed hypoglycemia. The primary end point was to decrease the duration of hypoglycemic episodes <50 mg/dL. There were 320 nights of CGM data and 197 hypoglycemic events. Of the remote monitoring alarms, 79% were true (meter reading of <70 mg/dL). With remote monitoring, 100% of alarms were responded to, whereas without remote monitoring only 54% of alarms were responded to. The median duration of hypoglycemic events <70 mg/dL was 35 min without remote monitoring and 30 min with remote monitoring (P=0.078). Remote monitoring significantly decreased prolonged hypoglycemic events, eliminating all events <50 mg/dL lasting longer than 30 min as well as all events <70 mg/dL lasting more than 2 h. Remote monitoring is feasible at diabetes camps and effective in reducing the risk of prolonged nocturnal hypoglycemia. This technology will facilitate forthcoming studies to evaluate the efficacy of automated closed-loop systems in the camp setting.

A General Investigation of Optimized Atmospheric Sample Duration

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

Eslinger, Paul W.; Miley, Harry S.

2012-11-28

ABSTRACT The International Monitoring System (IMS) consists of up to 80 aerosol and xenon monitoring systems spaced around the world that have collection systems sensitive enough to detect nuclear releases from underground nuclear tests at great distances (CTBT 1996; CTBTO 2011). Although a few of the IMS radionuclide stations are closer together than 1,000 km (such as the stations in Kuwait and Iran), many of them are 2,000 km or more apart. In the absence of a scientific basis for optimizing the duration of atmospheric sampling, historically scientists used a integration times from 24 hours to 14 days for radionuclidesmore » (Thomas et al. 1977). This was entirely adequate in the past because the sources of signals were far away and large, meaning that they were smeared over many days by the time they had travelled 10,000 km. The Fukushima event pointed out the unacceptable delay time (72 hours) between the start of sample acquisition and final data being shipped. A scientific basis for selecting a sample duration time is needed. This report considers plume migration of a nondecaying tracer using archived atmospheric data for 2011 in the HYSPLIT (Draxler and Hess 1998; HYSPLIT 2011) transport model. We present two related results: the temporal duration of the majority of the plume as a function of distance and the behavior of the maximum plume concentration as a function of sample collection duration and distance. The modeled plume behavior can then be combined with external information about sampler design to optimize sample durations in a sampling network.« less

Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring Reduces the Duration of Hypoglycemia Episodes: A Randomized Trial in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates

PubMed Central

Uettwiller, Florence; Chemin, Aude; Bonnemaison, Elisabeth; Favrais, Géraldine; Saliba, Elie; Labarthe, François

2015-01-01

Objectives Hypoglycemia is frequent in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates and compromises their neurological outcome. The aim of this study was to compare real-time continuous glucose monitoring system (RT-CGMS) to standard methods by intermittent capillary blood glucose testing in detecting and managing hypoglycemia. Study design Forty-eight VLBW neonates were enrolled in this prospective study. During their 3 first days of life, their glucose level was monitored either by RT-CGMS (CGM-group), or by intermittent capillary glucose testing (IGM-group) associated with a blind-CGMS to detect retrospectively missed hypoglycemia. Outcomes were the number and duration of hypoglycemic (≤50mg/dl) episodes per patient detected by CGMS. Results Forty-three monitorings were analyzed (IGM n = 21, CGM n = 22), with a median recording time of 72 hours. In the IGM group, blind-CGMS revealed a significantly higher number of hypoglycemia episodes than capillary blood glucose testing (1.2±0.4 vs 0.4±0.2 episode/patient, p<0.01). In the CGM-group, the use of RT-CGMS made it possible (i) to detect the same number of hypoglycemia episodes as blind-CGMS (1.2±0.4 episode/patient), (ii) to adapt the glucose supply in neonates with hypoglycemia (increased supply during days 1 and 2), and (iii) to significantly reduce the duration of hypoglycemia episodes per patient (CGM 44[10–140] min versus IGM 95[15–520] min, p<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of blood samples (CGM 16.9±1.0 vs IGM 21.9±1.0 blood sample/patient, p<0.001). Conclusion RT-CGMS played a beneficial role in managing hypoglycemia in VLBW neonates by adjusting the carbohydrate supply to the individual needs and by reducing the duration of hypoglycemia episodes. The clinical significance of the biological differences observed in our study need to be explored. PMID:25590334

Advanced Environmental Monitoring Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jan, Darrell

2004-01-01

Viewgraphs on Advanced Environmental Monitoring Technologies are presented. The topics include: 1) Monitoring & Controlling the Environment; 2) Illustrative Example: Canary 3) Ground-based Commercial Technology; 4) High Capability & Low Mass/Power + Autonomy = Key to Future SpaceFlight; 5) Current Practice: in Flight; 6) Current Practice: Post Flight; 7) Miniature Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration and Long Duration Human Flight; 8) Hardware and Data Acquisition System; 9) 16S rDNA Phylogenetic Tree; and 10) Preview of Porter.

TPS In-Flight Health Monitoring Project Progress Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kostyk, Chris; Richards, Lance; Hudston, Larry; Prosser, William

2007-01-01

Progress in the development of new thermal protection systems (TPS) is reported. New approaches use embedded lightweight, sensitive, fiber optic strain and temperature sensors within the TPS. Goals of the program are to develop and demonstrate a prototype TPS health monitoring system, develop a thermal-based damage detection algorithm, characterize limits of sensor/system performance, and develop ea methodology transferable to new designs of TPS health monitoring systems. Tasks completed during the project helped establish confidence in understanding of both test setup and the model and validated system/sensor performance in a simple TPS structure. Other progress included complete initial system testing, commencement of the algorithm development effort, generation of a damaged thermal response characteristics database, initial development of a test plan for integration testing of proven FBG sensors in simple TPS structure, and development of partnerships to apply the technology.

Modification of medullary respiratory-related discharge patterns by behaviors and states of arousal.

PubMed

Chang, F C

1992-02-07

The modulatory influences of behaviors and states of arousal on bulbar respiratory-related unit (RRU) discharge patterns were studied in an unanesthetized, freely behaving guinea pig respiratory model system. When fully instrumented, this model system permits concurrent monitoring and recording of (i) single units from either Bötzinger complex or nucleus para-ambiguus; (ii) electrocorticogram; and, (iii) diaphragmatic EMG. In addition to being used in surveys of RRU discharge patterns in freely behaving states, the model system also offered a unique opportunity in investigating the effects of pentobarbital on RRU discharge patterns before, throughout the course of, and during recovery from anesthesia. In anesthetized preparations, a particular RRU discharge pattern (such as tonic, incrementing or decrementing) typically displayed little, if any notable variation. The most striking development following pentobarbital was a state of progressive bradypnea attributable to a significantly augmented RRU cycle duration, burst duration and an increase in the RRU spike frequencies during anesthesia. In freely behaving states, medullary RRU activities rarely adhered to a fixed, immutable discharge pattern. More specifically, the temporal organization (such as burst duration, cycle duration, and the extent of modulation of within-burst spike frequencies) of RRU discharge patterns regularly showed complex and striking variations, not only with states of arousal (sleep/wakefulness, anesthesia) but also with discrete alterations in electrocorticogram (ECoG) activities and a multitude of on-going behavioral repertoires such as volitional movement, postural modification, phonation, mastication, deglutition, sniffing/exploratory behavior, alerting/startle reflexes. Only during sleep, and on occasions when the animal assumed a motionless, resting posture, could burst patterns of relatively invariable periodicity and uniform temporal attributes be observed. RRU activities during sniffing reflex is worthy of further note in that, based on power spectrum analyses of concurrently recorded ECoG activities, this particular discharge pattern was clearly associated with the activation of a 6-10 Hz theta rhythm. These findings indicated that bulbar RRU activity patterns are subject to change by not only behaviors and sleep/wakefulness cycles, but also a variety of modulatory influences and feedback/feedforward biases from other central and peripheral physiological control mechanisms.

Improved survival with vemurafenib in melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation.

PubMed

Chapman, Paul B; Hauschild, Axel; Robert, Caroline; Haanen, John B; Ascierto, Paolo; Larkin, James; Dummer, Reinhard; Garbe, Claus; Testori, Alessandro; Maio, Michele; Hogg, David; Lorigan, Paul; Lebbe, Celeste; Jouary, Thomas; Schadendorf, Dirk; Ribas, Antoni; O'Day, Steven J; Sosman, Jeffrey A; Kirkwood, John M; Eggermont, Alexander M M; Dreno, Brigitte; Nolop, Keith; Li, Jiang; Nelson, Betty; Hou, Jeannie; Lee, Richard J; Flaherty, Keith T; McArthur, Grant A

2011-06-30

Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of the BRAF kinase inhibitor vemurafenib (PLX4032) have shown response rates of more than 50% in patients with metastatic melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation. We conducted a phase 3 randomized clinical trial comparing vemurafenib with dacarbazine in 675 patients with previously untreated, metastatic melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either vemurafenib (960 mg orally twice daily) or dacarbazine (1000 mg per square meter of body-surface area intravenously every 3 weeks). Coprimary end points were rates of overall and progression-free survival. Secondary end points included the response rate, response duration, and safety. A final analysis was planned after 196 deaths and an interim analysis after 98 deaths. At 6 months, overall survival was 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78 to 89) in the vemurafenib group and 64% (95% CI, 56 to 73) in the dacarbazine group. In the interim analysis for overall survival and final analysis for progression-free survival, vemurafenib was associated with a relative reduction of 63% in the risk of death and of 74% in the risk of either death or disease progression, as compared with dacarbazine (P<0.001 for both comparisons). After review of the interim analysis by an independent data and safety monitoring board, crossover from dacarbazine to vemurafenib was recommended. Response rates were 48% for vemurafenib and 5% for dacarbazine. Common adverse events associated with vemurafenib were arthralgia, rash, fatigue, alopecia, keratoacanthoma or squamous-cell carcinoma, photosensitivity, nausea, and diarrhea; 38% of patients required dose modification because of toxic effects. Vemurafenib produced improved rates of overall and progression-free survival in patients with previously untreated melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation. (Funded by Hoffmann-La Roche; BRIM-3 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01006980.).

A dual-color marker system for in vivo visualization of cell cycle progression in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Yin, Ke; Ueda, Minako; Takagi, Hitomi; Kajihara, Takehiro; Sugamata Aki, Shiori; Nobusawa, Takashi; Umeda-Hara, Chikage; Umeda, Masaaki

2014-11-01

Visualization of the spatiotemporal pattern of cell division is crucial to understand how multicellular organisms develop and how they modify their growth in response to varying environmental conditions. The mitotic cell cycle consists of four phases: S (DNA replication), M (mitosis and cytokinesis), and the intervening G1 and G2 phases; however, only G2/M-specific markers are currently available in plants, making it difficult to measure cell cycle duration and to analyze changes in cell cycle progression in living tissues. Here, we developed another cell cycle marker that labels S-phase cells by manipulating Arabidopsis CDT1a, which functions in DNA replication origin licensing. Truncations of the CDT1a coding sequence revealed that its carboxy-terminal region is responsible for proteasome-mediated degradation at late G2 or in early mitosis. We therefore expressed this region as a red fluorescent protein fusion protein under the S-specific promoter of a histone 3.1-type gene, HISTONE THREE RELATED2 (HTR2), to generate an S/G2 marker. Combining this marker with the G2/M-specific CYCB1-GFP marker enabled us to visualize both S to G2 and G2 to M cell cycle stages, and thus yielded an essential tool for time-lapse imaging of cell cycle progression. The resultant dual-color marker system, Cell Cycle Tracking in Plant Cells (Cytrap), also allowed us to identify root cells in the last mitotic cell cycle before they entered the endocycle. Our results demonstrate that Cytrap is a powerful tool for in vivo monitoring of the plant cell cycle, and thus for deepening our understanding of cell cycle regulation in particular cell types during organ development. © 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Correlation of Skeletal and Cardiac Muscle Dysfunction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

PubMed

Posner, Andrew D; Soslow, Jonathan H; Burnette, W Bryan; Bian, Aihua; Shintani, Ayumi; Sawyer, Douglas B; Markham, Larry W

2016-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive skeletal muscle and cardiac dysfunction. While skeletal muscle dysfunction precedes cardiomyopathy, the relationship between the progressive decline in skeletal and cardiac muscle function is unclear. This relationship is especially important given that the myocardial effects of many developing DMD therapies are largely unknown. Our objective was to assess the relationship between progression of skeletal muscle weakness and onset of cardiac dysfunction in DMD. A total of 77 DMD subjects treated at a single referral center were included. Demographic information, quantitative muscle testing (QMT), subjective muscle strength, cardiac function, and current and retrospective medications were collected. A Spearman rank correlation was used to evaluate for an association between subjective strength and fractional shortening. The effects of total QMT and arm QMT on fractional shortening were examined in generalized least square with and without adjustments for age, ambulatory status, and duration of corticosteroids and cardiac specific medications. We found a significant correlation between maintained subjective skeletal muscle arm and leg strength and maintained cardiac function as defined by fractional shortening (rho=0.47, p=0.004 and rho=0.48, p=0.003, respectively). We also found a significant association between QMT and fractional shortening among non-ambulatory DMD subjects (p=0.03), while this association was not significant in ambulatory subjects. Our findings allow us to conclude that in this population, there exists a significant relationship between skeletal muscle and cardiac function in non-ambulatory DMD patients. While this does not imply a causal relationship, a possible association between skeletal and cardiac muscle function suggests that researchers should carefully monitor cardiac function, even when the primary outcome measures are not cardiac in nature.

Event identification by acoustic signature recognition

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

Dress, W.B.; Kercel, S.W.

1995-07-01

Many events of interest to the security commnnity produce acoustic emissions that are, in principle, identifiable as to cause. Some obvious examples are gunshots, breaking glass, takeoffs and landings of small aircraft, vehicular engine noises, footsteps (high frequencies when on gravel, very low frequencies. when on soil), and voices (whispers to shouts). We are investigating wavelet-based methods to extract unique features of such events for classification and identification. We also discuss methods of classification and pattern recognition specifically tailored for acoustic signatures obtained by wavelet analysis. The paper is divided into three parts: completed work, work in progress, and futuremore » applications. The completed phase has led to the successful recognition of aircraft types on landing and takeoff. Both small aircraft (twin-engine turboprop) and large (commercial airliners) were included in the study. The project considered the design of a small, field-deployable, inexpensive device. The techniques developed during the aircraft identification phase were then adapted to a multispectral electromagnetic interference monitoring device now deployed in a nuclear power plant. This is a general-purpose wavelet analysis engine, spanning 14 octaves, and can be adapted for other specific tasks. Work in progress is focused on applying the methods previously developed to speaker identification. Some of the problems to be overcome include recognition of sounds as voice patterns and as distinct from possible background noises (e.g., music), as well as identification of the speaker from a short-duration voice sample. A generalization of the completed work and the work in progress is a device capable of classifying any number of acoustic events-particularly quasi-stationary events such as engine noises and voices and singular events such as gunshots and breaking glass. We will show examples of both kinds of events and discuss their recognition likelihood.« less

14 CFR 417.23 - Compliance monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compliance monitoring. 417.23 Section 417... Compliance monitoring. (a) A launch operator must allow access by, and cooperate with, Federal officers or... launch operator must provide the FAA with a console for monitoring the progress of the countdown and...

Comparison of Standard Automated Perimetry, Short-Wavelength Automated Perimetry, and Frequency-Doubling Technology Perimetry to Monitor Glaucoma Progression

PubMed Central

Hu, Rongrong; Wang, Chenkun; Gu, Yangshun; Racette, Lyne

2016-01-01

Abstract Detection of progression is paramount to the clinical management of glaucoma. Our goal is to compare the performance of standard automated perimetry (SAP), short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP), and frequency-doubling technology (FDT) perimetry in monitoring glaucoma progression. Longitudinal data of paired SAP, SWAP, and FDT from 113 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma enrolled in the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study or the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study were included. Data from all tests were expressed in comparable units by converting the sensitivity from decibels to unitless contrast sensitivity and by expressing sensitivity values in percent of mean normal based on an independent dataset of 207 healthy eyes with aging deterioration taken into consideration. Pointwise linear regression analysis was performed and 3 criteria (conservative, moderate, and liberal) were used to define progression and improvement. Global mean sensitivity (MS) was fitted with linear mixed models. No statistically significant difference in the proportion of progressing and improving eyes was observed across tests using the conservative criterion. Fewer eyes showed improvement on SAP compared to SWAP and FDT using the moderate criterion; and FDT detected less progressing eyes than SAP and SWAP using the liberal criterion. The agreement between these test types was poor. The linear mixed model showed a progressing trend of global MS overtime for SAP and SWAP, but not for FDT. The baseline estimate of SWAP MS was significantly lower than SAP MS by 21.59% of mean normal. FDT showed comparable estimation of baseline MS with SAP. SWAP and FDT do not appear to have significant benefits over SAP in monitoring glaucoma progression. SAP, SWAP, and FDT may, however, detect progression in different glaucoma eyes. PMID:26886602

Neurobiological correlates of illness progression in the recurrent affective disorders.

PubMed

Post, Robert M; Fleming, Jaclyn; Kapczinski, Flavio

2012-05-01

Some clinical aspects of affective illness progression, such as episode-, stress-, and substance-induced sensitization, have been well documented in the literature, but others have received less attention. These include cognitive deficits, treatment-refractoriness, and neurobiological correlates of illness progression, which are the primary focus of this paper. We review the evidence that cognitive dysfunction, treatment resistance, medical comorbidities, and neurobiological abnormalities increase as a function of the number of prior episodes or duration of illness in the recurrent unipolar and bipolar disorders. Substantial evidence supports the view that cognitive dysfunction and vulnerability to a diagnosis of dementia in old age increases as a function of number of prior mood episodes as does non-response to many therapeutic interventions as well as naturalistic treatment. Neurobiological abnormalities that correlate with the number of mood episodes or duration of illness include: anatomical, functional, and biochemical deficits in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as well as amygdala hyperactivity and cortisol hyper-secretion. Some neurotrophic factors and inflammatory markers may also change with greater illness burden. Causality cannot be inferred from these correlative relationships. Nonetheless, given the potentially grave consequences of episode recurrence and progression for morbidity and treatment non-responsiveness, it is clinically wise to assume episodes are causing some of the progressive cognitive and neurobiological abnormalities. As such, earlier and more sustained long-term prophylaxis to attempt to reduce these adverse outcomes is indicated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When Sleep Isn’t Perfect: Risk and Resilience for Cognitive Consquences of Imperfect Sleep Duration and Suboptimal Timing of Tasks in Circadian Rhythm

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a...progress in our work with the industry collaborator providing data to meet our study aims. Preliminary analyses of sleep and cognitive performance data...have yielded compelling findings with respect to sleep duration and cognitive performance across the lifespan. These now published findings

Parametric Study of Diffusion-Enhancement Networks for Spatiotemporal Grouping in Real-Time Artificial Vision

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

suggesting it occurs in later visual motion processing (long-range or second-order system). STIMULUS PERCEPT L" FLASH DURATION FLASH DURATION (a) TIME ( b ...TIME Figure 2. Gamma motion. (a) A light of fixed spatial extent is illuminated then extim- guished. ( b ) The percept is of a light expanding and then...while smaller, type- B cells provide input to its parvocellular subdivision. From here the magnocellular pathway progresses up through visual cortex area V

Gene Expression and Structural Skeletal Responses to Long-Duration Simulated Microgravity in Rats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirazi-Fard, Yasaman; Rael, Victoria E.; Torres, Samantha; Steczina, Sonette; Bryant, Sheenah; Tahimic, Candice; Globus, Ruth K.

2017-01-01

In this study, we aim to examine skeletal responses to simulated long-duration spaceflight (90 days) and weight-bearing recovery on bone loss using the ground-based hindlimb unloading (HU) model in adolescent (3-month old) male rats. We hypothesized that simulated microgravity leads to the temporal regulation of oxidative defense genes and pro-bone resorption factors, where there is a progression and eventual plateau; furthermore, early transient changes in these pathways precede skeletal adaptations.

Human Factors and Modeling Methods in the Development of Control Room Modernization Concepts

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

Hugo, Jacques V.; Slay III, Lorenzo

nuclear power plants. Although the nuclear industry has made steady improvement in outage optimization, each day of a refueling outage still represents an opportunity to save millions of dollars and each day an outage extends past its planned end date represents millions of dollars that may have been spent unnecessarily. Reducing planned outage duration or preventing outage extensions requires careful management of the outage schedule as well as constant oversight and monitoring of work completion during the outage execution. During a typical outage, there are typically more than 10,000 activities on the schedule that, if not managed efficiently, may causemore » expensive outage delays. Management of outages currently relies largely on paper-based resources and general-purpose office software. A typical tool currently used to monitor work performance is a burn-down curve, where total remaining activities are plotted against the baseline schedule to track bulk work completion progress. While these tools are useful, there is still considerable uncertainty during a typical outage that bulk work progress is adequate and therefore a lot of management time is spent analyzing the situation on a daily basis. This paper describes recent advances made in developing a framework for the design of visual outage information presentation, as well as an overview of the scientific principles that informed the development of the visualizations. To test the utility of advanced visual outage information presentation, an outage management dashboard software application was created as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Outage Control Center project. This dashboard is intended to present all the critical information an outage manager would need to understand the current status of a refueling outage. The dashboard presents the critical path, bulk work performance, key performance indicators, outage milestones and metrics relating current performance to historical performance. Additionally, the dashboard includes data analysis tools to allow outage managers to drill down into the underlying data to understand the drivers of the indicators.« less

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of bone flap resorption in patients undergoing cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy.

PubMed

Korhonen, Tommi K; Salokorpi, Niina; Niinimäki, Jaakko; Serlo, Willy; Lehenkari, Petri; Tetri, Sami

2018-02-23

OBJECTIVE Autologous bone cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy entails a notable burden of difficult postoperative complications, such as infection and bone flap resorption (BFR), leading to mechanical failure. The prevalence and significance of asymptomatic BFR is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to radiologically monitor the long-term bone flap survival and bone quality change in patients undergoing autologous cranioplasty. METHODS The authors identified all 45 patients who underwent autologous cranioplasty at Oulu University Hospital, Finland, between January 2004 and December 2014. Using perioperative and follow-up CT scans, the volumes and radiodensities of the intact bone flap prior to surgery and at follow-up were calculated. Relative changes in bone flap volume and radiodensity were then determined to assess cranioplasty survival. Sufficient CT scans were obtainable from 41 (91.1%) of the 45 patients. RESULTS The 41 patients were followed up for a median duration of 3.79 years (25th and 75th percentiles = 1.55 and 6.66). Thirty-seven (90.2%) of the 41 patients had some degree of BFR and 13 (31.7%) had a remaining bone flap volume of less than 80%. Patients younger than 30 years of age had a mean decrease of 15.8% in bone flap volume compared with the rest of the cohort. Bone flap volume was not found to decrease linearly with the passing of time, however. The effects of lifestyle factors and comorbidities on BFR were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS In this study BFR was a very common phenomenon, occurring at least to some degree in 90% of the patients. Decreases in bone volume were especially prominent in patients younger than 30 years of age. Because the progression of resorption during follow-up was nonlinear, routine follow-up CT scans appear unnecessary in monitoring the progression of BFR; instead, clinical follow-up with mechanical stability assessment is advised. Partial resorption is most likely a normal physiological phenomenon during the bone revitalization process.

Circulating Tumor Cells with Aberrant ALK Copy Number Predict Progression-Free Survival during Crizotinib Treatment in ALK-Rearranged Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Pailler, Emma; Oulhen, Marianne; Borget, Isabelle; Remon, Jordi; Ross, Kirsty; Auger, Nathalie; Billiot, Fanny; Ngo Camus, Maud; Commo, Frédéric; Lindsay, Colin R; Planchard, David; Soria, Jean-Charles; Besse, Benjamin; Farace, Françoise

2017-05-01

The duration and magnitude of clinical response are unpredictable in ALK -rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with crizotinib, although all patients invariably develop resistance. Here, we evaluated whether circulating tumor cells (CTC) with aberrant ALK -FISH patterns [ ALK -rearrangement, ALK -copy number gain ( ALK -CNG)] monitored on crizotinib could predict progression-free survival (PFS) in a cohort of ALK -rearranged patients. Thirty-nine ALK -rearranged NSCLC patients treated with crizotinib as first ALK inhibitor were recruited prospectively. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at an early time-point (2 months) on crizotinib. Aberrant ALK -FISH patterns were examined in CTCs using immunofluorescence staining combined with filter-adapted FISH after filtration enrichment. CTCs were classified into distinct subsets according to the presence of ALK -rearrangement and/or ALK -CNG signals. No significant association between baseline numbers of ALK -rearranged or ALK -CNG CTCs and PFS was observed. However, we observed a significant association between the decrease in CTC number with ALK -CNG on crizotinib and a longer PFS (likelihood ratio test, P = 0.025). In multivariate analysis, the dynamic change of CTC with ALK -CNG was the strongest factor associated with PFS (HR, 4.485; 95% confidence interval, 1.543-13.030, P = 0.006). Although not dominant, ALK -CNG has been reported to be one of the mechanisms of acquired resistance to crizotinib in tumor biopsies. Our results suggest that the dynamic change in the numbers of CTCs with ALK -CNG may be a predictive biomarker for crizotinib efficacy in ALK -rearranged NSCLC patients. Serial molecular analysis of CTC shows promise for real-time patient monitoring and clinical outcome prediction in this population. Cancer Res; 77(9); 2222-30. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Assessing Chronic Illness Care Education (ACIC-E): a tool for tracking educational re-design for improving chronic care education.

PubMed

Bowen, Judith L; Provost, Lloyd; Stevens, David P; Johnson, Julie K; Woods, Donna M; Sixta, Connie S; Wagner, Edward H

2010-09-01

Recent Breakthrough Series Collaboratives have focused on improving chronic illness care, but few have included academic practices, and none have specifically targeted residency education in parallel with improving clinical care. Tools are available for assessing progress with clinical improvements, but no similar instruments have been developed for monitoring educational improvements for chronic care education. To design a survey to assist teaching practices with identifying curricular gaps in chronic care education and monitor efforts to address those gaps. During a national academic chronic care collaborative, we used an iterative method to develop and pilot test a survey instrument modeled after the Assessing Chronic Illness Care (ACIC). We implemented this instrument, the ACIC-Education, in a second collaborative and assessed the relationship of survey results with reported educational measures. A combined 57 self-selected teams from 37 teaching hospitals enrolled in one of two collaboratives. We used descriptive statistics to report mean ACIC-E scores and educational measurement results, and Pearson's test for correlation between the final ACIC-E score and reported educational measures. A total of 29 teams from the national collaborative and 15 teams from the second collaborative in California completed the final ACIC-E. The instrument measured progress on all sub-scales of the Chronic Care Model. Fourteen California teams (70%) reported using two to six education measures (mean 4.3). The relationship between the final survey results and the number of educational measures reported was weak (R(2) = 0.06, p = 0.376), but improved when a single outlier was removed (R(2) = 0.37, p = 0.022). The ACIC-E instrument proved feasible to complete. Participating teams, on average, recorded modest improvement in all areas measured by the instrument over the duration of the collaboratives. The relationship between the final ACIC-E score and the number of educational measures was weak. Further research on its utility and validity is required.

Lexical frequency and voice assimilation in complex words in Dutch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernestus, Mirjam; Lahey, Mybeth; Verhees, Femke; Baayen, Harald

2004-05-01

Words with higher token frequencies tend to have more reduced acoustic realizations than lower frequency words (e.g., Hay, 2000; Bybee, 2001; Jurafsky et al., 2001). This study documents frequency effects for regressive voice assimilation (obstruents are voiced before voiced plosives) in Dutch morphologically complex words in the subcorpus of read-aloud novels in the corpus of spoken Dutch (Oostdijk et al., 2002). As expected, the initial obstruent of the cluster tends to be absent more often as lexical frequency increases. More importantly, as frequency increases, the duration of vocal-fold vibration in the cluster decreases, and the duration of the bursts in the cluster increases, after partialing out cluster duration. This suggests that there is less voicing for higher-frequency words. In fact, phonetic transcriptions show regressive voice assimilation for only half of the words and progressive voice assimilation for one third. Interestingly, the progressive voice assimilation observed for higher-frequency complex words renders these complex words more similar to monomorphemic words: Dutch monomorphemic words typically contain voiceless obstruent clusters (Zonneveld, 1983). Such high-frequency complex words may therefore be less easily parsed into their constituent morphemes (cf. Hay, 2000), favoring whole word lexical access (Bertram et al., 2000).

Characteristics of vertigo and the affected vestibular nerve systems in idiopathic bilateral vestibulopathy.

PubMed

Fujimoto, Chisato; Kinoshita, Makoto; Kamogashira, Teru; Egami, Naoya; Sugasawa, Keiko; Yamasoba, Tatsuya; Iwasaki, Shinichi

2016-01-01

Vertigo attacks in IBV patients involving both the superior and inferior vestibular nerve systems were significantly more severe than vertigo attacks in patients with selective involvement of the inferior vestibular nerve system alone. To investigate the relationship between the frequency and duration of vertigo and the affected vestibular nerve system in idiopathic bilateral vestibulopathy (IBV). This study categorized 44 IBV patients into the following three sub-groups according to the affected vestibular nerve system: superior, inferior, and mixed type. These patients were also categorized into the following three sub-groups according to their clinical time course: progressive type showing no episodes of vertigo, sequential type showing recurrent vertigo attacks and single-attack type showing a single episode of vertigo. Ten, 11 and 23 patients were classified as the superior, the inferior, and the mixed type, respectively. Seventeen, 23, and four patients were classified as the progressive, the sequential, and the single-attack type, respectively. For the patients having one or more vertigo attacks, the duration of the vertigo attack was longer than 24 h in 69% of the mixed type, and the duration of vertigo in the mixed type was significantly longer than that in the inferior type (p < 0.05).

Monitoring of KRAS-mutated ctDNA to discriminate pseudo-progression from true progression during anti-PD-1 treatment of lung adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Guibert, Nicolas; Mazieres, Julien; Delaunay, Myriam; Casanova, Anne; Farella, Magali; Keller, Laura; Favre, Gilles; Pradines, Anne

2017-01-01

Objectives Pseudo-progression is a rare but worrying situation for both clinicians and patients during immunotherapy. Dedicated ir-RECIST criteria have been established to improve this situation. However, this can be sometimes considered inadequate and patients experiencing true progression may then receive inefficient treatments. Additional reliable tools to discriminate pseudo from true progression are thus needed. So far, no biomarker has been identified to distinguish pseudo from true progression. We hypothesize that biomarkers associated with the molecular characteristics of the tumor may be of interest. To avoid a tumor re-biopsy, circulating markers appear to be a less invasive and reproducible procedure. As ctDNA kinetics correlate with the response to treatment in KRAS-mutated adenocarcinoma, we anticipated that this analysis could be of interest. Materials and methods We monitored the level of KRAS-mutated ctDNA by digital droplet PCR in serial plasma samples from two patients who had experienced pseudo-progression and compared the variations with those from of a patient that had true progression. Results ctDNA showed rapid and dramatic decreases in pseudo-progressive patients, whereas it was strongly increased in the progressive patient. Conclusions ddPCR of ctDNA may thus be an additional tool to discriminate pseudo-progression from true progression for tumors that harbor an oncogenic addiction. PMID:28445137

34 CFR 646.32 - What other requirements must a grantee meet?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... basis for determining the academic need for each participant; (3) The services that are provided to each participant; and (4) The performance and progress of each participant by cohort for the duration of the...

The clinical course of diabetic nephropathy.

PubMed

Kussman, M J; Goldstein, H; Gleason, R E

1976-10-18

A retrospective record analysis of 112 juvenile-onset diabetics with nephropathy was conducted in order to determine their clinical course. The mean duration of diabetes at the onset of proteinuria was 17.3+/-6.0 years. Early renal failure appeared two years after the onset of protein-uria, and severe renal failure (mean serum creatinine level, 8.5+/-3.9 mg/100 ml) four years after the onset of proteinuria. The mean duration of life after the onset of severe renal failure was six months. The mortality was 53%, with 59% of the deaths attributable to renal failure and 36% to cardiovascular disease. All patients experienced progressive deterioration of renal function as well as the other complications of diabetes, the rate of progression being accelerated toward the end of the course. Juvenile onset diabetics should be considered for renal transplantation before the serum creatinine level reaches 8.5 mg/100 ml.

Pulsed-neutron monochromator

DOEpatents

Mook, H.A. Jr.

1984-01-01

In one aspect, the invention is an improved pulsed-neutron monochromator of the vibrated-crystal type. The monochromator is designed to provide neutron pulses which are characterized both by short duration and high density. A row of neutron-reflecting crystals is disposed in a neutron beam to reflect neutrons onto a common target. The crystals in the row define progressively larger neutron-scattering angles and are vibrated sequentially in descending order with respect to the size of their scattering angles, thus generating neutron pulses which arrive simultaneously at the target. Transducers are coupled to one end of the crystals to vibrate them in an essentially non-resonant mode. The transducers propagate transverse waves in the crystal which progress longitudinally therein. The waves are absorbed at the undriven ends of the crystals by damping material mounted thereon. In another aspect, the invention is a method for generating neutron pulses characterized by high intensity and short duration.

Pulsed-neutron monochromator

DOEpatents

Mook, Jr., Herbert A.

1985-01-01

In one aspect, the invention is an improved pulsed-neutron monochromator of the vibrated-crystal type. The monochromator is designed to provide neutron pulses which are characterized both by short duration and high density. A row of neutron-reflecting crystals is disposed in a neutron beam to reflect neutrons onto a common target. The crystals in the row define progressively larger neutron-scattering angles and are vibrated sequentially in descending order with respect to the size of their scattering angles, thus generating neutron pulses which arrive simultaneously at the target. Transducers are coupled to one end of the crystals to vibrate them in an essentially non-resonant mode. The transducers propagate transverse waves in the crystal which progress longitudinally therein. The wave are absorbed at the undriven ends of the crystals by damping material mounted thereon. In another aspect, the invention is a method for generating neutron pulses characterized by high intensity and short duration.

Longer Sleep Durations Are Positively Associated With Finishing Place During a National Multiday Netball Competition.

PubMed

Juliff, Laura E; Halson, Shona L; Hebert, Jeffrey J; Forsyth, Peta L; Peiffer, Jeremiah J

2018-01-01

Juliff, LE, Halson, SL, Hebert, JJ, Forsyth, PL, and Peiffer, JJ. Longer sleep durations are positively associated with finishing place during a national multiday netball competition. J Strength Cond Res 32(1): 189-194, 2018-Sleep is often regarded as the single best recovery strategy available to an athlete, yet little is known about the quality and quantity of sleep in athletes during multiday competitions. This study objectively evaluated sleep characteristics of athletes during a national netball tournament. Using wrist actigraphy monitors and sleep diaries, 42 netballers from 4 state teams were monitored for the duration of a tournament (6 days) and 12 days before in home environments. Significant differences were found between teams based on final competition standings, suggesting enhanced sleep characteristics in athlete's whose team finished higher in the tournament standings. The top 2 placed teams when compared with the lower 2 placed teams slept longer (8:02 ± 36:43; 7:01 ± 27:33), had greater time in bed (9:03 ± 0:52; 7:59 ± 0:54) and reported enhanced subjective sleep ratings (2.6 ± 0.5; 2.3 ± 0.6). Sleep efficiency was no different between teams. A strong correlation (r = -0.68) was found indicating longer sleep durations during competition were associated with higher final tournament positions. Encouraging athletes to aim for longer sleep durations in competition, where possible, may influence the outcome in tournament style competitions.

Habitual Sleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality in a General Community Sample

PubMed Central

Aurora, R. Nisha; Kim, Ji Soo; Crainiceanu, Ciprian; O'Hearn, Daniel; Punjabi, Naresh M.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: The current study sought to determine whether sleep duration and change in sleep duration are associated with all-cause mortality in a community sample of middle-aged and older adults while accounting for several confounding factors including prevalent sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Methods: Habitual sleep duration was assessed using self-report (< 7, 7–8, ≥ 9 h/night) at the baseline and at the follow-up visits of the Sleep Heart Health Study. Techniques of survival analysis were used to relate habitual sleep duration and change in sleep duration to all-cause mortality after adjusting for covariates such as age, sex, race, body mass index, smoking history, prevalent hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, antidepressant medication use, and SDB severity. Results: Compared to a sleep duration of 7–8 h/night, habitually long sleep duration (≥ 9 h/night), but not short sleep duration (< 7 h/night), was associated with all-cause mortality with an adjusted hazards ratio of 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.47). Participants who progressed from short or normal sleep duration to long sleep duration had increased risk for all-cause mortality with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.78) and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.13), respectively. Finally, a change from long to short sleep duration was also associated with all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Long sleep duration or a shift from long to short sleep duration are independently associated with all-cause mortality. Citation: Aurora RN, Kim JS, Crainiceanu C, O'Hearn D, Punjabi NM. Habitual sleep duration and all-cause mortality in a general community sample. SLEEP 2016;39(11):1903–1909. PMID:27450684

[Indicators of dynamic work tolerability in healthy subjects].

PubMed

Capodaglio, E M; Capodaglio, P

1997-01-01

This paper reports a study on the dynamics of tolerability in performing dynamic cycling in healthy subjects. Data on individually tolerable levels (power x duration) was obtained from 9 subjects by means of three submaximal tests on an ergometric bicycle lasting < or = 40 minutes, with constant load (50%, 65% and 80% of maximum VO2 reached during a previous test of increasing difficulty within the limits of the symptoms). During performance of the test we monitored heart rate and subjective perception of fatigue (Borg's 10-point scale). We then defined the individual functions of "isoperception", which expressed the individual trend of the product "power x duration" at identical subjective perception score. On the basis of the metabolic parameters monitored, the individual isoperceptive functions at a "moderate" level of fatigue (3 on the Borg scale) were defined as "tolerability) threshold" for prolonged dynamic cycling. The product "power x duration" defined by the isoperceptive curves at a "moderate" level of fatigue does in fact reflect the individual aerobic capacity that can be sustained for prolonged dynamic activity (under 60 minutes). In order to validate the hypothesis of tolerability of the functions identified, three further short tests were performed (duration < or = 8.5 minutes) on an ergometric bicycle, with measurement of ventilatory and metabolic parameters.

Superframe Duration Allocation Schemes to Improve the Throughput of Cluster-Tree Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Leão, Erico; Montez, Carlos; Moraes, Ricardo; Portugal, Paulo; Vasques, Francisco

2017-01-01

The use of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technologies is an attractive option to support wide-scale monitoring applications, such as the ones that can be found in precision agriculture, environmental monitoring and industrial automation. The IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee cluster-tree topology is a suitable topology to build wide-scale WSNs. Despite some of its known advantages, including timing synchronisation and duty-cycle operation, cluster-tree networks may suffer from severe network congestion problems due to the convergecast pattern of its communication traffic. Therefore, the careful adjustment of transmission opportunities (superframe durations) allocated to the cluster-heads is an important research issue. This paper proposes a set of proportional Superframe Duration Allocation (SDA) schemes, based on well-defined protocol and timing models, and on the message load imposed by child nodes (Load-SDA scheme), or by number of descendant nodes (Nodes-SDA scheme) of each cluster-head. The underlying reasoning is to adequately allocate transmission opportunities (superframe durations) and parametrize buffer sizes, in order to improve the network throughput and avoid typical problems, such as: network congestion, high end-to-end communication delays and discarded messages due to buffer overflows. Simulation assessments show how proposed allocation schemes may clearly improve the operation of wide-scale cluster-tree networks. PMID:28134822

The Comprehensive, Powerful, Academic Database (CPAD): An Evaluative Study of a Predictive Tool Designed for Elementary School Personnel in Identifying At-Risk Students through Progress, Curriculum, and Performance Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chavez-Gibson, Sarah

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to exam in-depth, the Comprehensive, Powerful, Academic Database (CPAD), a data decision-making tool that determines and identifies students at-risk of dropping out of school, and how the CPAD assists administrators and teachers at an elementary campus to monitor progress, curriculum, and performance to improve student…

Advancing Stage 2 Research on Measures for Monitoring Kindergarten Reading Progress.

PubMed

Clemens, Nathan H; Soohoo, Michelle M; Wiley, Colby P; Hsiao, Yu-Yu; Estrella, Ivonne; Allee-Smith, Paula J; Yoon, Myeongsun

Although several measures exist for frequently monitoring early reading progress, little research has specifically investigated their technical properties when administered on a frequent basis with kindergarten students. In this study, kindergarten students ( N = 137) of whom the majority was receiving supplemental intervention for reading skills were monitored using Letter Sound Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation Fluency, Word Reading Fluency, Nonsense Word Fluency, Highly Decodable Passages, and Spelling on a biweekly basis between February and May. Acceptable reliability was observed for all measures. Analyses of slope validity using latent growth models, latent change score models, and slope differences according to level of year-end achievement indicated that the relation of slope to overall reading skills varied across the measures. A suggested approach to kindergarten students' reading progress is offered that includes Letter Sound Fluency and a measure of word-reading skills to provide a comprehensive picture of student growth toward important year-end reading outcomes.

Data Fusion Tool for Spiral Bevel Gear Condition Indicator Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Antolick, Lance J.; Branning, Jeremy S.; Thomas, Josiah

2014-01-01

Tests were performed on two spiral bevel gear sets in the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Test Rig to simulate the fielded failures of spiral bevel gears installed in a helicopter. Gear sets were tested until damage initiated and progressed on two or more gear or pinion teeth. During testing, gear health monitoring data was collected with two different health monitoring systems. Operational parameters were measured with a third data acquisition system. Tooth damage progression was documented with photographs taken at inspection intervals throughout the test. A software tool was developed for fusing the operational data and the vibration based gear condition indicator (CI) data collected from the two health monitoring systems. Results of this study illustrate the benefits of combining the data from all three systems to indicate progression of damage for spiral bevel gears. The tool also enabled evaluation of the effectiveness of each CI with respect to operational conditions and fault mode.

Monitoring Progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using Ultrasound Morpho-Textural Muscle Biomarkers: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Martínez-Payá, Jacinto J; Ríos-Díaz, José; Medina-Mirapeix, Francesc; Vázquez-Costa, Juan F; Del Baño-Aledo, María Elena

2018-01-01

The need is increasing for progression biomarkers that allow the loss of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to be monitored in clinical trials. In this prospective longitudinal study, muscle thickness, echointensity, echovariation and gray level co-occurrence matrix textural features are examined as possible progression ultrasound biomarkers in ALS patients during a 5-mo follow-up period. We subjected 13 patients to 3 measurements for 20 wk. They showed a significant loss of muscle, an evident tendency to loss of thickness and increased echointensity and echovariation. In regard to textural parameters, muscle heterogeneity tended to increase as a result of the neoformation of non-contractile tissue through denervation. Considering some limitations of the study, the quantitative muscle ultrasound biomarkers evaluated showed a promising ability to monitor patients affected by ALS. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring walking and cycling of middle-aged to older community dwellers using wireless wearable accelerometers.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuting; Beenakker, Karel G M; Butala, Pankil M; Lin, Cheng-Chieh; Little, Thomas D C; Maier, Andrea B; Stijntjes, Marjon; Vartanian, Richard; Wagenaar, Robert C

2012-01-01

Changes in gait parameters have been shown to be an important indicator of several age-related cognitive and physical declines of older adults. In this paper we propose a method to monitor and analyze walking and cycling activities based on a triaxial accelerometer worn on one ankle. We use an algorithm that can (1) distinguish between static and dynamic functional activities, (2) detect walking and cycling events, (3) identify gait parameters, including step frequency, number of steps, number of walking periods, and total walking duration per day, and (4) evaluate cycling parameters, including cycling frequency, number of cycling periods, and total cycling duration. Our algorithm is evaluated against the triaxial accelerometer data obtained from a group of 297 middle-aged to older adults wearing an activity monitor on the right ankle for approximately one week while performing unconstrained daily activities in the home and community setting. The correlation coefficients between each of detected gait and cycling parameters on two weekdays are all statistically significant, ranging from 0.668 to 0.873. These results demonstrate good test-retest reliability of our method in monitoring walking and cycling activities and analyzing gait and cycling parameters. This algorithm is efficient and causal in time and thus implementable for real-time monitoring and feedback.

Alarms based on real-time sensor glucose values alert patients to hypo- and hyperglycemia: the guardian continuous monitoring system.

PubMed

Bode, Bruce; Gross, Kenneth; Rikalo, Nancy; Schwartz, Sherwyn; Wahl, Timothy; Page, Casey; Gross, Todd; Mastrototaro, John

2004-04-01

The purposes of this study were to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the Guardian Continuous Monitoring System (Medtronic MiniMed, Northridge, California) and to demonstrate that the application of real-time alarms to continuous monitoring alerts users to hypo and hyperglycemia and reduces excursions in people with diabetes. A total of 71 subjects with type 1 diabetes, mean hemoglobin A1c of 7.6 +/- 1.1%, age 44.0 +/- 11.4 years, and duration of diabetes 23.6 +/- 10.6 years were enrolled in this two-period, randomized, multicenter study. Subjects were randomized into either an Alert group or a Control group. The accuracy of the Guardian was evaluated by treating the study data as a single-sample correlational design. Effectiveness of the Guardian alerts was evaluated by comparing the Alert group with the Control group. The mean (median) absolute relative error between home blood glucose meter readings and sensor values was 21.3% (17.3%), and the Guardian, on average, read 12.8 mg/dL below the concurrent home blood glucose meter readings. The hypoglycemia alert was able to distinguished glucose values < or =70 mg/dL with 67% sensitivity, 90% specificity, and 47% false alerts. The hyperglycemia alert showed a similar ability to detect sensor values > or =250 mg/dL with 63% sensitivity, 97% specificity, and 19% false alerts. The Alert group demonstrated a median decrease in the duration of hypoglycemic excursions (-27.8 min) that was significantly greater than the median decrease in the duration of hypoglycemic excursions in the Control group (-4.5 min) (P = 0.03). A marginally significant increase in the frequency of hyperglycemic excursions (P = 0.07) between Period 1 and Period 2 was accompanied by a decrease of 9.6 min in the duration of hyperglycemic excursions in the Alert group. Glucose measurements differ between blood samples taken from the finger and interstitial fluid, especially when levels are changing rapidly; however, these results demonstrate that the Guardian is reasonably accurate while performing continuous glucose monitoring. The subjects' responses to hypoglycemia alerts resulted in a significant reduction in the duration of hypoglycemic excursions; however, overtreating hypoglycemia may have resulted in a marginally significant increase in the frequency of hyperglycemic excursions.

Ling classification describes endoscopic progressive process of achalasia and successful peroral endoscopy myotomy prevents endoscopic progression of achalasia.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen-Gang; Linghu, En-Qiang; Chai, Ning-Li; Li, Hui-Kai

2017-05-14

To verify the hypothesis that the Ling classification describes the endoscopic progressive process of achalasia and determine the ability of successful peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) to prevent endoscopic progression of achalasia. We retrospectively reviewed the endoscopic findings, symptom duration, and manometric data in patients with achalasia. A total of 359 patients (197 women, 162 men) with a mean age of 42.1 years (range, 12-75 years) were evaluated. Symptom duration ranged from 2 to 360 mo, with a median of 36 mo. Patients were classified with Ling type I ( n = 119), IIa ( n = 106), IIb ( n = 60), IIc ( n = 60), or III ( n = 14), according to the Ling classification. Of the 359 patients, 349 underwent POEM, among whom 21 had an endoscopic follow-up for more than 2 years. Pre-treatment and post-treatment Ling classifications of these 21 patients were compared. Symptom duration increased significantly with increasing Ling classification (from I to III) ( P < 0.05), whereas lower esophageal sphincter pressure decreased with increasing Ling type (from I to III) ( P < 0.05). There was no difference in sex ratio or onset age among the Ling types, although the age at time of diagnosis was higher in Ling types IIc and III than in Ling types I, IIa, and IIb. Of the 21 patients, 19 underwent high-resolution manometry both before and after treatment. The mean preoperative and postoperative lower esophageal sphincter pressure were 34.6 mmHg (range, 15.3-59.4 mmHg) and 15.0 mmHg (range, 2.1-21.6 mmHg), respectively, indicating a statistically significant decrease after POEM. All of the 21 patients were treated successfully by POEM (postoperative Eckardt score ≤ 3) and still had the same Ling type during a mean follow-up period of 37.8 mo (range, 24-51 mo). The Ling classification represents the endoscopic progressive process of achalasia and may be able to serve as an endoscopic assessment criterion for achalasia. Successful POEM (Eckardt score ≤ 3) seems to have the ability to prevent endoscopic evolvement of achalasia. However, studies with larger populations are warranted to confirm our findings.

24 CFR 598.620 - Evaluation, monitoring, and enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY FACILITIES URBAN EMPOWERMENT ZONES: ROUND TWO AND THREE DESIGNATIONS Empowerment Zone Grants § 598.620 Evaluation, monitoring, and enforcement. (a) Progress...

24 CFR 598.620 - Evaluation, monitoring, and enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY FACILITIES URBAN EMPOWERMENT ZONES: ROUND TWO AND THREE DESIGNATIONS Empowerment Zone Grants § 598.620 Evaluation, monitoring, and enforcement. (a) Progress...

EXPOSURE MONITORING COMPONENT FOR DETROIT CHILDREN'S HEALTH STUDY ( DCHS )

EPA Science Inventory

Conventional, regulatory-based air monitoring is expensive and, thus, conducted at one or few locations in a city. This provides limited info on intra-urban variability and spatial distribution of air pollution. Research-oriented urban network monitoring has progressed with inc...

Hepatic Fibrosis Progression in HIV-Hepatitis C Virus Co-Infection--The Effect of Sex on Risk of Significant Fibrosis Measured by Aspartate-to-Platelet Ratio Index.

PubMed

Rollet-Kurhajec, Kathleen C; Moodie, Erica E M; Walmsley, Sharon; Cooper, Curtis; Pick, Neora; Klein, Marina B

2015-01-01

In Hepatitis C virus (HCV) mono-infection, male sex is associated with faster liver fibrosis progression but the effects of sex have not been well studied in HIV-HCV co-infected patients. We examined the influence of sex on progression to significant liver fibrosis in HIV-HCV co-infected adults receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) using the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) as a surrogate biomarker of liver fibrosis. We evaluated 308 HIV infected, HCV RNA positive participants of a Canadian multicentre prospective cohort receiving antiretrovirals and without significant liver fibrosis or end-stage liver disease at baseline. We used multivariate discrete-time proportional hazards models to assess the effect of sex on time to significant fibrosis (APRI≥1.5) adjusting for baseline age, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, HCV duration, and APRI and time-updated CD4 count and HIV RNA. Overall, 55 (18%) participants developed an APRI ≥ 1.5 over 544 person-years of at-risk follow-up time; 18 (21%) women (incidence rate (IR)=14.0/100 PY; 7.5-20.4) and 37 (17%) men (IR=8.9/100 PY; 6.0-11.8). Women had more favourable profiles with respect to traditional risk factors for liver disease progression (younger, shorter duration of HCV infection and less alcohol use). Despite this, female sex was associated with a greater than two-fold increased risk of fibrosis progression (adjusted hazard rate (HR) =2.23; 1.22-4.08). HIV-HCV co-infected women receiving antiretroviral therapy were at significantly greater risk of progressing to liver fibrosis as measured by APRI compared with men. Enhanced efforts to engage and treat co-infected women for HCV are needed.

Commonly available activity tracker apps and wearables as a mental health outcome indicator: A prospective observational cohort study among young adults with psychological distress.

PubMed

Knight, Alissa; Bidargaddi, Niranjan

2018-08-15

Monitoring is integral to adequately recognise and track mental health indicators of symptoms and functioning. Early identification of warning signs from digital footprints could facilitate adaptive and dynamic just in-time monitoring and care for individuals with common mental disorders. Self-report data on mental health and lifestyle behaviour from 120 male and female Australian young adults experiencing psychological distress were collected online. API software was used to download participant's daily activity duration measurements over eight months from linked commercial activity tracker apps and wearables in real time. An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare the differences in daily durations of recorded physical activity between wearable devises and smartphone apps. Entropy techniques using R interpol package were used to analyse volatility in daily activity duration. DASS-21 depression, stress and anxiety sub-scale scores indicated the study sample on average, had a moderate level of psychological distress. Daily activity duration was significantly greater from wearable devices when compared with smartphone apps (t-test = 25.4, p < 0.001). Entropy indices were not related with any of the DASS-21 measures. However, significant correlation between DASS-21 anxiety subscale scores and entropy of those with over 45 days measurements (r = 0.58, p = 0.02) was observed. The observational nature of this study prohibits causal inference. As a convenience sample was used, the results may lack generalisability to the wider population. Continuous monitoring using commercial apps and wearables as a resource to help clinicians augment clinical care for common mental disorders appears viable. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Neuropsychological and brain volume differences in patients with left- and right-beginning corticobasal syndrome.

PubMed

Jütten, Kerstin; Pieperhoff, Peter; Südmeyer, Martin; Schleicher, Axel; Ferrea, Stefano; Caspers, Svenja; Zilles, Karl; Schnitzler, Alfons; Amunts, Katrin; Lux, Silke

2014-01-01

Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) is a rare neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by unilaterally beginning frontoparietal and basal ganglia atrophy. The study aimed to prove the hypothesis that there are differences in hemispheric susceptibility to disease-related changes. Two groups of CBS patients with symptoms starting either on the left or right body side were investigated. Groups consisted of four patients each and were matched for sex, age and disease duration. Patient groups and a group of eight healthy age-matched controls were analyzed using deformation field morphometry and neuropsychological testing. To further characterize individual disease progression regarding brain atrophy and neuropsychological performance, two female, disease duration-matched patients differing in initially impaired body side were followed over six months. A distinct pattern of neural atrophy and neuropsychological performance was revealed for both CBS: Patients with initial right-sided impairment (r-CBS) revealed atrophy predominantly in frontoparietal areas and showed, except from apraxia, no other cognitive deficits. In contrast, patients with impairment of the left body side (l-CBS) revealed more widespread atrophy, extending from frontoparietal to orbitofrontal and temporal regions; and apraxia, perceptional and memory deficits could be found. A similar pattern of morphological and neuropsychological differences was found for the individual disease progression in l-CBS and r-CBS single cases. For similar durations of disease, volumetric grey matter loss related to CBS pathology appeared earlier and progressed faster in l-CBS than in r-CBS. Cognitive impairment in r-CBS was characterized by apraxia, and additional memory and perceptional deficits for l-CBS.

Adapting detection sensitivity based on evidence of irregular sinus arrhythmia to improve atrial fibrillation detection in insertable cardiac monitors.

PubMed

Pürerfellner, Helmut; Sanders, Prashanthan; Sarkar, Shantanu; Reisfeld, Erin; Reiland, Jerry; Koehler, Jodi; Pokushalov, Evgeny; Urban, Luboš; Dekker, Lukas R C

2017-10-03

Intermittent change in p-wave discernibility during periods of ectopy and sinus arrhythmia is a cause of inappropriate atrial fibrillation (AF) detection in insertable cardiac monitors (ICM). To address this, we developed and validated an enhanced AF detection algorithm. Atrial fibrillation detection in Reveal LINQ ICM uses patterns of incoherence in RR intervals and absence of P-wave evidence over a 2-min period. The enhanced algorithm includes P-wave evidence during RR irregularity as evidence of sinus arrhythmia or ectopy to adaptively optimize sensitivity for AF detection. The algorithm was developed and validated using Holter data from the XPECT and LINQ Usability studies which collected surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and continuous ICM ECG over a 24-48 h period. The algorithm detections were compared with Holter annotations, performed by multiple reviewers, to compute episode and duration detection performance. The validation dataset comprised of 3187 h of valid Holter and LINQ recordings from 138 patients, with true AF in 37 patients yielding 108 true AF episodes ≥2-min and 449 h of AF. The enhanced algorithm reduced inappropriately detected episodes by 49% and duration by 66% with <1% loss in true episodes or duration. The algorithm correctly identified 98.9% of total AF duration and 99.8% of total sinus or non-AF rhythm duration. The algorithm detected 97.2% (99.7% per-patient average) of all AF episodes ≥2-min, and 84.9% (95.3% per-patient average) of detected episodes involved AF. An enhancement that adapts sensitivity for AF detection reduced inappropriately detected episodes and duration with minimal reduction in sensitivity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology

Suzaku Wide-band All-sky Monitor measurements of duration distributions of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohmori, Norisuke; Yamaoka, Kazutaka; Ohno, Masanori; Sugita, Satoshi; Kinoshita, Ryuuji; Nishioka, Yusuke; Hurley, Kevin; Hanabata, Yoshitaka; Tashiro, Makoto S.; Enomoto, Junichi; Fujinuma, Takeshi; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Iwakiri, Wataru; Kawano, Takafumi; Kokubun, Motohide; Makishima, Kazuo; Matsuoka, Shunsuke; Nagayoshi, Tsutomu; Nakagawa, Yujin E.; Nakaya, Souhei; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Takeda, Sawako; Terada, Yukikatsu; Urata, Yuji; Yabe, Seiya; Yasuda, Tetsuya; Yamauchi, Makoto

2016-06-01

We report on the T90 and T50 duration distributions and their relations with spectral hardness using 1464 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which were observed by the Suzaku Wide-band All-sky Monitor (WAM) from 2005 August 4 to 2010 December 29. The duration distribution is clearly bimodal in three energy ranges (50-120, 120-250, and 250-550 keV), but is unclear in the 550-5000 keV range, probably because of the limited sample size. The WAM durations decrease with energy according to a power-law index of -0.058(-0.034, +0.033). The hardness-duration relation reveals the presence of short-hard and long-soft GRBs. The short:long event ratio tends to be higher with increasing energy. We compared the WAM distribution with ones measured by eight other GRB instruments. The WAM T90 distribution is very similar to those of INTEGRAL/SPI-ACS and Granat/PHEBUS, and least likely to match the Swift/BAT distribution. The WAM short:long event ratio (0.25:0.75) is much different from Swift/BAT (0.08:0.92), but is almost the same as CGRO/BATSE (0.25:0.75). To explain this difference for BAT, we examined three effects: BAT trigger types, energy dependence of the duration, and detection sensitivity differences between BAT and WAM. As a result, we found that the ratio difference could be explained mainly by energy dependence including soft extended emissions for short GRBs and much better sensitivity for BAT which can detect weak/long GRBs. The reason for the same short:long event ratio for BATSE and WAM was confirmed by calculation using the trigger efficiency curve.

Sudden oak death disease progression in oaks and tanoaks

Treesearch

Brice A. McPherson; Sylvia R. Mori; David L. Wood; Andrew J. Storer; Pavel Svihra; N. Maggi Kelly; Richard B. Standiford

2006-01-01

In March 2000, we established twenty disease progression plots in Marin County to monitor the progress of sudden oak death symptoms in coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California black oak (Q. kelloggii), and tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) (McPherson and others 2005). Plots were located to encompass a...

Serological Monitoring Is Key To Sustain Progress of the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative.

PubMed

Levine, Myron M; Pasetti, Marcela F

2016-07-01

In this issue of Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, Scobie and colleagues (H. M. Scobie et al., Clin Vaccine Immunol 23:546-554, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/CVI.00052-16) report a nationwide serosurvey of tetanus immunity in >2,000 Cambodian women of child-bearing age to monitor progress toward maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination. This commentary discusses vaccines as interventions for disease control, elimination, and eradication and emphasizes the importance of the tools needed to monitor the effectiveness of initiatives that deliver the vaccines programmatically. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Predictors of Hospitalization among Children on ART in Ethiopia: a Cohort study.

PubMed

Haileamlak, Abraham; Hagos, Tesfalem; Abebe, Workeabeba; Abraham, Loko; Asefa, Henok; Teklu, Alula M

2017-02-01

Substantial progress has been made in the management of pediatric HIV infection in Ethiopia with the implementation of mother-to-child-prevention programs. Since the introduction of HAART in 2005, mortality among HIV-infected children has reduced while the rate of hospitalization was expected to rise. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to assess predictors of hospitalization in children on ART in seven university referral hospitals in Ethiopia. A prospective cohort study design was employed on children age 0-18 years as part of a multisite observational study. ART-experienced eligible and ART-naïve children with HIV/AIDS were enrolled into the Advanced Clinical Monitoring (ACM) till December 31, 2012 were included. From the database, information on hospitalization and other independent variables were extracted. Analysis was done using both SPSS for Windows version 16.0 and STATA. Descriptive analyses and modeling was done using logistic regression. Of the 405 children on ART (174 experienced, 231 naive), 86 (20.7%) were hospitalized for various reasons; two children were excluded since they were hospitalized for unrelated conditions (appendicitis and burn). Fifty one (60.7%) of the eighty four admitted children were hospitalized in the first six months of ART initiation. Of the independent variables, only the presence of opportunistic infections and duration on ART were significantly associated with hospitalization both on bi-variable and multivariable analyses (P-value <0.05). As the duration on ART increased by one month, the risk of hospitalization decreased by 5.4%, which is statistically significant (P < 0.001). Whereas the incidence (number) of OI's increased by one, the risk of being hospitalized increased by 35.2% (P = 0.002). Of the individual opportunistic infections, pneumonia was found to be the only predictor of hospitalization (P-value = 0.002). This study showed that nearly two-third of the hospitalization was within 6 months of initiation of ART; and presence of OI and duration on ART were the only predictors of hospitalization.

Optimized methods for epilepsy therapy development using an etiologically realistic model of focal epilepsy in the rat

PubMed Central

Eastman, Clifford L.; Fender, Jason S.; Temkin, Nancy R.; D’Ambrosio, Raimondo

2015-01-01

Conventionally developed antiseizure drugs fail to control epileptic seizures in about 30% of patients, and no treatment prevents epilepsy. New etiologically realistic, syndrome-specific epilepsy models are expected to identify better treatments by capturing currently unknown ictogenic and epileptogenic mechanisms that operate in the corresponding patient populations. Additionally, the use of electrocorticography permits better monitoring of epileptogenesis and the full spectrum of acquired seizures, including focal nonconvulsive seizures that are typically difficult to treat in humans. Thus, the combined use of etiologically realistic models and electrocorticography may improve our understanding of the genesis and progression of epilepsy, and facilitate discovery and translation of novel treatments. However, this approach is labor intensive and must be optimized. To this end, we used an etiologically realistic rat model of posttraumatic epilepsy, in which the initiating fluid percussion injury closely replicates contusive closed-head injury in humans, and has been adapted to maximize epileptogenesis and focal non-convulsive seizures. We obtained week-long 5-electrode electrocorticography 1 month post-injury, and used a Monte-Carlo-based non-parametric bootstrap strategy to test the impact of electrode montage design, duration-based seizure definitions, group size and duration of recordings on the assessment of posttraumatic epilepsy, and on statistical power to detect antiseizure and antiepileptogenic treatment effects. We found that use of seizure definition based on clinical criteria rather than event duration, and of recording montages closely sampling the activity of epileptic foci, maximize the power to detect treatment effects. Detection of treatment effects was marginally improved by prolonged recording, and 24 h recording epochs were sufficient to provide 80% power to detect clinically interesting seizure control or prevention of seizures with small groups of animals. We conclude that appropriate electrode montage and clinically relevant seizure definition permit convenient deployment of fluid percussion injury and electrocorticography for epilepsy therapy development. PMID:25523813

Systematic analysis of factors associated with progression and regression of ulcerative colitis in 918 patients.

PubMed

Safroneeva, E; Vavricka, S; Fournier, N; Seibold, F; Mottet, C; Nydegger, A; Ezri, J; Straumann, A; Rogler, G; Schoepfer, A M

2015-09-01

Studies that systematically assess change in ulcerative colitis (UC) extent over time in adult patients are scarce. To assess changes in disease extent over time and to evaluate clinical parameters associated with this change. Data from the Swiss IBD cohort study were analysed. We used logistic regression modelling to identify factors associated with a change in disease extent. A total of 918 UC patients (45.3% females) were included. At diagnosis, UC patients presented with the following disease extent: proctitis [199 patients (21.7%)], left-sided colitis [338 patients (36.8%)] and extensive colitis/pancolitis [381 (41.5%)]. During a median disease duration of 9 [4-16] years, progression and regression was documented in 145 patients (15.8%) and 149 patients (16.2%) respectively. In addition, 624 patients (68.0%) had a stable disease extent. The following factors were identified to be associated with disease progression: treatment with systemic glucocorticoids [odds ratio (OR) 1.704, P = 0.025] and calcineurin inhibitors (OR: 2.716, P = 0.005). No specific factors were found to be associated with disease regression. Over a median disease duration of 9 [4-16] years, about two-thirds of UC patients maintained the initial disease extent; the remaining one-third had experienced either progression or regression of the disease extent. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Oxygen desaturations triggered by partial seizures: implications for cardiopulmonary instability in epilepsy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blum, A. S.; Ives, J. R.; Goldberger, A. L.; Al-Aweel, I. C.; Krishnamurthy, K. B.; Drislane, F. W.; Schomer, D. L.

2000-01-01

PURPOSE: The occurrence of hypoxemia in adults with partial seizures has not been systematically explored. Our aim was to study in detail the temporal dynamics of this specific type of ictal-associated hypoxemia. METHODS: During long-term video/EEG monitoring (LTM), patients underwent monitoring of oxygen saturation using a digital Spo2 (pulse oximeter) transducer. Six patients (nine seizures) were identified with oxygen desaturations after the onset of partial seizure activity. RESULTS: Complex partial seizures originated from both left and right temporal lobes. Mean seizure duration (+/-SD) was 73 +/- 18 s. Mean Spo2 desaturation duration was 76 +/- 19 s. The onset of oxygen desaturation followed seizure onset with a mean delay of 43 +/- 16 s. Mean (+/-SD) Spo2 nadir was 83 +/- 5% (range, 77-91%), occurring an average of 35 +/- 12 s after the onset of the desaturation. One seizure was associated with prolonged and recurrent Spo2 desaturations. CONCLUSIONS: Partial seizures may be associated with prominent oxygen desaturations. The comparable duration of each seizure and its subsequent desaturation suggests a close mechanistic (possibly causal) relation. Spo2 monitoring provides an added means for seizure detection that may increase LTM yield. These observations also raise the possibility that ictal ventilatory dysfunction could play a role in certain cases of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in adults with partial seizures.

Treatment of cytomegalovirus infection and disease pre- and post-quantitative nucleic acid test standardization: does use of a more sensitive assay lead to longer treatment duration?

PubMed

Dioverti, M Veronica; Lahr, Brian; Razonable, Raymund R

2016-02-01

Quantitative cytomegalovirus (CMV) nucleic acid testing (NAT) has been standardized using the World Health Organization (WHO) international calibration standard. A new FDA-approved WHO-calibrated assay (CA) was found to be more sensitive than a laboratory-developed test (LDT). We hypothesized that monitoring therapeutic response using a more sensitive assay may lead to longer antiviral therapy in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients with CMV infection. We reviewed transplant patients with CMV disease retrospectively, and divided them into two groups: those diagnosed and managed based on LDT and those managed using WHO-CA. Compared to patients monitored by LDT, the time to reach an undetectable viral load was significantly longer in the group monitored by the WHO-CA. However, a trend toward shorter duration of antiviral treatment was observed (median, 34 vs. 41 d; p = 0.058), with earlier discontinuation of induction antiviral therapy upon reaching undetectable viral load using WHO-CA (11 vs. 18 d; p = 002). We concluded that despite using a more sensitive CMV NAT, the total duration of antiviral treatment was not significantly prolonged in transplant patients with CMV infection and disease. Relapse rates did not differ between the two groups. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Immunological Diagnosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is generally considered a slowly progressive disease of extended duration (lasting years) and most cattle do not exhibit readily apparent clinical signs of infection until late in the course of disease. Currently, agent-based strategies for the detection of tuberculous cattl...

An in vitro comparison of quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital and spectrophotometer on monitoring artificial white spot lesions.

PubMed

Kim, Hee Eun; Kim, Baek-Il

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D) compared to a spectrophotometer in monitoring progression of enamel lesions. To generate artificial caries with various severities of lesion depths, twenty bovine specimens were immersed in demineralizing solution for 40 days. During the production of the lesions, repeat measurements of fluorescence loss (ΔF) and color change (ΔE) were performed in six distinct stages after the demineralization of the specimens: after 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 days of exposure to the demineralizing solution. Changes in the ΔF values in the lesions were analyzed using the QLF-D, and changes in the ΔE values in lesions were analyzed using a spectrophotometer. The repeated measures ANOVA of ΔF and ΔE values were used to determine whether there are significant differences at different exposure times in the demineralizing solution. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was analyzed between ΔF and ΔE. The ΔF values significantly decreased based on the demineralizing period (p<0.001). Relatively large changes in ΔF values were observed during the first 10 days. There were significant changes in L(*), a(*), b(*), and ΔE values in lesions with increasing demineralizing duration (p<0.001). A strong correlation was observed between ΔF and ΔE with p=-0.853 (p<0.001). The results support the efficacy of QLF-D in monitoring color changes. Our findings demonstrate that QLF-D are a more efficient and stable tool for early caries detection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anti-MCV antibodies predict radiographic progression in Greek patients with very early (<3 months duration) rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Barouta, Georgia; Katsiari, Christina G; Alexiou, Ioannis; Liaskos, Christos; Varna, Areti; Bogdanos, Dimitrios P; Germenis, Anastasios E; Sakkas, Lazaros I

2017-04-01

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (MCV) antibodies in very early rheumatoid arthritis (VERA) and in established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Seventy-one patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) of <3 months duration, 141 with established RA, 53 with other rheumatic diseases, and 40 healthy individuals were included in the study. Anti-MCV, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, and rheumatoid factor (RF) were determined and hand radiographs were recorded. Patients were assessed prospectively for 2 years, and hand radiographs were repeated. Diagnostic performance of anti-MCV was studied with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios. Forty-six percent of UA patients progressed to RA at 2 years. In VERA patients, sensitivity of anti-MCV was 52 %, compared to 44 % of anti-CCP and 37 % of RF, while specificity was 91 %, compared to 91 % of RF and 84 % of anti-CCP. Anti-MCV were detected in 25 % of VERA patients negative for both anti-CCP and RF. In established RA, anti-MCV did not sustain its diagnostic performance. By multivariable analysis, anti-MCV, but not anti-CCP or RF, showed significant correlation with radiographic progression in VERA patients. In established RA, anti-MCV, anti-CCP, and RF were associated with active disease (p ≤ 0.03) and joint damage (p ≤ 0.004). By multivariate analysis, the strongest factors for radiographic damage were disease duration (p = 0.000), HAQ score (p = 0.000), and RF (p = 0.002). In conclusion, in patients with very early UA, anti-MCV predict both progression to RA and radiological damage, and therefore, anti-MCV antibody testing may be useful in every day practice.

Gene polymorphisms of fibrinolytic enzymes in coal workers' pneumoconiosis

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

Chang, L.C.; Tseng, J.C.; Hua, C.C.

2006-03-15

The authors assessed the gene polymorphisms of missense C/T polymorphism in exon 6 of the urokinase-plasminogen activator (PLAU) gene (PLAU P141L), A/u-repeat in intron 8 of the tissue-type plasminogen activator (PLAT) gene (PLAT TPA25 Alu insertion), and 4G/5G in the promoter region of the serine proteinase inhibitor, clade E (SERPINE) or plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 gene (SERPINE1 -675 4G/5G) in 153 healthy volunteers and 154 retired coal miners with coal miners' pneumoconiosis (CWP). The CWP subjects included 94 individuals with simple pneumoconiosis and 60 individuals with progressive massive fibrosis presenting with worse pulmonary function. The distributions of genotypes ofmore » these three genes did not differ between the control and CWP subjects or between subjects with simple pneumoconiosis and those with progressive massive fibrosis. However, by assessing duration of work and its interaction with genotypes by means of logistic regression, the authors found the missense C/T polymorphism in exon 6 of the PLAU gene to be an effect modifier of the association between work duration and the development of progressive massive fibrosis.« less

Physical exercise as therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Balducci, Stefano; Sacchetti, Massimo; Haxhi, Jonida; Orlando, Giorgio; D'Errico, Valeria; Fallucca, Sara; Menini, Stefano; Pugliese, Giuseppe

2014-03-01

Many studies have highlighted the importance of physical activity (PA) for health, and recent evidence now points to the positive improvements associated with exercise in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, few physicians are willing to prescribe exercise as a therapy for diabetic patients. In addition, there is a lack of information on how to implement exercise therapy especially in long-term exercise regimens. The purpose of this manuscript is to summarize standards of exercise therapy for patients with T2DM, both in terms of prescribing and monitoring, according to the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association guidelines. We present details of the exercise therapies used in long-term studies, describing how the parameters for exercise prescription were applied in clinical practice. These parameters are described in terms of frequency, intensity, duration, mode and rate of progression in long-term therapeutic prescriptions. Individual responses to exercise dose are discussed, and critical issues to be considered in patients with underlying disease and in T2DM patients are highlighted. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-term maintenance of weight loss in patients with severe mental illness through a behavioural treatment programme in the UK.

PubMed

Pendlebury, J; Bushe, C J; Wildgust, H J; Holt, R I G

2007-04-01

Obesity is common among people with severe mental illness (SMI). We report our experience from the first 4 years of The Cromwell House weight management clinic. Ninety-three patients with SMI aged 43.7 +/- 1.2 years referred themselves to this clinic. The patients were seen in weekly group sessions that involved weight measurement, discussion and education. Mean baseline weight was 89.5 +/- 1.8 kg [body mass index (BMI) 32.3 +/- 0.5 kg/m(2)]. Twenty-three per cent dropped out within the first 8 weeks. There was progressive statistically significant reduction in mean weight and BMI throughout the duration of monitoring with no suggestion of a plateau. The mean final weight loss was 6.2 +/- 0.6 kg. Weight loss was correlated only with the number of sessions attended (r = 0.53, P < 0.0001). Long-term weight management of obese and overweight patients with severe forms of mental illness was possible through the provision of simple lifestyle advice within the group setting.

Suction curettage.

PubMed

English, E C

1983-12-01

In the decade after the legalization of elective abortion by a Supreme Court decision in January 1973, suction curettage has been widely used and accepted as a safe outpatient procedure for first-trimester abortion. Evaluation of the patient for feasibility of the procedure requires careful assessment of gestational age and the determination of the absence of an ectopic pregnancy and conditions that might contraindicate local anesthesia. Counseling clarifies the patient's options and ensures her understanding of the implications of abortion so that she can give an informed consent. Suction curettage is performed under local anesthesia using a sterile plastic cannula or curette inserted through a progressively dilated cervix with aspiration of the uterine contents by an electric pump. The procedure is completed by the physician's examination of the aspirate for the presence of placental villi. Postoperative instructions include contraception and monitoring for hemorrhage and infection prior to a return visit in 10 to 14 days. Complications can be reduced by careful selection of patients with appropriate duration of pregnancy, the use of gentle operative technique, antibiotics for prophylaxis of infection, and a continued maintenance of experience and procedural skill by the physician.

Cerebral glucose metabolic prediction from amnestic mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's dementia: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ma, Hai Rong; Sheng, Li Qin; Pan, Ping Lei; Wang, Gen Di; Luo, Rong; Shi, Hai Cun; Dai, Zhen Yu; Zhong, Jian Guo

2018-01-01

Brain 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been utilized to monitor disease conversion from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) to Alzheimer's dementia (AD). However, the conversion patterns of FDG-PET metabolism across studies are not conclusive. We conducted a voxel-wise meta-analysis using Seed-based d Mapping that included 10 baseline voxel-wise FDG-PET comparisons between 93 aMCI converters and 129 aMCI non-converters from nine longitudinal studies. The most robust and reliable metabolic alterations that predicted conversion from aMCI to AD were localized in the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus. Furthermore, meta-regression analyses indicated that baseline mean age and severity of cognitive impairment, and follow-up duration were significant moderators for metabolic alterations in aMCI converters. Our study revealed hypometabolism in the left PCC/precuneus as an early feature in the development of AD. This finding has important implications in understanding the neural substrates for AD conversion and could serve as a potential imaging biomarker for early detection of AD as well as for tracking disease progression at the predementia stage.

Elastic Fiber Supercapacitors for Wearable Energy Storage.

PubMed

Qin, Si; Seyedin, Shayan; Zhang, Jizhen; Wang, Zhiyu; Yang, Fangli; Liu, Yuqing; Chen, Jun; Razal, Joselito M

2018-05-17

The development of wearable devices such as smart watches, intelligent garments, and wearable health-monitoring devices calls for suitable energy storage devices which have matching mechanical properties and can provide sufficient power for a reasonable duration. Stretchable fiber-based supercapacitors are emerging as a promising candidates for this purpose because they are lightweight, flexible, have high energy and power density, and the potential for easy integration into traditional textile processes. An important characteristic that is oftentimes ignored is stretchability-fiber supercapacitors should be able to accommodate large elongation during use, endure a range of bending motions, and then revert to its original form without compromising electrical and electrochemical performance. This article summarizes the current research progress on stretchable fiber-based supercapacitors and discusses the existing challenges on material preparation and fiber-based device fabrication. This article aims to help researchers in the field to better understand the challenges related to material design and fabrication approaches of fiber-based supercapacitors, and to provide insights and guidelines toward their wearability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Temporal separation and self-rating of alertness as indicators of driver fatigue in commercial motor vehicle operators.

PubMed

Belz, Steven M; Robinson, Gary S; Casali, John G

2004-01-01

This on-road field investigation employed, for the first time, a completely automated trigger-based data collection system capable of evaluating driver performance in an extended-duration real-world commercial motor vehicle environment. The study examined the use of self-assessment of fatigue (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) and temporal separation (minimum time to collision, minimum headway, and mean headway) as indicators of driver fatigue. Without exception, the correlation analyses for both the self-rating of alertness and temporal separation yielded models low in associative ability; neither metric was found to be a valid indicator of driver fatigue. In addition, based upon the data collected for this research, preliminary evidence suggests that driver fatigue onset within a real-world driving environment does not appear to follow the standard progression of events associated with the onset of fatigue within a simulated driving environment. Application of this research includes the development of an on-board driver performance/fatigue monitoring system that could potentially assist drivers in identifying the onset of fatigue.

Application of a Web-Enabled Leg Training System for the Objective Monitoring and Quantitative Analysis of Exercise-Induced Fatigue

PubMed Central

Dedova, Irina V

2016-01-01

Background Sustained cardiac rehabilitation is the key intervention in the prevention and treatment of many human diseases. However, implementation of exercise programs can be challenging because of early fatigability in patients with chronic diseases, overweight individuals, and aged people. Current methods of fatigability assessment are based on subjective self-reporting such as rating of perceived exertion or require specialized laboratory conditions and sophisticated equipment. A practical approach allowing objective measurement of exercise-induced fatigue would be useful for the optimization of sustained delivery of cardiac rehabilitation to improve patient outcomes. Objectives The objective of this study is to develop and validate an innovative approach, allowing for the objective assessment of exercise-induced fatigue using the Web-enabled leg rehabilitation system. Methods MedExercise training devices were equipped with wireless temperature sensors in order to monitor their usage by temperature rise in the resistance unit (Δt°). Since Δt° correlated with the intensity and duration of exercise, this parameter was used to characterize participants’ leg work output (LWO). Personal smart devices such as laptop computers with wireless gateways and relevant software were used for monitoring of self-control training. Connection of smart devices to the Internet and cloud-based software allowed remote monitoring of LWO in participants training at home. Heart rates (HRs) were measured by fingertip pulse oximeters simultaneously with Δt° in 7 healthy volunteers. Results Exercise-induced fatigue manifested as the decline of LWO and/or rising HR, which could be observed in real-time. Conversely, training at the steady-state LWO and HR for the entire duration of exercise bout was considered as fatigue-free. The amounts of recommended daily physical activity were expressed as the individual Δt° values reached during 30-minute fatigue-free exercise of moderate intensity resulting in a mean of 8.1°C (SD 1.5°C, N=7). These Δt° values were applied as the thresholds for sending automatic notifications upon taking the personalized LWO doses by self-control training at home. While the mean time of taking LWO doses was 30.3 (SD 4.1) minutes (n=25), analysis of times required to reach the same Δt° by the same participant revealed that longer durations were due to fatigability, manifesting as reduced LWO at the later stages of training bouts. Typically, exercising in the afternoons associated with no fatigue, although longer durations of evening sessions suggested a diurnal fatigability pattern. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of objective monitoring of fatigue development in real-time and online as well as retrospective fatigability quantification by the duration of training bouts to reach the same exercise dose. This simple method of leg training at home accompanied by routine fatigue monitoring might be useful for the optimization of exercise interventions in primary care and special populations. PMID:27549345

Putting Adaptive Management into Monitoring: Retrospective and Prospective Views of Northwest Forest Plan Monitoring

Treesearch

David E. Busch; Jon R. Martin

2006-01-01

Based on ten years of Northwest Forest Plan implementation, we focus on key scientifically-oriented questions relating to improving Plan monitoring. The questions, which fall into groups concerning issues of scale, integration, and efficiency, have applicability to monitoring programs being designed and implemented throughout the world. Progress toward answering such...

Influence of Point Count Length and Repeated Visits on Habitat Model Performance

Treesearch

Randy Dettmers; David A. Buehler; John G. Bartlett; Nathan A. Klaus

1999-01-01

Point counts are commonly used to monitor bird populations, and a substantial amount of research has investigated how conducting counts for different lengths of time affects the accuracy of these counts and the subsequent ability to monitor changes in population trends. However, little work has been done io assess how changes in count duration affect bird-habitat...

Olympic Fisher Reintroduction Project- 2009 Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Jeffrey C.; Happe, Patti J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Manson, David J.

2009-01-01

The 2009 progress report is a summary of the reintroduction, monitoring, and research efforts undertaken during the first two years of the Olympic fisher reintroduction project. Jeffrey C. Lewis of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Patti J. Happe of Olympic National Park, and Kurt J. Jenkins of U. S. Geological Survey are the principal investigators of the monitoring and research program associated with the reintroduction. David J. Manson of Olympic National Park is the lead biological

Olympic Fisher Reintroduction Project: 2010 Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, Jeffrey C.; Happe, Patti J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Manson, David J.

2010-01-01

The 2010 progress report is a summary of the reintroduction, monitoring, and research efforts undertaken during the third year of the Olympic fisher reintroduction project. Jeffrey C. Lewis of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Patti J. Happe of Olympic National Park, and Kurt J. Jenkins of U. S. Geological Survey are the principal investigators of the monitoring and research program associated with the reintroduction. David J. Manson of Olympic National Park is the lead biological technician.

Smartphone data as an electronic biomarker of illness activity in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Faurholt-Jepsen, Maria; Vinberg, Maj; Frost, Mads; Christensen, Ellen Margrethe; Bardram, Jakob E; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2015-11-01

Objective methods are lacking for continuous monitoring of illness activity in bipolar disorder. Smartphones offer unique opportunities for continuous monitoring and automatic collection of real-time data. The objectives of the paper were to test the hypotheses that (i) daily electronic self-monitored data and (ii) automatically generated objective data collected using smartphones correlate with clinical ratings of depressive and manic symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder. Software for smartphones (the MONARCA I system) that collects automatically generated objective data and self-monitored data on illness activity in patients with bipolar disorder was developed by the authors. A total of 61 patients aged 18-60 years and with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder according to ICD-10 used the MONARCA I system for six months. Depressive and manic symptoms were assessed monthly using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item (HDRS-17) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), respectively. Data are representative of over 400 clinical ratings. Analyses were computed using linear mixed-effect regression models allowing for both between individual variation and within individual variation over time. Analyses showed significant positive correlations between the duration of incoming and outgoing calls/day and scores on the HDRS-17, and significant positive correlations between the number and duration of incoming calls/day and scores on the YMRS; the number of and duration of outgoing calls/day and scores on the YMRS; and the number of outgoing text messages/day and scores on the YMRS. Analyses showed significant negative correlations between self-monitored data (i.e., mood and activity) and scores on the HDRS-17, and significant positive correlations between self-monitored data (i.e., mood and activity) and scores on the YMRS. Finally, the automatically generated objective data were able to discriminate between affective states. Automatically generated objective data and self-monitored data collected using smartphones correlate with clinically rated depressive and manic symptoms and differ between affective states in patients with bipolar disorder. Smartphone apps represent an easy and objective way to monitor illness activity with real-time data in bipolar disorder and may serve as an electronic biomarker of illness activity. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Revealing the ecological content of long-duration audio-recordings of the environment through clustering and visualisation.

PubMed

Phillips, Yvonne F; Towsey, Michael; Roe, Paul

2018-01-01

Audio recordings of the environment are an increasingly important technique to monitor biodiversity and ecosystem function. While the acquisition of long-duration recordings is becoming easier and cheaper, the analysis and interpretation of that audio remains a significant research area. The issue addressed in this paper is the automated reduction of environmental audio data to facilitate ecological investigations. We describe a method that first reduces environmental audio to vectors of acoustic indices, which are then clustered. This can reduce the audio data by six to eight orders of magnitude yet retain useful ecological information. We describe techniques to visualise sequences of cluster occurrence (using for example, diel plots, rose plots) that assist interpretation of environmental audio. Colour coding acoustic clusters allows months and years of audio data to be visualised in a single image. These techniques are useful in identifying and indexing the contents of long-duration audio recordings. They could also play an important role in monitoring long-term changes in species abundance brought about by habitat degradation and/or restoration.

Can a smart chair improve the sitting behavior of office workers?

PubMed

Roossien, C C; Stegenga, J; Hodselmans, A P; Spook, S M; Koolhaas, W; Brouwer, S; Verkerke, G J; Reneman, M F

2017-11-01

Prolonged sitting can cause health problems and musculoskeletal discomfort. There is a need for objective and non-obstructive means of measuring sitting behavior. A 'smart' office chair can monitor sitting behavior and provide tactile feedback, aiming to improve sitting behavior. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the feedback signal on sitting behavior and musculoskeletal discomfort. In a 12-week prospective cohort study (ABCB design) among office workers (n = 45) was measured sitting duration and posture, feedback signals and musculoskeletal discomfort. Between the study phases, small changes were observed in mean sitting duration, posture and discomfort. After turning off the feedback signal, a slight increase in sitting duration was observed (10 min, p = 0.04), a slight decrease in optimally supported posture (2.8%, p < 0.01), and musculoskeletal discomfort (0.8, p < 0.01) was observed. We conclude that the 'smart' chair is able to monitor the sitting behavior, the feedback signal, however, led to small or insignificant changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revealing the ecological content of long-duration audio-recordings of the environment through clustering and visualisation

PubMed Central

Towsey, Michael; Roe, Paul

2018-01-01

Audio recordings of the environment are an increasingly important technique to monitor biodiversity and ecosystem function. While the acquisition of long-duration recordings is becoming easier and cheaper, the analysis and interpretation of that audio remains a significant research area. The issue addressed in this paper is the automated reduction of environmental audio data to facilitate ecological investigations. We describe a method that first reduces environmental audio to vectors of acoustic indices, which are then clustered. This can reduce the audio data by six to eight orders of magnitude yet retain useful ecological information. We describe techniques to visualise sequences of cluster occurrence (using for example, diel plots, rose plots) that assist interpretation of environmental audio. Colour coding acoustic clusters allows months and years of audio data to be visualised in a single image. These techniques are useful in identifying and indexing the contents of long-duration audio recordings. They could also play an important role in monitoring long-term changes in species abundance brought about by habitat degradation and/or restoration. PMID:29494629

On the morphology of outbursts of accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar Aquila X-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güngör, C.; Ekşi, K. Y.; Göğüş, E.

2017-10-01

We present the X-ray light curves of the last two outbursts - 2014 & 2016 - of the well known accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar (AMXP) Aquila X-1 using the monitor of all sky X-ray image (MAXI) observations in the 2-20 keV band. After calibrating the MAXI count rates to the all-sky monitor (ASM) level, we report that the 2016 outburst is the most energetic event of Aql X-1, ever observed from this source. We show that 2016 outburst is a member of the long-high class according to the classification presented by Güngör et al. with ˜ 68 cnt/s maximum flux and ˜ 60 days duration time and the previous outburst, 2014, belongs to the short-low class with ˜ 25 cnt/s maximum flux and ˜ 30 days duration time. In order to understand differences between outbursts, we investigate the possible dependence of the peak intensity to the quiescent duration leading to the outburst and find that the outbursts following longer quiescent episodes tend to reach higher peak energetic.

Progress in gene targeting and gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa

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

Farrar, G.J.; Humphries, M.M.; Erven, A.

1994-09-01

Previously, we localized disease genes involved in retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an inherited retinal degeneration, close to the rhodopsin and peripherin genes on 3q and 6p. Subsequently, we and others identified mutations in these genes in RP patients. Currently animal models for human retinopathies are being generated using gene targeting by homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Genomic clones for retinal genes including rhodopsin and peripherin have been obtained from a phage library carrying mouse DNA isogenic with the ES cell line (CC1.2). The peripherin clone has been sequenced to establish the genomic structure of the mouse gene. Targeting vectorsmore » for rhodopsin and peripherin including a neomycin cassette for positive selection and thymidine kinase genes enabling selection against random intergrants are under construction. Progress in vector construction will be presented. Simultaneously we are developing systems for delivery of gene therapies to retinal tissues utilizing replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad5). Efficacy of infection subsequent to various methods of intraocular injection and with varying viral titers is being assayed using an adenovirus construct containing a CMV promoter LacZ fusion as reporter and the range of tissues infected and the level of duration of LacZ expression monitored. Viral constructs with the LacZ reporter gene under the control of retinal specific promoters such as rhodopsin and IRBP cloned into pXCJL.1 are under construction. An update on developments in photoreceptor cell-directed expression of virally delivered genes will be presented.« less

Stirling Convertor Extended Operation Testing and Data Analysis at GRC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornell, Peggy A.; Lewandowski, Edward J.; Oriti, Salvatore M.; Wilson, Scott D.

2009-01-01

This paper focuses on extended operation testing and data analysis of free-piston Stirling convertors at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Extended operation testing is essential to the development of radioisotope power systems and their potential use for long duration missions. To document the reliability of the convertors, regular monitoring and analysis of the extended operation data is particularly valuable; allowing us to better understand and quantity the long life characteristics of the convertors. Further, investigation and comparison of the extended operation data to baseline performance data provides us an opportunity for understanding system behavior should any off-nominal performance occur. GRC currently has 14 Stirling convertors under 24-hour unattended extended operation testing, including two operating the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Engineering Unit (ASRG-EU). 10 of the 14 Stirling convertors at GRC are the Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASC) developed by Sunpower, Incorporated. These are highly efficient (up to > 33.5% conversion efficiency), low mass convertors that have evolved through technologically progressive convertor builds. The remaining four convertors at GRC are Technology Demonstration Convertors (TDC) from Infinia Corporation. They have achieved> 27% conversion efficiency and have accumulated over 178,000 of the total 250,622 hours of extended operation currently at GRC. A synopsis of the Stirling convertor extended operation testing and data analysis at NASA GRC is presented in this paper, as well as how this testing has contributed to the Stirling convertor's progression toward flight.

Cascading disasters in the huge coastal aquifer of Salento (Apulia region, Southern Italy) ensuing droughts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parisi, Alessandro; Fidelibus, Maria Dolores

2017-04-01

Physical extremes can be distinguished in "sudden physical extremes" (e.g. earthquakes, tsunami) and "progressive physical extremes" (e.g. drought, desertification, landslides). They differ for frequency, intensity, spatial extent, duration and timing of occurrence. If a physical extreme, by interacting with human systems, induces negative consequences, its outcome can be a "disaster". The disasters are, in both above cases, characterized by a few phases: physical extreme occurrence, emergency, response, and recovery. However, in the case of a progressive physical extreme, the disaster develops with an overlap in the time of the above-mentioned phases. When the events are repetitive, the emergency planning (which follows a cycle) succeeds with preparedness and mitigation with the intent of reducing the risk. Both the sudden and progressive physical extremes produce cascading effects of consequences on social, environmental and economic systems. Disasters consequent to sudden and progressive extremes show, however, some differences, mainly attributable to the "visibility" of the effects and to their time scale of evolution. As matter of fact, a disaster consequent to a progressive physical extreme produces "emerging signals" that are often invisible. Moreover, the emergency phase can arise with a time delay compared to the occurrence of the physical extreme, depending on the spatial scale of impacted system. The above differences allow defining "creeping disasters" the potential disasters related to progressive physical extremes. This study deals with some peculiar "cascading disasters" consequent to drought, which is the main "creeping disaster", namely the groundwater drought and the consequent salinization of coastal aquifers. In regional flow systems, their effects are invisible in the immediate to common people (and often even to managers) because of the concealed nature of groundwater; moreover, they are difficult to assess because of the shift over time of their evolution compared to the promptness of surface effects. The study area is the Salento coastal karstic aquifer (Apulia region, Southern Italy), where the groundwater flows according to a regional flow system. It has been subject to successive meteorological droughts between 1960 and 2010. The groundwater monitoring performed during this period, even with some gaps, allows identifying time lags between superficial effects and underground system response, potential tipping points, and emerging signals of the cascading disasters.

Robust Flood Monitoring Using Sentinel-1 SAR Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVries, B.; Huang, C.; Armston, J.; Huang, W.

2017-12-01

The 2017 hurricane season in North and Central America has resulted in unprecedented levels of flooding that have affected millions of people and continue to impact communities across the region. The extent of casualties and damage to property incurred by these floods underscores the need for reliable systems to track flood location, timing and duration to aid response and recovery efforts. While a diverse range of data sources provide vital information on flood status in near real-time, only spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors can ensure wall-to-wall coverage over large areas, mostly independently of weather conditions or site accessibility. The European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 constellation represents the only SAR mission currently providing open access and systematic global coverage, allowing for a consistent stream of observations over flood-prone regions. Importantly, both the data and pre-processing software are freely available, enabling the development of improved methods, tools and data products to monitor floods in near real-time. We tracked flood onset and progression in Southeastern Texas, Southern Florida, and Puerto Rico using a novel approach based on temporal backscatter anomalies derived from times series of Sentinel-1 observations and historic baselines defined for each of the three sites. This approach was shown to provide a more objective measure of flood occurrence than the simple backscatter thresholds often employed in operational flood monitoring systems. Additionally, the use of temporal anomaly measures allowed us to partially overcome biases introduced by varying sensor view angles and image acquisition modes, allowing increased temporal resolution in areas where additional targeted observations are available. Our results demonstrate the distinct advantages offered by data from operational SAR missions such as Sentinel-1 and NASA's planned NISAR mission, and call attention to the continuing need for SAR Earth Observation missions that provide systematic repeat observations to facilitate continuous monitoring of flood-affected regions.

Reducing the rate and duration of Re-ADMISsions among patients with unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder using smartphone-based monitoring and treatment - the RADMIS trials: study protocol for two randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Faurholt-Jepsen, Maria; Frost, Mads; Martiny, Klaus; Tuxen, Nanna; Rosenberg, Nicole; Busk, Jonas; Winther, Ole; Bardram, Jakob Eyvind; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2017-06-15

Unipolar and bipolar disorder combined account for nearly half of all morbidity and mortality due to mental and substance use disorders, and burden society with the highest health care costs of all psychiatric and neurological disorders. Among these, costs due to psychiatric hospitalization are a major burden. Smartphones comprise an innovative and unique platform for the monitoring and treatment of depression and mania. No prior trial has investigated whether the use of a smartphone-based system can prevent re-admission among patients discharged from hospital. The present RADMIS trials aim to investigate whether using a smartphone-based monitoring and treatment system, including an integrated clinical feedback loop, reduces the rate and duration of re-admissions more than standard treatment in unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder. The RADMIS trials use a randomized controlled, single-blind, parallel-group design. Patients with unipolar disorder and patients with bipolar disorder are invited to participate in each trial when discharged from psychiatric hospitals in The Capital Region of Denmark following an affective episode and randomized to either (1) a smartphone-based monitoring system including (a) an integrated feedback loop between patients and clinicians and (b) context-aware cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) modules (intervention group) or (2) standard treatment (control group) for a 6-month trial period. The trial started in May 2017. The outcomes are (1) number and duration of re-admissions (primary), (2) severity of depressive and manic (only for patients with bipolar disorder) symptoms; psychosocial functioning; number of affective episodes (secondary), and (3) perceived stress, quality of life, self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated manic symptoms (only for patients with bipolar disorder), recovery, empowerment, adherence to medication, wellbeing, ruminations, worrying, and satisfaction (tertiary). A total of 400 patients (200 patients with unipolar disorder and 200 patients with bipolar disorder) will be included in the RADMIS trials. If the smartphone-based monitoring system proves effective in reducing the rate and duration of re-admissions, there will be basis for using a system of this kind in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar disorder in general and on a larger scale. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03033420 . Registered 13 January 2017. Ethical approval has been obtained.

The use of nonhuman primates in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simmonds, R. C. (Editor); Bourne, G. H. (Editor)

1977-01-01

Space related biomedical research involving nonhuman primates is reviewed. The scientific assets of various species and the instruments used for monitoring physiological processes during long duration experimentations are described.

Laboratory simulations of thermal annealing in proto-planetary discs - II. Crystallization of enstatite from amorphous thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Droeger, J.; Burchard, M.; Lattard, D.

2011-12-01

Amorphous silicates of olivine and pyroxene composition are thought to be common constituents of circumstellar, interstellar, and interplanetary dust. In proto-planetary discs amorphous dust crystallize essentially as a result of thermal annealing. The present project aims at deciphering the kinetics of crystallization pyroxene in proto-planetary dust on the basis of experiments on amorphous thin films. The thin films are deposited on Si-wafers (111) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The thin films are completely amorphous, chemically homogeneous (on the MgSiO3 composition) and with a continuous and flat surface. They are subsequently annealed for 1 to 216 h at 1073K and 1098K in a vertical quench furnace and drop-quenched on a copper block. To monitor the progress of crystallization, the samples are characterized by AFM and SEM imaging and IR spectroscopy. After short annealing durations (1 to 12 h) AFM and SE imaging reveal small shallow polygonal features (diameter 0.5-1 μm; height 2-3 nm) evenly distributed at the otherwise flat surface of the thin films. These shallow features are no longer visible after about 3 h at 1098 K, resp. >12 h at 1073 K. Meanwhile, two further types of features appear small protruding pyramids and slightly depressed spherolites. The orders of appearance of these features depend on temperature, but both persist and steadily grow with increasing annealing duration. Their sizes can reach about 12 μm. From TEM investigations on annealed thin films on the Mg2SiO4 composition we know that these features represent crystalline sites, which can be surrounded by a still amorphous matrix (Oehm et al. 2010). A quantitative evaluation of the size of the features will give insights on the progress of crystallization. IR spectra of the unprocessed thin films show only broad bands. In contrast, bands characteristic of crystalline enstatite are clearly recognizable in annealed samples, e.g. after 12 h at 1078 K. Small bands can also be assigned to crystalline forsterite. Compared to the findings of Murata et al. (2009), our preliminary results point to smaller crystallization rates of enstatite from amorphous precursors.

Chapter 11: Monitoring and Assessment of Wetlands: Concepts, Case Studies, and Lessons Learned

EPA Science Inventory

Monitoring and assessment (M&A) have long been considered critical components of any resource management program where there is a need to evaluate progress and performance over time. Understanding the origins of current monitoring and assessment strategies and techniques for wetl...

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

Chisum, Brad

This report summarizes the technical achievements that occurred over the duration of the project. On November 14th, 2014, Lumedyne Technologies Incorporated was acquired. As a result of the acquisition, the work toward seismic imaging applications was suspended indefinitely. This report captures the progress achieved up to that time.

Implication of global climate change on the distribution and activity of Phytophthora ramorum

Treesearch

Robert C. Venette

2009-01-01

Global climate change is predicted to alter the distribution and activity of several forest pathogens. Boland et al. (2004) suggested that climate change might affect pathogen establishment, rate of disease progress, and the duration of...

Tracking the Progress of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Audrey F.

2009-01-01

Educators need to document progress for English language learners, and the best structures to put into place in order to record their growth. Beginning with the stages of language proficiency, student progress can be tracked through the use of a baseline in all four language strands and the creation of rubrics to monitor performance. Language…

A meta-analysis on progressive atrophy in intractable temporal lobe epilepsy

PubMed Central

Caciagli, Lorenzo; Bernasconi, Andrea; Wiebe, Samuel; Koepp, Matthias J.; Bernasconi, Neda

2017-01-01

Objective: It remains unclear whether drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with cumulative brain damage, with no expert consensus and no quantitative syntheses of the available evidence. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of MRI studies on progressive atrophy, searching PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE databases for cross-sectional and longitudinal quantitative MRI studies on drug-resistant TLE. Results: We screened 2,976 records and assessed eligibility of 248 full-text articles. Forty-two articles met the inclusion criteria for quantitative evaluation. We observed a predominance of cross-sectional studies, use of different clinical indices of progression, and high heterogeneity in age-control procedures. Meta-analysis of 18/1 cross-sectional/longitudinal studies on hippocampal atrophy (n = 979 patients) yielded a pooled effect size of r = −0.42 for ipsilateral atrophy related to epilepsy duration (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.51 to −0.32; p < 0.0001; I2 = 65.22%) and r = −0.35 related to seizure frequency (95% CI −0.47 to −0.22; p < 0.0001; I2 = 61.97%). Sensitivity analyses did not change the results. Narrative synthesis of 25/3 cross-sectional/longitudinal studies on whole brain atrophy (n = 1,504 patients) indicated that >80% of articles reported duration-related progression in extratemporal cortical and subcortical regions. Detailed analysis of study design features yielded low to moderate levels of evidence for progressive atrophy across studies, mainly due to dominance of cross-sectional over longitudinal investigations, use of diverse measures of seizure estimates, and absence of consistent age control procedures. Conclusions: While the neuroimaging literature is overall suggestive of progressive atrophy in drug-resistant TLE, published studies have employed rather weak designs to directly demonstrate it. Longitudinal multicohort studies are needed to unequivocally differentiate aging from disease progression. PMID:28687722

Whole lung lavage: the salvage therapy for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

PubMed

Indira, K S Kumari; Rajesh, V; Darsana, V; Ranjit, U; John, Jiju; Vengadakrishnaraj, S P; Dharmadhikari, Shubhada Amol

2007-01-01

A 53-year-old school teacher presented with progressive exertional breathlessness and dry cough of three months duration. His diagnosis was confirmed as pulmonary alveolar proteinosis on open lung biopsy. In about three months, the disease progressed to life threatening respiratory failure. He was subjected to whole lung lavage (WLL) as a salvage therapy. The technical details of WLL performed on this patient are described. At six months follow up, he was clinically and functionally stable and leading a near normal life.

Transient ST segment depression during Holter monitoring: how to avoid false positive findings.

PubMed

Völler, H; Andresen, D; Brüggemann, T; Jereczek, M; Becker, B; Schröder, R

1992-09-01

To increase the specificity of 24-hour Holter monitoring in detecting transient myocardial ischemia, we separated genuine ST deviations from those dependent on artifacts by adding a detailed shape analysis of real-time printouts to the usual criteria of significant ST segment depression. We screened 116 apparently healthy subjects; 31 had to be excluded, because of pathologic findings in preliminary examinations. The remaining 85 (49 women and 36 men; mean age, 43.1 years) underwent Holter monitoring for assessment of the extent, frequency, and duration of episodes of horizontal and descending ST segment depression of at least 0.1 mV that persisted for at least 60 msec after the J point and that were at least 1 minute apart. On the basis of these criteria, six subjects (7.1%) showed 24 episodes of horizontal or descending ST segment depression with a mean of 0.2 mV (range, 0.15 to 0.25 mV), a frequency of four episodes per 24 hours (one to nine), and a duration of 12.2 minutes (range 3-range 41 minutes). Supplementary criteria--e.g., sudden onset of ST segment depression, identical orientation of PQ and ST segments, or simultaneous increase in R and P wave amplitude--made it possible to identify ST changes caused by artifacts in four volunteers. In only two subjects (2.4%) could true silent ischemia not be differentiated from false positive results. Thus consideration of only the extent, frequency, and duration of episodes does not permit a differentiation between true silent ischemia and false positive results. A supplementary shape analysis increases the specificity of ST segment analysis in detecting transient myocardial ischemia during 24-hour Holter monitoring.

Retrospective analysis of the recovery of orientation and memory during posttraumatic amnesia.

PubMed

Roberts, Caroline M; Spitz, Gershon; Ponsford, Jennie L

2015-07-01

Prospective monitoring of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) is recommended following moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, few studies have examined the typical order in which items recover on PTA scales. Different methods have been used to define recovery, and the order reported is not consistent across the literature. The purpose of this study was to improve understanding of the progression of PTA by reporting the duration to recovery of items and categories on the Westmead Post-Traumatic Amnesia Scale (WPTAS) according to different criteria. A retrospective analysis was conducted of 66 patients with TBI who were administered the WPTAS during hospital admission. The duration to recovery of items and categories was determined according to 3 criteria: first correct, correct 3 times in a row, and consistently correct. On the basis of the sample mean, date of birth (DOB), year, age, place, month, day, name, and memory for the 3 pictures recovered in this order according to all 3 criteria. However, the significance of differences between items and the order of recovery of categories depended on the criterion adopted. Although DOB recovered first in 74% of cases and the 3 pictures last in 63% of cases, there was a high degree of individual variability in the precise sequence of recovery. The traditional view of PTA recovering in the order of person, place, time, and memory does not adequately describe the profile of recovery on the WPTAS. Considering the recovery of individual items is necessary to understand and account for individuals differences in the order of recovery. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Compilation of 1986 annual reports of the Navy ELF (extremely low frequency) communications system ecological-monitoring program. Volume 2. Tabs D-G. Annual progress report, January-December 1986

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

Not Available

1987-07-01

The U.S. Navy is conducting a long-term program to monitor for possible effects from the operation of its Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Communications System to resident biota and their ecological relationships. This report documents progress of the following studies: Soil Amoeba; Soil and Litter Arthropoda and Earthworm Studies; Biological Studies on Pollinating insects: Megachilid Bees; and Small Vertebrates: Small Mammals and Nesting Birds.

Development and Progression of a Model: Prospective Research Compliance Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedor, Carol; Ferrazzano Yaussy, Cristina; Cola, Philip A.

2008-01-01

Recent trends in Human Research Protection Programs (HRPPs) have contributed to the rising emphasis on prospective monitoring of clinical research and education programs. Therefore, internal efforts and resources to monitor investigator compliance and site performance have become an important focus in the conduct of clinical research. Once the…

Understanding Program Monitoring: The Relationships among Outcomes, Indicators, Measures, and Targets. REL 2014-011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Nolan; Mark, Lauren; Narayan, Krishna

2014-01-01

This guide offers educators, program managers, administrators, and researchers a resource for building capacity for monitoring program outcomes. It provides concise definitions of program monitoring components and a framework for assessing program progress. Examples demonstrate the relationships among program components: outcomes, indicators,…

Status and trends monitoring of riparian and aquatic habitat in the Olympic Experimental State Forest: Monitoring protocols

Treesearch

Teodora Minkova; Alex D. Foster

2017-01-01

Presented here are the monitoring protocols for the Status and Trends Monitoring of Riparian and Aquatic Habitats project in the Olympic Experimental State Forest (OESF). The procedures yield the empirical data needed to address key uncertainties regarding the integration of timber production and habitat conservation across landscapes and assess progress toward...

A National Crop Progress Monitoring and Decision Support System Based on NASA Earth Science Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di, L.; Yang, Z.

2009-12-01

Timely and accurate information on weekly crop progress and development is essential to a dynamic agricultural industry in the U. S. and the world. By law, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) is responsible for monitoring and assessing U.S. agricultural production. Currently NASS compiles and issues weekly state and national crop progress and development reports based on reports from knowledgeable state and county agricultural officials and farmers. Such survey-based reports are subjectively estimated for an entire county, lack spatial coverage, and are labor intensive. There has been limited use of remote sensing data to assess crop conditions. NASS produces weekly 1-km resolution un-calibrated AVHRR-based NDVI static images to represent national vegetation conditions but there is no quantitative crop progress information. This presentation discusses the early result for developing a National Crop Progress Monitoring and Decision Support System. The system will overcome the shortcomings of the existing systems by integrating NASA satellite and model-based land surface and weather products, NASS’ wealth of internal crop progress and condition data and Cropland Data Layers (CDL), and the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Common Land Units (CLU). The system, using service-oriented architecture and web service technologies, will automatically produce and disseminate quantitative national crop progress maps and associated decision support data at 250-m resolution, as well as summary reports to support NASS and worldwide users in their decision-making. It will provide overall and specific crop progress for individual crops from the state level down to CLU field level to meet different users’ needs on all known croplands. This will greatly enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of the NASS aggregated crop condition data and charts of and provides objective and scientific evidence and guidance for the adjustment of NASS survey data. This presentation will discuss the architecture, Earth observation data, and the crop progress model used in the decision support system.

Advancing Drought Understanding, Monitoring and Prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mariotti, Annarita; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Mo, Kingtse; Peters-Lidard, Christa; Wood, Andy; Pulwarty, Roger; Huang, Jin; Barrie, Dan

2013-01-01

Having the capacity to monitor droughts in near-real time and providing accurate drought prediction from weeks to seasons in advance can greatly reduce the severity of social and economic damage caused by drought, a leading natural hazard for North America. The congressional mandate to establish the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS; Public Law 109-430) in 2006 was a major impulse to develop, integrate, and provide drought information to meet the challenges posed by this hazard. Significant progress has been made on many fronts. On the research front, efforts by the broad scientific community have resulted in improved understanding of North American droughts and improved monitoring and forecasting tools. We now have a better understanding of the droughts of the twentieth century including the 1930s "Dust Bowl"; we have developed a broader array of tools and datasets that enhance the official North American Drought Monitor based on different methodologies such as state-of-the-art land surface modeling (e.g., the North American Land Data Assimilation System) and remote sensing (e.g., the evaporative stress index) to better characterize the occurrence and severity of drought in its multiple manifestations. In addition, we have new tools for drought prediction [including the new National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System, version 2, for operational prediction and an experimental National Multimodel Ensemble] and have explored diverse methodologies including ensemble hydrologic prediction approaches. Broad NIDIS-inspired progress is influencing the development of a Global Drought Information System (GDIS) under the auspices of the World Climate Research Program. Despite these advances, current drought monitoring and forecasting capabilities still fall short of users' needs, especially the need for skillful and reliable drought forecasts at regional and local scales. To tackle this outstanding challenging problem, focused and coordinated research efforts are needed, drawing from excellence across the broad drought research community. To meet this challenge, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Drought Task Force was established in October 2011 with the ambitious goal of achieving significant new advances in the ability to understand, monitor, and predict drought over North America. The Task Force (duration of October 2011-September 2014) is an initiative of NOAA's Climate Program Office Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) program in partnership with NIDIS. It brings together over 30 leading MAPP-funded drought scientists from multiple academic and federal institutions [involves scientists from NOAA's research laboratories and centers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and many universities] in a concerted research effort that builds on individual MAPP research projects. These projects span the wide spectrum of drought research needed to make fundamental advances, from those aimed at the basic understanding of drought mechanisms to those aimed at testing new drought monitoring and prediction tools for operational and service purposes (as part of NCEP's Climate Test Bed). The Drought Task Force provides focus and coordination to MAPP drought research activities and also facilitates synergies with other national and international drought research efforts, including those by the GDIS.

EEG Monitoring and Antiepileptic Drugs in Children with Severe TBI.

PubMed

Ruzas, Christopher M; DeWitt, Peter E; Bennett, Kimberly S; Chapman, Kevin E; Harlaar, Nicole; Bennett, Tellen D

2017-04-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes substantial morbidity and mortality in US children. Post-traumatic seizures (PTS) occur in 11-42% of children with severe TBI and are associated with unfavorable outcome. Electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring may be used to detect PTS and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may be used to treat PTS, but national rates of EEG and AED use are not known. The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and timing of EEG and AED use in children hospitalized after severe TBI. Retrospective cohort study of 2165 children at 30 hospitals in a probabilistically linked dataset from the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) and the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) database, 2007-2010. We included children (age <18 years old at admission) with linked NTDB and PHIS records, severe (Emergency Department [ED] Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] <8) TBI, hospital length of stay >24 h, and non-missing disposition. The primary outcomes were EEG and AED use. Overall, 31.8% of the cohort had EEG monitoring. Of those, 21.8% were monitored on the first hospital day. The median duration of EEG monitoring was 2.0 (IQR 1.0, 4.0) days. AEDs were prescribed to 52.0% of the cohort, of whom 61.8% received an AED on the first hospital day. The median duration of AED use was 8.0 (IQR 4.0, 17.0) days. EEG monitoring and AED use were more frequent in children with known risk factors for PTS. EEG monitoring and AED use were not related to hospital TBI volume. EEG use is relatively uncommon in children with severe TBI, but AEDs are frequently prescribed. EEG monitoring and AED use are more common in children with known risk factors for PTS.

Acoustic Cavitation-Based Monitoring of the Reversibility and Permeability of Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening

PubMed Central

Sun, Tao; Samiotaki, Gesthimani; Wang, Shutao; Acosta, Camilo; Chen, Cherry C.; Konofagou, Elisa E.

2015-01-01

Cavitation events seeded by microbubbles have been previously reported to be associated with MR- or fluorescent-contrast enhancement after focused ultrasound (FUS)-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening. However, it is still unknown whether bubble activity can be correlated with the reversibility (the duration of opening and the likelihood of safe reinstatement) and the permeability of opened BBB, which is critical for the clinical translation of using passive cavitation detection to monitor, predict and control the opening. In this study, the dependence of acoustic cavitation on the BBB opening duration, permeability coefficient and histological damage occurrence were thus investigated. Transcranial pulsed FUS at 1.5 MHz in the presence of systemically circulating microbubbles was applied in the mouse hippocampi (n = 60). The stable and inertial cavitation activities were monitored during sonication. Contrast-enhanced MRI was performed immediately after sonication and every 24 h up to 6 days thereafter, to assess BBB opening, brain tissue permeability and potential edema. Histological evaluations were used to assess the occurrence of neurovascular damages. It was found that stable cavitation was well correlated with: 1) the duration of the BBB opening (r2 = 0.77); 2) the permeability of the opened BBB (r2 = 0.82); 3) the likelihood of safe opening (P < 0.05, safe opening compared to cases of damage; P < 0.0001, no opening compared to safe opening). The inertial cavitation dose was correlated with the resulting BBB permeability (r2 = 0.72). Stable cavitation was found to be more reliable than inertial cavitation at assessing the BBB opening within the pressure range used in this study. This study demonstrates that the stable cavitation response during BBB opening holds promise for predicting and controlling the restoration and pharmacokinetics of FUS-opened BBB. The stable cavitation response therefore showed great promise in predicting the BBB opening duration, enabling thus control of opening according to the drug circulation time. In addition, avoiding adverse effects in the brain and assessing the pharmacokinetics of the compounds delivered can also be achieved by monitoring and controlling the stable cavitation emissions. PMID:26562661

Atmosphere and water quality monitoring on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niu, William

1990-01-01

In Space Station Freedom air and water will be supplied in closed loop systems. The monitoring of air and water qualities will ensure the crew health for the long mission duration. The Atmosphere Composition Monitor consists of the following major instruments: (1) a single focusing mass spectrometer to monitor major air constituents and control the oxygen/nitrogen addition for the Space Station; (2) a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer to detect trace contaminants; (3) a non-dispersive infrared spectrometer to determine carbon monoxide concentration; and (4) a laser particle counter for measuring particulates in the air. An overview of the design and development concepts for the air and water quality monitors is presented.

Investigation of individual and group variability in estrous cycle characteristics in female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Oregon Zoo.

PubMed

Glaeser, S S; Hunt, K E; Martin, M S; Finnegan, M; Brown, J L

2012-07-15

Evaluating ovarian cycle activity through longitudinal progestagen monitoring is important for optimizing breeding management of captive elephants and understanding impact of life events (births, deaths, and transfers) on reproductive function. This study summarized serum progestagen profiles for eight Asian mainland elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) and one Bornean elephant (E. maximus borneensis) at the Oregon Zoo over a 20-yr interval, and represents the longest longitudinal dataset evaluated to date. Estrous cycle characteristics were more varied than previously reported for this species, with an overall duration of 12 to 19 wk, luteal phase duration of 4 to 15 wk, and follicular phase duration of 2 to 12 wk. In general, there was more cycle variability across than within individual elephants. Compared with other elephants in the group, the Borneo female exhibited consistently longer cycle lengths, higher progestagen concentrations, and greater cycle variability; however, it is not known if this represents a subspecies or an individual difference. Cycle durations did not appear to change over time or with age, and the first pubertal cycle was similar to subsequent cycles. Variability in duration of the follicular phase was greater than that of the luteal phase. In addition, there was a significant negative relationship between luteal and follicular phase durations, suggesting a possible regulatory role of the follicular phase in maintaining a relatively consistent cycle duration within individuals. Overall, we found these elephants to be highly resilient in that major life events (births, deaths, and changes in herd structure) had minimal effect on cycle dynamics over time. In conclusion, the higher range in cycle phase characteristics is likely because of the larger number of elephants studied and longer duration of longitudinal monitoring, and may be more representative of the captive population as a whole. Furthermore, identification of significant interanimal variability suggests that understanding the complexities of herd reproductive characteristics could facilitate development of more effective institution-specific breeding management strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advanced phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor era - a report from the Swedish CML register.

PubMed

Söderlund, Stina; Dahlén, Torsten; Sandin, Fredrik; Olsson-Strömberg, Ulla; Creignou, Maria; Dreimane, Arta; Lübking, Anna; Markevärn, Berit; Själander, Anders; Wadenvik, Hans; Stenke, Leif; Richter, Johan; Höglund, Martin

2017-01-01

The primary goal in management of chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is to prevent disease progression to accelerated phase (AP) or blast crisis (BC). We have evaluated progression rates in a decentralised healthcare setting and characterised patients progressing to AP/BC on TKI treatment. Using data from the Swedish CML register, we identified CP-CML patients diagnosed 2007-2011 who progressed to AP/BC within 2 yrs from diagnosis (n = 18) as well as patients diagnosed in advanced phase during 2007-2012 (n = 36) from a total of 544 newly diagnosed CML cases. We evaluated baseline characteristics, progression rates, outcome and adherence to guidelines for monitoring and treatment. The cumulative progression rate at 2 yrs was 4.3%. All 18 progression cases had been treated with imatinib, and six progressed within 6 months. High-risk EUTOS score was associated to a higher risk of progression. Insufficient cytogenetic and/or molecular monitoring was found in 33%. Median survival after transformation during TKI treatment was 1.4 yrs. In those presenting with BC and AP, median survival was 1.6 yrs and not reached, respectively. In this population-based setting, progression rates appear comparable to that reported from clinical trials, with similar dismal patient outcome. Improved adherence to CML guidelines may minimise the risk of disease progression. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-01-01

This Skylab-2 onboard photograph shows astronaut Charles "Pete" Conrad exercising on a stationary bicycle (ergometer) used for monitoring the metabolism of the astronauts. The ergometer was used to conduct both Vectorcardiogram experiment (M093) and Metabolic Activity experiment (M171). Experiment M093 was a medical evaluation designed to monitor changes in astronauts' cardiovascular systems, while Experiment M171 was to measure astronauts' metabolic changes during long-duration space missions.

Environmental Pollution by Benzene and PM10 and Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Sclerosis: A Correlation Study.

PubMed

Borghini, Alice; Poscia, Andrea; Bosello, Silvia; Teleman, Adele Anna; Bocci, Mario; Iodice, Lanfranco; Ferraccioli, Gianfranco; La Milìa, Daniele Ignazio; Moscato, Umberto

2017-10-26

Atmospheric air pollution has been associated with a range of adverse health effects. The environment plays a causative role in the development of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). The aim of the present study is to explore the association between particulate (PM 10 ) and benzene (B) exposure in Italian patients with systemic sclerosis and their clinical characteristics of the disease. A correlation study was conducted by enrolling 88 patients who suffer from SSc at the Fondazione Policlinico "A. Gemelli" in Rome (Italy) in the period from January 2013 to January 2014. The average mean concentrations of B (in 11 monitoring sites) and PM 10 (in 14 sites) were calculated using data from the Regional Environmental Protection Agency's monitoring stations located throughout the Lazio region (Italy) and then correlated with the clinical characteristics of the SSc patients. Of the study sample, 92.5% were female. The mean age was 55 ± 12.9 years old and the mean disease duration from the onset of Raynaud's phenomenon was 13.0 ± 9.4 years. The Spearman's correlation showed that concentrations of B correlate directly with the skin score (R = 0.3; p ≤ 0.05) and inversely with Diffusing Lung Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) results (R = -0.36; p = 0.04). This study suggests a possible role of B in the development of diffuse skin disease and in a worse progression of the lung manifestations of SSc.

The effect of observing session duration on OPUS-RS results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dincer Dogru, A.; Ugur Sanli, D.; Hayal, Adem G.; Berber, Mustafa

2016-04-01

Online GPS positioning software has now a widespread interest among practitioners and researchers. Researchers rescently use online software to monitor natural hazards such as landslides. The fact that this software usually employs continuously operating GPS stations of the International GNSS Service (IGS) as reference stations in the processing, the community of world-wide users is growing day by day. In the monitoring of landslides, rapid static mode of a GPS surveying is usually preferred because it is possible to have wider field coverage with only a few minutes of data and low cost ground markers. Results comparable to static positioning can be obtained with careful network design and processing strategies. Some online software such as OPUS-RS developed by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) of the USA provides rapid static positioning engine that processes GPS data from sessions of only a few minutes. 15-minute is the recommended/standard observing session duration for OPUS-RS processing. In this study, using the CORS data operating in the US, we carried out some tests in which the observing session duration is changed from 8 through 118 minutes, and observed the accuracy change on the OPUS-RS solutions. Then we compared the results with the accuracy levels given for 15-min solutions by the NGS. We determined that there is the effect of changing observing session duration on the obtained results, and we report them in this study.

Association between duration of overall and abdominal obesity beginning in young adulthood and coronary artery calcification in middle age.

PubMed

Reis, Jared P; Loria, Catherine M; Lewis, Cora E; Powell-Wiley, Tiffany M; Wei, Gina S; Carr, J Jeffrey; Terry, James G; Liu, Kiang

2013-07-17

Younger individuals are experiencing a greater cumulative exposure to excess adiposity over their lifetime. However, few studies have determined the consequences of long-term obesity. To examine whether the duration of overall and abdominal obesity was associated with the presence and 10-year progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a subclinical predictor of coronary heart disease. Prospective study of 3275 white and black adults aged 18 to 30 years at baseline in 1985-1986 who did not initially have overall obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30) or abdominal obesity (men: waist circumference [WC] >102 cm; women: >88 cm) in the multicenter, community-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Participants completed computed tomography scanning for the presence of CAC during the 15-, 20-, or 25-year follow-up examinations. Duration of overall and abdominal obesity was calculated using repeat measurements of BMI and WC, respectively, performed 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years after baseline. Presence of CAC was measured by computed tomography at the year 15 (2000-2001), year 20 (2005-2006), or year 25 (2010-2011) follow-up examinations. Ten-year progression of CAC (2000-2001 to 2010-2011) was defined as incident CAC in 2010-2011 or an increase in CAC score of 20 Agatston units or greater. During follow-up, 40.4% and 41.0% developed overall and abdominal obesity, respectively. Rates of CAC per 1000 person-years were higher for those who experienced more than 20 years vs 0 years of overall obesity (16.0 vs 11.0, respectively) and abdominal obesity (16.7 vs 11.0). Approximately 25.2% and 27.7% of those with more than 20 years of overall and abdominal obesity, respectively, experienced progression of CAC vs 20.2% and 19.5% of those with 0 years. After adjustment for BMI or WC and potential confounders, the hazard ratios for CAC for each additional year of overall or abdominal obesity were 1.02 (95% CI, 1.01-1.03) and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.02-1.05), respectively. The adjusted odds ratios for CAC progression were 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01-1.06) and 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01-1.07), respectively. Associations were attenuated but largely persisted following additional adjustment for potential intermediate metabolic factors during follow-up. Longer duration of overall and abdominal obesity was associated with subclinical coronary heart disease and its progression through midlife independent of the degree of adiposity. Preventing or at least delaying the onset of obesity in young adulthood may lower the risk of developing atherosclerosis through middle age.

Hepatic neosporosis in a dog treated for pemphigus foliaceus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A 4 year old, female, spayed Border Collie was presented for progressive lethargy, inappetence, and weakness of four days duration. The animal had been diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus three months prior and was receiving combination immunosuppressive therapy. Serum biochemistry revealed severely ...

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

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

This progress report broadly defines the scope of supplementation plans and activities in the Columbia Basin. It provides the foundation for more detailed analysis of supplementation in subsequent reports in this series. Topics included in this report are: definition of supplementation, project diversity, objectives and performance standards, uncertainties and theory. Since this is a progress report, the content is subject to modification with new information. The supplementation theory will continue to evolve throughout the duration of RASP and beyond. The other topics in this report are essentially complete and are not expected to change significantly. This is the first ofmore » a series of four reports which will summarize information contained in the larger, RASP progress and completion reports. Our goal is to make the findings of RASP more accessible by grouping related topics into smaller but complete narratives on important aspects of supplementation. We are planning to publish the following reports under the general title Supplementation in the Columbia River Basin: Part 1, Background, Description, Performance Measures, Uncertainty and Theory; Part 2, Theoretical Framework and Models; Part 3, Planning Guidelines; and Part 4, Regional Coordination of Research and Monitoring. Supplementation is expected to be a major contributor to the planned increase in salmon and steelhead production in the Columbia Basin. The Fish and Wildlife Program of the Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) uses three approaches to protect and enhance salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin: (1) enhance fish production; (2) improve passage in the mainstem rivers; and (3) revise harvest management to support the rebuilding of fish runs (NPPC 1987). The fish production segment calls for a three-part approach focused on natural production, hatchery production, and supplementation. Supplementation is planned to provide over half of the total production increases. The Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project (RASP) was initiated as a result of a request by NPPC to address long-standing concerns about the need to coordinate supplementation research, monitoring and evaluation. Such coordination was also recommended by the Supplementation Technical Work Group. In August 1990, the NPPC gave conditional approval to proceed with the final design of the Yakima Production Project. The Council called on the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to fund immediately a supplementation assessment to reevaluate, prioritize and coordinate all existing and planned supplementation monitoring and evaluation activities in the basin. Providing for the participation of the fishery agencies and tribes and others having expertise in this area. RASP addresses four principal objectives: (1) provide an overview of ongoing and planned supplementation activities and identify critical uncertainties associated with supplementation, (2) construct a conceptual framework and model which estimates the potential benefits and risks of supplementation and prioritizes uncertainties, (3) provide guidelines for the development of supplementation projects, (4) develop a plan for regional coordination of research and monitoring. These objectives, once attained, will provide the technical tools fishery managers need to carry out the Council's direction to protect and enhance salmon and steelhead. RASP has further divided the four broad objectives into 12 technical topics: (1) definition of supplementation; (2) description of the diversity of supplementation projects; (3) objectives and performance standards; (4) identification of uncertainties; (5) supplementation theory; (6) development of a conceptual model of supplemented populations; (7) development of spreadsheet model of risks and benefits of supplementation; (8) classification of stocks, streams, and supplementation strategies; (9) regional design of supplementation evaluation and monitoring; (10) guidelines for planning supplementation projects (11) application of the spreadsheet model to supplementation planning; and (12) experimental design and decision making with uncertainty.« less

Radiographic progression with nonrising PSA in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: post hoc analysis of PREVAIL

PubMed Central

Bryce, A H; Alumkal, J J; Armstrong, A; Higano, C S; Iversen, P; Sternberg, C N; Rathkopf, D; Loriot, Y; de Bono, J; Tombal, B; Abhyankar, S; Lin, P; Krivoshik, A; Phung, D; Beer, T M

2017-01-01

Background: Advanced prostate cancer is a phenotypically diverse disease that evolves through multiple clinical courses. PSA level is the most widely used parameter for disease monitoring, but it has well-recognized limitations. Unlike in clinical trials, in practice, clinicians may rely on PSA monitoring alone to determine disease status on therapy. This approach has not been adequately tested. Methods: Chemotherapy-naive asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic men (n=872) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who were treated with the androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide in the PREVAIL study were analyzed post hoc for rising versus nonrising PSA (empirically defined as >1.05 vs ⩽1.05 times the PSA level from 3 months earlier) at the time of radiographic progression. Clinical characteristics and disease outcomes were compared between the rising and nonrising PSA groups. Results: Of 265 PREVAIL patients with radiographic progression and evaluable PSA levels on the enzalutamide arm, nearly one-quarter had a nonrising PSA. Median progression-free survival in this cohort was 8.3 months versus 11.1 months in the rising PSA cohort (hazard ratio 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.26–2.23); overall survival was similar between the two groups, although less than half of patients in either group were still at risk at 24 months. Baseline clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar. Conclusions: Non-rising PSA at radiographic progression is a common phenomenon in mCRPC patients treated with enzalutamide. As restaging in advanced prostate cancer patients is often guided by increases in PSA levels, our results demonstrate that disease progression on enzalutamide can occur without rising PSA levels. Therefore, a disease monitoring strategy that includes imaging not entirely reliant on serial serum PSA measurement may more accurately identify disease progression. PMID:28117385

Radiographic progression with nonrising PSA in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: post hoc analysis of PREVAIL.

PubMed

Bryce, A H; Alumkal, J J; Armstrong, A; Higano, C S; Iversen, P; Sternberg, C N; Rathkopf, D; Loriot, Y; de Bono, J; Tombal, B; Abhyankar, S; Lin, P; Krivoshik, A; Phung, D; Beer, T M

2017-06-01

Advanced prostate cancer is a phenotypically diverse disease that evolves through multiple clinical courses. PSA level is the most widely used parameter for disease monitoring, but it has well-recognized limitations. Unlike in clinical trials, in practice, clinicians may rely on PSA monitoring alone to determine disease status on therapy. This approach has not been adequately tested. Chemotherapy-naive asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic men (n=872) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who were treated with the androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide in the PREVAIL study were analyzed post hoc for rising versus nonrising PSA (empirically defined as >1.05 vs ⩽1.05 times the PSA level from 3 months earlier) at the time of radiographic progression. Clinical characteristics and disease outcomes were compared between the rising and nonrising PSA groups. Of 265 PREVAIL patients with radiographic progression and evaluable PSA levels on the enzalutamide arm, nearly one-quarter had a nonrising PSA. Median progression-free survival in this cohort was 8.3 months versus 11.1 months in the rising PSA cohort (hazard ratio 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.23); overall survival was similar between the two groups, although less than half of patients in either group were still at risk at 24 months. Baseline clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar. Non-rising PSA at radiographic progression is a common phenomenon in mCRPC patients treated with enzalutamide. As restaging in advanced prostate cancer patients is often guided by increases in PSA levels, our results demonstrate that disease progression on enzalutamide can occur without rising PSA levels. Therefore, a disease monitoring strategy that includes imaging not entirely reliant on serial serum PSA measurement may more accurately identify disease progression.

Utility of heart rate turbulence and T-Wave alternans to assess risk for Re-admission and cardiac death in hospitalized heart failure patients.

PubMed

Yamada, Shinya; Yoshihisa, Akiomi; Sato, Yu; Sato, Takamasa; Kamioka, Masashi; Kaneshiro, Takashi; Oikawa, Masayoshi; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Ishida, Takafumi; Takeishi, Yasuchika

2018-05-18

Heart failure (HF) patients have a higher risk of recurrent HF and cardiac death, and electrical remodeling is considered to be an important factor for HF progression. The present study aimed to validate the utility of electrocardiogram and Holter monitoring for the risk stratification of HF patients. Our study comprised 215 patients (144 males, mean age 62 years) who had been hospitalized due to acute decompensated HF. Electrocardiogram (QRS duration and QTc interval) and 24-hour Holter monitoring (heart rate variability, heart rate turbulence and T-wave alternans [TWA]) were performed in stable condition before discharge. The clinical characteristics and outcomes were then investigated. During a median follow-up period of 2.7 years, there were 83 (38.6%) cardiac events (re-hospitalization due to worsening HF [n = 51] or cardiac death [n = 32]). The patients with cardiac events had a lower turbulence slope (TS) and higher TWA compared to those without cardiac events (TS, 3.0±5.5 ms/RR vs. 5.3±5.6 ms/RR, P = 0.001; TWA, 66.1±19.6 μV vs. 54.7±15.1 μV, P < 0.001). Univariable analysis showed that TS, TWA, QRS duration, and QTc interval were associated with cardiac events (P = 0.004, P < 0.001, P = 0.037 and P = 0.024, respectively), while the multivariable analysis after the adjustment of multiple confounders showed that TS and TWA were independent predictive factors of cardiac events with a hazard ratio of 0.936 and 1.015 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.860-0.974, P = 0.006; and 95% CI: 1.003-1.027, p = 0.016), respectively. The measurement of TS and TWA is useful for assessing risk for re-hospitalization and cardiac death in HF patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Maintenance therapy in colon cancer.

PubMed

Giuliani, F; De Vita, F; Colucci, G; Pisconti, S

2010-11-01

In the last decade dramatic improvements have been obtained in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Thanks to the introduction in the clinical practice of new drugs such as Irinotecan and Oxaliplatin, and modern biological drugs such as Bevacizumab and Cetuximab, the response rate, progression-free and overall survival are about 50-60%, 9-11 and 20-24 months respectively. Despite this progress, many questions remain unsolved especially those related to the optimal duration of treatment and the role of maintenance therapy. To treat until progression (or unacceptable toxicity) is the classical way but in the common clinical practice is frequent to perform an induction therapy (until the maximum response is obtained) followed by a complete stop and restart on progression, or by a maintenance without the drug/s responsible of the major cumulative toxicities. The following report focus on the role of different strategies respect to the classic "treatment until progression". Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in apparent duration follow shifts in perceptual timing

PubMed Central

Bruno, Aurelio; Ayhan, Inci; Johnston, Alan

2015-01-01

It is well established that the apparent duration of moving visual objects is greater at higher as compared to slower speeds. Here we report the effects of acceleration and deceleration on the perceived duration of a drifting grating with average speed kept constant (10°/s).For acceleration, increasing the speed range progressively reduced perceived duration. The magnitude of apparent duration compression was determined by speed rather than temporal frequency and was proportional to speed range (independent of standard duration) rather than acceleration. The perceived duration reduction was also proportional to the standard length. The effects of increases and decreases in speed were highly asymmetric. Reducing speed through the interval induced a moderate increase in perceived duration. These results could not be explained by changes in apparent onset or offset or differences in perceived average speed between intervals containing increasing speed and intervals containing decreasing speed. Paradoxically, for intervals combining increasing speed and decreasing speed, compression only occurred when increasing speed occurred in the second half of the interval. We show that this pattern of results in the duration domain was concomitant with changes in the reported direction of apparent motion of Gaussian blobs, embedded in intervals of increasing or decreasing speed, that could be predicted from adaptive changes in the temporal impulse response function. We detected similar changes after flicker adaptation, suggesting that the two effects might be linked through changes in the temporal tuning of visual filters. PMID:26024450

In-Situ NDE Characterization of Kevlar and Carbon Composite Micromechanics for Improved COPV Health Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess M.; Saulsberry, Regor L.

2009-01-01

This project is a subtask of a multi-center project to advance the state-of-the-art by developing NDE techniques that are capable of evaluating stress rupture (SR) degradation in Kevlar/epoxy (K/Ep) composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), and damage progression in carbon/epoxy (C/Ep) COPVs. In this subtask, acoustic emission (AE) data acquired during intermittent load hold tensile testing of K/Ep and C/Ep composite tow materials-of-construction used in COPV fabrication were analyzed to monitor progressive damage during the approach to tensile failure. Insight into the progressive damage of composite tow was gained by monitoring AE event rate, energy, source location, and frequency. Source location based on arrival time data was used to discern between significant AE attributable to microstructural damage and spurious AE attributable to background and grip noise. One of the significant findings was the observation of increasing violation of the Kaiser effect (Felicity ratio < 1.0) with damage accumulation.

Health Monitoring of Thermal Barrier Coatings by Mid-Infrared Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldridge, J. I.; Spuckler, C. M.; Nesbitt, J. A.; Street, K. W.

2002-01-01

Mid-infrared (MIR) reflectance is shown to be a powerful tool for monitoring the integrity of 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Because of the translucent nature of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs, particularly at MIR wavelengths (3 to 5 microns), measured reflectance does not only originate from the TBC surface, but contains strong contributions from internal scattering within the coating as well as reflectance from the underlying TBC/substrate interface. Therefore, changes in MIR reflectance measurements can be used to monitor the progression of TBC delamination. In particular, MIR reflectance is shown to reproducibly track the progression of TBC delamination produced by repeated thermal cycling (to 1163 C) of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs on Rene N5 superalloy substrates. To understand the changes in MIR reflectance with the progression of a delamination crack network, a four-flux scattering model is used to predict the increase in MIR reflectance produced by the introduction of these cracks.

Preferences and Attitudes toward Progress Reporting Methods of Parents from Diverse Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Darlene Anastacia; Luze, Gayle; Hughes-Belding, Kere

2014-01-01

There is a growing movement in education toward data-based decision-making requiring frequent monitoring of student progress. However, the literature fails to provide direction as to the best means of communicating information about a child's progress with his or her parents. Given the increasing number of immigrant families being served, it…

Status of States' Progress in Implementing Part H of IDEA: Report #3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harbin, Gloria L.; And Others

This report focuses on progress in the implementation of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through a comparison of states' status on three yearly administrations of the State Progress Scale. The scale was designed to monitor implementation of the required 14 components in the stages of policy development, policy…

Prognostic Factors Toward Clinically Relevant Radiographic Progression in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Clinical Practice: A Japanese Multicenter, Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study for Achieving a Treat-to-Target Strategy.

PubMed

Koga, Tomohiro; Okada, Akitomo; Fukuda, Takaaki; Hidaka, Toshihiko; Ishii, Tomonori; Ueki, Yukitaka; Kodera, Takao; Nakashima, Munetoshi; Takahashi, Yuichi; Honda, Seiyo; Horai, Yoshiro; Watanabe, Ryu; Okuno, Hiroshi; Aramaki, Toshiyuki; Izumiyama, Tomomasa; Takai, Osamu; Miyashita, Taiichiro; Sato, Shuntaro; Kawashiri, Shin-Ya; Iwamoto, Naoki; Ichinose, Kunihiro; Tamai, Mami; Origuchi, Tomoki; Nakamura, Hideki; Aoyagi, Kiyoshi; Eguchi, Katsumi; Kawakami, Atsushi

2016-04-01

To determine prognostic factors of clinically relevant radiographic progression (CRRP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical practice.We performed a multicenter prospective study in Japan of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD)-naive RA patients with moderate to high disease activity treated with conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) at study entry. We longitudinally observed 408 patients for 1 year and assessed disease activity every 3 months. CRRP was defined as yearly progression of modified total Sharp score (mTSS) > 3.0 U. We also divided the cohort into 2 groups based on disease duration (<3 vs ≥3 years) and performed a subgroup analysis.CRRP was found in 10.3% of the patients. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the independent variables to predict the development of CRRP were: CRP at baseline (0.30 mg/dL increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.11), time-integrated Disease Activity Score in 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) during the 1 year postbaseline (12.4-unit increase, 95%CI 1.17-2.59), RA typical erosion at baseline (95%CI 1.56-21.1), and the introduction of bDMARDs (95%CI 0.06-0.38). The subgroup analysis revealed that time-integrated DAS28-ESR is not a predictor whereas the introduction of bDMARDs is a significant protective factor for CRRP in RA patients with disease duration <3 years.We identified factors that could be used to predict the development of CRRP in RA patients treated with DMARDs. These variables appear to be different based on the RA patients' disease durations.

Clinical Factors Predicting Detection of T790M Mutation in Rebiopsy for EGFR-Mutant Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Kawamura, Takahisa; Kenmotsu, Hirotsugu; Omori, Shota; Nakashima, Kazuhisa; Wakuda, Kazushige; Ono, Akira; Naito, Tateaki; Murakami, Haruyasu; Omae, Katsuhiro; Mori, Keita; Tanigawara, Yusuke; Nakajima, Takashi; Ohde, Yasuhisa; Endo, Masahiro; Takahashi, Toshiaki

2018-03-01

T790M, a secondary epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, accounts for approximately 50% of acquired resistance to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). To facilitate the use of third-generation EGFR-TKIs to potentially overcome T790M-mediated resistance, we evaluated the clinical factors influencing the incidence of T790M mutation. We retrospectively screened patients with non-small-cell lung cancer harboring EGFR mutations with progressive disease who were rebiopsied between January 2013 and December 2016. Factors influencing T790M status were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Among 131 rebiopsied patients for whom EGFR mutation status was available, 58 (44%) had T790M mutations. Patient characteristics at rebiopsy were not significantly different between T790M-positive and -negative groups, except for surgical history (postsurgery recurrence). Total duration of EGFR-TKI treatment before rebiopsy, TKI-free interval, EGFR-TKI treatment history immediately before rebiopsy, continuation of initial EGFR-TKI beyond progressive disease, progression-free survival after initial TKI treatment, and rebiopsy site (other than fluid samples) significantly influenced T790M status. The incidence of T790M mutation was shown by multivariate analysis to be significantly higher in patients with postsurgery recurrence and total duration of EGFR-TKI treatment ≥ 1 year before rebiopsy (odds ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-15.7 and odds ratio, 4.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-19.8, respectively). Postsurgery recurrence and longer total duration of EGFR-TKI treatment before rebiopsy may represent useful predictive markers for T790M detection. In patients with these clinical factors, rebiopsies are more recommended to detect T790M mutation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Progressive bone lengthening of the hand in congenital malformations. 41 cases].

PubMed

Foucher, G; Pajardi, G; Lamas, C; Medina, J; Navarro, R

2001-09-01

We retrospectively reviewed the experience of two Hand Units with progressive bone distraction lengthening, collecting 41 cases of hand skeleton lengthening for congenital malformations. The Ilizarov callostasis method was used in 31 cases and in 10 cases bone union was reestablished at a second stage with an iliac graft (2 cases), vascularized metacarpal bone graft (one case), and vascularized (one case) or nonvascularized (3 cases) toe epiphysis. In the last three cases of index lengthening, the distal part was translocated to the tip of the third, deepening at the same stage the first web. The most frequently treated malformation was symbrachydactyly (22 cases). Mean lengthening was 2.3 cm (0.9 to 3.5) with a mean treatment duration of 3.8 months (1.5 - 8.2). The "lengthening index" was 0.59. There was a significant difference between phalanx and metacarpal lengthening, but the amount of lengthening or treatment duration were not affected by technique (Ilizarov vs bone grafting) or age. The complication rate was 32%. There were two complete failures, one extensor tendon tear, 3 pin tract infections (one requiring interruption of the lengthening), 2 cases of relevant pain, 2 delayed unions, 2 angulations and 1 callus fracture, 1 metacarpophalangeal dislocation and 1 joint stiffness. Despite advances in micorsurgical toe transfer, there are still indications for bone lengthening in congenital malformations. The apparent simplicity of the technique can mask a certain number of complications, emphasizing the need for surgical experience. Progressive bone lengthening in congenital deformity has the advantage of preserving sensitivity and avoiding bone resorption. Callostasis does not increase the duration of treatment compared to bone graft.

Initiation and progression of physical activity after laparoscopic and open gastric bypass surgery.

PubMed

Evans, Ronald K; Bond, Dale S; Demaria, Eric J; Wolfe, Luke G; Meador, Jill G; Kellum, John M

2004-12-01

This study compared postoperative physical activity participation among patients who underwent laparoscopic (LGBS) or open gastric bypass surgery (OGBS). Postoperative physical activity participation is considered important for achieving optimal weight loss and maintenance after gastric bypass surgery. However, no study has examined the relationship between surgery type and postoperative physical activity. Minimal invasiveness and reduced recovery time associated with LGBS compared with OGBS may permit earlier initiation and faster progression of postsurgical physical activity and potentially contribute to greater long-term adherence rates. Self-reported physical activity participation and aerobic physical activity hours per week at 2-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months postsurgery were assessed among LGBS and OGBS patients (presurgical body mass index of 35 to 70 kg/m(2)) at a university hospital from 1988-2002. Of the 2,235 patients, 531 (24%) and 1704 (76%) underwent LGBS and OGBS, respectively. A greater proportion of LGBS patients reported physical activity participation at each time point compared with OGBS patients (2 week, 76% vs 62%; 3 months, 84% vs 74%; 6 months, 85% vs 76%). Furthermore, LGBS patients reported a significantly greater physical activity duration at 2-weeks postsurgery compared with OGBS patients. A nonsignificant trend toward greater physical activity duration was observed in the LGBS patients at 3 months, whereas 6-month physical activity duration was similar between groups. LGBS, compared with OGBS, may promote earlier onset, progression, and maintenance of physical activity until 6 months postsurgery. Future studies need to prospectively determine whether LGBS, via facilitation of greater engagement in postsurgical physical activity, contributes to more successful weight loss and weight maintenance compared with OGBS.

Next-Generation Psychiatric Assessment: Using Smartphone Sensors to Monitor Behavior and Mental Health

PubMed Central

Ben-Zeev, Dror; Scherer, Emily A.; Wang, Rui; Xie, Haiyi; Campbell, Andrew T.

2015-01-01

Objective Optimal mental health care is dependent upon sensitive and early detection of mental health problems. The current study introduces a state-of-the-art method for remote behavioral monitoring that transports assessment out of the clinic and into the environments in which individuals negotiate their daily lives. The objective of this study was examine whether the information captured with multi-modal smartphone sensors can serve as behavioral markers for one’s mental health. We hypothesized that: a) unobtrusively collected smartphone sensor data would be associated with individuals’ daily levels of stress, and b) sensor data would be associated with changes in depression, stress, and subjective loneliness over time. Methods A total of 47 young adults (age range: 19–30 y.o.) were recruited for the study. Individuals were enrolled as a single cohort and participated in the study over a 10-week period. Participants were provided with smartphones embedded with a range of sensors and software that enabled continuous tracking of their geospatial activity (using GPS and WiFi), kinesthetic activity (using multi-axial accelerometers), sleep duration (modeled using device use data, accelerometer inferences, ambient sound features, and ambient light levels), and time spent proximal to human speech (i.e., speech duration using microphone and speech detection algorithms). Participants completed daily ratings of stress, as well as pre/post measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and loneliness (Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale). Results Mixed-effects linear modeling showed that sensor-derived geospatial activity (p<.05), sleep duration (p<.05), and variability in geospatial activity (p<.05), were associated with daily stress levels. Penalized functional regression showed associations between changes in depression and sensor-derived speech duration (p<.05), geospatial activity (p<.05), and sleep duration (p<.05). Changes in loneliness were associated with sensor-derived kinesthetic activity (p<.01). Conclusions and implications for practice Smartphones can be harnessed as instruments for unobtrusive monitoring of several behavioral indicators of mental health. Creative leveraging of smartphone sensing will create novel opportunities for close-to-invisible psychiatric assessment at a scale and efficiency that far exceed what is currently feasible with existing assessment technologies. PMID:25844912

Spatiotemporal mapping of the muscular activity of the gizzard of the chicken (Gallus domesticus).

PubMed

Lentle, R G; Reynolds, G; de Loubens, C; Hulls, C; Janssen, P W M; Ravindran, V

2013-02-01

We report the results of spatiotemporal mapping of the spontaneous actions of component muscles of the gizzard and associated structures in ex vivo preparations with combined superfusion and vascular perfusion. Ongoing spontaneous contraction of cranial and caudal thin muscles occurred at a frequency of 2.2 ± 0.1 cycles per minute. Contractions of M. tenuis craniodorsalis with mean duration of 2.8 ± 0.2 s commenced ventrally adjacent to the distal limit of the proventriculus and progressed dorsally at 2.02 ± 0.03 mm•s(-1) in a concerted front. Near simultaneous contraction of M. tenuis caudoventralis of mean duration of contraction of 4.7 ± 0.7 s commenced dorsally and progressed ventrally at a similar rate (2.1 ± 0.1 mm•s(-1)) and in a similar manner. Contraction of the caudoventralis preceded that of craniodorsalis (mean 1.1 ± 0.15 s). Contraction of the 2 tenuis muscles was synchronous with the first component peak of the cyclic increase in lumen pressure and with distension of the crassus musculature. Contraction of the M. crassus caudodorsalis muscle coincided with the second component peak and was followed by distension of the tenuis musculature. The latter commenced before the relaxation of the tenuis muscles. Contractions of the crassus muscle propagated rapidly at right angles to the orientation of the muscle fibers at a faster velocity than that of the tenuis musculature. The durations of the component peaks in lumen pressure indicated that the duration of crassus contraction was similar to that of the tenuis musculature.

Monitoring road safety development at regional level: A case study in the ASEAN region.

PubMed

Chen, Faan; Wang, Jianjun; Wu, Jiaorong; Chen, Xiaohong; Zegras, P Christopher

2017-09-01

Persistent monitoring of progress, evaluating the results of interventions and recalibrating to achieve continuous improvement over time is widely recognized as being crucial towards the successful development of road safety. In the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region there is a lack of well-resourced teams that contain multidisciplinary safety professionals, and specialists in individual countries, who are able to carry out this work effectively. In this context, not only must the monitoring framework be effective, it must also be easy to use and adapt. This paper provides a case study that can be easily reproduced; based on an updated and refined Road Safety Development Index (RSDI), by means of the RSR (Rank-sum ratio)-based model, for monitoring/reporting road safety development at regional level. The case study was focused on the road safety achievements in eleven Southeast Asian countries; identifying the areas of poor performance, potential problems and delays. These countries are finally grouped into several classes based on an overview of their progress and achievements regarding to road safety. The results allow the policymakers to better understand their own road safety progress toward their desired impact; more importantly, these results enable necessary interventions to be made in a quick and timely manner. Keeping action plans on schedule if things are not progressing as desired. This would avoid 'reinventing the wheel' and trial and error approaches to road safety, making the implementation of action plans more effective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A systematic review and summarization of the recommendations and research surrounding Curriculum-Based Measurement of oral reading fluency (CBM-R) decision rules.

PubMed

Ardoin, Scott P; Christ, Theodore J; Morena, Laura S; Cormier, Damien C; Klingbeil, David A

2013-02-01

Research and policy have established that data are necessary to guide decisions within education. Many of these decisions are made within problem solving and response to intervention frameworks for service delivery. Curriculum-Based Measurement in Reading (CBM-R) is a widely used data collection procedure within those models of service delivery. Although the evidence for CBM-R as a screening and benchmarking procedure has been summarized multiple times in the literature, there is no comprehensive review of the evidence for its application to monitor and evaluate individual student progress. The purpose of this study was to identify and summarize the psychometric and empirical evidence for CBM-R as it is used to monitor and evaluate student progress. There was an emphasis on the recommended number of data points collected during progress monitoring and interpretive guidelines. The review identified 171 journal articles, chapters, and instructional manuals using online search engines and research databases. Recommendations and evidence from 102 documents that met the study criteria were evaluated and summarized. Results indicate that most decision-making practices are based on expert opinion and that there is very limited psychometric or empirical support for such practices. There is a lack of published evidence to support program evaluation and progress monitoring with CBM-R. More research is required to inform data collection procedures and interpretive guidelines. Copyright © 2012 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of redshift- and duration-dependent clustering of gamma-ray bursts

DOE PAGES

Ukwatta, T. N.; Woźniak, P. R.

2015-11-05

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are detectable out to very large distances and as such are potentially powerful cosmological probes. Historically, the angular distribution of GRBs provided important information about their origin and physical properties. As a general population, GRBs are distributed isotropically across the sky. However, there are published reports that once binned by duration or redshift, GRBs display significant clustering. We have studied the redshift- and duration-dependent clustering of GRBs using proximity measures and kernel density estimation. Utilizing bursts detected by Burst and Transient Source Experiment, Fermi/gamma-ray burst monitor, and Swift/Burst Alert Telescope, we found marginal evidence for clustering inmore » very short duration GRBs lasting less than 100 ms. As a result, our analysis provides little evidence for significant redshift-dependent clustering of GRBs.« less

23 CFR 500.204 - TMS components for highway traffic data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... persons per automobile, light two-axle truck, and bus. The duration, geographic extent, and level of... methods include roadside monitoring, traveler surveys, the use of administrative records (e.g., accident...

23 CFR 500.204 - TMS components for highway traffic data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... persons per automobile, light two-axle truck, and bus. The duration, geographic extent, and level of... methods include roadside monitoring, traveler surveys, the use of administrative records (e.g., accident...

23 CFR 500.204 - TMS components for highway traffic data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... persons per automobile, light two-axle truck, and bus. The duration, geographic extent, and level of... methods include roadside monitoring, traveler surveys, the use of administrative records (e.g., accident...

23 CFR 500.204 - TMS components for highway traffic data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... persons per automobile, light two-axle truck, and bus. The duration, geographic extent, and level of... methods include roadside monitoring, traveler surveys, the use of administrative records (e.g., accident...

Chemiluminescence and bioluminescence microbe detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Chappelle, E.; Picciolo, G. L.; Jeffers, E. L.; Thomas, R. R.

1978-01-01

Automated biosensors for online use with NASA Water Monitoring System employs bioluminescence and chemiluminescence techniques to rapidly measure microbe contamination of water samples. System eliminates standard laboratory procedures requiring time duration of 24 hours or longer.

IE Data Processing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

RN4 DMT P6 CAnQ fram P4 Satellite ID-343567656469B Sensor Bias Node Voltages 1 1.27 0. 2 7.54 6.31 3 16.42 15.26 4 28.93 27.87 NmDber of sectors per...Monitor Interoretation Event Yloitor Voltage Change Sensor Operation Mode Cange Duration Frequency 0 20 Elec: Density Cal2 1024 ion: Density 1 K 2, 3of...34"Event monitor voltage decreases linearly fron 500 to 100 during electron sweep. • Event monitor voltage increases linearly from 10 to 500 during

High-resolution reflectometer for monitoring of biological samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Men, Liqiu; Lu, Ping; Chen, Qiying

2008-06-01

High-resolution optical low-coherence reflectometry is applied to monitor biological samples. It has been found that the reflectivity of aged cow's milk is significantly lower than that of the fresh milk with a difference of 5.35dB. During the process of heating the fresh milk at a constant temperature of 80°C, the reflectivity of the milk gradually decreases with the increase of the heating duration. The technique is proved to be effective in monitoring the change in the refractive index of the sample.

The Aims and Objectives of the Monitoring the Future Study and Progress toward Fulfilling Them as of 2001. Monitoring the Future Occasional Paper 52.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Lloyd D.; O'Malley, Patrick M.; Schulenberg, John E.; Bachman, Jerald G.

Monitoring the Future is an ongoing program of research intended to assess the changing lifestyles, values, and preferences of American youth. This publication, from the occasional paper series, describes a study that monitors drug use and potential explanatory factors among American secondary school students, college students, and young adults.…

Drug stability analyzer for long duration spaceflights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shende, Chetan; Smith, Wayne; Brouillette, Carl; Farquharson, Stuart

2014-06-01

Crewmembers of current and future long duration spaceflights require drugs to overcome the deleterious effects of weightlessness, sickness and injuries. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that some of the drugs currently used may degrade more rapidly in space, losing their potency well before their expiration dates. To complicate matters, the degradation products of some drugs can be toxic. Consequently there is a need for an analyzer that can determine if a drug is safe at the time of use, as well as to monitor and understand space-induced degradation, so that drug types, formulations, and packaging can be improved. Towards this goal we have been investigating the ability of Raman spectroscopy to monitor and quantify drug degradation. Here we present preliminary data by measuring acetaminophen, and its degradation product, p-aminophenol, as pure samples, and during forced degradation reactions.

Elevated levels of ferritin in the cerebrospinal fluid of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Zheng, Y; Gao, L; Wang, D; Zang, D

2017-08-01

The aim of the study was to detect changes in the levels of ferritin heavy chain (FHC), ferritin light chain (FLC), and transferrin in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and to analyze the correlations between the levels of these proteins and various clinical parameters. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples were obtained from 54 ALS patients and 46 non-inflammatory neurological disease control (non-INDC) patients. CSF and serum FHC, FLC, and transferring levels were measured via the enzyme-linked immunosorbent method using a commercial ELISA kit, and the times from onset (durations), ALS functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS-r) scores, and disease progression rates (DPRs) were analyzed by registered neurologists. Statistical analysis was performed via Prism software. Compared with controls, ALS patients exhibited significantly increased FHC and FLC levels in CSF, which were positively correlated with DPR and negatively correlated with duration. Serum transferrin levels were significantly increased in ALS patients but were not correlated with disease progression. FHC and FLC in CSF rapidly increased as the disease worsened. This study demonstrated that the clinical measurement of FHC and FLC in CSF may be beneficial for disease differentiation and evaluating progression in patients with ALS. Compared with levels in serum, the levels of FHC and FLC in CSF might be more reliable for diagnosing and assessing the progression of ALS. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Promoting early exposure monitoring for respirable crystalline silica: Taking the laboratory to the mine site

PubMed Central

Cauda, Emanuele; Miller, Arthur; Drake, Pamela

2017-01-01

The exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in the mining industry is a recognized occupational hazard. The assessment and monitoring of the exposure to RCS is limited by two main factors: (1) variability of the silica percent in the mining dust and (2) lengthy off-site laboratory analysis of collected samples. The monitoring of respirable dust via traditional or real-time techniques is not adequate. A solution for on-site quantification of RCS in dust samples is being investigated by the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, a division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The use of portable Fourier transform infrared analyzers in conjunction with a direct-on-filter analysis approach is proposed. The progress made so far, the necessary steps in progress, and the application of the monitoring solution to a small data set is presented. When developed, the solution will allow operators to estimate RCS immediately after sampling, resulting in timelier monitoring of RCS for self-assessment of compliance at the end of the shift, more effective engineering monitoring, and better evaluation of control technologies. PMID:26558490

Analysis and design of Cubesat constellation for the Mediterranean south costal monitoring against illegal immigration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazreg, Nissen; Ben Bahri, Omar; Besbes, Kamel

2018-02-01

Costal monitoring is focused on fast response to illegal immigration and illegal ship traffic. Especially, the illegal ship traffic has been present in media since April 2015, as the number of reported deaths of immigrants crossing the Mediterranean significantly increased. Satellite images provide a possibility to at least partially control both types of events. This paper defines the principal criteria to select the best satellite constellation architecture for maritime and coastal monitoring, filling the gaps of imagery techniques in term of real-time control. The primary purpose of a constellation is to obtain global measurement improving the temporal resolution. The small size and low-cost are the main factors, which make CubeSats ideal for use in constellations. We propose a constellation of 9 Cubesats distributed evenly in 3 different planes. This reduces the revisit time enhancing the coverage duration. In addition, it also allows observing fire, damage on building and similar disasters. In this analysis, the performance criteria were reported such as the revisit time, the vision duration and the area coverage.

Changes in maternal lipid peroxidation before and immediately after delivery.

PubMed

John, Jessy; Mathangi, D C; Dilara, K; Subhashini, A S; Vijayraghavan, Jaya

2012-08-01

Oxidative damage has been implicated in pathogenesis of many diseases. It is known that various kinds of stresses accelerate the production of free radicals. As pregnancy being a physiological state accompanied by a high energy demand of many bodily functions and an increased oxygen requirement, increased level of oxidative stress would be expected. The present study was to elucidate the degree of oxidative stress during labour and immediately after delivery. Twenty healthy pregnant women and age matched and 20 healthy non-pregnant women were selected as subjects for this longitudinal study. Plasma malondialdehyde concentration was estimated as thiobarbituric acid reacting substances. A significant (p < 0.01) increase in plasma malondialdehyde concentration was noted in pregnant women during labour than in the non-pregnant women. Plasma malondialdehyde concentration was noted to increase with the progression and duration of labour to immediately following delivery. Labour being stressful state results in oxidative stress, which increased with increase in duration and progression of the labour till immediately following delivery.

Learning From Leaders: Life-span Trends in Olympians and Supercentenarians

PubMed Central

Berthelot, Geoffroy; Marck, Adrien; Noirez, Philippe; Latouche, Aurélien; Toussaint, Jean-François

2015-01-01

Life-span trends progression has worldwide practical implications as it may affect the sustainability of modern societies. We aimed to describe the secular life-span trends of populations with a propensity to live longer—Olympians and supercentenarians—under two hypotheses: an ongoing life-span extension versus a biologic “probabilistic barrier” limiting further progression. In a study of life-span densities (total number of life durations per birth date), we analyzed 19,012 Olympians and 1,205 supercentenarians deceased between 1900 and 2013. Among most Olympians, we observed a trend toward increased life duration. This trend, however, decelerates at advanced ages leveling off with the upper values with a perennial gap between Olympians and supercentenarians during the whole observation period. Similar tendencies are observed among supercentenarians, and over the last years, a plateau attests to a stable longevity pattern among the longest-lived humans. The common trends between Olympians and supercentenarians indicate similar mortality pressures over both populations that increase with age, scenario better explained by a biologic “barrier” forecast. PMID:25143003

The Effectiveness of the Progression of Widex Zen Tinnitus Therapy: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Tyler, Richard S; Deshpande, Aniruddha K; Lau, Chi C; Kuk, Francis

2017-09-18

The aim of this study was to measure the progression of benefits to individuals with tinnitus from providing informational counseling, hearing aids, a brief tinnitus activities treatment and Zen therapy. Several magnitude estimation scales and tinnitus handicap scales were administered for the duration of the study to 20 participants. Results indicated that all participants benefited from this sequential approach of providing different components of this tinnitus treatment. Large benefits were observed following the tinnitus activities treatment and the Zen treatments. We conclude that the progressive approach of treatment demonstrated here should be of benefit to most individuals with tinnitus and that the Widex Zen sound therapy is a worthwhile treatment for many tinnitus sufferers.

Patterns and predictors of skin score change in early diffuse systemic sclerosis from the European Scleroderma Observational Study

PubMed Central

Herrick, Ariane L; Peytrignet, Sebastien; Lunt, Mark; Pan, Xiaoyan; Hesselstrand, Roger; Mouthon, Luc; Silman, Alan J; Dinsdale, Graham; Brown, Edith; Czirják, László; Distler, Jörg H W; Distler, Oliver; Fligelstone, Kim; Gregory, William J; Ochiel, Rachel; Vonk, Madelon C; Ancuţa, Codrina; Ong, Voon H; Farge, Dominique; Hudson, Marie; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; Balbir-Gurman, Alexandra; Midtvedt, Øyvind; Jobanputra, Paresh; Jordan, Alison C; Stevens, Wendy; Moinzadeh, Pia; Hall, Frances C; Agard, Christian; Anderson, Marina E; Diot, Elisabeth; Madhok, Rajan; Akil, Mohammed; Buch, Maya H; Chung, Lorinda; Damjanov, Nemanja S; Gunawardena, Harsha; Lanyon, Peter; Ahmad, Yasmeen; Chakravarty, Kuntal; Jacobsen, Søren; MacGregor, Alexander J; McHugh, Neil; Müller-Ladner, Ulf; Riemekasten, Gabriela; Becker, Michael; Roddy, Janet; Carreira, Patricia E; Fauchais, Anne Laure; Hachulla, Eric; Hamilton, Jennifer; İnanç, Murat; McLaren, John S; van Laar, Jacob M; Pathare, Sanjay; Proudman, Susanna M; Rudin, Anna; Sahhar, Joanne; Coppere, Brigitte; Serratrice, Christine; Sheeran, Tom; Veale, Douglas J; Grange, Claire; Trad, Georges-Selim; Denton, Christopher P

2018-01-01

Objectives Our aim was to use the opportunity provided by the European Scleroderma Observational Study to (1) identify and describe those patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) with progressive skin thickness, and (2) derive prediction models for progression over 12 months, to inform future randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Methods The modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) was recorded every 3 months in 326 patients. ‘Progressors’ were defined as those experiencing a 5-unit and 25% increase in mRSS score over 12 months (±3 months). Logistic models were fitted to predict progression and, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, were compared on the basis of the area under curve (AUC), accuracy and positive predictive value (PPV). Results 66 patients (22.5%) progressed, 227 (77.5%) did not (33 could not have their status assessed due to insufficient data). Progressors had shorter disease duration (median 8.1 vs 12.6 months, P=0.001) and lower mRSS (median 19 vs 21 units, P=0.030) than non-progressors. Skin score was highest, and peaked earliest, in the anti-RNA polymerase III (Pol3+) subgroup (n=50). A first predictive model (including mRSS, duration of skin thickening and their interaction) had an accuracy of 60.9%, AUC of 0.666 and PPV of 33.8%. By adding a variable for Pol3 positivity, the model reached an accuracy of 71%, AUC of 0.711 and PPV of 41%. Conclusions Two prediction models for progressive skin thickening were derived, for use both in clinical practice and for cohort enrichment in RCTs. These models will inform recruitment into the many clinical trials of dcSSc projected for the coming years. Trial registration number NCT02339441. PMID:29306872

Rating disease progression of Friedreich’s ataxia by the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale: analysis of a 603-patient database

PubMed Central

Coppard, Nicholas; Cooper, Jonathon M.; Delatycki, Martin B.; Dürr, Alexandra; Di Prospero, Nicholas A.; Giunti, Paola; Lynch, David R.; Schulz, J. B.; Rummey, Christian; Meier, Thomas

2013-01-01

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyse disease progression in Friedreich’s ataxia as measured by the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale. Single ratings from 603 patients with Friedreich’s ataxia were analysed as a function of disease duration, age of onset and GAA repeat lengths. The relative contribution of items and subscales to the total score was studied as a function of disease progression. In addition, the scaling properties were assessed using standard statistical measures. Average total scale progression per year depends on the age of disease onset, the time since diagnosis and the GAA repeat length. The age of onset inversely correlates with increased GAA repeat length. For patients with an age of onset ≤14 years associated with a longer repeat length, the average yearly rate of decline was 2.5 ± 0.18 points in the total International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale for the first 20 years of disease duration, whereas patients with a later onset progress more slowly (1.8 ± 0.27 points/year). Ceiling effects in posture, gait and lower limb scale items lead to a reduced sensitivity of the scale in the severely affected population with a total score of >60 points. Psychometric scaling analysis shows generally favourable properties for the total scale, but the subscale grouping could be improved. This cross-sectional study provides a detailed characterization of the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale. The analysis further provides rates of change separated for patients with early and late disease onset, which is driven by the GAA repeat length. Differences in the subscale dynamics merit consideration in the design of future clinical trials applying this scale as a neurological assessment instrument in Friedreich’s ataxia. PMID:23365101

Bridge scour monitoring methods at three sites in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, John F.; Hughes, Peter E.

2005-01-01

Of the nearly 11,500 bridges in Wisconsin, 89 have been assessed with critical scour conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Marathon County Highway Department, and the Jefferson County Highway Department, performed routine monitoring of streambed elevations for three bridges. Two monitoring approaches were employed: (1) manual monitoring using moderately simple equipment, and (2) automated monitoring, using moderately sophisticated electronic equipment. The results from all three sites demonstrate that both techniques can produce reasonable measurements of streambed elevation. The manual technique has a lower annual operating cost, and is useful for cases where documentation of long-term trends is desired. The automated technique has a higher annual operating cost and is useful for real-time monitoring of episodic events with short time durations. 

Measuring Progress Toward Universal Health Coverage: Does the Monitoring Framework of Bangladesh Need Further Improvement?

PubMed

Gupta, Rajat Das; Shahabuddin, Asm

2018-01-08

This review aimed to compare Bangladesh's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) monitoring framework with the global-level recommendations and to find out the existing gaps of Bangladesh's UHC monitoring framework compared to the global recommendations. In order to reach the aims of the review, we systematically searched two electronic databases - PubMed and Google Scholar - by using appropriate keywords to select articles that describe issues related to UHC and the monitoring framework of UHC applied globally and particularly in Bangladesh. Four relevant documents were found and synthesized. The review found that Bangladesh incorporated all of the recommendations suggested by the global monitoring framework regarding mentoring the financial risk protection and equity perspective. However, a significant gap in the monitoring framework related to service coverage was observed. Although Bangladesh has a significant burden of mental illnesses, cataract, and neglected tropical diseases, indicators related to these issues were absent in Bangladesh's UHC framework. Moreover, palliative-care-related indicators were completely missing in the framework. The results of this review suggest that Bangladesh should incorporate these indicators in their UHC monitoring framework in order to track the progress of the country toward UHC more efficiently and in a robust way.

Status and trends monitoring of the mainstem Columbia River: sample frame development and review of programs relevant to the development of an integrated approach to monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Counihan, Timothy D.; Hardiman, Jill M.; Waste, Stephen

2013-01-01

Implementing an Integrated Status and Trends Monitoring program (ISTM) for the mainstem Columbia River will help identify trends in important natural resources and help us understand the long-term collective effects of management actions. In this report, we present progress towards the completion of a stepwise process that will facilitate the development of an ISTM for the mainstem Columbia River. We discuss planning and regulatory documents that can be used to identify monitoring goals and objectives and present existing monitoring and research activities that should be considered as the development of a Columbia River ISTM proceeds. We also report progress towards the development of sample frames for the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their floodplains. The sample frames were formulated using Digital Elevation Models (DEM’s) of the river channel and upland areas and a Generalized Random-Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) algorithm for an area based resource to generate “master sample(s).” Working with the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) we facilitated the transfer of the sample frames to the PNAMP “Monitoring Sample Designer” tool. We then discuss aspects of response and survey designs as they pertain to the formulation of a mainstem Columbia River ISTM. As efforts to formulate an ISTM for the mainstem Columbia River proceed, practitioners should utilize the extensive literature describing the planning and implementation of fish and wildlife mitigation and recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin. While we make progress towards establishing an ISTM framework, considerable work needs to be done to formulate an ISTM program for the mainstem Columbia River. Long-term monitoring programs have been established for other large rivers systems; scientists that have experience planning, implementing, and maintaining large river monitoring efforts such as those in the Colorado, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers should be consulted and involved as efforts proceed.

A Framework for Monitoring Progress Using Summary Measures of Health.

PubMed

Madans, Jennifer H; Weeks, Julie D

2016-10-01

Initiatives designed to monitor health typically incorporate numerous specific measures of health and the health system to assess improvements, or lack thereof, for policy and program purposes. The addition of summary measures provides overarching information which is essential for determining whether the goals of such initiatives are met. Summary measures are identified that relate to the individual indicators but that also reflect movement in the various parts of the system. A hierarchical framework that is conceptually consistent and which utilizes a succinct number of summary measures incorporating indicators of functioning and participation is proposed. While a large set of individual indicators can be useful for monitoring progress, these individual indicators do not provide an overall evaluation of health, defined broadly, at the population level. A hierarchical framework consisting of summary measures is important for monitoring the success of health improvement initiatives. © The Author(s) 2016.

Recent Progress in Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring: A Review

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The environmental monitoring has been one of the priorities at the European and global scale due to the close relationship between the environmental pollution and the human health/socioeconomic development. In this field, the biosensors have been widely employed as cost-effective, fast, in situ, and real-time analytical techniques. The need of portable, rapid, and smart biosensing devices explains the recent development of biosensors with new transduction materials, obtained from nanotechnology, and for multiplexed pollutant detection, involving multidisciplinary experts. This review article provides an update on recent progress in biosensors for the monitoring of air, water, and soil pollutants in real conditions such as pesticides, potentially toxic elements, and small organic molecules including toxins and endocrine disrupting chemicals. PMID:29244756

Recent Progress in Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring: A Review.

PubMed

Justino, Celine I L; Duarte, Armando C; Rocha-Santos, Teresa A P

2017-12-15

The environmental monitoring has been one of the priorities at the European and global scale due to the close relationship between the environmental pollution and the human health/socioeconomic development. In this field, the biosensors have been widely employed as cost-effective, fast, in situ, and real-time analytical techniques. The need of portable, rapid, and smart biosensing devices explains the recent development of biosensors with new transduction materials, obtained from nanotechnology, and for multiplexed pollutant detection, involving multidisciplinary experts. This review article provides an update on recent progress in biosensors for the monitoring of air, water, and soil pollutants in real conditions such as pesticides, potentially toxic elements, and small organic molecules including toxins and endocrine disrupting chemicals.

The Gap That Can't Go Away: The Catch-22 of Reclassification in Monitoring the Progress of English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, William M.; Marcelletti, David J.

2013-01-01

When English Learners (ELs) demonstrate English language proficiency, they are reclassified as Fluent English Proficient (RFEP). Subsequently they are often left out of the analysis of EL progress because they are, technically, no longer ELs. This article examines the effects of including and excluding RFEPs from the analysis of EL progress. Based…

Progress since the World Summit for Children: A Statistical Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

One of the strengths of the 1990 World Summit for Children was its emphasis on goals to drive development and shape actions, and on the need to monitor progress, thereby transforming the way the world collected and processed data on children and women and creating a vital base and baseline for progress. In 2000, an exhaustive end-decade review of…

Meeting the Challenge of Adequate Yearly Progress: How One School Is Learning to Leave No Child Behind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jacqueline S.; Soltez, Jeff

2003-01-01

This article describes the step-by-step process Ross Elementary in Topeka, Kan., used to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. A simple process of using teamwork, setting specific measurable goals, and frequent monitoring of student progress toward these goals allowed Ross to significantly…

Effectiveness of an Extended Yoga Treatment for Women with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

PubMed

Price, Maggi; Spinazzola, Joseph; Musicaro, Regina; Turner, Jennifer; Suvak, Michael; Emerson, David; van der Kolk, Bessel

2017-04-01

Yoga has been found to be an effective posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment for a variety of trauma survivors, including females with chronic PTSD. Aim/Purpose: The current study builds on extant research by examining an extended trauma-sensitive yoga treatment for women with chronic PTSD. The study sought to optimize the results of a treatment protocol examined in a recent randomized controlled trial with a shorter duration and without assignment or monitoring of home practice. The authors examined a 20-week trauma-sensitive yoga treatment in a non-randomized single-group treatment feasibility study for women with chronic treatment-resistant PTSD (N = 9). The authors examined PTSD and dissociation symptom reduction over several assessment periods. The results indicate that participants experienced significant reductions in PTSD and dissociative symptomatology above and beyond similar treatments of a shorter duration. The findings suggest that more intensive trauma-sensitive yoga treatment characterized by longer duration and intentional assignment and monitoring of home practice may be more advantageous for individuals with severe and chronic PTSD. The implications of the findings for the potentially more substantial role of yoga as an intervention for a subset of adults with chronic treatment-resistant PTSD are discussed.

iLid: Low-power Sensing of Fatigue and Drowsiness Measures on a Computational Eyeglass

PubMed Central

ROSTAMINIA, SOHA; MAYBERRY, ADDISON; GANESAN, DEEPAK; MARLIN, BENJAMIN; GUMMESON, JEREMY

2018-01-01

The ability to monitor eye closures and blink patterns has long been known to enable accurate assessment of fatigue and drowsiness in individuals. Many measures of the eye are known to be correlated with fatigue including coarse-grained measures like the rate of blinks as well as fine-grained measures like the duration of blinks and the extent of eye closures. Despite a plethora of research validating these measures, we lack wearable devices that can continually and reliably monitor them in the natural environment. In this work, we present a low-power system, iLid, that can continually sense fine-grained measures such as blink duration and Percentage of Eye Closures (PERCLOS) at high frame rates of 100fps. We present a complete solution including design of the sensing, signal processing, and machine learning pipeline; implementation on a prototype computational eyeglass platform; and extensive evaluation under many conditions including illumination changes, eyeglass shifts, and mobility. Our results are very encouraging, showing that we can detect blinks, blink duration, eyelid location, and fatigue-related metrics such as PERCLOS with less than a few percent error. PMID:29417956

Assessment of curing behavior of light-activated dental composites using intensity correlation based multiple reference optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Dsouza, Roshan; Subhash, Hrebesh; Neuhaus, Kai; Kantamneni, Ramakrishna; McNamara, Paul M; Hogan, Josh; Wilson, Carol; Leahy, Martin

2016-01-01

Monitoring the curing kinetics of light-activated resin is a key area of research. These resins are used in restorative applications and particularly in dental applications. They can undergo volumetric shrinkage due to poor control of the depth dependent curing process, modulated by the intensity and duration of the curing light source. This often results in the formation of marginal gaps, causing pain and damage to the restoration site. In this study, we demonstrate the capabilities of a correlation method applied using a multiple references optical coherence tomography (MR-OCT) architecture to monitor the curing of the resin. A MR-OCT system is used in this study to monitor the curing of the resin. The system operates at the center wavelength of 1310 nm with an A-scan rate of 1200 A-scans per second. The axial and lateral resolution of the system is ∼13 μm and ∼27 μm. The method to determine the intensity correlation between adjacent B-frames is based on the Pearson correlation coefficient for a region of interest. Calculating the correlation coefficient for multiple B-frames related to the first B-frame at regular spaced time points, shows for a noncured resin a reduction of the correlation coefficient over time due to Brownian motion. The time constant of the reduction of the correlation value is a measure for the progress of the polymerization during LED light irradiation of the resin. The proposed approach is potentially a low-cost, powerful and unique optical imaging modality for measuring the curing behavior of dental resin and other resins, coatings, and adhesives in medical and industrial applications. To demonstrate the proposed method to monitor the curing process, a light-activated resin composite from GRADIA DIRECT ANTERIOR (GC Corporation, Japan) is studied. The curing time of resin was measured and monitored as a function of depth. The correlation coefficient method is highly sensitive to Brownian motion. The process of curing results in a change in intensity as measured by the MR-OCT signal and hence can be monitored using this method. These results show that MR-OCT has the potential to measure the curing time and monitor the curing process as a function of depth. Moreover, MR-OCT as a product has potential to be compact, low-cost and to fit into a smartphone. Using such a device for monitoring the curing of the resin will be suitable for dentists in stationary and mobile clinical settings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vemurafenib for BRAF V600 mutated advanced melanoma: results of treatment beyond progression.

PubMed

Scholtens, A; Geukes Foppen, M H; Blank, C U; van Thienen, J V; van Tinteren, H; Haanen, J B

2015-03-01

Selective BRAF inhibition (BRAFi) by vemurafenib or dabrafenib has become approved standard treatment in BRAF V600 mutated advanced stage melanoma. While the response rate is high, the response duration is limited with a progression-free survival (PFS) of 5-6months. Our observation of accelerated disease progression within some patients after stopping vemurafenib treatment has fostered the idea of treatment beyond progression (BRAFi TBP). In this retrospective study, we analysed 70 metastatic melanoma patients, treated at our institute, who experienced progression after prior objective response upon treatment with vemurafenib. Thirty-five patients that continued treatment beyond progression are compared with 35 patients who stopped BRAFi treatment at disease progression. Median overall survival beyond documented progression was found to be 5.2months versus 1.4months (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.8-7.4 versus 0.6-3.4; Log-Rank p=0.002) in favour of BRAFi TBP. In the multivariate survival analysis, stopping treatment at disease progression was significantly associated with shorter survival (hazard ratio: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.04-3.55; p=0.04). Our results suggest that continuing vemurafenib treatment beyond progression may be beneficial in advanced melanoma patients, who prior to progression responded to vemurafenib. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiac monitoring for detection of atrial fibrillation after TIA: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Korompoki, Eleni; Del Giudice, Angela; Hillmann, Steffi; Malzahn, Uwe; Gladstone, David J; Heuschmann, Peter; Veltkamp, Roland

2017-01-01

Background and purpose The detection rate of atrial fibrillation has not been studied specifically in transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients although extrapolation from ischemic stroke may be inadequate. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the rate of newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation using different methods of ECG monitoring in TIA. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed following a pre-specified protocol the PRISMA statement. Prospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials were considered that included TIA patients who underwent cardiac monitoring for >12 h. Primary outcome was frequency of detection of atrial fibrillation ≥30 s. Analyses of subgroups and of duration and type of monitoring were performed. Results Seventeen studies enrolling 1163 patients were included. The pooled atrial fibrillation detection rate for all methods was 4% (95% CI: 2-7%). Yield of monitoring was higher in selected (higher age, more extensive testing for arrhythmias before enrolment, or presumed cardioembolic/cryptogenic cause) than in unselected cohorts (7% vs 3%). Pooled mean atrial fibrillation detection rates rose with duration of monitoring: 4% (24 h), 5% (24 h to 7 days) and 6% (>7 days), respectively. Yield of non-invasive was significantly lower than that of invasive monitoring (4% vs. 11%). Significant heterogeneity was observed among studies (I 2 =60.61%). Conclusion This first meta-analysis of atrial fibrillation detection in TIA patients finds a lower atrial fibrillation detection rate in TIA than reported for IS and TIA cohorts in previous meta-analyses. Prospective studies are needed to determine actual prevalence of atrial fibrillation and optimal diagnostic procedure for atrial fibrillation detection in TIA.

Continuous monitoring of odours from a composting plant using electronic noses.

PubMed

Sironi, Selena; Capelli, Laura; Céntola, Paolo; Del Rosso, Renato; Il Grande, Massimiliano

2007-01-01

The odour impact of a composting plant situated in an urbanized area was evaluated by continuously monitoring the ambient air close to the plant during a period of about 4 days using two electronic noses. One electronic nose was installed in a nearby house, and the other one inside the perimeter of the composting plant in order to compare the response of both instruments. The results of the monitoring are represented by tables that report the olfactory class and the odour concentration value attributed to the analyzed air for each of the 370 measurements carried out during the monitoring period. The electronic nose installed at the house detected the presence of odours coming from the composting plant for about 7.8% of the monitoring total duration. Of the odour detections, 86% (25 of 29 measurements) were classified as belonging to the olfactory class corresponding to the open air storage of the waste screening overflows heaps, which was therefore identified to be the major odour source of the monitored composting plant. In correspondence of the measurements during which the electronic nose inside the house detected the presence of odours from the composting plant, the olfactory classes recognized by both instruments coincide. Moreover, the electronic nose at the house detected the presence of odours from the composting plant at issue in correspondence of each odour perception of the house occupants. The results of the study show the possibility of using an electronic nose for environmental odours monitoring, which enables the classification of the quality of the air and to quantify the olfactory nuisance from an industrial source in terms of duration and odour concentration.

Continuous event monitoring via a Bayesian predictive approach.

PubMed

Di, Jianing; Wang, Daniel; Brashear, H Robert; Dragalin, Vladimir; Krams, Michael

2016-01-01

In clinical trials, continuous monitoring of event incidence rate plays a critical role in making timely decisions affecting trial outcome. For example, continuous monitoring of adverse events protects the safety of trial participants, while continuous monitoring of efficacy events helps identify early signals of efficacy or futility. Because the endpoint of interest is often the event incidence associated with a given length of treatment duration (e.g., incidence proportion of an adverse event with 2 years of dosing), assessing the event proportion before reaching the intended treatment duration becomes challenging, especially when the event onset profile evolves over time with accumulated exposure. In particular, in the earlier part of the study, ignoring censored subjects may result in significant bias in estimating the cumulative event incidence rate. Such a problem is addressed using a predictive approach in the Bayesian framework. In the proposed approach, experts' prior knowledge about both the frequency and timing of the event occurrence is combined with observed data. More specifically, during any interim look, each event-free subject will be counted with a probability that is derived using prior knowledge. The proposed approach is particularly useful in early stage studies for signal detection based on limited information. But it can also be used as a tool for safety monitoring (e.g., data monitoring committee) during later stage trials. Application of the approach is illustrated using a case study where the incidence rate of an adverse event is continuously monitored during an Alzheimer's disease clinical trial. The performance of the proposed approach is also assessed and compared with other Bayesian and frequentist methods via simulation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A novel explosive process is required for the gamma-ray burst GRB 060614.

PubMed

Gal-Yam, A; Fox, D B; Price, P A; Ofek, E O; Davis, M R; Leonard, D C; Soderberg, A M; Schmidt, B P; Lewis, K M; Peterson, B A; Kulkarni, S R; Berger, E; Cenko, S B; Sari, R; Sharon, K; Frail, D; Moon, D-S; Brown, P J; Cucchiara, A; Harrison, F; Piran, T; Persson, S E; McCarthy, P J; Penprase, B E; Chevalier, R A; MacFadyen, A I

2006-12-21

Over the past decade, our physical understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has progressed rapidly, thanks to the discovery and observation of their long-lived afterglow emission. Long-duration (> 2 s) GRBs are associated with the explosive deaths of massive stars ('collapsars', ref. 1), which produce accompanying supernovae; the short-duration (< or = 2 s) GRBs have a different origin, which has been argued to be the merger of two compact objects. Here we report optical observations of GRB 060614 (duration approximately 100 s, ref. 10) that rule out the presence of an associated supernova. This would seem to require a new explosive process: either a massive collapsar that powers a GRB without any associated supernova, or a new type of 'engine', as long-lived as the collapsar but without a massive star. We also show that the properties of the host galaxy (redshift z = 0.125) distinguish it from other long-duration GRB hosts and suggest that an entirely new type of GRB progenitor may be required.

Acquisition of speech rhythm in a second language by learners with rhythmically different native languages.

PubMed

Ordin, Mikhail; Polyanskaya, Leona

2015-08-01

The development of speech rhythm in second language (L2) acquisition was investigated. Speech rhythm was defined as durational variability that can be captured by the interval-based rhythm metrics. These metrics were used to examine the differences in durational variability between proficiency levels in L2 English spoken by French and German learners. The results reveal that durational variability increased as L2 acquisition progressed in both groups of learners. This indicates that speech rhythm in L2 English develops from more syllable-timed toward more stress-timed patterns irrespective of whether the native language of the learner is rhythmically similar to or different from the target language. Although both groups showed similar development of speech rhythm in L2 acquisition, there were also differences: German learners achieved a degree of durational variability typical of the target language, while French learners exhibited lower variability than native British speakers, even at an advanced proficiency level.

Positive Feedback Keeps Duration of Mitosis Temporally Insulated from Upstream Cell-Cycle Events.

PubMed

Araujo, Ana Rita; Gelens, Lendert; Sheriff, Rahuman S M; Santos, Silvia D M

2016-10-20

Cell division is characterized by a sequence of events by which a cell gives rise to two daughter cells. Quantitative measurements of cell-cycle dynamics in single cells showed that despite variability in G1-, S-, and G2 phases, duration of mitosis is short and remarkably constant. Surprisingly, there is no correlation between cell-cycle length and mitotic duration, suggesting that mitosis is temporally insulated from variability in earlier cell-cycle phases. By combining live cell imaging and computational modeling, we showed that positive feedback is the molecular mechanism underlying the temporal insulation of mitosis. Perturbing positive feedback gave rise to a sluggish, variable entry and progression through mitosis and uncoupled duration of mitosis from variability in cell cycle length. We show that positive feedback is important to keep mitosis short, constant, and temporally insulated and anticipate it might be a commonly used regulatory strategy to create modularity in other biological systems. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Continuous enteral nutrition in the treatment of infants with "travelers' diarrhea" and severe malnutrition].

PubMed

Collet, J P; Hermier, M; Gallet, S; Descos, B; Lachaux, A; Guillermet, F; Martin, M J

1986-01-01

A prospective study of children aged 2-22 mos with traveller's diarrhea and severe malnutrition (weight loss greater than or equal to 10%; mean 17.8%) treated with a standardized progressive semi-elemental drip feeding (Alfaré and Dextrine-maltose) after rehydration was undertaken. In 18 children, this therapy was successful and duration of the hospital stay was 15.7 days. In 6 other children, relapse was treated with the same protocol with success and duration of the hospital stay was 29 days. Total parenteral nutrition was unnecessary. Evolution of serum prealbumin and anthropometric parameters was good.

77 FR 65903 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... proposal; annual progress reports are required for awards of a two- to five-year duration. Final reports.../ . Responses are voluntary. No questions of a ``sensitive'' nature are asked. Affected Public: Research... benefits. Frequency of Collection: Annually: Grant proposals and reporting; Every two to five years...

Space: The Final Frontier of Bone Density

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sibonga, Jean D.

2011-01-01

It is a medical requirement at NASA to evaluate the skeletal integrity of "long-duration" astronauts by measuring bone mineral density [BMD] with DXA technology. A long-duration mission is a spaceflight that is greater than 30 days but is typically the continuous 120-180 day missions aboard the International Space Station [ISS]. Not only does NASA use the BMD index to monitor fracture risk in this astronaut population, but these measures are also used to describe the effects of spaceflight, to certify skeletal health readiness for flight, to monitor the recovery of lost bone mass after return to earth, and to evaluate the efficacy of countermeasures to bone loss. However, despite the fact that DXA-based BMD is a widely-applied surrogate for bone strength that is grounded in an abundance of population-based fracture data, its applicability to the long-duration astronaut is limited. The cohort of long-duration astronauts is not the typical group for evaluating osteoporosis or determining age-related fracture risk. The cohort is young (< 55 years), predominantly male and exposed to novel risk factors for bone loss besides the weightlessness of space. NASA is concerned about early onset osteoporosis in the astronaut exposed to long-duration spaceflight, especially since any detectable symptoms are likely to manifest after return to earth and perhaps years after space travel. This risk raises the question: is NASA doing enough now to mitigate a fracture event that may manifest later? This presentation will discuss the limitations and constraints to understanding skeletal changes due to prolonged spaceflight and the recommendations, by clinical experts in osteoporosis and BMD, to transition research technologies for clinical decision-making by NASA.