Evolution of the microstructure of unmodified and polymer modified asphalt binders with aging in an accelerated weathering tester.

PubMed

Menapace, Ilaria; Masad, Eyad

2016-09-01

This paper presents findings on the evolution of the surface microstructure of two asphalt binders, one unmodified and one polymer modified, directly exposed to aging agents with increasing durations. The aging is performed using an accelerated weathering tester, where ultraviolet radiation, oxygen and an increased temperature are applied to the asphalt binder surface. Ultraviolet and dark cycles, which simulated the succession of day and night, alternated during the aging process, and also the temperature varied, which corresponded to typical summer day and night temperatures registered in the state of Qatar. Direct aging of an exposed binder surface is more effective in showing microstructural modifications than previously applied protocols, which involved the heat treatment of binders previously aged with standardized methods. With the new protocol, any molecular rearrangements in the binder surface after aging induced by the heat treatment is prevented. Optical photos show the rippling and degradation of the binder surface due to aging. Microstructure images obtained by means of atomic force microscopy show gradual alteration of the surface due to aging. The original relatively flat microstructure was substituted with a profoundly different microstructure, which significantly protrudes from the surface, and is characterized by various shapes, such as rods, round structures and finally 'flower' or 'leaf' structures. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Pulp and paper mill effluent treatments have differential endocrine-disrupting effects on rainbow trout.

PubMed

Orrego, Rodrigo; Guchardi, John; Hernandez, Victor; Krause, Rachelle; Roti, Lucia; Armour, Jeffrey; Ganeshakumar, Mathumai; Holdway, Douglas

2009-01-01

Endocrine disruption (ED) effects due to pulp and paper mill effluents extracts involving different industrial procedures and effluent treatments (nontreated, primary, and secondary treated) were evaluated using immature triploid rainbow trout in a pulse-exposure toxicity experiment. The protocol involved the use of intraperitoneal injection of mill extracts (solid-phase extraction [SPE]) corrected for individual fish weight and included several laboratory standards (steroidal hormones and phytosterols). Biological endpoints at two different levels of biological organization were analyzed (molecular and individual organism). Results indicated that nonsignificant changes were observed in the individual physiological indices represented by condition factor, liver somatic index, and gonad somatic index during the experiment. Significant induction of liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity was observed between different effluent treatments and experimental controls. Significant endocrine-disrupting effects at the reproductive level were observed in all effluent treatments involving significant increments in plasma vitellogenin (VTG) levels. Fish exposed to untreated effluent extracts had significantly higher VTG levels compared to fish exposed to primary and secondary treatment effluent extracts, indicating a decrease of the estrogenic effect due to the effluent treatment. The present study has shown that for the Chilean pulp and paper mill SPE extracts evaluated, an endocrine disruption effect was induced in immature triploid rainbow, reaffirming the significant estrogenic effects demonstrated previously in laboratory and field experiments.

Skin analysis following dermal exposure to kerosene in rats: the effects of postmortem exposure and fire.

PubMed

Hieda, Yoko; Tsujino, Yoshio; Xue, Yuying; Takayama, Koji; Fujihara, Junko; Kimura, Kojiro; Dekio, Satoshi

2004-02-01

To evaluate the usefulness of skin analysis for the forensic examination of cases involving postmortem dermal exposure to kerosene and/or fire, an experimental study using rats was performed. Rats received dermal exposure to kerosene before or after death, and the effect of fire was determined by burning an area of exposed skin after death. Kerosene concentrations in skin and blood were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and microscopic observation was performed for skin samples. No differences were observed in skin kerosene levels between antemortem and postmortem exposure. Kerosene concentrations in mildly burned skin where the stratum corneum (SC) was retained were approximately 84% compared to those in non-burned exposed skin, whereas concentrations in severely burned skin where the SC was almost completely burned off were 28% of non-burned skin. Even in non-exposed control skin 14% of the original kerosene concentrations could be detected, which was considered to be caused by contamination during the experimental protocol combined with kerosene's property of a high affinity for the SC. These results suggest that (1) skin analysis is useful in estimating the type of petroleum product involved in crimes or accidents even for postmortem exposure, (2) whether the SC is retained or not primarily determined the kerosene levels in burned skin, and (3) attention must be paid to evaluate the results obtained from skin samples in the light of the circumstances surrounding the case.

Sub-millisecond ligand probing of cell receptors with multiple solution exchange

PubMed Central

Sylantyev, Sergiy; Rusakov, Dmitri A

2013-01-01

The accurate knowledge of receptor kinetics is crucial to our understanding of cell signal transduction in general and neural function in particular. The classical technique of probing membrane receptors on a millisecond scale involves placing a recording micropipette with a membrane patch in front of a double-barrel (θ-glass) application pipette mounted on a piezo actuator. Driven by electric pulses, the actuator can rapidly shift the θ-glass pipette tip, thus exposing the target receptors to alternating ligand solutions. However, membrane patches survive for only a few minutes, thus normally restricting such experiments to a single-application protocol. In order to overcome this deficiency, we have introduced pressurized supply microcircuits in the θ-glass channels, thus enabling repeated replacement of application solutions within 10–15 s. this protocol, which has been validated in our recent studies and takes 20–60 min to implement, allows the characterization of ligand-receptor interactions with high sensitivity, thereby also enabling a powerful paired-sample statistical design. PMID:23744290

A study protocol for the evaluation of occupational mutagenic/carcinogenic risks in subjects exposed to antineoplastic drugs: a multicentric project

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Some industrial hygiene studies have assessed occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs; other epidemiological investigations have detected various toxicological effects in exposure groups labeled with the job title. In no research has the same population been studied both environmentally and epidemiologically. The protocol of the epidemiological study presented here uses an integrated environmental and biological monitoring approach. The aim is to assess in hospital nurses preparing and/or administering therapy to cancer patients the current level of occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, DNA and chromosome damage as cancer predictive effects, and the association between the two. Methods/Design About 80 healthy non-smoking female nurses, who job it is to prepare or handle antineoplastic drugs, and a reference group of about 80 healthy non-smoking female nurses not occupationally exposed to chemicals will be examined simultaneously in a cross-sectional study. All the workers will be recruited from five hospitals in northern and central Italy after their informed consent has been obtained. Evaluation of surface contamination and dermal exposure to antineoplastic drugs will be assessed by determining cyclophosphamide on selected surfaces (wipes) and on the exposed nurses' clothes (pads). The concentration of unmetabolized cyclophosphamide as a biomarker of internal dose will be measured in end-shift urine samples from exposed nurses. Biomarkers of effect and susceptibility will be assessed in exposed and unexposed nurses: urinary concentration of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine; DNA damage detected using the single-cell microgel electrophoresis (comet) assay in peripheral white blood cells; micronuclei and chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Genetic polymorphisms for enzymes involved in metabolic detoxification (i.e. glutathione S-transferases) will also be analysed. Using standardized questionnaires, occupational exposure will be determined in exposed nurses only, whereas potential confounders (medicine consumption, lifestyle habits, diet and other non-occupational exposures) will be assessed in both groups of hospital workers. Statistical analysis will be performed to ascertain the association between occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs and biomarkers of DNA and chromosome damage, after taking into account the effects of individual genetic susceptibility, and the presence of confounding exposures. Discussion The findings of the study will be useful in updating prevention procedures for handling antineoplastic drugs. PMID:21450074

Distribution of Information in Ad Hoc Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

2.4. MACA Protocol...................................20 Figure 2.5. Route discovery in AODV (From [32]).............28 Figure 2.6. Creation of a...19 Figure 2.3. Exposed terminal Problem (From [20]) (3) MACA and MACAW Protocols. One of the first protocols conceived for wireless local area...networks is MACA [21] (Multiple Accesses with Collision Avoidance). The transmitter sends a small packet, or RTS (Request To Send), which has little

The Effect of Participating in Suicide Research: Does Participating in a Research Protocol on Suicide and Psychiatric Symptoms Increase Suicide Ideation and Attempts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Phillip; Poindexter, Erin; Cukrowicz, Kelly

2010-01-01

The effect of engaging in an intensive research protocol that inquired extensively about psychiatric and suicide symptoms and exposed participants to a number of images, including suicide-related content was explored. Individuals experiencing a major depressive episode were called at 1 and 3 months after the initial protocol. Participants were…

Effects of a peer support programme for youth social services employees experiencing potentially traumatic events: a protocol for a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Guay, Stephane; Tremblay, Nicole; Goncalves, Jane; Bilodeau, Henriette; Geoffrion, Steve

2017-01-01

Introduction The use of peer support programmes to help workers experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTE) has increased in high-risk organisations in the last decades. However, the scientific evidence of its effectiveness is still very limited. This paper aims to describe the protocol of a prospective cohort study that assesses the efficacy of a peer support programme among youth social services employees exposed to a PTE at work on psychological well-being, work functioning and needs of support. Methods and analysis This is a mixed-methods prospective study that will examine workers' evolution four times over a 12-month period in Canada. This study involves: (1) quantitative data obtained through self-administrated questionnaires among 222 workers, and (2) qualitative in-depth interviews with a subsample of 45 workers. This study will compare findings from a cohort who received the support of a peer following a PTE (peer support–experimental protocol) as part of the experimental protocol of the Montreal Youth Social Services-University Institute (MYSS-UI), the second group of workers did not ask for the peer support (no peer support-experimental protocol) but was part of MYSS-UI, and the third group received standard organisational support from the Monteregie Youth Social Services (MYSS) (standard organisational protocol). Ethics and dissemination The protocol and informed consent form complied with the ethics guidelines of the MYSS-UI. The Research Ethics Board of MYSS-UI and MYSS reviewed and accepted the protocol as required. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at research and general public conferences, disseminated via a public report for the institute that funded the project and for all workers. Results of this study will influence decision making regarding intervention policies following PTE and peer support interventions may be expanded throughout the youth social services in Canada and worldwide. PMID:28647721

Using cyber vulnerability testing techniques to expose undocumented security vulnerabilities in DCS and SCADA equipment

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

Pollet, J.

2006-07-01

This session starts by providing an overview of typical DCS (Distributed Control Systems) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) architectures, and exposes cyber security vulnerabilities that vendors never admit, but are found through a comprehensive cyber testing process. A complete assessment process involves testing all of the layers and components of a SCADA or DCS environment, from the perimeter firewall all the way down to the end devices controlling the process, including what to look for when conducting a vulnerability assessment of real-time control systems. The following systems are discussed: 1. Perimeter (isolation from corporate IT or other non-criticalmore » networks) 2. Remote Access (third Party access into SCADA or DCS networks) 3. Network Architecture (switch, router, firewalls, access controls, network design) 4. Network Traffic Analysis (what is running on the network) 5. Host Operating Systems Hardening 6. Applications (how they communicate with other applications and end devices) 7. End Device Testing (PLCs, RTUs, DCS Controllers, Smart Transmitters) a. System Discovery b. Functional Discovery c. Attack Methodology i. DoS Tests (at what point does the device fail) ii. Malformed Packet Tests (packets that can cause equipment failure) iii. Session Hijacking (do anything that the operator can do) iv. Packet Injection (code and inject your own SCADA commands) v. Protocol Exploitation (Protocol Reverse Engineering / Fuzzing) This paper will provide information compiled from over five years of conducting cyber security testing on control systems hardware, software, and systems. (authors)« less

Decontamination and management of human remains following incidents of hazardous chemical release.

PubMed

Hauschild, Veronique D; Watson, Annetta; Bock, Robert

2012-01-01

To provide specific guidance and resources for systematic and orderly decontamination of human remains resulting from a chemical terrorist attack or accidental chemical release. A detailed review and health-based decision criteria protocol is summarized. Protocol basis and logic are derived from analyses of compound-specific toxicological data and chemical/physical characteristics. Guidance is suitable for civilian or military settings where human remains potentially contaminated with hazardous chemicals may be present, such as sites of transportation accidents, terrorist operations, or medical examiner processing points. Guidance is developed from data-characterizing controlled experiments with laboratory animals, fabrics, and materiel. Logic and specific procedures for decontamination and management of remains, protection of mortuary affairs personnel, and decision criteria to determine when remains are sufficiently decontaminated are presented. Established procedures as well as existing materiel and available equipment for decontamination and verification provide reasonable means to mitigate chemical hazards from chemically exposed remains. Unique scenarios such as those involving supralethal concentrations of certain liquid chemical warfare agents may prove difficult to decontaminate but can be resolved in a timely manner by application of the characterized systematic approaches. Decision criteria and protocols to "clear" decontaminated remains for transport and processing are also provided. Once appropriate decontamination and verification have been accomplished, normal procedures for management of remains and release can be followed.

Venous gas emboli are involved in post-dive macro, but not microvascular dysfunction.

PubMed

Lambrechts, Kate; Balestra, Costantino; Theron, Michaël; Henckes, Anne; Galinat, Hubert; Mignant, Fanny; Belhomme, Marc; Pontier, Jean-Michel; Guerrero, François

2017-02-01

Previous studies have shown vascular dysfunction of main conductance arteries and microvessels after diving. We aim to evaluate the impact of bubble formation on vascular function and haemostasis. To achieve this, we used a vibration preconditioning to influence bubble levels without changing any other parameters linked to the dive. Twentty-six divers were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) the "vibrations-dive" group (VD; n = 9) was exposed to a whole-body vibration session 30 min prior the dive; (2) the "diving" group (D; n = 9) served as a control for the effect of the diving protocol; (3) The "vibration" protocol (V; n = 8) allowed us to assess the effect of vibrations without diving. Macro- and microvascular function was assessed for each subject before and after the dive, subsequently. Bubble grades were monitored with Doppler according to the Spencer grading system. Blood was taken before and after the protocol to assess any change of platelets or endothelial function. Bubble formation was lower in the VD than the diving group. The other measured parameters remained unchanged after the "vibration" protocol alone. Diving alone induced macrovascular dysfunction, and increased PMP and thrombin generation. Those parameters were no longer changed in the VD group. Conversely, a microvascular dysfunction persists despite a significant decrease of circulating bubbles. Finally, the results of this study suggest that macro- but not microvascular impairment results at least partly from bubbles, possibly related to platelet activation and generation of pro-coagulant microparticles.

Heterogeneity among Violence-Exposed Women: Applying Person-Oriented Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nurius, Paula S.; Macy, Rebecca J.

2008-01-01

Variability of experience and outcomes among violence-exposed people pose considerable challenges toward developing effective prevention and treatment protocols. To address these needs, the authors present an approach to research and a class of methodologies referred to as person oriented. Person-oriented tools support assessment of meaningful…

Cumulative effective dose and cancer risk for pediatric population in repetitive full spine follow-up imaging: How micro dose is the EOS microdose protocol?

PubMed

Law, Martin; Ma, Wang-Kei; Lau, Damian; Cheung, Kenneth; Ip, Janice; Yip, Lawrance; Lam, Wendy

2018-04-01

To evaluate and to obtain analytic formulation for the calculation of the effective dose and associated cancer risk using the EOS microdose protocol for scoliotic pediatric patients undergoing full spine imaging at different age of exposure; to demonstrate the microdose protocol capable of delivering lesser radiation dose and hence of further reducing cancer risk induction when compared with the EOS low dose protocol; to obtain cumulative effective dose and cancer risk for both genders scoliotic pediatrics of US and Hong Kong population using the microdose protocol. Organ absorbed doses of full spine exposed scoliotic pediatric patients have been simulated with the use of EOS microdose protocol imaging parameters input to the Monte Carlo software PCXMC. Gender and age specific effective dose has been calculated with the simulated organ absorbed dose using the ICRP-103 approach. The associated radiation induced cancer risk, expressed as lifetime attributable risk (LAR), has been estimated according to the method introduced in the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation VII report. Values of LAR have been estimated for scoliotic patients exposed repetitively during their follow up period at different age for US and Hong Kong population. The effective doses of full spine imaging with simultaneous posteroanterior and lateral projection for patients exposed at the age between 5 and 18 years using the EOS microdose protocol have been calculated within the range of 2.54-14.75 μSv. The corresponding LAR for US and Hong Kong population was ranged between 0.04 × 10 -6 and 0.84 × 10 -6 . Cumulative effective dose and cancer risk during follow-up period can be estimated using the results and are of information to patients and their parents. With the use of computer simulation and analytic formulation, we obtained the cumulative effective dose and cancer risk at any age of exposure for pediatric patients of US and Hong Kong population undergoing repetitive microdose protocol full spine imaging. Girls would be at a statistically significant higher cumulative cancer risk than boys undergoing the same microdose full spine imaging protocol and the same follow-up schedule. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human Schedule Performance, Protocol Analysis, and the "Silent Dog" Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabello, Francisco; Luciano, Carmen; Gomez, Inmaculada; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2004-01-01

The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate the role of private verbal behavior on the operant performances of human adults, using a protocol analysis procedure with additional methodological controls (the "silent dog" method). Twelve subjects were exposed to fixed ratio 8 and differential reinforcement of low rate 3-s schedules. For…

High throughput screening (HTS) for phototoxicity hazard using the in vitro 3T3 neutral red uptake assay.

PubMed

Jones, P A; King, A V

2003-01-01

Testing for phototoxic hazard is usually carried out for product ingredients intended for use on skin, which may be exposed to sunlight. Unilever currently uses the validated in vitro 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake phototoxicity test (NRU PT). This protocol involves 2-3 experiments, each taking 3 days to perform. One person can test up to seven test materials plus positive control at any one time, requiring approximately 0.5 g test material. Higher throughput is required where libraries of potential actives are being generated and screening for potential phototoxicants is required. A proposed HTS protocol would use the NRU PT, but only one concentration (10 microg/ml) in a single experiment. The validity of the HTS protocol was investigated by a retrospective examination of data from 86 materials previously tested. Phototoxic hazard predictions made using the conventional NRU PT were compared with those obtained if only data at 10 microg/ml were considered. A majority of 73 materials (84.9%) gave agreement in predictions between the two protocols; for 13 materials (15.1%) the assessments did not agree. There were no false positives; however, there were some false negatives, i.e., predicted as phototoxic from the conventional assay, but non-phototoxic at 10 microg/ml. As this protocol is intended for screening purposes only it is considered that this would be acceptable at this stage in material selection. One person could screen 128 test materials in 3 days, requiring <1 mg test material, giving a substantial increase in productivity. Any material selected for further development and inclusion in a formulation may require further confirmatory testing, e.g. using a human skin model assay for phototoxicity.

Using in situ simulation to evaluate operational readiness of a children's hospital-based obstetrics unit.

PubMed

Ventre, Kathleen M; Barry, James S; Davis, Deborah; Baiamonte, Veronica L; Wentworth, Allen C; Pietras, Michele; Coughlin, Liza; Barley, Gwyn

2014-04-01

Relocating obstetric (OB) services to a children's hospital imposes demands on facility operations, which must be met to ensure quality care and a satisfactory patient experience. We used in situ simulations to prospectively and iteratively evaluate operational readiness of a children's hospital-based OB unit before it opened for patient care. This project took place at a 314-bed, university-affiliated children's hospital. We developed 3 full-scale simulation scenarios depicting a concurrent maternal and neonatal emergency. One scenario began with a standardized patient experiencing admission; the mannequin portrayed a mother during delivery. We ran all 3 scenarios on 2 dates scheduled several weeks apart. We ran 2 of the scenarios on a third day to verify the reliability of key processes. During the simulations, content experts completed equipment checklists, and participants identified latent safety hazards. Each simulation involved a unique combination of scheduled participants who were supplemented by providers from responding ancillary services. The simulations involved 133 scheduled participants representing OB, neonatology, and anesthesiology. We exposed and addressed operational deficiencies involving equipment availability, staffing, interprofessional communication, and systems issues such as transfusion protocol failures and electronic order entry challenges. Process changes between simulation days 1 to 3 decreased the elapsed time between transfusion protocol activation and blood arrival to the operating room and labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum setting. In situ simulations identified multiple operational deficiencies on the OB unit, allowing us to take corrective action before its opening. This project may guide other children's hospitals regarding care processes likely to require significant focus and possible modification to accommodate an OB service.

Nickel-Catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling in a Green Alcohol Solvent for an Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory.

PubMed

Hie, Liana; Chang, Jonah J; Garg, Neil K

2015-03-10

A modern undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment involving the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling is reported. Although Suzuki-Miyaura couplings typically employ palladium catalysts in environmentally harmful solvents, this experiment features the use of inexpensive nickel catalysis, in addition to a "green" alcohol solvent. The experiment employs heterocyclic substrates, which are important pharmaceutical building blocks. Thus, this laboratory procedure exposes students to a variety of contemporary topics in organic chemistry, including transition metal-catalyzed cross-couplings, green chemistry, and the importance of heterocycles in drug discovery, none of which are well represented in typical undergraduate organic chemistry curricula. The experimental protocol uses commercially available reagents and is useful in both organic and inorganic instructional laboratories.

Medium Access Control for Opportunistic Concurrent Transmissions under Shadowing Channels

PubMed Central

Son, In Keun; Mao, Shiwen; Hur, Seung Min

2009-01-01

We study the problem of how to alleviate the exposed terminal effect in multi-hop wireless networks in the presence of log-normal shadowing channels. Assuming node location information, we propose an extension of the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol that sched-ules concurrent transmissions in the presence of log-normal shadowing, thus mitigating the exposed terminal problem and improving network throughput and delay performance. We observe considerable improvements in throughput and delay achieved over the IEEE 802.11 MAC under various network topologies and channel conditions in ns-2 simulations, which justify the importance of considering channel randomness in MAC protocol design for multi-hop wireless networks. PMID:22408556

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

Samet, J.; Gilliland, F.D.

This project incorporates two related research projects directed toward understanding respiratory carcinogenesis in radon-exposed former uranium miners. The first project involved a continuation of the tissue resource of lung cancer cases from former underground uranium miners and comparison cases from non-miners. The second project was a pilot study for a proposed longitudinal study of respiratory carcinogenesis in former uranium miners. The objectives including facilitating the investigation of molecular changes in radon exposed lung cancer cases, developing methods for prospectively studying clinical, cytologic, cytogenetic, and molecular changes in the multi-event process of respiratory carcinogenesis, and assessing the feasibility of recruiting formermore » uranium miners into a longitudinal study that collected multiple biological specimens. A pilot study was conducted to determine whether blood collection, induced sputum, bronchial brushing, washings, and mucosal biopsies from participants at two of the hospitals could be included efficiently. A questionnaire was developed for the extended study and all protocols for specimen collection and tissue handling were completed. Resource utilization is in progress at ITRI and the methods have been developed to study molecular and cellular changes in exfoliated cells contained in sputum as well as susceptibility factors.« less

Effects of a peer support programme for youth social services employees experiencing potentially traumatic events: a protocol for a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Guay, Stephane; Tremblay, Nicole; Goncalves, Jane; Bilodeau, Henriette; Geoffrion, Steve

2017-06-24

The use of peer support programmes to help workers experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTE) has increased in high-risk organisations in the last decades. However, the scientific evidence of its effectiveness is still very limited. This paper aims to describe the protocol of a prospective cohort study that assesses the efficacy of a peer support programme among youth social services employees exposed to a PTE at work on psychological well-being, work functioning and needs of support. This is a mixed-methods prospective study that will examine workers' evolution four times over a 12-month period in Canada. This study involves: (1) quantitative data obtained through self-administrated questionnaires among 222 workers, and (2) qualitative in-depth interviews with a subsample of 45 workers. This study will compare findings from a cohort who received the support of a peer following a PTE (peer support-experimental protocol) as part of the experimental protocol of the Montreal Youth Social Services-University Institute (MYSS-UI), the second group of workers did not ask for the peer support (no peer support-experimental protocol) but was part of MYSS-UI, and the third group received standard organisational support from the Monteregie Youth Social Services (MYSS) (standard organisational protocol). The protocol and informed consent form complied with the ethics guidelines of the MYSS-UI. The Research Ethics Board of MYSS-UI and MYSS reviewed and accepted the protocol as required. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at research and general public conferences, disseminated via a public report for the institute that funded the project and for all workers. Results of this study will influence decision making regarding intervention policies following PTE and peer support interventions may be expanded throughout the youth social services in Canada and worldwide. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Germination and early plant development of ten plant species exposed to titanium dioxide and cerium oxide nanoparticles

EPA Science Inventory

Ten agronomic plant species were exposed to different concentrations of nano titanium dioxide (nTiO2) or nano cerium oxide (nCeO2) (0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L) to examine potential effects on germination and early seedling development. We modified a standard test protocol develop...

Phosphatidylcholine catabolism in the MCF-7 cell cycle.

PubMed

Lin, Weiyang; Arthur, Gilbert

2006-10-01

The catabolism of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) appears to play a key role in regulating the net accumulation of the lipid in the cell cycle. Current protocols for measuring the degradation of PtdCho at specific cell-cycle phases require prolonged periods of incubation with radiolabelled choline. To measure the degradation of PtdCho at the S and G2 phases in the MCF-7 cell cycle, protocols were developed with radiolabelled lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPtdCho), which reduces the labelling period and minimizes the recycling of labelled components. Although most of the incubated lysoPtdCho was hydrolyzed to glycerophosphocholine (GroPCho) in the medium, the kinetics of the incorporation of label into PtdCho suggests that the labelled GroPCho did not contribute significantly to cellular PtdCho formation. A protocol which involved exposing the cells twice to hydroxyurea, was also developed to produce highly synchronized MCF-7 cells with a profile of G1:S:G2/M of 90:5:5. An analysis of PtdCho catabolism in the synchronized cells following labelling with lysoPtdCho revealed that there was increased degradation of PtdCho in early to mid-S phase, which was attenuated in the G2/M phase. The results suggest that the net accumulation of PtdCho in MCF-7 cells may occur in the G2 phase of the cell cycle.

Expression of cholera toxin under non-AKI conditions in Vibrio cholerae El Tor induced by increasing the exposed surface of cultures.

PubMed

Sánchez, Joaquín; Medina, Gerardo; Buhse, Thomas; Holmgren, Jan; Soberón-Chavez, Gloria

2004-03-01

The regulatory systems controlling expression of the ctxAB genes encoding cholera toxin (CT) in the classical and El Tor biotypes of pathogenic Vibrio cholerae have been characterized and found to be almost identical. Notwithstanding this, special in vitro conditions, called AKI conditions, are required for El Tor bacteria to produce CT. The AKI conditions involve biphasic cultures. In phase 1 the organism is grown in a still tube for 4 h. In phase 2 the medium is poured into a flask to continue growth with shaking. Virtually no expression of CT occurs if this protocol is not followed. Here we demonstrated that CT expression takes place in single-phase still cultures if the volume-to-surface-area ratio is decreased, both under air and under an inert atmosphere. The expression of key genes involved in the regulation of CT production was analyzed, and we found that the expression pattern closely resembles the in vivo expression pattern.

Dissociation of learned helplessness and fear conditioning in mice: a mouse model of depression.

PubMed

Landgraf, Dominic; Long, Jaimie; Der-Avakian, Andre; Streets, Margo; Welsh, David K

2015-01-01

The state of being helpless is regarded as a central aspect of depression, and therefore the learned helplessness paradigm in rodents is commonly used as an animal model of depression. The term 'learned helplessness' refers to a deficit in escaping from an aversive situation after an animal is exposed to uncontrollable stress specifically, with a control/comparison group having been exposed to an equivalent amount of controllable stress. A key feature of learned helplessness is the transferability of helplessness to different situations, a phenomenon called 'trans-situationality'. However, most studies in mice use learned helplessness protocols in which training and testing occur in the same environment and with the same type of stressor. Consequently, failures to escape may reflect conditioned fear of a particular environment, not a general change of the helpless state of an animal. For mice, there is no established learned helplessness protocol that includes the trans-situationality feature. Here we describe a simple and reliable learned helplessness protocol for mice, in which training and testing are carried out in different environments and with different types of stressors. We show that with our protocol approximately 50% of mice develop learned helplessness that is not attributable to fear conditioning.

Group protocol to mitigate disaster stress and enhance social support in adolescents exposed to Hurricane Hugo.

PubMed

Stewart, J B; Hardin, S B; Weinrich, S; McGeorge, S; Lopez, J; Pesut, D

1992-01-01

Literature reports that cognitive understanding and social support can mitigate stress in both adults and adolescents. As a subcomponent of the Carolina Adolescent Health Project (CAHP), this research evaluated the efficacy of a Cognitive Social Support (CSS) group protocol designed to mitigate the disaster stress of adolescents who had been exposed seriously to Hurricane Hugo. A purposive sample of 259 students participated in and evaluated the CSS. This article reports the specific structure, content, process, rationale, and cost of the CSS. Evaluations indicated that 82% of the students evaluated the small-group component of the CSS as "very good" or "excellent," while 70% rated the large-group component as "very good" or "excellent."

One Step Quantum Key Distribution Based on EPR Entanglement.

PubMed

Li, Jian; Li, Na; Li, Lei-Lei; Wang, Tao

2016-06-30

A novel quantum key distribution protocol is presented, based on entanglement and dense coding and allowing asymptotically secure key distribution. Considering the storage time limit of quantum bits, a grouping quantum key distribution protocol is proposed, which overcomes the vulnerability of first protocol and improves the maneuverability. Moreover, a security analysis is given and a simple type of eavesdropper's attack would introduce at least an error rate of 46.875%. Compared with the "Ping-pong" protocol involving two steps, the proposed protocol does not need to store the qubit and only involves one step.

SU-F-I-36: In-Utero Dose Measurements Within Postmortem Subjects for Estimating Fetal Doses in Pregnant Patients Examined with Pulmonary Embolism, Trauma, and Appendicitis CT

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

Lipnharski, I; Quails, N; Carranza, C

Purpose: The imaging of pregnant patients is medically necessary in certain clinical situations. The purpose of this work was to directly measure uterine doses in a cadaver scanned with CT protocols commonly performed on pregnant patients in order to estimate fetal dose and assess potential risk. Method: One postmortem subject was scanned on a 320-slice CT scanner with standard pulmonary embolism, trauma, and appendicitis protocols. All protocols were performed with the scan parameters and ranges currently used in clinical practice. Exams were performed both with and without iterative reconstruction to highlight the dose savings potential. Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs)more » were inserted into the uterus in order to approximate fetal doses. Results: In the pulmonary embolism CT protocol, the uterus is outside of the primary beam, and the dose to the uterus was under 1 mGy. In the trauma and appendicitis protocols, the uterus is in the primary beam, the fetal dose estimates were 30.5 mGy for the trauma protocol, and 20.6 mGy for the appendicitis protocol. Iterative reconstruction reduced fetal doses by 30%, with uterine doses at 21.3 for the trauma and 14.3 mGy for the appendicitis protocol. Conclusion: Fetal doses were under 1 mGy when exposed to scatter radiation, and under 50 mGy when exposed to primary radiation with the trauma and appendicitis protocols. Consistent with the National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP) and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), these doses exhibit a negligible risk to the fetus, with only a small increased risk of cancer. Still, CT scans are not recommended during pregnancy unless the benefits of the exam clearly outweigh the potential risk. Furthermore, when possible, pregnant patients should be examined on CT scanners equipped with iterative reconstruction in order to keep patient doses as low as reasonable achievable.« less

Empirical, Metagenomic, and Computational Techniques Illuminate the Mechanisms by which Fungicides Compromise Bee Health.

PubMed

Steffan, Shawn A; Dharampal, Prarthana S; Diaz-Garcia, Luis; Currie, Cameron R; Zalapa, Juan; Hittinger, Chris Todd

2017-10-09

Growers often use fungicide sprays during bloom to protect crops against disease, which exposes bees to fungicide residues. Although considered "bee-safe," there is mounting evidence that fungicide residues in pollen are associated with bee declines (for both honey and bumble bee species). While the mechanisms remain relatively unknown, researchers have speculated that bee-microbe symbioses are involved. Microbes play a pivotal role in the preservation and/or processing of pollen, which serves as nutrition for larval bees. By altering the microbial community, it is likely that fungicides disrupt these microbe-mediated services, and thereby compromise bee health. This manuscript describes the protocols used to investigate the indirect mechanism(s) by which fungicides may be causing colony decline. Cage experiments exposing bees to fungicide-treated flowers have already provided the first evidence that fungicides cause profound colony losses in a native bumble bee (Bombus impatiens). Using field-relevant doses of fungicides, a series of experiments have been developed to provide a finer description of microbial community dynamics of fungicide-exposed pollen. Shifts in the structural composition of fungal and bacterial assemblages within the pollen microbiome are investigated by next-generation sequencing and metagenomic analysis. Experiments developed herein have been designed to provide a mechanistic understanding of how fungicides affect the microbiome of pollen-provisions. Ultimately, these findings should shed light on the indirect pathway through which fungicides may be causing colony declines.

Infrared laser effects at fluences used for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity on DNA repair in Escherichia coli and plasmids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha Teixeira, Gleica; da Silva Marciano, Roberta; da Silva Sergio, Luiz Philippe; Castanheira Polignano, Giovanni Augusto; Roberto Guimarães, Oscar; Geller, Mauro; de Paoli, Flavia; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

2014-12-01

Low-intensity infrared lasers are proposed in clinical protocols based on biostimulative effects, yet dosimetry is inaccurate and their effects on DNA at therapeutic doses are controversial. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of low-intensity infrared laser on survival and induction of filamentation of Escherichia coli cells, and induction of DNA lesions in bacterial plasmids. E. coli cultures were exposed to laser (808 nm, 100 mW, 40 and 60 J/cm2) to study bacterial survival and filamentation. Also, bacterial plasmids were exposed to laser to study DNA lesions by electrophoretic profile and action of DNA repair enzymes. Data indicate low-intensity infrared laser has no effect on survival of E. coli wild type and exonuclease III, but decreases the survival of formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/MutM protein and endonuclease III deficient cells in stationary growth phase, induces bacterial filamentation, does not alter the electrophoretic profile of plasmids in agarose gels and does not alter the electrophoretic profile of plasmids incubated with endonuclease III, formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase/MutM protein and exonuclease III. Our findings show that low-intensity laser exposure causes DNA lesions at sub-lethal level and induces cellular mechanisms involved in repair of oxidative lesions in DNA. Studies about laser dosimetry and safety strategies are necessary for professionals and patients exposed to low-intensity lasers at therapeutic doses.

Trait Hostility and Acute Inflammatory Responses to Stress in the Laboratory

PubMed Central

Girard, Dominique; Tardif, Jean-Claude; Boisclair Demarble, Julie; D’Antono, Bianca

2016-01-01

Hostility has been associated with higher basal levels of inflammation. The present study evaluated the association of hostility with acute stress-induced changes in inflammatory activity. One hundred and ninety-nine healthy men and women, aged 19–64 years, were exposed to a stress protocol involving four interpersonal stressors. Participants completed the Cook-Medley Hostility questionnaire and provided two blood samples for the measurement of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, Il-6, MPO, TNF-α, MCP-1, Il-8, Il-10, and Il-18), prior to and following exposure to a standardized stress protocol. In univariate analyses, hostility was associated with significantly higher TNF-α, but lower Il-8 and Il-18 values post-stress, though only Il-8 remained significant after controlling for baseline differences. In multivariate analyses, a significant Age by Hostility interaction emerged for Il-6, while sex moderated the relation between hostility and Il-10 reactivity. Following stress, hostility was associated with greater pro-inflammatory Il-6 activity among younger individuals and to decreased anti-inflammatory Il-10 activity in women. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to evaluate their implication for disease. PMID:27270459

One Step Quantum Key Distribution Based on EPR Entanglement

PubMed Central

Li, Jian; Li, Na; Li, Lei-Lei; Wang, Tao

2016-01-01

A novel quantum key distribution protocol is presented, based on entanglement and dense coding and allowing asymptotically secure key distribution. Considering the storage time limit of quantum bits, a grouping quantum key distribution protocol is proposed, which overcomes the vulnerability of first protocol and improves the maneuverability. Moreover, a security analysis is given and a simple type of eavesdropper’s attack would introduce at least an error rate of 46.875%. Compared with the “Ping-pong” protocol involving two steps, the proposed protocol does not need to store the qubit and only involves one step. PMID:27357865

Appetitive and Consummatory Sexual Behaviors of Rams Treated with Exogenous Testosterone and Exposed to Anestrus Dorper Ewes: Efficacy of the Male Effect.

PubMed

Tejada, Luz M; Meza-Herrera, Cesar A; Rivas-Muñoz, Raymundo; Rodríguez-Martínez, Rafael; Carrillo, Evaristo; Mellado, Miguel; Véliz-Deras, Francisco G

2017-04-01

We determine whether Dorper rams treated with testosterone in the sexual resting season trigger both appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors and sexual and reproductive outcomes in anestrous ewes at 26° North during March-April. Dorper rams (n = 12, 2.5 years) were randomly divided prior to mating in two groups: GT (treated group; n = 6), treated with testosterone propionate (25 mg i.m. every 3 days × 3 weeks) and GC (control group; n = 6), treated with saline. Thereafter, adult anovulatory Dorper ewes (n = 61) were exposed to the GT-rams while the other group (n = 60) was exposed to the GC-rams. Ram's appetitive sexual behavior was similar (50 %) in both groups, yet the GT-rams exerted 100 % of the consummatory sexual behavior. Sexual and reproductive outcomes of the anestrus females exposed to both male groups considered two phases: 0-15 and 16-25 days from exposure to males. Involved variables were: ewes in estrus, ewes ovulating, duration of estrus, pregnant ewes, and lambed ewes. All the average variables favored those ewes exposed to GT-males: ewes in estrus: 85 versus 40 %; ewes ovulating: 80 versus 53 %; duration of estrus: 37 versus 25 h; pregnant ewes: 60 versus 31 %, and lambed ewes: 57 versus 31 %. Results confirm that adult Dorper rams treated with exogenous testosterone had improved consummatory sexual behavior and induced increased ovulation and pregnancy rates when exposed to anestrus ewes. This feasible and inexpensive testosterone-based protocol through the male effect also enhanced both sexual and reproductive outcomes in previously anestrous Dorper ewes during the natural out-of-season. Results are important to speed up reproductive performance of sheep during the natural anestrous season at this latitude, while also they embrace interesting outcomes from a comparative sexual behavior stand point.

Conspecific alarm substance differently alters group behavior of zebrafish populations: Putative involvement of cholinergic and purinergic signaling in anxiety- and fear-like responses.

PubMed

Canzian, Julia; Fontana, Barbara D; Quadros, Vanessa A; Rosemberg, Denis B

2017-03-01

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an emergent model organism for assessing fear and anxiety-like phenotypes. The short fin wild type (WT), and leopard (leo) are two zebrafish populations that present several behavioral differences, in which leo displays pronounced defensive responses. Mounting evidence suggests a modulatory role for cholinergic and purinergic signaling in fear and anxiety, but the involvement of these neurotransmitter systems in the behavioral profile of zebrafish is obscure. Here we tested whether the acute exposure to conspecific alarm substance (AS), an experimental protocol that induces fear, alters shoaling behavior, diving response, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and nucleotide hydrolysis in brain tissue of WT and leo. When four fish were concomitantly exposed to AS extracted from a donor fish of similar phenotype, both populations presented a significant increase of erratic movements without changes in freezing bouts. An increased shoal cohesion and a decreased vertical distribution were observed only in WT exposed to AS. The respective population also revealed a significant increase in AChE and ecto-5'-nucleotidase activities after the exposure period. The comparison of basal endpoints between populations showed that leo displays a higher social cohesion, few vertical transitions and enhanced AChE and ecto-5'-nucleotidase activities. In conclusion, we suggest that the effects of AS on defensive behaviors depend on the population, indicating the existence of distinct neurochemical mechanisms involved. Furthermore, this report shows the first evidence of a potential role of cholinergic and purinergic systems in fear- and anxiety-like responses of zebrafish populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Protocol Designed to Detect Endocine Disrupting Effects of Flutamide in Xenopus Tropicalis

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Program. The frogs were exposed to the model anti- androgenic...the study were to develop a protocol that could be used for a standard U.S. EPA testing procedure in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing...compounds. As a consequence of this requirement, the USEPA established an Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC

Avoiding artefacts during electron microscopy of silver nanomaterials exposed to biological environments

PubMed Central

Goode, Angela E.; Skepper, Jeremy N.; Thorley, Andrew J.; Seiffert, Joanna M.; Chung, K. Fan; Tetley, Teresa D.; Shaffer, Milo S. P.; Ryan, Mary P.

2015-01-01

Electron microscopy has been applied widely to study the interaction of nanomaterials with proteins, cells and tissues at nanometre scale. Biological material is most commonly embedded in thermoset resins to make it compatible with the high vacuum in the electron microscope. Room temperature sample preparation protocols developed over decades provide contrast by staining cell organelles, and aim to preserve the native cell structure. However, the effect of these complex protocols on the nanomaterials in the system is seldom considered. Any artefacts generated during sample preparation may ultimately interfere with the accurate prediction of the stability and reactivity of the nanomaterials. As a case study, we review steps in the room temperature preparation of cells exposed to silver nanomaterials (AgNMs) for transmission electron microscopy imaging and analysis. In particular, embedding and staining protocols, which can alter the physicochemical properties of AgNMs and introduce artefacts thereby leading to a misinterpretation of silver bioreactivity, are scrutinised. Recommendations are given for the application of cryogenic sample preparation protocols, which simultaneously fix both particles and diffusible ions. By being aware of the advantages and limitations of different sample preparation methods, compromises or selection of different correlative techniques can be made to draw more accurate conclusions about the data. PMID:25606708

Strong interactions between learned helplessness and risky decision-making in a rat gambling model.

PubMed

Nobrega, José N; Hedayatmofidi, Parisa S; Lobo, Daniela S

2016-11-18

Risky decision-making is characteristic of depression and of addictive disorders, including pathological gambling. However it is not clear whether a propensity to risky choices predisposes to depressive symptoms or whether the converse is the case. Here we tested the hypothesis that rats showing risky decision-making in a rat gambling task (rGT) would be more prone to depressive-like behaviour in the learned helplessness (LH) model. Results showed that baseline rGT choice behaviour did not predict escape deficits in the LH protocol. In contrast, exposure to the LH protocol resulted in a significant increase in risky rGT choices on retest. Unexpectedly, control rats subjected only to escapable stress in the LH protocol showed a subsequent decrease in riskier rGT choices. Further analyses indicated that the LH protocol affected primarily rats with high baseline levels of risky choices and that among these it had opposite effects in rats exposed to LH-inducing stress compared to rats exposed only to the escape trials. Together these findings suggest that while baseline risky decision making may not predict LH behaviour it interacts strongly with LH conditions in modulating subsequent decision-making behaviour. The suggested possibility that stress controllability may be a key factor should be further investigated.

Dissociation of Learned Helplessness and Fear Conditioning in Mice: A Mouse Model of Depression

PubMed Central

Landgraf, Dominic; Long, Jaimie; Der-Avakian, Andre; Streets, Margo; Welsh, David K.

2015-01-01

The state of being helpless is regarded as a central aspect of depression, and therefore the learned helplessness paradigm in rodents is commonly used as an animal model of depression. The term ‘learned helplessness’ refers to a deficit in escaping from an aversive situation after an animal is exposed to uncontrollable stress specifically, with a control/comparison group having been exposed to an equivalent amount of controllable stress. A key feature of learned helplessness is the transferability of helplessness to different situations, a phenomenon called ‘trans-situationality’. However, most studies in mice use learned helplessness protocols in which training and testing occur in the same environment and with the same type of stressor. Consequently, failures to escape may reflect conditioned fear of a particular environment, not a general change of the helpless state of an animal. For mice, there is no established learned helplessness protocol that includes the trans-situationality feature. Here we describe a simple and reliable learned helplessness protocol for mice, in which training and testing are carried out in different environments and with different types of stressors. We show that with our protocol approximately 50% of mice develop learned helplessness that is not attributable to fear conditioning. PMID:25928892

Strong interactions between learned helplessness and risky decision-making in a rat gambling model

PubMed Central

Nobrega, José N.; Hedayatmofidi, Parisa S.; Lobo, Daniela S.

2016-01-01

Risky decision-making is characteristic of depression and of addictive disorders, including pathological gambling. However it is not clear whether a propensity to risky choices predisposes to depressive symptoms or whether the converse is the case. Here we tested the hypothesis that rats showing risky decision-making in a rat gambling task (rGT) would be more prone to depressive-like behaviour in the learned helplessness (LH) model. Results showed that baseline rGT choice behaviour did not predict escape deficits in the LH protocol. In contrast, exposure to the LH protocol resulted in a significant increase in risky rGT choices on retest. Unexpectedly, control rats subjected only to escapable stress in the LH protocol showed a subsequent decrease in riskier rGT choices. Further analyses indicated that the LH protocol affected primarily rats with high baseline levels of risky choices and that among these it had opposite effects in rats exposed to LH-inducing stress compared to rats exposed only to the escape trials. Together these findings suggest that while baseline risky decision making may not predict LH behaviour it interacts strongly with LH conditions in modulating subsequent decision-making behaviour. The suggested possibility that stress controllability may be a key factor should be further investigated. PMID:27857171

Determination of the Corrosive Conditions Present within Aircraft Lap-Splice Joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Karen S.; Kelly, Robert G.; Piascik, Robert S.

1999-01-01

The complexity of airframe structure lends itself to damage resulting from crevice corrosion. Fuselage lap-splice joints are a particularly important structural detail in this regard because of the difficulty associated with detection and measurement of corrosion in these occluded regions. The objective of this work is to develop a laboratory corrosion test protocol to identify the chemistry to which lap joints are exposed and to develop a model of the corrosion within the joints. A protocol for collecting and identifying the chemistry of airframe crevice corrosion has been developed. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is used to identify the ionic species contained in corrosion product samples removed from fuselage lap splice joints. CE analysis has been performed on over sixty corrosion product samples removed from both civilian and military aircraft. Over twenty different ions have been detected. Measurements of pH of wetted corroded surfaces indicated an alkaline occluded solution. After determining the species present and their relative concentrations, the resultant solution was reproduced in bulk and electrochemical tests were performed to determine the corrosion rate. Electrochemical analyses of the behavior of AA2024-T3 in these solutions gave corrosion rates of up to 250 microns per year (10 mpy). Additional tests have determined the relative importance of each of the detected ions in model solutions used for future predictive tests. The statistically significant ions have been used to create a second generation solution. Laboratory studies have also included exposure tests involving artificial lap joints exposed to various simulated bulk and crevice environments. The extent and morphology of the attack in artificial lap joints has been compared to studies of corroded samples from actual aircraft. Other effects, such as temperature and potential, as well as the impact of the environment on fatigue crack growth have also been studied.

Cool Apps: Building Cryospheric Data Applications With Standards-Based Service Oriented Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, J. A.; Truslove, I.; Billingsley, B. W.; Oldenburg, J.; Brodzik, M.; Lewis, S.; Liu, M.

2012-12-01

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) holds a large collection of cryospheric data, and is involved in a number of informatics research and development projects aimed at improving the discoverability and accessibility of these data. To develop high-quality software in a timely manner, we have adopted a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach for our core technical infrastructure development. Data services at NSIDC are internally exposed to other tools and applications through standards-based service interfaces. These standards include OAI-PMH (Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting), various OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) standards including WMS (Web Map Service) and WFS (Web Feature Service), ESIP (Federation of Earth Sciences Information Partners) OpenSearch, and NSIDC-specific RESTful services. By taking a standards-based approach, we are able to use off-the-shelf tools and libraries to consume, translate and broker these data services, and thus develop applications faster. Additionally, by exposing public interfaces to these services we provide valuable data services to technical collaborators; for example, NASA Reverb (http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov) uses NSIDC's WMS services. Our latest generation of web applications consume these data services directly. The most complete example of this is the Operation IceBridge Data Portal (http://nsidc.org/icebridge/portal) which depends on many of the aforementioned services, and clearly exhibits many of the advantages of building applications atop a service-oriented architecture. This presentation outlines the architectural approach and components and open standards and protocols adopted at NSIDC, demonstrates the interactions and uses of public and internal service interfaces currently powering applications including the IceBridge Data Portal, and outlines the benefits and challenges of this approach.

Institutional Politics: The Rhetoric of the Upward Bound (Interacting Successfully in Corporate Culture).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southard, Sherry G.

Protocol involves the behavior and procedures that are proper in any discourse community, including both what is spoken or written as well as what is not spoken or written. Students need to understand what proper protocol in corporate culture involves, how it is determined by formal and informal structures, and why such protocol is important. They…

Progressive anticipation in behavior and brain activation of rats exposed to scheduled daily palatable food.

PubMed

Blancas, A; González-García, S D; Rodríguez, K; Escobar, C

2014-12-05

Scheduled and restricted access to a palatable snack, i.e. chocolate, elicits a brief and strong anticipatory activation and entrains brain areas related with reward and motivation. This behavioral and neuronal activation persists for more than 7days when this protocol is interrupted, suggesting the participation of a time-keeping system. The process that initiates this anticipation may provide a further understanding of the time-keeping system underlying palatable food entrainment. The aim of this study was to analyze how this entraining protocol starts and to dissect neuronal structures that initiate a chocolate-entrained activation. We assessed the development of anticipation of 5g of chocolate during the first 8days of the entrainment protocol. General activity of control and chocolate-entrained rats was continuously monitored with movement sensors. Moreover, motivation to obtain the chocolate was assessed by measuring approaches and interaction responses toward a wire-mesh box containing chocolate. Neuronal activation was determined with c-Fos in reward-related brain areas. We report a progressive increase in the interaction with a box to obtain chocolate parallel to a progressive neuronal activation. A significant anticipatory activation was observed in the prefrontal cortex on day 3 of entrainment and in the nucleus accumbens on day 5, while the arcuate nucleus and pyriform cortex reached significant activation on day 8. The gradual response observed with this protocol indicates that anticipation of a rewarding food requires repetitive and predictable experiences in order to acquire a temporal estimation. We also confirm that anticipation of palatable food involves diverse brain regions. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phospholipase D-mediated hypersensitivity at central synapses is associated with abnormal behaviours and pain sensitivity in rats exposed to prenatal stress.

PubMed

Sun, Liting; Gooding, Hayley L; Brunton, Paula J; Russell, John A; Mitchell, Rory; Fleetwood-Walker, Sue

2013-11-01

Adverse events at critical stages of development can lead to lasting dysfunction in the central nervous system (CNS). To seek potential underlying changes in synaptic function, we used a newly developed protocol to measure alterations in receptor-mediated Ca(2+) fluorescence responses of synaptoneurosomes, freshly isolated from selected regions of the CNS concerned with emotionality and pain processing. We compared adult male controls and offspring of rats exposed to social stress in late pregnancy (prenatal stress, PS), which showed programmed behavioural changes indicating anxiety, anhedonia and pain hypersensitivity. We found corresponding increases, in PS rats compared with normal controls, in responsiveness of synaptoneurosomes from frontal cortex to a glutamate receptor (GluR) agonist, and from spinal cord to activators of nociceptive afferents. Through a combined pharmacological and biochemical strategy, we found evidence for a role of phospholipase D1 (PLD1)-mediated signalling, that may involve 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) activation, at both levels of the nervous system. These changes might participate in underpinning the enduring alterations in behaviour induced by PS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scada Malware, a Proof of Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carcano, Andrea; Fovino, Igor Nai; Masera, Marcelo; Trombetta, Alberto

Critical Infrastructures are nowadays exposed to new kind of threats. The cause of such threats is related to the large number of new vulnerabilities and architectural weaknesses introduced by the extensive use of ICT and Network technologies into such complex critical systems. Of particular interest are the set of vulnerabilities related to the class of communication protocols normally known as “SCADA” protocols, under which fall all the communication protocols used to remotely control the RTU devices of an industrial system. In this paper we present a proof of concept of the potential effects of a set of computer malware specifically designed and created in order to impact, by taking advantage of some vulnerabilities of the ModBUS protocol, on a typical Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.

Management of severe head injury with brain exposure in three loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta.

PubMed

Franchini, D; Cavaliere, L; Valastro, C; Carnevali, F; van der Esch, A; Lai, O; Di Bello, A

2016-05-03

The loggerhead Caretta caretta is the most common sea turtle in the Mediterranean. Currently, sea turtles are considered endangered, mainly due to the impact of human activities. Among traumatic lesions, those involving the skull, if complicated by brain exposure, are often life-threatening. In these cases, death could be the outcome of direct trauma of the cerebral tissue or of secondary meningoencephalitis. This uncontrolled study aims to evaluate the use of a plant-derived dressing (1 Primary Wound Dressing®) in 3 sea turtles with severe lesions of the skull exposing the brain. Following surgical curettage, the treatment protocol involved exclusive use of the plant-derived dressing applied on the wound surface as the primary dressing, daily for the first month and then every other day until the end of treatment. The wound and peri-wound skin were covered with a simple secondary dressing without any active compound (non-woven gauze with petroleum jelly). Data presented herein show an excellent healing process in all 3 cases and no side effects due to contact of the medication with the cerebral tissue.

Policy-Based Negotiation Engine for Cross-Domain Interoperability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatan, Farrokh; Chow, Edward T.

2012-01-01

A successful policy negotiation scheme for Policy-Based Management (PBM) has been implemented. Policy negotiation is the process of determining the "best" communication policy that all of the parties involved can agree on. Specifically, the problem is how to reconcile the various (and possibly conflicting) communication protocols used by different divisions. The solution must use protocols available to all parties involved, and should attempt to do so in the best way possible. Which protocols are commonly available, and what the definition of "best" is will be dependent on the parties involved and their individual communications priorities.

Rethinking the NTCIP Design and Protocols - Analyzing the Issues

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-03-03

This working paper discusses the issues involved in changing the current draft NTCIP standard from an X.25-based protocol stack to an Internet-based protocol stack. It contains a methodology which could be used to change NTCIP's base protocols. This ...

Exposure to multiple cholinergic pesticides impairs olfactory learning and memory in honeybees.

PubMed

Williamson, Sally M; Wright, Geraldine A

2013-05-15

Pesticides are important agricultural tools often used in combination to avoid resistance in target pest species, but there is growing concern that their widespread use contributes to the decline of pollinator populations. Pollinators perform sophisticated behaviours while foraging that require them to learn and remember floral traits associated with food, but we know relatively little about the way that combined exposure to multiple pesticides affects neural function and behaviour. The experiments reported here show that prolonged exposure to field-realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitor coumaphos and their combination impairs olfactory learning and memory formation in the honeybee. Using a method for classical conditioning of proboscis extension, honeybees were trained in either a massed or spaced conditioning protocol to examine how these pesticides affected performance during learning and short- and long-term memory tasks. We found that bees exposed to imidacloprid, coumaphos, or a combination of these compounds, were less likely to express conditioned proboscis extension towards an odor associated with reward. Bees exposed to imidacloprid were less likely to form a long-term memory, whereas bees exposed to coumaphos were only less likely to respond during the short-term memory test after massed conditioning. Imidacloprid, coumaphos and a combination of the two compounds impaired the bees' ability to differentiate the conditioned odour from a novel odour during the memory test. Our results demonstrate that exposure to sublethal doses of combined cholinergic pesticides significantly impairs important behaviours involved in foraging, implying that pollinator population decline could be the result of a failure of neural function of bees exposed to pesticides in agricultural landscapes.

Exposure to multiple cholinergic pesticides impairs olfactory learning and memory in honeybees

PubMed Central

Williamson, Sally M.; Wright, Geraldine A.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Pesticides are important agricultural tools often used in combination to avoid resistance in target pest species, but there is growing concern that their widespread use contributes to the decline of pollinator populations. Pollinators perform sophisticated behaviours while foraging that require them to learn and remember floral traits associated with food, but we know relatively little about the way that combined exposure to multiple pesticides affects neural function and behaviour. The experiments reported here show that prolonged exposure to field-realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitor coumaphos and their combination impairs olfactory learning and memory formation in the honeybee. Using a method for classical conditioning of proboscis extension, honeybees were trained in either a massed or spaced conditioning protocol to examine how these pesticides affected performance during learning and short- and long-term memory tasks. We found that bees exposed to imidacloprid, coumaphos, or a combination of these compounds, were less likely to express conditioned proboscis extension towards an odor associated with reward. Bees exposed to imidacloprid were less likely to form a long-term memory, whereas bees exposed to coumaphos were only less likely to respond during the short-term memory test after massed conditioning. Imidacloprid, coumaphos and a combination of the two compounds impaired the bees' ability to differentiate the conditioned odour from a novel odour during the memory test. Our results demonstrate that exposure to sublethal doses of combined cholinergic pesticides significantly impairs important behaviours involved in foraging, implying that pollinator population decline could be the result of a failure of neural function of bees exposed to pesticides in agricultural landscapes. PMID:23393272

A robust ECC based mutual authentication protocol with anonymity for session initiation protocol.

PubMed

Mehmood, Zahid; Chen, Gongliang; Li, Jianhua; Li, Linsen; Alzahrani, Bander

2017-01-01

Over the past few years, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is found as a substantial application-layer protocol for the multimedia services. It is extensively used for managing, altering, terminating and distributing the multimedia sessions. Authentication plays a pivotal role in SIP environment. Currently, Lu et al. presented an authentication protocol for SIP and profess that newly proposed protocol is protected against all the familiar attacks. However, the detailed analysis describes that the Lu et al.'s protocol is exposed against server masquerading attack and user's masquerading attack. Moreover, it also fails to protect the user's identity as well as it possesses incorrect login and authentication phase. In order to establish a suitable and efficient protocol, having ability to overcome all these discrepancies, a robust ECC-based novel mutual authentication mechanism with anonymity for SIP is presented in this manuscript. The improved protocol contains an explicit parameter for user to cope the issues of security and correctness and is found to be more secure and relatively effective to protect the user's privacy, user's masquerading and server masquerading as it is verified through the comprehensive formal and informal security analysis.

Corrosion and mechanical performance of AZ91 exposed to simulated inflammatory conditions.

PubMed

Brooks, Emily K; Der, Stephanie; Ehrensberger, Mark T

2016-03-01

Magnesium (Mg) and its alloys, including Mg-9%Al-1%Zn (AZ91), are biodegradable metals with potential use as temporary orthopedic implants. Invasive orthopedic procedures can provoke an inflammatory response that produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and an acidic environment near the implant. This study assessed the influence of inflammation on both the corrosion and mechanical properties of AZ91. The AZ91 samples in the inflammatory protocol were immersed for three days in a complex biologically relevant electrolyte (AMEM culture media) that contained serum proteins (FBS), 150 mM of H2O2, and was titrated to a pH of 5. The control protocol immersed AZ91 samples in the same biologically relevant electrolyte (AMEM & FBS) but without H2O2 and the acid titration. After 3 days all samples were switched into fresh AMEM & FBS for an additional 3-day immersion. During the initial immersion, inflammatory protocol samples showed increased corrosion rate determined by mass loss testing, increased Mg and Al ion released to solution, and a completely corroded surface morphology as compared to the control protocol. Although corrosion in both protocols slowed once the test electrolyte solution was replaced at 3 days, the samples originally exposed to the simulated inflammatory conditions continued to display enhanced corrosion rates as compared to the control protocol. These lingering effects may indicate the initial inflammatory corrosion processes modified components of the surface oxide and corrosion film or initiated aggressive localized processes that subsequently left the interface more vulnerable to continued enhanced corrosion. The electrochemical properties of the interfaces were also evaluated by EIS, which found that the corrosion characteristics of the AZ91 samples were potentially influenced by the role of intermediate adsorption layer processes. The increased corrosion observed for the inflammatory protocol did not affect the flexural mechanical properties of the AZ91 at any time point assessed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on Cloud Security Based on Trust Spanning Tree Protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Yingxu; Liu, Zenghui; Pan, Qiuyue; Liu, Jing

2015-09-01

Attacks executed on Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) expose the weakness of link layer protocols and put the higher layers in jeopardy. Although the problems have been studied for many years and various solutions have been proposed, many security issues remain. To enhance the security and credibility of layer-2 network, we propose a trust-based spanning tree protocol aiming at achieving a higher credibility of LAN switch with a simple and lightweight authentication mechanism. If correctly implemented in each trusted switch, the authentication of trust-based STP can guarantee the credibility of topology information that is announced to other switch in the LAN. To verify the enforcement of the trusted protocol, we present a new trust evaluation method of the STP using a specification-based state model. We implement a prototype of trust-based STP to investigate its practicality. Experiment shows that the trusted protocol can achieve security goals and effectively avoid STP attacks with a lower computation overhead and good convergence performance.

Hyperoxia Inhibits T Cell Activation in Mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes-Fulford, M.; Meissler, J.; Aguayo, E. T.; Globus, R.; Aguado, J.; Candelario, T.

2013-02-01

Background: The immune response is blunted in mice and humans in spaceflight. The effects of hyperoxia in mice alter expression of some of the same immune response genes. If these two conditions are additive, there could be an increased risk of infection in long duration missions. Immunosuppression is seen in healthy astronauts who have flown in space; however little is known about the mechanisms that cause the reduced immunity in spaceflight. Here we examine the role of oxidative stress on mice exposed to periods of high O2 levels mimicking pre-breathing protocols and extravehicular activity (EVA). To prevent decompression sickness, astronauts are exposed to elevated oxygen (hyperoxia) before and during EVA activities. Spaceflight missions may entail up to 24 hours of EVA per crewmember per week to perform construction and maintenance tasks. The effectiveness and success of these missions depends on designing EVA systems and protocols that maximize human performance and efficiency while minimizing health and safety risks for crewmembers. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted on the immune system under 100% oxygen exposures to determine the potential for immune compromise due to prolonged and repeated EVAs. Methods: Animals were exposed to hyperoxic or control conditions for 8 hours per day over a period of 3 days, initiated 4 hours into the dark cycle (12h dark/12h light), using animal environmental control cabinets and oxygen controller (Biospherix, Lacona, NY). Experimental mice were exposed to 98-100% oxygen as a model for pre-breathing and EVA conditions, while control mice were maintained in chambers supplied with compressed air. These are ground control studies where we use real-time RTPCR (qRTPCR) to measure gene expression of the early immune gene expression during bead activation of splenocytes of normoxic and hyperoxic mice. All procedures were reviewed and approved by the IACUC at Ames Research Center. After the last 8h of hyperoxic exposure, spleens were removed and the splenocytes were isolated and kept as individual biological samples. We have also examined transcription factors (JASPAR) and pathways of the immune system to help us understand the mechanism of regulation. Results: Our recent mouse immunology experiment aboard STS-131 suggests that the early T cell immune response was inhibited in animals that have been exposed to spaceflight, even 24 hours after return to earth. Moreover, recent experiments in hyperoxic mice show that many of the same genes involved in early T cell activation were altered. Specifically, expression of IL-2Rα, Cxcl2, TNFα, FGF2, LTA and BCL2 genes are dysregulated in mice exposed to hyperoxia. Conclusions: If these hyperoxia-induced changes of gene expression in early T cell activation are additive to the changes seen in the microgravity of spaceflight, there could be an increased infection risk to EVA astronauts, which should be addressed prior to conducting a Mars or other long-term mission.

New Protocol for Skin Landmark Registration in Image-Guided Neurosurgery: Technical Note.

PubMed

Gerard, Ian J; Hall, Jeffery A; Mok, Kelvin; Collins, D Louis

2015-09-01

Newer versions of the commercial Medtronic StealthStation allow the use of only 8 landmark pairs for patient-to-image registration as opposed to 9 landmarks in older systems. The choice of which landmark pair to drop in these newer systems can have an effect on the quality of the patient-to-image registration. To investigate 4 landmark registration protocols based on 8 landmark pairs and compare the resulting registration accuracy with a 9-landmark protocol. Four different protocols were tested on both phantoms and patients. Two of the protocols involved using 4 ear landmarks and 4 facial landmarks and the other 2 involved using 3 ear landmarks and 5 facial landmarks. Both the fiducial registration error and target registration error were evaluated for each of the different protocols to determine any difference between them and the 9-landmark protocol. No difference in fiducial registration error was found between any of the 8-landmark protocols and the 9-landmark protocol. A significant decrease (P < .05) in target registration error was found when using a protocol based on 4 ear landmarks and 4 facial landmarks compared with the other protocols based on 3 ear landmarks. When using 8 landmarks to perform the patient-to-image registration, the protocol using 4 ear landmarks and 4 facial landmarks greatly outperformed the other 8-landmark protocols and 9-landmark protocol, resulting in the lowest target registration error.

Understanding Gulf War Illness: An Integrative Modeling Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

group (Task 2; Subtask1). The latest iteration of this analysis focused on n=11 animals control and n=11 DFP exposed animals without corticosterone... Groups : 1 – Control Group (Male and Female Intact) 2 – GWI Model – Cort+DFP (Male and Female OVX) 3 – Control OVX (Female) 4 – GWI Model + Enbrel...The designed protocol counts with five basic experimental groups : Group 1 (Untreated Control no toxic exposure); Group 2 (Toxic exposed, no

Prescribing prophylaxis to patients who have been exposed to HIV.

PubMed

Bagley, Sue

2012-03-01

Emergency nurse practitioners should be prepared to prescribe post-exposure prophylaxis for sexual exposure (PEPSE) to people who may have been exposed to HIV, even where the number of such presentations is small. As this article makes clear, nurse prescribers require a sound knowledge of the drugs recommended in PEPSE protocols, and of their side effects, to relieve patients' anxiety and inform them about safe sexual practice. The article offers a case study and reflection to show that patients, particularly those who may have been exposed to HIV, who have been given the information they want are more likely to complete their courses of treatment.

Conducting Miller-Urey Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Eric Thomas; Cleaves, Henderson James; Burton, Aaron S.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Dworkin, Jason; Zhou, Manshui; Bada, Jeffrey L.; Fernandez, Facundo M.

2014-01-01

In 1953, Stanley Miller reported the production of biomolecules from simple gaseous starting materials, using apparatus constructed to simulate the primordial Earth's atmosphere-ocean system. Miller introduced 200 ml of water, 100 mmHg of H2, 200mmHg of CH4, and 200mmHg of NH3 into the apparatus, then subjected this mixture, under reflux, to an electric discharge for a week, while the water was simultaneously heated. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide the reader with a general experimental protocol that can be used to conduct a Miller-Urey type spark discharge experiment, using a simplified 3 L reaction flask. Since the experiment involves exposing inflammable gases to a high voltage discharge, it is worth highlighting important steps that reduce the risk of explosion. The general procedures described in this work can be extrapolated to design and conduct a wide variety of electric discharge experiments simulating primitive planetary environments.

Exposed Subcutaneous Implantable Devices: An Operative Protocol for Management and Salvage

PubMed Central

D’Arpa, Salvatore; Cordova, Adriana; Moschella, Francesco

2015-01-01

Background: Implantable venous and electrical devices are prone to exposure and infection. Indications for management are controversial, but—especially if infected—exposed devices are often removed and an additional operation is needed to replace the device, causing a delay in chemotherapy and prolonging healing time. We present our protocol for device salvage, on which limited literature is available. Methods: Between 2007 and 2013, 17 patients were treated (12 venous access ports, 3 cardiac pacemakers, and 2 subcutaneous neural stimulators). Most patients were operated within 7 days from exposure. All patients received only a single perioperative dose of prophylactic antibiotic. In cases of gross infection (n = 1), the device was immediately replaced. In the absence of clinical signs of infection: Complete capsulectomy and aggressive cleaning with an n-acetylcysteine solution and saline solution. Primary exposure of venous ports with sufficient skin coverage (n = 10): the device was covered with local skin flaps. Recurrent cases, cases with insufficient skin coverage or big devices (n = 7): the device was moved to a subpectoral pocket. Mean follow-up was 19 months. Results: Sixteen devices were saved. Only one grossly infected pacemaker was removed and replaced immediately. Only in 1 case, exposure of a venous port recurred after 18 months and was successfully moved to a subpectoral pocket. Chemotherapy was always restarted as scheduled and electrical devices remained functional. Conclusions: This protocol allows—with a straightforward operation and simple measures—to save exposed devices even several days after exposure. Submuscular placement or immediate replacement is indicated only in selected cases. PMID:26034650

PHENOALP: a new project on phenology in the Western Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremonese, E.

2009-04-01

PHENOALP is a new EU co-funded Interreg Project under the operational programme for cross-border cooperation "Italy-France (Alps-ALCOTRA)" 2007 - 2013, aiming to get a better understanding of phenological changes in the Alps. The major goals of the project are: 1- The implementation of an observation network in the involved territories (i.e. the Aosta Valley and the Savoies in the Western Alps); 2- The definition of a common observation strategy and common protocols; 3- The involvement of local community members (e.g. through schools) in the observation activities as a way to increase the awareness on the issue of the effects of climate change. Project leader is the Environmental Protection Agency of Aosta Valley (ARPA Valle d'Aosta - IT) and the partners are the Research Center on High Altitude Ecosystem (CREA - FR), Mont Avic Regional Parc (IT), Bauges Massif Regional Natural Parc (FR) and the Protected Area Service of Aosta Valley (IT). Project activities are: 1. Pheno-plantes: definition of common observation protocols (e.g. field observation and webcams) of different alpine species (trees and herbaceous) and implementation of the observation network; analysis of the relations between climate and phenological events; application and evaluation of phenological models. 2. Pheno-detection: remote sensing of European larch and high elevation pastures with MODIS data; multitemporal analysis (2000-2011) of phenological variations in the Western Alps. 3. Pheno-flux: analysis of the relation between the seasonal and interannual variability of plant phenology and productivity, assessed measuring CO2 fluxes (eddy-covariance technique), radiometric indexes and phenological events at specific (European larch stand and alpine pastures) monitoring site. 4. Pheno-zoo: definition of common observation protocols for the phenology of animal taxa (birds, mammals, amphibians and insects) along altitudinal gradients; implementation of the observation network. 5. Inter-pheno: integrated analysis of the relationships between plants and animals phenology and their relation with climatic and other environmental conditions. 6. Meteo-reseau: implementation of a monitoring network of temperature data in the sites where phenological observations are done. 7. Pheno-form: involvement of community members (e.g. schools, naturalistic guides, ...) in the observations and diffusion of results. During the conference, details on project structures, methodology and expected outcomes will be exposed and discussed.

An efficient and secure certificateless authentication protocol for healthcare system on wireless medical sensor networks.

PubMed

Guo, Rui; Wen, Qiaoyan; Jin, Zhengping; Zhang, Hua

2013-01-01

Sensor networks have opened up new opportunities in healthcare systems, which can transmit patient's condition to health professional's hand-held devices in time. The patient's physiological signals are very sensitive and the networks are extremely vulnerable to many attacks. It must be ensured that patient's privacy is not exposed to unauthorized entities. Therefore, the control of access to healthcare systems has become a crucial challenge. An efficient and secure authentication protocol will thus be needed in wireless medical sensor networks. In this paper, we propose a certificateless authentication scheme without bilinear pairing while providing patient anonymity. Compared with other related protocols, the proposed scheme needs less computation and communication cost and preserves stronger security. Our performance evaluations show that this protocol is more practical for healthcare system in wireless medical sensor networks.

An Efficient and Secure Certificateless Authentication Protocol for Healthcare System on Wireless Medical Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Guo, Rui; Wen, Qiaoyan; Jin, Zhengping; Zhang, Hua

2013-01-01

Sensor networks have opened up new opportunities in healthcare systems, which can transmit patient's condition to health professional's hand-held devices in time. The patient's physiological signals are very sensitive and the networks are extremely vulnerable to many attacks. It must be ensured that patient's privacy is not exposed to unauthorized entities. Therefore, the control of access to healthcare systems has become a crucial challenge. An efficient and secure authentication protocol will thus be needed in wireless medical sensor networks. In this paper, we propose a certificateless authentication scheme without bilinear pairing while providing patient anonymity. Compared with other related protocols, the proposed scheme needs less computation and communication cost and preserves stronger security. Our performance evaluations show that this protocol is more practical for healthcare system in wireless medical sensor networks. PMID:23710147

Development of effective skin cancer treatment and prevention in xeroderma pigmentosum.

PubMed

Lambert, W Clark; Lambert, Muriel W

2015-01-01

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, recessively transmitted genetic disease characterized by increasingly marked dyspigmentation and xerosis (dryness) of sun-exposed tissues, especially skin. Skin cancers characteristically develop in sun-exposed sites at very much earlier ages than in the general population; these are often multiple and hundreds or even thousands may develop. Eight complementation groups have been identified. Seven groups, XP-A…G, are associated with defective genes encoding proteins involved in the nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER) pathway that recognizes and excises mutagenic changes induced in DNA by sunlight; the eighth group, XP-V, is associated with defective translesion synthesis (TLS) bypassing such alterations. The dyspigmentation, xerosis and eventually carcinogenesis in XP patients appear to be due to their cells' failure to respond properly to these mutagenic DNA alterations, leading to mutations in skin cells. A subset of cases, especially those in some complementation groups, may develop neurological degeneration, which may be severe. However, in most XP patients, in the past the multiple skin cancers have led to death at an early age due to either metastases or sepsis. Using either topical 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod, we have developed a protocol that effectively prevents most skin cancer development in XP patients. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

Germline and reproductive tract effects intensify in male mice with successive generations of estrogenic exposure

PubMed Central

Horan, Tegan S.; Marre, Alyssa; Hassold, Terry; Lawson, Crystal; Hunt, Patricia A.

2017-01-01

The hypothesis that developmental estrogenic exposure induces a constellation of male reproductive tract abnormalities is supported by experimental and human evidence. Experimental data also suggest that some induced effects persist in descendants of exposed males. These multi- and transgenerational effects are assumed to result from epigenetic changes to the germline, but few studies have directly analyzed germ cells. Typically, studies of transgenerational effects have involved exposing one generation and monitoring effects in subsequent unexposed generations. This approach, however, has limited human relevance, since both the number and volume of estrogenic contaminants has increased steadily over time, intensifying rather than reducing or eliminating exposure. Using an outbred CD-1 mouse model, and a sensitive and quantitative marker of germline development, meiotic recombination, we tested the effect of successive generations of exposure on the testis. We targeted the germline during a narrow, perinatal window using oral exposure to the synthetic estrogen, ethinyl estradiol. A complex three generation exposure protocol allowed us to compare the effects of individual, paternal, and grandpaternal (ancestral) exposure. Our data indicate that multiple generations of exposure not only exacerbate germ cell exposure effects, but also increase the incidence and severity of reproductive tract abnormalities. Taken together, our data suggest that male sensitivity to environmental estrogens is increased by successive generations of exposure. PMID:28727826

Effects of gasoline engine emissions on preexisting allergic airway responses in mice.

PubMed

Day, Kimberly C; Reed, Matthew D; McDonald, Jacob D; Seilkop, Steven K; Barrett, Edward G

2008-10-01

Gasoline-powered vehicle emissions contribute significantly to ambient air pollution. We hypothesized that exposure to gasoline engine emissions (GEE) may exacerbate preexisting allergic airway responses. Male BALB/c mice were sensitized by injection with ovalbumin (OVA) and then received a 10-min aerosolized OVA challenge. Parallel groups were sham-sensitized with saline. Mice were exposed 6 h/day to air (control, C) or GEE containing particulate matter (PM) at low (L), medium (M), or high (H) concentrations, or to the H level with PM removed by filtration (high-filtered, HF). Immediately after GEE exposure mice received another 10-min aerosol OVA challenge (pre-OVA protocol). In a second (post-OVA) protocol, mice were similarly sensitized but only challenged to OVA before air or GEE exposure. Measurements of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and blood collection were performed approximately 24 h after the last exposure. In both protocols, M, H, and HF GEE exposure significantly decreased BAL neutrophils from nonsensitized mice but had no significant effect on BAL cells from OVA-sensitized mice. In the pre-OVA protocol, GEE exposure increased OVA-specific IgG(1) but had no effect on BAL interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-13, or interferon (IFN)-gamma in OVA-sensitized mice. Nonsensitized GEE-exposed mice had increased OVA-specific IgG(2a), IgE, and IL-2, but decreased total IgE. In the post-OVA protocol, GEE exposure reduced BAL IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-gamma in nonsensitized mice but had no effect on sensitized mice. These results suggest acute exposure to the gas-vapor phase of GEE suppressed inflammatory cells and cytokines from nonsensitized mice but did not substantially exacerbate allergic responses.

5 CFR 5502.107 - Supplemental disclosure of financial interests in substantially affected organizations applicable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... clinical study involving human subjects under a clinical research protocol approved by an institutional review board. (2) Clinical research has the meaning set forth in 42 U.S.C. 284d(b). (3) Institutional... review a clinical research protocol and approve the initiation of biomedical research involving human...

Histomorphometric assessment of bone necrosis produced by two cryosurgery protocols using liquid nitrogen: an experimental study on rat femurs.

PubMed

Costa, Fábio Wildson Gurgel; Brito, Gerly Anne de Castro; Pessoa, Rosana Maria Andrade; Studart-Soares, Eduardo Costa

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of liquid nitrogen cryosurgery on the femoral diaphysis of rats. The femoral diaphyses of 42 Wistar rats were exposed to three local and sequential applications of liquid nitrogen for 1 or 2 min, intercalated with periods of 5 min of passive thawing. The animals were sacrificed after 1, 2, 4 and 12 weeks and the specimens obtained were processed and analyzed histomorphometrically. The depth and extent of peak bone necrosis were 124.509 µm and 2087.094 µm for the 1-min protocol, respectively, and 436.424 µm and 12046.426 µm for the 2-min protocol. Peak necrosis was observed in the second experimental week with both cryotherapy protocols. The present results indicate that the 2-min protocol produced more marked bone necrosis than the 1-min protocol. Although our results cannot be entirely extrapolated to clinical practice, they contribute to the understanding of the behavior of bone tissue submitted to different cycles of liquid nitrogen freezing and may serve as a basis for new studies.

A Family of Quantum Protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devetak, Igor; Harrow, Aram W.; Winter, Andreas

2004-12-01

We introduce three new quantum protocols involving noisy quantum channels and entangled states, and relate them operationally and conceptually with four well-known old protocols. Two of the new protocols (the mother and father) can generate the other five “child” protocols by direct application of teleportation and superdense coding, and can be derived in turn by making the old protocols “coherent.” This gives very simple proofs for two famous old protocols (the hashing inequality and quantum channel capacity) and provides the basis for optimal trade-off curves in several quantum information processing tasks.

Anxiolytic-like effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in rats exposed and re-exposed to the elevated plus-maze and open field tests.

PubMed

Donatti, Alberto Ferreira; Soriano, Renato Nery; Leite-Panissi, Christie Ramos Andrade; Branco, Luiz G S; de Souza, Albert Schiaveto

2017-03-06

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), an endogenous gaseous mediator, modulates many physiological functions in mammals but evidence of its involvement in emotional and behavioral aspects is currently scarce. We hypothesized that this gas plays a modulatory role in behavioral parameters in rats submitted to tests (for 5min) in the open field (OF) and elevated plus-maze (EPM - test and retest). Male Wistar rats (200-250g) were intraperitoneally injected with saline or Na 2 S (a H 2 S donor; 4, 8 and 12mg/kg) either once or for 8days, and submitted to the OF test or to the EPM test and retest. A third group (naïve) was not injected but exposed to the same experimental protocols. In the OF test, Na 2 S injected for 8days caused a decrease in self-cleaning (4, 8 and 12mg/kg) and freezing behaviors (8 and 12mg/kg), and a rise in the rate of line crossings in the central part of the arena (12mg/kg). In the EPM test and retest, Na 2 S at 12mg/kg for 8days caused an increase in the number of open arm entries and in the percentage of time spent on open arms. Our data are consistent with the notion that H 2 S exerts anxiolytic-like effects in rats submitted to the EPM and OF tests. Moreover, this gaseous modulator reduces aversive learning in the EPM retest. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delamanid susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the resazurin microtitre assay and the BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 system.

PubMed

Schena, Elisa; Nedialkova, Lubov; Borroni, Emanuele; Battaglia, Simone; Cabibbe, Andrea Maurizio; Niemann, Stefan; Utpatel, Christian; Merker, Matthias; Trovato, Alberto; Hofmann-Thiel, Sabine; Hoffmann, Harald; Cirillo, Daniela Maria

2016-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop standardized protocols for rapid delamanid drug susceptibility testing (DST) using the colorimetric resazurin microtitre assay (REMA) and semi-automated BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960 system (MGIT) by establishing breakpoints that accurately discriminate between susceptibility and resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to delamanid. MICs of delamanid were determined by the MGIT, the REMA and the solid agar method for 19 pre-characterized strains. The MIC distribution of delamanid was then established for a panel of clinical strains never exposed to the drug and characterized by different geographical origins and susceptibility patterns. WGS was used to investigate genetic polymorphisms in five genes (ddn, fgd1, fbiA, fbiB and fbiC) involved in intracellular delamanid activation. We demonstrated that the REMA and MGIT can both be used for the rapid and accurate determination of delamanid MIC, showing excellent concordance with the solid agar reference method, as well as high reproducibility and repeatability. We propose the tentative breakpoint of 0.125 mg/L for the REMA and MGIT, allowing reliable discrimination between M. tuberculosis susceptible and resistant to delamanid. Stop codon mutations in ddn (Trp-88 → STOP) and fbiA (Lys-250 → STOP) have only been observed in strains resistant to delamanid. We established protocols for DST of delamanid in the MGIT and REMA, confirming their feasibility in routine TB diagnostics, utilizing the same discriminative concentration for both methods. Moreover, taking advantage of WGS analysis, we identified polymorphisms potentially associated with resistance in two genes involved in delamanid activation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A role for bioelectric effects in the induction of bystander signals by ionizing radiation?

PubMed

Mothersill, C; Moran, G; McNeill, F; Gow, M D; Denbeigh, J; Prestwich, W; Seymour, C B

2007-04-03

The induction of "bystander effects" i.e. effects in cells which have not received an ionizing radiation track, is now accepted but the mechanisms are not completely clear. Bystander effects following high and low LET radiation exposure are accepted but mechanisms are still not understood. There is some evidence for a physical component to the signal. This paper tests the hypothesis that bioelectric or biomagnetic phenomena are involved. Human immortalized skin keratinocytes and primary explants of mouse bladder and fish skin, were exposed directly to ionizing radiation or treated in a variety of bystander protocols. Exposure of cells was conducted by shielding one group of flasks using lead, to reduce the dose below the threshold of 2mGy (60)Cobalt gamma rays established for the bystander effect. The endpoint for the bystander effect in the reporter system used was reduction in cloning efficiency (RCE). The magnitude of the RCE was similar in shielded and unshielded flasks. When cells were placed in a Faraday cage the magnitude of the RCE was less but not eliminated. The results suggest that liquid media or cell-cell contact transmission of bystander factors may be only part of the bystander mechanism. Bioelectric or bio magnetic fields may have a role to play. To test this further, cells were placed in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for 10 min using a typical head scan protocol. This treatment also induced a bystander response. Apart from the obvious clinical relevance, the MRI results further suggest that bystander effects may be produced by non-ionizing exposures. It is concluded that bioelectric or magnetic effects may be involved in producing bystander signaling cascades commonly seen following ionizing radiation exposure.

A Role for Bioelectric Effects in the Induction of Bystander Signals by Ionizing Radiation?

PubMed Central

Mothersill, C.; Moran, G.; McNeill, F.; Gow, M.D.; Denbeigh, J.; Prestwich, W.; Seymour, C.B.

2007-01-01

The induction of “bystander effects” i.e. effects in cells which have not received an ionizing radiation track, is now accepted but the mechanisms are not completely clear. Bystander effects following high and low LET radiation exposure are accepted but mechanisms are still not understood. There is some evidence for a physical component to the signal. This paper tests the hypothesis that bioelectric or biomagnetic phenomena are involved. Human immortalized skin keratinocytes and primary explants of mouse bladder and fish skin, were exposed directly to ionizing radiation or treated in a variety of bystander protocols. Exposure of cells was conducted by shielding one group of flasks using lead, to reduce the dose below the threshold of 2mGy 60Cobalt gamma rays established for the bystander effect. The endpoint for the bystander effect in the reporter system used was reduction in cloning efficiency (RCE). The magnitude of the RCE was similar in shielded and unshielded flasks. When cells were placed in a Faraday cage the magnitude of the RCE was less but not eliminated. The results suggest that liquid media or cell-cell contact transmission of bystander factors may be only part of the bystander mechanism. Bioelectric or bio magnetic fields may have a role to play. To test this further, cells were placed in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine for 10min using a typical head scan protocol. This treatment also induced a bystander response. Apart from the obvious clinical relevance, the MRI results further suggest that bystander effects may be produced by non-ionizing exposures. It is concluded that bioelectric or magnetic effects may be involved in producing bystander signaling cascades commonly seen following ionizing radiation exposure. PMID:18648606

National Sample Assessment Protocols

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

These protocols represent a working guide for planning and implementing national sample assessments in connection with the national Key Performance Measures (KPMs). The protocols are intended for agencies involved in planning or conducting national sample assessments and personnel responsible for administering associated tenders or contracts,…

Management of neurosurgical instruments and patients exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

PubMed

Belay, Ermias D; Blase, Jennifer; Sehulster, Lynne M; Maddox, Ryan A; Schonberger, Lawrence B

2013-12-01

To summarize the approaches used to manage exposure of patients to inadequately sterilized neurosurgical instruments contaminated as a result of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Information on past CJD exposure incidents reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was aggregated and summarized. In addition, inactivation studies were reviewed, and data from selected publications were provided for reference. Nineteen incidents of patient exposure to potentially CJD-contaminated instruments were reported to the CDC, including 17 that involved intracranial procedures and 2 that involved ophthalmologic procedures. In more than 50% of incidents, the neurosurgical procedures were performed for diagnostic work up of the index patients. At least 12 of the hospitals had multiple neurosurgical sets, and the CJD-contaminated instruments could not be identified in 11 of 19 hospitals. In 12 of 15 hospitals with neurosurgical incidents, a decision was made to notify patients of their potential exposure. Neurosurgical instruments used for treatment of patients with suspected or diagnosed CJD or patients whose diagnosis is unclear should be promptly identified and sterilized using recommended CJD decontamination protocols. Inability to trace instruments complicates appropriate management of exposure incidents. The feasibility of instituting instrument tracking procedures should be considered.

Management of Neurosurgical Instruments and Patients Exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

PubMed Central

Belay, Ermias D.; Blase, Jennifer; Sehulster, Lynne M.; Maddox, Ryan A.; Schonberger, Lawrence B.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To summarize the approaches used to manage exposure of patients to inadequately sterilized neurosurgical instruments contaminated as a result of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). METHODS Information on past CJD exposure incidents reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was aggregated and summarized. In addition, inactivation studies were reviewed, and data from selected publications were provided for reference. RESULTS Nineteen incidents of patient exposure to potentially CJD-contaminated instruments were reported to the CDC, including 17 that involved intracranial procedures and 2 that involved ophthalmologic procedures. In more than 50% of incidents, the neurosurgical procedures were performed for diagnostic work up of the index patients. At least 12 of the hospitals had multiple neurosurgical sets, and the CJD-contaminated instruments could not be identified in 11 of 19 hospitals. In 12 of 15 hospitals with neurosurgical incidents, a decision was made to notify patients of their potential exposure. CONCLUSIONS Neurosurgical instruments used for treatment of patients with suspected or diagnosed CJD or patients whose diagnosis is unclear should be promptiy identified and sterilized using recommended CJD decontamination protocols. Inability to trace instruments complicates appropriate management of exposure incidents. The feasibility of instituting instrument tracking procedures should be considered. PMID:24225612

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers.

PubMed

Pelentritou, Andria; Kuhlmann, Levin; Cormack, John; Woods, Will; Sleigh, Jamie; Liley, David

2018-01-13

Anesthesia arguably provides one of the only systematic ways to study the neural correlates of global consciousness/unconsciousness. However to date most neuroimaging or neurophysiological investigations in humans have been confined to the study of γ-Amino-Butyric-Acid-(GABA)-receptor-agonist-based anesthetics, while the effects of dissociative N-Methyl-D-Aspartate-(NMDA)-receptor-antagonist-based anesthetics ketamine, nitrous oxide (N2O) and xenon (Xe) are largely unknown. This paper describes the methods underlying the simultaneous recording of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) from healthy males during inhalation of the gaseous anesthetic agents N2O and Xe. Combining MEG and EEG data enables the assessment of electromagnetic brain activity during anesthesia at high temporal, and moderate spatial, resolution. Here we describe a detailed protocol, refined over multiple recording sessions, that includes subject recruitment, anesthesia equipment setup in the MEG scanner room, data collection and basic data analysis. In this protocol each participant is exposed to varying levels of Xe and N2O in a repeated measures cross-over design. Following relevant baseline recordings participants are exposed to step-wise increasing inspired concentrations of Xe and N2O of 8, 16, 24 and 42%, and 16, 32 and 47% respectively, during which their level of responsiveness is tracked with an auditory continuous performance task (aCPT). Results are presented for a number of recordings to highlight the sensor-level properties of the raw data, the spectral topography, the minimization of head movements, and the unequivocal level dependent effects on the auditory evoked responses. This paradigm describes a general approach to the recording of electromagnetic signals associated with the action of different kinds of gaseous anesthetics, which can be readily adapted to be used with volatile and intravenous anesthetic agents. It is expected that the method outlined can contribute to the understanding of the macro-scale mechanisms of anesthesia by enabling methodological extensions involving source space imaging and functional network analysis.

Cool Apps: Building Cryospheric Data Applications with Standards-Based Service Oriented Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oldenburg, J.; Truslove, I.; Collins, J. A.; Liu, M.; Lewis, S.; Brodzik, M.

2012-12-01

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) holds a large collection of cryospheric data, and is involved in a number of informatics research and development projects aimed at improving the discoverability and accessibility of these data. To develop high- quality software in a timely manner, we have adopted a Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach for our core technical infrastructure development. Data services at NSIDC are internally exposed to other tools and applications through standards-based service interfaces. These standards include OAI-PMH (Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting), various OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) standards including WMS (Web Map Service) and WFS (Web Feature Service), ESIP (Federation of Earth Sciences Information Partners) OpenSearch, and NSIDC-defined service endpoints which follow a RESTful architecture. By taking a standards-based approach, we are able to use off-the-shelf tools and libraries to consume, translate and broker these data services, and thus develop applications faster. Additionally, by exposing public interfaces to these services we provide valuable data services to technical collaborators; for example, NASA Reverb (http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov) uses NSIDC's WMS services. Our latest generation of web applications consume these data services directly. The most complete example of this is the Operation IceBridge Data Portal (http://nsidc.org/icebridge/ portal) which depends on many of the aforementioned services, retrieving data in several ways. The maps it displays are obtained through the use of WMS and WFS protocols from a MapServer instance hosted at NSIDC. Links to the scientific data collected on Operation IceBridge campaigns are obtained through ESIP OpenSearch requests service providers that encapsulate our metadata databases. These standards-based web services are also developed at NSIDC and are designed to be used independently of the Portal. This poster provides a visual representation of the relationships described above, with additional details and examples, and more generally outlines the benefits and challenges of this SOA approach.

Protecting intellectual property associated with Canadian academic clinical trials - approaches and impact

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Intellectual property is associated with the creative work needed to design clinical trials. Two approaches have developed to protect the intellectual property associated with multicentre trial protocols prior to site initiation. The ‘open access’ approach involves publishing the protocol, permitting easy access to the complete protocol. The main advantages of the open access approach are that the protocol is freely available to all stakeholders, permitting them to discuss the protocol widely with colleagues, assess the quality and rigour of the protocol, determine the feasibility of conducting the trial at their centre, and after trial completion, to evaluate the reported findings based on a full understanding of the protocol. The main potential disadvantage of this approach is the potential for plagiarism; however if that occurred, it should be easy to identify because of the open access to the original trial protocol, as well as ensure that appropriate sanctions are used to deal with plagiarism. The ‘restricted access’ approach involves the use of non-disclosure agreements, legal documents that must be signed between the trial lead centre and collaborative sites. Potential sites must guarantee they will not disclose any details of the study before they are permitted to access the protocol. The main advantages of the restricted access approach are for the lead institution and nominated principal investigator, who protect their intellectual property associated with the trial. The main disadvantages are that ownership of the protocol and intellectual property is assigned to the lead institution; defining who ‘needs to know’ about the study protocol is difficult; and the use of non-disclosure agreements involves review by lawyers and institutional representatives at each site before access is permitted to the protocol, significantly delaying study implementation and adding substantial indirect costs to research institutes. This extra step may discourage sites from joining a trial. It is possible that the restricted access approach may contribute to the failure of well-designed trials without any significant benefit in protecting intellectual property. Funding agencies should formalize rules around open versus restricted access to the study protocol just as they have around open access to results. PMID:23270486

Protecting intellectual property associated with Canadian academic clinical trials--approaches and impact.

PubMed

Ross, Sue; Magee, Laura; Walker, Mark; Wood, Stephen

2012-12-27

Intellectual property is associated with the creative work needed to design clinical trials. Two approaches have developed to protect the intellectual property associated with multicentre trial protocols prior to site initiation. The 'open access' approach involves publishing the protocol, permitting easy access to the complete protocol. The main advantages of the open access approach are that the protocol is freely available to all stakeholders, permitting them to discuss the protocol widely with colleagues, assess the quality and rigour of the protocol, determine the feasibility of conducting the trial at their centre, and after trial completion, to evaluate the reported findings based on a full understanding of the protocol. The main potential disadvantage of this approach is the potential for plagiarism; however if that occurred, it should be easy to identify because of the open access to the original trial protocol, as well as ensure that appropriate sanctions are used to deal with plagiarism. The 'restricted access' approach involves the use of non-disclosure agreements, legal documents that must be signed between the trial lead centre and collaborative sites. Potential sites must guarantee they will not disclose any details of the study before they are permitted to access the protocol. The main advantages of the restricted access approach are for the lead institution and nominated principal investigator, who protect their intellectual property associated with the trial. The main disadvantages are that ownership of the protocol and intellectual property is assigned to the lead institution; defining who 'needs to know' about the study protocol is difficult; and the use of non-disclosure agreements involves review by lawyers and institutional representatives at each site before access is permitted to the protocol, significantly delaying study implementation and adding substantial indirect costs to research institutes. This extra step may discourage sites from joining a trial. It is possible that the restricted access approach may contribute to the failure of well-designed trials without any significant benefit in protecting intellectual property. Funding agencies should formalize rules around open versus restricted access to the study protocol just as they have around open access to results.

[Identification of occult disseminated tumor cells by recombinant herpes simplex virus expressing GFP (HSV(GFP))].

PubMed

Han, Xiang-ping; Shi, Gui-lan; Wang, Cheng-feng; Li, Jie; Zhang, Jian-wei; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Shu-ren; Liu, Bin-lei

2012-12-01

To develop a novel rapid protocol for the detection of occult disseminated tumor cells by a recombinant herpes simplex virus expressing GFP (HSV(GFP)). Tumor cells of seven cell lines were exposed to HSV(GFP) and then examined for GFP expression by fluorescence microscopy. Various numbers of tumor cells (10, 100, 1000, 10 000) were mixed into 2 ml human whole blood, separated with lymphocytes separation medium, exposed to HSV(GFP), incubated at 37°C for 6 - 24 h and then counted for the number of green cells under the fluorescence microscope. Some clinical samples including peripheral blood, pleural effusion, ascites, spinal fluid from tumor-bearing patients were screened using this protocol in parallel with routine cytological examination. HSV(GFP) was able to infect all 7 tumor cell lines indicating that the HSV(GFP) can be used to detect different types of tumor cells. The detection sensitivity was 10 cancer cells in 2 ml whole blood. In the clinical samples, there were 4/15 positive by routine cytological examination but 11/15 positive by HSV(GFP), indicating a higher sensitivity of this new protocol. Recombinant herpes simplex virus-mediated green fluorescence is a simple and sensitive technique for the identification of occult disseminated cancer cells including circulating tumor cells (CTCs).

Outcomes of Zika virus infection during pregnancy: contributions to the debate on the efficiency of cohort studies.

PubMed

Duarte, Elisabeth Carmen; Garcia, Leila Posenato; de Araújo, Wildo Navegantes; Velez, Maria P

2017-12-02

Zika infection during pregnancy (ZIKVP) is known to be associated with adverse outcomes. Studies on this matter involve both rare outcomes and rare exposures and methodological choices are not straightforward. Cohort studies will surely offer more robust evidences, but their efficiency must be enhanced. We aim to contribute to the debate on sample selection strategies in cohort studies to assess outcomes associated with ZKVP. A study can be statistically more efficient than another if its estimates are more accurate (precise and valid), even if the studies involve the same number of subjects. Sample size and specific design strategies can enhance or impair the statistical efficiency of a study, depending on how the subjects are distributed in subgroups pertinent to the analysis. In most ZIKVP cohort studies to date there is an a priori identification of the source population (pregnant women, regardless of their exposure status) which is then sampled or included in its entirety (census). Subsequently, the group of pregnant women is classified according to exposure (presence or absence of ZIKVP), respecting the exposed:unexposed ratio in the source population. We propose that the sample selection be done from the a priori identification of groups of pregnant women exposed and unexposed to ZIKVP. This method will allow for an oversampling (even 100%) of the pregnant women with ZKVP and a optimized sampling from the general population of pregnant women unexposed to ZIKVP, saving resources in the unexposed group and improving the expected number of incident cases (outcomes) overall. We hope that this proposal will broaden the methodological debate on the improvement of statistical power and protocol harmonization of cohort studies that aim to evaluate the association between Zika infection during pregnancy and outcomes for the offspring, as well as those with similar objectives.

Extranodal NK÷T-cell lymphoma, nasal type with cutaneous involvement - a rare case associated with chronic C hepatitis and occupational metal dust exposure.

PubMed

Ştefănescu, Eugen Horaţiu; Balica, Nicolae Constantin; Horhat, Ioana Delia; Baderca, Flavia; Pricop, Marius Octavian; Urechescu, Horaţiu Constantin; Lighezan, Daniel Florin; Sarău, Cristian Andrei

2017-01-01

Extranodal natural killer (NK)÷T-cell lymphomas, nasal type are rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), with unknown etiology, rapid evolution and poor prognosis, due to midline tissue destruction and rapid spreading of the tumor. These lymphomas occur commonly in the nasal cavity and upper aerodigestive tract, but can also present involvement of the skin, salivary gland, and testis. We describe a case of nasal type T-cell NHL involving the nasal cavity and determining right thigh cutaneous metastases in a 47-year-old female associated with liver comorbidities and occupational dust exposure. The patient was suffering from chronic type C hepatitis and cirrhosis and she has been occupationally exposed to metal dust for 10 years. Clinical and laboratory investigations were performed. Essential for diagnosis and treatment protocol was nasal endoscopy and biopsy of nasal and cutaneous lesions. The histopathological exam was consistent with NK÷T-cell lymphoma. Patient was diagnosed in Ann Arbor stage IVA. Chemotherapy was initiated with Bleomycin, Etoposide, Adriamycin (Doxorubicin), Cyclophosphamide, Oncovin (Vincristine), Procarbazine and Prednisone, but it was stopped after two cycles because of the liver condition. The treatment plan also included radiotherapy, but soon after initiation, the patient died because of a liver complication. We present a rare case of extranodal NK÷T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, with cutaneous involvement to which the treatment could not be properly applied because of the late diagnosis and liver comorbidities.

How to write a surgical clinical research protocol: literature review and practical guide.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Rachel; Schäfer, Juliane; Briel, Matthias; Bucher, Heiner C; Oertli, Daniel; Dell-Kuster, Salome

2014-02-01

The study protocol is the core document of every clinical research project. Clinical research in studies involving surgical interventions presents some specific challenges, which need to be accounted for and described in the study protocol. The aim of this review is to provide a practical guide for developing a clinical study protocol for surgical interventions with a focus on methodologic issues. On the basis of an in-depth literature search of methodologic literature and on some cardinal published surgical trials and observational studies, the authors provides a 10-step guide for developing a clinical study protocol in surgery. This practical guide outlines key methodologic issues important when planning an ethically and scientifically sound research project involving surgical interventions, with the ultimate goal of providing high-level evidence relevant for health care decision making in surgery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Histological observation of hairless mice skin after exposure to Simulated Solar Light: Comparison between the histological findings with different methodologies and 3R principle correlations.

PubMed

Hossy, Bryan Hudson; Leitão, Alvaro Augusto da Costa; Torres, Renata Bosco; Ramos-E-Silva, Marcia; Miguel, Nádia Campos de Oliveira; de Pádula, Marcelo

2018-03-01

Albino hairless mouse (AHM) has been used as a biological model in photodermatology. However, the experimental landscape is diverse to follow and need particular attention. Irradiation parameters were investigated for the development of a protocol to assess alterations in the AHM skin using Simulated Solar Light (SSL). The present study was compared with published articles (last 15 years) according to irradiation protocols, morphological findings to minimize animal suffering and UV exposure. Three groups: Control (G1), experimental - sunburn (G2) and skin photodamage assay (G3). G2 were immobilized and exposed to SSL once for 15, 30 and 45min. G3 were exposed to SSL, without immobilization, for 15min once a day for one week. The dorsal skin was analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin technique. G2 displayed different sunburn degrees. Based on the profile of the observed morphological alterations, a 15min irradiation was chosen as the exposure time to expose G3, without immobilization, for 5 consecutive days. These conditions produced the same morphological changes in the AHM with a shorter solar exposure time, without immobilizing the animals but using environmental exposure fluences, conforming to 3R (reduction - refinement - replacement) recommendations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Hot and Cool Forms of Inhibitory Control and Externalizing Behavior in Children of Mothers Who Smoked during Pregnancy: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huijbregts, Stephan C. J.; Warren, Alison J.; de Sonneville, Leo M. J.; Swaab-Barneveld, Hanna

2008-01-01

This study examined whether children exposed to prenatal smoking show deficits in "hot" and/or "cool" executive functioning (EF). Hot EF is involved in regulation of affect and motivation, whereas cool EF is involved in handling abstract, decontextualized problems. Forty 7 to 9-year-old children (15 exposed to prenatal smoking, 25 non-exposed)…

Determining contrast medium dose and rate on basis of lean body weight: does this strategy improve patient-to-patient uniformity of hepatic enhancement during multi-detector row CT?

PubMed

Ho, Lisa M; Nelson, Rendon C; Delong, David M

2007-05-01

To prospectively evaluate the use of lean body weight (LBW) as the main determinant of the volume and rate of contrast material administration during multi-detector row computed tomography of the liver. This HIPAA-compliant study had institutional review board approval. All patients gave written informed consent. Four protocols were compared. Standard protocol involved 125 mL of iopamidol injected at 4 mL/sec. Total body weight (TBW) protocol involved 0.7 g iodine per kilogram of TBW. Calculated LBW and measured LBW protocols involved 0.86 g of iodine per kilogram and 0.92 g of iodine per kilogram calculated or measured LBW for men and women, respectively. Injection rate used for the three experimental protocols was determined proportionally on the basis of the calculated volume of contrast material. Postcontrast attenuation measurements during portal venous phase were obtained in liver, portal vein, and aorta for each group and were summed for each patient. Patient-to-patient enhancement variability in same group was measured with Levene test. Two-tailed t test was used to compare the three experimental protocols with the standard protocol. Data analysis was performed in 101 patients (25 or 26 patients per group), including 56 men and 45 women (mean age, 53 years). Average summed attenuation values for standard, TBW, calculated LBW, and measured LBW protocols were 419 HU +/- 50 (standard deviation), 443 HU +/- 51, 433 HU +/- 50, and 426 HU +/- 33, respectively (P = not significant for all). Levene test results for summed attenuation data for standard, TBW, calculated LBW, and measured LBW protocols were 40 +/- 29, 38 +/- 33 (P = .83), 35 +/- 35 (P = .56), and 26 +/- 19 (P = .05), respectively. By excluding highly variable but poorly perfused adipose tissue from calculation of contrast medium dose, the measured LBW protocol may lessen patient-to-patient enhancement variability while maintaining satisfactory hepatic and vascular enhancement.

Behavioral, cellular and molecular maladaptations covary with exposure to pyridostigmine bromide in a rat model of gulf war illness pain.

PubMed

Cooper, B Y; Flunker, L D; Johnson, R D; Nutter, T J

2018-08-01

Many veterans of Operation Desert Storm (ODS) struggle with the chronic pain of Gulf War Illness (GWI). Exposure to insecticides and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) have been implicated in the etiology of this multisymptom disease. We examined the influence of 3 (DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), permethrin, chlorpyrifos) or 4 GW agents (DEET, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, pyridostigmine bromide (PB)) on the post-exposure ambulatory and resting behaviors of rats. In three independent studies, rats that were exposed to all 4 agents consistently developed both immediate and delayed ambulatory deficits that persisted at least 16 weeks after exposures had ceased. Rats exposed to a 3 agent protocol (PB excluded) did not develop any ambulatory deficits. Cellular and molecular studies on nociceptors harvested from 16WP (weeks post-exposure) rats indicated that vascular nociceptor Na v 1.9 mediated currents were chronically potentiated following the 4 agent protocol but not following the 3 agent protocol. Muscarinic linkages to muscle nociceptor TRPA1 were also potentiated in the 4 agent but not the 3 agent, PB excluded, protocol. Although K v 7 activity changes diverged from the behavioral data, a K v 7 opener, retigabine, transiently reversed ambulation deficits. We concluded that PB played a critical role in the development of pain-like signs in a GWI rat model and that shifts in Na v 1.9 and TRPA1 activity were critical to the expression of these pain behaviors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organ procurement after cardiocirculatory death: a critical analysis.

PubMed

Rady, Mohamed Y; Verheijde, Joseph L; McGregor, Joan

2008-01-01

To shorten the transplantation waiting time in the United States, federal regulations have been introduced requiring hospitals to develop policies for organ donation after cardiac (or circulatory) death (DCD). The practice of DCD is invoked based on the validity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) protocol and relies on the accuracy of the University of Wisconsin (UW) evaluation tool to appropriately identify organ donors. There is little evidence to support the position that the criteria for organ procurement adopted from the UPMC protocol complies with the dead donor rule. A high false-positive rate of the UW evaluation tool can expose many dying patients to unnecessary perimortem interventions because of donation failure. The medications and/or interventions for the sole purpose of maintaining organ viability can have unintended negative consequences on the timing and quality of end-of-life care offered to organ donors. It is essential to address and manage the evolving conflict between optimal end-of-life care and the necessary sacrifices for the procurement of transplantable organs from the terminally ill. The recipients of marginal organs recovered from DCD can also suffer higher mortality and morbidity than recipients of other types of donated organs. Finally, transparent disclosure to the public of the risks involved to both organ donors and recipients may contribute to open societal debate on the ethical acceptability of DCD.

Soft tissue remodeling technique as a non-invasive alternative to second implant surgery.

PubMed

Vela, Xavier; Méndez, Víctor; Rodríguez, Xavier; Segalà, Maribel; Gil, Jaime A

2012-01-01

It is currently accepted that success in implant-supported restorations is based not only on osseointegration, but also on achieving the esthetic outcome of natural teeth and healthy soft tissues. The socalled "pink esthetic" has become the main challenge with implant-supported rehabilitations in the anterior area. This is especially difficult in the cases with two adjacent implants. Two components affect the final periimplant gingiva: a correct bone support, and a sufficient quantity and quality of soft tissues. Several papers have emphasized the need to regenerate and preserve the bone after extractions, or after the exposure of the implants to the oral environment. The classical implantation protocol entails entering the working area several times and always involves the surgical manipulation of peri-implant tissues. Careful surgical handling of the soft tissues when exposing the implants and placing the healing abutments (second surgery) helps the clinician to obtain the best possible results, but even so there is a loss of volume of the tissues as they become weaker and more rigid after each procedure. The present study proposes a new protocol that includes the connective tissue graft placement and the soft tissues remodeling technique, which is based on the use of the ovoid pontics. This technique may help to minimize the logical scar reaction after the second surgery and to improve the final emergence profile.

Two-stage treatment protocol of keratocystic odontogenic tumour in young patients with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: marsupialization and later enucleation with peripheral ostectomy. A 5-year-follow-up experience.

PubMed

Borgonovo, Andrea Enrico; Di Lascia, Stefano; Grossi, Giovanni; Maiorana, Carlo

2011-12-01

Keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT) is a benign uni- or multicystic intraosseous odontogenic tumour with potential for local destruction and tendency for multiplicity, especially when associated with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. We suggest a conservative surgical treatment based on marsupialization and later enucleation with peripheral ostectomy in order to preserve jaw's integrity in young patients. Three young patients affected of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS or Gorlin-Goltz syndrome) presented large and multiple KCOTs, which have been treated following a two-stage surgical strategy. Initially marsupialization was performed and after a mean period of 10 months, contextually to evident reduction in radiological size image, enucleation with peripheral ostectomy was carried out. All the patients showed high collaboration in daily self-irrigation of the stomia with chlorhexidine 0.2% during the period of marsupialization. Definitive surgical intervention led to complete healing and no signs of recurrence have been observed during a 5-year-follow-up. The main advantage of this modality is the preservation of important anatomical structures involved in the lesion and jaw's continuity. Therefore in a selected group of cooperative patients, especially those affected of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, the surgical protocol exposed allows for a less invasive approach with excellent results avoiding extensive disfiguring procedures. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

NF-κB involvement in hyperoxia-induced myocardial damage in newborn rat hearts.

PubMed

Zara, Susi; De Colli, Marianna; Rapino, Monica; Di Valerio, Valentina; Marconi, Guya Diletta; Cataldi, Amelia; Macchi, Veronica; De Caro, Raffaele; Porzionato, Andrea

2013-11-01

Premature newborns are frequently exposed to hyperoxia ventilation and some literature data indicate the possibility of hyperoxia-induced myocardial damage. Since nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a crucial signaling molecule involved in physiological response to hyperoxia in different cell types as well as in various tissues, our attention has been focused on the role played by NF-κB pathway in response to moderate and severe hyperoxia exposure in rat neonatal heart tissue. Akt and IκBα levels, involved in NF-κB activation, along with the balance between apoptotic and survival pathways have also been investigated. Experimental design of the study has involved exposure of newborn rats to room air (controls), 60 % O2 (moderate hyperoxia), or 95 % O2 (severe hyperoxia) for the first two postnatal weeks. Morphological analysis shows a less compact tissue in rat heart exposed to moderate hyperoxia and a decreased number of nuclei in samples exposed to severe hyperoxia. A significant increase of NF-κB positive nuclei percentage and p-IκBα expression in samples exposed to 95 % hyperoxia compared to control and to 60 % hyperoxia is evidenced; in parallel, an increase of pAkt/Akt ratio in both samples exposed to 95 and 60 % hyperoxia is shown. Furthermore, a more evident cytochrome c/Apaf-1 immunocomplex and a decreased Bcl2 expression in 95 % hyperoxia-exposed sample compared to 60 % exposed one is evidenced. In conclusion, our findings suggest the involvement of the NF-κB pathway and Akt signaling in the mechanisms of myocardial hyperoxic damage in the newborns, with particular reference to the induction of oxidative stress-related apoptosis.

SU-F-T-173: One-Scan Protocol: Verifying the Delivery of Spot-Scanning Proton Beam

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

Chan, M; Li, J; Chen, C

Purpose: Radiochromic film for spot-scanning QA provides high spatial resolution and efficiency gains from one-shot irradiation for multiple depths. However, calibration can be a tedious procedure which may limit widespread use. Moreover, since there may be an energy dependence, which manifests as a depth dependence, this may require additional measurements for each patient. We present a one-scan protocol to simplify the procedure. Methods: We performed the calibration using an EBT3 film at depths of 18, 20, 24cm of Plastic Water exposed by a 6-level step-wedge plan on a Proteus Plus proton system (IBA, Belgium). The calibration doses ranged 65–250 cGy(RBE)more » for proton energies of 170–200MeV. A clinical prostate+nodes plan was used for validation. The planar doses at selected depths were measured with EBT3 films and analyzed using one-scan protocol (one-scan digitization of QA film and at least one film exposed to known dose). The Gamma passing rates, dose-difference maps, and profiles of 2D planar doses measured with EBT3 film, IBA MatriXX PT, versus TPS calculations were analyzed and compared. Results: The EBT3 film measurement results matched well with the TPS calculation data with an average passing rate of ∼95% for 2%/2mm and slightly lower passing rates were obtained from an ion chamber array detector. We were able to demonstrate that the use of a proton step-wedge provided clinically acceptable results and minimized variations between film-scanner orientation, inter-scan, and scanning conditions. Furthermore, it could be derived from no more than two films exposed to known doses (one could be zero) for rescaling the master calibration curve at each depth. Conclusion: The use of a proton step-wedge for calibration of EBT3 film increases efficiency. The sensitivity of the calibration to depth variations has been explored. One-scan protocol results appear to be comparable to that of the ion chamber array detector. One author has a research grant from Ashland Inc., the manufacturer of the GafChromic film.« less

Acute effects of cigarette smoke exposure on experimental skin flaps

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

Nolan, J.; Jenkins, R.A.; Kurihara, K.

1985-04-01

Random vascular patterned caudally based McFarlane-type skin flaps were elevated in groups of Fischer 344 rats. Groups of rats were then acutely exposed on an intermittent basis to smoke generated from well-characterized research filter cigarettes. Previously developed smoke inhalation exposure protocols were employed using a Maddox-ORNL inhalation exposure system. Rats that continued smoke exposure following surgery showed a significantly greater mean percent area of flap necrosis compared with sham-exposed groups or control groups not exposed. The possible pathogenesis of this observation as well as considerations and correlations with chronic human smokers are discussed. Increased risks of flap necrosis by smokingmore » in the perioperative period are suggested by this study.« less

Air pollution effects on food quality. 2nd annual progress report

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

Pell, E.J.

1979-02-01

Progress is reported in studies to determine the effect of acute, toxic exposures of ozone to alfalfa, potato, and soybean plants. The objective has been to correlate the foliar response with alterations in quality of the edible portion of the plant viz. the leaf, tuber and seed of alfalfa, potato and soybean, respectively. In 1977 we (1) modified our fumigation facilities, (2) developed protocol for studies with alfalfa and potato, and (3) conducted studies on flavonoid status of alfalfa and a series of parameters of potato tubers. In 1978 we (1) conducted more indepth studies with alfalfa, (2) repeated themore » potato study, (3) began to develop protocol for measuring additional parameters of alfalfa and potato quality, and (4) developed protocol for cultivating and exposing soybean plants.« less

A comparison of alcohol involvement in exposed and injured drivers, phases I and II

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-02-01

Author's abstract: The primary objective of the study was to compare alcohol related data collected from drivers involved in injury producing automobile accidents with the same type of data collected from drivers who were similarly exposed to these m...

Considerations in establishing a post-mortem brain and tissue bank for the study of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a proposed protocol.

PubMed

Nacul, Luis; O'Donovan, Dominic G; Lacerda, Eliana M; Gveric, Djordje; Goldring, Kirstin; Hall, Alison; Bowman, Erinna; Pheby, Derek

2014-06-18

Our aim, having previously investigated through a qualitative study involving extensive discussions with experts and patients the issues involved in establishing and maintaining a disease specific brain and tissue bank for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), was to develop a protocol for a UK ME/CFS repository of high quality human tissue from well characterised subjects with ME/CFS and controls suitable for a broad range of research applications. This would involve a specific donor program coupled with rapid tissue collection and processing, supplemented by comprehensive prospectively collected clinical, laboratory and self-assessment data from cases and controls. We reviewed the operations of existing tissue banks from published literature and from their internal protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs). On this basis, we developed the protocol presented here, which was designed to meet high technical and ethical standards and legal requirements and was based on recommendations of the MRC UK Brain Banks Network. The facility would be most efficient and cost-effective if incorporated into an existing tissue bank. Tissue collection would be rapid and follow robust protocols to ensure preservation sufficient for a wide range of research uses. A central tissue bank would have resources both for wide-scale donor recruitment and rapid response to donor death for prompt harvesting and processing of tissue. An ME/CFS brain and tissue bank could be established using this protocol. Success would depend on careful consideration of logistic, technical, legal and ethical issues, continuous consultation with patients and the donor population, and a sustainable model of funding ideally involving research councils, health services, and patient charities. This initiative could revolutionise the understanding of this still poorly-understood disease and enhance development of diagnostic biomarkers and treatments.

Using Green Star Metrics to Optimize the Greenness of Literature Protocols for Syntheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duarte, Rita C. C.; Ribeiro, M. Gabriela T. C.; Machado, Adélio A. S. C.

2015-01-01

A procedure to improve the greenness of a synthesis, without performing laboratory work, using alternative protocols available in the literature is presented. The greenness evaluation involves the separate assessment of the different steps described in the available protocols--reaction, isolation, and purification--as well as the global process,…

Expression of DNA repair genes in burned skin exposed to low-level red laser.

PubMed

Trajano, Eduardo Tavares Lima; Mencalha, Andre Luiz; Monte-Alto-Costa, Andréa; Pôrto, Luís Cristóvão; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

2014-11-01

Although red laser lights lie in the region of non-ionizing radiations in the electromagnetic spectrum, there are doubts whether absorption of these radiations causes lesions in the DNA molecule. Our aim was to investigate the expression of the genes involved with base excision and nucleotide excision repair pathways in skin tissue submitted to burn injury and exposed to low-level red laser. Wistar rats were divided as follows: control group-rats burned and not irradiated, laser group-rats burned and irradiated 1 day after injury for five consecutive days, and later laser group-rats injured and treated 4 days after injury for five consecutive days. Irradiation was performed according to a clinical protocol (20 J/cm(2), 100 mW, continuous wave emission mode). The animals were sacrificed on day 10, and scarred tissue samples were withdrawn for total RNA extraction, complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis, and evaluation of gene expression by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Low-level red laser exposure (1) reduces the expression of APE1 messenger (mRNA), (2) increases the expression of OGG1 mRNA, (3) reduces the expression of XPC mRNA, and (4) increases the expression of XPA mRNA both in laser and later laser groups. Red laser exposure at therapeutic fluences alters the expression of genes related to base excision and nucleotide excision pathways of DNA repair during wound healing of burned skin.

A Rehabilitation Protocol for Empowering Spatial Orientation in MCI. A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Gadler, Erminia; Grassi, Alessandra; Riva, Giuseppe

2009-01-01

Spatial navigation is among the first cognitive functions to be impaired in Alzheimer's disease [1] and deficit in this domain is detectable earlier in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment [2]. Since efficacy of cognitive training in persons with MCI was successfully assessed [3], we developed a multitasking training protocol using virtual environments for stimulating attention, perception and visuo-spatial cognition in order to empower spatial orientation in MCI. Two healthy elders were exposed to the training over a period of four weeks and both showed improved performances in attention and orientation after the end of the intervention.

On-chip PMA labeling of foodborne pathogenic bacteria for viable qPCR and qLAMP detection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Propidium monoazide (PMA) is a membrane impermeable molecule that covalently bonds to double stranded DNA when exposed to light and inhibits the polymerase activity, thus enabling DNA amplification detection protocols that discriminate between viable and non-viable entities. Here, we present a micro...

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Physiology and Cognitive Control of Behavior in Stress Inoculated Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Karen J.; Buckmaster, Christine L.; Lindley, Steven E.; Schatzberg, Alan F.; Lyons, David M.

2012-01-01

Monkeys exposed to stress inoculation protocols early in life subsequently exhibit diminished neurobiological responses to moderate psychological stressors and enhanced cognitive control of behavior during juvenile development compared to non-inoculated monkeys. The present experiments extended these findings and revealed that stress inoculated…

Guided Inquiry in a Biochemistry Laboratory Course Improves Experimental Design Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodey, Nina M.; Talgar, Cigdem P.

2016-01-01

Many biochemistry laboratory courses expose students to laboratory techniques through pre-determined experiments in which students follow stepwise protocols provided by the instructor. This approach fails to provide students with sufficient opportunities to practice experimental design and critical thinking. Ten inquiry modules were created for a…

MUTAGENICITY EVALUATION OF THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT CI DISPERSE BLUE 291 USING DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS OF THE SALMONELLA ASSAY

EPA Science Inventory

Textile dyes can enter the water ecosystem through wastewater discharges potentially exposing humans through the consumption of water and food. The commercial disperse dye product C.I. Disperse Blue 291 containing the aminoazobenzene 2-[(2-bromo-4,6-dinitrophenyl)azo]-5(diethylam...

COMPARISON OF TWO ARSENIC EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS IN A CHRONICALLY EXPOSED POPULATION

EPA Science Inventory

Consistent with the US EPA 1997 Arsenic Research Plan's emphasis on studies in US populations to obtain data to support a revised Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic, two studies were conducted in Millard County, Utah; the first in 1997 and a second in 1999. This locat...

In vivo decontamination of the nerve agent VX using the domestic swine model.

PubMed

Misik, Jan; Pavlik, Michal; Novotny, Ladislav; Pavlikova, Ruzena; Chilcott, Robert P; Cabal, Jiri; Kuca, Kamil

2012-11-01

The purpose of this in vivo study was to assess a new, putatively optimised method for mass casualty decontamination ("ORCHIDS protocol") for effectiveness in removing the chemical warfare agent VX from the skin of anaesthetised, domestic white pigs. ORCHIDS protocol consists of a 1.5-minute shower with a mild detergent (Argos™) supplemented by physical removal. A standard method of wet decontamination was used for comparison. Experimental animals were divided into four groups (A-D). Two groups were exposed to a supra-lethal percutaneous dose (5 × LD(50); 300 μg kg(-1)) of VX for 1 h prior to decontamination with either the ORCHIDS (C) or standard protocol (D). A third (B, positive control) group was exposed but not subject to decontamination. Blank controls (A) received anaesthesia and the corresponding dose of normal saline instead of VX. Observations of the clinical signs of intoxication were supplemented by measurements of whole blood cholinesterase (ChE) performed on samples of arterial blood acquired at 30-minute intervals for the duration of the study (up to 6 h). Untreated (B) animals displayed typical cholinergic signs consistent with VX intoxication (local fasciculation, mastication, salivation, pilo-erection and motor convulsions) and died 165-240 min post exposure. All animals in both decontamination treatment groups (C, D) survived the duration of the study and exhibited less severe signs of cholinergic poisoning. Thus, both the standard and ORCHIDS protocol were demonstrably effective against exposure to the potent nerve agent VX, even after a delay of 1 h. A critical advantage of the ORCHIDS protocol is the relatively short shower duration (1½ min compared to 3 min). In practice, this could substantially improve the rate at which individuals could be decontaminated by emergency responders following exposure to toxic materials such as chemical warfare agents.

Thermodynamic processes associated with frostbite in the handling of liquid nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, W. L.; Cook, C. R.

2014-01-01

It is often taught that exposure to liquid nitrogen will cause frostbite or more severe damage to exposed skin tissue. However, it is also demonstrated that a full hand can be briefly immersed in liquid nitrogen without damage. To better understand and possibly visualize the effects of human tissue exposure to liquid nitrogen, a series of tests were conducted using simulated hands and arms composed of molded gelatin forms. The simulated hands and arms were immersed, sprayed, or splashed with liquid nitrogen both with and without state of the art personal protective equipment. Thermocouples were located within the test articles to allow for thermal mapping during the freezing process. The study is aimed to help understand frostbite hazards and the time constants involved with the handling of liquid nitrogen to improve future safety protocols for the safe handling of cryogenic fluids. Results of the testing also show the limits to handling liquid nitrogen while using various means of protection.

Formal Verification of the Runway Safety Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siminiceanu, Radu; Ciardo, Gianfranco

2006-01-01

The Runway Safety Monitor (RSM) designed by Lockheed Martin is part of NASA's effort to reduce runway accidents. We developed a Petri net model of the RSM protocol and used the model checking functions of our tool SMART to investigate a number of safety properties in RSM. To mitigate the impact of state-space explosion, we built a highly discretized model of the system, obtained by partitioning the monitored runway zone into a grid of smaller volumes and by considering scenarios involving only two aircraft. The model also assumes that there are no communication failures, such as bad input from radar or lack of incoming data, thus it relies on a consistent view of reality by all participants. In spite of these simplifications, we were able to expose potential problems in the RSM conceptual design. Our findings were forwarded to the design engineers, who undertook corrective action. Additionally, the results stress the efficiency attained by the new model checking algorithms implemented in SMART, and demonstrate their applicability to real-world systems.

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

Yu, Weikuan; Vetter, Jeffrey S

Parallel NFS (pNFS) is touted as an emergent standard protocol for parallel I/O access in various storage environments. Several pNFS prototypes have been implemented for initial validation and protocol examination. Previous efforts have focused on realizing the pNFS protocol to expose the best bandwidth potential from underlying file and storage systems. In this presentation, we provide an initial characterization of two pNFS prototype implementations, lpNFS (a Lustre-based parallel NFS implementation) and spNFS (another reference implementation from Network Appliance, Inc.). We show that both lpNFS and spNFS can faithfully achieve the primary goal of pNFS, i.e., aggregating I/O bandwidth from manymore » storage servers. However, they both face the challenge of scalable metadata management. Particularly, the throughput of sp-NFS metadata operations degrades significanlty with an increasing number of data servers. Even for the better-performing lpNFS, we discuss its architecture and propose a direct I/O request flow protocol to improve its performance.« less

Changes in morphology of long bone marrow tissue of rats submitted to cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen.

PubMed

Costa, Fábio Wildson Gurgel; Pessoa, Rosana Maria Andrade; Nogueira, Carlos Bruno Pinheiro; Pereira, Karuza Maria Alves; Brito, Gerly Anne de Castro; Soares, Eduardo Costa Studart

2012-02-01

To study the main effects of local use of liquid nitrogen on bone marrow tissue in rats. The femoral diaphyses of 42 Wistar rats were exposed to three local and sequential applications of liquid nitrogen for one or two minutes, intercalated with periods of five minutes of passive thawing. The animals were sacrificed after one, two, four and 12 weeks and the specimens obtained were analyzed histomorphologically. In the second experimental week of one-minute protocol, histological degree of inflammation obtained a mean score of one (mild), ranging from 0 (absent or scarce) and two (moderate) (Kruskal-Wallis test p=0.01). In the second experimental week of two-minute protocol, degree of inflammation to the medullar tissue obtained an average score of two (Kruskal-Wallis test p=0.01). The degree of inflammation of the bone marrow tissue was higher in protocol of three applications of two minutes compared to protocol of three applications of one minute.

Improvement of "Novel Multiparty Quantum Key Agreement Protocol with GHZ States"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Jun; Hwang, Tzonelih

2017-10-01

Quantum key agreement (QKA) protocol is a method for negotiating a fair and secure key among mutually untrusted participants. Recently, Xu et al. (Quantum Inf. Process. 13:2587-2594, 2014) proposed a multi-party QKA protocol based on Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states. However, this study points out that Xu et al.'s protocol cannot provide the fairness property. That is, the last involved participant in the protocol can manipulate the final shared secret key without being detected by the other participants. Moreover, according to Yu et al.'s research (2015), Xu et al.'s protocol cannot avoid the public discussion attack too. To avoid these weaknesses, an improved QKA protocol is proposed.

Comparison of test protocols for standard room/corner tests

Treesearch

R. H. White; M. A. Dietenberger; H. Tran; O. Grexa; L. Richardson; K. Sumathipala; M. Janssens

1998-01-01

As part of international efforts to evaluate alternative reaction-to-fire tests, several series of room/comer tests have been conducted. This paper reviews the overall results of related projects in which different test protocols for standard room/corner tests were used. Differences in the test protocols involved two options for the ignition burner scenario and whether...

Feasibility and Pilot Study of the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) Project

PubMed Central

Sun, Lena S.; Li, Guohua; DiMaggio, Charles J.; Byrne, Mary W.; Ing, Caleb; Miller, Tonya LK; Bellinger, David C.; Han, Sena; McGowan, Francis X.

2012-01-01

Background Animal studies have documented that exposure of the developing brain to commonly used anesthetic agents induce neurotoxicity and late abnormal neurobehavioral functions as adults. Results from clinical studies have all been performed using existing datasets, and produced inconsistent results. To provide more definitive evidence to address the clinical relevance of anesthetic neurotoxicity in children, an interdisciplinary team of investigators designed and developed the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) project. We present pilot study results in 28 sibling pairs recruited and tested at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Children’s Hospital of Boston (CHB) for the PANDA project. Methods The PANDA project uses an ambi-directional cohort design. We performed prospective neuropsychological assessment in 28 exposed-unexposed sibling pairs ages 6–11 years old. The exposed siblings were ASA 1 or 2 and had received a single episode of anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair prior to age 36 months and the unexposed siblings had no anesthesia before age 36 months. All sibling pairs were English speaking and were 36 weeks gestational age or greater. Each sibling pair underwent direct testing using WASI and NEPSY II, and the parents completed questionnaires related to behavior using CBCL and Conners’ rating. Data are presented as means ± SD. We conducted descriptive analyses of demographic data. We compared exposed and unexposed sibling groups on WASI and NEPSY II, and total and T-scores from CBCL and Conners’ as continuous data by paired t test between. A P< 0.05 was considered significant. Results Following IRB approval for the study at both CUMC and CHB, the full PANDA study protocol was implemented to perform a pilot feasibility study. Our success rate was 96.7% in obtaining detailed medical and anesthesia records in our historical cohort. Scores for verbal IQ (Exposed=106.1±16.3,Unexposed=109.2±17.9), performance IQ (Exposed=109.1±16.0, Unexposed=113.9±15.9) and full IQ (Exposed=108.2±14.0, Unexposed=112.8±16.8) were comparable between siblings. There were no differences between the two groups in T scores for any of the NEPSY II sub-domains, CBCL or Conners’. An abstraction protocol with web-based electronic data capture forms also was developed in conjunction with the International Center for Health Outcomes and Innovation Research (InCHOIR). Conclusions The pilot study provided useful information for feasibility to recruit the sample size and to obtain relevant clinical data. For the final study protocol, both the neuropsychological battery and the age range for testing were revised. Our results confirmed the feasibility of our study approach, and yielded pilot data from neuropsychological testing. PMID:23076226

Maternal immunomodulation of the offspring's immunological system.

PubMed

Campos, Sylvia M N; de Oliveira, Vivian L; Lessa, Leonardo; Vita, Melissa; Conceição, Marcia; Andrade, Luiz Antonio Botelho; Teixeira, Gerlinde Agate Platais Brasil

2014-11-01

The mother's and the offspring's immunological system are closely related thus one can influence the other. This hypothesis drove our aim to study the impact of the mother's immunological status over the immunological response of their offspring. For this, female mice tolerant or allergic to peanuts were exposed or not to a challenge diet containing peanuts during the gestation-lactation period (TEP/AEP; TNEP/ANEP, respectively). After weaning the offspring was submitted to the peanut allergy or peanut tolerization protocol and then challenged with a peanut diet. Our results showed that when the offspring is submitted to the allergy induction protocol, they behave differently depending on their mother's immunological status. Offspring born to TEP mothers produced the lowest antibody titters while those born to AEP mothers produced the highest antibody titters compared to mice born to TNEP and ANEP. On the other hand when the offspring was submitted to the tolerization protocol all groups presented low antibody titers with no significant difference between groups, independent of the mothers immunological status and/or contact with peanuts during the gestation-lactation period. The analysis of the histological profile of the offspring correlates well to the serological response. In other words, offspring born to TEP mothers and submitted to the allergy induction protocol presented a normal histological profile, while the offspring born to AEP mothers produced the worst gut inflammation. These results indicate that mothers, exposed to the antigen (by the oral route) during gestation, actively influence the immune response of their offspring. This work sheds some light on the importance of the immunomodulation induced by dietary antigens during gestation and their influence on the immunological response of their offspring. However, more work is needed to elucidate the molecular and cellular components of this regulatory phenomenon. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Submersible optical sensors exposed to chemically dispersed crude oil: wave tank simulations for improved oil spill monitoring.

PubMed

Conmy, Robyn N; Coble, Paula G; Farr, James; Wood, A Michelle; Lee, Kenneth; Pegau, W Scott; Walsh, Ian D; Koch, Corey R; Abercrombie, Mary I; Miles, M Scott; Lewis, Marlon R; Ryan, Scott A; Robinson, Brian J; King, Thomas L; Kelble, Christopher R; Lacoste, Jordanna

2014-01-01

In situ fluorometers were deployed during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Gulf of Mexico oil spill to track the subsea oil plume. Uncertainties regarding instrument specifications and capabilities necessitated performance testing of sensors exposed to simulated, dispersed oil plumes. Dynamic ranges of the Chelsea Technologies Group AQUAtracka, Turner Designs Cyclops, Satlantic SUNA and WET Labs, Inc. ECO, exposed to fresh and artificially weathered crude oil, were determined. Sensors were standardized against known oil volumes and total petroleum hydrocarbons and benzene-toluene-ethylbenzene-xylene measurements-both collected during spills, providing oil estimates during wave tank dilution experiments. All sensors estimated oil concentrations down to 300 ppb oil, refuting previous reports. Sensor performance results assist interpretation of DWH oil spill data and formulating future protocols.

Model Checking Failed Conjectures in Theorem Proving: A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pike, Lee; Miner, Paul; Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

2004-01-01

Interactive mechanical theorem proving can provide high assurance of correct design, but it can also be a slow iterative process. Much time is spent determining why a proof of a conjecture is not forthcoming. In some cases, the conjecture is false and in others, the attempted proof is insufficient. In this case study, we use the SAL family of model checkers to generate a concrete counterexample to an unproven conjecture specified in the mechanical theorem prover, PVS. The focus of our case study is the ROBUS Interactive Consistency Protocol. We combine the use of a mechanical theorem prover and a model checker to expose a subtle flaw in the protocol that occurs under a particular scenario of faults and processor states. Uncovering the flaw allows us to mend the protocol and complete its general verification in PVS.

Robot training of upper limb in multiple sclerosis: comparing protocols with or without manipulative task components.

PubMed

Carpinella, Ilaria; Cattaneo, Davide; Bertoni, Rita; Ferrarin, Maurizio

2012-05-01

In this pilot study, we compared two protocols for robot-based rehabilitation of upper limb in multiple sclerosis (MS): a protocol involving reaching tasks (RT) requiring arm transport only and a protocol requiring both objects' reaching and manipulation (RMT). Twenty-two MS subjects were assigned to RT or RMT group. Both protocols consisted of eight sessions. During RT training, subjects moved the handle of a planar robotic manipulandum toward circular targets displayed on a screen. RMT protocol required patients to reach and manipulate real objects, by moving the robotic arm equipped with a handle which left the hand free for distal tasks. In both trainings, the robot generated resistive and perturbing forces. Subjects were evaluated with clinical and instrumental tests. The results confirmed that MS patients maintained the ability to adapt to the robot-generated forces and that the rate of motor learning increased across sessions. Robot-therapy significantly reduced arm tremor and improved arm kinematics and functional ability. Compared to RT, RMT protocol induced a significantly larger improvement in movements involving grasp (improvement in Grasp ARAT sub-score: RMT 77.4%, RT 29.5%, p=0.035) but not precision grip. Future studies are needed to evaluate if longer trainings and the use of robotic handles would significantly improve also fine manipulation.

Effects of Withdrawal from Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor on the Level and Circadian Periodicity of Running-Wheel Activity in C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ Mice

PubMed Central

Logan, Ryan W.; McCulley, Walter D.; Seggio, Joseph A.; Rosenwasser, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Background Alcohol withdrawal is associated with behavioral and chronobiological disturbances that may persist during protracted abstinence. We previously reported that C57BL/6J (B6) mice show marked but temporary reductions in running-wheel activity, and normal free-running circadian rhythms, following a 4-day chronic intermittent ethanol vapor (CIE) exposure (16 hours of ethanol vapor exposure alternating with 8 hours of withdrawal). In the present experiments, we extend these observations in two ways: (1) by examining post-CIE locomotor activity in C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice, an inbred strain characterized by high sensitivity to ethanol withdrawal, and (2) by directly comparing the responses of B6 and C3H mice to a longer-duration CIE protocol. Methods In Experiment 1, C3H mice were exposed to the same 4-day CIE protocol used in our previous study with B6 mice (referred to here as the 1-cycle CIE protocol). In Experiment 2, C3H and B6 mice were exposed to three successive 4-day CIE cycles, each separated by 2 days of withdrawal (the 3-cycle CIE protocol). Running-wheel activity was monitored prior to and following CIE, and post-CIE activity was recorded in constant darkness to allow assessment of free-running circadian period and phase. Results C3H mice displayed pronounced reductions in running-wheel activity that persisted for the duration of the recording period (up to 30 days) following both 1-cycle (Experiment 1) and 3-cycle (Experiment 2) CIE protocols. In contrast, B6 mice showed reductions in locomotor activity that persisted for about one week following the 3-cycle CIE protocol, similar to the results of our previous study using a 1-cycle protocol in this strain. Additionally, C3H mice showed significant shortening of free-running period following the 3-cycle, but not the 1-cycle, CIE protocol, while B6 mice showed normal free-running rhythms. Conclusions These results reveal genetic differences in the persistence of ethanol withdrawal-induced hypo-locomotion. In addition, chronobiological alterations during extended abstinence may depend on both genetic susceptibility and an extended prior withdrawal history. The present data establish a novel experimental model for long-term behavioral and circadian disruptions associated with ethanol withdrawal. PMID:22013893

Divided Timed and Continuous Timed Assessment Protocols and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perucca, David.

2013-01-01

Children from a low socioeconomic status (SES) are exposed to numerous stress factors that are negatively associated with sustained attention and academic performance. This association suggests that the timed component of lengthy assessments may be unfair for students from such backgrounds, as they may have an inability to sustain attention during…

Design, Development, and Commissioning of a Substation Automation Laboratory to Enhance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, M. S.; Kothari, D. P.; Prakash, A.

2011-01-01

Automation of power systems is gaining momentum across the world, and there is a need to expose graduate and undergraduate students to the latest developments in hardware, software, and related protocols for power automation. This paper presents the design, development, and commissioning of an automation lab to facilitate the understanding of…

Now You See It, Now You Don't! Making Regulation of Gene Expression Come Alive for All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, David L.

1998-01-01

Presents a protocol that can be used to discover that S. marcescens produces a bright red pigment when exposed to one temperature condition and does not produce this color under other conditions. Enables students to connect gene expression and environmental changes. (DDR)

Electrostatics in the environment: How they may affect health and productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamieson, K. S.; Simon, H. M. Ap; Bell, J. N. B.

2008-12-01

Lifestyles and the built environment have changed considerably during the past century and have greatly influenced the electric field, small air ion and charged submicron aerosol regimes to which individuals are often exposed. In particular the use of electrical items, synthetic materials/finishes and low humidity levels that can lead to the generation of high electrostatic charges, along with inadequate grounding protocols and building techniques which create 'Faraday cage'-like conditions, have all greatly altered the electromagnetic nature of the microclimates many people occupy for prolonged periods of time. It is suggested that the type, polarity and strengths of electric fields individuals are exposed to may affect their likelihood of succumbing to ill-health through influencing biological functioning, oxygen-uptake and retention rates of inhaled submicron contaminants to a far greater degree than previously realised. These factors can also influence the degree of local surface contamination and adhesion that occurs. It is further suggested that both health and work productivity can be affected by such factors, and that improved 'best practice' electro-hygiene/productivity protocols should be adopted wherever practical.

DNA damage in blood cells exposed to low-level lasers.

PubMed

Sergio, Luiz Philippe da Silva; Silva, Ana Paula Almeida da; Amorim, Philipi Freitas; Campos, Vera Maria Araújo; Magalhães, Luis Alexandre Gonçalves; de Paoli, Flavia; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

2015-04-01

In regenerative medicine, there are increasing applications of low-level lasers in therapeutic protocols for treatment of diseases in soft and in bone tissues. However, there are doubts about effects on DNA, and an adequate dosimetry could improve the safety of clinical applications of these lasers. This work aimed to evaluate DNA damage in peripheral blood cells of Wistar rats induced by low-level red and infrared lasers at different fluences, powers, and emission modes according to therapeutic protocols. Peripheral blood samples were exposed to lasers and DNA damage was accessed by comet assay. In other experiments, DNA damage was accessed in blood cells by modified comet assay using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and endonuclease III enzymes. Data show that exposure to low-level red and infrared lasers induce DNA damage depending on fluence, power and emission mode, which are targeted by Fpg and endonuclease III. Oxidative DNA damage should be considered for therapeutic efficacy and patient safety in clinical applications based on low-level red and infrared lasers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regularly scheduled, day-time, slow-onset 60 Hz electric and magnetic field exposure does not depress serum melatonin concentration in nonhuman primates

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

Rogers, W.R.; Smith, H.D.; Orr, J.L.

Experiments conducted with laboratory rodents indicate that exposure to 60 Hz electric fields or magnetic fields can suppress nocturnal melatonin concentrations in pineal gland and blood. In three experiments employing three field-exposed and three sham-exposed nonhuman primates, each implanted with an indwelling venous cannula to allow repeated blood sampling, the authors studied the effects of either 6 kV/m and 50 {micro}T (0.5 G) or 30 kV/m and 100 {micro}T (1.0 G) on serum melatonin patterns. The fields were ramped on and off slowly, so that no transients occurred. Extensive quality control for the melatonin assay, computerized control and monitoring ofmore » field intensities, and consistent exposure protocols were used. No changes in nocturnal serum melatonin concentration resulted from 6 weeks of day-time exposure with slow field onset/offset and a highly regular exposure protocol. These results indicate that, under the conditions tested, day-time exposure to 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields in combination does not result in melatonin suppression in primates.« less

Effect of Ultraviolet Exposure on Impact Resistance of Ophthalmic Lenses.

PubMed

Chou, B Ralph; Dain, Stephen J; Cheng, Brian B

2015-12-01

To investigate the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the impact resistance of organic ophthalmic lens materials. Plano power CR39, Phoenix, Trilogy, and polycarbonate lenses with various scratch-resistant (SR) and/or antireflection (AR) coatings were obtained in batches of 40 units. All lenses had a nominal thickness of 2 mm. Half of each batch was conditioned following the European Standard EN 168 protocol for the test of resistance to UVR (exposed group). The remaining lenses comprised an unexposed group for that combination of lens substrate and coating treatment. Each group was subjected to ballistic impact with 6-mm steel balls following the ZEST protocol to determine its mean breakage velocity. The difference in mean breakage velocity between exposed and unexposed groups of each combination of lens substrate and coating was assessed for statistical significance. Exposed uncoated CR39 showed a reduction in fracture velocity of 10.3 m/s whereas CR39 with ultra hard coat had a reduction of 3.5 m/s and CR39 with AR and SR coating had a reduction of 4.1 m/s. Scratch-resistant coated Phoenix had a reduction of 4.8 m/s whereas AR-coated Phoenix had a reduction of 3.7 m/s. The corresponding reductions for Trilogy were 3.9 and 17.8 m/s. All differences were significant at the p level of less than 0.05. Although we were unable to break unexposed SR-coated polycarbonate lenses with our test apparatus, exposed SR-coated polycarbonate had a mean breakage velocity of 142 m/s. Our data suggest that extended UVR exposure causes a significant reduction in the impact resistance of the ophthalmic lens substrates commonly used for occupational eye protectors. Protective lenses that have been exposed to high levels of UVR for extended periods should be replaced regularly to maintain optimal impact protection, even if they do not show visible damage owing to wear and tear.

Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography

PubMed Central

Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

2013-01-01

Objectives: This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. Methods: A RANDO® full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA® three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax® 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. Results: A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = −0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding. PMID:24174012

Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography.

PubMed

Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

2013-01-01

This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. A RANDO(®) full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA(®) three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax(®) 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = -0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding.

Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography.

PubMed

Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

2013-01-01

This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. A RANDO® full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA® three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax® 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = −0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding.

A Smart Collaborative Routing Protocol for Reliable Data Diffusion in IoT Scenarios.

PubMed

Ai, Zheng-Yang; Zhou, Yu-Tong; Song, Fei

2018-06-13

It is knotty for current routing protocols to meet the needs of reliable data diffusion during the Internet of Things (IoT) deployments. Due to the random placement, limited resources and unattended features of existing sensor nodes, the wireless transmissions are easily exposed to unauthorized users, which becomes a vulnerable area for various malicious attacks, such as wormhole and Sybil attacks. However, the scheme based on geographic location is a suitable candidate to defend against them. This paper is inspired to propose a smart collaborative routing protocol, Geographic energy aware routing and Inspecting Node (GIN), for guaranteeing the reliability of data exchanging. The proposed protocol integrates the directed diffusion routing, Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR), and the inspecting node mechanism. We first discuss current wireless routing protocols from three diverse perspectives (improving transmission rate, shortening transmission range and reducing transmission consumption). Then, the details of GIN, including the model establishment and implementation processes, are presented by means of the theoretical analysis. Through leveraging the game theory, the inspecting node is elected to monitor the network behaviors. Thirdly, we evaluate the network performances, in terms of transmission delay, packet loss ratio, and throughput, between GIN and three traditional schemes (i.e., Flooding, GPSR, and GEAR). The simulation results illustrate that the proposed protocol is able to outperform the others.

Tools to minimize interlaboratory variability in vitellogenin gene expression monitoring programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jastrow, Aaron; Gordon, Denise A.; Auger, Kasie M.; Punska, Elizabeth C.; Arcaro, Kathleen F.; Keteles, Kristen; Winkelman, Dana L.; Lattier, David; Biales, Adam; Lazorchak, James M.

2017-01-01

The egg yolk precursor protein vitellogenin is widely used as a biomarker of estrogen exposure in male fish. However, standardized methodology is lacking and little is known regarding the reproducibility of results among laboratories using different equipment, reagents, protocols, and data analysis programs. To address this data gap we tested the reproducibility across laboratories to evaluate vitellogenin gene (vtg) expression and assessed the value of using a freely available software data analysis program. Samples collected from studies of male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and minnows exposed to processed wastewater effluent were evaluated for vtg expression in 4 laboratories. Our results indicate reasonable consistency among laboratories if the free software for expression analysis LinRegPCR is used, with 3 of 4 laboratories detecting vtg in fish exposed to 5 ng/L EE2 (n = 5). All 4 laboratories detected significantly increased vtg levels in 15 male fish exposed to wastewater effluent compared with 15 male fish held in a control stream. Finally, we were able to determine that the source of high interlaboratory variability from complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses was the expression analysis software unique to each real-time qPCR machine. We successfully eliminated the interlaboratory variability by reanalyzing raw fluorescence data with independent freeware, which yielded cycle thresholds and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) efficiencies that calculated results independently of proprietary software. Our results suggest that laboratories engaged in monitoring programs should validate their PCR protocols and analyze their gene expression data following the guidelines established in the present study for all gene expression biomarkers. 

A Secure Authenticated Key Exchange Protocol for Credential Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Seonghan; Kobara, Kazukuni; Imai, Hideki

In this paper, we propose a leakage-resilient and proactive authenticated key exchange (called LRP-AKE) protocol for credential services which provides not only a higher level of security against leakage of stored secrets but also secrecy of private key with respect to the involving server. And we show that the LRP-AKE protocol is provably secure in the random oracle model with the reduction to the computational Difie-Hellman problem. In addition, we discuss about some possible applications of the LRP-AKE protocol.

Effects of a peracetic acid disinfection protocol on the biocompatibility and biomechanical properties of human patellar tendon allografts.

PubMed

Lomas, R J; Jennings, L M; Fisher, J; Kearney, J N

2004-01-01

Patellar tendon allografts, retrieved from cadaveric human donors, are widely used for replacement of damaged cruciate ligaments. In common with other tissue allografts originating from cadaveric donors, there are concerns regarding the potential for disease transmission from the donor to the recipient. Additionally, retrieval and subsequent processing protocols expose the graft to the risk of environmental contamination. For these reasons, disinfection or sterilisation protocols are necessary for these grafts before they are used clinically. A high-level disinfection protocol, utilising peracetic acid (PAA), has been developed and investigated for its effects on the biocompatibility and biomechanics of the patellar tendon allografts. PAA disinfection did not render the grafts either cytotoxic or liable to provoke an inflammatory response as assessed in vitro . However, the protocol was shown to increase the size of gaps between the tendon fibres in the matrix and render the grafts more susceptible to digestion with collagenase. Biomechanical studies of the tendons showed that PAA treatment had no effect on the ultimate tensile stress or Young's modulus of the tendons, and that ultimate strain was significantly higher in PAA treated tendons.

Survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with home mechanical ventilation: the impact of systematic respiratory assessment and bulbar involvement.

PubMed

Farrero, Eva; Prats, Enric; Povedano, Mónica; Martinez-Matos, J Antonio; Manresa, Frederic; Escarrabill, Joan

2005-06-01

To analyze (1) the impact of a protocol of early respiratory evaluation of the indications for home mechanical ventilation (HMV) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and (2) the effects of the protocol and of bulbar involvement on the survival of patients receiving noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Retrospective study in a tertiary care referral center. HMV was indicated in 86 patients with ALS, with 22 patients (25%) presenting with intolerance to treatment associated with bulbar involvement. Treatment with HMV had been initiated in 15 of 64 patients prior to initiating the protocol (group A) and in the remaining 49 patients after protocol initiation (group B). In group A, the majority of patients began treatment with HMV during an acute episode requiring ICU admission (p = 0.001) and tracheal ventilation (p = 0.025), with a lower percentage of patients beginning HMV treatment without respiratory insufficiency (p = 0.013). No significant differences in survival rates were found between groups A and B among patients treated with NIV. Greater survival was observed in group B (p = 0.03) when patients with bulbar involvement were excluded (96%). Patients without bulbar involvement at the start of therapy with NIV presented a significantly better survival rate (p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis showed bulbar involvement to be an independent prognostic factor for survival (relative risk, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 2.54; p = 0.04). No significant differences in survival were observed between patients with bulbar involvement following treatment with NIV and those with intolerance, except for the subgroup of patients who began NIV treatment with hypercapnia (p = 0.0002). Early systematic respiratory evaluation in patients with ALS is necessary to improve the results of HMV. Further studies are required to confirm the benefits of NIV treatment in patients with bulbar involvement, especially in the early stages.

Technical Nuances of Exposing Rat Common Carotid Arteries for Practicing Microsurgical Anastomosis.

PubMed

Tayebi Meybodi, Ali; Aklinski, Joseph; Gandhi, Sirin; Lawton, Michael T; Preul, Mark C

2018-04-17

Animal models are commonly used in training protocols for microsurgical vascular anastomosis. Rat common carotid arteries (CCAs) are frequently used for this purpose. Much attention has been paid to the technical details of various anastomosis configurations using these arteries. However, technical nuances of exposing rat CCAs have been understudied. The purpose of this study is to describe nuances of technique for safely and efficiently exposing rat CCAs in preparation for a vascular anastomosis. Bilateral CCAs were exposed and prepared for anastomosis in 10 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats through a midline cervical incision. The exposed length of the CCA was measured. Additionally, technical nuances of exposure and surgically relevant anatomic details were recorded. The CCAs were exposed from the sternoclavicular joint to their bifurcation (average length, 19.1 ± 2.8 mm). Tenets important for a safe and efficient exposure of the CCAs included 1) generous subcutaneous dissection to expose the external jugular veins (EJVs), 2) avoiding injury to or compression of the EJVs, 3) superior mobilization of the salivary glands, 4) division of internal jugular veins, 5) opening the carotid sheath at its midlevel and from medial to lateral, and 6) avoiding injury to the vagus nerve or sympathetic trunk. Using the principles introduced in this study, trainees may safely and efficiently expose rat CCAs in preparation for a bypass. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blood gas testing and related measurements: National recommendations on behalf of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Dukić, Lora; Kopčinović, Lara Milevoj; Dorotić, Adrijana; Baršić, Ivana

2016-10-15

Blood gas analysis (BGA) is exposed to risks of errors caused by improper sampling, transport and storage conditions. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) generated documents with recommendations for avoidance of potential errors caused by sample mishandling. Two main documents related to BGA issued by the CLSI are GP43-A4 (former H11-A4) Procedures for the collection of arterial blood specimens; approved standard - fourth edition, and C46-A2 Blood gas and pH analysis and related measurements; approved guideline - second edition. Practices related to processing of blood gas samples are not standardized in the Republic of Croatia. Each institution has its own protocol for ordering, collection and analysis of blood gases. Although many laboratories use state of the art analyzers, still many preanalytical procedures remain unchanged. The objective of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CSMBLM) is to standardize the procedures for BGA based on CLSI recommendations. The Working Group for Blood Gas Testing as part of the Committee for the Scientific Professional Development of the CSMBLM prepared a set of recommended protocols for sampling, transport, storage and processing of blood gas samples based on relevant CLSI documents, relevant literature search and on the results of Croatian survey study on practices and policies in acid-base testing. Recommendations are intended for laboratory professionals and all healthcare workers involved in blood gas processing.

Biomarkers for Uranium Risk Assessment for the Development of the CURE (Concerted Uranium Research in Europe) Molecular Epidemiological Protocol.

PubMed

Guéguen, Yann; Roy, Laurence; Hornhardt, Sabine; Badie, Christophe; Hall, Janet; Baatout, Sarah; Pernot, Eileen; Tomasek, Ladislav; Laurent, Olivier; Ebrahimian, Teni; Ibanez, Chrystelle; Grison, Stephane; Kabacik, Sylwia; Laurier, Dominique; Gomolka, Maria

2017-01-01

Despite substantial experimental and epidemiological research, there is limited knowledge of the uranium-induce health effects after chronic low-dose exposures in humans. Biological markers can objectively characterize pathological processes or environmental responses to uranium and confounding agents. The integration of such biological markers into a molecular epidemiological study would be a useful approach to improve and refine estimations of uranium-induced health risks. To initiate such a study, Concerted Uranium Research in Europe (CURE) was established, and involves biologists, epidemiologists and dosimetrists. The aims of the biological work package of CURE were: 1. To identify biomarkers and biological specimens relevant to uranium exposure; 2. To define standard operating procedures (SOPs); and 3. To set up a common protocol (logistic, questionnaire, ethical aspects) to perform a large-scale molecular epidemiologic study in uranium-exposed cohorts. An intensive literature review was performed and led to the identification of biomarkers related to: 1. retention organs (lungs, kidneys and bone); 2. other systems/organs with suspected effects (cardiovascular system, central nervous system and lympho-hematopoietic system); 3. target molecules (DNA damage, genomic instability); and 4. high-throughput methods for the identification of new biomarkers. To obtain high-quality biological materials, SOPs were established for the sampling and storage of different biospecimens. A questionnaire was developed to assess potential confounding factors. The proposed strategy can be adapted to other internal exposures and should improve the characterization of the biological and health effects that are relevant for risk assessment.

Blood gas testing and related measurements: National recommendations on behalf of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

PubMed Central

Dukić, Lora; Kopčinović, Lara Milevoj; Dorotić, Adrijana; Baršić, Ivana

2016-01-01

Blood gas analysis (BGA) is exposed to risks of errors caused by improper sampling, transport and storage conditions. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) generated documents with recommendations for avoidance of potential errors caused by sample mishandling. Two main documents related to BGA issued by the CLSI are GP43-A4 (former H11-A4) Procedures for the collection of arterial blood specimens; approved standard – fourth edition, and C46-A2 Blood gas and pH analysis and related measurements; approved guideline – second edition. Practices related to processing of blood gas samples are not standardized in the Republic of Croatia. Each institution has its own protocol for ordering, collection and analysis of blood gases. Although many laboratories use state of the art analyzers, still many preanalytical procedures remain unchanged. The objective of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CSMBLM) is to standardize the procedures for BGA based on CLSI recommendations. The Working Group for Blood Gas Testing as part of the Committee for the Scientific Professional Development of the CSMBLM prepared a set of recommended protocols for sampling, transport, storage and processing of blood gas samples based on relevant CLSI documents, relevant literature search and on the results of Croatian survey study on practices and policies in acid-base testing. Recommendations are intended for laboratory professionals and all healthcare workers involved in blood gas processing. PMID:27812301

Development and validation of an OECD reproductive toxicity test guideline with the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (Mollusca, Gastropoda).

PubMed

Ducrot, Virginie; Askem, Clare; Azam, Didier; Brettschneider, Denise; Brown, Rebecca; Charles, Sandrine; Coke, Maïra; Collinet, Marc; Delignette-Muller, Marie-Laure; Forfait-Dubuc, Carole; Holbech, Henrik; Hutchinson, Thomas; Jach, Arne; Kinnberg, Karin L; Lacoste, Cédric; Le Page, Gareth; Matthiessen, Peter; Oehlmann, Jörg; Rice, Lynsey; Roberts, Edward; Ruppert, Katharina; Davis, Jessica Elphinstone; Veauvy, Clemence; Weltje, Lennart; Wortham, Ruth; Lagadic, Laurent

2014-12-01

The OECD test guideline development program has been extended in 2011 to establish a partial life-cycle protocol for assessing the reproductive toxicity of chemicals to several mollusk species, including the great pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. In this paper, we summarize the standard draft protocol for a reproduction test with this species, and present inter-comparison results obtained in a 56-day prevalidation ring-test using this protocol. Seven European laboratories performed semi-static tests with cultured snails of the strain Renilys® exposed to nominal concentrations of cadmium chloride (from 53 to 608μgCdL(-1)). Cd concentrations in test solutions were analytically determined to confirm accuracy in the metal exposure concentrations in all laboratories. Physico-chemical and biological validity criteria (namely dissolved oxygen content >60% ASV, water temperature 20±1°C, control snail survival >80% and control snail fecundity >8 egg-masses per snail over the test period) were met in all laboratories which consistently demonstrated the reproductive toxicity of Cd in snails using the proposed draft protocol. Effect concentrations for fecundity after 56days were reproducible between laboratories (68

The Involvement Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roderick, Jessie A.

The Involvement Instrument, an observational technique for examining children's interaction patterns and degree of involvement within the school setting, is presented in this paper. Training protocols for obtaining skill in using the Involvement Instrument, methods of analyzing data obtained by using the instrument, and criteria for determining…

Considerations in establishing a post-mortem brain and tissue bank for the study of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a proposed protocol

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Our aim, having previously investigated through a qualitative study involving extensive discussions with experts and patients the issues involved in establishing and maintaining a disease specific brain and tissue bank for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), was to develop a protocol for a UK ME/CFS repository of high quality human tissue from well characterised subjects with ME/CFS and controls suitable for a broad range of research applications. This would involve a specific donor program coupled with rapid tissue collection and processing, supplemented by comprehensive prospectively collected clinical, laboratory and self-assessment data from cases and controls. Findings We reviewed the operations of existing tissue banks from published literature and from their internal protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs). On this basis, we developed the protocol presented here, which was designed to meet high technical and ethical standards and legal requirements and was based on recommendations of the MRC UK Brain Banks Network. The facility would be most efficient and cost-effective if incorporated into an existing tissue bank. Tissue collection would be rapid and follow robust protocols to ensure preservation sufficient for a wide range of research uses. A central tissue bank would have resources both for wide-scale donor recruitment and rapid response to donor death for prompt harvesting and processing of tissue. Conclusion An ME/CFS brain and tissue bank could be established using this protocol. Success would depend on careful consideration of logistic, technical, legal and ethical issues, continuous consultation with patients and the donor population, and a sustainable model of funding ideally involving research councils, health services, and patient charities. This initiative could revolutionise the understanding of this still poorly-understood disease and enhance development of diagnostic biomarkers and treatments. PMID:24938650

Multi-party quantum key agreement protocol secure against collusion attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping; Sun, Zhiwei; Sun, Xiaoqiang

2017-07-01

The fairness of a secure multi-party quantum key agreement (MQKA) protocol requires that all involved parties are entirely peer entities and can equally influence the outcome of the protocol to establish a shared key wherein no one can decide the shared key alone. However, it is found that parts of the existing MQKA protocols are sensitive to collusion attacks, i.e., some of the dishonest participants can collaborate to predetermine the final key without being detected. In this paper, a multi-party QKA protocol resisting collusion attacks is proposed. Different from previous QKA protocol resisting N-1 coconspirators or resisting 1 coconspirators, we investigate the general circle-type MQKA protocol which can be secure against t dishonest participants' cooperation. Here, t < N. We hope the results of the presented paper will be helpful for further research on fair MQKA protocols.

Protocol for vital dye staining of corneal endothelial cells.

PubMed

Park, Sunju; Fong, Alan G; Cho, Hyung; Zhang, Cheng; Gritz, David C; Mian, Gibran; Herzlich, Alexandra A; Gore, Patrick; Morganti, Ashley; Chuck, Roy S

2012-12-01

To describe a step-by-step methodology to establish a reproducible staining protocol for the evaluation of human corneal endothelial cells. Four procedures were performed to determine the best protocol. (1) To determine the optimal trypan blue staining method, goat corneas were stained with 4 dilutions of trypan blue (0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1%, and 0.05%) and 1% alizarin red. (2) To determine the optimal alizarin red staining method, goat corneas were stained with 2 dilutions of alizarin red (1% and 0.5%) and 0.2% trypan blue. (3) To ensure that trypan blue truly stains damaged cells, goat corneas were exposed to either 3% hydrogen peroxide or to balanced salt solution, and then stained with 0.2% trypan blue and 0.5% alizarin red. (4) Finally, fresh human corneal buttons were examined; 1 group was stained with 0.2% trypan blue and another group with 0.4% trypan blue. For the 4 procedures performed, the results are as follows: (1) trypan blue staining was not observed in any of the normal corneal samples; (2) 0.5% alizarin red demonstrated sharper cell borders than 1% alizarin red; (3) positive trypan blue staining was observed in the hydrogen peroxide exposed tissue in damaged areas; (4) 0.4% trypan blue showed more distinct positive staining than 0.2% trypan blue. We were able to determine the optimal vital dye staining conditions for human corneal endothelial cells using 0.4% trypan blue and 0.5% alizarin red.

An improved method for differentiating cell-bound from internalized particles by imaging flow cytometry.

PubMed

Smirnov, Asya; Solga, Michael D; Lannigan, Joanne; Criss, Alison K

2015-08-01

Recognition, binding, internalization, and elimination of pathogens and cell debris are important functions of professional as well as non-professional phagocytes. However, high-throughput methods for quantifying cell-associated particles and discriminating bound from internalized particles have been lacking. Here we describe a protocol for using imaging flow cytometry to quantify the attached and phagocytosed particles that are associated with a population of cells. Cells were exposed to fluorescent particles, fixed, and exposed to an antibody of a different fluorophore that recognizes the particles. The antibody is added without cell permeabilization, such that the antibody only binds extracellular particles. Cells with and without associated particles were identified by imaging flow cytometry. For each cell with associated particles, a spot count algorithm was employed to quantify the number of extracellular (double fluorescent) and intracellular (single fluorescent) particles per cell, from which the percent particle internalization was determined. The spot count algorithm was empirically validated by examining the fluorescence and phase contrast images acquired by the flow cytometer. We used this protocol to measure binding and internalization of the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae by primary human neutrophils, using different bacterial variants and under different cellular conditions. The results acquired using imaging flow cytometry agreed with findings that were previously obtained using conventional immunofluorescence microscopy. This protocol provides a rapid, powerful method for measuring the association and internalization of any particle by any cell type. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of high-fat diet on rat’s mood, feeding behavior and response to stress

PubMed Central

Aslani, S; Vieira, N; Marques, F; Costa, P S; Sousa, N; Palha, J A

2015-01-01

An association between obesity and depression has been indicated in studies addressing common physical (metabolic) and psychological (anxiety, low self-esteem) outcomes. Of consideration in both obesity and depression are chronic mild stressors to which individuals are exposed to on a daily basis. However, the response to stress is remarkably variable depending on numerous factors, such as the physical health and the mental state at the time of exposure. Here a chronic mild stress (CMS) protocol was used to assess the effect of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity on response to stress in a rat model. In addition to the development of metabolic complications, such as glucose intolerance, diet-induced obesity caused behavioral alterations. Specifically, animals fed on HFD displayed depressive- and anxious-like behaviors that were only present in the normal diet (ND) group upon exposure to CMS. Of notice, these mood impairments were not further aggravated when the HFD animals were exposed to CMS, which suggest a ceiling effect. Moreover, although there was a sudden drop of food consumption in the first 3 weeks of the CMS protocol in both ND and HFD groups, only the CMS-HFD displayed an overall noticeable decrease in total food intake during the 6 weeks of the CMS protocol. Altogether, the study suggests that HFD impacts on the response to CMS, which should be considered when addressing the consequences of obesity in behavior. PMID:26795748

Effects on instruments of the World Health Organization--recommended protocols for decontamination after possible exposure to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy-contaminated tissue.

PubMed

Brown, Stanley A; Merritt, Katharine; Woods, Terry O; Busick, Deanna N

2005-01-15

It has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that rigorous decontamination protocols be used on surgical instruments that have been exposed to tissue possibly contaminated with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This study was designed to examine the effects of these protocols on various types of surgical instruments. The most important conclusions are: (1) autoclaving in 1N NaOH will cause darkening of some instruments; (2) soaking in 1N NaOH at room temperature damages carbon steel but not stainless steel or titanium; (3) soaking in chlorine bleach will badly corrode gold-plated instruments and will damage some, but not all, stainless-steel instruments, especially welded and soldered joints. Damage became apparent after the first exposure and therefore long tests are not necessary to establish which instruments will be damaged. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Combined Dexamethasone/TSST Paradigm – A New Method for Psychoneuroendocrinology

PubMed Central

Andrews, Julie; D’Aguiar, Catherine; Pruessner, Jens C.

2012-01-01

The two main physiological systems involved in the regulation of the stress response are the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). However, the interaction of these systems on the stress response remains poorly understood. To better understand the cross-regulatory effects of the different systems involved in stress regulation, we developed a new stress paradigm that keeps the activity of the HPA constant when exposing subjects to psychosocial stress. Thirty healthy male participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a dexamethasone (DEX; n = 15) or placebo (PLC; n = 15) group. All subjects were instructed to take the Dexamethasone (2 mg) or Placebo pill the night before coming to the laboratory to undergo the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST). Salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase (sAA), heart rate, blood pressure and subjective stress were assessed throughout the protocol. As expected, the DEX group presented with suppressed cortisol levels. In comparison, their heart rate was elevated by approximately ten base points compared to the PLC group, with increases throughout the protocol and during the TSST. Neither sAA, nor systolic or diastolic blood pressures showed significant group differences. Subjective stress levels significantly increased from baseline, and were found to be higher before and after the TSST after DEX compared to placebo. These results demonstrate a significant interaction between the HPA and the SNS during acute stress. The SNS activity was found to be elevated in the presence of a suppressed HPA axis, with some further effects on subjective levels of stress. The method to suppress the HPA prior to inducing stress was found to completely reliable, without any adverse side effects. Therefore, we propose this paradigm as a new method to investigate the interaction of the two major stress systems in the regulation of the stress response. PMID:22701740

Testosterone, aggression, and territoriality in male Western Screech-owls (Otus kennicottii): results from preliminary experiments

Treesearch

Brian L. Herting; James R. Belthoff

1997-01-01

Using a hormone implant protocol, we created treatment groups in which circulating levels of testosterone (T) were increased, decreased, or maintained at normal levels (controls) in male Western Screech-owls (Otus kennicottii). Owls were exposed to tape-recorded vocalizations of a conspecific, to which territory holders responded with aggression....

Reliability of the Nursing Home Survey Process: A Simultaneous Survey Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Robert H.; Gajewski, Byron J.; Thompson, Sarah

2006-01-01

Purpose: We designed this study to examine the reliability of the nursing home survey process in the state of Kansas using regular and simultaneous survey teams. In particular, the study examined how two survey teams exposed to the same information at the same time differed in their interpretations. Design and Methods: The protocol for…

Talk-Aloud Protocols during Conditional Discrimination Training and Equivalence Class Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vie, Aleksander; Arntzen, Erik

2017-01-01

The primary focus of the present experiment was to study participants' self-talk during conditional discrimination training and test for the emergence of conditional relations consistent with equivalence. Eighteen adult participants were exposed to either a Many-to-One (MTO) or a One-to-Many (OTM) training structure arranged as a 6-s delayed…

The anesthetic effects on vasopressor modulation of cerebral blood flow in an immature swine model.

PubMed

Bruins, Benjamin; Kilbaugh, Todd J; Margulies, Susan S; Friess, Stuart H

2013-04-01

The effect of various sedatives and anesthetics on vasopressor modulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in children is unclear. In adults, isoflurane has been described to decrease CBF to a lesser extent than fentanyl and midazolam. Most large-animal models of neurocritical care use inhaled anesthetics for anesthesia. Investigations involving modulations of CBF would have improved translatability within a model that more closely approximates the current practice in the pediatric intensive care unit. Fifteen 4-week-old piglets were given 1 of 2 anesthetic protocols: total IV anesthesia (TIVA) (midazolam 1 mg/kg/h and fentanyl 100 μg/kg/h, n = 8) or ISO (isoflurane 1.5%-2% and fentanyl 100 μg/kg/h, n = 7). Mean arterial blood pressure, intracranial pressure (ICP), CBF, and brain tissue oxygen tension were measured continuously as piglets were exposed to escalating doses of arginine vasopressin, norepinephrine (NE), and phenylephrine (PE). Baseline CBF was similar in the 2 groups (ISO 38 ± 10 vs TIVA 35 ± 26 mL/100 g/min) despite lower baseline cerebral perfusion pressure in the ISO group (45 ± 11 vs 71 ± 11 mm Hg; P < 0.0005). Piglets in the ISO group displayed increases in ICP with PE and NE (11 ± 4 vs 16 ± 4 mm Hg and 11 ± 8 vs 18 ± 5 mm Hg; P < 0.05), but in the TIVA group, only exposure to PE resulted in increases in ICP when comparing maximal dose values with baseline data (11 ± 4 vs 15 ± 5 mm Hg; P < 0.05). Normalized CBF displayed statistically significant increases regarding anesthetic group and vasopressor dose when piglets were exposed to NE and PE (P < 0.05), suggesting an impairment of autoregulation within ISO, but not TIVA. The vasopressor effect on CBF was limited when using a narcotic-benzodiazepine-based anesthetic protocol compared with volatile anesthetics, consistent with a preservation of autoregulation. Selection of anesthetic drugs is critical to investigate mechanisms of cerebrovascular hemodynamics, and in translating critical care investigations between the laboratory and bedside.

Proteomic Analysis of Cytoskeleton Proteins in Fish.

PubMed

Gotesman, Michael; Menanteau-Ledouble, Simon; El-Matbouli, Mansour

2016-01-01

In this chapter, we describe laboratory protocols for rearing fish and a simple and efficient method of extracting and identifying pathogen and host proteins that may be involved in entry and replication of commercially important fish viruses. We have used the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and goldfish (Cyprinus auratus) as a model system for studies of proteins involved in viral entry and replication. The chapter describes detailed protocols for maintenance of carp, cell culture, antibody purification of proteins, and use of electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry analysis to screen and identify cytoskeleton and other proteins that may be involved in viral infection and propagation in fish.

Microwave-assisted green synthesis of superparamagnetic nanoparticles using fruit peel extracts: surface engineering, T 2 relaxometry, and photodynamic treatment potential.

PubMed

Bano, Shazia; Nazir, Samina; Nazir, Alia; Munir, Saeeda; Mahmood, Tariq; Afzal, Muhammad; Ansari, Farzana Latif; Mazhar, Kehkashan

2016-01-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have the potential to be used as multimodal imaging and cancer therapy agents due to their excellent magnetism and ability to generate reactive oxygen species when exposed to light. We report the synthesis of highly biocompatible SPIONs through a facile green approach using fruit peel extracts as the biogenic reductant. This green synthesis protocol involves the stabilization of SPIONs through coordination of different phytochemicals. The SPIONs were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 and succinic acid and were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, diffused reflectance spectroscopy, fluorescence emission, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and magnetization analysis. The developed SPIONs were found to be stable, almost spherical with a size range of 17-25 nm. They exhibited excellent water dispersibility, colloidal stability, and relatively high R 2 relaxivity (225 mM(-1) s(-1)). Cell viability assay data revealed that PEGylation or carboxylation appears to significantly shield the surface of the particles but does not lead to improved cytocompatibility. A highly significant increase of reactive oxygen species in light-exposed samples was found to play an important role in the photokilling of human cervical epithelial malignant carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The bio-SPIONs developed are highly favorable for various biomedical applications without risking interference from potentially toxic reagents.

Microwave-assisted green synthesis of superparamagnetic nanoparticles using fruit peel extracts: surface engineering, T2 relaxometry, and photodynamic treatment potential

PubMed Central

Bano, Shazia; Nazir, Samina; Nazir, Alia; Munir, Saeeda; Mahmood, Tariq; Afzal, Muhammad; Ansari, Farzana Latif; Mazhar, Kehkashan

2016-01-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have the potential to be used as multimodal imaging and cancer therapy agents due to their excellent magnetism and ability to generate reactive oxygen species when exposed to light. We report the synthesis of highly biocompatible SPIONs through a facile green approach using fruit peel extracts as the biogenic reductant. This green synthesis protocol involves the stabilization of SPIONs through coordination of different phytochemicals. The SPIONs were functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 and succinic acid and were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, diffused reflectance spectroscopy, fluorescence emission, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and magnetization analysis. The developed SPIONs were found to be stable, almost spherical with a size range of 17–25 nm. They exhibited excellent water dispersibility, colloidal stability, and relatively high R2 relaxivity (225 mM−1 s−1). Cell viability assay data revealed that PEGylation or carboxylation appears to significantly shield the surface of the particles but does not lead to improved cytocompatibility. A highly significant increase of reactive oxygen species in light-exposed samples was found to play an important role in the photokilling of human cervical epithelial malignant carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The bio-SPIONs developed are highly favorable for various biomedical applications without risking interference from potentially toxic reagents. PMID:27570452

Activation of prefrontal cortex and anterior thalamus in alcoholic subjects on exposure to alcohol-specific cues.

PubMed

George, M S; Anton, R F; Bloomer, C; Teneback, C; Drobes, D J; Lorberbaum, J P; Nahas, Z; Vincent, D J

2001-04-01

Functional imaging studies have recently demonstrated that specific brain regions become active in cocaine addicts when they are exposed to cocaine stimuli. To test whether there are regional brain activity differences during alcohol cue exposure between alcoholic subjects and social drinkers, we designed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocol involving alcohol-specific cues. Ten non-treatment-seeking adult alcoholic subjects (2 women) (mean [SD] age, 29.9 [9.9] years) as well as 10 healthy social drinking controls of similar age (2 women) (mean [SD] age, 29.4 [8.9] years) were recruited, screened, and scanned. In the 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging scanner, subjects were serially rated for alcohol craving before and after a sip of alcohol, and after a 9-minute randomized presentation of pictures of alcoholic beverages, control nonalcoholic beverages, and 2 different visual control tasks. During picture presentation, changes in regional brain activity were measured with the blood oxygen level-dependent technique. Alcoholic subjects, compared with the social drinking subjects, reported higher overall craving ratings for alcohol. After a sip of alcohol, while viewing alcohol cues compared with viewing other beverage cues, only the alcoholic subjects had increased activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior thalamus. The social drinkers exhibited specific activation only while viewing the control beverage pictures. When exposed to alcohol cues, alcoholic subjects have increased brain activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior thalamus-brain regions associated with emotion regulation, attention, and appetitive behavior.

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation changes induced by gestational arsenic exposure in liver tumors.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takehiro; Yamashita, Satoshi; Ushijima, Toshikazu; Takumi, Shota; Sano, Tomoharu; Michikawa, Takehiro; Nohara, Keiko

2013-12-01

Inorganic arsenic is known to be a human carcinogen. Previous studies have reported that DNA methylation changes are involved in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis, therefore, DNA methylation changes that are specific to arsenic-induced tumors would be useful to distinguish tumors induced by arsenic from tumors caused by other factors and to dissect arsenic carcinogenesis. Previous studies have shown that gestational arsenic exposure of C3H mice, which tend to spontaneously develop liver tumors, increases the incidence of tumors in male offspring. In this study we used the same experimental protocol as in those previous studies and searched for DNA regions where methylation status was specifically altered in the liver tumors of arsenic-exposed offspring by using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-CpG island microarrays. The methylation levels of the DNA regions selected were measured by quantitative methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing. The results of this study clarified a number of regions where DNA methylation status was altered in the liver tumors in the C3H mice compared to normal liver tissues. Among such regions, we showed that a gene body region of the oncogene Fosb underwent alteration in DNA methylation by gestational arsenic exposure. We also showed that Fosb expression significantly increased corresponding to the DNA methylation level of the gene body in the arsenic-exposed group. These findings suggest that the DNA methylation status can be used to identify tumors increased by gestational arsenic exposure. © 2013 Japanese Cancer Association.

Quantifying the degradation of TNT and RDX in a saline environment with and without UV-exposure.

PubMed

Sisco, Edward; Najarro, Marcela; Bridge, Candice; Aranda, Roman

2015-06-01

Terrorist attacks in a maritime setting, such as the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, or the detection of underwater mines, require the development of proper protocols to collect and analyse explosive material from a marine environment. In addition to proper analysis of the explosive material, protocols must also consider the exposure of the material to potentially deleterious elements, such as UV light and salinity, time spent in the environment, and time between storage and analysis. To understand how traditional explosives would be affected by such conditions, saline solutions of explosives were exposed to natural and artificial sunlight. Degradation of the explosives over time was then quantified using negative chemical ionization gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/NCI-MS). Two explosives, trinitrotoluene (TNT) and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), were exposed to different aqueous environments and light exposures with salinities ranging from freshwater to twice the salinity of ocean water. Solutions were then aged for up to 6 months to simulate different conditions the explosives may be recovered from. Salinity was found to have a negligible impact on the degradation of both RDX and TNT. RDX was stable in solutions of all salinities while TNT solutions degraded regardless of salinity. Solutions of varying salinities were also exposed to UV light, where accelerated degradation was seen for both explosives. Potential degradation products of TNT were identified using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and correspond to proposed degradation products discussed in previously published works [1]. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

An optimised procedure for prenatal ethanol exposure with determination of its effects on central nervous system connections.

PubMed

Sbriccoli, A; Carretta, D; Santarelli, M; Granato, A; Minciacchi, D

1999-01-01

We describe the protocol set-up to investigate an experimental model of foetal alcohol syndrome in the rat. The protocol has been devised to expose specific cell populations of the central nervous system to ethanol during their neurogenesis and has been applied to the study of diencephalo-telencephalic connections. We were able to demonstrate specific permanent changes of the adult thalamo-cortical circuitry. Our protocol can be applied to study other aspects of central nervous system-ethanol interactions, such as neurotransmitter and receptor patterns. It can also represent a useful tool to test the effects of different diets to prevent nutritional deficiencies and the efficacy of drug treatments to prevent foetal alcohol syndrome. We have shown in fact that ethanol-induced thalamo-cortical alterations are partially prevented by concurrent administration of acetyl-L-carnitine. Finally, the present protocol can be used to investigate the effects of ethanol exposure on the development of different brain structures. To this purpose, the gestational period for ethanol exposure must be chosen according to the peak of neurogenesis for the investigated structure.

Timing of pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation does not affect the promotion of bone cell development.

PubMed

Hannay, Gwynne; Leavesley, David; Pearcy, Mark

2005-12-01

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) devices have been used clinically to promote the healing of surgically resistant fractures in vivo. However, there is a sparsity of data on how the timing of an applied PEMF effects the osteogenic cells that would be present within the fracture gap. The purpose of this study was to examine the response of osteoblast-like cells to a PEMF stimulus, mimicking that of a clinically available device, using four protocols for the timing of the stimulus. The PEMF signal consisted of a 5 ms pulse burst (containing 20 pulses) repeated at 15 Hz. Cultures of a human osteosarcoma cell line, SaOS-2, were exposed to the four timing protocols, each conducted over 3 days. Protocol one stimulated the cells for 8 h each day, protocol two stimulated the cells for 24 h on the first day, protocol three stimulated the cells for 24 h on the second day, and protocol four stimulated the cells for 24 h on the third day. Cells were seeded with either 25,000 or 50,000 cells/well (24-well cell culture plates). All assays showed reduced proliferation and increased differentiation (alkaline phosphatase activity) in the PEMF stimulated cultures compared with the control cultures, except for protocol four alkaline phosphatase measurements. No clear trend was observed between the four protocols; however this may be due to cell density. The results indicated that an osteoblast-like cell line is responsive to a 15 Hz PEMF stimulus, which will stimulate the cell line to into an increasing state of maturity. Bioelectromagnetics (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Attacks on quantum key distribution protocols that employ non-ITS authentication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacher, C.; Abidin, A.; Lorünser, T.; Peev, M.; Ursin, R.; Zeilinger, A.; Larsson, J.-Å.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate how adversaries with large computing resources can break quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols which employ a particular message authentication code suggested previously. This authentication code, featuring low key consumption, is not information-theoretically secure (ITS) since for each message the eavesdropper has intercepted she is able to send a different message from a set of messages that she can calculate by finding collisions of a cryptographic hash function. However, when this authentication code was introduced, it was shown to prevent straightforward man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks against QKD protocols. In this paper, we prove that the set of messages that collide with any given message under this authentication code contains with high probability a message that has small Hamming distance to any other given message. Based on this fact, we present extended MITM attacks against different versions of BB84 QKD protocols using the addressed authentication code; for three protocols, we describe every single action taken by the adversary. For all protocols, the adversary can obtain complete knowledge of the key, and for most protocols her success probability in doing so approaches unity. Since the attacks work against all authentication methods which allow to calculate colliding messages, the underlying building blocks of the presented attacks expose the potential pitfalls arising as a consequence of non-ITS authentication in QKD post-processing. We propose countermeasures, increasing the eavesdroppers demand for computational power, and also prove necessary and sufficient conditions for upgrading the discussed authentication code to the ITS level.

Active involvement and intervention in patients exposed to whiplash trauma in automobile crashes reduces costs: a randomized, controlled clinical trial and health economic evaluation.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Mark; Seferiadis, Aris; Gunnarsson, Ronny

2006-07-15

To examine and compare the costs and consequences in a partial economic evaluation of two competing interventions in patients exposed to whiplash trauma in automobile crashes. The interventions were an active involvement and intervention using early mobilization and a standard intervention of rest, recommended short-term immobilization in a cervical collar and a cautious, gradual self-exercise program according to a leaflet. The study was randomized and controlled. The aim of the study was to compare the costs of an active involvement and intervention versus a standard intervention and to relate them to the clinical benefits in patients exposed to whiplash trauma in automobile crashes to facilitate decision-making regarding intervention and resource allocation. There is very little known about the health economic aspects of various interventions in the target treatment group of patients. Based on a prospective, randomized, clinical trial, data on clinical effectiveness and resources used for the active involvement and intervention and standard intervention were collected for a comparative analysis of the costs related to physical therapy treatment and sick leave. A cost-consequence analysis consisting of a modified cost-effectiveness analysis was used. The costs were significantly lower after 6 and 36 months with an active involvement and intervention as compared with the standard intervention. The active involvement and intervention were significantly superior in reducing experienced pain and reducing sick leave. For patients exposed to whiplash trauma in a motor vehicle collision, an active involvement and intervention were both less costly and more effective than a standard intervention.

Biocoder: A programming language for standardizing and automating biology protocols

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Published descriptions of biology protocols are often ambiguous and incomplete, making them difficult to replicate in other laboratories. However, there is increasing benefit to formalizing the descriptions of protocols, as laboratory automation systems (such as microfluidic chips) are becoming increasingly capable of executing them. Our goal in this paper is to improve both the reproducibility and automation of biology experiments by using a programming language to express the precise series of steps taken. Results We have developed BioCoder, a C++ library that enables biologists to express the exact steps needed to execute a protocol. In addition to being suitable for automation, BioCoder converts the code into a readable, English-language description for use by biologists. We have implemented over 65 protocols in BioCoder; the most complex of these was successfully executed by a biologist in the laboratory using BioCoder as the only reference. We argue that BioCoder exposes and resolves ambiguities in existing protocols, and could provide the software foundations for future automation platforms. BioCoder is freely available for download at http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/india/projects/biocoder/. Conclusions BioCoder represents the first practical programming system for standardizing and automating biology protocols. Our vision is to change the way that experimental methods are communicated: rather than publishing a written account of the protocols used, researchers will simply publish the code. Our experience suggests that this practice is tractable and offers many benefits. We invite other researchers to leverage BioCoder to improve the precision and completeness of their protocols, and also to adapt and extend BioCoder to new domains. PMID:21059251

Feasibility and pilot study of the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) project.

PubMed

Sun, Lena S; Li, Guohua; DiMaggio, Charles J; Byrne, Mary W; Ing, Caleb; Miller, Tonya L K; Bellinger, David C; Han, Sena; McGowan, Francis X

2012-10-01

Animal studies have documented that exposure of the developing brain to commonly used anesthetic agents induces neurotoxicity and late abnormal neurobehavioral functions as adults. Results from clinical studies have all been analyzed using existing data sets, and these studies produced inconsistent results. To provide more definitive evidence to address the clinical relevance of anesthetic neurotoxicity in children, an interdisciplinary team of investigators designed and developed the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) project. We present pilot study results in 28 sibling pairs recruited and tested at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Children's Hospital of Boston (CHB) for the PANDA project. The PANDA project uses an ambidirectional cohort design. We performed prospective neuropsychological assessment in 28 exposed-unexposed sibling pairs from 6 to 11 years of age. The exposed siblings were ASA 1 or 2 and had received a single episode of anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair before the age of 36 months and the unexposed siblings had no anesthesia before the age of 36 months. All the sibling pairs were English speaking and were 36 weeks of gestational age or older. Each sibling pair underwent a direct testing using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and the NEuroPSYchological Assessment, second edition (NEPSY II), and the parents completed questionnaires related to behavior using CBCL and Conners rating. Data are presented as means±SD. We conducted descriptive analyses of the demographic data. We compared both the exposed and the unexposed sibling groups on WASI and NEPSY II, and total and T scores from CBCL and Conners rating were analyzed as continuous data using the paired t test between the two groups. A P<0.05 was considered significant. After the Institutional Review Board approval for the study at both CUMC and CHB, the full PANDA study protocol was implemented to perform a pilot feasibility study. Our success rate was 96.7% in obtaining detailed medical and anesthesia records in our historical cohort. The scores for verbal IQ (exposed=106.1±16.3, unexposed=109.2±17.9), performance IQ (exposed=109.1±16.0, unexposed=113.9±15.9), and full IQ (exposed=108.2±14.0, unexposed=112.8±16.8) were comparable between the siblings. There were no differences between the two groups in T scores for any of the NEPSY II subdomains, CBCL, or Conners rating. An abstraction protocol with web-based electronic data capture forms also was developed in conjunction with the International Center for Health Outcomes and Innovation Research (InCHOIR). The pilot study provided useful information for feasibility to recruit the sample size and to obtain relevant clinical data. For the final study protocol, both the neuropsychological battery and the age range for testing were revised. Our results confirmed the feasibility of our study approach and yielded pilot data from neuropsychological testing.

A Study of Shared-Memory Mutual Exclusion Protocols Using CADP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mateescu, Radu; Serwe, Wendelin

Mutual exclusion protocols are an essential building block of concurrent systems: indeed, such a protocol is required whenever a shared resource has to be protected against concurrent non-atomic accesses. Hence, many variants of mutual exclusion protocols exist in the shared-memory setting, such as Peterson's or Dekker's well-known protocols. Although the functional correctness of these protocols has been studied extensively, relatively little attention has been paid to their non-functional aspects, such as their performance in the long run. In this paper, we report on experiments with the performance evaluation of mutual exclusion protocols using Interactive Markov Chains. Steady-state analysis provides an additional criterion for comparing protocols, which complements the verification of their functional properties. We also carefully re-examined the functional properties, whose accurate formulation as temporal logic formulas in the action-based setting turns out to be quite involved.

gDNA enrichment by a transposase-based technology for NGS analysis of the whole sequence of BRCA1, BRCA2, and 9 genes involved in DNA damage repair.

PubMed

Chevrier, Sandy; Boidot, Romain

2014-10-06

The widespread use of Next Generation Sequencing has opened up new avenues for cancer research and diagnosis. NGS will bring huge amounts of new data on cancer, and especially cancer genetics. Current knowledge and future discoveries will make it necessary to study a huge number of genes that could be involved in a genetic predisposition to cancer. In this regard, we developed a Nextera design to study 11 complete genes involved in DNA damage repair. This protocol was developed to safely study 11 genes (ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD50, RAD51C, RAD80, and TP53) from promoter to 3'-UTR in 24 patients simultaneously. This protocol, based on transposase technology and gDNA enrichment, gives a great advantage in terms of time for the genetic diagnosis thanks to sample multiplexing. This protocol can be safely used with blood gDNA.

Giving Voice to Study Volunteers: Comparing views of mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy protocol participants on ethical aspects of clinical research

PubMed Central

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Kim, Jane Paik

2014-01-01

Motivation Ethical controversy surrounds clinical research involving seriously ill participants. While many stakeholders have opinions, the extent to which protocol volunteers themselves see human research as ethically acceptable has not been documented. To address this gap of knowledge, authors sought to assess views of healthy and ill clinical research volunteers regarding the ethical acceptability of human studies involving individuals who are ill or are potentially vulnerable. Methods Surveys and semi-structured interviews were used to query clinical research protocol participants and a comparison group of healthy individuals. A total of 179 respondents participated in this study: 150 in protocols (60 mentally ill, 43 physically ill, and 47 healthy clinical research protocol participants) and 29 healthy individuals not enrolled in protocols. Main outcome measures included responses regarding ethical acceptability of clinical research when it presents significant burdens and risks, involves people with serious mental and physical illness, or enrolls people with other potential vulnerabilities in the research situation. Results Respondents expressed decreasing levels of acceptance of participation in research that posed burdens of increasing severity. Participation in protocols with possibly life-threatening consequences was perceived as least acceptable (mean = 1.82, sd = 1.29). Research on serious illnesses, including HIV, cancer, schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, was seen as ethically acceptable across respondent groups (range of means = [4.0, 4.7]). Mentally ill volunteers expressed levels of ethical acceptability for physical illness research and mental illness research as acceptable and similar, while physically ill volunteers expressed greater ethical acceptability for physical illness research than for mental illness research. Mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy participants expressed neutral to favorable perspectives regarding the ethical acceptability of clinical research participation by potentially vulnerable subpopulations (difference in acceptability perceived by mentally ill - healthy=−0.04, CI [−0.46, 0.39]; physically ill – healthy= −0.13, CI [−0.62, −.36]). Conclusions Clinical research volunteers and healthy clinical research-“naive” individuals view studies involving ill people as ethically acceptable, and their responses reflect concern regarding research that poses considerable burdens and risks and research involving vulnerable subpopulations. Physically ill research volunteers may be more willing to see burdensome and risky research as acceptable. Mentally ill research volunteers and healthy individuals expressed similar perspectives in this study, helping to dispel a misconception that those with mental illness should be presumed to hold disparate views. PMID:24931849

Giving voice to study volunteers: comparing views of mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy protocol participants on ethical aspects of clinical research.

PubMed

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Kim, Jane Paik

2014-09-01

Ethical controversy surrounds clinical research involving seriously ill participants. While many stakeholders have opinions, the extent to which protocol volunteers themselves see human research as ethically acceptable has not been documented. To address this gap of knowledge, authors sought to assess views of healthy and ill clinical research volunteers regarding the ethical acceptability of human studies involving individuals who are ill or are potentially vulnerable. Surveys and semi-structured interviews were used to query clinical research protocol participants and a comparison group of healthy individuals. A total of 179 respondents participated in this study: 150 in protocols (60 mentally ill, 43 physically ill, and 47 healthy clinical research protocol participants) and 29 healthy individuals not enrolled in protocols. Main outcome measures included responses regarding ethical acceptability of clinical research when it presents significant burdens and risks, involves people with serious mental and physical illness, or enrolls people with other potential vulnerabilities in the research situation. Respondents expressed decreasing levels of acceptance of participation in research that posed burdens of increasing severity. Participation in protocols with possibly life-threatening consequences was perceived as least acceptable (mean = 1.82, sd = 1.29). Research on serious illnesses, including HIV, cancer, schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, was seen as ethically acceptable across respondent groups (range of means = [4.0, 4.7]). Mentally ill volunteers expressed levels of ethical acceptability for physical illness research and mental illness research as acceptable and similar, while physically ill volunteers expressed greater ethical acceptability for physical illness research than for mental illness research. Mentally ill, physically ill, and healthy participants expressed neutral to favorable perspectives regarding the ethical acceptability of clinical research participation by potentially vulnerable subpopulations (difference in acceptability perceived by mentally ill - healthy = -0.04, CI [-0.46, 0.39]; physically ill - healthy = -0.13, CI [-0.62, -.36]). Clinical research volunteers and healthy clinical research-"naïve" individuals view studies involving ill people as ethically acceptable, and their responses reflect concern regarding research that poses considerable burdens and risks and research involving vulnerable subpopulations. Physically ill research volunteers may be more willing to see burdensome and risky research as acceptable. Mentally ill research volunteers and healthy individuals expressed similar perspectives in this study, helping to dispel a misconception that those with mental illness should be presumed to hold disparate views. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple protocols for oblivious transfer and secure identification in the noisy-quantum-storage model

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

Schaffner, Christian

2010-09-15

We present simple protocols for oblivious transfer and password-based identification which are secure against general attacks in the noisy-quantum-storage model as defined in R. Koenig, S. Wehner, and J. Wullschleger [e-print arXiv:0906.1030]. We argue that a technical tool from Koenig et al. suffices to prove security of the known protocols. Whereas the more involved protocol for oblivious transfer from Koenig et al. requires less noise in storage to achieve security, our ''canonical'' protocols have the advantage of being simpler to implement and the security error is easier control. Therefore, our protocols yield higher OT rates for many realistic noise parameters.more » Furthermore, a proof of security of a direct protocol for password-based identification against general noisy-quantum-storage attacks is given.« less

Usefulness and acceptability of a standardised orientation and mobility training for partially-sighted older adults using an identification cane

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Orientation and mobility (O&M) training in using an identification (ID) cane is provided to partially-sighted older adults to facilitate independent functioning and participation in the community. Recently, a protocolised standardised O&M-training in the use of the ID cane was developed in The Netherlands. The purpose of this study is to assess the usefulness and acceptability of both the standardised training and the regular training for participants and O&M-trainers in a randomised controlled trial (NCT00946062). Methods The standardised O&M-training consists of two structured face-to-face sessions and one telephone follow-up, in which, in addition to the regular training, self-management and behavioural change techniques are applied. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data on the training’s usefulness, e.g. the population reached, self-reported benefits or achievements, and acceptability, e.g. the performance of the intervention according to protocol and participants’ exposure to and engagement in the training. Results Data was collected from 29 O&M-trainers and 68 participants. Regarding the self-reported benefits, outcomes were comparable for the standardised training and the regular training according the trainers and participants e.g., about 85% of the participants in both groups experienced benefits of the cane and about 70% gained confidence in their capabilities. Participants were actively involved in the standardised training. Nearly 40% of the participants in the standardised training group was not exposed to the training according to protocol regarding the number of sessions scheduled and several intervention elements, such as action planning and contracting. Conclusions The standardised and regular O&M-training showed to be useful and mostly acceptable for the partially-sighted older adults and trainers. Yet, a concern is the deviation from the protocol of the standardised O&M-training by the O&M-trainers regarding distinguishing elements such as action planning. Overall, participants appreciated both trainings and reported benefit. PMID:22681932

48 CFR 1352.235-73 - Research involving human subjects-after initial contract award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Human Research Protections... documentation may include: (1) Copies of the human subjects research protocol, advertisements, recruitment... human subjects research protocol, advertisements, recruitment material, and informed consent forms by...

Preparing Protocols for Institutional Review Boards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Charles M.

1983-01-01

Introduces the process by which Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) review proposals for research involving human subjects. Describes the composition of IRBs. Presents the Nuremberg code, the elements of informed consent, the judging criteria for proposals, and a sample protocol format. References newly published regulations governing research with…

Effect of various practical warm-up protocols on acute lower-body power.

PubMed

Buttifant, David; Hrysomallis, Con

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of box squats with barbell (BBSquat), box squats with elastic resistance bands (BandSquat), and static stretches (SStretch) on external power during a 20-kg weighted jump squat. Twelve male athletes performed each of the 3 warm-up protocols on separate occasions in a randomized order. Weighted jump squat power was assessed using a linear position transducer attached to the bar of a Smith machine. Jump power was measured pre-warm-up and 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up protocol. The BBSquat protocol involved 3 sets of 3RM, BandSquat involved 3 sets of 3 repetitions using highest resistance elastic bands, and the SStretch protocol comprises two 30-second stretches for muscles of the lower limbs. Jump power significantly increased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for both the BandSquat and BBSquat protocols. There was no statistical difference in power values between BandSquat and BBSquat. Power output significantly decreased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for the SStretch protocol. The BandSquat was just as effective as BBSquat in augmenting acute jump power. The SStretch was detrimental to jump performance. A practical warm-up using relatively inexpensive and portable equipment such as elastic resistance bands was just as effective as a warm-up protocol that requires more substantial and less transportable equipment such as a squat rack and associated free weights. The BandSquat warm-up may be considered more accessible for athletes at various competition levels.

Zoom Reconstruction Tool: Evaluation of Image Quality and Influence on the Diagnosis of Root Fracture.

PubMed

Queiroz, Polyane Mazucatto; Santaella, Gustavo Machado; Capelozza, Ana Lúcia Alvares; Rosalen, Pedro Luiz; Freitas, Deborah Queiroz; Haiter-Neto, Francisco

2018-04-01

This study evaluated the image quality and the diagnosis of root fractures when using the Zoom Reconstruction tool (J Morita, Kyoto, Japan). A utility wax phantom with a metal sample inside was used for objective evaluation, and a mandible with 27 single-rooted teeth (with and without obturation and with and without vertical or horizontal fractures) was used for diagnostic evaluation. The images were acquired in 3 protocols: protocol 1, field of view (FOV) of 4 × 4 cm and a voxel size of 0.08 mm; protocol 2, FOV of 10 × 10 cm and a voxel size of 0.2 mm; and protocol 3, Zoom Reconstruction of images from protocol 2 (FOV of 4 × 4 cm and a voxel size of 0.08 mm). The objective evaluation was achieved by measuring the image noise, and the diagnosis of fractures was performed by 3 evaluators. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate accuracy, and analysis of variance compared the accuracy and image quality of the protocols. Regarding quality, protocol 1 was superior to protocol 2 (P < .0001) and Zoom Reconstruction (P < .0001). Additionally, images of protocol 2 presented less noise than the Zoom Reconstruction image (P < .0001); however, for diagnosis, Zoom Reconstruction was superior in relation to protocol 2 (P = .011) and did not differ from protocol 1 (P = .228) for the diagnosis of a vertical root fracture in filled teeth. The Zoom Reconstruction tool allows better accuracy for vertical root fracture detection in filled teeth, making it possible to obtain a higher-resolution image from a lower-resolution examination without having to expose the patient to more radiation. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Giggleman, M.A.; Fitzpatrick, L.C.; Goven, A.J.

Phagocytosis, a host-defense mechanism phylogenetically conserved throughout the animal kingdom, by earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) coelomocytes has potential as a surrogate for vertebrates to be used as an environmentally acceptable endpoint to assess sublethal immunotoxic risks of contaminated soils to environmental (eg. higher wildlife) and public health. Coelomocytes can be exposed in vivo to complex contaminated parent soils by placing earthworms in situ at hazardous waste sites (HWS) or into soil samples and their dilutions with artificial soil (AS) in the laboratory, or in vitro to soil extracts and their fractionations. Here the authors report on phagocytosis by coelomocytes in earthwormsmore » exposed to pentachlorophenol (PCP) contaminated soils from a wood treatment HWS, PCP-spiked AS and PCP treated filter paper (FP). HWS soil was diluted to 25% with AS to a sublethal concentration (ca. 125 mg kg{sup {minus}1}) and earthworms exposed for 14d at 10 C under light conditions. AS was spiked at ca. 125 mg kg{sup {minus}1} PCP and earthworms were similarly exposed. Controls for both consisted of earthworms exposed to 100% AS. Earthworms were exposed to FP treated with a sublethal PCP concentration (15 {micro}g cm{sup {minus}2}) at 10 C under dark conditions for 96H. Controls were similarly exposed without PCP. Phagocytosis by coelomocytes in earthworms exposed to HWS soil, spiked AS and treated FP was suppressed 37, 41 and 29%, respectively. Results are discussed in terms of PCP body burdens and exposure protocols.« less

Intimate partner violence: childhood exposure to domestic violence.

PubMed

Chen, Ping-Hsin; Jacobs, Abbie; Rovi, Susan L D

2013-09-01

Children who are exposed to domestic violence (DV) may experience many short- and long-term negative effects. They are up to 3.8 times more likely to become perpetrators or victims in adulthood than are children not exposed to DV. They also are at high risk of health problems, risky health behaviors, violence, and social functioning problems. Girls who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms, and boys exposed to IPV are more likely to exhibit aggression and delinquent behaviors. To prepare the practice to identify and assist children exposed to DV, physicians should undergo training, implement screening protocols, use caution when documenting findings, collaborate with local agencies, and learn about the state's reporting laws. State and local DV service programs or other community resources can provide assessment and intervention assistance. Social workers, mental health professionals, and child and DV advocates can assist in providing treatment for children exposed to violence. Physicians should schedule follow-up appointments for children who need treatment, monitor behavior, and coordinate intervention services. Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.

Occupational Exposure to Urban Air Pollution and Allergic Diseases

PubMed Central

Vimercati, Luigi; Gatti, Maria Franca; Baldassarre, Antonio; Nettis, Eustachio; Favia, Nicola; Palma, Marco; Martina, Gabriella Lucia Maria; Di Leo, Elisabetta; Musti, Marina

2015-01-01

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased morbidity from cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, respiratory and allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate allergic diseases in 111 traffic wardens compared to a control group of 101 administrative employees. All participating subjects underwent a physical examination, in which a complete medical history was taken and a dedicated allergological questionnaire administered. Spirometry, Specific IgE dosage (RAST) and skin prick tests (SPT) were done. Diagnostic investigations such as the nasal cytology, a specific nasal provocation test and rhinomanometry were also performed. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 11. The percentage of subjects with a diagnosis of allergy was higher in the exposed workers than in the controls. As regards the clinical tests, the positivity was higher for the group of exposed subjects. Among the exposed workers, those who worked on foot or motorcycle had a higher positivity in clinical trials compared to the traffic wardens who used the car. Our study showed a higher percentage of allergic subjects in the group of workers exposed to outdoor pollutants than in the controls. These results suggest that allergological tests should be included in the health surveillance protocols for workers exposed to outdoor pollutants. PMID:26501303

Updating working memory in aircraft noise and speech noise causes different fMRI activations

PubMed Central

Sætrevik, Bjørn; Sörqvist, Patrik

2015-01-01

The present study used fMRI/BOLD neuroimaging to investigate how visual-verbal working memory is updated when exposed to three different background-noise conditions: speech noise, aircraft noise and silence. The number-updating task that was used can distinguish between “substitution processes,” which involve adding new items to the working memory representation and suppressing old items, and “exclusion processes,” which involve rejecting new items and maintaining an intact memory set. The current findings supported the findings of a previous study by showing that substitution activated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the posterior medial frontal cortex and the parietal lobes, whereas exclusion activated the anterior medial frontal cortex. Moreover, the prefrontal cortex was activated more by substitution processes when exposed to background speech than when exposed to aircraft noise. These results indicate that (a) the prefrontal cortex plays a special role when task-irrelevant materials should be denied access to working memory and (b) that, when compensating for different types of noise, either different cognitive mechanisms are involved or those cognitive mechanisms that are involved are involved to different degrees. PMID:25352319

Heterogeneity among violence-exposed women: applying person-oriented research methods.

PubMed

Nurius, Paula S; Macy, Rebecca J

2008-03-01

Variability of experience and outcomes among violence-exposed people pose considerable challenges toward developing effective prevention and treatment protocols. To address these needs, the authors present an approach to research and a class of methodologies referred to as person oriented. Person-oriented tools support assessment of meaningful patterns among people that distinguish one group from another, subgroups for whom different interventions are indicated. The authors review the conceptual base of person-oriented methods, outline their distinction from more familiar variable-oriented methods, present descriptions of selected methods as well as empirical applications of person-oriented methods germane to violence exposure, and conclude with discussion of implications for future research and translation between research and practice. The authors focus on violence against women as a population, drawing on stress and coping theory as a theoretical framework. However, person-oriented methods hold utility for investigating diversity among violence-exposed people's experiences and needs across populations and theoretical foundations.

In silico simulations of experimental protocols for cardiac modeling.

PubMed

Carro, Jesus; Rodriguez, Jose Felix; Pueyo, Esther

2014-01-01

A mathematical model of the AP involves the sum of different transmembrane ionic currents and the balance of intracellular ionic concentrations. To each ionic current corresponds an equation involving several effects. There are a number of model parameters that must be identified using specific experimental protocols in which the effects are considered as independent. However, when the model complexity grows, the interaction between effects becomes increasingly important. Therefore, model parameters identified considering the different effects as independent might be misleading. In this work, a novel methodology consisting in performing in silico simulations of the experimental protocol and then comparing experimental and simulated outcomes is proposed for parameter model identification and validation. The potential of the methodology is demonstrated by validating voltage-dependent L-type calcium current (ICaL) inactivation in recently proposed human ventricular AP models with different formulations. Our results show large differences between ICaL inactivation as calculated from the model equation and ICaL inactivation from the in silico simulations due to the interaction between effects and/or to the experimental protocol. Our results suggest that, when proposing any new model formulation, consistency between such formulation and the corresponding experimental data that is aimed at being reproduced needs to be first verified considering all involved factors.

Effect of Fatigue Protocols on Lower Limb Neuromuscular Function and Implications for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention Training: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Barber-Westin, Sue D; Noyes, Frank R

2017-12-01

Approximately two-thirds of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are sustained during noncontact situations when an athlete is cutting, pivoting, decelerating, or landing from a jump. Some investigators have postulated that fatigue may result in deleterious alterations in lower limb biomechanics during these activities that could increase the risk of noncontact ACL injuries. However, prior studies have noted a wide variation in fatigue protocols, athletic tasks studied, and effects of fatigue on lower limb kinetics and kinematics. First, to determine if fatigue uniformly alters lower limb biomechanics during athletic tasks that are associated with noncontact ACL injuries. Second, to determine if changes should be made in ACL injury prevention training programs to alter the deleterious effects of fatigue on lower limb kinetics and kinematics. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. A systematic review of the literature using MEDLINE was performed. Key terms were fatigue, neuromuscular, exercise, hop test, and single-legged function tests. Inclusion criteria were original research studies involving healthy participants, use of a fatigue protocol, study of at least 1 lower limb task that involved landing from a hop or jump or cutting, and analysis of at least 1 biomechanical variable. Thirty-seven studies involving 806 athletes (485 female, 321 male; mean age, 22.7 years) met the inclusion criteria. General fatigue protocols were used in 20 investigations, peripheral protocols were used in 17 studies, and 21 different athletic tasks were studied (13 single-legged, 8 double-legged). There was no consistency among investigations regarding the effects of fatigue on hip, knee, or ankle joint angles and moments or surface electromyography muscle activation patterns. The fatigue protocols typically did not produce statistically significant changes in ground-reaction forces. Published fatigue protocols did not uniformly produce alterations in lower limb neuromuscular factors that heighten the risk of noncontact ACL injuries. Therefore, justification does not currently exist for major changes in ACL injury prevention training programs to account for potential fatigue effects. However, the effect of fatigue related to ACL injuries is worthy of further investigation, including the refinement of protocols and methods of analysis.

9 CFR 82.2 - Criteria for determining birds or poultry to be infected with, exposed to, or free from END.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the following factors: clinical evidence (signs, post-mortem lesions, and history of the..., Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road, Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, or by... Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231. The protocols are also found in “Recommended Uniform Diagnostic...

9 CFR 82.2 - Criteria for determining birds or poultry to be infected with, exposed to, or free from END.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of the following factors: clinical evidence (signs, post-mortem lesions, and history of the..., Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road, Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, or by... Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231. The protocols are also found in “Recommended Uniform Diagnostic...

9 CFR 82.2 - Criteria for determining birds or poultry to be infected with, exposed to, or free from Newcastle...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... one or more of the following factors: clinical evidence (signs, post-mortem lesions, and history of... Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road, Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, or by referring to..., 4700 River Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231. The protocols are also found in “Recommended Uniform...

9 CFR 82.2 - Criteria for determining birds or poultry to be infected with, exposed to, or free from END.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... veterinarians and State veterinarians may be obtained by writing to Emergency Programs, Veterinary Services... referring to the local telephone book. 2 A copy of the protocols for END diagnostic tests may be obtained by writing to Emergency Programs, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River...

Production, concentration and titration of pseudotyped HIV-1-based lentiviral vectors.

PubMed

Kutner, Robert H; Zhang, Xian-Yang; Reiser, Jakob

2009-01-01

Over the past decade, lentiviral vectors have emerged as powerful tools for transgene delivery. The use of lentiviral vectors has become commonplace and applications in the fields of neuroscience, hematology, developmental biology, stem cell biology and transgenesis are rapidly emerging. Also, lentiviral vectors are at present being explored in the context of human clinical trials. Here we describe improved protocols to generate highly concentrated lentiviral vector pseudotypes involving different envelope glycoproteins. In this protocol, vector stocks are prepared by transient transfection using standard cell culture media or serum-free media. Such stocks are then concentrated by ultracentrifugation and/or ion exchange chromatography, or by precipitation using polyethylene glycol 6000, resulting in vector titers of up to 10(10) transducing units per milliliter and above. We also provide reliable real-time PCR protocols to titrate lentiviral vectors based on proviral DNA copies present in genomic DNA extracted from transduced cells or on vector RNA. These production/concentration methods result in high-titer vector preparations that show reduced toxicity compared with lentiviral vectors produced using standard protocols involving ultracentrifugation-based methods. The vector production and titration protocol described here can be completed within 8 d.

The preparation of Drosophila embryos for live-imaging using the hanging drop protocol.

PubMed

Reed, Bruce H; McMillan, Stephanie C; Chaudhary, Roopali

2009-03-13

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based timelapse live-imaging is a powerful technique for studying the genetic regulation of dynamic processes such as tissue morphogenesis, cell-cell adhesion, or cell death. Drosophila embryos expressing GFP are readily imaged using either stereoscopic or confocal microscopy. A goal of any live-imaging protocol is to minimize detrimental effects such as dehydration and hypoxia. Previous protocols for preparing Drosophila embryos for live-imaging analysis have involved placing dechorionated embryos in halocarbon oil and sandwiching them between a halocarbon gas-permeable membrane and a coverslip. The introduction of compression through mounting embryos in this manner represents an undesirable complication for any biomechanical-based analysis of morphogenesis. Our method, which we call the hanging drop protocol, results in excellent viability of embryos during live imaging and does not require that embryos be compressed. Briefly, the hanging drop protocol involves the placement of embryos in a drop of halocarbon oil that is suspended from a coverslip, which is, in turn, fixed in position over a humid chamber. In addition to providing gas exchange and preventing dehydration, this arrangement takes advantage of the buoyancy of embryos in halocarbon oil to prevent them from drifting out of position during timelapse acquisition. This video describes in detail how to collect and prepare Drosophila embryos for live imaging using the hanging drop protocol. This protocol is suitable for imaging dechorionated embryos using stereomicroscopy or any upright compound fluorescence microscope.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTER-LABORATORY VERIFICATION OF LC-MS LIBRARIES FOR ORGANIC CHEMICALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

EPA Science Inventory

The development, verification, and comparison study between LC-MS libraries for two manufacturers’ instruments and a verified protocol are discussed. The LC-MS library protocol was verified through an inter-laboratory study that involved Federal, State, and private laboratories. ...

Rationale for the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network Treatment Protocol for Center-involved Diabetic Macular Edema

PubMed Central

Aiello, Lloyd Paul; Beck, Roy W; Bressler, Neil M.; Browning, David J.; Chalam, KV; Davis, Matthew; Ferris, Frederick L; Glassman, Adam; Maturi, Raj; Stockdale, Cynthia R.; Topping, Trexler

2011-01-01

Objective Describe the underlying principles used to develop a web-based algorithm that incorporated intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME) in a Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) randomized clinical trial. Design Discussion of treatment protocol for DME. Participants Subjects with vision loss from DME involving the center of the macula. Methods The DRCR.net created an algorithm incorporating anti-VEGF injections in a comparative effectiveness randomized clinical trial evaluating intravitreal ranibizumab with prompt or deferred (≥24 weeks) focal/grid laser in eyes with vision loss from center-involved DME. Results confirmed that intravitreal ranibizumab with prompt or deferred laser provides superior visual acuity outcomes, compared with prompt laser alone through at least 2 years. Duplication of this algorithm may not be practical for clinical practice. In order to share their opinion on how ophthalmologists might emulate the study protocol, participating DRCR.net investigators developed guidelines based on the algorithm's underlying rationale. Main Outcome Measures Clinical guidelines based on a DRCR.net protocol. Results The treatment protocol required real time feedback from a web-based data entry system for intravitreal injections, focal/grid laser, and follow-up intervals. Guidance from this system indicated whether treatment was required or given at investigator discretion and when follow-up should be scheduled. Clinical treatment guidelines, based on the underlying clinical rationale of the DRCR.net protocol, include repeating treatment monthly as long as there is improvement in edema compared with the previous month, or until the retina is no longer thickened. If thickening recurs or worsens after discontinuing treatment, treatment is resumed. Conclusions Duplication of the approach used in the DRCR.net randomized clinical trial to treat DME involving the center of the macula with intravitreal ranibizumab may not be practical in clinical practice, but likely can be emulated based on an understanding of the underlying rationale for the study protocol. Inherent differences between a web-based treatment algorithm and a clinical approach may lead to differences in outcomes that are impossible to predict. The closer the clinical approach is to the algorithm used in the study, the more likely the outcomes will be similar to those published. PMID:22136692

Rationale for the diabetic retinopathy clinical research network treatment protocol for center-involved diabetic macular edema.

PubMed

Aiello, Lloyd Paul; Beck, Roy W; Bressler, Neil M; Browning, David J; Chalam, K V; Davis, Matthew; Ferris, Frederick L; Glassman, Adam R; Maturi, Raj K; Stockdale, Cynthia R; Topping, Trexler M

2011-12-01

To describe the underlying principles used to develop a web-based algorithm that incorporated intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME) in a Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) randomized clinical trial. Discussion of treatment protocol for DME. Subjects with vision loss resulting from DME involving the center of the macula. The DRCR.net created an algorithm incorporating anti-VEGF injections in a comparative effectiveness randomized clinical trial evaluating intravitreal ranibizumab with prompt or deferred (≥24 weeks) focal/grid laser treatment in eyes with vision loss resulting from center-involved DME. Results confirmed that intravitreal ranibizumab with prompt or deferred laser provides superior visual acuity outcomes compared with prompt laser alone through at least 2 years. Duplication of this algorithm may not be practical for clinical practice. To share their opinion on how ophthalmologists might emulate the study protocol, participating DRCR.net investigators developed guidelines based on the algorithm's underlying rationale. Clinical guidelines based on a DRCR.net protocol. The treatment protocol required real-time feedback from a web-based data entry system for intravitreal injections, focal/grid laser treatment, and follow-up intervals. Guidance from this system indicated whether treatment was required or given at investigator discretion and when follow-up should be scheduled. Clinical treatment guidelines, based on the underlying clinical rationale of the DRCR.net protocol, include repeating treatment monthly as long as there is improvement in edema compared with the previous month or until the retina is no longer thickened. If thickening recurs or worsens after discontinuing treatment, treatment is resumed. Duplication of the approach used in the DRCR.net randomized clinical trial to treat DME involving the center of the macula with intravitreal ranibizumab may not be practical in clinical practice, but likely can be emulated based on an understanding of the underlying rationale for the study protocol. Inherent differences between a web-based treatment algorithm and a clinical approach may lead to differences in outcomes that are impossible to predict. The closer the clinical approach is to the algorithm used in the study, the more likely the outcomes will be similar to those published. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An artificial test substrate for evaluating electron microscopic immunocytochemical labeling reactions.

PubMed

Gagne, G D; Miller, M F

1987-08-01

We describe an artificial substrate system for optimization of labeling parameters in electron microscope immunocytochemical studies. The system involves use of blocks of glutaraldehyde-polymerized BSA into which a desired antigen is incorporated by a simple soaking procedure. The resulting antigen-impregnated artificial substrate can then be fixed and embedded identically to a piece of tissue. The BSA substrate can also be dried and then sectioned for immunolabeling with or without chemical fixation and without exposing the antigen to dehydrating agents and embedding resins. The effects of various fixation and embedding procedures can thus be evaluated separately. Other parameters affecting immunocytochemical labeling, such as antibody and conjugate concentration, can also be evaluated. We used this system, along with immunogold labeling, to determine quantitatively the optimal fixation and embedding conditions for labeling of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg), human IgG, and horseradish peroxidase. Using unfixed and unembedded HBsAg, we were able to detect antigen concentrations below 20 micrograms/ml. We have shown that it is not possible to label HBsAg within resin-embedded cells using conventional aldehyde fixation protocols and polyclonal antibodies.

Exposure of Laboratory Workers to Francisella tularensis despite a Bioterrorism Procedure

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Daniel S.; Schwartz, Donald R.

2002-01-01

A rapidly fatal case of pulmonary tularemia in a 43-year-old man who was transferred to a tertiary care facility is presented. The microbiology laboratory and autopsy services were not notified of the clinical suspicion of tularemia by the service caring for the patient. Despite having a laboratory bioterrorism procedure in place and adhering to established laboratory protocol, 12 microbiology laboratory employees were exposed to Francisella tularensis and the identification of the organism was delayed due to lack of notification of the laboratory of the clinical suspicion of tularemia. A total of 11 microbiology employees and two persons involved in performing the patient's autopsy received prophylactic doxycycline due to concerns of transmission. None of them developed signs or symptoms of tularemia. One microbiology laboratory employee was pregnant and declined prophylactic antibiotics. As a result of this event, the microbiology laboratory has incorporated flow charts directly into the bench procedures for several highly infectious agents that may be agents of bioterrorism. This should permit more rapid recognition of an isolate for referral to a Level B laboratory for definitive identification and should improve laboratory safety. PMID:12037110

Animal-Assisted Interventions in the Classroom-A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Brelsford, Victoria L; Meints, Kerstin; Gee, Nancy R; Pfeffer, Karen

2017-06-22

The inclusion of animals in educational practice is becoming increasingly popular, but it is unclear how solid the evidence for this type of intervention is. The aim of this systematic review is to scrutinise the empirical research literature relating to animal-assisted interventions conducted in educational settings. The review included 25 papers; 21 from peer-reviewed journals and 4 obtained using grey literature databases. Most studies reported significant benefits of animal-assisted interventions in the school setting. Despite this, studies vary greatly in methods and design, in intervention types, measures, and sample sizes, and in the length of time exposed to an animal. Furthermore, a worrying lack of reference to risk assessment and animal welfare must be highlighted. Taken together, the results of this review show promising findings and emerging evidence suggestive of potential benefits related to animals in school settings. The review also indicates the need for a larger and more robust evidence base driven by thorough and strict protocols. The review further emphasises the need for safeguarding for all involved-welfare and safety are paramount.

Generation of a Tet-On Expression System to Study Transactivation Ability of Tax-2.

PubMed

Bignami, Fabio; Sozzi, Riccardo Alessio; Pilotti, Elisabetta

2017-01-01

HTLV Tax proteins (Tax-1 and Tax-2) are known to be able to transactivate several host cellular genes involved in complex molecular pathways. Here, we describe a stable and regulated high-level expression model based on Tet-On system, to study the capacity of Tax-2 to transactivate host genes. In particular, the Jurkat Tet-On cell line suitable for evaluating the ability of Tax-2 to stimulate transactivation of a specific host gene, CCL3L1 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 3 like 1 gene), was selected. Then, a plasmid expressing tax-2 gene under control of a tetracycline-response element was constructed. To avoid the production of a fusion protein between the report gene and the inserted gene, a bidirectional plasmid was designed. Maximum expression and fast response time were achieved by using nucleofection technology as transfection method. After developing an optimized protocol for efficiently transferring tax-2 gene in Jurkat Tet-On cellular model and exposing transfected cells to Dox (doxycycline, a tetracycline derivate), a kinetics of tax-2 expression through TaqMan Real-time PCR assay was determined.

Reward devaluation disrupts latent inhibition in fear conditioning.

PubMed

De la Casa, Luís Gonzalo; Mena, Auxiliadora; Ruiz-Salas, Juán Carlos; Quintero, Esperanza; Papini, Mauricio R

2018-03-01

Three experiments explored the link between reward shifts and latent inhibition (LI). Using consummatory procedures, rewards were either downshifted from 32% to 4% sucrose (Experiments 1-2), or upshifted from 4% to 32% sucrose (Experiment 3). In both cases, appropriate unshifted controls were also included. LI was implemented in terms of fear conditioning involving a single tone-shock pairing after extensive tone-only preexposure. Nonpreexposed controls were also included. Experiment 1 demonstrated a typical LI effect (i.e., disruption of fear conditioning after preexposure to the tone) in animals previously exposed only to 4% sucrose. However, the LI effect was eliminated by preexposure to a 32%-to-4% sucrose devaluation. Experiment 2 replicated this effect when the LI protocol was administered immediately after the reward devaluation event. However, LI was restored when preexposure was administered after a 60-min retention interval. Finally, Experiment 3 showed that a reward upshift did not affect LI. These results point to a significant role of negative emotion related to reward devaluation in the enhancement of stimulus processing despite extensive nonreinforced preexposure experience.

Consumers responses to coupons in direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.

PubMed

Bhutada, Nilesh S; Cook, Christopher L; Perri, Matthew

2009-01-01

A study was conducted to understand the influence of coupons and consumers' level of involvement in direct-to-consumer advertising. Consumers exposed to prescription drug advertising with a coupon had significantly more favorable ad and brand-related attitudes, and intention to inquire about the drug to their doctor. However, there was no significant difference in perceived product risk between consumers exposed to the ad with a coupon and consumers exposed to the ad without a coupon. Highly involved consumers had significantly more favorable ad, brand, and coupon-related attitudes, drug inquiry intention, and perceptions about the risks associated with the drug.

College Students' Responses to Suicidal Content on Social Networking Sites: An Examination Using a Simulated Facebook Newsfeed.

PubMed

Corbitt-Hall, Darcy J; Gauthier, Jami M; Davis, Margaret T; Witte, Tracy K

2016-10-01

Although Facebook has a peer-initiated suicide prevention protocol, little is known about users' abilities to notice, recognize, and appropriately interpret suicidal content or about their willingness to intervene. In this study, 468 college students were randomly assigned to interact with a simulated Facebook newsfeed containing content reflecting various suicide risk levels. A larger proportion of those exposed to content reflecting moderate and severe suicide risk noticed, recognized, appropriately interpreted, and endorsed taking action to intervene, as compared to those exposed to content representing no or low risk. Overall, results indicate that college students are responsive to suicidal content on Facebook. © 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

DNA fragmentation and nuclear phenotype in tendons exposed to low-intensity infrared laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Paoli, Flavia; Ramos Cerqueira, Larissa; Martins Ramos, Mayara; Campos, Vera M.; Ferreira-Machado, Samara C.; Geller, Mauro; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson

2015-03-01

Clinical protocols are recommended in device guidelines outlined for treating many diseases on empirical basis. However, effects of low-intensity infrared lasers at fluences used in clinical protocols on DNA are controversial. Excitation of endogenous chromophores in tissues and free radicals generation could be described as a consequence of laser used. DNA lesions induced by free radicals cause changes in DNA structure, chromatin organization, ploidy degrees and cell death. In this work, we investigated whether low-intensity infrared laser therapy could alter the fibroblasts nuclei characteristics and induce DNA fragmentation. Tendons of Wistar rats were exposed to low-intensity infrared laser (830 nm), at different fluences (1, 5 and 10 J/cm2), in continuous wave (power output of 10mW, power density of 79.6 mW/cm2). Different frequencies were analyzed for the higher fluence (10 J/cm2), at pulsed emission mode (2.5, 250 and 2500 Hz), with the laser source at surface of skin. Geometric, densitometric and textural parameters obtained for Feulgen-stained nuclei by image analysis were used to define nuclear phenotypes. Significant differences were observed on the nuclear phenotype of tendons after exposure to laser, as well as, high cell death percentages was observed for all fluences and frequencies analyzed here, exception 1 J/cm2 fluence. Our results indicate that low-intensity infrared laser can alter geometric, densitometric and textural parameters in tendon fibroblasts nuclei. Laser can also induce DNA fragmentation, chromatin lost and consequently cell death, using fluences, frequencies and emission modes took out from clinical protocols.

Investigating Bordetella pertussis colonisation and immunity: protocol for an inpatient controlled human infection model

PubMed Central

de Graaf, Hans; Gbesemete, Diane; Gorringe, Andrew R.; Diavatopoulos, Dimitri A.; Kester, Kent E.; Faust, Saul N.; Read, Robert C.

2017-01-01

Introduction We summarise an ethically approved protocol for the development of an experimental human challenge colonisation model. Globally Bordetella pertussis is one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable death. Many countries have replaced whole cell vaccines with acellular vaccines over the last 20 years during which pertussis appears to be resurgent in a number of countries in the developed world that boast high immunisation coverage. The acellular vaccine provides relatively short-lived immunity and, in contrast to whole cell vaccines, may be less effective against colonisation and subsequent transmission. To improve vaccine strategies, a greater understanding of human B. pertussis colonisation is required. This article summarises a protocol and does not contain any results. Methods and analysis A controlled human colonisation model will be developed over two phases. In phase A, a low dose of the inoculum will be given intranasally to healthy participants. This dose will be escalated or de-escalated until colonisation is achieved in approximately 70% (95% CI 47% to 93%) of the exposed volunteers without causing disease. The colonisation period, shedding and exploratory immunology will be assessed during a 17-day inpatient stay and follow-up over 1 year. The dose of inoculum that achieves 70% colonisation will then be confirmed in phase B, comparing healthy participants exposed to B. pertussis with a control group receiving a sham inoculum. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the ethical committee reference: 17/SC/0006, 24 February 2017. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed open access journals as soon as possible. PMID:29025851

Astrocytes acquire resistance to iron-dependent oxidative stress upon proinflammatory activation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Astrocytes respond to local insults within the brain and the spinal cord with important changes in their phenotype. This process, overall known as “activation”, is observed upon proinflammatory stimulation and leads astrocytes to acquire either a detrimental phenotype, thereby contributing to the neurodegenerative process, or a protective phenotype, thus supporting neuronal survival. Within the mechanisms responsible for inflammatory neurodegeneration, oxidative stress plays a major role and has recently been recognized to be heavily influenced by changes in cytosolic iron levels. In this work, we investigated how activation affects the competence of astrocytes to handle iron overload and the ensuing oxidative stress. Methods Cultures of pure cortical astrocytes were preincubated with proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor α) or conditioned medium from lipopolysaccharide-activated microglia to promote activation and then exposed to a protocol of iron overload. Results We demonstrate that activated astrocytes display an efficient protection against iron-mediated oxidative stress and cell death. Based on this evidence, we performed a comprehensive biochemical and molecular analysis, including a transcriptomic approach, to identify the molecular basis of this resistance. Conclusions We propose the protective phenotype acquired after activation not to involve the most common astrocytic antioxidant pathway, based on the Nrf2 transcription factor, but to result from a complex change in the expression and activity of several genes involved in the control of cellular redox state. PMID:24160637

Exposure to pistachio pesticides and stillbirth: a case-control study.

PubMed

Razi, Saeid; Rezaeian, Mohsen; Dehkordi, Fatemeh Ghani; Manshoori, Azita; Goujani, Reza; Vazirinejad, Reza

2016-01-01

Stillbirth is an undesirable outcome of pregnancy. In light of the increasing use of pesticides and growing concerns about the possible health effects of agricultural pesticides, we investigated the effect of exposure to pistachio pesticides on stillbirth in pregnant mothers. This case-control study was conducted in Rafsanjan, Iran from 2011 to 2012. A total of 125 females who had a recent stillbirth were included as the case group, and 250 controls were selected from females who had a recent live birth. For each case, two controls with the nearest propensity score to the case were selected. Data were collected using a protocol developed by the researcher that involved interviewing respondents and reviewing their medical records. Conditional multivariate and univariate logistic regression analysis were performed and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The ORs of stillbirth in mothers living in pistachio gardens and those who were exposed to sprayed pesticides, in comparison to the controls, were 14.1 (95% CI, 3.3 to 63.4) and 5.0 (95% CI, 1.2 to 28.6), respectively. No significant differences were found in stillbirth rates according to the distance between the mother's residence and a pistachio garden or involvement in agricultural activities. The results of our study showed that exposure to pistachio pesticides during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of stillbirth in mothers.

Application of an in vitro DNA protection assay to visualize stress mediation properties of the Dps protein.

PubMed

Karas, Vlad O; Westerlaken, Ilja; Meyer, Anne S

2013-05-31

Oxidative stress is an unavoidable byproduct of aerobic life. Molecular oxygen is essential for terrestrial metabolism, but it also takes part in many damaging reactions within living organisms. The combination of aerobic metabolism and iron, which is another vital compound for life, is enough to produce radicals through Fenton chemistry and degrade cellular components. DNA degradation is arguably the most damaging process involving intracellular radicals, as DNA repair is far from trivial. The assay presented in this article offers a quantitative technique to measure and visualize the effect of molecules and enzymes on radical-mediated DNA damage. The DNA protection assay is a simple, quick, and robust tool for the in vitro characterization of the protective properties of proteins or chemicals. It involves exposing DNA to a damaging oxidative reaction and adding varying concentrations of the compound of interest. The reduction or increase of DNA damage as a function of compound concentration is then visualized using gel electrophoresis. In this article we demonstrate the technique of the DNA protection assay by measuring the protective properties of the DNA-binding protein from starved cells (Dps). Dps is a mini-ferritin that is utilized by more than 300 bacterial species to powerfully combat environmental stressors. Here we present the Dps purification protocol and the optimized assay conditions for evaluating DNA protection by Dps.

Long-term effects of mustard gas on respiratory system of Iranian veterans after Iraq-Iran war: a review.

PubMed

Razavi, Seyed-Mansour; Ghanei, Mostafa; Salamati, Payman; Safiabadi, Mehdi

2013-01-01

To review long-term respiratory effects of mustard gas on Iranian veterans having undergone Iraq-Iran war. Electronic databases of Scopus, Medline, ISI, IranMedex, and Irandoc sites were searched. We accepted articles published in scientific journals as a quality criterion.The main pathogenic factors are free radical mediators. Prevalence of pulmonary involvement is approximately 42.5%. The most common complaints are cough and dyspnea. Major respiratory complications are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, and asthma. Spirometry results can reveal restrictive and obstructive pulmonary disease. Plain chest X-ray does not help in about 50% of lung diseases. High-resolution CT of the lung is the best modality for diagnostic assessment of parenchymal lung and bronchi. There is no definite curative treatment for mustard lung. The effective treatment regimens consist of oxygen administration, use of vaporized moist air, respiratory physiotherapy, administration of mucolytic agents, bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and long-acting beta-2 agonists, antioxidants, surfactant, magnesium ions, therapeutic bronchoscopy, laser therapy, placement of respiratory stents, early tracheostomy in laryngospasm, and ultimately lung transplantation. High-resolution CT of the lung is the most accurate modality for the evaluation of the lung parenchyma and bronchi. The treatment efficacy of patients exposed to mustard gas depends on patient conditions (acute or chronic, upper or lower respiratory tract involvement). There are various treatment protocols, but unfortunately none of them is definitely curable.

Securing TCP/IP and Dial-up Access to Administrative Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, L. Dean

1992-01-01

This article describes Arizona State University's solution to security risk inherent in general access systems such as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/INTERNET Protocol). Advantages and disadvantages of various options are compared, and the process of selecting a log-on authentication approach involving generation of a different password at…

It's Time to Develop a New "Draft Test Protocol" for a Mars Sample Return Mission (or Two....)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rummel, J. D.

2018-04-01

A Mars Sample Return (MSR) will involve analysis of those samples in containment, including their safe receiving, handling, testing, and archiving. With an MSR planned for the end of the next decade, it is time to update the existing MSR protocol.

Thoracic Impedance as a Potential Indicator of Gz-induced Presyncope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howarth, M. S.; Moore, F. B.; Hinghofer-Szalkay, H.; Jezova, D.; Diedrich, A.; Ferris, M. B.; Patwardhan, A. R.; Knapp, C. F.; Evans, J. M.

2008-01-01

We investigated fluid shifts and regulatory responses to variations of posture, exercise, Gz level and radius of rotation in subjects riding NASA Ames 20G centrifuge. Results are from 4 protocols that address radius and exercise effects only. Protocol A: After 10 min supine control, 12 healthy men (35 9 yr, 82.8 7.9 kg) were exposed to rotational 1 Gz (2.5 m radius) for 2 min followed by 20 min alternating between 1 and 1.25 Gz. Blood samples were taken pre and post spin. Protocol B: Same as A, but lower limb exercise (70% V02max) preceded ramps to 1.25 Gz. Protocol C: Same as A but radius of rotation 8.3 m. Protocol D: Same as B but at 8.3 m. The 8 subjects who completed all protocols, increased heart rate (HR) from control by: A: 5, B: 39, C: 11, D: 44 bpm; and the 4 who did not: A: 6, B: 35, C: 20, D: 50 bpm. For thoracic fluid volume, (bioimpedance), the 8 subjects changed from control: A: -394, B: -548, C: -537, D: -708 mL; and the 4: A: -516, B: -652, C: -583, D: -1263 mL. The 4 subjects lost more thoracic fluid volume than the 8, especially in protocol D. A slightly greater increase in HR for the 4 compared to the 8 was not adequate to maintain cardiac output during D. Our data support the concept that thoracic impedance can detect inability to return adequate fluid to the heart, thereby predicting presyncope.

Olfactory Transcriptional Analysis of Salmon Exposed to Mixtures of Chlorpyrifos and Malathion Reveal Novel Molecular Pathways of Neurobehavioral Injury

PubMed Central

Wang, Lu; Espinoza, Herbert M.; MacDonald, James W.; Bammler, Theo K.; Williams, Chase R.; Yeh, Andrew; Louie, Ke’ale W.; Marcinek, David J.; Gallagher, Evan P.

2016-01-01

Pacific salmon exposed to sublethal concentrations of organophosphate pesticides (OP) have impaired olfactory function that can lead to loss of behaviors that are essential for survival. These exposures often involve mixtures and can occur at levels below those which inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In this study, juvenile Coho salmon were exposed for 24 h to either 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 ppb chlorpyrifos (CPF), 2, 10, or 50 ppb malathion (MAL), or binary mixtures of 0.1 CPF:2 ppb MAL, 0.5 CPF:10 ppb MAL, or 2.5 CPF:10 ppb MAL to mimic single and binary environmental exposures. Microarray analysis of olfactory rosettes from pesticide-exposed salmon revealed differentially expressed genes involved in nervous system function and signaling, aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling, xenobiotic metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Coho exposed to OP mixtures exhibited a more pronounced loss in detection of a predatory olfactory cue relative to those exposed to single compounds, whereas respirometry experiments demonstrated that exposure to OPs, individually and in mixtures, reduced maximum respiratory capacity of olfactory rosette mitochondria. The observed molecular, biochemical, and behavioral effects occurred largely in the absence of effects on brain AChE. In summary, our results provide new insights associated with the sublethal neurotoxic effects of OP mixtures relevant to environmental exposures involving molecular and cellular pathways of injury to the salmon olfactory system that underlie neurobehavioral injury. PMID:26494550

The head start tobacco cessation initiative: using systems change to support staff identification and intervention for tobacco use in low-income families.

PubMed

Moody-Thomas, Sarah; Sparks, Michael; Hamasaka, Laura; Ross-Viles, Sarah; Bullock, Amber

2014-08-01

Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. Remarkably, more than nine million preschool-aged children are exposed to secondhand smoke, resulting in increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Even more disturbing is that tobacco use is highest among people with the lowest levels of income and education. Thus, reaching these populations is a challenge facing tobacco control programs. This report describes an innovative pilot project implementing a systems change model that involves multiple stakeholders in integrating evidence-based cessation strategies into federal Head Start programs, which serve low-income adults and their children. The Tobacco Cessation Initiative was developed through a partnership between the American Legacy Foundation, the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Public Health. The partnership developed guidelines to fit into the overall mission of Head Start by enabling participating sites to incorporate tobacco cessation identification and referral protocols into their existing infrastructures. This program allowed Head Start sites to incorporate, into their existing family services, protocols for user identification and referral; build partnerships with groups supporting tobacco cessation; link families to cessation services; and educate families about risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke. Applying system strategies in non-clinical settings such as Head Start offers a way to improve the health and quality of life of preschool children at the highest risk for exposure to secondhand smoke.

Sensitive, Rapid Detection of Bacterial Spores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kern, Roger G.; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Chen, Fei; Pickett, Molly; Matsuyama, Asahi

2009-01-01

A method of sensitive detection of bacterial spores within delays of no more than a few hours has been developed to provide an alternative to a prior three-day NASA standard culture-based assay. A capability for relatively rapid detection of bacterial spores would be beneficial for many endeavors, a few examples being agriculture, medicine, public health, defense against biowarfare, water supply, sanitation, hygiene, and the food-packaging and medical-equipment industries. The method involves the use of a commercial rapid microbial detection system (RMDS) that utilizes a combination of membrane filtration, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence chemistry, and analysis of luminescence images detected by a charge-coupled-device camera. This RMDS has been demonstrated to be highly sensitive in enumerating microbes (it can detect as little as one colony-forming unit per sample) and has been found to yield data in excellent correlation with those of culture-based methods. What makes the present method necessary is that the specific RMDS and the original protocols for its use are not designed for discriminating between bacterial spores and other microbes. In this method, a heat-shock procedure is added prior to an incubation procedure that is specified in the original RMDS protocols. In this heat-shock procedure (which was also described in a prior NASA Tech Briefs article on enumerating sporeforming bacteria), a sample is exposed to a temperature of 80 C for 15 minutes. Spores can survive the heat shock, but nonspore- forming bacteria and spore-forming bacteria that are not in spore form cannot survive. Therefore, any colonies that grow during incubation after the heat shock are deemed to have originated as spores.

Novel high-performance purification protocol of recombinant CNBP suitable for biochemical and biophysical characterization.

PubMed

Challier, Emilse; Lisa, María-Natalia; Nerli, Bibiana B; Calcaterra, Nora B; Armas, Pablo

2014-01-01

Cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP) is a highly conserved multi-zinc knuckle protein that enhances c-MYC expression, is related to certain human muscular diseases and is required for proper rostral head development. CNBP binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and RNA and acts as nucleic acid chaperone. Despite the advances made concerning CNBP biological roles, a full knowledge about the structure-function relationship has not yet been achieved, likely due to difficulty in obtaining pure and tag-free CNBP. Here, we report a fast, simple, reproducible, and high-performance expression and purification protocol that provides recombinant tag-free CNBP from Escherichia coli cultures. We determined that tag-free CNBP binds its molecular targets with higher affinity than tagged-CNBP. Furthermore, fluorescence spectroscopy revealed the presence of a unique and conserved tryptophan, which is exposed to the solvent and involved, directly or indirectly, in nucleic acid binding. Size-exclusion HPLC revealed that CNBP forms homodimers independently of nucleic acid binding and coexist with monomers as non-interconvertible forms or in slow equilibrium. Circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that CNBP has a secondary structure dominated by random-coil and β-sheet coincident with the sequence-predicted repetitive zinc knuckles motifs, which folding is required for CNBP structural stability and biochemical activity. CNBP structural stability increased in the presence of single-stranded nucleic acid targets similar to other unstructured nucleic acid chaperones. Altogether, data suggest that CNBP is a flexible protein with interspersed structured zinc knuckles, and acquires a more rigid structure upon nucleic acid binding. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of a sulfate metabolite of PCB 11 in human serum

PubMed Central

Grimm, Fabian A.; Lehmler, Hans-Joachim; Koh, Wen Xin; DeWall, Jeanne; Teesch, Lynn M.; Hornbuckle, Keri C.; Thorne, Peter S.; Robertson, Larry W.; Duffel, Michael W.

2016-01-01

Despite increasing evidence for a major role for sulfation in the metabolism of lower-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls in vitro and in vivo, and initial evidence for potential bioactivities of the resulting sulfate ester metabolites, the formation of PCB sulfates in PCB exposed human populations had not been explored. The primary goal of this study was to determine if PCB sulfates, and potentially other conjugated PCB derivatives, are relevant classes of PCB metabolites in the serum of humans with known exposures to PCBs. In order to detect and quantify dichlorinated PCB sulfates in serum samples of 46 PCB-exposed individuals from either rural or urban communities, we developed a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based protocol using 4-PCB 11 sulfate as a model compound. The method also allowed the preliminary analysis of these 46 human serum extracts for the presence of other metabolites, such as glucuronic acid conjugates and hydroxylated PCBs. Sulfate ester metabolites derived from dichlorinated PCBs were detectable and quantifiable in more than 20 % of analyzed serum samples. Moreover, we were able to utilize this method to detect PCB glucuronides and hydroxylated PCBs, albeit at lower frequencies than PCB sulfates. Altogether, our results provide initial evidence for the presence of PCB sulfates in human serum. Considering the inability of previously employed analytical protocols for PCBs to extract these sulfate ester metabolites and the concentrations of these metabolites observed in our current study, our data support the hypothesis that total serum levels of PCB metabolites in exposed individuals may have been underestimated in the past. PMID:27816204

Identification of a sulfate metabolite of PCB 11 in human serum.

PubMed

Grimm, Fabian A; Lehmler, Hans-Joachim; Koh, Wen Xin; DeWall, Jeanne; Teesch, Lynn M; Hornbuckle, Keri C; Thorne, Peter S; Robertson, Larry W; Duffel, Michael W

2017-01-01

Despite increasing evidence for a major role for sulfation in the metabolism of lower-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls in vitro and in vivo, and initial evidence for potential bioactivities of the resulting sulfate ester metabolites, the formation of PCB sulfates in PCB exposed human populations had not been explored. The primary goal of this study was to determine if PCB sulfates, and potentially other conjugated PCB derivatives, are relevant classes of PCB metabolites in the serum of humans with known exposures to PCBs. In order to detect and quantify dichlorinated PCB sulfates in serum samples of 46 PCB-exposed individuals from either rural or urban communities, we developed a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based protocol using 4-PCB 11 sulfate as a model compound. The method also allowed the preliminary analysis of these 46 human serum extracts for the presence of other metabolites, such as glucuronic acid conjugates and hydroxylated PCBs. Sulfate ester metabolites derived from dichlorinated PCBs were detectable and quantifiable in more than 20% of analyzed serum samples. Moreover, we were able to utilize this method to detect PCB glucuronides and hydroxylated PCBs, albeit at lower frequencies than PCB sulfates. Altogether, our results provide initial evidence for the presence of PCB sulfates in human serum. Considering the inability of previously employed analytical protocols for PCBs to extract these sulfate ester metabolites and the concentrations of these metabolites observed in our current study, our data support the hypothesis that total serum levels of PCB metabolites in exposed individuals may have been underestimated in the past. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-throughput process development: I. Process chromatography.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Bhambure, Rahul

2014-01-01

Chromatographic separation serves as "a workhorse" for downstream process development and plays a key role in removal of product-related, host cell-related, and process-related impurities. Complex and poorly characterized raw materials and feed material, low feed concentration, product instability, and poor mechanistic understanding of the processes are some of the critical challenges that are faced during development of a chromatographic step. Traditional process development is performed as trial-and-error-based evaluation and often leads to a suboptimal process. High-throughput process development (HTPD) platform involves an integration of miniaturization, automation, and parallelization and provides a systematic approach for time- and resource-efficient chromatography process development. Creation of such platforms requires integration of mechanistic knowledge of the process with various statistical tools for data analysis. The relevance of such a platform is high in view of the constraints with respect to time and resources that the biopharma industry faces today. This protocol describes the steps involved in performing HTPD of process chromatography step. It described operation of a commercially available device (PreDictor™ plates from GE Healthcare). This device is available in 96-well format with 2 or 6 μL well size. We also discuss the challenges that one faces when performing such experiments as well as possible solutions to alleviate them. Besides describing the operation of the device, the protocol also presents an approach for statistical analysis of the data that is gathered from such a platform. A case study involving use of the protocol for examining ion-exchange chromatography of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), a therapeutic product, is briefly discussed. This is intended to demonstrate the usefulness of this protocol in generating data that is representative of the data obtained at the traditional lab scale. The agreement in the data is indeed very significant (regression coefficient 0.93). We think that this protocol will be of significant value to those involved in performing high-throughput process development of process chromatography.

The Spanish Protocol for radiological surveillance of metal recycling: a collaboration of government and industry.

PubMed

Cadierno, Juan Pedro García; Renedo, J I Serrano; Lopez, E Gil

2006-11-01

The presence of radioactive materials in scrap metal has been detected relatively often in recent years. As a result of an accidental melting of a 137Cs source in a Spanish steel mill (Acerinox) in 1998, the national authorities, the involved private companies, and the main trade unions drafted a protocol for prevention of and responding to such events ("Spanish Protocol"). The Protocol was signed in 1999. The number of subscribing companies is 90. The Protocol is a voluntary agreement defining the radiological surveillance of scrap metal and its products and the duties and rights of the signatories. From the effective date of the Protocol to December 2004, 461 pieces of ferric scrap were detected including sources of radiation and contaminated metal. Four melting incidents have happened in different companies.

Cryptography in the Bounded-Quantum-Storage Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaffner, Christian

2007-09-01

This thesis initiates the study of cryptographic protocols in the bounded-quantum-storage model. On the practical side, simple protocols for Rabin Oblivious Transfer, 1-2 Oblivious Transfer and Bit Commitment are presented. No quantum memory is required for honest players, whereas the protocols can only be broken by an adversary controlling a large amount of quantum memory. The protocols are efficient, non-interactive and can be implemented with today's technology. On the theoretical side, new entropic uncertainty relations involving min-entropy are established and used to prove the security of protocols according to new strong security definitions. For instance, in the realistic setting of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) against quantum-memory-bounded eavesdroppers, the uncertainty relation allows to prove the security of QKD protocols while tolerating considerably higher error rates compared to the standard model with unbounded adversaries.

A Dangerous Context Changes the Way That Rats Learn about and Discriminate between Innocuous Events in Sensory Preconditioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Nathan M.; Westbrook, R. Frederick

2017-01-01

Four experiments used a sensory preconditioning protocol to examine how a dangerous context influences learning about innocuous events. In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, rats were exposed to presentations of a tone followed immediately or 20-sec later by presentations of a light. These tone-light pairings occurred in a context that was either familiar…

Dynamic Multivariate Accelerated Corrosion Test Protocol

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

atmospheric, accelerated, AA2024-T3, AA6061-T6, AA7075-T3, 1010 steel, AgCl, rare earth conversion coat, magnesium rich primer, polyurethane , Eyring, Monte...morphology and elemental analysis by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and electrochemical determinations of...in the FT-IR analysis; degradation of the components of the high performance polyurethane coatings exposed in the UV/ozone chamber were more

Development of a protocol for staining BrdU-labeled cells within cryosections of bovine mammary tissue that is suitable for subsequent transcriptome analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) is a thymidine analog that is incorporated into the DNA of proliferating cells. Immunostaining of BrdU-labeled cells within a histological section requires heat or chemical-mediated antigen retrieval to open the dsDNA and expose the BrdU antigen. We found that in cryosection...

Patient-Specific QA of Spot-Scanning Proton Beams using Radiochromic Film.

PubMed

Chan, Maria F; Chen, Chin-Cheng; Shi, Chengyu; Li, Jingdong; Tang, Xiaoli; Li, Xiang; Mah, Dennis

2017-05-01

Radiochromic film for spot-scanning QA provides high spatial resolution and efficiency gains from one-shot irradiation for multiple depths. However, calibration can be a tedious procedure which may limit widespread use. Moreover, since there may be an energy dependence, which manifests as a depth dependence, this may require additional measurements for each patient. We present a one-scan protocol to simplify the procedure. A calibration using an EBT3 film, exposed by a 6-level step-wedge plan on a Proteus ® PLUS proton system (IBA, Belgium), was performed at depths of 18, 20, 24cm using Plastic Water ® (CIRS, Norfolk, VA). The calibration doses ranged from 65-250 cGy(RBE) (relative biological effectiveness) for proton energies of 170-200 MeV. A clinical prostate+nodes plan was used for validation. The planar doses at selected depths were measured with EBT3 films and analyzed using One-scan protocol (one-scan digitization of QA film and at least one film exposed to a known dose). The gamma passing rates, dose-difference maps, and profiles of 2D planar doses measured with EBT3 film and IBA MatriXX-PT, versus the RayStation TPS calculations were analyzed and compared. The EBT3 film measurement results matched well with the TPS calculation data with an average passing rate of ~95% for 2%/2mm and slightly lower passing rates were obtained from an ion chamber array detector. We were able to demonstrate that the use of a proton step-wedge provided clinically acceptable results and minimized variations between film-scanner orientation, inter-scan, and scanning conditions. Furthermore, for relative dosimetry (calibration is not done at the time of experiment) it could be derived from no more than two films exposed to known doses (one could be zero) for rescaling the master calibration curve at each depth. The sensitivity of the calibration to depth variations has been explored. One-scan protocol results appear to be comparable to that of the ion chamber array detector. The use of a proton step-wedge for calibration of EBT3 film potentially increases efficiency in patient-specific QA of proton beams.

[Integrated use of data bases to map manufacturing processes involving exposure to carcinogens in the Piedmont Region: the example of formaldehyde].

PubMed

Falcone, U; Gilardi, Luisella; Pasqualini, O; Santoro, S; Coffano, Elena

2010-01-01

Exposure to carcinogens is still widespread in working environments. For the purpose of defining priority of interventions, it is necessary to estimate the number and the geographic distribution of workers potentially exposed to carcinogens. It could therefore be useful to test the use of tools and information sources already available in order to map the distribution of exposure to carcinogens. Formaldehyde is suggested as an example of an occupational carcinogen in this study. The study aimed at verifying and investigating the potential of 3 integrated databases: MATline, CAREX, and company databases resulting from occupational accident and disease claims (INAIL), in order to estimate the number of workers exposed to formaldehyde and map their distribution in the Piedmont Region. The list of manufacturing processes involving exposure to formaldehyde was sorted by MIATline; for each process the number of firms and employees were obtained from the INAIL archives. By applying the prevalence of exposed workers obtained with CAREX, an estimate of exposure for each process was determined. A map of the distribution of employees associated with a specific process was produced using ArcView GIS software. It was estimated that more than 13,000 employees are exposed to formaldehyde in the Piedmont Region. The manufacture of furniture was identified as the process with the highest number of workers exposed to formaldehyde (3,130),followed by metal workers (2,301 exposed) and synthetic resin processing (1,391 exposed). The results obtained from the integrated use of databases provide a basis for defining priority of preventive interventions required in the industrial processes involving exposure to carcinogens in the Piedmont Region.

Generation of functional podocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Ciampi, Osele; Iacone, Roberto; Longaretti, Lorena; Benedetti, Valentina; Graf, Martin; Magnone, Maria Chiara; Patsch, Christoph; Xinaris, Christodoulos; Remuzzi, Giuseppe; Benigni, Ariela; Tomasoni, Susanna

2016-07-01

Generating human podocytes in vitro could offer a unique opportunity to study human diseases. Here, we describe a simple and efficient protocol for obtaining functional podocytes in vitro from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Cells were exposed to a three-step protocol, which induced their differentiation into intermediate mesoderm, then into nephron progenitors and, finally, into mature podocytes. After differentiation, cells expressed the main podocyte markers, such as synaptopodin, WT1, α-Actinin-4, P-cadherin and nephrin at the protein and mRNA level, and showed the low proliferation rate typical of mature podocytes. Exposure to Angiotensin II significantly decreased the expression of podocyte genes and cells underwent cytoskeleton rearrangement. Cells were able to internalize albumin and self-assembled into chimeric 3D structures in combination with dissociated embryonic mouse kidney cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate the establishment of a robust protocol that, mimicking developmental stages, makes it possible to derive functional podocytes in vitro. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cardiac autonomic responses induced by mental tasks and the influence of musical auditory stimulation.

PubMed

Barbosa, Juliana Cristina; Guida, Heraldo L; Fontes, Anne M G; Antonio, Ana M S; de Abreu, Luiz Carlos; Barnabé, Viviani; Marcomini, Renata S; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos M; da Silva, Meire L; Valenti, Vitor E

2014-08-01

We investigated the acute effects of musical auditory stimulation on cardiac autonomic responses to a mental task in 28 healthy men (18-22 years old). In the control protocol (no music), the volunteers remained at seated rest for 10 min and the test was applied for five minutes. After the end of test the subjects remained seated for five more minutes. In the music protocol, the volunteers remained at seated rest for 10 min, then were exposed to music for 10 min; the test was then applied over five minutes, and the subjects remained seated for five more minutes after the test. In the control and music protocols the time domain and frequency domain indices of heart rate variability remained unchanged before, during and after the test. We found that musical auditory stimulation with baroque music did not influence cardiac autonomic responses to the mental task. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bank robberies: A psychological protocol of intervention in financial institutions and principal effects.

PubMed

Tabanelli, Maria Carla; Bonfiglioli, Roberta; Violante, Francesco S

2013-03-26

BACKGROUND: Robbery in workplaces represents a potentially traumatic experience for workers. OBJECTIVES: This article describes the set up and evaluation of a comprehensive psychological intervention designed to help to reduce the adverse consequences of bank robberies. PARTICIPANTS: The study population was selected among the employees of two Italian banks.METHODS: The psychological protocol was designed according to the results of a comprehensive non-systematic review of the scientific literature and it was evaluated at work site. RESULTS: The protocol consists of a "pre-event" formative intervention and "post-event" psychological support. The qualitative data collected allowed us to understand that the reactions after a robbery can differ depending on the phase during which the workers were exposed to the robbery. We noted that the main consequences can be classified in emotional/sentimental reactions, behavioral reactions, physiological reactions and experiences during the event; emotions/feelings following the robbery and psycho/physical state and emotions/feelings in the following days.CONCLUSIONS: In a working environment, the chance to take advantage of a specific protocol for the traumatic event of a bank robbery offers both the company and the workers important tools for well-being, including post-robbery psychological support and classroom instructions.

Research in DRM architecture based on watermarking and PKI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ligang; Chen, Xiaosu; Xiao, Dao-ju; Yi, Miao

2005-02-01

Analyze the virtue and disadvantage of the present digital copyright protecting system, design a kind of security protocol model of digital copyright protection, which equilibrium consider the digital media"s use validity, integrality, security of transmission, and trade equity, make a detailed formalize description to the protocol model, analyze the relationship of the entities involved in the digital work copyright protection. The analysis of the security and capability of the protocol model shows that the model is good at security and practicability.

Updating working memory in aircraft noise and speech noise causes different fMRI activations.

PubMed

Saetrevik, Bjørn; Sörqvist, Patrik

2015-02-01

The present study used fMRI/BOLD neuroimaging to investigate how visual-verbal working memory is updated when exposed to three different background-noise conditions: speech noise, aircraft noise and silence. The number-updating task that was used can distinguish between "substitution processes," which involve adding new items to the working memory representation and suppressing old items, and "exclusion processes," which involve rejecting new items and maintaining an intact memory set. The current findings supported the findings of a previous study by showing that substitution activated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the posterior medial frontal cortex and the parietal lobes, whereas exclusion activated the anterior medial frontal cortex. Moreover, the prefrontal cortex was activated more by substitution processes when exposed to background speech than when exposed to aircraft noise. These results indicate that (a) the prefrontal cortex plays a special role when task-irrelevant materials should be denied access to working memory and (b) that, when compensating for different types of noise, either different cognitive mechanisms are involved or those cognitive mechanisms that are involved are involved to different degrees. © 2014 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GUIDANCE FOR RESEARCH HOUSE STUDIES OF THE FLORIDA RADON RESEARCH PROGRAM, VOLUME 2: MODEL-BACKED EXPERIMENTAL PROTOCOL FOR DETERMINING RADON

EPA Science Inventory

The report provides guidance and a readily available reference to groups involved with the Florida Radon Research Program's (FRRP's) research house studies. It includes: 1): Lists of Parameters for continuous and periodic high and low resolution measurements; (2) Protocols for c...

Breaking Megrelishvili protocol using matrix diagonalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arzaki, Muhammad; Triantoro Murdiansyah, Danang; Adi Prabowo, Satrio

2018-03-01

In this article we conduct a theoretical security analysis of Megrelishvili protocol—a linear algebra-based key agreement between two participants. We study the computational complexity of Megrelishvili vector-matrix problem (MVMP) as a mathematical problem that strongly relates to the security of Megrelishvili protocol. In particular, we investigate the asymptotic upper bounds for the running time and memory requirement of the MVMP that involves diagonalizable public matrix. Specifically, we devise a diagonalization method for solving the MVMP that is asymptotically faster than all of the previously existing algorithms. We also found an important counterintuitive result: the utilization of primitive matrix in Megrelishvili protocol makes the protocol more vulnerable to attacks.

Framework and indicator testing protocol for developing and piloting quality indicators for the UK quality and outcomes framework.

PubMed

Campbell, Stephen M; Kontopantelis, Evangelos; Hannon, Kerin; Burke, Martyn; Barber, Annette; Lester, Helen E

2011-08-10

Quality measures should be subjected to a testing protocol before being used in practice using key attributes such as acceptability, feasibility and reliability, as well as identifying issues derived from actual implementation and unintended consequences. We describe the methodologies and results of an indicator testing protocol (ITP) using data from proposed quality indicators for the United Kingdom Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). The indicator testing protocol involved a multi-step and methodological process: 1) The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, to test clarity and necessity, 2) data extraction from patients' medical records, to test technical feasibility and reliability, 3) diaries, to test workload, 4) cost-effectiveness modelling, and 5) semi-structured interviews, to test acceptability, implementation issues and unintended consequences. Testing was conducted in a sample of representative family practices in England. These methods were combined into an overall recommendation for each tested indicator. Using an indicator testing protocol as part of piloting was seen as a valuable way of testing potential indicators in 'real world' settings. Pilot 1 (October 2009-March 2010) involved thirteen indicators across six clinical domains and twelve indicators passed the indicator testing protocol. However, the indicator testing protocol identified a number of implementation issues and unintended consequences that can be rectified or removed prior to national roll out. A palliative care indicator is used as an exemplar of the value of piloting using a multiple attribute indicator testing protocol - while technically feasible and reliable, it was unacceptable to practice staff and raised concerns about potentially causing actual patient harm. This indicator testing protocol is one example of a protocol that may be useful in assessing potential quality indicators when adapted to specific country health care settings and may be of use to policy-makers and researchers worldwide to test the likely effect of implementing indicators prior to roll out. It builds on and codifies existing literature and other testing protocols to create a field testing methodology that can be used to produce country specific quality indicators for pay-for-performance or quality improvement schemes.

Novel Multi-Party Quantum Key Agreement Protocol with G-Like States and Bell States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Shi-Qi; Chen, Hua-Ying; Gong, Li-Hua

2018-03-01

A significant aspect of quantum cryptography is quantum key agreement (QKA), which ensures the security of key agreement protocols by quantum information theory. The fairness of an absolute security multi-party quantum key agreement (MQKA) protocol demands that all participants can affect the protocol result equally so as to establish a shared key and that nobody can determine the shared key by himself/herself. We found that it is difficult for the existing multi-party quantum key agreement protocol to withstand the collusion attacks. Put differently, it is possible for several cooperated and untruthful participants to determine the final key without being detected. To address this issue, based on the entanglement swapping between G-like state and Bell states, a new multi-party quantum key agreement protocol is put forward. The proposed protocol makes full use of EPR pairs as quantum resources, and adopts Bell measurement and unitary operation to share a secret key. Besides, the proposed protocol is fair, secure and efficient without involving a third party quantum center. It demonstrates that the protocol is capable of protecting users' privacy and meeting the requirement of fairness. Moreover, it is feasible to carry out the protocol with existing technologies.

Novel Multi-Party Quantum Key Agreement Protocol with G-Like States and Bell States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Shi-Qi; Chen, Hua-Ying; Gong, Li-Hua

2018-06-01

A significant aspect of quantum cryptography is quantum key agreement (QKA), which ensures the security of key agreement protocols by quantum information theory. The fairness of an absolute security multi-party quantum key agreement (MQKA) protocol demands that all participants can affect the protocol result equally so as to establish a shared key and that nobody can determine the shared key by himself/herself. We found that it is difficult for the existing multi-party quantum key agreement protocol to withstand the collusion attacks. Put differently, it is possible for several cooperated and untruthful participants to determine the final key without being detected. To address this issue, based on the entanglement swapping between G-like state and Bell states, a new multi-party quantum key agreement protocol is put forward. The proposed protocol makes full use of EPR pairs as quantum resources, and adopts Bell measurement and unitary operation to share a secret key. Besides, the proposed protocol is fair, secure and efficient without involving a third party quantum center. It demonstrates that the protocol is capable of protecting users' privacy and meeting the requirement of fairness. Moreover, it is feasible to carry out the protocol with existing technologies.

A Lightweight RFID Mutual Authentication Protocol Based on Physical Unclonable Function.

PubMed

Xu, He; Ding, Jie; Li, Peng; Zhu, Feng; Wang, Ruchuan

2018-03-02

With the fast development of the Internet of Things, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has been widely applied into many areas. Nevertheless, security problems of the RFID technology are also gradually exposed, when it provides life convenience. In particular, the appearance of a large number of fake and counterfeit goods has caused massive loss for both producers and customers, for which the clone tag is a serious security threat. If attackers acquire the complete information of a tag, they can then obtain the unique identifier of the tag by some technological means. In general, because there is no extra identifier of a tag, it is difficult to distinguish an original tag and its clone one. Once the legal tag data is obtained, attackers can be able to clone this tag. Therefore, this paper shows an efficient RFID mutual verification protocol. This protocol is based on the Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) and the lightweight cryptography to achieve efficient verification of a single tag. The protocol includes three process: tag recognition, mutual verification and update. The tag recognition is that the reader recognizes the tag; mutual verification is that the reader and tag mutually verify the authenticity of each other; update is supposed to maintain the latest secret key for the following verification. Analysis results show that this protocol has a good balance between performance and security.

A Lightweight RFID Mutual Authentication Protocol Based on Physical Unclonable Function

PubMed Central

Ding, Jie; Zhu, Feng; Wang, Ruchuan

2018-01-01

With the fast development of the Internet of Things, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has been widely applied into many areas. Nevertheless, security problems of the RFID technology are also gradually exposed, when it provides life convenience. In particular, the appearance of a large number of fake and counterfeit goods has caused massive loss for both producers and customers, for which the clone tag is a serious security threat. If attackers acquire the complete information of a tag, they can then obtain the unique identifier of the tag by some technological means. In general, because there is no extra identifier of a tag, it is difficult to distinguish an original tag and its clone one. Once the legal tag data is obtained, attackers can be able to clone this tag. Therefore, this paper shows an efficient RFID mutual verification protocol. This protocol is based on the Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) and the lightweight cryptography to achieve efficient verification of a single tag. The protocol includes three process: tag recognition, mutual verification and update. The tag recognition is that the reader recognizes the tag; mutual verification is that the reader and tag mutually verify the authenticity of each other; update is supposed to maintain the latest secret key for the following verification. Analysis results show that this protocol has a good balance between performance and security. PMID:29498684

Evaluation of a postexposure rabies prophylaxis protocol for domestic animals in Texas: 2000-2009.

PubMed

Wilson, Pamela J; Oertli, Ernest H; Hunt, Patrick R; Sidwa, Thomas J

2010-12-15

To determine whether postexposure rabies prophylaxis (PEP) in domestic animals, as mandated in Texas, has continued to be effective and to evaluate preexposure or postexposure vaccination failures from 2000 through 2009. Retrospective case series. 1,014 unvaccinated domestic animals (769 dogs, 126 cats, 72 horses, 39 cattle, 3 sheep, 4 goats, and 1 llama) that received PEP and 12 vaccinated domestic animals (7 dogs and 5 cats) with possible failure of protection. Zoonotic incident reports from 2000 through 2009 were reviewed for information regarding unvaccinated domestic animals that received PEP in accordance with the state protocol after exposure to a laboratory-confirmed rabid animal; reports also were reviewed for any preexposure or postexposure vaccination failures. The state-required PEP protocol was as follows: immediately vaccinate the animal against rabies, isolate the animal for 90 days, and administer booster vaccinations during the third and eighth weeks of the isolation period. From 2000 through 2009, 1,014 animals received PEP; no failures were recorded. One preexposure vaccination failure was recorded. The Texas PEP protocol was used during the 10-year period. Results indicated that an effective PEP protocol for unvaccinated domestic animals exposed to rabies was immediate vaccination against rabies, a strict isolation period of 90 days, and administration of booster vaccinations during the third and eighth weeks of the isolation period.

Interdisciplinary development and implementation of communication checklist for postoperative management of pediatric airway patients.

PubMed

Kim, Sang W; Maturo, Stephen; Dwyer, Danielle; Monash, Bradley; Yager, Phoebe H; Zanger, Kerstin; Hartnick, Christopher J

2012-01-01

The authors describe their multidisciplinary experience in applying the Institute of Health Improvement methodology to develop a protocol and checklist to reduce communication error during transfer of care for postoperative pediatric surgical airway patients. Preliminary outcome data following implementation of the protocol and checklist are also presented. Prospective study from July 1, 2009, to February 1, 2011. Tertiary care center. Subjects. One hundred twenty-six pediatric airway patients who required coordinated care between Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital. Two sentinel events involving airway emergencies demonstrated a critical need for a standardized, comprehensive instrument that would ensure safe transfer of care. After development and implementation of the protocol and checklist, an initial pilot period on the first set of 9 pediatric airway patients was reassessed. Subsequent prospective 11-month follow-up data of 93 pediatric airway patients were collected and analyzed. A multidisciplinary pediatric team developed and implemented a formalized, postoperative checklist and transfer protocol. After implementation of the checklist and transfer protocol, prospective analysis showed no adverse events from miscommunication during transfer of care over the subsequent 11-month period involving 93 pediatric airway patients. There has been very little written in the quality and safety patient literature about coordinating effective transfer of care between the pediatric surgical and medical subspecialty realms. After design and implementation of a simple, electronically based transfer-of-care checklist and protocol, the number of postsurgical pediatric airway information transfer and communication errors decreased significantly.

Additional considerations are required when preparing a protocol for a systematic review with multiple interventions.

PubMed

Chaimani, Anna; Caldwell, Deborah M; Li, Tianjing; Higgins, Julian P T; Salanti, Georgia

2017-03-01

The number of systematic reviews that aim to compare multiple interventions using network meta-analysis is increasing. In this study, we highlight aspects of a standard systematic review protocol that may need modification when multiple interventions are to be compared. We take the protocol format suggested by Cochrane for a standard systematic review as our reference and compare the considerations for a pairwise review with those required for a valid comparison of multiple interventions. We suggest new sections for protocols of systematic reviews including network meta-analyses with a focus on how to evaluate their assumptions. We provide example text from published protocols to exemplify the considerations. Standard systematic review protocols for pairwise meta-analyses need extensions to accommodate the increased complexity of network meta-analysis. Our suggested modifications are widely applicable to both Cochrane and non-Cochrane systematic reviews involving network meta-analyses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-throughput process development: II. Membrane chromatography.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Muthukumar, Sampath

2014-01-01

Membrane chromatography is gradually emerging as an alternative to conventional column chromatography. It alleviates some of the major disadvantages associated with the latter including high pressure drop across the column bed and dependence on intra-particle diffusion for the transport of solute molecules to their binding sites within the pores of separation media. In the last decade, it has emerged as a method of choice for final polishing of biopharmaceuticals, in particular monoclonal antibody products. The relevance of such a platform is high in view of the constraints with respect to time and resources that the biopharma industry faces today. This protocol describes the steps involved in performing HTPD of a membrane chromatography step. It describes operation of a commercially available device (AcroPrep™ Advance filter plate with Mustang S membrane from Pall Corporation). This device is available in 96-well format with 7 μL membrane in each well. We discuss the challenges that one faces when performing such experiments as well as possible solutions to alleviate them. Besides describing the operation of the device, the protocol also presents an approach for statistical analysis of the data that is gathered from such a platform. A case study involving use of the protocol for examining ion exchange chromatography of Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (GCSF), a therapeutic product, is briefly discussed. This is intended to demonstrate the usefulness of this protocol in generating data that is representative of the data obtained at the traditional lab scale. The agreement in the data is indeed very significant (regression coefficient 0.99). We think that this protocol will be of significant value to those involved in performing high-throughput process development of membrane chromatography.

Role of the major antigenic membrane protein in phytoplasma transmission by two insect vector species.

PubMed

Rashidi, Mahnaz; Galetto, Luciana; Bosco, Domenico; Bulgarelli, Andrea; Vallino, Marta; Veratti, Flavio; Marzachì, Cristina

2015-09-30

Phytoplasmas are bacterial plant pathogens (class Mollicutes), transmitted by phloem feeding leafhoppers, planthoppers and psyllids in a persistent/propagative manner. Transmission of phytoplasmas is under the control of behavioral, environmental and geographical factors, but molecular interactions between membrane proteins of phytoplasma and vectors may also be involved. The aim of the work was to provide experimental evidence that in vivo interaction between phytoplasma antigenic membrane protein (Amp) and vector proteins has a role in the transmission process. In doing so, we also investigated the topology of the interaction at the gut epithelium and at the salivary glands, the two barriers encountered by the phytoplasma during vector colonization. Experiments were performed on the 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' chrysanthemum yellows strain (CYP), and the two leafhopper vectors Macrosteles quadripunctulatus Kirschbaum and Euscelidius variegatus Kirschbaum. To specifically address the interaction of CYP Amp at the gut epithelium barrier, insects were artificially fed with media containing either the recombinant phytoplasma protein Amp, or the antibody (A416) or both, and transmission, acquisition and inoculation efficiencies were measured. An abdominal microinjection protocol was employed to specifically address the interaction of CYP Amp at the salivary gland barrier. Phytoplasma suspension was added with Amp or A416 or both, injected into healthy E. variegatus adults and then infection and inoculation efficiencies were measured. An internalization assay was developed, consisting of dissected salivary glands from healthy E. variegatus exposed to phytoplasma suspension alone or together with A416 antibody. The organs were then either observed in confocal microscopy or subjected to DNA extraction and phytoplasma quantification by qPCR, to visualize and quantify possible differences among treatments in localization/presence/number of CYP cells. Artificial feeding and abdominal microinjection protocols were developed to address the two barriers separately. The in vivo interactions between Amp of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' Chrysanthemum yellows strain (CYP) and vector proteins were studied by evaluating their effects on phytoplasma transmission by Euscelidius variegatus and Macrosteles quadripunctulatus leafhoppers. An internalization assay was developed, consisting of dissected salivary glands from healthy E. variegatus exposed to phytoplasma suspension alone or together with anti-Amp antibody. To visualize possible differences among treatments in localization/presence of CYP cells, the organs were observed in confocal microscopy. Pre-feeding of E. variegatus and M. quadripunctulatus on anti-Amp antibody resulted in a significant decrease of acquisition efficiencies in both species. Inoculation efficiency of microinjected E. variegatus with CYP suspension and anti-Amp antibody was significantly reduced compared to that of the control with phytoplasma suspension only. The possibility that this was due to reduced infection efficiency or antibody-mediated inhibition of phytoplasma multiplication was ruled out. These results provided the first indirect proof of the role of Amp in the transmission process. Protocols were developed to assess the in vivo role of the phytoplasma native major antigenic membrane protein in two phases of the vector transmission process: movement through the midgut epithelium and colonization of the salivary glands. These methods will be useful also to characterize other phytoplasma-vector combinations. Results indicated for the first time that native CYP Amp is involved in vivo in specific crossing of the gut epithelium and salivary gland colonization during early phases of vector infection.

Automated monitoring of medical protocols: a secure and distributed architecture.

PubMed

Alsinet, T; Ansótegui, C; Béjar, R; Fernández, C; Manyà, F

2003-03-01

The control of the right application of medical protocols is a key issue in hospital environments. For the automated monitoring of medical protocols, we need a domain-independent language for their representation and a fully, or semi, autonomous system that understands the protocols and supervises their application. In this paper we describe a specification language and a multi-agent system architecture for monitoring medical protocols. We model medical services in hospital environments as specialized domain agents and interpret a medical protocol as a negotiation process between agents. A medical service can be involved in multiple medical protocols, and so specialized domain agents are independent of negotiation processes and autonomous system agents perform monitoring tasks. We present the detailed architecture of the system agents and of an important domain agent, the database broker agent, that is responsible of obtaining relevant information about the clinical history of patients. We also describe how we tackle the problems of privacy, integrity and authentication during the process of exchanging information between agents.

Improving antenatal risk assessment in women exposed to high risks.

PubMed

Perry, Natasha; Newman, Louise K; Hunter, Mick; Dunlop, Adrian

2015-01-01

Antenatal substance use and related psychosocial risk factors are known to increase the likelihood of child protection involvement; less is known about the predictive nature of maternal reflective functioning (RF) in this population. This preliminary study assessed psychosocial and psychological risk factors for a group of substance dependent women exposed to high risks in pregnancy, and their impact on child protection involvement. Pregnant women on opiate substitution treatment (n = 11) and a comparison group (n = 15) were recruited during their third trimester to complete measures of RF (Pregnancy Interview), childhood trauma, mental health and psychosocial assessments. At postnatal follow-up, RF was reassessed (Parent Development Interview - Revised Short Version) and mother-infant dyads were videotaped to assess emotional availability (EA). Child protection services were contacted to determine if any concerns had been raised for infant safety. Significant between-group differences were observed for demographics, psychosocial factors, trauma and mental health symptoms. Unexpectedly, no significant differences were found for RF or EA between groups. Eight women in the 'exposed to high risks' group became involved with child protection services. Reflective functioning was not significantly associated with psychosocial risk factors, and therefore did not mediate the outcome of child protection involvement. Women 'exposed to high risks' were equally able to generate a model of their own and their infants' mental states and should not be seen within a deficit perspective. Further research is required to better understand the range of risk factors that predict child protection involvement in high risk groups. © The Author(s) 2013.

Randomized trial for answers to clinical questions: evaluating a pre-appraised versus a MEDLINE search protocol.

PubMed

Patel, Manesh R; Schardt, Connie M; Sanders, Linda L; Keitz, Sheri A

2006-10-01

The paper compares the speed, validity, and applicability of two different protocols for searching the primary medical literature. A randomized trial involving medicine residents was performed. An inpatient general medicine rotation was used. Thirty-two internal medicine residents were block randomized into four groups of eight. Success rate of each search protocol was measured by perceived search time, number of questions answered, and proportion of articles that were applicable and valid. Residents randomized to the MEDLINE-first (protocol A) group searched 120 questions, and residents randomized to the MEDLINE-last (protocol B) searched 133 questions. In protocol A, 104 answers (86.7%) and, in protocol B, 117 answers (88%) were found to clinical questions. In protocol A, residents reported that 26 (25.2%) of the answers were obtained quickly or rated as "fast" (<5 minutes) as opposed to 55 (51.9%) in protocol B, (P = 0.0004). A subset of questions and articles (n = 79) were reviewed by faculty who found that both protocols identified similar numbers of answer articles that addressed the questions and were felt to be valid using critical appraisal criteria. For resident-generated clinical questions, both protocols produced a similarly high percentage of applicable and valid articles. The MEDLINE-last search protocol was perceived to be faster. However, in the MEDLINE-last protocol, a significant portion of questions (23%) still required searching MEDLINE to find an answer.

Pathology Report for Intraperitoneal Sodium Dichromate Exposure in Rats, Protocol No. 15-002-3

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-08

neither was dose-dependent), subcapsular single cell necrosis was evident only at the highest dose, and minimal capsular fibroplasia in exposed...number per group of rats to exhibit any subcapsular granulocytic, mononuclear infiltrates, or single cell hepatocellular necrosis was greater, the higher...hepatocellular necrosis . Capsular fibrin appeared within 24 hours of injection but disappeared over time. Probably associated was the presence of

Operations Brigade S3 Replaced by Operations Battalion

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-06

Prisoner abuse exposed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq between October and December 2003 highlighted the need for modifications in detainee protocols and... Abu Ghraib Torture and Prisoner Abuse,” www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/ abughraib2.html (accessed 19 June 2012). 2 Many Arabs and Muslims associated...operations in an effort to further the standardization process initially set in motion after the Abu Ghraib investigations. 7 LTG Miller’s directives

Development of a Standardized Approach for Assessing Potential Risks to Amphibians Exposed to Sediment and Hydric Soils

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-05-01

following digestion using method 3005A. Copper concentrations were verified using atomic absorption spectroscopy/graphite furnace. Each chamber...1995. Ammonia Variation in Sediments: Spatial, Temporal and Method -Related Effects. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14:1499-1506. Savage, W.K., F.W...Regulator Approved Methods and Protocols for Conducting Marine and Terrestrial Risk Assessments 1.III.01.k - Improved Field Analytical Sensors

Probing Kill Mechanisms and Tuning Energetic Biocides

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-02-01

Satcher, J. H., Jr.; Poco, J. F. Nanostructured Energetic Materials Using Sol−Gel Methodologies . J. Non -Cryst. Solids 2001, 285, 338−345. (16) Seo, H...customary unit. 2" " Abstract This project focuses on developing a methodology to accurately assess the time- temperature-kill relationships for spores...Task 1: Develop experimental protocol Task 2: Characterize Time-Temperature killing relationship Task 3: Determine kill mechanisms Task 4: Expose

Demonstration and Commercialization of the Sediment Ecosystem Assessment Protocol: Project ER-201130 Environmental Restoration Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

65 5-15. Dissolved oxygen and temperature data from T = 34 month (2015) post-remedy...Continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen and temperature in SEA Ring chambers placed at 3-meter depth at Chollas Creek mouth (CC1-B) and adjacent to...which the organisms would be exposed, such as salinity and temperature . This action provided valuable data to determine if any effects observed were

Stigma and Barriers to Care Caring for Those Exposed to War, Disaster and Terrorism

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-06

behaviors, and injury. There is a paucity of qualitative study of the narratives of injured soldiers who successfully negotiated barriers to care...Develop qualitative methods to examine the narratives of successful treat- ment across the trajectories of accessing care. • Examine technologies... study and randomize them." Thirty patients consented to this protocol. It is the application of ethnographic methods . It is clinical ethnography . We

Preparation by alkaline treatment and detailed characterisation of empty hepatitis B virus core particles for vaccine and gene therapy applications.

PubMed

Strods, Arnis; Ose, Velta; Bogans, Janis; Cielens, Indulis; Kalnins, Gints; Radovica, Ilze; Kazaks, Andris; Pumpens, Paul; Renhofa, Regina

2015-06-26

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) are one of the most powerful protein engineering tools utilised to expose immunological epitopes and/or cell-targeting signals and for the packaging of genetic material and immune stimulatory sequences. Although HBc VLPs and their numerous derivatives are produced in highly efficient bacterial and yeast expression systems, the existing purification and packaging protocols are not sufficiently optimised and standardised. Here, a simple alkaline treatment method was employed for the complete removal of internal RNA from bacteria- and yeast-produced HBc VLPs and for the conversion of these VLPs into empty particles, without any damage to the VLP structure. The empty HBc VLPs were able to effectively package the added DNA and RNA sequences. Furthermore, the alkaline hydrolysis technology appeared efficient for the purification and packaging of four different HBc variants carrying lysine residues on the HBc VLP spikes. Utilising the introduced lysine residues and the intrinsic aspartic and glutamic acid residues exposed on the tips of the HBc spikes for chemical coupling of the chosen peptide and/or nucleic acid sequences ensured a standard and easy protocol for the further development of versatile HBc VLP-based vaccine and gene therapy applications.

Preparation by alkaline treatment and detailed characterisation of empty hepatitis B virus core particles for vaccine and gene therapy applications

PubMed Central

Strods, Arnis; Ose, Velta; Bogans, Janis; Cielens, Indulis; Kalnins, Gints; Radovica, Ilze; Kazaks, Andris; Pumpens, Paul; Renhofa, Regina

2015-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) are one of the most powerful protein engineering tools utilised to expose immunological epitopes and/or cell-targeting signals and for the packaging of genetic material and immune stimulatory sequences. Although HBc VLPs and their numerous derivatives are produced in highly efficient bacterial and yeast expression systems, the existing purification and packaging protocols are not sufficiently optimised and standardised. Here, a simple alkaline treatment method was employed for the complete removal of internal RNA from bacteria- and yeast-produced HBc VLPs and for the conversion of these VLPs into empty particles, without any damage to the VLP structure. The empty HBc VLPs were able to effectively package the added DNA and RNA sequences. Furthermore, the alkaline hydrolysis technology appeared efficient for the purification and packaging of four different HBc variants carrying lysine residues on the HBc VLP spikes. Utilising the introduced lysine residues and the intrinsic aspartic and glutamic acid residues exposed on the tips of the HBc spikes for chemical coupling of the chosen peptide and/or nucleic acid sequences ensured a standard and easy protocol for the further development of versatile HBc VLP-based vaccine and gene therapy applications. PMID:26113394

Preparation by alkaline treatment and detailed characterisation of empty hepatitis B virus core particles for vaccine and gene therapy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strods, Arnis; Ose, Velta; Bogans, Janis; Cielens, Indulis; Kalnins, Gints; Radovica, Ilze; Kazaks, Andris; Pumpens, Paul; Renhofa, Regina

2015-06-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) are one of the most powerful protein engineering tools utilised to expose immunological epitopes and/or cell-targeting signals and for the packaging of genetic material and immune stimulatory sequences. Although HBc VLPs and their numerous derivatives are produced in highly efficient bacterial and yeast expression systems, the existing purification and packaging protocols are not sufficiently optimised and standardised. Here, a simple alkaline treatment method was employed for the complete removal of internal RNA from bacteria- and yeast-produced HBc VLPs and for the conversion of these VLPs into empty particles, without any damage to the VLP structure. The empty HBc VLPs were able to effectively package the added DNA and RNA sequences. Furthermore, the alkaline hydrolysis technology appeared efficient for the purification and packaging of four different HBc variants carrying lysine residues on the HBc VLP spikes. Utilising the introduced lysine residues and the intrinsic aspartic and glutamic acid residues exposed on the tips of the HBc spikes for chemical coupling of the chosen peptide and/or nucleic acid sequences ensured a standard and easy protocol for the further development of versatile HBc VLP-based vaccine and gene therapy applications.

Developmental toxicity, acute toxicity and mutagenicity testing in freshwater snails Biomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca: Gastropoda) exposed to chromium and water samples.

PubMed

Tallarico, Lenita de Freitas; Borrely, Sueli Ivone; Hamada, Natália; Grazeffe, Vanessa Siqueira; Ohlweiler, Fernanda Pires; Okazaki, Kayo; Granatelli, Amanda Tosatte; Pereira, Ivana Wuo; Pereira, Carlos Alberto de Bragança; Nakano, Eliana

2014-12-01

A protocol combining acute toxicity, developmental toxicity and mutagenicity analysis in freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata for application in ecotoxicological studies is described. For acute toxicity testing, LC50 and EC50 values were determined; dominant lethal mutations induction was the endpoint for mutagenicity analysis. Reference toxicant potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) was used to characterize B. glabrata sensitivity for toxicity and cyclophosphamide to mutagenicity testing purposes. Compared to other relevant freshwater species, B. glabrata showed high sensitivity: the lowest EC50 value was obtained with embryos at veliger stage (5.76mg/L). To assess the model applicability for environmental studies, influent and effluent water samples from a wastewater treatment plant were evaluated. Gastropod sensitivity was assessed in comparison to the standardized bioassay with Daphnia similis exposed to the same water samples. Sampling sites identified as toxic to daphnids were also detected by snails, showing a qualitatively similar sensitivity suggesting that B. glabrata is a suitable test species for freshwater monitoring. Holding procedures and protocols implemented for toxicity and developmental bioassays showed to be in compliance with international standards for intra-laboratory precision. Thereby, we are proposing this system for application in ecotoxicological studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF HAIR SAMPLES FOR MERCURY (RTI-L-1.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this protocol is to provide guidelines for the analysis of hair samples for total mercury by cold vapor atomic fluorescence (CVAFS) spectrometry. This protocol describes the methodology and all other analytical aspects involved in the analysis. Keywords: hair; s...

Face-to-Face versus Computer-Mediated Discussion of Teaching Cases: Impacts on Preservice Teachers' Engagement, Critical Analyses, and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PytlikZillig, Lisa M.; Horn, Christy A.; Bruning, Roger; Bell, Stephanie; Liu, Xiongyi; Siwatu, Kamau O.; Bodvarsson, Mary C.; Kim, Doyoung; Carlson, Deborah

2011-01-01

Two frequently-used discussion protocols were investigated as part of a program to implement teaching cases in undergraduate educational psychology classes designed for preservice teachers. One protocol involved synchronous face-to-face (FTF) discussion of teaching cases, which occurred in class after students had individually completed written…

Addressing Viral Hepatitis in People with Substance Use Disorders. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 53

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011

2011-01-01

Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each TIP involves the development of topic-specific best-practice guidelines for the prevention and…

Influence of various bonding techniques on the fracture strength of thin CAD/CAM-fabricated occlusal glass-ceramic veneers.

PubMed

Yazigi, Christine; Kern, Matthias; Chaar, Mohamed Sad

2017-11-01

To evaluate the efficiency of immediate dentin sealing and the effects of different bonding protocols on the fracture strength of CAD/CAM occlusal veneers bonded to exposed dentin. Ninety-six extracted maxillary premolars were initially divided into three main groups with 32 specimens each: without immediate dentin sealing, immediate dentin sealing/total etching and immediate dentin sealing/selective etching. Teeth were identically prepared in the dentin to receive occlusal veneers of 0.8mm thickness, milled from lithium disilicate ceramic blocks (IPS e.max CAD). Each main group was later subdivided, according to the pre-cementation surface etching protocol (total/selective), into two subgroups with 16 specimens each. All restorations were adhesively bonded using a resin cement (Variolink Esthetic). Half of the specimens of each subgroup were subjected to thermo-dynamic loading in a chewing simulator with 1,200,000 cycles at 10kg load. The other half and the surviving specimens were subjected to quasi-static loading until failure. Statistical analysis was performed using three-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests. All specimens except one survived the artificial aging. A significantly higher fracture strength of restorations (p ≤ 0.001) was obtained when immediate dentin sealing was followed regardless of the etching method with values ranging from a minimum of 1122 ± 336N to a maximum of 1853 ± 333N. Neither the pre-cementation treatment nor the artificial aging had a statistical significant effect on the fracture strength. Immediate dentin sealing protocol is recommended whenever dentin is exposed during the preparation for thin glass-ceramic occlusal veneers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-Time Noninvasive Assessment of Pancreatic ATP Levels During Cold Preservation

PubMed Central

Scott, W.E.; Matsumoto, S.; Tanaka, T.; Avgoustiniatos, E.S.; Graham, M.L.; Williams, P.C.; Tempelman, L.A.; Sutherland, D.E.; Hering, B.J.; Hammer, B.E.; Papas, K.K.

2008-01-01

31P-NMR spectroscopy was utilized to investigate rat and porcine pancreatic ATP:Pi ratios to assess the efficacy of existing protocols for cold preservation (CP) in maintaining organ quality. Following sacrifice, rat pancreata were immediately excised or left enclosed in the body for 15 minutes of warm ischemia (WI). After excision, rat pancreata were stored at 6°C to 8°C using histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution (HTK) presaturated with air (S1), HTK presaturated with O2 (S2), or the HTK/perfluorodecalin two-layer method (TLM) with both liquids presaturated with O2 (S3). 31P-NMR spectra were sequentially collected at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours of CP from pancreata stored with each of the three protocols examined. The ATP:Pi ratio for rat pancreata exposed to 15 minutes of WI and stored with S3 increased during the first 9 hours of CP, approaching values observed for organs procured with no WI. A marked reduction in the ATP:Pi ratio was observed beyond 12 hours of CP with S3. After 6 hours of CP, the ATP:Pi ratio was highest for S3, substantially decreased for S2, and below detection for S1. In sharp contrast to the rat model, ATP was barely detectable in porcine pancreata exposed to minimal warm ischemia (<15 minutes) stored with the TLM regardless of CP time. We conclude that 31P-NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool that can be used to (1) noninvasively evaluate pancreata prior to islet isolation, (2) assess the efficacy of different preservation protocols, (3) precisely define the timing of reversible versus irreversible damage, and (4) assess whether intervention will extend this timing. PMID:18374082

Efficient multiparty quantum key agreement with collective detection.

PubMed

Huang, Wei; Su, Qi; Liu, Bin; He, Yuan-Hang; Fan, Fan; Xu, Bing-Jie

2017-11-10

As a burgeoning branch of quantum cryptography, quantum key agreement is a kind of key establishing processes where the security and fairness of the established common key should be guaranteed simultaneously. However, the difficulty on designing a qualified quantum key agreement protocol increases significantly with the increase of the number of the involved participants. Thus far, only few of the existing multiparty quantum key agreement (MQKA) protocols can really achieve security and fairness. Nevertheless, these qualified MQKA protocols are either too inefficient or too impractical. In this paper, an MQKA protocol is proposed with single photons in travelling mode. Since only one eavesdropping detection is needed in the proposed protocol, the qubit efficiency and measurement efficiency of it are higher than those of the existing ones in theory. Compared with the protocols which make use of the entangled states or multi-particle measurements, the proposed protocol is more feasible with the current technologies. Security and fairness analysis shows that the proposed protocol is not only immune to the attacks from external eavesdroppers, but also free from the attacks from internal betrayers.

Occupational exposure characterization in professional sprayers: clinical utility of oxidative stress biomarkers.

PubMed

Astiz, Mariana; Arnal, Nathalie; de Alaniz, María J T; Marra, Carlos Alberto

2011-09-01

The impact of involuntary exposure to pesticides was studied in a group of professional sprayers (S) (25±5 years old) exposed to various agrochemicals for about 10 years. The results were compared with a group of non exposed people (C). S group showed hematological, renal, pancreatic and hepatic biomarkers within the reference values established for the general population, including cholinesterase activity. In spite of that, all the biochemical tests were statistically different compared to C. On the other hand, oxidative stress biomarkers (OSB) such as plasma tocopherol and the total reducing ability of plasma were significantly decreased, while protein carbonyls, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, total glutathione and the sum of nitrites and nitrates were increased in the exposed group. Results demonstrated that screening laboratory tests could not be fully sensitive in detecting sub-clinical exposure to pesticides, and also suggest that OSB could be validated and included in health surveillance protocols. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Legal and policy responses to children exposed to domestic violence: the need to evaluate intended and unintended consequences.

PubMed

Jaffe, Peter G; Crooks, Claire V; Wolfe, David A

2003-09-01

Greater training and specialization in working with children exposed to domestic violence has resulted in new policies, interagency protocols, and legislation in many states. This paper examines court-related responses in criminal, child protection, and family court custody proceedings, which highlight legislative changes and resulting systemic change. Although this legislation originated with the best of intentions to assist and protect children, some of the most striking outcomes have been negative and unintended. Laws that mandate reporting of children exposed to domestic violence can clash with inadequate training and resources, or inadvertently revictimize abused women. Similarly, child custody legislation that raises a rebuttable presumption that a violent spouse will not receive custody or joint custody of children after parental separation has resulted in greater skepticism about abuse allegations We propose that efforts at law reform can be enhanced by a more thoughtful analysis of potential intended and unintended consequences, and should be accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation plan to monitor implementation effects.

Ophthalmic effects of petroleum dispersant exposure on common murres (Uria aalge): An experimental study.

PubMed

Fiorello, Christine V; Freeman, Kate; Elias, Becky A; Whitmer, Emily; Ziccardi, Michael H

2016-12-15

The safety of chemical dispersants used during oil spill responses is largely unknown in birds. We captured common murres in Monterey Bay, CA and exposed them to Corexit EC9500a, crude oil, or a combination in artificial seawater. We performed ophthalmic examinations and measured intraocular pressures and tear production before and after exposure. Loglinear analysis found that exposure to oil or dispersant was related to the development of conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Odds ratios for birds exposed to oil or dispersant were positive and significant for the development of conjunctivitis, while odds ratios for the development of corneal ulcers were positive and significant only for birds exposed to a high concentration of oil. Ocular exposure to dispersants and petroleum in seabirds may cause conjunctivitis and may play a role in the development of corneal ulcers. These results have implications for policymakers who develop protocols for the use of dispersants during marine oil spills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the efficiency of rat papillary muscles during afterloaded isotonic contractions and contractions with sinusoidal length changes.

PubMed

Mellors, L J; Gibbs, C L; Barclay, C J

2001-05-01

The results of previous studies suggest that the maximum mechanical efficiency of rat papillary muscles is lower during a contraction protocol involving sinusoidal length changes than during one involving afterloaded isotonic contractions. The aim of this study was to compare directly the efficiency of isolated rat papillary muscle preparations in isotonic and sinusoidal contraction protocols. Experiments were performed in vitro (27 degrees C) using left ventricular papillary muscles from adult rats. Each preparation performed three contraction protocols: (i) low-frequency afterloaded isotonic contractions (10 twitches at 0.2 Hz), (ii) sinusoidal length change contractions with phasic stimulation (40 twitches at 2 Hz) and (iii) high-frequency afterloaded isotonic contractions (40 twitches at 2 Hz). The first two protocols resembled those used in previous studies and the third combined the characteristics of the first two. The parameters for each protocol were adjusted to those that gave maximum efficiency. For the afterloaded isotonic protocols, the afterload was set to 0.3 of the maximum developed force. The sinusoidal length change protocol incorporated a cycle amplitude of +/-5% resting length and a stimulus phase of -10 degrees. Measurements of force output, muscle length change and muscle temperature change were used to calculate the work and heat produced during and after each protocol. Net mechanical efficiency was defined as the proportion of the energy (enthalpy) liberated by the muscle that appeared as work. The efficiency in the low-frequency, isotonic contraction protocol was 21.1+/-1.4% (mean +/- s.e.m., N=6) and that in the sinusoidal protocol was 13.2+/-0.7%, consistent with previous results. This difference was not due to the higher frequency or greater number of twitches because efficiency in the high-frequency, isotonic protocol was 21.5+/-1.0%. Although these results apparently confirm that efficiency is protocol-dependent, additional experiments designed to measure work output unambiguously indicated that the method used to calculate work output in isotonic contractions overestimated actual work output. When net work output, which excludes work done by parallel elastic elements, rather than total work output was used to determine efficiency in afterloaded isotonic contractions, efficiency was similar to that for sinusoidal contractions. The maximum net mechanical efficiency of rat papillary muscles performing afterloaded isotonic or sinusoidal length change contractions was between 10 and 15%.

Examination of an interventionist-led HIV intervention among criminal justice-involved female prisoners

PubMed Central

Havens, Jennifer R.; Leukefeld, Carl G.; Oser, Carrie B.; Staton-Tindall, Michele; Knudsen, Hannah K.; Mooney, Jennifer; Duvall, Jamieson L.; Clarke, Jennifer G.; Frisman, Linda; Surratt, Hilary L.; Inciardi, James A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation, adherence and protocol fidelity for the Reducing Risky Relationships for HIV (RRR-HIV) study. The RRR-HIV study is a phase III trial of a randomized intervention to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors among incarcerated women in four US states: Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky and Rhode Island. The intervention consists of five interventionist-led prison-based group sessions and a sixth individual community-based session. Data on adherence, implementation, acceptability and fidelity of the intervention were obtained from forms completed after the five prison-based sessions by both the interventionist and participant. Data from the sixth session were collected by the interventionist. Of the 363 women recruited to date, 173 (47.6%) have been randomly allocated to the experimental RRR intervention, of which implementation measures were available for 162 (93.6%). Almost three-quarters of women attended all five sessions, each of which lasted a median of 90 minutes, indicating successful implementation of the protocol across multiple study sites. Interventionists and participants alike reported that all of the topics for each session were discussed, suggesting adherence to the protocol. In addition, protocol interventionists indicated that more than 95% of the women were engaged/involved, interested, and understood the materials presented, indicating high levels of acceptability among the participants and fidelity to the intervention protocols. The majority of participants also answered all of the post-test questions correctly, which is another strong indicator of the fidelity to the intervention. Results suggest that the RRR-HIV study has been successfully implemented across multiple study sites. Adherence to the protocol, as well as protocol fidelity and acceptability, were also strong, which is essential to establish prior to examining outcome data. PMID:20090928

Impact of a Newly Implemented Burn Protocol on Surgically Managed Partial Thickness Burns at a Specialized Burns Center in Singapore.

PubMed

Tay, Khwee-Soon Vincent; Chong, Si-Jack; Tan, Bien-Keem

2016-03-01

This study evaluated the impact of a newly implemented protocol for superficial to mid-dermal partial thickness burns which involves early surgery and rapid coverage with biosynthetic dressing in a specialized national burns center in Singapore. Consecutive patients with 5% or greater total body surface area (TBSA) superficial to mid-dermal partial thickness burns injury admitted to the Burns Centre at the Singapore General Hospital between August and December 2014 for surgery within 48 hours of injury were prospectively recruited into the study to form the protocol group. Comparable historical cases from the year 2013 retrieved from the burns center audit database were used to form the historical control group. Demographics (age, sex), type and depth of burns, %TBSA burnt, number of operative sessions, and length of stay were recorded for each patient of both cohorts. Thirty-nine burns patients managed under the new protocol were compared with historical control (n = 39) comparable in age and extensiveness of burns. A significantly shorter length of stay (P < 0.05) per TBSA burns was observed in the new protocol group (0.74 day/%TBSA) versus historical control (1.55 day/%TBSA). Fewer operative sessions were needed under the new protocol for burns 10% or greater TBSA burns (P < 0.05). The authors report their promising experience with a newly implemented protocol for surgically managed burns patients which involves early surgery and appropriate use of biosynthetic dressing on superficial to mid-dermal partial thickness burns. Clinically, shorter lengths of stay, fewer operative sessions, and decreased need for skin grafting of burns patient were observed.

Reliable transfer of data from ground to space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brosi, Fred

1993-01-01

This paper describes the problems involved in uplink of data from control centers on the ground to spacecraft, and explores the solutions to those problems, past. present. and future. The evolution of this process, from simple commanding to transfer of large volumes of data and commands is traced. The need for reliable end-to-end protocols for commanding and file transfer is demonstrated, and the shortcomings of both existing telecommand protocols and commercial products to meet this need are discussed. Recent developments in commercial protocols that may be adaptable to the mentioned operations environment are surveyed, and current efforts to develop a suite of protocols for reliable transfer in this environment are presented.

Developing an Optimum Protocol for Thermoluminescence Dosimetry with GR-200 Chips using Taguchi Method.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Maryam; Faghihi, Reza; Sina, Sedigheh

2017-06-15

Thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) is a powerful technique with wide applications in personal, environmental and clinical dosimetry. The optimum annealing, storage and reading protocols are very effective in accuracy of TLD response. The purpose of this study is to obtain an optimum protocol for GR-200; LiF: Mg, Cu, P, by optimizing the effective parameters, to increase the reliability of the TLD response using Taguchi method. Taguchi method has been used in this study for optimization of annealing, storage and reading protocols of the TLDs. A number of 108 GR-200 chips were divided into 27 groups, each containing four chips. The TLDs were exposed to three different doses, and stored, annealed and read out by different procedures as suggested by Taguchi Method. By comparing the signal-to-noise ratios the optimum dosimetry procedure was obtained. According to the results, the optimum values for annealing temperature (°C), Annealing Time (s), Annealing to Exposure time (d), Exposure to Readout time (d), Pre-heat Temperature (°C), Pre-heat Time (s), Heating Rate (°C/s), Maximum Temperature of Readout (°C), readout time (s) and Storage Temperature (°C) are 240, 90, 1, 2, 50, 0, 15, 240, 13 and -20, respectively. Using the optimum protocol, an efficient glow curve with low residual signals can be achieved. Using optimum protocol obtained by Taguchi method, the dosimetry can be effectively performed with great accuracy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis physiology and cognitive control of behavior in stress inoculated monkeys.

PubMed

Parker, Karen J; Buckmaster, Christine L; Lindley, Steven E; Schatzberg, Alan F; Lyons, David M

2012-01-01

Monkeys exposed to stress inoculation protocols early in life subsequently exhibit diminished neurobiological responses to moderate psychological stressors and enhanced cognitive control of behavior during juvenile development compared to non-inoculated monkeys. The present experiments extended these findings and revealed that stress inoculated monkeys: (a) mount neurobiological responses equivalent to non-inoculated monkeys when the stressor is of sufficient intensity, and (b) continue to exhibit enhanced cognitive control as young adults compared to non-inoculated monkeys. These results suggest that stress inoculation protocols alter the appraisal of and response to moderate stressors as less threatening and permanently enhance cognitive control, at least through early adulthood. These data therefore support the notion that the stress inoculation phenotype reflects stress resilience rather than stress pathology.

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials.

PubMed

Heyde, Keith C; Scott, Felicia Y; Paek, Sung-Ho; Zhang, Ruihua; Ruder, Warren C

2017-03-09

We have developed an abiotic-biotic interface that allows engineered cells to control the material properties of a functionalized surface. This system is made by creating two modules: a synthetically engineered strain of E. coli cells and a functionalized material interface. Within this paper, we detail a protocol for genetically engineering selected behaviors within a strain of E. coli using molecular cloning strategies. Once developed, this strain produces elevated levels of biotin when exposed to a chemical inducer. Additionally, we detail protocols for creating two different functionalized surfaces, each of which is able to respond to cell-synthesized biotin. Taken together, we present a methodology for creating a linked, abiotic-biotic system that allows engineered cells to control material composition and assembly on nonliving substrates.

Theranostic barcoded nanoparticles for personalized cancer medicine

PubMed Central

Yaari, Zvi; da Silva, Dana; Zinger, Assaf; Goldman, Evgeniya; Kajal, Ashima; Tshuva, Rafi; Barak, Efrat; Dahan, Nitsan; Hershkovitz, Dov; Goldfeder, Mor; Roitman, Janna Shainsky; Schroeder, Avi

2016-01-01

Personalized medicine promises to revolutionize cancer therapy by matching the most effective treatment to the individual patient. Using a nanoparticle-based system, we predict the therapeutic potency of anticancer medicines in a personalized manner. We carry out the diagnostic stage through a multidrug screen performed inside the tumour, extracting drug activity information with single cell sensitivity. By using 100 nm liposomes, loaded with various cancer drugs and corresponding synthetic DNA barcodes, we find a correlation between the cell viability and the drug it was exposed to, according to the matching barcodes. Based on this screen, we devise a treatment protocol for mice bearing triple-negative breast-cancer tumours, and its results confirm the diagnostic prediction. We show that the use of nanotechnology in cancer care is effective for generating personalized treatment protocols. PMID:27830705

Workers exposed to wood dust have an increased micronucleus frequency in nasal and buccal cells: results from a pilot study.

PubMed

Bruschweiler, Evin Danisman; Hopf, Nancy B; Wild, Pascal; Huynh, Cong Khanh; Fenech, Michael; Thomas, Philip; Hor, Maryam; Charriere, Nicole; Savova-Bianchi, Dessislava; Danuser, Brigitta

2014-05-01

Wood dust is recognised as a human carcinogen, based on the strong association of wood dust exposure and the elevated risk of malignant tumours of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses [sino-nasal cancer (SNC)]. The study aimed to assess genetic damage in workers exposed to wood dust using biomarkers in both buccal and nasal cells that reflect genome instability events, cellular proliferation and cell death frequencies. Nasal and buccal epithelial cells were collected from 31 parquet layers, installers, carpenters and furniture workers (exposed group) and 19 non-exposed workers located in Switzerland. Micronucleus (MN) frequencies were scored in nasal and buccal cells collected among woodworkers. Other nuclear anomalies in buccal cells were measured through the use of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay. MN frequencies in nasal and buccal cells were significantly higher in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group; odds ratio for nasal cells 3.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-5.1] and buccal cells 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.4). The exposed group had higher frequencies of cells with nuclear buds, karyorrhectic, pyknotic, karyolytic cells and a decrease in the frequency of basal, binucleated and condensed cells compared to the non-exposed group. Our study confirms that woodworkers have an elevated risk for chromosomal instability in cells of the aerodigestive tract. The MN assay in nasal cells may become a relevant biomonitoring tool in the future for early detection of SNC risk. Future studies should seek to standardise the protocol for MN frequency in nasal cells similar to that for MN in buccal cells.

Transient and cumulative memory impairments induced by GSM 1.8 GHz cell phone signal in a mouse model.

PubMed

Ntzouni, Maria P; Skouroliakou, Aikaterini; Kostomitsopoulos, Nikolaos; Margaritis, Lukas H

2013-03-01

This study was designed to investigate the transient and cumulative impairments in spatial and non-spatial memory of C57Bl/6J mice exposed to GSM 1.8 GHz signal for 90 min daily by a typical cellular (mobile) phone at a specific absorption rate value of 0.11 W/kg. Free-moving male mice 2 months old were irradiated in two experimental protocols, lasting for 66 and for 148 days respectively. Each protocol used three groups of animals (n = 8 each for exposed, sham exposed and controls) in combination with two behavioural paradigms, the object recognition task and the object location task sequentially applied at different time points. One-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant impairments of both types of memory gradually accumulating, with more pronounced effects on the spatial memory. The impairments persisted even 2 weeks after interruption of the 8 weeks daily exposure, whereas the memory of mice as detected by both tasks showed a full recovery approximately 1 month later. Intermittent every other day exposure for 1 month had no effect on both types of memory. The data suggest that visual information processing mechanisms in hippocampus, perirhinal and entorhinal cortex are gradually malfunctioning upon long-term daily exposure, a phenotype that persists for at least 2 weeks after interruption of radiation, returning to normal memory performance levels 4 weeks later. It is postulated that cellular repair mechanisms are operating to eliminate the memory affecting molecules. The overall contribution of several possible mechanisms to the observed cumulative and transient impairments in spatial and non-spatial memory is discussed.

Optimisation of pharmacy content in clinical cancer research protocols: Experience of the United Kingdom Chemotherapy and Pharmacy Advisory Service.

PubMed

Debruyne, Philip R; Johnson, Philip J; Pottel, Lies; Daniels, Susanna; Greer, Rachel; Hodgkinson, Elizabeth; Kelly, Stephen; Lycke, Michelle; Samol, Jens; Mason, Julie; Kimber, Donna; Loucaides, Eileen; Parmar, Mahesh Kb; Harvey, Sally

2015-06-01

Clarity and accuracy of the pharmacy aspects of cancer clinical trial protocols is essential. Inconsistencies and ambiguities in such protocols have the potential to delay research and jeopardise both patient safety and collection of credible data. The Chemotherapy and Pharmacy Advisory Service was established by the UK National Cancer Research Network, currently known as National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network, to improve the quality of pharmacy-related content in cancer clinical research protocols. This article reports the scope of Chemotherapy and Pharmacy Advisory Service, its methodology of mandated protocol review and pharmacy-related guidance initiatives and its current impact. Over a 6-year period (2008-2013) since the inception of Chemotherapy and Pharmacy Advisory Service, cancer clinical trial protocols were reviewed by the service, prior to implementation at clinical trial sites. A customised Review Checklist was developed and used by a panel of experts to standardise the review process and report back queries and inconsistencies to chief investigators. Based on common queries, a Standard Protocol Template comprising specific guidance on drug-related content and a Pharmacy Manual Template were developed. In addition, a guidance framework was established to address 'ad hoc' pharmacy-related queries. The most common remarks made at protocol review have been summarised and categorised through retrospective analysis. In order to evaluate the impact of the service, chief investigators were asked to respond to queries made at protocol review and make appropriate changes to their protocols. Responses from chief investigators have been collated and acceptance rates determined. A total of 176 protocols were reviewed. The median number of remarks per protocol was 26, of which 20 were deemed clinically relevant and mainly concerned the drug regimen, support medication, frequency and type of monitoring and drug supply aspects. Further analysis revealed that 62% of chief investigators responded to the review. All responses were positive with an overall acceptance rate of 89% of the proposed protocol changes. Review of pharmacy content of cancer clinical trial protocols is feasible and exposes many undetected clinically relevant issues that could hinder efficient trial conduct. Our service audit revealed that the majority of suggestions were effectively incorporated in the final protocols. The refinement of existing and development of new pharmacy-related guidance documents by Chemotherapy and Pharmacy Advisory Service might aid in better and safer clinical research. © The Author(s) 2015.

Quantum Algorithms and Protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Divincenzo, David

2001-06-01

Quantum Computing is better than classical computing, but not just because it speeds up some computations. Some of the best known quantum algorithms, like Grover's, may well have their most interesting applications in settings that involve the combination of computation and communication. Thus, Grover speeds up the appointment scheduling problem by reducing the amount of communication needed between two parties who want to find a common free slot on their calendars. I will review various other applications of this sort that are being explored. Other distributed computing protocols are required to have other attributes like obliviousness and privacy; I will discuss our recent applications involving quantum data hiding.

NASA/SPAN and DOE/ESnet-DECnet transition strategy for DECnet OSI/phase 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, Linda; Demar, Phil

1991-01-01

The technical issues are examined involved with the transition of very large DECnet networks from DECnet phase IV protocols to DECnet OSI/Phase V protocols. The networks involved are the NASA's Science Internet (NSI-DECnet) and the DOE's Energy Science network (ESnet-DECnet). These networks, along with the many universities and research institutions connected to them, combine to form a single DECnet network containing more than 20,000 transitions and crossing numerous organizational boundaries. Discussion of transition planning, including decisions about Phase V naming, addressing, and routing are presented. Also discussed are transition issues related to the use of non-DEC routers in the network.

Monte Carlo simulations of the dose from imaging with GE eXplore 120 micro-CT using GATE

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

Bretin, Florian; Bahri, Mohamed Ali; Luxen, André

Purpose: Small animals are increasingly used as translational models in preclinical imaging studies involving microCT, during which the subjects can be exposed to large amounts of radiation. While the radiation levels are generally sublethal, studies have shown that low-level radiation can change physiological parameters in mice. In order to rule out any influence of radiation on the outcome of such experiments, or resulting deterministic effects in the subjects, the levels of radiation involved need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the radiation dose delivered by the GE eXplore 120 microCT non-invasively using Monte Carlo simulationsmore » in GATE and to compare results to previously obtained experimental values. Methods: Tungsten X-ray spectra were simulated at 70, 80, and 97 kVp using an analytical tool and their half-value layers were simulated for spectra validation against experimentally measured values of the physical X-ray tube. A Monte Carlo model of the microCT system was set up and four protocols that are regularly applied to live animal scanning were implemented. The computed tomography dose index (CTDI) inside a PMMA phantom was derived and multiple field of view acquisitions were simulated using the PMMA phantom, a representative mouse and rat. Results: Simulated half-value layers agreed with experimentally obtained results within a 7% error window. The CTDI ranged from 20 to 56 mGy and closely matched experimental values. Derived organ doses in mice reached 459 mGy in bones and up to 200 mGy in soft tissue organs using the highest energy protocol. Dose levels in rats were lower due to the increased mass of the animal compared to mice. The uncertainty of all dose simulations was below 14%. Conclusions: Monte Carlo simulations proved a valuable tool to investigate the 3D dose distribution in animals from microCT. Small animals, especially mice (due to their small volume), receive large amounts of radiation from the GE eXplore 120 microCT, which might alter physiological parameters in a longitudinal study setup.« less

Effect of Blast Injury on Auditory Localization in Military Service Members.

PubMed

Kubli, Lina R; Brungart, Douglas; Northern, Jerry

Among the many advantages of binaural hearing are the abilities to localize sounds in space and to attend to one sound in the presence of many sounds. Binaural hearing provides benefits for all listeners, but it may be especially critical for military personnel who must maintain situational awareness in complex tactical environments with multiple speech and noise sources. There is concern that Military Service Members who have been exposed to one or more high-intensity blasts during their tour of duty may have difficulty with binaural and spatial ability due to degradation in auditory and cognitive processes. The primary objective of this study was to assess the ability of blast-exposed Military Service Members to localize speech sounds in quiet and in multisource environments with one or two competing talkers. Participants were presented with one, two, or three topic-related (e.g., sports, food, travel) sentences under headphones and required to attend to, and then locate the source of, the sentence pertaining to a prespecified target topic within a virtual space. The listener's head position was monitored by a head-mounted tracking device that continuously updated the apparent spatial location of the target and competing speech sounds as the subject turned within the virtual space. Measurements of auditory localization ability included mean absolute error in locating the source of the target sentence, the time it took to locate the target sentence within 30 degrees, target/competitor confusion errors, response time, and cumulative head motion. Twenty-one blast-exposed Active-Duty or Veteran Military Service Members (blast-exposed group) and 33 non-blast-exposed Service Members and beneficiaries (control group) were evaluated. In general, the blast-exposed group performed as well as the control group if the task involved localizing the source of a single speech target. However, if the task involved two or three simultaneous talkers, localization ability was compromised for some participants in the blast-exposed group. Blast-exposed participants were less accurate in their localization responses and required more exploratory head movements to find the location of the target talker. Results suggest that blast-exposed participants have more difficulty than non-blast-exposed participants in localizing sounds in complex acoustic environments. This apparent deficit in spatial hearing ability highlights the need to develop new diagnostic tests using complex listening tasks that involve multiple sound sources that require speech segregation and comprehension.

Preweaning breed-of-sire comparisons involving the Senepol breed of cattle.

PubMed

Thrift, F A; Franke, D E; Aaron, D K

1986-05-01

Preweaning data collected at two locations (Kentucky, Louisiana) were utilized to evaluate breed-of-sire comparisons involving the Senepol breed of cattle. For the Kentucky study, calves sired by Senepol bulls were 1.3 kg heavier (P less than .05) at birth than calves sired by Hereford bulls; however, weaning weights were similar for the two sire groups. For the Louisiana study, calves sired by Longhorn bulls were 5.3 kg lighter (P less than .01) at birth, 20 kg lighter (P less than .01) at weaning and had weaning condition scores .5 unit less (P less than .01) than the average of calves sired by Red Poll and Senepol bulls. Also, heifers exposed to Longhorn bulls weaned 23 kg less (P less than .01) calf per heifer exposed than the average of heifers exposed to Red Poll and Senepol bulls. Calves sired by Red Poll bulls were 1.2 kg heavier (P less than .01) at birth and 12 kg heavier (P less than .01) at weaning than those sired by Senepol bulls; however, the Senepol-sired calves received higher (P less than .01) condition scores at weaning. Heifers exposed to Red Poll bulls weaned 20 kg more (P less than .05) calf per heifer exposed than did heifers exposed to Senepol bulls.

Neuroborreliosis with extrapyramidal symptoms: a case report.

PubMed

Biesiada, Grazyna; Czapiel, Jacek; Sobczyk-Krupiarz, Iwona; Garlicki, Aleksander; Mach, Tomasz

2008-05-01

The disease of Lyme is a tick-borne infection. It involves skin, the nervous system, joints and the heart. Spirochaeta Borrelia burgdorferi is the etiologic agent of the disease. In the majority of cases, clinical symptoms, like migrating erythema, occur from 3 to 30 days, sometimes to 3 months after a bite from a tick. The early disseminated infection involves multiple migrating erythema, neuroborreliosis, arthritis, myocarditis and other organ-related symptoms. The late stage of chronic infection involves chronic atrophic leg dermatitis, neurological and rheumatological symptoms, and other organ-related symptoms which persist for above 12 months. The diagnosis of the disease of Lyme is based upon specific clinical symptoms confirmed by serologic tests. The two-step diagnostic protocol including the ELISA method, confirmed by the Western-blot test, is optimal. The present article describes a case of a 59-year-old man, a computer specialist, who often spends his free time walking in woods for recreation, and who was bitten by a tick 3 years before hospitalization. The bite resulted in migrating erythema that subsided without antimicrobial treatment. In spite of this, the man had not changed his hobby exposing himself to bites from ticks. One year later, multiple migrating erythema and extrapyramidalis symptoms appeared without any other organ malfunctions. In the current year, the patient was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, and received antibiotics (ceftriaxon) with following neurological improvement. Several months later, extrapyramidal symptoms increased. On the day of admission to the hospital, the neurologic examination showed abnormalities of upper and lower limbs movements (propulsive walking and the right lower leg traction), the right hand tremor, pouts of the face, and sleepiness.

Barriers and enablers to implementing clinical treatment protocols for fever, hyperglycaemia, and swallowing dysfunction in the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Project--a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Dale, Simeon; Levi, Christopher; Ward, Jeanette; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Jammali-Blasi, Asmara; D'Este, Catherine; Griffiths, Rhonda; Quinn, Clare; Evans, Malcolm; Cadilhac, Dominique; Cheung, N Wah; Middleton, Sandy

2015-02-01

The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) trial evaluated systematic implementation of clinical treatment protocols to manage fever, sugar, and swallow (FeSS protocols) in acute stroke care. This cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted in 19 stroke units in Australia. To describe perceived barriers and enablers preimplementation to the introduction of the FeSS protocols and, postimplementation, to determine which of these barriers eventuated as actual barriers. Preimplementation: Workshops were held at the intervention stroke units (n = 10). The first workshop involved senior clinicians who identified perceived barriers and enablers to implementation of the protocols, the second workshop involved bedside clinicians. Postimplementation, an online survey with stroke champions from intervention sites was conducted. A total of 111 clinicians attended the preimplementation workshops, identifying 22 barriers covering four main themes: (a) need for new policies, (b) limited workforce (capacity), (c) lack of equipment, and (d) education and logistics of training staff. Preimplementation enablers identified were: support by clinical champions, medical staff, nursing management and allied health staff; easy adaptation of current protocols, care-plans, and local policies; and presence of specialist stroke unit staff. Postimplementation, only five of the 22 barriers identified preimplementation were reported as actual barriers to adoption of the FeSS protocols, namely, no previous use of insulin infusions; hyperglycaemic protocols could not be commenced without written orders; medical staff reluctance to use the ASSIST swallowing screening tool; poor level of engagement of medical staff; and doctors' unawareness of the trial. The process of identifying barriers and enablers preimplementation allowed staff to take ownership and to address barriers and plan for change. As only five of the 22 barriers identified preimplementation were reported to be actual barriers at completion of the trial, this suggests that barriers are often overcome whilst some are only ever perceived rather than actual barriers. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The impact of protocol on nurses' role stress: a longitudinal perspective.

PubMed

Dodd-McCue, Diane; Tartaglia, Alexander; Veazey, Kenneth W; Streetman, Pamela S

2005-04-01

The study examined the impact of a protocol directed at increasing organ donation on the role stress and work attitudes of critical care nurses involved in potential organ donation cases. The research examined whether the protocol could positively affect nurses' perceptions of role stress, and if so, could the work environment improvements be sustained over time. The Family Communication Coordinator (FCC) protocol promotes effective communication during potential organ donation cases using a multidisciplinary team approach. Previous research found it associated with improved donation outcomes and with improved perceptions of role stress by critical care nurses. However, the previous study lacked methodological rigor necessary to determine causality and sustainability over time. The study used a quasi-experimental prospective longitudinal design. The sample included critical care nurses who had experience with potential organ donation cases with the protocol. Survey data were collected at 4 points over 2 years. Surveys used previously validated and reliable measures of role stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload) and work attitudes (commitment, satisfaction). Interviews supplemented these data. The nurses' perceptions of role stress associated with potential organ donation cases dramatically dropped after the protocol was implemented. All measures of role stress, particularly role ambiguity and role conflict, showed statistically significant and sustained improvement. Nurses' professional, unit, and hospital commitment and satisfaction reflect an increasingly positive workplace. The results demonstrate that the FCC protocol positively influenced the workplace through its impact on role stress over the first 2 years following its implementation. The findings suggest that similar protocols may be appropriate in improving the critical care environment by reducing the stress and uncertainty of professionals involved in other end-of-life situations. However, the most striking implication relates to the reality of the workplace: meeting the goals of improved patient care outcomes and those of improving the healthcare work environment are not mutually exclusive and may be mutually essential.

Synthesis of amino ester-embedded benzimidazoles: a one-pot sequential protocol under metal-free neutral conditions.

PubMed

Roy, Priyabrata; Bodhak, Chandan; Pramanik, Animesh

2017-02-01

A one-pot three-component protocol has been developed for the synthesis of amino ester-embedded benzimidazoles under metal-free neutral conditions. Sequentially, the methodology involves coupling of an amino ester with 1-fluoro-2-nitrobenzene, reduction of the coupled nitroarene by sodium dithionite, and cyclization of the corresponding diamine with an aldehyde.

Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations for the Administration of the Sequential Motion Rates Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Icht, Michal; Ben-David, Boaz M.

2018-01-01

The sequential motion rates (SMR) task, that involves rapid and accurate repetitions of a syllable sequence, /pataka/, is a commonly used evaluation tool for oro-motor abilities. Although the SMR is a well-known tool, some aspects of its administration protocol are unspecified. We address the following factors and their role in the SMR protocol:…

A simple protocol for NMR analysis of the enantiomeric purity of chiral hydroxylamines.

PubMed

Tickell, David A; Mahon, Mary F; Bull, Steven D; James, Tony D

2013-02-15

A practically simple three-component chiral derivatization protocol for determining the enantiopurity of chiral hydroxylamines by (1)H NMR spectroscopic analysis is described, involving their treatment with 2-formylphenylboronic acid and enantiopure BINOL to afford a mixture of diastereomeric nitrono-boronate esters whose ratio is an accurate reflection of the enantiopurity of the parent hydroxylamine.

Regressive Imagery in Creative Problem-Solving: Comparing Verbal Protocols of Expert and Novice Visual Artists and Computer Programmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozbelt, Aaron; Dexter, Scott; Dolese, Melissa; Meredith, Daniel; Ostrofsky, Justin

2015-01-01

We applied computer-based text analyses of regressive imagery to verbal protocols of individuals engaged in creative problem-solving in two domains: visual art (23 experts, 23 novices) and computer programming (14 experts, 14 novices). Percentages of words involving primary process and secondary process thought, plus emotion-related words, were…

Optimal early active mobilisation protocol after extensor tendon repairs in zones V and VI: A systematic review of literature.

PubMed

Collocott, Shirley Jf; Kelly, Edel; Ellis, Richard F

2018-03-01

Early mobilisation protocols after repair of extensor tendons in zone V and VI provide better outcomes than immobilisation protocols. This systematic review investigated different early active mobilisation protocols used after extensor tendon repair in zone V and VI. The purpose was to determine whether any one early active mobilisation protocol provides superior results. An extensive literature search was conducted to identify articles investigating the outcomes of early active mobilisation protocols after extensor tendon repair in zone V and VI. Databases searched were AMED, Embase, Medline, Cochrane and CINAHL. Studies were included if they involved participants with extensor tendon repairs in zone V and VI in digits 2-5 and described a post-operative rehabilitation protocol which allowed early active metacarpophalangeal joint extension. Study designs included were randomised controlled trials, observational studies, cohort studies and case series. The Structured Effectiveness Quality Evaluation Scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria. Two types of early active mobilisation protocols were identified: controlled active motion protocols and relative motion extension splinting protocols. Articles describing relative motion extension splinting protocols were more recent but of lower methodological quality than those describing controlled active motion protocols. Participants treated with controlled active motion and relative motion extension splinting protocols had similar range of motion outcomes, but those in relative motion extension splinting groups returned to work earlier. The evidence reviewed suggested that relative motion extension splinting protocols may allow an earlier return to function than controlled active motion protocols without a greater risk of complication.

Real time observation of the ultrasound stimulated disintegration of optically trapped microbubbles in proximity to biological cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, Paul; MacDonald, Michael P.; Cuschieri, Alfred; Dholakia, Kishan; Campbell, Paul

2005-08-01

Cells that are exposed to varying amounts of ultrasonic energy in the presence of ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) may undergo either permanent cell membrane damage (lethal sonoporation), or a transient enhancement of membrane permeability (reversible or non lethal sonoporation). The merits of each mode are clear; lethal sonoporation constitutes a significant tumour therapy weapon, whilst its less intrusive counterpart, reversible sonoporation, represents an effective non-invasive targeted drug delivery technique. Our working hypothesis for understanding this problem was that the root cause and effect in sonoporation involves the interaction of individual cells with single microbubbles, and to that end we devised an experiment that facilitates video rate observation of this specific scenario under well defined optical control. Specifically, we have constructed an innovative hybridization apparatus involving holographic optical trapping of single and multiple UCA microbubbles, together with the facility to irradiate with MHz pulsed ultrasound energy in the presence cancerous cells. This approach allows the isolation of a target microbubble from a resident population and the relocation to a [controllable] predetermined position relative to a cell within a monolayer. Frame extraction from standard framing rate video microscopy demonstrates the individuality of single microbubble-cell interactions. We describe a fluorescence microscopy protocol that will allow future study of the potential to deliver molecular species to cells, the dependence of the delivery on the initial microbubble-cell distance and to determine the targeted cell survival.

Molecular effects of doxycycline treatment on pterygium as revealed by massive transcriptome sequencing.

PubMed

Larráyoz, Ignacio M; de Luis, Alberto; Rúa, Oscar; Velilla, Sara; Cabello, Juan; Martínez, Alfredo

2012-01-01

Pterygium is a lesion of the eye surface which involves cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, fibrosis, and extracellular matrix remodelling. Surgery is the only approved method to treat this disorder, but high recurrence rates are common. Recently, it has been shown in a mouse model that treatment with doxycycline resulted in reduction of the pterygium lesions. Here we study the mechanism(s) of action by which doxycycline achieves these results, using massive sequencing techniques. Surgically removed pterygia from 10 consecutive patients were set in short term culture and exposed to 0 (control), 50, 200, and 500 µg/ml doxycycline for 24 h, their mRNA was purified, reverse transcribed and sequenced through Illumina's massive sequencing protocols. Acquired data were subjected to quantile normalization and analyzed using cytoscape plugin software to explore the pathways involved. False discovery rate (FDR) methods were used to identify 332 genes which modified their expression in a dose-dependent manner upon exposure to doxycycline. The more represented cellular pathways included all mitochondrial genes, the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, integrins and extracellular matrix components, and growth factors. A high correlation was obtained when comparing ultrasequencing data with qRT-PCR and ELISA results. Doxycycline significantly modified the expression of important cellular pathways in pterygium cells, in a way which is consistent with the observed efficacy of this antibiotic to reduce pterygium lesions in a mouse model. Clinical trials are under way to demonstrate whether there is a benefit for human patients.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a school-based cannabis prevention program.

PubMed

Ariza, Carles; Pérez, Anna; Sánchez-Martínez, Francesca; Diéguez, Marta; Espelt, Albert; Pasarín, M Isabel; Suelves, Josep M; De la Torre, Rafael; Nebot, Manuel

2013-09-01

The effectiveness of a cannabis prevention program in high school students was assessed. A quasi-experimental study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention implemented in an intervention group (IG) with 39 schools compared with a control group (CG) of 47 schools not exposed to the intervention. Of 224 secondary schools in Barcelona, 86 were assessed in the 2005-2006 school year through a personal questionnaire administered at baseline and 15 months after the intervention. Participants consisted of 4848 ninth graders (14-15 year-olds), 2803 assigned to the IG and 2043 to the CG, according to the type and size of the school and the socioeconomic status of the school's neighborhood. The intervention consisted of a school-based cannabis prevention program (xkpts.com), with four sessions and 16 activities, implemented over 6-10h, with materials for parents and web-based student involvement. Last-month cannabis use was assessed at baseline and at 15 months' follow-up. Process evaluation indicators were assessed. At 15 months follow-up, 8.2% of boys and 8.3% of girls in the IG became last-month cannabis users versus 11.8% of boys and 11.6% of girls in the CG. These differences were statistically significant (p=0.003), representing a 29% reduction in last-month cannabis users in the IG compared with the CG. The incidence of last-month cannabis use was lowest in classrooms that adhered to the program protocol. The xkpts.com program was effective in preventing progression to last-month cannabis use. Effectiveness was higher in classrooms that adhered closely to the protocol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Individual Differences in the Post-Illumination Pupil Response to Blue Light: Assessment without Mydriatics

PubMed Central

Bruijel, Jessica; van der Meijden, Wisse P.; Bijlenga, Denise; Dorani, Farangis; Coppens, Joris E.; te Lindert, Bart H. W.; Kooij, J. J. Sandra; Van Someren, Eus J. W.

2016-01-01

Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells play an important role in the non-image forming effects of light, through their direct projections on brain circuits involved in circadian rhythms, mood and alertness. Individual differences in the functionality of the melanopsin-signaling circuitry can be reliably quantified using the maximum post-illumination pupil response (PIPR) after blue light. Previous protocols for acquiring PIPR relied on the use of mydriatics to dilate the light-exposed eye. However, pharmacological pupil dilation is uncomfortable for the participants and requires ophthalmological expertise. Hence, we here investigated whether an individual’s maximum PIPR can be validly obtained in a protocol that does not use mydriatics but rather increases the intensity of the light stimulus. In 18 participants (5 males, mean age ± SD: 34.6 ± 13.6 years) we evaluated the PIPR after exposure to intensified blue light (550 µW/cm2) provided to an undilated dynamic pupil. The test-retest reliability of the primary PIPR outcome parameter was very high, both between day-to-day assessments (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.85), as well as between winter and summer assessments (ICC = 0.83). Compared to the PIPR obtained with the use of mydriatics and 160 µW/cm2 blue light exposure, the method with intensified light without mydriatics showed almost zero bias according to Bland-Altman plots and had moderate to strong reliability (ICC = 0.67). In conclusion, for PIPR assessments, increasing the light intensity is a feasible and reliable alternative to pupil dilation to relieve the participant’s burden and to allow for performance outside the ophthalmological clinic. PMID:27618116

Comet Assay on Daphnia magna in eco-genotoxicity testing.

PubMed

Pellegri, Valerio; Gorbi, Gessica; Buschini, Annamaria

2014-10-01

Detection of potentially hazardous compounds in water bodies is a priority in environmental risk assessment. For the evaluation and monitoring of water quality, a series of methodologies may be applied. Among them, the worldwide used toxicity tests with organisms of the genus Daphnia is one of the most powerful. In recent years, some attempts were made to utilize Daphnia magna in genotoxicity testing as many of the new environmental contaminants are described as DNA-damaging agents in aquatic organisms. The aim of this research was to develop a highly standardized protocol of the Comet Assay adapted for D. magna, especially regarding the isolation of cells derived from the same tissue (haemolymph) from newborn organisms exposed in vivo. Several methods for haemolymph extraction and different Comet Assay parameters were compared. Electrophoretic conditions were adapted in order to obtain minimum DNA migration in cells derived from untreated organisms and, at the same time, maximum sensitivity in specimens treated with known genotoxicants (CdCl2 and H2O2). Additional tests were performed to investigate if life-history traits of the cladoceran (such as the age of adult organisms that provide newborns, the clutch size of origin, the number of generations reared in standard conditions) and the water composition as well, might influence the response of the assay. This study confirms the potential application of the Comet Assay in D. magna for assessing genotoxic loads in aqueous solution. The newly developed protocol could integrate the acute toxicity bioassay, thus expanding the possibility of using this model species in freshwater monitoring (waters, sediment and soil elutriates) and is in line with the spirit of the EU Water Framework Directive in reducing the number of bioassays that involve medium-sized species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Virtual Reality avatar interaction (VRai) platform to assess residual executive dysfunction in active military personnel with previous mild traumatic brain injury: proof of concept.

PubMed

Robitaille, Nicolas; Jackson, Philip L; Hébert, Luc J; Mercier, Catherine; Bouyer, Laurent J; Fecteau, Shirley; Richards, Carol L; McFadyen, Bradford J

2017-10-01

This proof of concept study tested the ability of a dual task walking protocol using a recently developed avatar-based virtual reality (VR) platform to detect differences between military personnel post mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and healthy controls. The VR platform coordinated motion capture, an interaction and rendering system, and a projection system to present first (participant-controlled) and third person avatars within the context of a specific military patrol scene. A divided attention task was also added. A healthy control group was compared to a group with previous mTBI (both groups comprised of six military personnel) and a repeated measures ANOVA tested for differences between conditions and groups based on recognition errors, walking speed and fluidity and obstacle clearance. The VR platform was well tolerated by both groups. Walking fluidity was degraded for the control group within the more complex navigational dual tasking involving avatars, and appeared greatest in the dual tasking with the interacting avatar. This navigational behaviour was not seen in the mTBI group. The present findings show proof of concept for using avatars, particularly more interactive avatars, to expose differences in executive functioning when applying context-specific protocols (here for the military). Implications for rehabilitation Virtual reality provides a means to control context-specific factors for assessment and intervention. Adding human interaction and agency through avatars increases the ecologic nature of the virtual environment. Avatars in the present application of the Virtual Reality avatar interaction platform appear to provide a better ability to reveal differences between trained, military personal with and without mTBI.

Arginine and proline applied as food additives stimulate high freeze tolerance in larvae of Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Koštál, Vladimír; Korbelová, Jaroslava; Poupardin, Rodolphe; Moos, Martin; Šimek, Petr

2016-08-01

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an insect of tropical origin. Its larval stage is evolutionarily adapted for rapid growth and development under warm conditions and shows high sensitivity to cold. In this study, we further developed an optimal acclimation and freezing protocol that significantly improves larval freeze tolerance (an ability to survive at -5°C when most of the freezable fraction of water is converted to ice). Using the optimal protocol, freeze survival to adult stage increased from 0.7% to 12.6% in the larvae fed standard diet (agar, sugar, yeast, cornmeal). Next, we fed the larvae diets augmented with 31 different amino compounds, administered in different concentrations, and observed their effects on larval metabolomic composition, viability, rate of development and freeze tolerance. While some diet additives were toxic, others showed positive effects on freeze tolerance. Statistical correlation revealed tight association between high freeze tolerance and high levels of amino compounds involved in arginine and proline metabolism. Proline- and arginine-augmented diets showed the highest potential, improving freeze survival to 42.1% and 50.6%, respectively. Two plausible mechanisms by which high concentrations of proline and arginine might stimulate high freeze tolerance are discussed: (i) proline, probably in combination with trehalose, could reduce partial unfolding of proteins and prevent membrane fusions in the larvae exposed to thermal stress (prior to freezing) or during freeze dehydration; (ii) both arginine and proline are exceptional among amino compounds in their ability to form supramolecular aggregates which probably bind partially unfolded proteins and inhibit their aggregation under increasing freeze dehydration. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

1-RAAP: An Efficient 1-Round Anonymous Authentication Protocol for Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Liu, Jingwei; Zhang, Lihuan; Sun, Rong

2016-01-01

Thanks to the rapid technological convergence of wireless communications, medical sensors and cloud computing, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) have emerged as a novel networking paradigm enabling ubiquitous Internet services, allowing people to receive medical care, monitor health status in real-time, analyze sports data and even enjoy online entertainment remotely. However, because of the mobility and openness of wireless communications, WBANs are inevitably exposed to a large set of potential attacks, significantly undermining their utility and impeding their widespread deployment. To prevent attackers from threatening legitimate WBAN users or abusing WBAN services, an efficient and secure authentication protocol termed 1-Round Anonymous Authentication Protocol (1-RAAP) is proposed in this paper. In particular, 1-RAAP preserves anonymity, mutual authentication, non-repudiation and some other desirable security properties, while only requiring users to perform several low cost computational operations. More importantly, 1-RAAP is provably secure thanks to its design basis, which is resistant to the anonymous in the random oracle model. To validate the computational efficiency of 1-RAAP, a set of comprehensive comparative studies between 1-RAAP and other authentication protocols is conducted, and the results clearly show that 1-RAAP achieves the best performance in terms of computational overhead. PMID:27213384

1-RAAP: An Efficient 1-Round Anonymous Authentication Protocol for Wireless Body Area Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Jingwei; Zhang, Lihuan; Sun, Rong

2016-05-19

Thanks to the rapid technological convergence of wireless communications, medical sensors and cloud computing, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) have emerged as a novel networking paradigm enabling ubiquitous Internet services, allowing people to receive medical care, monitor health status in real-time, analyze sports data and even enjoy online entertainment remotely. However, because of the mobility and openness of wireless communications, WBANs are inevitably exposed to a large set of potential attacks, significantly undermining their utility and impeding their widespread deployment. To prevent attackers from threatening legitimate WBAN users or abusing WBAN services, an efficient and secure authentication protocol termed 1-Round Anonymous Authentication Protocol (1-RAAP) is proposed in this paper. In particular, 1-RAAP preserves anonymity, mutual authentication, non-repudiation and some other desirable security properties, while only requiring users to perform several low cost computational operations. More importantly, 1-RAAP is provably secure thanks to its design basis, which is resistant to the anonymous in the random oracle model. To validate the computational efficiency of 1-RAAP, a set of comprehensive comparative studies between 1-RAAP and other authentication protocols is conducted, and the results clearly show that 1-RAAP achieves the best performance in terms of computational overhead.

Implementation and audit of 'Fast-Track Surgery' in gynaecological oncology surgery.

PubMed

Sidhu, Verinder S; Lancaster, Letitia; Elliott, David; Brand, Alison H

2012-08-01

Fast-track surgery is a multidisciplinary approach to surgery that results in faster recovery from surgery and decreased length of stay (LOS). The aims of this study were as follows: (i) to report on the processes required for the introduction of fast-track surgery to a gynaecological oncology unit and (ii) to report the results of a clinical audit conducted after the protocol's implementation. A fast-track protocol, specific to our unit, was developed after a series of multidisciplinary meetings. The protocol, agreed upon by those involved in the care of women in our unit, was then introduced into clinical practice. An audit was conducted of all women undergoing laparotomy, with known or suspected malignancy. Information on LOS, complication and readmission rates was collected. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were used for statistical analysis. The developed protocol involved a multidisciplinary approach to pre-, intra- and postoperative care. The audit included 104 consecutive women over a 6-month period, who were followed for 6 weeks postoperatively. The median LOS was 4 days. The readmission rate was 7% and the complication rate was 19% (1% intraoperative, 4% major and 14% minor). Multivariate analysis revealed that increased duration of surgery and increasing age were predictors of longer LOS. The development of a fast-track protocol is achievable in a gynaecological oncology unit, with input from a multidisciplinary team. Effective implementation of the protocol can result in a short LOS, with acceptable complication and readmission rates when applied non-selectively to gynaecological oncology patients. © 2012 The Authors ANZJOG © 2012 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Developing and validating trace fear conditioning protocols in C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Burman, Michael A; Simmons, Cassandra A; Hughes, Miles; Lei, Lei

2014-01-30

Classical fear conditioning is commonly used to study the biology of fear, anxiety and memory. Previous research demonstrated that delay conditioning requires a neural circuit involving the amygdala, but not usually the hippocampus. Trace and contextual fear conditioning require the amygdala and hippocampus. While these paradigms were developed primarily using rat models, they are increasingly being used in mice. The current studies develop trace fear conditioning and control paradigms to allow for the assessment of trace and delay fear conditioning in C57BL/6N mice. Our initial protocol yielded clear delay and contextual conditioning. However, trace conditioning failed to differentiate from an unpaired group and was not hippocampus-dependent. These results suggested that the protocol needed to be modified to specifically accommodate trace conditioning the mice. In order to reduce unconditioned freezing and increase learning, the final protocol was developed by decreasing the intensity of the tone and by increasing the inter-trial interval. Our final protocol produced trace conditioned freezing that was significantly greater than that followed unpaired stimulus exposure and was disrupted by hippocampus lesions. A review of the literature produced 90 articles using trace conditioning in mice. Few of those articles used any kind of behavioral control group, which is required to rule out non-associative factors causing fearful behavior. Fewer used unpaired groups involving tones and shocks within a session, which is the optimal control group. Our final trace conditioning protocol can be used in future studies examining genetically modified C57BL/6N mice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing and Validating Trace Fear Conditioning Protocols in C57BL/6 Mice

PubMed Central

Burman, Michael A; Simmons, Cassandra A; Hughes, Miles; Lei, Lei

2013-01-01

Background Classical fear conditioning is commonly used to study the biology of fear, anxiety and memory. Previous research demonstrated that delay conditioning requires a neural circuit involving the amygdala, but not usually the hippocampus. Trace and contextual fear conditioning require the amygdala and hippocampus. While these paradigms were developed primarily using rat models, they are increasingly being used in mice. New Method The current studies develop trace fear conditioning and control paradigms to allow for the assessment of trace and delay fear conditioning in C57BL/6N mice. Our initial protocol yielded clear delay and contextual conditioning. However, trace conditioning failed to differentiate from an unpaired group and was not hippocampus-dependent. These results suggested that the protocol needed to be modified to specifically accommodate trace conditioning the mice. In order to reduce unconditioned freezing and increase learning, the final protocol was developed by decreasing the intensity of the tone and by increasing the inter-trial interval. Results Our final protocol produced trace conditioned freezing that was significantly greater than that followed unpaired stimulus exposure and was disrupted by hippocampus lesions. Comparison with Existing Methods A review of the literature produced 90 articles using trace conditioning in mice. Few of those articles used any kind of behavioral control group, which is required to rule out non-associative factors causing fearful behavior. Fewer used unpaired groups involving tones and shocks within a session, which is the optimal control group. Conclusions Our final trace conditioning protocol can be used in future studies examining genetically modified C57BL/6N mice. PMID:24269252

Room/corner tests of wall linings with 100/300 kW burner

Treesearch

M. A. Dietenberger; O. Grexa; R. H. White; M. S. Sweet; M. Janssens

1995-01-01

Six room/comer tests of common wall linings were conducted with gypsum-lined ceiling exposed to propane burning at 100 kW for 10 min followed by 300 kW for 10 min. This test protocol is an option provided by ISO 9705. The flashover event occurred at 1,000 kW rate of heat release within several seconds of observing flames out the doorway. The time to flashover of the...

U.S. Army Medical Department Journal, July-September 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

problems exposed by the press in Oct 03, Fort Lewis formalized Remote Care the Remote Care Program with protocols agreed by senior level commanders...workload of MAMC, like most of the formal work of the case management practice to identify key AMEDD, has not decreased with combat deployments and, in...and return to SRCMP within 72 hours, receive a formal case couches with sitting and standing Soldiers drinking coffee and number, Case Manager, and

Carcinogenic Effects of Benzene: An Update (Draft Report)

EPA Science Inventory

The major issue addressed in this document involves the nature and magnitude of the risk of cancer to humans exposed to low levels of benzene. Occupational studies continue to provide the bulk of evidence of benzenes carcinogenicity. Workers are exposed at much higher levels than...

Exposing Underrepresented Groups to Climate Change and Atmospheric Science Through Service Learning and Community-Based Participatory Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padgett, D.

2016-12-01

Tennessee State University (TSU) is among seven partner institutions in the NASA-funded project "Mission Earth: Fusing Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) with NASA Assets to Build Systemic Innovation in STEM Education." The primary objective at the TSU site is to expose high school students from racial and ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM to atmospheric science and physical systems associated with climate change. Currently, undergraduate students enrolled in TSU's urban and physical courses develop lessons for high school students focused upon the analysis of global warming phenomena and related extreme weather events. The GLOBE Atmosphere Protocols are emphasized in exercises focused upon the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon and air quality measurements. Pre-service teachers at TSU, and in-service teachers at four local high schools are being certified in the Atmosphere Protocols. Precipitation, ambient air temperature, surface temperature and other data are collected at the schools through a collaborative learning effort among the high school students, TSU undergraduates, and high school teachers. Data collected and recorded manually in the field are compared to each school's automated Weatherbug station measurements. Students and teachers engage in analysis of NASA imagery as part of the GLOBE Surface Temperature Protocol. At off-campus locations, US Clean Air Act (CAA) criteria air pollutant and Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) air pollutant sampling is being conducted in community-based participatory research (CBPR) format. Students partner with non-profit environmental organizations. Data collected using low-cost air sampling devices is being compared with readings from government air monitors. The GLOBE Aerosols Protocol is used in comparative assessments with air sampling results. Project deliverables include four new GLOBE schools, the enrollment of which is nearly entirely comprised of students underrepresented in STEM. A model for service learning activities with GLOBE to increase underrepresented groups participation in STEM is a second deliverable. A third deliverable, a comprehensive citizen science guidebook for grassroots level air quality assessment, is being developed for wide distribution.

Mustard gas or sulfur mustard: an old chemical agent as a new terrorist threat.

PubMed

Wattana, Monica; Bey, Tareg

2009-01-01

Sulfur mustard is a member of the vesicant class of chemical warfare agents that causes blistering to the skin and mucous membranes. There is no specific antidote, and treatment consists of systematically alleviating symptoms. Historically, sulfur mustard was used extensively in inter-governmental conflicts within the trenches of Belgium and France during World War I and during the Iran-Iraq conflict. Longitudinal studies of exposed victims show that sulfur mustard causes long-term effects leading to high morbidity. Given that only a small amount of sulfur mustard is necessary to potentially cause an enormous number of casualties, disaster-planning protocol necessitates the education and training of first-line healthcare responders in the recognition, decontamination, triage, and treatment of sulfur mustard-exposed victims in a large-scale scenario.

Effects of space environment on structural materials - A preliminary study and development of materials characterization protocols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miglionico, C.; Stein, C.; Murr, L. E.

1991-01-01

A preliminary study of materials exposed in space in LEO for nearly six years in the NASA Long-Duration Exposure Facility is presented. It is demonstrated that it will be necessary to isolate surface debris and reaction products from materials exposed in space. Replication techniques originally designed for electron microscopy examination of surfaces can be applied to lift off and isolate such surface features. Debris and reaction products were examined through a variety of analytical techniques, including the surface morphology by SEM, and internal microstructures by STEM and TEM, EDS, and SAD. The results illustrate the role that atomic oxygen and micrometeorites play in surface alteration and reaction in LEO space environments, as well as the role of debris created from other proximate materials.

Temporal Gene Expression Kinetics for Human Keratinocytes Exposed to Hyperthermic Stress

PubMed Central

Echchgadda, Ibtissam; Roth, Caleb C.; Cerna, Cesario Z.; Wilmink, Gerald J.

2013-01-01

The gene expression kinetics for human cells exposed to hyperthermic stress are not well characterized. In this study, we identified and characterized the genes that are differentially expressed in human epidermal keratinocyte (HEK) cells exposed to hyperthermic stress. In order to obtain temporal gene expression kinetics, we exposed HEK cells to a heat stress protocol (44 °C for 40 min) and used messenger RNA (mRNA) microarrays at 0 h, 4 h and 24 h post-exposure. Bioinformatics software was employed to characterize the chief biological processes and canonical pathways associated with these heat stress genes. The data shows that the genes encoding for heat shock proteins (HSPs) that function to prevent further protein denaturation and aggregation, such as HSP40, HSP70 and HSP105, exhibit maximal expression immediately after exposure to hyperthermic stress. In contrast, the smaller HSPs, such as HSP10 and HSP27, which function in mitochondrial protein biogenesis and cellular adaptation, exhibit maximal expression during the “recovery phase”, roughly 24 h post-exposure. These data suggest that the temporal expression kinetics for each particular HSP appears to correlate with the cellular function that is required at each time point. In summary, these data provide additional insight regarding the expression kinetics of genes that are triggered in HEK cells exposed to hyperthermic stress. PMID:24709698

Electromagnetic immunity of implantable pacemakers exposed to wi-fi devices.

PubMed

Mattei, Eugenio; Censi, Federica; Triventi, Michele; Calcagnini, Giovanni

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and to assess the immunity level of implantable pacemakers (PM) when exposed to the radiofrequency (RF) field generated by Wi-Fi devices. Ten PM from five manufacturers, representative of what today is implanted in patients, have been tested in vitro and exposed to the signal generated by a Wi-Fi transmitter. An exposure setup that reproduces the actual IEEE 802.11b/g protocol has been designed and used during the tests. The system is able to amplify the Wi-Fi signal and transmits at power levels higher than those allowed by current international regulation. Such approach allows one to obtain, in case of no EMI, a safety margin for PM exposed to Wi-Fi signals, which otherwise cannot be derived if using commercial Wi-Fi equipment. The results of this study mitigate concerns about using Wi-Fi devices close to PM: none of the PM tested exhibit any degradation of their performance, even when exposed to RF field levels five times higher than those allowed by current international regulation (20 W EIRP). In conclusion, Wi-Fi devices do not pose risks of EMI to implantable PM. The immunity level of modern PM is much higher than the transmitting power of RF devices operating at 2.4 GHz.

Technology transfer through performance management: the effects of graphical feedback and positive reinforcement on drug treatment counselors' behavior.

PubMed

Andrzejewski, M E; Kirby, K C; Morral, A R; Iguchi, M Y

2001-07-01

After drug treatment counselors at a community-based methadone treatment clinic were trained in implementing a contingency management (CM) intervention, baseline measures of performance revealed that, on average, counselors were meeting the performance criteria specified by the treatment protocol about 42% of the time. Counselors were exposed to graphical feedback and a drawing for cash prizes in an additive within-subjects design to assess the effectiveness of these interventions in improving protocol adherence. Counselor performance measures increased to 71% during the graphical feedback condition, and to 81% during the drawing. Each counselor's performance improved during the intervention conditions. Additional analyses suggested that counselors did not have skill deficits that hindered implementation. Rather, protocol implementation occurred more frequently when consequences were added, thereby increasing the overall proportion of criteria met. Generalizations, however, may be limited due to a small sample size and possible confounding of time and intervention effects. Nonetheless, present results show promise that feedback and positive reinforcement could be used to improve technology transfer of behavioral interventions into community clinic settings.

Antenatal magnesium sulfate and spontaneous intestinal perforation in infants less than 25 weeks gestation.

PubMed

Rattray, B N; Kraus, D M; Drinker, L R; Goldberg, R N; Tanaka, D T; Cotten, C M

2014-11-01

Evaluate spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP)/death among extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants before, during and after initiation of an antenatal magnesium for neuroprotection protocol (MgPro). We tested associations between SIP/death and magnesium exposure, gestational age (GA) and interactions with GA and magnesium exposure in a cohort of inborn ELBW infants before, during and after MgPro. One hundred and fifty-five ELBW infants were included, 81 before, 23 during and 51 after MgPro. ELBW infants (78.3%) were exposed to Mg during MgPro compared with 50.6% and 60.8% before and after, respectively. Incidence of SIP on protocol was 30.4% vs 12.9% off protocol (P=0.03). GA was strongly associated with SIP (P<0.01). Antenatal Mg dose was also associated with SIP/death regardless of epoch (odds ratio 9.3 (1.04-104.6)), but increased SIP/death was limited to those <25 weeks gestation. Higher Mg dose was associated with higher SIP and death risk among infants with the lowest birthweights. Validation of this observation in larger populations is warranted.

Erythrocyte deformability and aggregation responses to intermittent and continuous artificial gravity exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marijke, Grau; Vera, Abeln; Tobias, Vogt; Wilhelm, Bloch; Stefan, Schneider

2017-02-01

Artificial gravity protocols are used to improve g-tolerance of aviators and discussed as countermeasure during prolonged space flight. Little is known about the impact of artificial gravity on the red blood cells (RBC). The purpose of the study was to test how artificial gravity affects RBC deformability and aggregation, which are important determinants of microcirculation. Nine male subjects were exposed to two hypergravity protocols using a short arm human centrifuge: a continuous (CONT) protocol with constant +2 Gz for 30 min and an intermittent (INTER) protocol with repeated intervals of +2 Gz and rest. Blood was sampled pre and post interventions to measure basal blood parameters, RBC nitrite, RBC deformability, aggregation, and to determine the shear rate balancing aggregation and disaggregation (γ at dIsc min). To test for orthostasis effects, five male subjects were asked to stay for 46 min, corresponding to the length of the centrifuge protocols, with blood sampling pre and post intervention. Artificial gravity programs did not affect basal blood parameters or RBC nitrite levels; a marker for RBC deformability influencing nitric oxide. The INTER program did not affect any of the tested parameters. The CONT program did not remarkably affect RBC deformability or γ at dIsc min but significantly aggravated aggregation. Orthostasis effects were thus excluded. The results indicate that continuous artificial gravity, especially with higher g-forces applied, may negatively affect the RBC system and that for a prolonged space flight intermittent but not continuous artificial gravity might represent an appropriate countermeasure.

Development of an HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Protocol for Trainees Engaging in Academic Global Health Experiences.

PubMed

Arora, Gitanjli; Hoffman, Risa M

2017-11-01

Global health (GH) education programs have become increasingly common in U.S. medical schools and graduate medical education programs, with growing numbers of medical students, residents, and fellows participating in clinical experiences in settings with high HIV prevalence and limited resources. However, there are no guidelines for provision of HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) to trainees engaging in these academic GH experiences. Faculty of the Global Health Education Programs (GHEP) at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and GH partner institutions recognized the need for PEP access for trainees engaged in GH experiences. In 2013-2014, key UCLA faculty collaborated in the development of the UCLA GHEP PEP Protocol, which includes provision of PEP medications to trainees prior to departure, an on-call infectious disease/HIV specialist to advise trainees who have exposures, and a system for following up with exposed trainees while on the GH rotation and after their return. Between February 2014 and September 2016, 112 medical students and 110 residents received education on the PEP protocol during their predeparture orientation. The protocol was used for 28 exposures (27 occupational, 1 nonoccupational), with PEP recommended in 3 occupational cases (all needlesticks) and the single nonoccupational case. There were no reported HIV seroconversions. The authors plan to formally evaluate the PEP protocol, conduct a qualitative assessment with trainees and both UCLA and GH partner faculty, and discuss best practices with institutions across the United States and with GH partners.

Previous exposure to musical auditory stimulation immediately influences the cardiac autonomic responses to the postural change maneuver in women.

PubMed

de Castro, Bianca Cr; Guida, Heraldo L; Roque, Adriano L; de Abreu, Luiz Carlos; Ferreira, Lucas L; Raimundo, Rodrigo D; Monteiro, Carlos Bm; Goulart, Flávia C; Ferreira, Celso; Marcomini, Renata S; Ribeiro, Vivian F; Ré, Alessandro Hn; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos M; Valenti, Vitor E

2013-08-14

Chronic exposure to musical auditory stimulation has been reported to improve cardiac autonomic regulation. However, it is not clear if music acutely influences it in response to autonomic tests. We evaluated the acute effects of music on heart rate variability (HRV) responses to the postural change maneuver (PCM) in women. We evaluated 12 healthy women between 18 and 28 years old and HRV was analyzed in the time (SDNN, RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50) and frequency (LF, HF and LF/HF ratio) domains. In the control protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. In the music protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes, were exposed to music for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. HRV was recorded at the following time: rest, music (music protocol) 0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 min during standing. In the control protocol the SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50 indexes were reduced at 10-15 minutes after the volunteers stood up, while the LF (nu) index was increased at the same moment compared to seated rest. In the protocol with music, the indexes were not different from control but the RMSSD, pNN50 and LF (nu) were different from the music period. Musical auditory stimulation attenuates the cardiac autonomic responses to the PCM.

Periodontal regeneration in gingival recession defects.

PubMed

Trombelli, L

1999-02-01

Surgical treatment of gingival recession defects aims at obtaining soft tissue coverage of exposed root surfaces and/or augmentation of gingival tissue dimensions. A variety of protocols have been developed to manage these clinical problems. Since one goal of periodontal therapy is the regeneration of the lost attachment apparatus of the tooth, full restoration of defect should be accomplished following mucogingival procedures. This implies regeneration of all periodontal structures, including formation of new cementum with inserting connective tissue fibers, alveolar bone regeneration and recreation of a functional and aesthetic morphology of the mucogingival complex. Animal and human histological studies have shown that healing at gingiva-root interface following pedicle flaps or free soft tissue grafts generally includes a long junctional epithelium with varying amounts of a new connective tissue attachment in the most apical aspect of the covered root surface. Limited bone regeneration has been observed. Adjunctive use of root conditioning agents and cell excluding, wound-stabilizing devices may amplify regenerative outcomes. Changes in the amount of keratinized tissue, which can significantly affect the aesthetic outcome of treatment, have been shown to depend on the interactions among various tissues involved in the healing process and the selected surgical procedure.

Repercussions of salinity changes and osmotic stress in marine phytoplankton species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'ors, A.; Bartolomé, M. C.; Sánchez-Fortún, S.

2016-06-01

The short-term effect of low salinity was studied using laboratory protocols on some coastal phytoplankton species such as chlorophycea Tetraselmis suecica, among diatom the strain Nitzschia N1c1 and dinoflagellates Alexandrium minutum and Prorocentrum lima. All of cultures were exposed to low salinities, and cell growth rate, photosynthetic quantum yield (ΦPSII), and gross photosynthesis (Pg) were analyzed. Growth rate inhibition was similar in all species, and all of them also tolerate short-term exposures to salinities in the range 5-35. There were no significant differences between ΦPSII and Pg endpoints from Tetraselmis suecica and Nitzschia sp., while Alexandrium minutum and Prorocentrum lima displayed a higher affectation rate on Pg than on ΦPSII activity. The influence of low salinity was higher on respiration in T. suecica, while both dinoflagellates had higher net photosynthesis. Nitzschia sp. exhibited similar involvement of the two photosynthetic parameters. Therefore, although the four phytoplankton monocultures studied are able to survive in internal areas of estuaries under low salinity conditions, the photosynthetic activity is more affected than the growth rate in all phytoplankton communities studied except in chlorophycea T. suecica, which has increased tolerance for this salinity decrease.

Formal Verification of Safety Properties for Aerospace Systems Through Algorithms Based on Exhaustive State-Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ciardo, Gianfranco

2004-01-01

The Runway Safety Monitor (RSM) designed by Lockheed Martin is part of NASA's effort to reduce aviation accidents. We developed a Petri net model of the RSM protocol and used the model checking functions of our tool SMART to investigate a number of safety properties in RSM. To mitigate the impact of state-space explosion, we built a highly discretized model of the system, obtained by partitioning the monitored runway zone into a grid of smaller volumes and by considering scenarios involving only two aircraft. The model also assumes that there are no communication failures, such as bad input from radar or lack of incoming data, thus it relies on a consistent view of reality by all participants. In spite of these simplifications, we were able to expose potential problems in the RSM conceptual design. Our findings were forwarded to the design engineers, who undertook corrective action. Additionally, the results stress the efficiency attained by the new model checking algorithms implemented in SMART, and demonstrate their applicability to real-world systems. Attempts to verify RSM with NuSMV and SPIN have failed due to excessive memory consumption.

California adults with elevated blood lead levels, 1987 through 1990.

PubMed Central

Maizlish, N; Rudolph, L

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVES. Follow-up of California blood lead registry reports, 95% of which are of occupationally exposed adults, can guide interventions at specific high-risk work sites and measure the impact of targeted, industry-specific interventions. METHODS. A protocol was implemented to follow up the most severe case reports (> or = 2.90 mumol/L) and establish a statistical database for descriptive analysis. RESULTS. From 1987 through 1990, the California Department of Health Services received 17,951 reports for 4069 civilian, noninstitutionalized adults employed by at least 328 companies. Of 232 incident case subjects with severe lead toxicity (> or = 2.90 mumol/L), 182 were successfully traced and interviewed. Index case subjects were mostly male (95%) and disproportionately Hispanic (46%); 35% lived with children aged 7 or younger, and 10% had been hospitalized. Ninety-four percent involved overexposures at work sites that lacked medical removal (50%), ventilation (36%), appropriate respirators (62%), training (64%), clothing changes (45%), or showering (60%). CONCLUSIONS. Well-known risk factors for occupational lead poisoning clustered at the work sites of index case subjects. Despite standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, lead overexposure in California adults remains a significant public and occupational health concern. PMID:8438980

Antimutagenic potential of harpagoside and Harpagophytum procumbens against 1-nitropyrene

PubMed Central

Manon, Luigi; Béatrice, Baghdikian; Thierry, Orsière; Jocelyne, Pompili; Fathi, Mabrouki; Evelyne, Ollivier; Alain, Botta

2015-01-01

Background: 1-nitropyrene (1-NPy) is one of the most abundant nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons particularly in diesel exhausts. It is a mutagenic and carcinogenic pollutant very widespread in the environment. So the discovery of antimutagenic agents is essential. Harpagophytum procumbens (HP) is traditionally used as anti-inflammatory and analgesic particularly against painful osteoarthritis. Harpagoside (HS), its major iridoid glycoside, is considered as the main active component. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimutagenic activity of HS and HP extracts against mutagenic activity of 1-NPy. Materials and Methods: The antimutagenic activity was investigated using the in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay in cultured human lymphocytes. Cells were exposed to HS or HP extracts before (pretreatment), during (co-treatment), and after (posttreatment) treatment with 1-NPy. Results: Results showed that HS significantly reduced the mutagenicity of 1-NPy in pretreatment and particularly in co-treatment, whereas all HP extracts significantly reduced the genotoxicity in the three protocols. Conclusion: These results suggested that HS was strongly involved in antimutagenic activity of HP extracts in co-treatment, but other components in HP extracts participated in this activity in pre- and post-treatment. PMID:26109771

High-throughput microsphiltration to assess red blood cell deformability and screen for malaria transmission-blocking drugs.

PubMed

Duez, Julien; Carucci, Mario; Garcia-Barbazan, Irene; Corral, Matias; Perez, Oscar; Presa, Jesus Luis; Henry, Benoit; Roussel, Camille; Ndour, Papa Alioune; Rosa, Noemi Bahamontes; Sanz, Laura; Gamo, Francisco-Javier; Buffet, Pierre

2018-06-01

The mechanical retention of rigid erythrocytes in the spleen is central in major hematological diseases such as hereditary spherocytosis, sickle-cell disease and malaria. Here, we describe the use of microsphiltration (microsphere filtration) to assess erythrocyte deformability in hundreds to thousands of samples in parallel, by filtering them through microsphere layers in 384-well plates adapted for the discovery of compounds that stiffen Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes, with the aim of interrupting malaria transmission. Compound-exposed gametocytes are loaded into microsphiltration plates, filtered and then transferred to imaging plates for analysis. High-content imaging detects viable gametocytes upstream and downstream from filters and quantifies spleen-like retention. This screening assay takes 3-4 d. Unlike currently available methods used to assess red blood cell (RBC) deformability, microsphiltration enables high-throughput pharmacological screening (tens of thousands of compounds tested in a matter of months) and involves a cell mechanical challenge that induces a physiologically relevant dumbbell-shape deformation. It therefore directly assesses the ability of RBCs to cross inter-endothelial splenic slits in vivo. This protocol has potential applications in quality control for transfusion and in determination of phenotypic markers of erythrocytes in hematological diseases.

FISH-Flow, a protocol for the concurrent detection of mRNA and protein in single cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry

PubMed Central

Arrigucci, Riccardo; Bushkin, Yuri; Radford, Felix; Lakehal, Karim; Vir, Pooja; Pine, Richard; Martin, December; Sugarman, Jeffrey; Zhao, Yanlin; Yap, George S; Lardizabal, Alfred A; Tyagi, Sanjay; Gennaro, Maria Laura

2017-01-01

We describe a flow-cytometry-based protocol for intracellular mRNA measurements in nonadherent mammalian cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes. The method, which we call FISH-Flow, allows for high-throughput multiparametric measurements of gene expression, a task that was not feasible with earlier, microscopy-based approaches. The FISH-Flow protocol involves cell fixation, permeabilization and hybridization with a set of fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probes. In this protocol, surface and intracellular protein markers can also be stained with fluorescently labeled antibodies for simultaneous protein and mRNA measurement. Moreover, a semiautomated, single-tube version of the protocol can be performed with a commercially available cell-wash device that reduces cell loss, operator time and interoperator variability. It takes ~30 h to perform this protocol. An example of FISH-Flow measurements of cytokine mRNA induction by ex vivo stimulation of primed T cells with specific antigens is described. PMID:28518171

Zebrafish embryology and cartilage staining protocols for high school students.

PubMed

Emran, Farida; Brooks, Jacqueline M; Zimmerman, Steven R; Johnson, Susan L; Lue, Robert A

2009-06-01

The Life Sciences-Howard Hughes Medical Institute Outreach Program at Harvard University supports high school science education by offering an on-campus program for students and their teachers to participate in investigative, hands-on laboratory sessions. The outreach program has recently designed and launched a successful zebrafish embryology protocol that we present here. The main objectives of this protocol are to introduce students to zebrafish as a model research organism and to provide students with direct experience with current techniques used in embryological research. The content of the lab is designed to generate discussions on embryology, genetics, fertilization, natural selection, and animal adaptation. The protocol produces reliable results in a time-efficient manner using a minimum of reagents. The protocol presented here consists of three sections: observations of live zebrafish larvae at different developmental stages, cartilage staining of zebrafish larvae, and a mutant hunt involving identification of two zebrafish mutants (nacre and chokh). Here, we describe the protocol, show the results obtained for each section, and suggest possible alternatives for different lab settings.

Problematic protocols: An overview of medical research protocols not approved by the LUMC medical ethics review committee.

PubMed

Tersmette, Derek Gideon; Engberts, Dirk Peter

2017-01-01

The Committee for Medical Ethics (CME) of Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) was established as the first medical ethics reviewing committee (MREC) in the Netherlands. In the period 2000-2010 the CME received 2,162 protocols for review. Some of these protocols were never approved. Until now, there has existed neither an overview of these failed protocols nor an overview of the reasons for their failure. This report draws on data from the digital database, the physical archives, and the minutes of the meetings of the CME. Additional information has been obtained from the Central Committee on Research involving Human Subjects (CCRH) and survey-based research. Protocols were itemized based on characteristic features and their reviewing procedures were analyzed. In total, 1,952 out of 2,162 research protocols submitted during 2000-2010 (90.3%) were approved by the CME; 210 of 2,162 protocols (9.7%) were not approved. Of these 210 protocols, 177 failed due to reasons not related to CME reviewing. In 15 cases CME reviewing led to protocol failure, while another 10 protocols were rejected outright. Eight of the 210 submitted protocols without approval had been conducted prior to submission. In the aforementioned period, little protocol failure occurred. For the most part, protocol failure was caused by problems that are not CME related. This type of failure has several identifiable factors, none of which have anything to do with the ethical reviewing procedure by the CME. A mere 1.2% of protocols failed due to ethical review. Unacceptable burden and risks to the subject and an inadequate methodology are the most common reasons for this CME-related protocol failure.

What Knowledge and Skills Do Caregivers Need?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Given, Barbara; Sherwood, Paula R.; Given, Charles W.

2008-01-01

Patients with chronic illnesses and multiple comorbid conditions have intricate treatment protocols that require caregiver involvement, further complicating this already-difficult care. Because better treatments have extended the life spans of most patients with chronic illnesses, caregiver involvement often is required for several years. Many…

TNF-alpha Expression Patterns as Potential Molecular Biomarker for Human Skin Cells Exposed to Vesicant Chemical Warfare Agents: Sulfur Mustard (HD) and Lewisite (L)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

First World War. It was Sabourin et al., 2000). Skin injuries caused by called Hun Stoffe by the Allies and given the HD are complex and involve... Sabourin et al., 2000, Kan et al., 2003) sup- port the involvement of TNF-cx in animal models such as mouse skin and hairless guinea References pigs... Sabourin CLK. Petrali JP. Casillas RP. Alteration in inflamma- Pharmacol Toxicol. 2003:92:20 4 -13. tory cytokine gene expression in sulfur mustard exposed

Control of the estrous cycle to improve fertility for fixed-time artificial insemination in beef cattle: a review.

PubMed

Lamb, G C; Dahlen, C R; Larson, J E; Marquezini, G; Stevenson, J S

2010-04-01

Early estrus-synchronization protocols focused on regressing the corpus luteum (CL) with an injection of PGF(2alpha) followed by detection of estrus or involved the use of exogenous progestins that prevent estrus from occurring. Later, protocols combining the use of PGF(2alpha) and exogenous progestins were developed. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone was utilized to control follicular waves, synchronize ovulation, or to luteinize large dominant follicles. Our research aimed to develop reliable protocols that 1) relied solely on fixed-timed AI (TAI); 2) required a maximum of 3 animal handlings, and 3) were successful in estrous-cycling and noncycling females. In cows, insertion of an intravaginal progesterone insert during the 7-d interval between the initial GnRH and PGF(2alpha) injections enhanced pregnancy rates by 9 to 10%. In a multi-location study, a TAI protocol yielded pregnancy rates similar to a protocol involving detection of estrus plus a fixed-time clean-up AI for females not detected in estrus (54 vs. 58%, respectively, for cows and 53 vs. 57%, respectively, for heifers). Initiation of estrous cycles in noncycling cows is likely the primary manner in which beef producers may improve fertility in response to estrus synchronization and TAI protocols. Treatment of noncycling females with progesterone and GnRH increases the percentage of cycling females and improves fertility to a TAI, but inducing cyclicity with hCG failed to enhance fertility in TAI protocols. Supplementing progesterone after TAI failed to increase pregnancy rates in beef cattle. In contrast, administration of hCG 7 d after TAI induced an accessory CL, increased progesterone, and tended to enhance pregnancy rates. Development of TAI protocols that reduce the hassle factors associated with ovulation synchronization and AI provide cattle producers efficient and effective tools for capturing selective genetic traits of economic consequences. Location variables, however, which may include differences in pasture and diet, breed composition, body condition, postpartum interval, climate, and geographic location, affect the success of TAI protocols.

Periodically Relieving Ischial Sitting Load to Decrease the Risk of Pressure Ulcers

PubMed Central

Makhsous, Mohsen; Rowles, Diane M.; Rymer, William Z.; Bankard, James; Nam, Ellis K.; Chen, David; Lin, Fang

2010-01-01

Objective To investigate the relieving effect on interface pressure of an alternate sitting protocol involving a sitting posture that reduces ischial support. Design Repeated measures in 2 protocols on 3 groups of subjects. Setting Laboratory. Participants Twenty able-bodied persons, 20 persons with paraplegia, and 20 persons with tetraplegia. Interventions Two 1-hour protocols were used: alternate and normal plus pushup. In the alternate protocol, sitting posture was alternated every 10 minutes between normal (sitting upright with ischial support) and with partially removed ischial support (WO-BPS) postures; in the normal plus pushup protocol, sitting was in normal posture with pushups (lifting the subject off the seat) performed every 20 minutes. Main Outcome Measure Interface pressure on seat and backrest. Results In WO-BPS posture, the concentrated interface pressure observed around the ischia in normal posture was significantly repositioned to the thighs. By cyclically repositioning the interface pressure, the alternate protocol was superior to the normal plus pushup protocol in terms of a significantly lower average interface pressure over the buttocks. Conclusions A sitting protocol periodically reducing the ischial support helps lower the sitting load on the buttocks, especially the area close to ischial tuberosities. PMID:17601466

Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the Arm (PPP-Arm): The implementation of a national prosthesis prescription protocol.

PubMed

Wijdenes, Paula; Brouwers, Michael; van der Sluis, Corry K

2018-02-01

In order to create more uniformity in the prescription of upper limb prostheses by Dutch rehabilitation teams, the development and implementation of a Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the upper limb (PPP-Arm) was initiated. The aim was to create a national digital protocol to structure, underpin, and evaluate the prescription of upper limb prostheses for clients with acquired or congenital arm defects. Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the Arm (PPP-Arm) was developed on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning and consisted of several layers. All stakeholders (rehabilitation teams, orthopedic workshops, patients, and insurance companies) were involved in development and implementation. A national project coordinator and knowledge brokers in each team were essential for the project. PPP-Arm was successfully developed and implemented in nine Dutch rehabilitation teams. The protocol improved team collaboration, structure, and completeness of prosthesis prescriptions and treatment uniformity and might be interesting for other countries as well. Clinical relevance A national protocol to prescribe upper limb prostheses can be helpful to create uniformity in treatment of patients with upper limb defects. Such a protocol improves quality of care for all patients in the country.

Development of a manualized protocol of massage therapy for clinical trials in osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Ali, Ather; Kahn, Janet; Rosenberger, Lisa; Perlman, Adam I

2012-10-04

Clinical trial design of manual therapies may be especially challenging as techniques are often individualized and practitioner-dependent. This paper describes our methods in creating a standardized Swedish massage protocol tailored to subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee while respectful of the individualized nature of massage therapy, as well as implementation of this protocol in two randomized clinical trials. The manualization process involved a collaborative process between methodologic and clinical experts, with the explicit goals of creating a reproducible semi-structured protocol for massage therapy, while allowing some latitude for therapists' clinical judgment and maintaining consistency with a prior pilot study. The manualized protocol addressed identical specified body regions with distinct 30- and 60-min protocols, using standard Swedish strokes. Each protocol specifies the time allocated to each body region. The manualized 30- and 60-min protocols were implemented in a dual-site 24-week randomized dose-finding trial in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, and is currently being implemented in a three-site 52-week efficacy trial of manualized Swedish massage therapy. In the dose-finding study, therapists adhered to the protocols and significant treatment effects were demonstrated. The massage protocol was manualized, using standard techniques, and made flexible for individual practitioner and subject needs. The protocol has been applied in two randomized clinical trials. This manualized Swedish massage protocol has real-world utility and can be readily utilized both in the research and clinical settings. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00970008 (18 August 2009).

Jack Healy Remembers - Anecdotal Evidence for the Origin of the Approximate 24-hour Urine Sampling Protocol Used for Worker Bioassay Monitoring

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

Carbaugh, Eugene H.

2008-10-01

The origin of the approximate 24-hour urine sampling protocol used at Hanford for routine bioassay is attributed to an informal study done in the mid-1940s. While the actual data were never published and have been lost, anecdotal recollections by staff involved in the initial bioassay program design and administration suggest that the sampling protocol had a solid scientific basis. Numerous alternate methods for normalizing partial day samples to represent a total 24-hour collection have since been proposed and used, but no one method is obviously preferred.

Squeezed-state quantum key distribution with a Rindler observer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jian; Shi, Ronghua; Guo, Ying

2018-03-01

Lengthening the maximum transmission distance of quantum key distribution plays a vital role in quantum information processing. In this paper, we propose a directional squeezed-state protocol with signals detected by a Rindler observer in the relativistic quantum field framework. We derive an analytical solution to the transmission problem of squeezed states from the inertial sender to the accelerated receiver. The variance of the involved signal mode is closer to optimality than that of the coherent-state-based protocol. Simulation results show that the proposed protocol has better performance than the coherent-state counterpart especially in terms of the maximal transmission distance.

Is There Room in the Graduate Curriculum to Learn How to Be a Grad Student? An Approach Using a Graduate-Level Biochemical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aucoin, Marc G.; Jolicoeur, Mario

2009-01-01

Undergraduate and graduate engineering training differ significantly. The former looks to established protocols and formulas to design and control processes while the latter often involves questioning established protocols and formulas to better suit and describe phenomena. Although we do not dispute the benefits of practical hands-on approaches,…

Protecting Privacy and Securing the Gathering of Location Proofs - The Secure Location Verification Proof Gathering Protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Michelle; Gray, David

As wireless networks become increasingly ubiquitous, the demand for a method of locating a device has increased dramatically. Location Based Services are now commonplace but there are few methods of verifying or guaranteeing a location provided by a user without some specialised hardware, especially in larger scale networks. We propose a system for the verification of location claims, using proof gathered from neighbouring devices. In this paper we introduce a protocol to protect this proof gathering process, protecting the privacy of all involved parties and securing it from intruders and malicious claiming devices. We present the protocol in stages, extending the security of this protocol to allow for flexibility within its application. The Secure Location Verification Proof Gathering Protocol (SLVPGP) has been designed to function within the area of Vehicular Networks, although its application could be extended to any device with wireless & cryptographic capabilities.

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

Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Xu, Feihu; Siopsis, George

Quantum position verification (QPV) is the art of verifying the geographical location of an untrusted party. It has recently been shown that the widely studied Bennett & Brassard 1984 (BB84) QPV protocol is insecure after the 3 dB loss point assuming local operations and classical communication (LOCC) adversaries. Here in this paper, we propose a time-reversed entanglement swapping QPV protocol (based on measurement-device-independent quantum cryptography) that is highly robust against quantum channel loss. First, assuming ideal qubit sources, we show that the protocol is secure against LOCC adversaries for any quantum channel loss, thereby overcoming the 3 dB loss limit.more » Then, we analyze the security of the protocol in a more practical setting involving weak laser sources and linear optics. Lastly, in this setting, we find that the security only degrades by an additive constant and the protocol is able to verify positions up to 47 dB channel loss.« less

High-efficiency transformation by biolistics of soybean, common bean and cotton transgenic plants.

PubMed

Rech, Elibio L; Vianna, Giovanni R; Aragão, Francisco J L

2008-01-01

This protocol describes a method for high-frequency recovery of transgenic soybean, bean and cotton plants, by combining resistance to the herbicide imazapyr as a selectable marker, multiple shoot induction from embryonic axes of mature seeds and biolistics techniques. This protocol involves the following stages: plasmid design, preparation of soybean, common bean and cotton apical meristems for bombardment, microparticle-coated DNA bombardment of apical meristems and in vitro culture and selection of transgenic plants. The average frequencies (the total number of fertile transgenic plants divided by the total number of bombarded embryonic axes) of producing germline transgenic soybean and bean and cotton plants using this protocol are 9, 2.7 and 0.55%, respectively. This protocol is suitable for studies of gene function as well as the production of transgenic cultivars carrying different traits for breeding programs. This protocol can be completed in 7-10 months.

A rapid reversed-phase thin layer chromatographic protocol for detection of adulteration in ghee (clarified milk fat) with vegetable oils.

PubMed

Rani, Anupama; Sharma, Vivek; Arora, Sumit; Lal, Darshan; Kumar, Anil

2015-04-01

Detection of milk fat adulteration with foreign fats/oils continues to be a challenge for the dairy industry as well as food testing laboratories, especially in the present scenario of rampant adulteration using the scientific knowledge by unscrupulous persons involved in the trade. In the present investigation a rapid reversed-phase thin layer chromatographic (RP-TLC) protocol was standardized to ascertain the purity of milk fat. RP-TLC protocol did not show any false positive results in the genuine ghee (clarified butter fat) samples of known origin. Adulteration of ghee with coconut oil up to 7. 5 %, soybean oil, sunflower oil and groundnut oil up to 1 %, while, designer oil up to 2 % level could be detected using the standardized RP-TLC protocol. The protocol standardized is rapid and convenient to use.

Performance Evaluation of a SLA Negotiation Control Protocol for Grid Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cergol, Igor; Mirchandani, Vinod; Verchere, Dominique

A framework for an autonomous negotiation control protocol for service delivery is crucial to enable the support of heterogeneous service level agreements (SLAs) that will exist in distributed environments. We have first given a gist of our augmented service negotiation protocol to support distinct service elements. The augmentations also encompass related composition of the services and negotiation with several service providers simultaneously. All the incorporated augmentations will enable to consolidate the service negotiation operations for telecom networks, which are evolving towards Grid networks. Furthermore, our autonomous negotiation protocol is based on a distributed multi-agent framework to create an open market for Grid services. Second, we have concisely presented key simulation results of our work in progress. The results exhibit the usefulness of our negotiation protocol for realistic scenarios that involves different background traffic loading, message sizes and traffic flow asymmetry between background and negotiation traffics.

Loss-tolerant quantum secure positioning with weak laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Xu, Feihu; Siopsis, George; Chitambar, Eric; Evans, Philip G.; Qi, Bing

2016-09-01

Quantum position verification (QPV) is the art of verifying the geographical location of an untrusted party. Recently, it has been shown that the widely studied Bennett & Brassard 1984 (BB84) QPV protocol is insecure after the 3 dB loss point assuming local operations and classical communication (LOCC) adversaries. Here, we propose a time-reversed entanglement swapping QPV protocol (based on measurement-device-independent quantum cryptography) that is highly robust against quantum channel loss. First, assuming ideal qubit sources, we show that the protocol is secure against LOCC adversaries for any quantum channel loss, thereby overcoming the 3 dB loss limit. Then, we analyze the security of the protocol in a more practical setting involving weak laser sources and linear optics. In this setting, we find that the security only degrades by an additive constant and the protocol is able to verify positions up to 47 dB channel loss.

Research on low-latency MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Chenguang; Sha, Xuejun; Lee, Chankil

2007-11-01

Energy-efficient should not be the only design goal in MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks, which involve the use of battery-operated computing and sensing devices. Low-latency operation becomes the same important as energy-efficient in the case that the traffic load is very heavy or the real-time constrain is used in applications like tracking or locating. This paper introduces some causes of traditional time delays which are inherent in a multi-hops network using existing WSN MAC protocols, illuminates the importance of low-latency MAC design for wireless sensor networks, and presents three MACs as examples of low-latency protocols designed specially for sleep delay, wait delay and wakeup delay in wireless sensor networks, respectively. The paper also discusses design trade-offs with emphasis on low-latency and points out their advantages and disadvantages, together with some design considerations and suggestions for MAC protocols for future applications and researches.

Laser speckle imaging identification of increases in cortical microcirculatory blood flow induced by motor activity during awake craniotomy.

PubMed

Klijn, Eva; Hulscher, Hester C; Balvers, Rutger K; Holland, Wim P J; Bakker, Jan; Vincent, Arnaud J P E; Dirven, Clemens M F; Ince, Can

2013-02-01

The goal of awake neurosurgery is to maximize resection of brain lesions with minimal injury to functional brain areas. Laser speckle imaging (LSI) is a noninvasive macroscopic technique with high spatial and temporal resolution used to monitor changes in capillary perfusion. In this study, the authors hypothesized that LSI can be useful as a noncontact method of functional brain mapping during awake craniotomy for tumor removal. Such a modality would be an advance in this type of neurosurgery since current practice involves the application of invasive intraoperative single-point electrocortical (electrode) stimulation and measurements. After opening the dura mater, patients were woken up, and LSI was set up to image the exposed brain area. Patients were instructed to follow a rest-activation-rest protocol in which activation consisted of the hand-clenching motor task. Subsequently, exposed brain areas were mapped for functional motor areas by using standard electrocortical stimulation (ECS). Changes in the LSI signal were analyzed offline and compared with the results of ECS. In functional motor areas of the hand mapped with ECS, cortical blood flow measured using LSI significantly increased from 2052 ± 818 AU to 2471 ± 675 AU during hand clenching, whereas capillary blood flow did not change in the control regions (areas mapped using ECS with no functional activity). The main finding of this study was that changes in laser speckle perfusion as a measure of cortical microvascular blood flow when performing a motor task with the hand relate well to the ECS map. The authors have shown the feasibility of using LSI for direct visualization of cortical microcirculatory blood flow changes during neurosurgery.

Adrenocortical Response to Stress and Thyroid Hormone Status in Free-Living Nestling White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) Exposed to Heavy Metal and Arsenic Contamination

PubMed Central

Baos, Raquel; Blas, Julio; Bortolotti, Gary R.; Marchant, Tracy A.; Hiraldo, Fernando

2006-01-01

Background/Objective Endocrine parameters have proven useful in the detection of early or low-level responses to pollutants. Although most of the studies on endocrine modulation have been focused on processes involving gonadal steroids, contaminants may target other parts of the endocrine system as well. In this study we examined the adrenocortical stress response and thyroid hormone status in free-living nestling white storks (Ciconia ciconia) in relation to heavy metals (zinc, lead, copper, cadmium) and arsenic levels in blood. Methods Fieldwork was conducted in an area polluted by the Aznalcóllar mine accident (southwestern Spain) and in a reference site. We used a standardized capture, handling, and restraint protocol to determine both baseline and maximum plasma corticosterone. Circulating levels of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) were also measured. Results No effects of metals or As were found on baseline corticosterone, but maximum levels of corticosterone were positively related to Pb in both locations. This relationship was stronger in single nestlings than in birds from multiple-chick broods, which suggests a greater impact of Pb on more stressed individuals. Metal pollution did not affect plasma T4 or T3 levels, although thyroid status differed with location. Conclusions Because a compromised hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) function can have far-reaching consequences in terms of altered behavioral and metabolic processes necessary for survival, our results suggest that birds exposed to sublethal Pb levels may be at risk through an altered adrenocortical stress response, and further support the idea that HPA axis-related end points might be useful indicators of metal exposure and potential toxicity in wild animals. PMID:17035132

Comparison of the early response of human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells to ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Suchorska, Wiktoria Maria; Augustyniak, Ewelina; Łukjanow, Magdalena

2017-04-01

Despite the well-demonstrated efficacy of stem cell (SC) therapy, this approach has a number of key drawbacks. One important concern is the response of pluripotent SCs to treatment with ionizing radiation (IR), given that SCs used in regenerative medicine will eventually be exposed to IR for diagnostic or treatment‑associated purposes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine and compare early IR‑induced responses of pluripotent SCs to assess their radioresistance and radiosensitivity. In the present study, 3 cell lines; human embryonic SCs (hESCs), human induced pluripotent SCs (hiPSCs) and primary human dermal fibroblasts (PHDFs); were exposed to IR at doses ranging from 0 to 15 gray (Gy). Double strand breaks (DSBs), and the gene expression of the following DNA repair genes were analyzed: P53; RAD51; BRCA2; PRKDC; and XRCC4. hiPSCs demonstrated greater radioresistance, as fewer DSBs were identified, compared with hESCs. Both pluripotent SC lines exhibited distinct gene expression profiles in the most common DNA repair genes that are involved in homologous recombination, non‑homologous end‑joining and enhanced DNA damage response following IR exposure. Although hESCs and hiPSCs are equivalent in terms of capacity for pluripotency and differentiation into 3 germ layers, the results of the present study indicate that these 2 types of SCs differ in gene expression following exposure to IR. Consequently, further research is required to determine whether hiPSCs and hESCs are equally safe for application in clinical practice. The present study contributes to a greater understanding of DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms activated in pluripotent SCs and may aid in the future development of safe SC‑based clinical protocols.

The change in muscarinic receptor subtypes in different brain regions of rats treated with fluoxetine or propranolol in a model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Aykaç, Aslı; Aydın, Banu; Cabadak, Hülya; Gören, M Zafer

2012-06-15

This study shows the possible contribution of muscarinic receptors in the pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes were exposed to dirty cat litter (trauma) for 10 min and the protocol was repeated 1 week later with a trauma reminder (clean litter). The rats also received intraperitoneal fluoxetine (2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg/day), propranolol (10 mg/kg/day) or saline for 7 days between two exposure sessions. Functional behavioral experiments were performed using elevated plus maze, following exposure to trauma reminder. Western blot analyses for M(1), M(2), M(3), M(4) and M(5) receptor proteins were employed in the homogenates of the hippocampus, the frontal cortex and the amygdaloid complex. The anxiety indices increased from 0.63±0.02 to 0.89±0.04 in rats exposed to the trauma reminder. The freezing times were also recorded as 47±6 and 133±12 s, in control and test animals respectively. Fluoxetine or propranolol treatments restored the increases in the anxiety indices and the freezing times. Female rats had higher anxiety indices compared to males. Western blot data showed increases in M(2) and M(5) expression in the frontal cortex. Expression of M(1) receptors increased and M(4) subtype decreased in the hippocampus. In the amygdaloid complex of rats, we also detected a down-regulation of M(4) receptors. Fluoxetine and propranolol only corrected the changes occurred in the frontal cortex. These results may imply that muscarinic receptors are involved in this experimental model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased sensitivity of the non-human primate eye to microwave radiation following ophthalmic drug pretreatment.

PubMed

Kues, H A; Monahan, J C; D'Anna, S A; McLeod, D S; Lutty, G A; Koslov, S

1992-01-01

Previous studies in our laboratory have established that pulsed microwaves at 2.45 GHz and 10 mW/cm2 are associated with production of corneal endothelial lesions and with disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier in the non-human primate eye. In the study reported here we examined ocular damage in monkeys (M. mulatta and M. fascicularis) following topical treatment with one of two ophthalmic drugs (timolol maleate and pilocarpine) that preceded exposure to pulsed microwaves. Anesthetized monkeys were sham exposed or exposed to pulsed, 2.45 GHz microwaves (10 microseconds, 100 pps) at average power densities of 0.2, 1, 5, 10, or 15 mW/cm2 4 h a day for 3 consecutive days (respective SARs were 0.052, 0.26, 1.3, 2.6, and 3.9 W/kg). Immediately before microwave exposure, one or both eyes were treated topically with one drop of 0.5% timolol maleate or of 2% pilocarpine. Following administration of a drug, we observed a significant reduction in the power-density threshold (from 10 to 1 mW/cm2) for induction of corneal endothelial lesions and for increased vascular permeability of the iris. Diagnostic procedures (in vivo specular microscopy and fluorescein iris angiography) were performed following each exposure protocol. In addition, increased vascular permeability was confirmed with horseradish peroxidase tracer techniques. Although we did not measure intraocular temperatures in experimental animals, the results suggest that a mechanism other than significant heating of the eye is involved. Our data indicate that pulsed microwaves at an average SAR of 0.26 W/kg, if administered after pretreatment with ophthalmic drugs, can produce significant ocular effects in the anesthetized primate.

Avoidance behaviour response and esterase inhibition in the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, after exposure to chlorpyrifos.

PubMed

Martínez Morcillo, S; Yela, J L; Capowiez, Y; Mazzia, C; Rault, M; Sanchez-Hernandez, Juan C

2013-05-01

The avoidance response of earthworms to polluted soils has been standardised using a simple and low-cost test, which facilitates soil toxicity screening. In this study, the avoidance response of Lumbricus terrestris was quantified in chlorpyrifos-spiked soils, depending on the pesticide concentration and exposure duration. The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and carboxylesterase (CbE) activities was also determined as indirect measures of pesticide bioavailability. The effects of different chlorpyrifos concentrations were examined in a standardised test (two-chamber system) with 0.6, 3 and 15 mg/kg chlorpyrifos. A modification of the test involved a pre-exposure step (24, 48 or 72 h) in soils spiked with 15 mg/kg. In both protocols, earthworms were unable to avoid the contaminated soils. However, the esterase activities showed that all earthworms were exposed to chlorpyrifos. Acetylcholinesterase activity did not change in earthworms in the standardised behavioural test (0.58 ± 0.20 U/mg protein, mean ± SD; n = 72), whereas the CbE activity was significantly inhibited (62-87 % inhibition) in earthworms exposed to 3 and 15 mg/kg. In the modified test, earthworms had greatly inhibited AChE activity (0.088 ± 0.034 U/mg protein, n = 72), which was supported by reactivation of the inhibited enzyme activity in the presence of pralidoxime (2-PAM). Similarly, the CbE activity was significantly inhibited in earthworms with all treatments. This study suggests that the avoidance behaviour test for organophosphorus-contaminated soils could be supported by specific biomarkers to facilitate a better understanding of pesticide exposure and toxicity during this test.

Effects of simulant mixed waste on EPDM and butyl rubber

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

Nigrey, P.J.; Dickens, T.G.

1997-11-01

The authors have developed a Chemical Compatibility Testing Program for the evaluation of plastic packaging components which may be used in transporting mixed waste forms. In this program, they have screened 10 plastic materials in four liquid mixed waste simulants. These plastics were butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer (Nitrile) rubber, cross-linked polyethylene, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene-propylene (EPDM) rubber, fluorocarbons (Viton and Kel-F{trademark}), polytetrafluoro-ethylene (Teflon), high-density polyethylene, isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (Butyl) rubber, polypropylene, and styrene-butadiene (SBR) rubber. The selected simulant mixed wastes were (1) an aqueous alkaline mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite; (2) a chlorinated hydrocarbon mixture; (3) a simulant liquid scintillation fluid; andmore » (4) a mixture of ketones. The screening testing protocol involved exposing the respective materials to approximately 3 kGy of gamma radiation followed by 14-day exposures to the waste simulants at 60 C. The rubber materials or elastomers were tested using Vapor Transport Rate measurements while the liner materials were tested using specific gravity as a metric. The authors have developed a chemical compatibility program for the evaluation of plastic packaging components which may be incorporated in packaging for transporting mixed waste forms. From the data analyses performed to date, they have identified the thermoplastic, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, as having the greatest chemical compatibility after having been exposed to gamma radiation followed by exposure to the Hanford Tank simulant mixed waste. The most striking observation from this study was the poor performance of polytetrafluoroethylene under these conditions. In the evaluation of the two elastomeric materials they have concluded that while both materials exhibit remarkable resistance to these environmental conditions, EPDM has a greater resistance to this corrosive simulant mixed waste.« less

Cardiac treatment in neuro-muscular diseases.

PubMed

Nigro, G; Politano, L; Passamano, L; Palladino, A; De Luca, F; Nigro, Ge; Comi, L I

2006-12-01

The authors have been treating heart involvement in muscle dystrophy since 1978. However, this study aimed to define recent therapeutic protocols, evaluating the results of cardiac treatment, performed between 1st February 2004 and 31st July, 2006. In this period, 100 Becker, 136 Duchenne, 44 Limb-girdle and 116 Steinert patients were treated. In that same period, a large group of MD patients refusing cardiac therapy have also been followed. All patients had previously been classified in the appropriate stage of cardiomyopathy and examined at least twice every year and even every week if presenting heart failure. The results show the usefulness of the recent protocols of treatment of cardiac involvement in muscle dystrophy patients.

Response of tibialis anterior tendon to a chronic exposure of stretch-shortening cycles: age effects

PubMed Central

Ensey, James S; Hollander, Melinda S; Wu, John Z; Kashon, Michael L; Baker, Brent B; Cutlip, Robert G

2009-01-01

Background The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of aging on tendon response to repetitive exposures of stretch-shortening cycles (SSC's). Methods The left hind limb from young (3 mo, N = 4) and old (30 mo, N = 9) male Fisher 344 × Brown Norway rats were exposed to 80 maximal SSCs (60 deg/s, 50 deg range of motion) 3x/week for 4.5 weeks in vivo. After the last exposure, tendons from the tibialis anterior muscle were isolated, stored at -80°C, and then tested using a micro-mechanical testing machine. Deformation of each tendon was evaluated using both relative grip-to-grip displacements and reference marks via a video system. Results At failure, the young control tendons had higher strain magnitude than the young exposed (p < 0.01) and the old control tendons (p < .0001). Total load at inflection was affected by age only (p < 0.01). Old exposed and control tendons exhibited significantly higher loads at the inflection point than their young counterparts (p < 0.05 for both comparisons). At failure, the old exposed tendons carried higher loads than the young exposed tendons (p < 0.05). Stiffness was affected by age only at failure where the old tendons exhibited higher stiffness in both exposed and control tendons than their young counterparts (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion The chronic protocol enhanced the elastic stiffness of young tendon and the loads in both the young and old tendons. The old exposed tendons were found to exhibit higher load capacity than their younger counterparts, which differed from our initial hypothesis. PMID:19563638

Children Exposed to Cocaine: Characteristics and Implications for Research and Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Betty Fry; Howard, Vikki F.

1993-01-01

This paper examines physiological and ecological issues involved in the deficits and disabilities of children prenatally exposed to cocaine. It discusses the extent of the problem, physiological effects of cocaine, risks to pregnant women and their babies, long-term effects, and implications for research and intervention. (Author/JDD)

Seeds: A Celebration of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melton, Bob

The Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students (SEEDS) Project offered science classes at the 5-12 and college levels the opportunity to conduct experiments involving tomato seeds that had been space-exposed over long periods of time. SEEDS kits were complete packages obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for…

Peer Review and Publication of Research Protocols and Proposals: A Role for Open Access Journals

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Peer-review and publication of research protocols offer several advantages to all parties involved. Among these are the following opportunities for authors: external expert opinion on the methods, demonstration to funding agencies of prior expert review of the protocol, proof of priority of ideas and methods, and solicitation of potential collaborators. We think that review and publication of protocols is an important role for Open Access journals. Because of their electronic form, openness for readers, and author-pays business model, they are better suited than traditional journals to ensure the sustainability and quality of protocol reviews and publications. In this editorial, we describe the workflow for investigators in eHealth research, from protocol submission to a funding agency, to protocol review and (optionally) publication at JMIR, to registration of trials at the International eHealth Study Registry (IESR), and to publication of the report. One innovation at JMIR is that protocol peer reviewers will be paid a honorarium, which will be drawn partly from a new submission fee for protocol reviews. Separating the article processing fee into a submission and a publishing fee will allow authors to opt for “peer-review only” (without subsequent publication) at reduced costs, if they wish to await a funding decision or for other reasons decide not to make the protocol public. PMID:15471763

Peer-review and publication of research protocols and proposals: a role for open access journals.

PubMed

Eysenbach, Gunther

2004-09-30

Peer-review and publication of research protocols offer several advantages to all parties involved. Among these are the following opportunities for authors: external expert opinion on the methods, demonstration to funding agencies of prior expert review of the protocol, proof of priority of ideas and methods, and solicitation of potential collaborators. We think that review and publication of protocols is an important role for Open Access journals. Because of their electronic form, openness for readers, and author-pays business model, they are better suited than traditional journals to ensure the sustainability and quality of protocol reviews and publications. In this editorial, we describe the workflow for investigators in eHealth research, from protocol submission to a funding agency, to protocol review and (optionally) publication at JMIR, to registration of trials at the International eHealth Study Registry (IESR), and to publication of the report. One innovation at JMIR is that protocol peer reviewers will be paid a honorarium, which will be drawn partly from a new submission fee for protocol reviews. Separating the article processing fee into a submission and a publishing fee will allow authors to opt for "peer-review only" (without subsequent publication) at reduced costs, if they wish to await a funding decision or for other reasons decide not to make the protocol public.

Overview of epidemiologic studies of radiation and cancer risk based on medical series

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

Howe, G.R.

1997-03-01

Epidemiologic studies of individuals exposed to ionizing radiation for medical reasons have made important contributions to understanding of the relationship between such radiation and subsequent cancer risk. In this paper the strengths and limitations of medical studies are considered and their future potential usefulness is discussed. Studies may be broadly classified into two types, namely, those of individuals exposed for therapeutic purposes such as the study of ankylosing spondylytics and those of individuals exposed for diagnostic or examination purposes such as those of tuberculosis patients routinely examined by chest fluoroscopy. In general, studies of therapeutic exposures tend to involve highmore » doses of radiation given at high dose rates and in a relatively small number of fractions, whereas studies of diagnostic exposures tend to involve relatively low doses, low dose rates and many fractions. However, these generalizations are not always true: for example, in the fluoroscopy studies some patients received doses to organs such as breast and lung which were substantially higher than those experienced in the atomic bomb survivors study and in a study of Israeli children treated with radiation for tinea capitis the average thyroid dose was reported to be low, and only about 0.09 gray. These studies illustrate one of the most important advantages of medical series, namely the variety of such studies in terms of the characteristics of the radiation involved (linear energy transfer characteristics, dose range, dose rate, and fractionation), the organs exposed and hence potentially at risk, and the characteristics of those exposed to such radiation.« less

Military and Veterans Rehabilitation and Recovery from Injury Network (MAVERICK): Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

veterans with combat- related mTBI and non-TBI combat-exposed controls on comprehensive neuropsychological, neuroimaging, genomics , biomarkers, and...existing VA healthcare data to study the chronic effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on neurodegenerative disease and other comorbidities... mice at different time points pre- and post- single mTBI and repetitive mTBI, and g. Began analysis of tissues samples obtained via the protocol. IX

Epidemiologic Investigation of Health Effects in Air Force Personnel Following Exposure to Herbicides: Study Protocol

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

the use of combinational and correlational analysis, statements about the prohability of a disease state, a subclinical state, * and/or over-reporting...phyria cutanea tarda and hypothyroidism have also been linked to 2,4,5-T/TCDD exposure. Other symptoms such as asthenia, liver and renal dysfunction...decrease in the prevalence and severity of chloracne in the exposed population; (2) an increase in clinical and subclinical neurologic disease as

Biomarkers to Assess Possible Biological Effects on Reproductive Potential, Immune Function, and Energetic Fitness of Bottlenose Dolphins Exposed to Sounds Consistent with Naval Sonars

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

ion modes. The resulting chromatograms were then processed using XCMS (alignment and peak picking ). The data were processed with in-house...UHPLC liquid chromatography Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry ( MS ). A standard method was developed for rapid analysis...extraction protocols and then implemented LC- MS / MS analyses on our Thermo Fisher Scientific TSQ Vantage triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. This

Monitoring of occupational exposure to methylene chloride: sampling protocol and stability of urine samples.

PubMed

Hoffer, Erica; Tabak, Arek; Shcherb, Inna; Wiener, Avi; Bentur, Yedidia

2005-01-01

A sampling protocol for biomonitoring of the volatile solvent methylene chloride (MeCl(2)) by analysis of urine from exposed workers was established. Storage temperature, sample volume in headspace vial (HSV), and time to sealing HSV on determination of MeCl(2) in urine were evaluated. MeCl(2) was analyzed by a solid-phase microextraction technique combined with gas chromatography. Volume of urine in HSV has no effect on MeCl(2) analysis. Delays of 30 and 60 min from collection of urine until sealing the HSV caused 14.47 +/- 6.98% and 26.17 +/- 9.57% decreases from baseline concentration, respectively. MeCl(2) concentration in spiked urine samples stored in sealed HSVs decreased on day 2 and then remained stable for 2 weeks. Refrigeration did not improve recovery although it seems to be associated with less variability. MeCl(2) in urine samples of seven exposed workers was in the range of 0.02-0.06 mg/L. Sampling of MeCl(2)-containing urine should include collection of urine in closed plastic bottles, transfer to HSV within 15 min, sealing and clamping of HSV within 15 s, and storage of HSV in refrigeration until analysis, but no longer than 2 weeks. Standard samples should be prepared on the day of test sample collection and handled under the same conditions.

Occupational styrene exposure induces stress-responsive genes involved in cytoprotective and cytotoxic activities.

PubMed

Strafella, Elisabetta; Bracci, Massimo; Staffolani, Sara; Manzella, Nicola; Giantomasi, Daniele; Valentino, Matteo; Amati, Monica; Tomasetti, Marco; Santarelli, Lory

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of a panel of genes involved in toxicology in response to styrene exposure at levels below the occupational standard setting. Workers in a fiber glass boat industry were evaluated for a panel of stress- and toxicity-related genes and associated with biochemical parameters related to hepatic injury. Urinary styrene metabolites (MA+PGA) of subjects and environmental sampling data collected for air at workplace were used to estimate styrene exposure. Expression array analysis revealed massive upregulation of genes encoding stress-responsive proteins (HSPA1L, EGR1, IL-6, IL-1β, TNSF10 and TNFα) in the styrene-exposed group; the levels of cytokines released were further confirmed in serum. The exposed workers were then stratified by styrene exposure levels. EGR1 gene upregulation paralleled the expression and transcriptional protein levels of IL-6, TNSF10 and TNFα in styrene exposed workers, even at low level. The activation of the EGR1 pathway observed at low-styrene exposure was associated with a slight increase of hepatic markers found in highly exposed subjects, even though they were within normal range. The ALT and AST levels were not affected by alcohol consumption, and positively correlated with urinary styrene metabolites as evaluated by multiple regression analysis. The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFα are the primary mediators of processes involved in the hepatic injury response and regeneration. Here, we show that styrene induced stress responsive genes involved in cytoprotection and cytotoxicity at low-exposure, that proceed to a mild subclinical hepatic toxicity at high-styrene exposure.

Comparison of 10 efficient protocols for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis: How relevant are effective light dose and local damage in predicting the complete response rate at 3 months?

PubMed

Vignion-Dewalle, Anne-Sophie; Baert, Gregory; Thecua, Elise; Lecomte, Fabienne; Vicentini, Claire; Abi-Rached, Henry; Mortier, Laurent; Mordon, Serge

2018-04-18

Topical photodynamic therapy is an established treatment modality for various dermatological conditions, including actinic keratosis. In Europe, the approved protocols for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis involve irradiation with either an Aktilite CL 128 lamp or daylight, whereas irradiation with the Blu-U illuminator is approved in the United States. Many other protocols using irradiation by a variety of light sources are also clinically efficient. This paper aims to compare 10 different protocols with clinically proven efficacy for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis and the available spectral irradiance of the light source. Effective irradiance, effective light dose, and local damage are compared. We also investigate whether there is an association between the complete response rate at 3 months and the effective light dose or local damage. The effective irradiance, also referred to as protoporphyrin IX-weighted irradiance, is obtained by integrating the spectral irradiance weighted by the normalized absorption spectrum of protoporphyrin IX over the wavelength. Integrating the effective irradiance over the irradiation time yields the effective light dose, which is also known as the protoporphyrin IX-weighted light dose. Local damage, defined as the total cumulative singlet oxygen molecules produced during treatment, is estimated using mathematical modeling of the photodynamic therapy process. This modeling is based on an iterative procedure taking into account the spatial and temporal variations in the protoporphyrin IX absorption spectrum during treatment. The protocol for daylight photodynamic therapy on a clear sunny day, the protocol for daylight photodynamic therapy on an overcast day, the photodynamic therapy protocol for a white LED lamp for operating rooms and the photodynamic therapy protocol for the Blu-U illuminator perform better than the six other protocols-all involving red light illumination-in terms of both effective light dose and local damage. However, no association between the complete response rate at 3 months and the effective light dose or local damage was found. Protocols that achieve high complete response rates at 3 months and low pain scores should be preferred regardless of the effective light dose and local damage. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strengthening of the Hip and Core Versus Knee Muscles for the Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Ferber, Reed; Bolgla, Lori; Earl-Boehm, Jennifer E.; Emery, Carolyn; Hamstra-Wright, Karrie

2015-01-01

Context: Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the most common injury in running and jumping athletes. Randomized controlled trials suggest that incorporating hip and core strengthening (HIP) with knee-focused rehabilitation (KNEE) improves PFP outcomes. However, no randomized controlled trials have, to our knowledge, directly compared HIP and KNEE programs. Objective: To compare PFP pain, function, hip- and knee-muscle strength, and core endurance between KNEE and HIP protocols after 6 weeks of rehabilitation. We hypothesized greater improvements in (1) pain and function, (2) hip strength and core endurance for patients with PFP involved in the HIP protocol, and (3) knee strength for patients involved in the KNEE protocol. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: Four clinical research laboratories in Calgary, Alberta; Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Augusta, Georgia. Patients or Other Participants: Of 721 patients with PFP screened, 199 (27.6%) met the inclusion criteria (66 men [31.2%], 133 women [66.8%], age = 29.0 ± 7.1 years, height = 170.4 ± 9.4 cm, weight = 67.6 ± 13.5 kg). Intervention(s): Patients with PFP were randomly assigned to a 6-week KNEE or HIP protocol. Main Outcome Measure(s): Primary variables were self-reported visual analog scale and Anterior Knee Pain Scale measures, which were conducted weekly. Secondary variables were muscle strength and core endurance measured at baseline and at 6 weeks. Results: Compared with baseline, both the visual analog scale and the Anterior Knee Pain Scale improved for patients with PFP in both the HIP and KNEE protocols (P < .001), but the visual analog scale scores for those in the HIP protocol were reduced 1 week earlier than in the KNEE group. Both groups increased in strength (P < .001), but those in the HIP protocol gained more in hip-abductor (P = .01) and -extensor (P = .01) strength and posterior core endurance (P = .05) compared with the KNEE group. Conclusions: Both the HIP and KNEE rehabilitation protocols produced improvements in PFP, function, and strength over 6 weeks. Although outcomes were similar, the HIP protocol resulted in earlier resolution of pain and greater overall gains in strength compared with the KNEE protocol. PMID:25365133

Interactions involving ozone, Botrytis cinerea, and B. squamosa on onion leaves

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

Rist, D.L.

1983-01-01

Interactions involving Botrytis cinerea Pers., B. squamosa Walker, and ozone on onion (alium cepae L.) were investigated. Initially, threshold dosages of ozone required to predispose onion leaves to greater infection by B. cinerea and B. squamosa were determined under controlled conditions in an ozone-exposure chamber. Subsequent experiments supported the hypothesis that nutrients leaking out of ozone-injured cells stimulated lesion production by B. cinerea. The electrical conductivity of, and carbohydrate concentration in, dew collected from leaves of onion plants which had been exposed to ozone were greater than the electrical conductivity of, and carbohydrate concentration in, dew collected from leaves ofmore » other, non-exposed onion plants. When conidia of B. cinerea were suspended in dew collected from leaves of plants which had been exposed to ozone and the resulting suspension atomized onto leaves of non-exposed plants, more lesions were induced than on leaves of other non-exposed plants inoculated with conidia suspended in dew collected from plants which had not been exposed to ozone. EDU protected onion leaves from ozone-induced predisposition to these fungi under controlled conditions. Experiments designed to detect interaction between B. cinerea and B. squamosa in onion leaf blighting indicated that such interaction did not occur. Leaves were blighted rapidly when inoculated with B. squamosa whether B. cinerea was present or absent.« less

Transcript Quantification of Genes Involved in Steviol Glycoside Biosynthesis in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

PubMed

Modi, Arpan; Kumar, Nitish; Narayanan, Subhash

2016-01-01

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a medicinal plant having sweet, diterpenoid glycosides known as steviol glycosides which are 200-300 times sweeter than sucrose (0.4 % solution). They are synthesized mainly in the leaves via plastid localized 2-C-methyl-D-erythrose-4-phosphate pathway (MEP pathway). Fifteen genes are involved in the formation of these glycosides. In the present protocol, a method for the quantification of transcripts of these genes is shown. The work involves RNA extraction and cDNA preparation, and therefore, procedures for the confirmation of DNA-free cDNA preparation have also been illustrated. Moreover, details of plant treatments are not mentioned as this protocol may apply to relative gene expression profile in any medicinal plant with any treatment. The treatments are numbered as T0 (Control), T1, T2, T3, and T4.

Erratum: Development, appraisal, validation and implementation of a consensus protocol for the assessment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in post-mortem brain tissue.

PubMed

Love, Seth; Chalmers, Katy; Ince, Paul; Esiri, Margaret; Attems, Johannes; Kalaria, Raj; Jellinger, Kurt; Yamada, Masahito; McCarron, Mark; Minett, Thais; Matthews, Fiona; Greenberg, Steven; Mann, David; Kehoe, Patrick Gavin

2015-01-01

In a collaboration involving 11 groups with research interests in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), we used a two-stage process to develop and in turn validate a new consensus protocol and scoring scheme for the assessment of CAA and associated vasculopathic abnormalities in post-mortem brain tissue. Stage one used an iterative Delphi-style survey to develop the consensus protocol. The resultant scoring scheme was tested on a series of digital images and paraffin sections that were circulated blind to a number of scorers. The scoring scheme and choice of staining methods were refined by open-forum discussion. The agreed protocol scored parenchymal and meningeal CAA on a 0-3 scale, capillary CAA as present/absent and vasculopathy on 0-2 scale, in the 4 cortical lobes that were scored separately. A further assessment involving three centres was then undertaken. Neuropathologists in three centres (Bristol, Oxford and Sheffield) independently scored sections from 75 cases (25 from each centre) and high inter-rater reliability was demonstrated. Stage two used the results of the three-centre assessment to validate the protocol by investigating previously described associations between APOE genotype (previously determined), and both CAA and vasculopathy. Association of capillary CAA with or without arteriolar CAA with APOE ε4 was confirmed. However APOE ε2 was also found to be a strong risk factor for the development of CAA, not only in AD but also in elderly non-demented controls. Further validation of this protocol and scoring scheme is encouraged, to aid its wider adoption to facilitate collaborative and replication studies of CAA.[This corrects the article on p. 19 in vol. 3, PMID: 24754000.].

Development, appraisal, validation and implementation of a consensus protocol for the assessment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in post-mortem brain tissue

PubMed Central

Love, Seth; Chalmers, Katy; Ince, Paul; Esiri, Margaret; Attems, Johannes; Kalaria, Raj; Jellinger, Kurt; Yamada, Masahito; McCarron, Mark; Minett, Thais; Matthews, Fiona; Greenberg, Steven; Mann, David; Kehoe, Patrick Gavin

2015-01-01

In a collaboration involving 11 groups with research interests in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), we used a two-stage process to develop and in turn validate a new consensus protocol and scoring scheme for the assessment of CAA and associated vasculopathic abnormalities in post-mortem brain tissue. Stage one used an iterative Delphi-style survey to develop the consensus protocol. The resultant scoring scheme was tested on a series of digital images and paraffin sections that were circulated blind to a number of scorers. The scoring scheme and choice of staining methods were refined by open-forum discussion. The agreed protocol scored parenchymal and meningeal CAA on a 0-3 scale, capillary CAA as present/absent and vasculopathy on 0-2 scale, in the 4 cortical lobes that were scored separately. A further assessment involving three centres was then undertaken. Neuropathologists in three centres (Bristol, Oxford and Sheffield) independently scored sections from 75 cases (25 from each centre) and high inter-rater reliability was demonstrated. Stage two used the results of the three-centre assessment to validate the protocol by investigating previously described associations between APOE genotype (previously determined), and both CAA and vasculopathy. Association of capillary CAA with or without arteriolar CAA with APOE ε4 was confirmed. However APOE ε2 was also found to be a strong risk factor for the development of CAA, not only in AD but also in elderly non-demented controls. Further validation of this protocol and scoring scheme is encouraged, to aid its wider adoption to facilitate collaborative and replication studies of CAA. PMID:26807344

Development, appraisal, validation and implementation of a consensus protocol for the assessment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in post-mortem brain tissue

PubMed Central

Love, Seth; Chalmers, Katy; Ince, Paul; Esiri, Margaret; Attems, Johannes; Jellinger, Kurt; Yamada, Masahito; McCarron, Mark; Minett, Thais; Matthews, Fiona; Greenberg, Steven; Mann, David; Kehoe, Patrick Gavin

2014-01-01

In a collaboration involving 11 groups with research interests in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), we used a two-stage process to develop and in turn validate a new consensus protocol and scoring scheme for the assessment of CAA and associated vasculopathic abnormalities in post-mortem brain tissue. Stage one used an iterative Delphi-style survey to develop the consensus protocol. The resultant scoring scheme was tested on a series of digital images and paraffin sections that were circulated blind to a number of scorers. The scoring scheme and choice of staining methods were refined by open-forum discussion. The agreed protocol scored parenchymal and meningeal CAA on a 0-3 scale, capillary CAA as present/absent and vasculopathy on 0-2 scale, in the 4 cortical lobes that were scored separately. A further assessment involving three centres was then undertaken. Neuropathologists in three centres (Bristol, Oxford and Sheffield) independently scored sections from 75 cases (25 from each centre) and high inter-rater reliability was demonstrated. Stage two used the results of the three-centre assessment to validate the protocol by investigating previously described associations between APOE genotype (previously determined), and both CAA and vasculopathy. Association of capillary CAA with or without arteriolar CAA with APOE ε4 was confirmed. However APOE ε2 was also found to be a strong risk factor for the development of CAA, not only in AD but also in elderly non-demented controls. Further validation of this protocol and scoring scheme is encouraged, to aid its wider adoption to facilitate collaborative and replication studies of CAA. PMID:24754000

Adherence to, and outcomes of, a galactomannan screening protocol in high-risk hematology patients.

PubMed

Harricharan, S; Biederman, K; Bombassaro, A M; Lazo-Langner, A; Elsayed, S; Fulford, A; Delport, J A; Xenocostas, A

2018-04-01

A twice-weekly galactomannan (gm) screening protocol was implemented in high-risk hematology inpatients. Study objectives were to determine adherence to the protocol, use of selected resources, and patient outcomes. This retrospective cohort study compared outcomes of interest before and after implementation of gm screening. Adults undergoing matched related allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation or induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia were eligible. Patients could be enrolled more than once and were evaluated as episodes. Adherence to the gm protocol was assessed in post-implementation episodes. Use of broad-spectrum antifungals (bsafs), consultations (infectious diseases, respirology), and diagnostic procedures (computed tomography imaging, bronchoalveolar lavage) were compared between phases, as were the patient outcomes of all-cause mortality and clinical success (alive and not taking a bsaf). Of 182 episodes consecutively screened, 70 per phase were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and duration of assessment were similar for the phases. Full or partial adherence to the protocol was observed in 61 post-implementation episodes (87%), with full adherence in 40 episodes (57%). More episodes in the pre-implementation phase than in the post-implementation phase involved receipt of bsafs, consultations, and diagnostics (27% vs. 7%, p = 0.02; 46% vs. 26%, p = 0.014; and 46% vs. 31%, p = 0.083 respectively). Although mortality was similar in the two phases, clinical success at the final assessment was observed in fewer pre-implementation than post-implementation episodes (79% vs. 98%, p < 0.001). Implementation of a gm screening protocol was feasible and associated with significantly fewer episodes involving receipt of bsafs and consultations, and with significantly more episodes showing clinical success.

Preparing Your Staff for Emergencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer-Starks, Suanne

2003-01-01

Camps should have emergency protocols in place and involve appropriate personnel in their development. Staff should be certified in first aid and CPR, a recordkeeping system should be established, and mock emergencies should be practiced during staff orientation. It may also be advisable to involve campers in practice situations. First aid/CPR…

Virtual Global Transplant Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures for Blood Collection, PBMC Isolation, and Storage.

PubMed

Higdon, Lauren E; Lee, Karim; Tang, Qizhi; Maltzman, Jonathan S

2016-09-01

Research on human immune responses frequently involves the use of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) immediately, or at significantly delayed timepoints, after collection. This requires PBMC isolation from whole blood and cryopreservation for some applications. It is important to standardize protocols for blood collection, PBMC isolation, cryopreservation, and thawing that maximize survival and functionality of PBMC at the time of analysis. This resource includes detailed protocols describing blood collection tubes, isolation of PBMC using a density gradient, cryopreservation of PBMC, and thawing of cells as well as preparation for functional assays. For each protocol, we include important considerations, such as timing, storage temperatures, and freezing rate. In addition, we provide alternatives so that researchers can make informed decisions in determining the optimal protocol for their application.

Extending IPsec for Efficient Remote Attestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi, Ahmad-Reza; Schulz, Steffen

When establishing a VPN to connect different sites of a network, the integrity of the involved VPN endpoints is often a major security concern. Based on the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), available in many computing platforms today, remote attestation mechanisms can be used to evaluate the internal state of remote endpoints automatically. However, existing protocols and extensions are either unsuited for use with IPsec or impose considerable additional implementation complexity and protocol overhead.

Decontaminating materials used in ground water sampling devices: Organic contaminants

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

Parker, L.V.; Ranney, T.A.

2000-12-31

In these studies, the efficiency of various decontamination protocols was tested on small pieces of materials commonly used in ground water sampling devices. Three materials, which ranged in ability to sorb organic solutes, were tested: stainless steel (SS), rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The test pieces were exposed to two aqueous test solutions: One contained three volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and one nitroaromatic compound, and the other contained four pesticides. Also, three types of polymetic tubing were exposed to pesticide solutions. Generally, the contact times were 10 minutes and 24 hours for sorption and desorption. The contaminants weremore » removed from the nonpermeable SS and the less-sorptive rigid PVC test pieces simply by washing with a hot detergent solution and rinsing with hot water. Additional treatment was required for the PTFE test pieces exposed to the VOCs and for the low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubing exposed to the pesticide test solution. Solvent rinsing did not improve removal of the three VOCs form the PTFE and only marginally improved removal of the residual pesticides from the LDPE. However, a hot water and detergent wash and rinse followed by oven drying at approximately 105 C was effective for removing the VOCs from the PTFE and substantially reduced pesticide contamination from the LDPE.« less

Biometrics IRB best practices and data protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehnen, Christopher; Bolme, David; Flynn, Patrick

2015-05-01

The collection of data from human subjects for biometrics research in the United States requires the development of a data collection protocol that is reviewed by a Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB reviews the protocol for risks and approves it if it meets the criteria for approval specified in the relevant Federal regulations (45 CFR 46). Many other countries operate similar mechanisms for the protection of human subjects. IRBs review protocols for safety, confidentiality, and for minimization of risk associated with identity disclosure. Since biometric measurements are potentially identifying, IRB scrutiny of biometrics data collection protocols can be expected to be thorough. This paper discusses the intricacies of IRB best practices within the worldwide biometrics community. This is important because research decisions involving human subjects are made at a local level and do not set a precedent for decisions made by another IRB board. In many cases, what one board approves is not approved by another board, resulting in significant inconsistencies that prove detrimental to both researchers and human subjects. Furthermore, the level of biometrics expertise may be low on IRBs, which can contribute to the unevenness of reviews. This publication will suggest possible best practices for designing and seeking IRB approval for human subjects research involving biometrics measurements. The views expressed are the opinions of the authors.

SNMP-SI: A Network Management Tool Based on Slow Intelligence System Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colace, Francesco; de Santo, Massimo; Ferrandino, Salvatore

The last decade has witnessed an intense spread of computer networks that has been further accelerated with the introduction of wireless networks. Simultaneously with, this growth has increased significantly the problems of network management. Especially in small companies, where there is no provision of personnel assigned to these tasks, the management of such networks is often complex and malfunctions can have significant impacts on their businesses. A possible solution is the adoption of Simple Network Management Protocol. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a standard protocol used to exchange network management information. It is part of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol suite. SNMP provides a tool for network administrators to manage network performance, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth. SNMP has a big disadvantage: its simple design means that the information it deals with is neither detailed nor well organized enough to deal with the expanding modern networking requirements. Over the past years much efforts has been given to improve the lack of Simple Network Management Protocol and new frameworks has been developed: A promising approach involves the use of Ontology. This is the starting point of this paper where a novel approach to the network management based on the use of the Slow Intelligence System methodologies and Ontology based techniques is proposed. Slow Intelligence Systems is a general-purpose systems characterized by being able to improve performance over time through a process involving enumeration, propagation, adaptation, elimination and concentration. Therefore, the proposed approach aims to develop a system able to acquire, according to an SNMP standard, information from the various hosts that are in the managed networks and apply solutions in order to solve problems. To check the feasibility of this model first experimental results in a real scenario are showed.

MRI features after radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma with cooled probes and impedance-control energy delivery.

PubMed

Cantwell, Colin P; Kerr, Jennifer; O'Byrne, John; Eustace, Stephen

2006-05-01

The purposes of our study were to determine the temporal changes in MR signal in bone after radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma and the size of the zone of marrow signal change produced by the radiofrequency technique and to compare the size of the zone with published data for radiofrequency ablation with manual-control protocols. Radiofrequency ablation was performed in 10 patients with a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of osteoid osteoma. A cooled radiofrequency probe was inserted in the nidus. Twelve minutes of radiofrequency energy was applied from a 200-W radiofrequency generator in an impedance-control setting. MRI with multiplanar turbo spin-echo T1-weighted and STIR sequences was performed at 1, 7, and 28 days after the procedure in seven patients. The three remaining patients had follow-up imaging at 28 days only. The images were reviewed by two radiologists who categorized the imaging features and measured the marrow zone of signal alteration when visible. The size of the zone of marrow signal change produced by the radiofrequency technique was compared with published data for radiofrequency ablation with manual-control protocols. A 1-mm band of homogeneous altered marrow signal distributed symmetrically parallel to the entire probe tract was seen earliest, at 1 day, in the femoral neck lesion treated with the 2-cm probe. The band was low signal on the T1 sequence and high signal on the STIR sequence, and the diameter of the zone was 27 mm. By 7 days, five of the seven treated bones showed a band of marrow signal alteration. By 28 days, all 10 treated bones had a band of marrow signal alteration. The interband distance at 90 degrees to the probe measured on STIR images at 28 days was a mean of 20.9 mm (confidence interval, 16.1-25.7 mm [p < 0.05]; range +/- measurement error, 10.5-35 +/- 1.64 mm) with a 1-cm probe and 30.5 mm (measurement error, +/- 0.78 mm) on T1 images without contrast material when a 2-cm exposed-tip probe was used. Higher-output generators with impedance-control software and internally cooled radiofrequency probes with longer exposed tips produce larger zones of marrow signal change than expected with manual-control protocols. MRI allows detection of temporal marrow signal change after radiofrequency ablation. The marrow signal change with a high-energy delivery protocol is larger than manual-control protocols.

[Multidisciplinary protocol for computed tomography imaging and angiographic embolization of splenic injury due to trauma: assessment of pre-protocol and post-protocol outcomes].

PubMed

Koo, M; Sabaté, A; Magalló, P; García, M A; Domínguez, J; de Lama, M E; López, S

2011-11-01

To assess conservative treatment of splenic injury due to trauma, following a protocol for computed tomography (CT) and angiographic embolization. To quantify the predictive value of CT for detecting bleeding and need for embolization. The care protocol developed by the multidisciplinary team consisted of angiography with embolization of lesions revealed by contrast extravasation under CT as well as embolization of grade III-V injuries observed, or grade I-II injuries causing hemodynamic instability and/or need for blood transfusion. We collected data on demographic variables, injury severity score (ISS), angiographic findings, and injuries revealed by CT. Pre-protocol and post-protocol outcomes were compared. The sensitivity and specificity of CT findings were calculated for all patients who required angiographic embolization. Forty-four and 30 angiographies were performed in the pre- and post-protocol periods, respectively. The mean (SD) ISSs in the two periods were 25 (11) and 26 (12), respectively. A total of 24 (54%) embolizations were performed in the pre-protocol period and 28 (98%) after implementation of the protocol. Two and 7 embolizations involved the spleen in the 2 periods, respectively; abdominal laparotomies numbered 32 and 25, respectively, and 10 (31%) vs 4 (16%) splenectomies were performed. The specificity and sensitivity values for contrast extravasation found on CT and followed by embolization were 77.7% and 79.5%. The implementation of this multidisciplinary protocol using CT imaging and angiographic embolization led to a decrease in the number of splenectomies. The protocol allows us to take a more conservative treatment approach.

Recommended features of protocols for long-term ecological monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oakley, Karen L.; Boudreau, Susan L.; Humphrey, Sioux-Z

2001-01-01

In 1991, the National Park Service (NPS) selected seven parks to serve as prototypes for development of a long-term ecological monitoring program. Denali National Park and Preserve was one of the prototype parks selected. The principal focus of this national program was to detect and document resource changes and to understand the forces driving those changes. One of the major tasks of each prototype park was to develop monitoring protocols. In this paper, we discuss some lessons learned and what we believe to be the most important features of protocols.One of the many lessons we have learned is that monitoring protocols vary greatly in content and format. This variation leads to confusion about what information protocols should contain and how they should be formatted. Problems we have observed in existing protocols include (1) not providing enough detail, (2) omitting critical topics (such as data management), and (3) mixing explanation with instructions. Once written, protocols often sit on the shelf to collect dust, allowing methods changes to occur without being adequately considered, tested, or documented. Because a lengthy and costly research effort is often needed to develop protocols, a vision of what the final product should look like is helpful. Based on our involvement with the prototype monitoring program for Denali (Oakley and Boudreau 2000), we recommend key features of protocols, including a scheme for linking protocols to data in the data management system and for tracking protocol revisions. A protocol system is crucial for producing long-term data sets of known quality that meet program objectives.

The Expose-R2 mission: astrobiology and astrochemistry in low Earth orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demets, René

EXPOSE is an exposure platform developed by ESA which permits scientists to install test samples for 1 to 2 years at the outer surface of the ISS. In that way, the impact of the open space environment on biological and biochemical sample materials can be explored. This environment, featuring full-spectrum solar light, near-vacuum, cosmic radiation, wide temperature variations and near-weightlessness, is impossible to reproduce in its entirety in the lab. As such, EXPOSE offers astrochemists and astrobiologists a chance to acquire novel scientific data. Astrochemists are interested in Low Earth Orbit conditions due to the fact that photochemistry in space is quite different from photochemistry on Earth, where the high-energy UV compounds of the solar spectrum are filtered away by our atmosphere. As for the astro biologists, EXPOSE offers an attractive opportunity to expand earlier results obtained during short-duration LEO flights, which have shown that particular microbes and, amazingly, even some multi-cellular macroscopic organisms were able to cope with a two-week exposure to space. The open space environment, often described as harsh and hostile, can apparently be tolerated by some robust inhabitants of our Earth - unprotected, in the absence of a space suit! The first mission of EXPOSE, as an external payload on the European Columbus module, happened during 2008-2009 with the test samples provided by five separate research teams. Three additional teams were involved in the monitoring of space environment. The results were published collectively in 2012 in a special issue of the monthly journal Astrobiology. Several organisms survived, having spent 1.5 years in space. The second mission was called EXPOSE-R, the R referring to ‘Russian segment’, the location where the EXPOSE instrument was installed this time. The EXPOSE-R mission took place in 2009-2011, ten science teams were involved. The publication of the results, again as a collection, is currently in preparation. A follow-on mission, EXPOSE-R2, is planned for 2014-2016. The upload of the new sample trays to the ISS will have occurred just before COSPAR 2014. In this presentation the new EXPOSE-R2 experiments are introduced, with an overview of the test samples and the scientific goals. The main characteristics of the EXPOSE platform are addressed including the sensors used to monitor the space environment. The envisaged operational flow in flight and on ground are explained. Moreover, a brief overview of the key lessons learnt from the past EXPOSE missions is provided.

[Managment of tuberculosis in an University of Campania].

PubMed

Uccello, R; Monaco, M G L; Feola, D; Garzillo, E M; Muoio, M; Sannolo, N; Lamberti, M

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis (TBC) is an infectious disease with the highest mortality and morbidity by single pathogen, affecting about one third of worldwide population. Although Mantoux test is the most used, IGRA (Interferon-gamma Release Assays) tests seem to give good results for presumptive diagnosis of active or latent tuberculosis. From June 2011 to June 2012 we made about 1,000 visits for TBC prevention among the exposed to biological risks of our University. The management of suspected latent or active tuberculosis infection was carried out in collaboration with the pulmonologist, assessing the risk of contagion among exposed or affected operators. Health surveillance protocol and judgements of suitability for specific task were made not only in consideration of worker health, but also considerating the possible risk for patients, since this disease is a major problem for public health.

Early pulmonary events of nose-only water pipe (shisha) smoking exposure in mice

PubMed Central

Nemmar, Abderrahim; Hemeiri, Ahmed Al; Hammadi, Naser Al; Yuvaraju, Priya; Beegam, Sumaya; Yasin, Javed; Elwasila, Mohamed; Ali, Badreldin H; Adeghate, Ernest

2015-01-01

Water pipe smoking (WPS) is increasing in popularity and prevalence worldwide. Convincing data suggest that the toxicants in WPS are similar to that of cigarette smoke. However, the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms related to the early pulmonary events of WPS exposure are not understood. Here, we evaluated the early pulmonary events of nose-only exposure to mainstream WPS generated by commercially available honey flavored “moasel” tobacco. BALB/c mice were exposed to WPS 30 min/day for 5 days. Control mice were exposed using the same protocol to atmospheric air only. We measured airway resistance using forced oscillation technique, and pulmonary inflammation was evaluated histopathologically and by biochemical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung tissue. Lung oxidative stress was evaluated biochemically by measuring the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Mice exposed to WPS showed a significant increase in the number of neutrophils (P < 0.05) and lymphocytes (P < 0.001). Moreover, total protein (P < 0.05), lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.005), and endothelin (P < 0.05) levels were augmented in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Tumor necrosis factor α (P < 0.005) and interleukin 6 (P < 0.05) concentrations were significantly increased in lung following the exposure to WPS. Both ROS (P < 0.05) and LPO (P < 0.005) in lung tissue were significantly increased, whereas the level and activity of antioxidants including GSH (P < 0.0001), catalase (P < 0.005), and SOD (P < 0.0001) were significantly decreased after WPS exposure, indicating the occurrence of oxidative stress. In contrast, airway resistance was not increased in WPS exposure. We conclude that subacute, nose-only exposure to WPS causes lung inflammation and oxidative stress without affecting pulmonary function suggesting that inflammation and oxidative stress are early markers of WPS exposure that precede airway dysfunction. Our data provide information on the initial steps involved in the respiratory effects of WPS, which constitute the underlying causal chain of reactions leading to the long-term effects of WPS. PMID:25780090

Prenatal substance abuse: short- and long-term effects on the exposed fetus.

PubMed

Behnke, Marylou; Smith, Vincent C

2013-03-01

Prenatal substance abuse continues to be a significant problem in this country and poses important health risks for the developing fetus. The primary care pediatrician's role in addressing prenatal substance exposure includes prevention, identification of exposure, recognition of medical issues for the exposed newborn infant, protection of the infant, and follow-up of the exposed infant. This report will provide information for the most common drugs involved in prenatal exposure: nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

Chromium III histidinate exposure modulates antioxidant gene expression in HaCaT human keratinocytes exposed to oxidative stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While the toxicity of hexavalent chromium is well established, trivalent Cr (Cr(III)) is an essential nutrient involved in insulin and glucose homeostasis. Recently, antioxidant effects of chromium (III) histidinate (Cr(III)His) were reported in HaCaT human keratinocytes exposed to oxidative stress...

Topography of the Dictyostelium discoideum plasma membrane: analysis of membrane asymmetry and intermolecular disulfide bonds.

PubMed

Shiozawa, J A; Jelenska, M M; Jacobson, B S

1987-07-28

Through the application of a unique method for isolating plasma membranes, it was possible to specifically iodinate cytoplasm-exposed plasma membrane proteins in vegetative cells of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. The original procedure [Chaney, L. K., & Jacobson, B. S. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 10062] which involved coating cells with colloidal silica has been modified to yield a more pure preparation. The presence of the continuous and dense silica pellicle on the outside surface of the isolated plasma membrane permitted the specific labeling of cytoplasm-exposed membrane proteins. Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination was employed to label cell-surface and cytoplasm-exposed membrane proteins. The isolated and radioiodinated membranes were then compared and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The cell-surface and cytoplasmic face labeling patterns were distinct. A total of 65 proteins were found to be accessible to at least one surface of the membrane. Sixteen intermolecular disulfide bond complexes were observed in the plasma membrane of Dictyostelium; most of these complexes involved glycoproteins and, hence, were exposed to the cell surface.

Latest approaches on green chemistry preconcentration methods for trace metal determination in seawater--a review.

PubMed

La Colla, Noelia Soledad; Domini, Claudia Elizabeth; Marcovecchio, Jorge Eduardo; Botté, Sandra Elizabeth

2015-03-15

Evaluation of trace metal levels in seawater samples is undertaken regularly by research groups all over the world, leading to a growing demand for techniques involving fewer toxic reagents, less time-consuming protocols and lower limits of detection. This review focuses on providing a brief but concise description of the latest methodologies developed to this end, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of the various protocols, chelating and dispersive agents and instruments used. Conclusions are drawn on the basis of the articles reviewed, highlighting improvements introduced in order to enhance the performance of the protocols. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum anonymous ranking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Liu, Bin; Su, Qi; Qin, Su-Juan; Gao, Fei

2014-03-01

Anonymous ranking is a kind of privacy-preserving ranking whereby each of the involved participants can correctly and anonymously get the rankings of his data. It can be utilized to solve many practical problems, such as anonymously ranking the students' exam scores. We investigate the issue of how quantum mechanics can be of use in maintaining the anonymity of the participants in multiparty ranking and present a series of quantum anonymous multiparty, multidata ranking protocols. In each of these protocols, a participant can get the correct rankings of his data and nobody else can match the identity to his data. Furthermore, the security of these protocols with respect to different kinds of attacks is proved.

Using a Participatory Four-Step Protocol to Develop Culturally Targeted Cancer Education Brochures

PubMed Central

Kulukulualani, Manny; Braun, Kathryn L.; Tsark, JoAnn U.

2010-01-01

Native Hawaiians have a high cancer burden, but few culturally targeted cancer education brochures exist. The authors followed a participatory four-step protocol, involving more than 200 health providers and clients, to develop and test culturally targeted brochures on skin, oral, cervical, prostate, and testicular cancers. The final products featured Hawaiian faces, scenes, words, and activities. They proved more attractive than existing materials, in particular to younger Hawaiians, and posttests suggested good comprehension of intended messages. This protocol may have application in other communities that want to develop brochures that are attractive, acceptable, readable, and useful to minority clients and their providers. PMID:18353907

Using a participatory four-step protocol to develop culturally targeted cancer education brochures.

PubMed

Kulukulualani, Manny; Braun, Kathryn L; Tsark, JoAnn U

2008-10-01

Native Hawaiians have a high cancer burden, but few culturally targeted cancer education brochures exist. The authors followed a participatory four-step protocol, involving more than 200 health providers and clients, to develop and test culturally targeted brochures on skin, oral, cervical, prostate, and testicular cancers. The final products featured Hawaiian faces, scenes, words, and activities. They proved more attractive than existing materials, in particular to younger Hawaiians, and posttests suggested good comprehension of intended messages. This protocol may have application in other communities that want to develop brochures that are attractive, acceptable, readable, and useful to minority clients and their providers.

[Objective functional compensation in NHIL: INAIL prosthesic protocol in Lombardy, 2007-2010].

PubMed

Calcinoni, O; Polo, L

2011-01-01

Even if NHIL gives already right to economic compensation, our Insurance aimed to real functional compensation, to reduce handicap in everyday life. Together with Professor Giordano, Audioprosthesists' Association and Manufacturers' representatives, INAIL Medical Superintendence started in 2003 a study on this problem, involving some of his forensic physician and ENT staff; in 2007-2009 INAIL issued directives innovating and planning the rules in prosthesis provision, not only acoustical ones. In 2010 started an experimental protocol to rule hearing aid provision in all INAIL centers, throughout Italy. Authors present first results of this protocol in Lombardy, related to previous and national ones.

Transmission electron microscopy artifacts in characterization of the nanomaterial-cell interactions.

PubMed

Leung, Yu Hang; Guo, Mu Yao; Ma, Angel P Y; Ng, Alan M C; Djurišić, Aleksandra B; Degger, Natalie; Leung, Frederick C C

2017-07-01

We investigated transmission electron microscopy artifacts obtained using standard sample preparation protocols applied to the investigation of Escherichia coli cells exposed to common nanomaterials, such as TiO 2 , Ag, ZnO, and MgO. While the common protocols for some nanomaterials result only in known issues of nanomaterial-independent generation of anomalous deposits due to fixation and staining, for others, there are reactions between the nanomaterial and chemicals used for post-fixation or staining. Only in the case of TiO 2 do we observe only the known issues of nanomaterial-independent generation of anomalous deposits due to exceptional chemical stability of this material. For the other three nanomaterials, different artifacts are observed. For each of those, we identify causes of the observed problems and suggest alternative sample preparation protocols to avoid artifacts arising from the sample preparation, which is essential for correct interpretation of the obtained images and drawing correct conclusions on cell-nanomaterial interactions. Finally, we propose modified sample preparation and characterization protocols for comprehensive and conclusive investigations of nanomaterial-cell interactions using electron microscopy and for obtaining clear and unambiguous revelation whether the nanomaterials studied penetrate the cells or accumulate at the cell membranes. In only the case of MgO and ZnO, the unambiguous presence of Zn and Mg could be observed inside the cells.

Cluster based architecture and network maintenance protocol for medical priority aware cognitive radio based hospital.

PubMed

Al Mamoon, Ishtiak; Muzahidul Islam, A K M; Baharun, Sabariah; Ahmed, Ashir; Komaki, Shozo

2016-08-01

Due to the rapid growth of wireless medical devices in near future, wireless healthcare services may face some inescapable issue such as medical spectrum scarcity, electromagnetic interference (EMI), bandwidth constraint, security and finally medical data communication model. To mitigate these issues, cognitive radio (CR) or opportunistic radio network enabled wireless technology is suitable for the upcoming wireless healthcare system. The up-to-date research on CR based healthcare has exposed some developments on EMI and spectrum problems. However, the investigation recommendation on system design and network model for CR enabled hospital is rare. Thus, this research designs a hierarchy based hybrid network architecture and network maintenance protocols for previously proposed CR hospital system, known as CogMed. In the previous study, the detail architecture of CogMed and its maintenance protocols were not present. The proposed architecture includes clustering concepts for cognitive base stations and non-medical devices. Two cluster head (CH selector equations are formulated based on priority of location, device, mobility rate of devices and number of accessible channels. In order to maintain the integrity of the proposed network model, node joining and node leaving protocols are also proposed. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed network maintenance time is very low for emergency medical devices (average maintenance period 9.5 ms) and the re-clustering effects for different mobility enabled non-medical devices are also balanced.

Dynamic sentinel lymph node biopsy for penile cancer: a comparison between 1- and 2-day protocols.

PubMed

Dimopoulos, Panagiotis; Christopoulos, Panagiotis; Shilito, Sam; Gall, Zara; Murby, Brian; Ashworth, David; Taylor, Ben; Carrington, Bernadette; Shanks, Jonathan; Clarke, Noel; Ramani, Vijay; Parr, Nigel; Lau, Maurice; Sangar, Vijay

2016-06-01

To determine the outcome of clinically negative node (cN0) patients with penile cancer undergoing dynamic sentinel node biopsy (DSNB), comparing the results of a 1- and 2-day protocol that can be used as a minimal invasive procedure for staging of penile cancer. This is a retrospective analysis of 151 cN0 patients who underwent DSNB from 2008 to 2013 for newly diagnosed penile cancer. Data were analysed per groin and separated into groups according to the protocol followed. The comparison of the two protocols involved the number of nodes excised, γ-counts, false-negative rates (FNR), and complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grading system). In all, 280 groins from 151 patients underwent DSNB after a negative ultrasound ± fine-needle aspiration cytology. The 1-day protocol was performed in 65 groins and the 2-day protocol in 215. Statistically significantly more nodes were harvested with the 1-day protocol (1.92/groin) compared with the 2-day protocol (1.60/groin). The FNRs were 0%, 6.8% and 5.1%, for the 1-day protocol, 2-day protocol, and overall, respectively. Morbidity of the DSNB was 21.4% for all groins, and 26.2% and 20.1% for the 1-day and 2-day protocols, respectively. Most of the complications were of Clavien-Dindo Grade 1-2. DSNB is safe for staging patients with penile cancer. There is a trend towards a 1-day protocol having a lower FNR than a 2-day protocol, albeit at the expense of a slightly higher complication rate. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Agreements between Industry and Academia on Publication Rights: A Retrospective Study of Protocols and Publications of Randomized Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Kasenda, Benjamin; von Elm, Erik; You, John J; Blümle, Anette; Tomonaga, Yuki; Saccilotto, Ramon; Amstutz, Alain; Bengough, Theresa; Meerpohl, Joerg J; Stegert, Mihaela; Olu, Kelechi K; Tikkinen, Kari A O; Neumann, Ignacio; Carrasco-Labra, Alonso; Faulhaber, Markus; Mulla, Sohail M; Mertz, Dominik; Akl, Elie A; Bassler, Dirk; Busse, Jason W; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; Lamontagne, Francois; Nordmann, Alain; Gloy, Viktoria; Raatz, Heike; Moja, Lorenzo; Ebrahim, Shanil; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Sun, Xin; Vandvik, Per O; Johnston, Bradley C; Walter, Martin A; Burnand, Bernard; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Hemkens, Lars G; Bucher, Heiner C; Guyatt, Gordon H; Briel, Matthias

2016-06-01

Little is known about publication agreements between industry and academic investigators in trial protocols and the consistency of these agreements with corresponding statements in publications. We aimed to investigate (i) the existence and types of publication agreements in trial protocols, (ii) the completeness and consistency of the reporting of these agreements in subsequent publications, and (iii) the frequency of co-authorship by industry employees. We used a retrospective cohort of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) based on archived protocols approved by six research ethics committees between 13 January 2000 and 25 November 2003. Only RCTs with industry involvement were eligible. We investigated the documentation of publication agreements in RCT protocols and statements in corresponding journal publications. Of 647 eligible RCT protocols, 456 (70.5%) mentioned an agreement regarding publication of results. Of these 456, 393 (86.2%) documented an industry partner's right to disapprove or at least review proposed manuscripts; 39 (8.6%) agreements were without constraints of publication. The remaining 24 (5.3%) protocols referred to separate agreement documents not accessible to us. Of those 432 protocols with an accessible publication agreement, 268 (62.0%) trials were published. Most agreements documented in the protocol were not reported in the subsequent publication (197/268 [73.5%]). Of 71 agreements reported in publications, 52 (73.2%) were concordant with those documented in the protocol. In 14 of 37 (37.8%) publications in which statements suggested unrestricted publication rights, at least one co-author was an industry employee. In 25 protocol-publication pairs, author statements in publications suggested no constraints, but 18 corresponding protocols documented restricting agreements. Publication agreements constraining academic authors' independence are common. Journal articles seldom report on publication agreements, and, if they do, statements can be discrepant with the trial protocol.

Exercise Countermeasures Demonstration Project During the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project Phase 2A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Stuart M. C.; Guilliams, Mark E.; Moore, Alan D., Jr.; Williams, W. Jon; Greenisen, M. C.; Fortney, S. M.

1998-01-01

This demonstration project assessed the crew members' compliance to a portion of the exercise countermeasures planned for use onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the outcomes of their performing these countermeasures. Although these countermeasures have been used separately in other projects and investigations, this was the first time they'd been used together for an extended period (60 days) in an investigation of this nature. Crew members exercised every day for six days, alternating every other day between aerobic and resistive exercise, and rested on the seventh day. On the aerobic exercise days, subjects exercised on an electronically braked cycle ergometer using a protocol that has been previously shown to maintain aerobic capacity in subjects exposed to a space flight analogue. On the resistive exercise days, crew members performed five major multijoint resistive exercises in a concentric mode, targeting those muscle groups and bones we believe are most severely affected by space flight. The subjects favorably tolerated both exercise protocols, with a 98% compliance to aerobic exercise prescription and a 91% adherence to the resistive exercise protocol. After 60 days, the crew members improved their peak aerobic capacity by an average 7%, and strength gains were noted in all subjects. These results suggest that these exercise protocols can be performed during ISS, lunar, and Mars missions, although we anticipate more frequent bouts with both protocols for long-duration spaceflight. Future projects should investigate the impact of increased exercise duration and frequency on subject compliance, and the efficacy of such exercise prescriptions.

Prebreathe Protocol for Extravehicular Activity Technical Consultation Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Jerry; Duncan, Michael

2008-01-01

In the performance of EVA by that National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts, there exists a risk of DCS as the suit pressure is reduced to 4.3 pounds per square inch, absolute (psia) from the International Space Station (ISS) pressure of 14.7 psia. Several DCS-preventive procedures have been developed and implemented. Each of these procedures involve the use of oxygen (O2) prebreathe to effectively washout tissue nitrogen (N2).The management of the ISS Programs convened an expert independent peer review Team to conduct a review of the Decompression Sickness (DCS) risks associated with the Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Campout Prebreathe (PB) protocol for its consideration for use on future missions. The major findings and recommendations of the expert panel are: There is no direct experimental data to confirm the potential DCS risks of the Campout PB protocol. However, based on model data, statistical probability, physiology, and information derived from similar PB protocols, there is no compelling evidence to suggest that the Campout PB protocol is less safe than the other NASA approved PB protocols.

The use of a photoionization detector to detect harmful volatile chemicals by emergency personnel

PubMed Central

Patel, Neil D; Fales, William D; Farrell, Robert N

2009-01-01

Objective The objective of this investigation was to determine if a photoionization detector (PID) could be used to detect the presence of a simulated harmful chemical on simulated casualties of a chemical release. Methods A screening protocol, based on existing radiation screening protocols, was developed for the purposes of the investigation. Three simulated casualties were contaminated with a simulated chemical agent and two groups of emergency responders were involved in the trials. The success–failure ratio of the participants was used to judge the performance of the PID in this application. Results A high success rate was observed when the screening protocol was properly adhered to (97.67%). Conversely, the success rate suffered when participants deviated from the protocol (86.31%). With one exception, all failures were noted to have been the result of a failure to correctly observe the established screening protocol. Conclusions The results of this investigation indicate that the PID may be an effective screening tool for emergency responders. However, additional study is necessary to both confirm the effectiveness of the PID and refine the screening protocol if necessary. PMID:27147829

Medical follow-up of workers exposed to lung carcinogens: French evidence-based and pragmatic recommendations.

PubMed

Delva, Fleur; Margery, Jacques; Laurent, François; Petitprez, Karine; Pairon, Jean-Claude

2017-02-14

The aim of this work was to establish recommendations for the medical follow-up of workers currently or previously exposed to lung carcinogens. A critical synthesis of the literature was conducted. Occupational lung carcinogenic substances were listed and classified according to their level of lung cancer risk. A targeted screening protocol was defined. A clinical trial, National Lung Screnning Trial (NLST), showed the efficacy of chest CAT scan (CT) screening for populations of smokers aged 55-74 years with over 30 pack-years of exposure who had stopped smoking for less than 15 years. To propose screening in accordance with NLST criteria, and to account for occupational risk factors, screening among smokers and former smokers needs to consider the types of occupational exposure for which the risk level is at least equivalent to the risk of the subjects included in the NLST. The working group proposes an algorithm that estimates the relative risk of each occupational lung carcinogen, taking into account exposure to tobacco, based on available data from the literature. Given the lack of data on bronchopulmonary cancer (BPC) screening in occupationally exposed workers, the working group proposed implementing a screening experiment for bronchopulmonary cancer in subjects occupationally exposed or having been occupationally exposed to lung carcinogens who are confirmed as having high risk factors for BPC. A specific algorithm is proposed to determine the level of risk of BPC, taking into account the different occupational lung carcinogens and tobacco smoking at the individual level.

[Occupational hazards, DNA damage, and oxidative stress on exposure to waste anesthetic gases].

PubMed

Lucio, Lorena M C; Braz, Mariana G; do Nascimento Junior, Paulo; Braz, José Reinaldo C; Braz, Leandro G

The waste anesthetic gases (WAGs) present in the ambient air of operating rooms (OR), are associated with various occupational hazards. This paper intends to discuss occupational exposure to WAGs and its impact on exposed professionals, with emphasis on genetic damage and oxidative stress. Despite the emergence of safer inhaled anesthetics, occupational exposure to WAGs remains a current concern. Factors related to anesthetic techniques and anesthesia workstations, in addition to the absence of a scavenging system in the OR, contribute to anesthetic pollution. In order to minimize the health risks of exposed professionals, several countries have recommended legislation with maximum exposure limits. However, developing countries still require measurement of WAGs and regulation for occupational exposure to WAGs. WAGs are capable of inducing damage to the genetic material, such as DNA damage assessed using the comet assay and increased frequency of micronucleus in professionals with long-term exposure. Oxidative stress is also associated with WAGs exposure, as it induces lipid peroxidation, oxidative damage in DNA, and impairment of the antioxidant defense system in exposed professionals. The occupational hazards related to WAGs including genotoxicity, mutagenicity and oxidative stress, stand as a public health issue and must be acknowledged by exposed personnel and responsible authorities, especially in developing countries. Thus, it is urgent to stablish maximum safe limits of concentration of WAGs in ORs and educational practices and protocols for exposed professionals. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Intracellular Redox Changes in Ozone-exposed airway epithelial cells

EPA Science Inventory

Background: The toxicity of many compounds involves oxidative injury to cells. Direct assessment of mechanistic events involved in xenobiotic-induced oxidative stress is not easily achievable. Development of genetically-encoded probes designed for monitoring intracellular redox s...

Experimental extraction of secure correlations from a noisy private state.

PubMed

Dobek, K; Karpiński, M; Demkowicz-Dobrzański, R; Banaszek, K; Horodecki, P

2011-01-21

We report experimental generation of a noisy entangled four-photon state that exhibits a separation between the secure key contents and distillable entanglement, a hallmark feature of the recently established quantum theory of private states. The privacy analysis, based on the full tomographic reconstruction of the prepared state, is utilized in a proof-of-principle key generation. The inferiority of distillation-based strategies to extract the key is exposed by an implementation of an entanglement distillation protocol for the produced state.

Ethical considerations in biomedical research: a personal view.

PubMed

Dahlöf, Carl

2013-06-01

Ethical considerations are made when an experiment is planned and take a regulatory system of moral principles into account. Ethical considerations should first and foremost be made in order to protect the individual subject/animal from being exposed to any unethical and perhaps even illegal intervention and to ensure that the experimental conditions used are appropriate. The main role of research ethics committees is to assess the scientific and ethical aspects of submitted protocols and follow up the trial until its closure.

Physiological and Medical Monitoring for En Route Care of Combat Casualties

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

Houston, TX 78234-6315; email: victor.convertino@amedd.army.mil. DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e31816c82f4 The Journal of TRAUMA Injury, Infection , and...device (A) and the LBNP protocol (B). The Journal of TRAUMA Injury, Infection , and Critical Care S344 April Supplement 2008 negative pressure induces...saturation ( SpO2 ; pulse oximetry), and tissue (muscle) PO2 and pH (near-infrared spectroscopy) in con- scious human subjects exposed to progressive

Proton Single Event Effects (SEE) Testing of the Myrinet Crossbar Switch and Network Interface Card

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, James W., Jr.; LaBel, Kenneth A.; Carts, Martin A.; Stattel, Ronald; Irwin, Timothy L.; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

As part of the Remote Exploration and Experimentation Project (REE), work was performed to do a proton SEE (Single Event Effect) evaluation of the Myricom network protocol system (Myrinet). This testing included the evaluation of the Myrinet crossbar switch and the Network Interface Card (NIC). To this end, two crossbar switch devices and five components in the NIC were exposed to the proton beam at the University of California at Davis Crocker Nuclear Laboratory (CNL).

TAPRegExt: a VOResource Schema Extension for Describing TAP Services Version 1.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demleitner, Markus; Dowler, Patrick; Plante, Ray; Rixon, Guy; Taylor, Mark; Demleitner, Markus

2012-08-01

This document describes an XML encoding standard for metadata about services implementing the table access protocol TAP [TAP], referred to as TAPRegExt. Instance documents are part of the service's registry record or can be obtained from the service itself. They deliver information to both humans and software on the languages, output formats, and upload methods supported by the service, as well as data models implemented by the exposed tables, optional language features, and certain limits enforced by the service.

Paperless protocoling of CT and MRI requests at an outpatient imaging center.

PubMed

Bassignani, Matthew J; Dierolf, David A; Roberts, David L; Lee, Steven

2010-04-01

We created our imaging center (IC) to move outpatient imaging from our busy inpatient imaging suite off-site to a location that is more inviting to ambulatory patients. Nevertheless, patients scanned at our IC still represent the depth and breadth of illness complexity seen with our tertiary care population. Thus, we protocol exams on an individualized basis to ensure that the referring clinician's question is fully answered by the exam performed. Previously, paper based protocoling was a laborious process for all those involved where the IC business office would fax the requests to various reading rooms for protocoling by the subspecialist radiologists who are 3 miles away at the main hospital. Once protocoled, reading room coordinators would fax back the protocoled request to the IC technical area in preparation for the next day's scheduled exams. At any breakdown in this process (e.g., lost paperwork), patient exams were delayed and clinicians and patients became upset. To improve this process, we developed a paper free process whereby protocoling is accomplished through scanning of exam requests into our PACS. Using the common worklist functionality found in most PACS, we created "protocoling worklists" that contain these scanned documents. Radiologists protocol these studies in the PACS worklist (with the added benefit of having all imaging and report data available), and subsequently, the technologists can see and act on the protocols they find in PACS. This process has significantly decreased interruptions in our busy reading rooms and decreased rework of IC staff.

Photonics and other approaches to high speed communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maly, Kurt

1992-01-01

Our research group of 4 faculty and about 10-15 graduate students was actively involved (as a group) in the development of computer communication networks for the last five years. Many of its individuals have been involved in related research for a much longer period. The overall research goal is to extend network performance to higher data rates, to improve protocol performance at most ISO layers and to improve network operational performance. We briefly state our research goals, then discuss the research accomplishments and direct your attention to attached and/or published papers which cover the following topics: scalable parallel communications; high performance interconnection between high data rate networks; and a simple, effective media access protocol system for integrated, high data rate networks.

Pediatric oncologists' attitudes towards involving adolescents in decision-making concerning research participation.

PubMed

de Vries, Martine C; Wit, Jan M; Engberts, Dirk P; Kaspers, Gertjan J L; van Leeuwen, Evert

2010-07-15

Various regulations and guidelines stipulate the importance of involving adolescents in decision-making concerning research participation. Several studies have shown that in the context of pediatric oncology this involvement is difficult to achieve due to emotional stress, the complexity of research protocols and limited time. Still, up to 80% of adolescents with cancer enter onto a trial during their illness. The aim of this study was to determine clinicians' views and attitudes towards enrolling adolescents in research, considering the difficulties surrounding their involvement in decision-making. A qualitative multicenter study was performed, using in-depth semi-structured interviews on the informed consent process with 15 pediatric hemato-oncologists. Four central themes emerged that characterize clinicians' attitudes towards involving adolescents in the decision-making process: (1) clinicians regard most adolescents as not capable of participating meaningfully in discussions regarding research; (2) clinicians do not always provide adolescents with all information; (3) proxy consent from parents is obtained and is deemed sufficient; (4) clinician-investigator integrity: clinicians judge research protocols as not being harmful and even in the best interest of the adolescent. Clinicians justify not involving adolescents in research discussions by referring to best interest arguments (adolescents' incompetence, proxy consent, and investigator integrity), although this is not in line with legal regulations and ethical guidelines.

Evaluation plan for space station network interface units

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, Alfred C.

1990-01-01

Outlined here is a procedure for evaluating network interface units (NIUs) produced for the Space Station program. The procedures should be equally applicable to the data management system (DMS) testbed NIUs produced by Honeywell and IBM. The evaluation procedures are divided into four areas. Performance measurement tools are hardware and software that must be developed in order to evaluate NIU performance. Performance tests are a series of tests, each of which documents some specific characteristic of NIU and/or network performance. In general, these performance tests quantify the speed, capacity, latency, and reliability of message transmission under a wide variety of conditions. Functionality tests are a series of tests and code inspections that demonstrate the functionality of the particular subset of ISO protocols which have been implemented in a given NIU. Conformance tests are a series of tests which would expose whether or not selected features within the ISO protocols are present and interoperable.

Adventitious Carbon on Primary Sample Containment Metal Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calaway, M. J.; Fries, M. D.

2015-01-01

Future missions that return astromaterials with trace carbonaceous signatures will require strict protocols for reducing and controlling terrestrial carbon contamination. Adventitious carbon (AC) on primary sample containers and related hardware is an important source of that contamination. AC is a thin film layer or heterogeneously dispersed carbonaceous material that naturally accrues from the environment on the surface of atmospheric exposed metal parts. To test basic cleaning techniques for AC control, metal surfaces commonly used for flight hardware and curating astromaterials at JSC were cleaned using a basic cleaning protocol and characterized for AC residue. Two electropolished stainless steel 316L (SS- 316L) and two Al 6061 (Al-6061) test coupons (2.5 cm diameter by 0.3 cm thick) were subjected to precision cleaning in the JSC Genesis ISO class 4 cleanroom Precision Cleaning Laboratory. Afterwards, the samples were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy.

Bioceramics for Hip Joints: The Physical Chemistry Viewpoint

PubMed Central

Pezzotti, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Which intrinsic biomaterial parameter governs and, if quantitatively monitored, could reveal to us the actual lifetime potential of advanced hip joint bearing materials? An answer to this crucial question is searched for in this paper, which identifies ceramic bearings as the most innovative biomaterials in hip arthroplasty. It is shown that, if in vivo exposures comparable to human lifetimes are actually searched for, then fundamental issues should lie in the physical chemistry aspects of biomaterial surfaces. Besides searching for improvements in the phenomenological response of biomaterials to engineering protocols, hip joint components should also be designed to satisfy precise stability requirements in the stoichiometric behavior of their surfaces when exposed to extreme chemical and micromechanical conditions. New spectroscopic protocols have enabled us to visualize surface stoichiometry at the molecular scale, which is shown to be the key for assessing bioceramics with elongated lifetimes with respect to the primitive alumina biomaterials used in the past. PMID:28788682

Optimised to Fail: Card Readers for Online Banking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drimer, Saar; Murdoch, Steven J.; Anderson, Ross

The Chip Authentication Programme (CAP) has been introduced by banks in Europe to deal with the soaring losses due to online banking fraud. A handheld reader is used together with the customer’s debit card to generate one-time codes for both login and transaction authentication. The CAP protocol is not public, and was rolled out without any public scrutiny. We reverse engineered the UK variant of card readers and smart cards and here provide the first public description of the protocol. We found numerous weaknesses that are due to design errors such as reusing authentication tokens, overloading data semantics, and failing to ensure freshness of responses. The overall strategic error was excessive optimisation. There are also policy implications. The move from signature to PIN for authorising point-of-sale transactions shifted liability from banks to customers; CAP introduces the same problem for online banking. It may also expose customers to physical harm.

A tailored workplace exercise program for women at risk for neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rasotto, Chiara; Bergamin, Marco; Sieverdes, John C; Gobbo, Stefano; Alberton, Cristine L; Neunhaeuserer, Daniel; Maso, Stefano; Zaccaria, Marco; Ermolao, Andrea

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a tailored physical activity protocol performed in a work environment with a group of female workers employed in manual precision tasks to reduce upper limb pain. Sixty female subjects were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The IG was administered of a 6-month, twice-a-week, tailored exercise program, whereas the CG received no intervention. The IG showed a reduction on shoulder pain accompanied by increases on the range of motion measures. In addition, reductions in upper limb pain and neck disability were detected with concomitant increases in grip strength. This study indicated positive effects of a tailored workplace exercise protocol in female workers exposed to moderate risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, showing clinically meaningful reductions of pain symptoms and disability on upper limb and neck regions.

Occupational Styrene Exposure Induces Stress-Responsive Genes Involved in Cytoprotective and Cytotoxic Activities

PubMed Central

Strafella, Elisabetta; Bracci, Massimo; Staffolani, Sara; Manzella, Nicola; Giantomasi, Daniele; Valentino, Matteo; Amati, Monica; Tomasetti, Marco; Santarelli, Lory

2013-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of a panel of genes involved in toxicology in response to styrene exposure at levels below the occupational standard setting. Methods Workers in a fiber glass boat industry were evaluated for a panel of stress- and toxicity-related genes and associated with biochemical parameters related to hepatic injury. Urinary styrene metabolites (MA+PGA) of subjects and environmental sampling data collected for air at workplace were used to estimate styrene exposure. Results Expression array analysis revealed massive upregulation of genes encoding stress-responsive proteins (HSPA1L, EGR1, IL-6, IL-1β, TNSF10 and TNFα) in the styrene-exposed group; the levels of cytokines released were further confirmed in serum. The exposed workers were then stratified by styrene exposure levels. EGR1 gene upregulation paralleled the expression and transcriptional protein levels of IL-6, TNSF10 and TNFα in styrene exposed workers, even at low level. The activation of the EGR1 pathway observed at low-styrene exposure was associated with a slight increase of hepatic markers found in highly exposed subjects, even though they were within normal range. The ALT and AST levels were not affected by alcohol consumption, and positively correlated with urinary styrene metabolites as evaluated by multiple regression analysis. Conclusion The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFα are the primary mediators of processes involved in the hepatic injury response and regeneration. Here, we show that styrene induced stress responsive genes involved in cytoprotection and cytotoxicity at low-exposure, that proceed to a mild subclinical hepatic toxicity at high-styrene exposure. PMID:24086524

Mitochondrial Respiration in Insulin-Producing β-Cells: General Characteristics and Adaptive Effects of Hypoxia

PubMed Central

Ma, Zuheng; Scholz, Hanne; Björklund, Anneli; Grill, Valdemar

2015-01-01

Objective To provide novel insights on mitochondrial respiration in β-cells and the adaptive effects of hypoxia. Methods and Design Insulin-producing INS-1 832/13 cells were exposed to 18 hours of hypoxia followed by 20–22 hours re-oxygenation. Mitochondrial respiration was measured by high-resolution respirometry in both intact and permeabilized cells, in the latter after establishing three functional substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols. Concomitant measurements included proteins of mitochondrial complexes (Western blotting), ATP and insulin secretion. Results Intact cells exhibited a high degree of intrinsic uncoupling, comprising about 50% of oxygen consumption in the basal respiratory state. Hypoxia followed by re-oxygenation increased maximal overall respiration. Exploratory experiments in peremabilized cells could not show induction of respiration by malate or pyruvate as reducing substrates, thus glutamate and succinate were used as mitochondrial substrates in SUIT protocols. Permeabilized cells displayed a high capacity for oxidative phosphorylation for both complex I- and II-linked substrates in relation to maximum capacity of electron transfer. Previous hypoxia decreased phosphorylation control of complex I-linked respiration, but not in complex II-linked respiration. Coupling control ratios showed increased coupling efficiency for both complex I- and II-linked substrates in hypoxia-exposed cells. Respiratory rates overall were increased. Also previous hypoxia increased proteins of mitochondrial complexes I and II (Western blotting) in INS-1 cells as well as in rat and human islets. Mitochondrial effects were accompanied by unchanged levels of ATP, increased basal and preserved glucose-induced insulin secretion. Conclusions Exposure of INS-1 832/13 cells to hypoxia, followed by a re-oxygenation period increases substrate-stimulated respiratory capacity and coupling efficiency. Such effects are accompanied by up-regulation of mitochondrial complexes also in pancreatic islets, highlighting adaptive capacities of possible importance in an islet transplantation setting. Results also indicate idiosyncrasies of β-cells that do not respire in response to a standard inclusion of malate in SUIT protocols. PMID:26401848

Mitochondrial Respiration in Insulin-Producing β-Cells: General Characteristics and Adaptive Effects of Hypoxia.

PubMed

Hals, Ingrid K; Bruerberg, Simon Gustafson; Ma, Zuheng; Scholz, Hanne; Björklund, Anneli; Grill, Valdemar

2015-01-01

To provide novel insights on mitochondrial respiration in β-cells and the adaptive effects of hypoxia. Insulin-producing INS-1 832/13 cells were exposed to 18 hours of hypoxia followed by 20-22 hours re-oxygenation. Mitochondrial respiration was measured by high-resolution respirometry in both intact and permeabilized cells, in the latter after establishing three functional substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols. Concomitant measurements included proteins of mitochondrial complexes (Western blotting), ATP and insulin secretion. Intact cells exhibited a high degree of intrinsic uncoupling, comprising about 50% of oxygen consumption in the basal respiratory state. Hypoxia followed by re-oxygenation increased maximal overall respiration. Exploratory experiments in peremabilized cells could not show induction of respiration by malate or pyruvate as reducing substrates, thus glutamate and succinate were used as mitochondrial substrates in SUIT protocols. Permeabilized cells displayed a high capacity for oxidative phosphorylation for both complex I- and II-linked substrates in relation to maximum capacity of electron transfer. Previous hypoxia decreased phosphorylation control of complex I-linked respiration, but not in complex II-linked respiration. Coupling control ratios showed increased coupling efficiency for both complex I- and II-linked substrates in hypoxia-exposed cells. Respiratory rates overall were increased. Also previous hypoxia increased proteins of mitochondrial complexes I and II (Western blotting) in INS-1 cells as well as in rat and human islets. Mitochondrial effects were accompanied by unchanged levels of ATP, increased basal and preserved glucose-induced insulin secretion. Exposure of INS-1 832/13 cells to hypoxia, followed by a re-oxygenation period increases substrate-stimulated respiratory capacity and coupling efficiency. Such effects are accompanied by up-regulation of mitochondrial complexes also in pancreatic islets, highlighting adaptive capacities of possible importance in an islet transplantation setting. Results also indicate idiosyncrasies of β-cells that do not respire in response to a standard inclusion of malate in SUIT protocols.

Effects of quadriceps strength after static and dynamic whole-body vibration exercise.

PubMed

Bush, Jill A; Blog, Gabriel L; Kang, Jie; Faigenbaum, Avery D; Ratamess, Nicholas A

2015-05-01

Numerous studies have shown performance benefits including whole-body vibration (WBV) as a training modality or an acute exercise protocol when used as a component of the resistance training program. Some studies have indicated that performing dynamic exercises as compared with static position exercises while exposed to WBV might be beneficial; however, evidence is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if an acute bout of dynamic versus static squats performed during WBV results in increase in quadriceps force production by means of dynamic isokinetic knee extension and flexion exercise. Nonresistance-trained healthy young men and women (N = 21) of 18-25 years participated in 4 protocols with 2-week rest in-between. Protocol 1 consisted of 5 sets of 10 dynamic squats without vibration; Protocol 2: 5 sets of 30-second static squats without vibration; Protocol 3: 5 sets of 10 dynamic squats with 30-Hz WBV for a total of 2.5 minutes; and Protocol 4: 5 sets of 30-second static squats with 30-Hz WBV for a total of 2.5 minutes. Prestrength tests (1 set of 4 repetitions at 100° · s(-1) for the knee extension exercise) was performed within 5 minutes of starting each protocol, and poststrength testing was performed within 1 minute of completing each protocol. Strength outcomes were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. A significant decrease in strength was observed after dynamic and static squats without WBV (p = 0.002); an increase in strength after dynamic squats with WBV (p = 0.003); and a decrease in strength after static squats with WBV (p = 0.003). The inclusion of WBV to dynamic resistance exercise can be an added modality to increase strength. Whole-body vibration can have varied effects in altering muscle strength in untrained individuals according to the type of resistance training performed. As a dynamic squat with WBV seems to immediately potentiate neuromuscular functioning, the combination of dynamic exercises and WBV could be used as a potential warm-up procedure before resistance exercise.

Mg(2+) differentially regulates two modes of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake in isolated cardiac mitochondria: implications for mitochondrial Ca(2+) sequestration.

PubMed

Blomeyer, Christoph A; Bazil, Jason N; Stowe, David F; Dash, Ranjan K; Camara, Amadou K S

2016-06-01

The manner in which mitochondria take up and store Ca(2+) remains highly debated. Recent experimental and computational evidence has suggested the presence of at least two modes of Ca(2+) uptake and a complex Ca(2+) sequestration mechanism in mitochondria. But how Mg(2+) regulates these different modes of Ca(2+) uptake as well as mitochondrial Ca(2+) sequestration is not known. In this study, we investigated two different ways by which mitochondria take up and sequester Ca(2+) by using two different protocols. Isolated guinea pig cardiac mitochondria were exposed to varying concentrations of CaCl2 in the presence or absence of MgCl2. In the first protocol, A, CaCl2 was added to the respiration buffer containing isolated mitochondria, whereas in the second protocol, B, mitochondria were added to the respiration buffer with CaCl2 already present. Protocol A resulted first in a fast transitory uptake followed by a slow gradual uptake. In contrast, protocol B only revealed a slow and gradual Ca(2+) uptake, which was approximately 40 % of the slow uptake rate observed in protocol A. These two types of Ca(2+) uptake modes were differentially modulated by extra-matrix Mg(2+). That is, Mg(2+) markedly inhibited the slow mode of Ca(2+) uptake in both protocols in a concentration-dependent manner, but not the fast mode of uptake exhibited in protocol A. Mg(2+) also inhibited Na(+)-dependent Ca(2+) extrusion. The general Ca(2+) binding properties of the mitochondrial Ca(2+) sequestration system were reaffirmed and shown to be independent of the mode of Ca(2+) uptake, i.e. through the fast or slow mode of uptake. In addition, extra-matrix Mg(2+) hindered Ca(2+) sequestration. Our results indicate that mitochondria exhibit different modes of Ca(2+) uptake depending on the nature of exposure to extra-matrix Ca(2+), which are differentially sensitive to Mg(2+). The implications of these findings in cardiomyocytes are discussed.

A network architecture for precision formation flying using the IEEE 802.11 MAC Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clare, Loren P.; Gao, Jay L.; Jennings, Esther H.; Okino, Clayton

2005-01-01

Precision Formation Flying missions involve the tracking and maintenance of spacecraft in a desired geometric formation. The strong coupling of spacecraft in formation flying control requires inter-spacecraft communication to exchange information. In this paper, we present a network architecture that supports PFF control, from the initial random deployment phase to the final formation. We show that a suitable MAC layer for the application protocol is IEEE's 802.11 MAC protocol. IEEE 802.11 MAC has two modes of operations: DCF and PCF. We show that DCF is suitable for the initial deployment phase while switching to PCF when the spacecraft are in formation improves jitter and throughput. We also consider the effect of routing on protocol performance and suggest when it is profitable to turn off route discovery to achieve better network performance.

Structured Transition Protocol for Children with Cystinosis

PubMed Central

Raina, Rupesh; Wang, Joseph; Krishnappa, Vinod

2017-01-01

The transition from pediatric to adult medical services has a greater impact on the care of adolescents or young adults with chronic diseases such as cystinosis. This transition period is a time of psychosocial development and new responsibilities placing these patients at increased risk of non-adherence. This can lead to serious adverse effects such as graft loss and progression of the disease. Our transition protocol will provide patients, families, physicians, and all those involved a structured guide to transitioning cystinosis patients. This structured protocol depends on four areas of competency: Recognition, Insight, Self-reliance, and Establishment of healthy habits (RISE). This protocol has not been tested and therefore challenges not realized. With a focus on medical, social, and educational/vocational aspects, we aim to improve transition for cystinosis patients in all aspects of their lives. PMID:28913329

Loss-tolerant quantum secure positioning with weak laser sources

DOE PAGES

Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Xu, Feihu; Siopsis, George; ...

2016-09-14

Quantum position verification (QPV) is the art of verifying the geographical location of an untrusted party. It has recently been shown that the widely studied Bennett & Brassard 1984 (BB84) QPV protocol is insecure after the 3 dB loss point assuming local operations and classical communication (LOCC) adversaries. Here in this paper, we propose a time-reversed entanglement swapping QPV protocol (based on measurement-device-independent quantum cryptography) that is highly robust against quantum channel loss. First, assuming ideal qubit sources, we show that the protocol is secure against LOCC adversaries for any quantum channel loss, thereby overcoming the 3 dB loss limit.more » Then, we analyze the security of the protocol in a more practical setting involving weak laser sources and linear optics. Lastly, in this setting, we find that the security only degrades by an additive constant and the protocol is able to verify positions up to 47 dB channel loss.« less

The Wiley Protocol: an analysis of ethical issues.

PubMed

Rosenthal, M Sara

2008-01-01

: This review explores the ethical issues surrounding an unregulated protocol that is advertised to women through consumer books, the popular press, and the Internet, known as the Wiley Protocol. : A content analysis of relevant documents was conducted, followed by telephone interviews with investigators and former participants to verify facts. : The Wiley Protocol is an example of unregulated research involving potentially unsafe doses of bioidentical hormones applied to an unselected population of women. This protocol fails to use research ethics guidelines such as informed consent, investigator expertise, sound methodology, standardized data collection, and data safety monitoring. : Clinical ethics breaches include lack of full disclosure of risks, coercive influences, as well as misinformation about the study goals and safety. Breaches of professional ethics include conflicts of interest with respect to financial incentives, patient accrual, and inadequate standards of awareness and proficiency among participating investigators. It appears evident that the failure to regulate nutriceuticals and products of compounding pharmacy has provided the opportunity for these ethical violations.

Chemical compatibility screening results of plastic packaging to mixed waste simulants

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

Nigrey, P.J.; Dickens, T.G.

1995-12-01

We have developed a chemical compatibility program for evaluating transportation packaging components for transporting mixed waste forms. We have performed the first phase of this experimental program to determine the effects of simulant mixed wastes on packaging materials. This effort involved the screening of 10 plastic materials in four liquid mixed waste simulants. The testing protocol involved exposing the respective materials to {approximately}3 kGy of gamma radiation followed by 14 day exposures to the waste simulants of 60 C. The seal materials or rubbers were tested using VTR (vapor transport rate) measurements while the liner materials were tested using specificmore » gravity as a metric. For these tests, a screening criteria of {approximately}1 g/m{sup 2}/hr for VTR and a specific gravity change of 10% was used. It was concluded that while all seal materials passed exposure to the aqueous simulant mixed waste, EPDM and SBR had the lowest VTRs. In the chlorinated hydrocarbon simulant mixed waste, only VITON passed the screening tests. In both the simulant scintillation fluid mixed waste and the ketone mixture simulant mixed waste, none of the seal materials met the screening criteria. It is anticipated that those materials with the lowest VTRs will be evaluated in the comprehensive phase of the program. For specific gravity testing of liner materials the data showed that while all materials with the exception of polypropylene passed the screening criteria, Kel-F, HDPE, and XLPE were found to offer the greatest resistance to the combination of radiation and chemicals.« less

Research on a Banknote Printing Wastewater Monitoring System based on Wireless Sensor Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, B. B.; Yuan, Z. F.

2006-10-01

In this paper, a banknote printing wastewater monitoring system based on WSN is presented in line with the system demands and actual condition of the worksite for a banknote printing factory. In Physical Layer, the network node is a nRF9e5-centric embedded instrument, which can realize the multi-function such as data collecting, status monitoring, wireless data transmission and so on. Limited by the computing capability, memory capability, communicating energy and others factors, it is impossible for the node to get every detail information of the network, so the communication protocol on WSN couldn't be very complicated. The competitive-based MACA (Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) Protocol is introduced in MAC, which can decide the communication process and working mode of the nodes, avoid the collision of data transmission, hidden and exposed station problem of nodes. On networks layer, the routing protocol in charge of the transmitting path of the data, the networks topology structure is arranged based on address assignation. Accompanied with some redundant nodes, the network performances stabile and expandable. The wastewater monitoring system is a tentative practice of WSN theory in engineering. Now, the system has passed test and proved efficiently.

The measurement and analysis of normal incidence solar UVB radiation and its application to the photoclimatherapy protocol for psoriasis at the Dead Sea, Israel.

PubMed

Kudish, Avraham I; Harari, Marco; Evseev, Efim G

2011-01-01

The broad-band normal incidence UVB beam radiation has been measured at Neve Zohar, Dead Sea basin, using a prototype tracking instrument composed of a Model 501A UV-Biometer mounted on an Eppley Solar Tracker Model St-1. The diffuse and beam fraction of the solar global UVB radiation have been determined using the concurrently measured solar global UVB radiation. The diffuse fraction was observed to exceed 80% throughout the year. The application of the results of these measurements to the possible revision of the photoclimatherapy protocol for psoriasis patients at the Dead Sea medical spas is now under investigation. The suggested revision would enable the sun-exposure treatment protocol to take advantage of the very high diffuse fraction by allowing the patient to receive the daily dose of UVB radiation without direct exposure to the sun, viz. receive the diffuse UVB radiation under a sunshade. This would require an increase in sun-exposure time intervals, as the UVB radiation intensity beneath a sunshade is less than that on an exposed surface. © 2010 The Authors. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2010 The American Society of Photobiology.

Immunocytochemistry associated with oral exfoliative cytology: methodological analysis..

PubMed

da Silva, Alessandra Dutra; Lima, Celina Faig; Maraschin, Bruna Jalfim; Laureano, Natália Koerich; Daroit, Natália Batista; Brochier, Fernanda; Sant'Ana Filho, Manoel; Visioli, Fernanda; Rados, Pantelis Varvaki

2015-04-01

To evaluate different immunocytochemical protocol variations to find the most effective protocol for the analysis of involucrin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and E-cadherin antibodies. Exfoliative cytology is a noninvasive method used to monitor and screen for early changes in the oral mucosa of patients exposed to carcinogens such as tobacco and alcohol. It has been postulated that its association with immunocytochemistry may improve the effectiveness of the screening process. Four graduate students from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil had oral smears collected from the border of the tongue using a cytobrush. The following variables were analyzed: cell membrane permeability, antigen retrieval method (microwave oven or water bath), antibody incubation time (overnight or 1 hour), detection system used (Envision or LSAB), and chromogen incubation time (10 seconds or 5 minutes). Best results were obtained with the following combinations: (1) for involucrin: water bath, 1-hour incubation for primary antibody, Envision, and chromogen incubation for 10 seconds; (2)for EGFR: microwave, overnight incubation, LSAB, and chromogen incubation for 5 minutes; and (3) for E-cadherin: water bath, over-night incubation, Envision, and chromogen incubation for 5 minutes. Our findings suggest that each antibody requires a specific immunocytochemical protocol to guarantee optimal results with oral smears.

Effect of Sodium Arsenite on Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Palmieri, Mónica A; Molinari, Beatriz L

2015-07-01

Arsenic is carcinogenic in human beings, and environmental exposure to arsenic is a public health issue that affects large populations worldwide. Thus, studies are needed to determine the mode of action of arsenic and prevent harmful effects arising from arsenic intake. The present study assessed the influence of sodium arsenite (As(3+)) on potentially carcinogenic processes that are either pre-existing or concomitant with chronic intake of water containing As(3+). Experiments using SenCar mice were designed to evaluate the effect of chronic administration of As(3+) (2, 20, or 200 mg of As(3+)/L) in drinking water that overlapped to varying degrees with a 2-stage carcinogenesis protocol carried out over 9 months. The results showed a time-dependent pattern. During early stages of carcinogenesis (6-12 weeks), animals exposed to As(3+) and the carcinogenesis protocol showed increased numbers of tumors compared to control animals. During late carcinogenesis (16-30 weeks), the number of tumors stabilized to below control values, but the tumors showed increased malignancy. These findings indicate that the outcomes of the 2-stage skin carcinogenesis protocol are modified by the presence of arsenite in drinking water, which increases the rate of carcinoma development. © 2015 by The Author(s).

Real-time distributed scheduling algorithm for supporting QoS over WDM networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kam, Anthony C.; Siu, Kai-Yeung

1998-10-01

Most existing or proposed WDM networks employ circuit switching, typically with one session having exclusive use of one entire wavelength. Consequently they are not suitable for data applications involving bursty traffic patterns. The MIT AON Consortium has developed an all-optical LAN/MAN testbed which provides time-slotted WDM service and employs fast-tunable transceivers in each optical terminal. In this paper, we explore extensions of this service to achieve fine-grained statistical multiplexing with different virtual circuits time-sharing the wavelengths in a fair manner. In particular, we develop a real-time distributed protocol for best-effort traffic over this time-slotted WDM service with near-optical fairness and throughput characteristics. As an additional design feature, our protocol supports the allocation of guaranteed bandwidths to selected connections. This feature acts as a first step towards supporting integrated services and quality-of-service guarantees over WDM networks. To achieve high throughput, our approach is based on scheduling transmissions, as opposed to collision- based schemes. Our distributed protocol involves one MAN scheduler and several LAN schedulers (one per LAN) in a master-slave arrangement. Because of propagation delays and limits on control channel capacities, all schedulers are designed to work with partial, delayed traffic information. Our distributed protocol is of the `greedy' type to ensure fast execution in real-time in response to dynamic traffic changes. It employs a hybrid form of rate and credit control for resource allocation. We have performed extensive simulations, which show that our protocol allocates resources (transmitters, receivers, wavelengths) fairly with high throughput, and supports bandwidth guarantees.

Security proof of a three-state quantum-key-distribution protocol without rotational symmetry

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

Fung, C.-H.F.; Lo, H.-K.

2006-10-15

Standard security proofs of quantum-key-distribution (QKD) protocols often rely on symmetry arguments. In this paper, we prove the security of a three-state protocol that does not possess rotational symmetry. The three-state QKD protocol we consider involves three qubit states, where the first two states |0{sub z}> and |1{sub z}> can contribute to key generation, and the third state |+>=(|0{sub z}>+|1{sub z}>)/{radical}(2) is for channel estimation. This protocol has been proposed and implemented experimentally in some frequency-based QKD systems where the three states can be prepared easily. Thus, by founding on the security of this three-state protocol, we prove that thesemore » QKD schemes are, in fact, unconditionally secure against any attacks allowed by quantum mechanics. The main task in our proof is to upper bound the phase error rate of the qubits given the bit error rates observed. Unconditional security can then be proved not only for the ideal case of a single-photon source and perfect detectors, but also for the realistic case of a phase-randomized weak coherent light source and imperfect threshold detectors. Our result in the phase error rate upper bound is independent of the loss in the channel. Also, we compare the three-state protocol with the Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) protocol. For the single-photon source case, our result proves that the BB84 protocol strictly tolerates a higher quantum bit error rate than the three-state protocol, while for the coherent-source case, the BB84 protocol achieves a higher key generation rate and secure distance than the three-state protocol when a decoy-state method is used.« less

A quantitative PCR approach for quantification of functional genes involved in the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated soils.

PubMed

Shahsavari, Esmaeil; Aburto-Medina, Arturo; Taha, Mohamed; Ball, Andrew S

2016-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are major pollutants globally and due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties their clean-up is paramount. Bioremediation or using PAH degrading microorganisms (mainly bacteria) to degrade the pollutants represents cheap, effective methods. These PAH degraders harbor functional genes which help microorganisms use PAHs as source of food and energy. Most probable number (MPN) and plate counting methods are widely used for counting PAHs degraders; however, as culture based methods only count a small fraction (<1%) of microorganisms capable of carrying out PAH degradation, the use of culture-independent methodologies is desirable.•This protocol presents a robust, rapid and sensitive qPCR method for the quantification of the functional genes involved in the degradation of PAHs in soil samples.•This protocol enables us to screen a vast number of PAH contaminated soil samples in few hours.•This protocol provides valuable information about the natural attenuation potential of contaminated soil and can be used to monitor the bioremediation process.

The international fine aerosol networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Thomas A.

1993-04-01

The adoption by the United States of a PIXE-based protocol for its fine aerosol network, after open competitions involving numerous laboratories and methods, has encouraged cooperation with other countries possessing similar capabilities and similar needs. These informal cooperative programs, involving about a dozen countries at the end of 1991, almost all use PIXE as a major component of the analytical protocols. The University of California, Davis, Air Quality Group assisted such programs through indefinite loans of a quality assurance sampler, the IMPROVE Channel A, and analyses at no cost of a small fraction of the samples taken in a side-by-side configuration. In December 1991, the World Meteorological Organization chose a protocol essentially identical to IMPROVE for the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) network and began deploying units, the IMPROVE Channel A, to sites around the world. Preferred analyses include fine (less than about 2.5 μm) mass, ions by ion chromatography and elements by PIXE + PESA (or, lacking that, XRF). This paper will describe progress in both programs, giving examples of the utility of the data and projecting the future expansion of the network to about 20 GAW sites by 1994.

Reduced embryonic survival in rainbow trout resulting from paternal exposure to the environmental estrogen 17 alpha- ethynylestradiol during late sexual maturation

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

Brown, Kim H.; Schultz, Irvin R.; Nagler, James J.

Exposure of fishes to environmental estrogens is known to affect sexual development and spawning, but little information exists regarding effects on gametes. This study evaluated embryonic survival of offspring from male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE 2)using an in vitro fertilization protocol. Males were exposed at either 1800 or 6700 degree days (8d) (i.e. 161 or 587 days post-fertilization (dpf)) to test for effects on testes linked to reproductive ontogeny. At 18008d, fish were beginning testicular differentiation and were exposed to 109 ng EE 2/l for 21 days. At 67008d, fish have testes containing spermatocytes and spermatidsmore » and were exposed for 56 days to either 0.8, 8.3, or 65 ng EE 2/l. Semen was collected at full sexual maturity in each group and used to fertilize eggs pooled from several non-exposed females. Significant decreases in embryonic survival were observed only with the 67008d exposure. In 0.8 and 8.3 ng EE 2/l treatments, embryo survival was significantly reduced at 19 dpf when compared with the control. In contrast, an immediate decrease in embryonic survival at 0.5 dpf was observed in the 65 ng EE 2/l treatment. Blood samples collected at spawning from 67008d exposed males revealed a significant decrease in 11-ketotestosterone and a significant increase in luteinizing hormone levels for the 65 ng EE 2/l treatment when compared with the other treatment groups. Results indicate that sexually maturing male rainbow trout are susceptible to EE 2 exposure with these fish exhibiting two possible mechanisms of reduced embryonic survival through sperm varying dependant« less

Early versus late BCG vaccination in HIV-1-exposed infants in Uganda: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Nankabirwa, Victoria; Tumwine, James K; Namugga, Olive; Tylleskär, Thorkild; Ndeezi, Grace; Robberstad, Bjarne; Netea, Mihai G; Sommerfelt, Halvor

2017-03-31

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination may have nonspecific effects, i.e., effects on childhood morbidity and mortality that go beyond its effect on the risk of childhood tuberculosis (TB). Though the available scientific literature is mostly from observational studies, and is fraught with controversy, BCG vaccination at birth may protect infants in high-mortality populations against serious infections other than TB. Yet, other studies indicate that giving BCG later in infancy may modify immune responses to non-TB antigens and potentially enhance immunity, potentially also against tuberculosis (TB). It is unclear whether BCG vaccination very early in life offers adequate protection against TB and other infections among HIV-1-exposed children because even those who remain uninfected with HIV-1 show signs of impaired immunocompetence early in infancy. This study will compare BCG vaccination at birth with BCG vaccination at 14 weeks of age in HIV-1-exposed infants. This is an individually randomized controlled trial in 2200 HIV-1-exposed infants. The intervention is BCG vaccination within 24 h of birth while the comparator is BCG given at 14 weeks of age. The study co-primary outcomes are severe illness in the first 14 weeks of life, and production of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and interferon-γ in response to mycobacterial and nonmycobacterial antigens. The study is being conducted in three health centers in Uganda. A well-timed BCG vaccination could have important nonspecific effects in HIV-1-exposed infants. This trial could inform the development of appropriate timing of BCG vaccination for HIV-1-exposed infants. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02606526 . Registered on 12 November 2015.

Reduced embryonic survival in rainbow trout resulting from paternal exposure to the environmental estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol during late sexual maturation

PubMed Central

Brown, Kim H; Schultz, Irvin R; Nagler, James J

2007-01-01

Exposure of fishes to environmental estrogens is known to affect sexual development and spawning, but little information exists regarding effects on gametes. This study evaluated embryonic survival of offspring from male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) using an in vitro fertilization protocol. Males were exposed at either 1800 or 6700 degree days (°d) (i.e. 161 or 587 days post-fertilization (dpf)) to test for effects on testes linked to reproductive ontogeny. At 1800°d, fish were beginning testicular differentiation and were exposed to 109 ng EE2/l for 21 days. At 6700°d, fish have testes containing spermatocytes and spermatids and were exposed for 56 days to either 0.8, 8.3, or 65 ng EE2/l. Semen was collected at full sexual maturity in each group and used to fertilize eggs pooled from several non-exposed females. Significant decreases in embryonic survival were observed only with the 6700°d exposure. In 0.8 and 8.3 ng EE2/l treatments, embryo survival was significantly reduced at 19 dpf when compared with the control. In contrast, an immediate decrease in embryonic survival at 0.5 dpf was observed in the 65 ng EE2/l treatment. Blood samples collected at spawning from 6700°d exposed males revealed a significant decrease in 11-ketotestosterone and a significant increase in luteinizing hormone levels for the 65 ng EE2/l treatment when compared with the other treatment groups. Results indicate that sexually maturing male rainbow trout are susceptible to EE2 exposure with these fish exhibiting two possible mechanisms of reduced embryonic survival through sperm varying dependant on EE2 exposure concentrations experienced. PMID:17965256

FT-Raman Spectroscopy Study of the Remineralization of Microwave-Exposed Artificial Caries.

PubMed

Kerr, J E; Arndt, G D; Byerly, D L; Rubinovitz, R; Theriot, C A; Stangel, I

2016-03-01

Dental caries is a microbially mediated disease that can result in significant tooth structure degradation. Although the preponderance of lesions is treated by surgical intervention, various strategies have been developed for its noninvasive management. Here, we use a novel approach for noninvasive treatment based on killing Streptococcus mutans with high-frequency microwave energy (ME). The rationale for this approach is based on modulating the pH of caries to a physiological state to enable spontaneous tooth remineralization from exogenous sources. In the present study, after demonstrating that ME kills >99% of S. mutans in planktonic cultures, 8 enamel slabs were harvested from a single tooth. Baseline mineral concentration at each of 12 points per slab was obtained using Fourier transform (FT)-Raman spectroscopy. Surface demineralization was subsequently promoted by subjecting all samples to an S. mutans acidic biofilm for 6 d. Half of the samples were then exposed to high-frequency ME, and the other half were used as controls. All samples were next subjected to a remineralization protocol consisting of two 45-min exposures per 24-h period in tryptic soy broth followed by immersion in a remineralizing solution for the remaining period. After 10 d, samples were removed and cleaned. FT-Raman spectra were again obtained at the same 12 points per sample, and the mineral concentration was determined. The effect of the remineralization protocol on the demineralized slabs was expressed as a percentage of mineral loss or gain relative to baseline. The mineral concentration of the microwave-exposed group collectively approached 100% of baseline values, while that of the control group was in the order of 40%. Differences between groups were significant (P = 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). We concluded that killing of S. mutans by ME promotes effective remineralization of S. mutans-demineralized enamel compared with controls. © International & American Associations for Dental Research 2015.

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists for assisted conception.

PubMed

Al-Inany, H G; Abou-Setta, A M; Aboulghar, M

2006-07-19

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists produce immediate suppression of gonadotrophin secretion, hence, they can be given after starting gonadotrophin administration. This has resulted in dramatic reduction in the duration of treatment cycle. Two different regimes have been described. The multiple-dose protocol involves the administration of 0.25 mg cetrorelix (or ganirelix) daily from day six to seven of stimulation, or when the leading follicle is 14 to15 mm, until human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration and the single-dose protocol involves the single administration of 3 mg cetrorelix on day seven to eight of stimulation. Assuming comparable clinical outcome, these benefits would justify a change from the standard long protocol of GnRH agonists to the new GnRH antagonist regimens. To evaluate the evidence regarding the efficacy of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists with the standard long protocol of GnRH agonists for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in assisted conception. We searched Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group's Specialised Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 1987 to February 2006, and handsearched bibliographies of relevant publications and reviews, and abstracts of scientific meetings. We also contacted manufacturers in the field. Randomized controlled studies comparing different protocols of GnRH antagonists with GnRH agonists in assisted conception cycles were included in this review. Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. If relevant data were missing or unclear, the authors have been consulted Twenty seven RCTs comparing the GnRH antagonist to the long protocol of GnRH agonist fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the antagonist group. (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.72 - 0.97). The ongoing pregnancy/ live-birth rate showed the same significant lower pregnancy in the antagonist group (P = 0.03; OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.98).However, there was statistically significant reduction in incidence of severe OHSS with antagonist protocol. The relative risk ratio was (P = 0.01; RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.89). In addition, interventions to prevent OHSS (e.g. coasting, cycle cancellation) were administered more frequently in the agonist group (P = 0.03; OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.93). GnRH antagonist protocol is a short and simple protocol with good clinical outcome with significant reduction in incidence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and amount of gonadotrophins but the lower pregnancy rate compared to the GnRH agonist long protocol necessitates counseling subfertile couples before recommending change from GnRH agonist to antagonist..

The Myth, the Truth, the NASA IRB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Covington, M. D.; Flores, M. P.; Neutzler, V. P.; Schlegel, T. T.; Platts, S. H.; Lioyd, C. W.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the NASA Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to review research activities involving human subjects to ensure that ethical standards for the care and protection of human subjects have been met and research activities are in compliance with all pertinent federal, state and local regulations as well as NASA policies. NASA IRB's primary role is the protection of human subjects in research studies. Protection of human subjects is the shared responsibility of NASA, the IRB, and the scientific investigators. Science investigators who plan to conduct NASA-funded human research involving NASA investigators, facilities, or funds must submit and coordinate their research studies for review and approval by the NASA IRB prior to initiation. The IRB has the authority to approve, require changes in, or disapprove research involving human subjects. Better knowledge of the NASA IRB policies, procedures and guidelines should help facilitate research protocol applications and approvals. In this presentation, the myths and truths of NASA IRB policies and procedures will be discussed. We will focus on the policies that guide a protocol through the NASA IRB and the procedures that principal investigators must take to obtain required IRB approvals for their research studies. In addition, tips to help ensure a more efficient IRB review will be provided. By understanding the requirements and processes, investigators will be able to more efficiently prepare their protocols and obtain the required NASA IRB approval in a timely manner.

Patient and tissue identification in the assisted reproductive technology laboratory.

PubMed

Pomeroy, Kimball O; Racowsky, Catherine

2012-06-01

Several high-profile cases involving in vitro fertilization have recently received considerable media attention and highlight the importance of assuring patient and tissue identification. Within the assisted reproductive technology (ART) laboratory, there are many steps where wrong patient or tissue identity could have drastic results. Erroneous identity can result in tragic consequences for the patient, the laboratory, and for those working in the program as a whole. Such errors can result in enormous psychological and financial costs, as well as a loss in confidence. There are several critical steps that should be taken every single time and for each specific procedure performed in the ART laboratory to ensure the correct identification of patients and their tissue. These steps should be detailed in protocols that include the method of identification, the two unique identifiers that will be used, the sources of these identifiers, and often a system in which more than one person is involved in the identification. Each protocol should ideally include a checklist that is actively used for the implementation of each procedure. The protocol should also indicate what to do if the identification does not match up, including rapid handling and notification of the patient involved in the error. All ART laboratories should instill in their employees an atmosphere of full and open disclosure for cases where mistakes are made. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Left ventricular diastolic function in workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapour without clinical presentation of cardiac involvement

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

Poręba, Rafał, E-mail: sogood@poczta.onet.pl; Skoczyńska, Anna; Gać, Paweł

2012-09-15

The aim of the study was to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function in workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapour without clinical presentation of cardiac involvement. The studies included 115 workers (92 men and 23 women) occupationally exposed to mercury vapour without clinical presentation of cardiac involvement (mean age: 47.83 ± 8.29). Blood samples were taken to determine blood lipid profile, urine was collected to estimate mercury concentration (Hg-U) and echocardiographic examination was performed to evaluate diastolic function of the left ventricle. In the entire group of workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapour without clinical presentation of cardiac involvement, Spearman correlationsmore » analysis demonstrated the following significant linear relationships: between body mass index (BMI) and ratio of maximal early diastolic mitral flow velocity/early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E') (r = 0.32, p < 0.05), between serum HDL concentration and E/E' (r = − 0.22, p < 0.05), between Hg-U and E/E' (r = 0.35, p < 0.05), between Hg-U and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT') (r = 0.41, p < 0.05), between Hg-U and ratio of maximal early diastolic mitral flow velocity/maximal late diastolic mitral flow velocity (E/A) (r = − 0.31, p < 0.05) and between serum HDL concentration and E/A (r = 0.43, p < 0,05). In logistic regression analysis it as shown that independent factors of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction risk in the study group included a higher urine mercury concentration, a higher value of BMI and a lower serum HDL concentration (OR{sub Hg}-{sub U} = 1.071, OR{sub BMI} = 1.200, OR{sub HDL} = 0.896, p < 0.05). Summing up, occupational exposure to mercury vapour may be linked to impaired left ventricular diastolic function in workers without clinical presentation of cardiac involvement. -- Highlights: ► Study aimed at evaluation of LVDD in workers occupationally exposed to Hg. ► There was significant linear relationships between Hg-U and E/E'. ► Independent risk factor of LVDD in study group included higher Hg-U. ► Independent risk factor of LVDD in study group included higher BMI and lower HDL. ► Occupational exposure to Hg may be linked to LVDD.« less

Identification of transcriptome involved in atrazine detoxification and degradation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) exposed to realistic environmental contamination.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing Jing; Lu, Yi Chen; Zhang, Shu Hao; Lu, Feng Fan; Yang, Hong

2016-08-01

Plants are constantly exposed to a variety of toxic compounds (or xenobiotics) such as pesticides (or herbicides). Atrazine (ATZ) as herbicide has become one of the environmental contaminants due to its intensive use during crop production. Plants have evolved strategies to cope with the adverse impact of ATZ. However, the mechanism for ATZ degradation and detoxification in plants is largely unknown. Here we employed a global RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) strategy to dissect transcriptome variation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) exposed to ATZ. Four libraries were constructed including Root-ATZ (root control, ATZ-free), Shoot-ATZ, Root+ATZ (root treated with ATZ) and Shoot+ATZ. Hierarchical clustering was performed to display the expression patterns for all differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under ATZ exposure. Transcripts involved in ATZ detoxification, stress responses (e.g. oxidation and reduction, conjugation and hydrolytic reactions), and regulations of cysteine biosynthesis were identified. Several genes encoding glycosyltransferases, glutathione S-transferases or ABC transporters were up-regulated notably. Also, many other genes involved in oxidation-reduction, conjugation, and hydrolysis for herbicide degradation were differentially expressed. These results suggest that ATZ in alfalfa can be detoxified or degraded through different pathways. The expression patterns of some DEGs by high-throughput sequencing were well confirmed by qRT-PCR. Our results not only highlight the transcriptional complexity in alfalfa exposed to ATZ but represent a major improvement for analyzing transcriptional changes on a large scale as well. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bisphenol A Exposure May Induce Hepatic Lipid Accumulation via Reprogramming the DNA Methylation Patterns of Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Zhang-Hong; Pan, Jie-Xue; Jin, Lu-Yang; Xu, Hai-Yan; Yu, Tian-Tian; Ullah, Kamran; Rahman, Tanzil Ur; Ren, Jun; Cheng, Yi; Dong, Xin-Yan; Sheng, Jian-Zhong; Huang, He-Feng

2016-08-01

Accumulating evidence suggests a role of bisphenol A (BPA) in metabolic disorders. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Using a mouse BPA exposure model, we investigated the effects of long-term BPA exposure on lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanisms. The male mice exposed to BPA (0.5 μg BPA /kg/day, a human relevant dose) for 10 months exhibited significant hepatic accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol. The liver cells from the BPA-exposed mice showed significantly increased expression levels of the genes related to lipid synthesis. These liver cells showed decreased DNA methylation levels of Srebf1 and Srebf2, and increased expression levels of Srebf1 and Srebf2 that may upregulate the genes related to lipid synthesis. The expression levels of DNA methyltransferases were decreased in BPA-exposed mouse liver. Hepa1-6 cell line treated with BPA showed decreased expression levels of DNA methyltransferases and increased expression levels of genes involved in lipid synthesis. DNA methyltransferase knockdown in Hepa1-6 led to hypo-methylation and increased expression levels of genes involved in lipid synthesis. Our results suggest that long-term BPA exposure could induce hepatic lipid accumulation, which may be due to the epigenetic reprogramming of the genes involved in lipid metabolism, such as the alterations of DNA methylation patterns.

Bisphenol A Exposure May Induce Hepatic Lipid Accumulation via Reprogramming the DNA Methylation Patterns of Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism

PubMed Central

Ke, Zhang-Hong; Pan, Jie-Xue; Jin, Lu-Yang; Xu, Hai-Yan; Yu, Tian-Tian; Ullah, Kamran; Rahman, Tanzil Ur; Ren, Jun; Cheng, Yi; Dong, Xin-Yan; Sheng, Jian-Zhong; Huang, He-Feng

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests a role of bisphenol A (BPA) in metabolic disorders. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Using a mouse BPA exposure model, we investigated the effects of long-term BPA exposure on lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanisms. The male mice exposed to BPA (0.5 μg BPA /kg/day, a human relevant dose) for 10 months exhibited significant hepatic accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol. The liver cells from the BPA-exposed mice showed significantly increased expression levels of the genes related to lipid synthesis. These liver cells showed decreased DNA methylation levels of Srebf1 and Srebf2, and increased expression levels of Srebf1 and Srebf2 that may upregulate the genes related to lipid synthesis. The expression levels of DNA methyltransferases were decreased in BPA-exposed mouse liver. Hepa1-6 cell line treated with BPA showed decreased expression levels of DNA methyltransferases and increased expression levels of genes involved in lipid synthesis. DNA methyltransferase knockdown in Hepa1-6 led to hypo-methylation and increased expression levels of genes involved in lipid synthesis. Our results suggest that long-term BPA exposure could induce hepatic lipid accumulation, which may be due to the epigenetic reprogramming of the genes involved in lipid metabolism, such as the alterations of DNA methylation patterns. PMID:27502578

Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells exposed to microorganisms involved in hypersensitivity pneumonitis induce a Th1-polarized immune response.

PubMed

Bellanger, Anne-Pauline; Pallandre, Jean-René; Borg, Christophe; Loeffert, Sophie; Gbaguidi-Haore, Houssein; Millon, Laurence

2013-08-01

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immunoallergic disease characterized by a prominent interstitial infiltrate composed predominantly of lymphocytes secreting inflammatory cytokines. Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a pivotal role in the lymphocytic response. However, their cross talk with microorganisms that cause HP has yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the initial interactions between human monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) and four microorganisms that are different in nature (Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula [actinomycetes], Mycobacterium immunogenum [mycobacteria], and Wallemia sebi and Eurotium amstelodami [filamentous fungi]) and are involved in HP. Our objectives were to determine the cross talk between MoDCs and HP-causative agents and to determine whether the resulting immune response varied according to the microbial extract tested. The phenotypic activation of MoDCs was measured by the increased expression of costimulatory molecules and levels of cytokines in supernatants. The functional activation of MoDCs was measured by the ability of MoDCs to induce lymphocytic proliferation and differentiation in a mixed lymphocytic reaction (MLR). E. amstelodami-exposed (EA) MoDCs expressed higher percentages of costimulatory molecules than did W. sebi-exposed (WS), S. rectivirgula-exposed (SR), or M. immunogenum-exposed (MI) MoDCs (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). EA-MoDCs, WS-MoDCs, SR-MoDCs, and MI-MoDCs induced CD4(+) T cell proliferation and a Th1-polarized immune response. The present study provides evidence that, although differences were initially observed between MoDCs exposed to filamentous fungi and MoDCs exposed to bacteria, a Th1 response was ultimately promoted by DCs regardless of the microbial extract tested.

Anesthesia and analgesia protocols for total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Aaron G

2006-07-01

Uncontrolled pain associated with total knee arthroplasty can have significant untoward effects on patient outcomes, leading to delayed recovery, inability to participate in rehabilitation, prolonged hospitalization, and increased use of health care resources. In this article, I review the methodologies and outcomes of several studies and protocols involving preemptive, perioperative, and postoperative use of various anesthetic and analgesic agents. Used together with minimally invasive techniques, appropriate pain control should result in significant improvements in patient outcomes.

Skeletal Class III and anterior open bite treatment with different retention protocols: a report of three cases.

PubMed

Farret, Milton Meri Benitez; Farret, Marcel Marchiori; Farret, Alessandro Marchiori

2012-09-01

The treatment of skeletal class III and anterior open bite can be unstable and orthodontists frequently observe relapse. Here, we report on the management of three patients with skeletal class III profiles and open bites treated by orthodontic camouflage. Each received a retention protocol involving the use of two separate appliances during the night and day accompanied by myofunctional therapy. Long-term follow-up revealed a stable outcome.

Applying the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention to increase European preschool children's physical activity levels: the ToyBox-study.

PubMed

De Craemer, M; De Decker, E; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; Verloigne, M; Duvinage, K; Koletzko, B; Ibrügger, S; Kreichauf, S; Grammatikaki, E; Moreno, L; Iotova, V; Socha, P; Szott, K; Manios, Y; Cardon, G

2014-08-01

Although sufficient physical activity is beneficial for preschoolers' health, activity levels in most preschoolers are low. As preschoolers spend a considerable amount of time at home and at kindergarten, interventions should target both environments to increase their activity levels. The aim of the current paper was to describe the six different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol towards the systematic development and implementation of the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention. This intervention is a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention implemented across six European countries. Based on the results of literature reviews and focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers, matrices of change objectives were created. Then, theory-based methods and practical strategies were selected to develop intervention materials at three different levels: (i) individual level (preschoolers); (ii) interpersonal level (parents/caregivers) and (iii) organizational level (teachers). This resulted in a standardized intervention with room for local and cultural adaptations in each participating country. Although the Intervention Mapping protocol is a time-consuming process, using this systematic approach may lead to an increase in intervention effectiveness. The presented matrices of change objectives are useful for future programme planners to develop and implement an intervention based on the Intervention Mapping protocol to increase physical activity levels in preschoolers. © 2014 World Obesity.

Mapping Anterior Temporal Lobe Language Areas with FMRI: A Multi-Center Normative Study

PubMed Central

Binder, Jeffrey R.; Gross, William L.; Allendorfer, Jane B.; Bonilha, Leonardo; Chapin, Jessica; Edwards, Jonathan C.; Grabowski, Thomas J.; Langfitt, John T.; Loring, David W.; Lowe, Mark J.; Koenig, Katherine; Morgan, Paul S.; Ojemann, Jeffrey G.; Rorden, Christopher; Szaflarski, Jerzy P.; Tivarus, Madalina E.; Weaver, Kurt E.

2010-01-01

Removal of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) is an effective surgical treatment for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy but carries a risk of language and verbal memory deficits. Preoperative localization of functional zones in the ATL might help reduce these risks, yet fMRI protocols in current widespread use produce very little activation in this region. Based on recent evidence suggesting a role for the ATL in semantic integration, we designed an fMRI protocol comparing comprehension of brief narratives (Story task) with a semantically shallow control task involving serial arithmetic (Math task). The Story > Math contrast elicited strong activation throughout the ATL, lateral temporal lobe, and medial temporal lobe bilaterally in an initial cohort of 18 healthy participants. The task protocol was then implemented at 6 other imaging centers using identical methods. Data from a second cohort of participants scanned at these centers closely replicated the results from the initial cohort. The Story-Math protocol provides a reliable method for activation of surgical regions of interest in the ATL. The bilateral activation supports previous claims that conceptual processing involves both temporal lobes. Used in combination with language lateralization measures, reliable ATL activation maps may be useful for predicting cognitive outcome in ATL surgery, though the validity of this approach needs to be established in a prospective surgical series. PMID:20884358

Nearest private query based on quantum oblivious key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Min; Shi, Run-hua; Luo, Zhen-yu; Peng, Zhen-wan

2017-12-01

Nearest private query is a special private query which involves two parties, a user and a data owner, where the user has a private input (e.g., an integer) and the data owner has a private data set, and the user wants to query which element in the owner's private data set is the nearest to his input without revealing their respective private information. In this paper, we first present a quantum protocol for nearest private query, which is based on quantum oblivious key distribution (QOKD). Compared to the classical related protocols, our protocol has the advantages of the higher security and the better feasibility, so it has a better prospect of applications.

Stochastic Characterization of Communication Network Latency for Wide Area Grid Control Applications.

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

Ameme, Dan Selorm Kwami; Guttromson, Ross

This report characterizes communications network latency under various network topologies and qualities of service (QoS). The characterizations are probabilistic in nature, allowing deeper analysis of stability for Internet Protocol (IP) based feedback control systems used in grid applications. The work involves the use of Raspberry Pi computers as a proxy for a controlled resource, and an ns-3 network simulator on a Linux server to create an experimental platform (testbed) that can be used to model wide-area grid control network communications in smart grid. Modbus protocol is used for information transport, and Routing Information Protocol is used for dynamic route selectionmore » within the simulated network.« less

[Management of bluespotted stingray injuries in Djibouti from July 2008 to July 2009].

PubMed

Aigle, L; Lions, C; Mottier, F; Ollivier, L

2010-06-01

Although stingray injuries have always been frequent in the Republic of Djibouti, it was not until July 2008 that the Bouffard Hospital developed a standardised management protocol. The purpose of this report is to describe that protocol and evaluate its impact on the outcome of stingray injuries based on a prospective study for the period between July 2008 and July 2009. During the study period, 12 stingray stings were treated. The treatment protocol that is based on a multidisciplinary approach involving the intensivist, anaesthesiologist, and surgeon achieved wound healing within one month. This outcome contrasts with previous publications that have generally described longer healing times with frequent infectious complications.

Location-oblivious data transfer with flying entangled qudits

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

Kent, Adrian

2011-07-15

We present a simple and practical quantum protocol involving two mistrustful agencies in Minkowski space, which allows Alice to transfer data to Bob at a space-time location that neither can predict in advance. The location depends on both Alice's and Bob's actions. The protocol guarantees unconditionally to Alice that Bob learns the data at a randomly determined location; it guarantees to Bob that Alice will not learn the transfer location even after the protocol is complete. The task implemented, transferring data at a space-time location that remains hidden from the transferrer, has no precise analog in nonrelativistic quantum cryptography. Itmore » illustrates further the scope for novel cryptographic applications of relativistic quantum theory.« less

Methods of making bainitic steel materials

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

Bakas, Michael Paul; Chu, Henry Shiu-Hung; Zagula, Thomas Andrew

Methods of making bainitic steels may involve austenitizing a quantity of steel by exposing the quantity of steel to a first temperature. A composition of the quantity of steel may be configured to impede formation of non-bainite ferrite, pearlite, and Widmanstatten ferrite. The quantity of steel may be heat-treated to form bainite by exposing the quantity of steel to a second, lower temperature. The second, lower temperature may be stabilized by exposing the quantity of steel to the second, lower temperature in the presence of a thermal ballast.

Impact of a Tutored Theoretical-Practical Training to Develop Undergraduate Students’ Skills for the Detection of Caries Lesions: Study Protocol for a Multicenter Controlled Randomized Study

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Fernanda Rosche; Mendes, Fausto Medeiros; Raggio, Daniela Prócida; Imparato, José Carlos; Bonecker, Marcelo; Magalhães, Ana Carolina; Wang, Linda; Rios, Daniela; Pessan, Juliano Pelim; Duque, Cristiane; Rebelo, Maria Augusta Bessa; Alves Filho, Ary Oliveira; Lima, Marina De Deus Moura; Moura, Marcoeli Silva; De Carli, Alessandro Diogo; Sanabe, Mariane Emi; Cenci, Maximiliano Sergio; Oliveira, Elenara Ferreira; Correa, Marcos Britto; Rocha, Rachel Oliveira; Zenkner, Julio Eduardo; Murisí, Pedroza Uribe; Martignon, Stefania; Lara, Juan Sebastian; Aquino, Fatima Gabriela; Carrillo, Alfredo; Chu, Chun Hung; Deery, Chris; Ricketts, David; Melo, Paulo; Antunes, José Leopoldo Ferreira; Ekstrand, Kim Rud

2017-01-01

Background Tutored laboratorial activities could be a manner of improving the competency development of students. However, its impact over conventional theoretical classes has not yet been tested. Additionally, different university contexts could influence this issue and should be explored. Objective To assess the impact of a tutored theoretical-practical training for teaching undergraduate students to detect caries lesions as compared with theoretical teaching activities. The impact of these teaching/learning activities will be assessed in terms of efficacy, cost/benefit, retention of knowledge/acquired competences, and student acceptability. Methods Sixteen centers (7 centers from Brazil and 9 centers from other countries throughout the world) are involved in the inclusion of subjects for this protocol. A randomized controlled study with parallel groups will be conducted. One group (control) will be exposed to a 60- to 90-minute conventional theoretical class and the other group (test) will be exposed to the same theoretical class and also a 90-minute laboratory class, including exercises and discussions based on the evaluation of a pool of images and extracted teeth. The mentioned outcomes will be evaluated immediately after the teaching activities and also in medium- and long-term analyses. To compare the long-term outcomes, students who enrolled in the university before the participating students will be interviewed for data collection and these data will be used as a control and compared with the trained group. This stage will be a nonrandomized phase of this study, nested in the main study. Appropriate statistical analysis will be performed according to the aims of this study. Variables related to the centers will also be analyzed and used to model adjustment as possible sources of variability among results. Results This ongoing study is funded by a Brazilian national funding agency (CNPq- 400736/2014-4). We expect that the tutored theoretical-practical training will improve the undergraduate students’ performance in the detection of caries lesions and subsequent treatment decisions, mainly in terms of long-term retention of knowledge. Our hypothesis is that tutored theoretical-practical training is a more cost-effective option for teaching undergraduate students to detect caries lesions. Conclusions If our hypothesis is confirmed, the use of laboratory training in conjunction with theoretical classes could be used as an educational strategy in Cariology to improve the development of undergraduate students’ skills in the detection of caries lesions and clinical decision-making. PMID:28814381

GPR applications for geotechnical stability of transportation infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedetto, A.; Benedetto, F.; Tosti, F.

2012-09-01

Nowadays, severe meteorological events are always more frequent all over the world. This causes a strong impact on the environment such as numerous landslides, especially in rural areas. Rural roads are exposed to an increased risk for geotechnical instability. In the meantime, financial resources for maintenance are certainly decreased due to the international crisis and other different domestic factors. In this context, the best allocation of funds becomes a priority: efficiency and effectiveness of plans and actions are crucially requested. For this purpose, the correct localisation of geotechnically instable domains is strategic. In this paper, the use of Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) for geotechnical inspection of pavement and sub-pavement layers is proposed. A three-step protocol has been calibrated and validated to allocate efficiently and effectively the maintenance funds. In the first step, the instability is localised through an inspection at traffic speed using a 1-GHz GPR horn launched antenna. The productivity is generally about or over 300 Km/day. Data are processed offline by automatic procedures. In the second step, a GPR inspection restricted to the critical road sections is carried out using two coupled antennas. One antenna is used for top pavement inspection (1.6 GHz central frequency) and a second antenna (600 MHz central frequency) is used for sub-pavement structure diagnosis. Finally, GPR data are post-processed in the time and frequency domains to identify accurately the geometry of the instability. The case study shows the potentiality of this protocol applied to the rural roads exposed to a landslide.

Increasing Parental Involvement to Promote Dropout Prevention. Lessons from an RCT in Italian Lower Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argentin, Gianluca; Barbetta, Gian Paolo; Maci, Francesca

2016-01-01

It is well-known that socio-economic background matters in determining student performance. Systematic reviews confirm that a key role in shaping this association is played by parental involvement. Not surprisingly, successful interventions in education frequently have parental engagement as a key ingredient of their protocol, and the attention…

The Evolution of Children's Mental Addition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashcraft, Mark H.; Hamann, Mary Sue

Students in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10 were tested in a two-part investigation of simple and complex mental addition (with college students as a reference point). One session involved a normal reaction time task in which children made true/false judgments about a series of addition examples. The other session involved a verbal protocol interview, the…

Differences between Higher and Lower Achievement Rate and Leadership Qualities, Instructional Practices, Parental Involvement, Opportunity to Learn, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ficarra, Laura

2017-01-01

The purpose of this mixed study was to investigate the differences between higher and lower achievement middle school rates pertaining to leadership qualities, opportunity to learn, instructional practices, parental involvement, and professional development. Qualitatively, principals were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol.…

A content analysis of posthumous sperm procurement protocols with considerations for developing an institutional policy.

PubMed

Bahm, Sarah M; Karkazis, Katrina; Magnus, David

2013-09-01

To identify and analyze existing posthumous sperm procurement (PSP) protocols in order to outline central themes for institutions to consider when developing future policies. Qualitative content analysis. Large academic institutions across the United States. We performed a literature search and contacted 40 institutions to obtain nine full PSP protocols. We then performed a content analysis on these policies to identify major themes and factors to consider when developing a PSP protocol. Presence of a PSP policy. We identified six components of a thorough PSP protocol: Standard of Evidence, Terms of Eligibility, Sperm Designee, Restrictions on Use in Reproduction, Logistics, and Contraindications. We also identified two different approaches to policy structure. In the Limited Role approach, institutions have stricter consent requirements and limit their involvement to the time of procurement. In the Family-Centered approach, substituted judgment is permitted but a mandatory wait period is enforced before sperm use in reproduction. Institutions seeking to implement a PSP protocol will benefit from considering the six major building blocks of a thorough protocol and where they would like to fall on the spectrum from a Limited Role to a Family-Centered approach. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Patient Handoff Methods on an Inpatient Teaching Service

PubMed Central

Craig, Steven R.; Smith, Hayden L.; Downen, A. Matthew; Yost, W. John

2012-01-01

Background The patient handoff process can be a highly variable and unstructured period at risk for communication errors. The morning sign-in process used by resident physicians at teaching hospitals typically involves less rigorous handoff protocols than the resident evening sign-out process. Little research has been conducted on best practices for handoffs during morning sign-in exchanges between resident physicians. Research must evaluate optimal protocols for the resident morning sign-in process. Methods Three morning handoff protocols consisting of written, electronic, and face-to-face methods were implemented over 3 study phases during an academic year. Study participants included all interns covering the internal medicine inpatient teaching service at a tertiary hospital. Study measures entailed intern survey-based interviews analyzed for failures in handoff protocols with or without missed pertinent information. Descriptive and comparative analyses examined study phase differences. Results A scheduled face-to-face handoff process had the fewest protocol deviations and demonstrated best communication of essential patient care information between cross-covering teams compared to written and electronic sign-in protocols. Conclusion Intern patient handoffs were more reliable when the sign-in protocol included scheduled face-to-face meetings. This method provided the best communication of patient care information and allowed for open exchanges of information. PMID:23267259

Evaluation of Protocol Uniformity Concerning Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in The Netherlands

PubMed Central

Goossens, Richard H. M.; van Eijk, Daan J.; Lange, Johan F.

2008-01-01

Background Iatrogenic bile duct injury remains a current complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. One uniform and standardized protocol, based on the “critical view of safety” concept of Strasberg, should reduce the incidence of this complication. Furthermore, owing to the rapid development of minimally invasive surgery, technicians are becoming more frequently involved. To improve communication between the operating team and technicians, standardized actions should also be defined. The aim of this study was to compare existing protocols for laparoscopic cholecystectomy from various Dutch hospitals. Methods Fifteen Dutch hospitals were contacted for evaluation of their protocols for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All evaluated protocols were divided into six steps and were compared accordingly. Results In total, 13 hospitals responded—5 academic hospitals, 5 teaching hospitals, 3 community hospitals—of which 10 protocols were usable for comparison. Concerning the trocar positions, only minor differences were found. The concept of “critical view of safety” was represented in just one protocol. Furthermore, the order of clipping and cutting the cystic artery and duct differed. Descriptions of instruments and apparatus were also inconsistent. Conclusions Present protocols differ too much to define a universal procedure among surgeons in The Netherlands. The authors propose one (inter)national standardized protocol, including standardized actions. This uniform standardized protocol has to be officially released and recommended by national scientific associations (e.g., the Dutch Society of Surgery) or international societies (e.g., European Association for Endoscopic Surgery and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons). The aim is to improve patient safety and professional communication, which are necessary for new developments. PMID:18224485

Picturing neuroscience research through a human rights lens: Imaging first-episode schizophrenic treatment-naive individuals

PubMed Central

Eijkholt, Marleen; Anderson, James A.; Illes, Judy

2012-01-01

In this paper we examine imaging research involving first-episode schizophrenic treatment-naive individuals (FESTNIs) through a legal human rights lens; in particular, the lens of the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine Concerning Biomedical Research. We identify a number of ethical and legal hot spots highlighted by the Protocol, and offer a series of recommendations designed to ensure the human rights compatibility of this research. Subsequently, we argue that the lack of reporting on design elements related to ethical concerns frustrates commitments at the heart of the human rights approach, namely, transparency and openness to international scrutiny. To redress this problem, we introduce two norms for the first time: ethical transparency, and ethical reproducibility. When concluding, we offer a set of reporting guidelines designed to operationalize these norms in the context of imaging research involving FESTNIs. Though we will not make this case here, we believe that parallel reporting guidelines should be incorporated into other areas of research involving human subjects. PMID:22304987

An update on the use of massive transfusion protocols in obstetrics.

PubMed

Pacheco, Luis D; Saade, George R; Costantine, Maged M; Clark, Steven L; Hankins, Gary D V

2016-03-01

Obstetrical hemorrhage remains a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. New concepts involving the pathophysiology of hemorrhage have been described and include early activation of both the protein C and fibrinolytic pathways. New strategies in hemorrhage treatment include the use of hemostatic resuscitation, although the optimal ratio to administer the various blood products is still unknown. Massive transfusion protocols involve the early utilization of blood products and limit the traditional approach of early massive crystalloid-based resuscitation. The evidence behind hemostatic resuscitation has changed in the last few years, and debate is ongoing regarding optimal transfusion strategies. The use of tranexamic acid, fibrinogen concentrates, and prothrombin complex concentrates has emerged as new potential alternative treatment strategies with improved safety profiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating Health Research into Disaster Response: The New NIH Disaster Research Response Program.

PubMed

Miller, Aubrey; Yeskey, Kevin; Garantziotis, Stavros; Arnesen, Stacey; Bennett, April; O'Fallon, Liam; Thompson, Claudia; Reinlib, Les; Masten, Scott; Remington, James; Love, Cindy; Ramsey, Steve; Rosselli, Richard; Galluzzo, Betsy; Lee, Joy; Kwok, Richard; Hughes, Joseph

2016-07-04

The need for high quality and timely disaster research has been a topic of great discussion over the past several years. Recent high profile incidents have exposed gaps in knowledge about the health impacts of disasters or the benefits of specific interventions-such was the case with the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill and recent events associated with lead-contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan, and the evolving health crisis related to Zika virus disease. Our inability to perform timely research to inform the community about health and safety risks or address specific concerns further heightens anxiety and distrust. Since nearly all disasters, whether natural or man-made, have an environmental health component, it is critical that specialized research tools and trained researchers be readily available to evaluate complex exposures and health effects, especially for vulnerable sub-populations such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with socioeconomic and environmental disparities. In response, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science has initiated a Disaster Research Response Program to create new tools, protocols, networks of researchers, training exercises, and outreach involving diverse groups of stakeholders to help overcome the challenges of disaster research and to improve our ability to collect vital information to reduce the adverse health impacts and improve future preparedness.

The risk of elevated prolactin levels in pediatric patients exposed to antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Antipsychotic medications, particularly second-generation antipsychotics, are increasingly being used to alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders in the pediatric population. While evidence-based approaches examining efficacy and safety outcomes have been reported, no review has evaluated prolactin-based adverse events for antipsychotic treatments in schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Methods/design Searches involving MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, Drug Industry Document Archive [DIDA], International Clinical Trials Registry Platform [ICTRP]) will be used to identify relevant studies. Two reviewers will independently screen abstracts and relevant full-text articles of the papers identified by the initial search according to the prospectively defined eligibility criteria. Data extraction will be conducted in duplicate independently. Pairwise random effects meta-analyses and network meta-analyses will be conducted on individual drug and class effects where appropriate. Discussion This systematic review will evaluate prolactin-based adverse events of first- and second-generation antipsychotics in the pediatric population with schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. It will also seek to strengthen the evidence base of the safety of antipsychotics by incorporating both randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42014009506 PMID:25312992

EEG-neurofeedback training of beta band (12-22Hz) affects alpha and beta frequencies - A controlled study of a healthy population.

PubMed

Jurewicz, Katarzyna; Paluch, Katarzyna; Kublik, Ewa; Rogala, Jacek; Mikicin, Mirosław; Wróbel, Andrzej

2018-01-08

The frequency-function relation of various EEG bands has inspired EEG-neurofeedback procedures intending to improve cognitive abilities in numerous clinical groups. In this study, we administered EEG-neurofeedback (EEG-NFB) to a healthy population to determine the efficacy of this procedure. We evaluated feedback manipulation in the beta band (12-22Hz), known to be involved in visual attention processing. Two groups of healthy adults were trained to either up- or down-regulate beta band activity, thus providing mutual control. Up-regulation training induced increases in beta and alpha band (8-12Hz) amplitudes during the first three sessions. Group-independent increases in the activity of both bands were observed in the later phase of training. EEG changes were not matched by measured behavioural indices of attention. Parallel changes in the two bands challenge the idea of frequency-specific EEG-NFB protocols and suggest their interdependence. Our study exposes the possibility (i) that the alpha band is more prone to manipulation, and (ii) that changes in the bands' amplitudes are independent from specified training. We therefore encourage a more comprehensive approach to EEG-neurofeedback training embracing physiological and/or operational relations among various EEG bands. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inquiry Based Projects Using Student Ozone Measurements and the Status of Using Plants as Bio-Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladd, I. H.; Fishman, J.; Pippin, M.; Sachs, S.; Skelly, J.; Chappelka, A.; Neufeld, H.; Burkey, K.

2006-05-01

Students around the world work cooperatively with their teachers and the scientific research community measuring local surface ozone levels using a hand-held optical scanner and ozone sensitive chemical strips. Through the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program, students measuring local ozone levels are connected with the chemistry of the air they breathe and how human activity impacts air quality. Educational tools have been developed and correlated with the National Science and Mathematics Standards to facilitate integrating the study of surface ozone with core curriculum. Ozone air pollution has been identified as the major pollutant causing foliar injury to plants when they are exposed to concentrations of surface ozone. The inclusion of native and agricultural plants with measuring surface ozone provides an Earth system approach to understanding surface ozone. An implementation guide for investigating ozone induced foliar injury has been developed and field tested. The guide, Using Sensitive Plants as Bio-Indicators of Ozone Pollution, provides: the background information and protocol for implementing an "Ozone Garden" with native and agricultural plants; and, a unique opportunity to involve students in a project that will develop and increase their awareness of surface ozone air pollution and its impact on plants.

Integrating Health Research into Disaster Response: The New NIH Disaster Research Response Program

PubMed Central

Miller, Aubrey; Yeskey, Kevin; Garantziotis, Stavros; Arnesen, Stacey; Bennett, April; O’Fallon, Liam; Thompson, Claudia; Reinlib, Les; Masten, Scott; Remington, James; Love, Cindy; Ramsey, Steve; Rosselli, Richard; Galluzzo, Betsy; Lee, Joy; Kwok, Richard; Hughes, Joseph

2016-01-01

The need for high quality and timely disaster research has been a topic of great discussion over the past several years. Recent high profile incidents have exposed gaps in knowledge about the health impacts of disasters or the benefits of specific interventions—such was the case with the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill and recent events associated with lead-contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan, and the evolving health crisis related to Zika virus disease. Our inability to perform timely research to inform the community about health and safety risks or address specific concerns further heightens anxiety and distrust. Since nearly all disasters, whether natural or man-made, have an environmental health component, it is critical that specialized research tools and trained researchers be readily available to evaluate complex exposures and health effects, especially for vulnerable sub-populations such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with socioeconomic and environmental disparities. In response, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science has initiated a Disaster Research Response Program to create new tools, protocols, networks of researchers, training exercises, and outreach involving diverse groups of stakeholders to help overcome the challenges of disaster research and to improve our ability to collect vital information to reduce the adverse health impacts and improve future preparedness. PMID:27384574

Bond strength of repaired amalgam restorations.

PubMed

Rey, Rosalia; Mondragon, Eduardo; Shen, Chiayi

2015-01-01

This in vitro study investigated the interfacial flexural strength (FS) of amalgam repairs and the optimal combination of repair materials and mechanical retention required for a consistent and durable repair bond. Amalgam bricks were created, each with 1 end roughened to expose a fresh surface before repair. Four groups followed separate repair protocols: group 1, bonding agent with amalgam; group 2, bonding agent with composite resin; group 3, mechanical retention (slot) with amalgam; and group 4, slot with bonding agent and amalgam. Repaired specimens were stored in artificial saliva for 1, 10, 30, 120, or 360 days before being loaded to failure in a 3-point bending test. Statistical analysis showed significant changes in median FS over time in groups 2 and 4. The effect of the repair method on the FS values after each storage period was significant for most groups except the 30-day storage groups. Amalgam-amalgam repair with adequate condensation yielded the most consistent and durable bond. An amalgam bonding agent could be beneficial when firm condensation on the repair surface cannot be achieved or when tooth structure is involved. Composite resin can be a viable option for amalgam repair in an esthetically demanding region, but proper mechanical modification of the amalgam surface and selection of the proper bonding system are essential.

[Professor Xu Fu-song's traditional Chinese medicine protocols for male diseases: A descriptive analysis].

PubMed

Liu, Cheng-yong; Xu, Fu-song

2015-04-01

To analyze the efficacy and medication principles of Professor Xu Fu-songs traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) protocols for male diseases. We reviewed and descriptively analyzed the unpublished complete medical records of 100 male cases treated by Professor Xu Fu-song with his TCM protocols from 1978 to 1992. The 100 cases involved 32 male diseases, most of which were difficult and complicated cases. The drug compliance was 95%. Each prescription was made up of 14 traditional Chinese drugs on average. The cure rate was 32% , and the effective rate was 85%. Professor Xu Fu-song advanced and proved some new theories and therapeutic methods. Professor Xu Fu-song's TCM protocols can be applied to a wide range of male diseases, mostly complicated, and are characterized by accurate differentiation of symptoms and signs, high drug compliance, and excellent therapeutic efficacy.

Implementing an intravenous insulin protocol in your practice: practical advice to overcome clinical, administrative, and financial barriers.

PubMed

Kelly, Janet L; Hirsch, Irl B; Furnary, Anthony P

2006-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is the fourth most common comorbid condition among hospitalized patients, and 30% of patients undergoing open-heart surgery have diabetes. The link between hyperglycemia and poor outcome has been well described, and large clinical trials have shown that aggressive control of blood glucose with an insulin infusion can improve these outcomes. The barriers to implementing an insulin infusion protocol are numerous, despite the fact that doing so is paramount to clinical success. Barriers include safety concerns, such as fear of hypoglycemia, insufficient nursing staff to patient ratios, lack of administrative and physician support, various system and procedural issues, and resistance to change. Key steps to overcome the barriers include building support with multidisciplinary champions, involving key staff, educating staff, and administrators of the clinical and economic benefits of improving glycemic control, setting realistic goals, selecting a validated insulin infusion protocol, and internally marketing the success of the protocol.

Detection of isotype switch rearrangement in bulk culture by PCR.

PubMed

Max, E E; Mills, F C; Chu, C

2001-05-01

When a B lymphocyte changes from synthesizing IgM to synthesizing IgG, IgA, or IgE, this isotype switch is generally accompanied by a unique DNA rearrangement. The protocols in this unit describe two polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategies for detecting switch rearrangements in bulk culture. The first involves direct PCR across the switch junctions, providing the opportunity for characterizing the recombination products by nucleotide sequence analysis; however, because of characteristics inherent to the PCR methodology this strategy cannot easily be used as a quantitative assay for recombination. A support protocol details the preparation of the 5' Su PCR probe for this protocol. The second basic protocol describes a method known as digestion-circularization PCR (DCPCR) that is more amenable to quantitation but yields no information on structure of the recombination products. Both techniques should be capable of detecting reciprocal deletion circles as well as functional recombination products remaining on the expressed chromosome.

Thiolation mediated pegylation platform to generate functional universal red blood cells.

PubMed

Nacharaju, Parimala; Manjula, Belur N; Acharya, Seetharama A

2007-01-01

The PEGylation that adds an extension arm on protein amino groups with the conservation of their positive charge masks the A and D antigens of erythrocytes efficiently. In the present study, the efficiency of masking the antigens of RBC by PEGylation protocols that do not conserve the charge with and without adding extension arms is compared. The conjugation of PEG-5000 to RBCs through the addition of extension arms masked the D antigen more efficiently than the other protocol. A combination of PEG-5 K and PEG-20 K is needed to mask the A antigen, irrespective of the PEGylation approach. The oxygen affinity of the PEGylated RBCs increased by the extension arm facilitated PEGylation. The protocol involving the conjugation of PEG-chains without adding extension arm did not alter the oxygen affinity of RBCs. A combination of PEGylation protocols is an alternate strategy to generate universal red blood cells with good levels of oxygen affinity.

An intelligent case-adjustment algorithm for the automated design of population-based quality auditing protocols.

PubMed

Advani, Aneel; Jones, Neil; Shahar, Yuval; Goldstein, Mary K; Musen, Mark A

2004-01-01

We develop a method and algorithm for deciding the optimal approach to creating quality-auditing protocols for guideline-based clinical performance measures. An important element of the audit protocol design problem is deciding which guide-line elements to audit. Specifically, the problem is how and when to aggregate individual patient case-specific guideline elements into population-based quality measures. The key statistical issue involved is the trade-off between increased reliability with more general population-based quality measures versus increased validity from individually case-adjusted but more restricted measures done at a greater audit cost. Our intelligent algorithm for auditing protocol design is based on hierarchically modeling incrementally case-adjusted quality constraints. We select quality constraints to measure using an optimization criterion based on statistical generalizability coefficients. We present results of the approach from a deployed decision support system for a hypertension guideline.

Effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on ROS production and growth inhibition using freshwater green algae pre-exposed to UV irradiation.

PubMed

Fu, Ling; Hamzeh, Mahsa; Dodard, Sabine; Zhao, Yuan H; Sunahara, Geoffrey I

2015-05-01

This study investigated the possibility that titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) toxicity in Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata involves reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, using the dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCF) assay. Algae were exposed to nano-TiO2 under laboratory fluorescent lamps supplemented with UV irradiation for 3h, with or without a UV filter. Results showed that nano-TiO2 increased ROS production in UV-exposed cells, with or without a UV filter (LOEC values were 250 and 10mg/L, respectively). Sublethal effects of nano-TiO2 on UV pre-exposed algae were also examined. Toxicity studies indicated that exposure to nano-TiO2 agglomerates decreased algal growth following 3h pre-exposure to UV, with or without a UV filter (EC50s were 8.7 and 6.3mg/L, respectively). The present study suggests that the growth inhibitory effects of nano-TiO2 in algae occurred at concentrations lower than those that can elevate DCF fluorescence, and that ROS generation is not directly involved with the sublethal effects of nano-TiO2 in algae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

WDM Network and Multicasting Protocol Strategies

PubMed Central

Zaim, Abdul Halim

2014-01-01

Optical technology gains extensive attention and ever increasing improvement because of the huge amount of network traffic caused by the growing number of internet users and their rising demands. However, with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), it is easier to take the advantage of optical networks and optical burst switching (OBS) and to construct WDM networks with low delay rates and better data transparency these technologies are the best choices. Furthermore, multicasting in WDM is an urgent solution for bandwidth-intensive applications. In the paper, a new multicasting protocol with OBS is proposed. The protocol depends on a leaf initiated structure. The network is composed of source, ingress switches, intermediate switches, edge switches, and client nodes. The performance of the protocol is examined with Just Enough Time (JET) and Just In Time (JIT) reservation protocols. Also, the paper involves most of the recent advances about WDM multicasting in optical networks. WDM multicasting in optical networks is given as three common subtitles: Broadcast and-select networks, wavelength-routed networks, and OBS networks. Also, in the paper, multicast routing protocols are briefly summarized and optical burst switched WDM networks are investigated with the proposed multicast schemes. PMID:24744683

TreeMAC: Localized TDMA MAC protocol for real-time high-data-rate sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Huang, R.; Shirazi, B.; Husent, R.L.

2009-01-01

Earlier sensor network MAC protocols focus on energy conservation in low-duty cycle applications, while some recent applications involve real-time high-data-rate signals. This motivates us to design an innovative localized TDMA MAC protocol to achieve high throughput and low congestion in data collection sensor networks, besides energy conservation. TreeMAC divides a time cycle into frames and frame into slots. Parent determines children's frame assigmnent based on their relative bandwidth demand, and each node calculates its own slot assignment based on its hop-count to the sink. This innovative 2-dimensional frame-slot assignment algorithm has the following nice theory properties. Firstly, given any node, at any time slot, there is at most one active sender in its neighborhood (includ ing itself). Secondly, the packet scheduling with TreelMAC is bufferless, which therefore minimizes the probability of network congestion. Thirdly, the data throughput to gateway is at least 1/3 of the optimum assuming reliable links. Our experiments on a 24 node test bed demonstrate that TreeMAC protocol significantly improves network throughput and energy efficiency, by comparing to the TinyOS's default CSMA MAC protocol and a recent TDMA MAC protocol Funneling-MAC[8]. ?? 2009 IEEE.

Using the intervention mapping protocol to reduce European preschoolers' sedentary behavior, an application to the ToyBox-Study.

PubMed

De Decker, Ellen; De Craemer, Marieke; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Verbestel, Vera; Duvinage, Kristin; Iotova, Violeta; Grammatikaki, Evangelia; Wildgruber, Andreas; Mouratidou, Theodora; Manios, Yannis; Cardon, Greet

2014-02-19

High levels of sedentary behavior are often measured in preschoolers, but only a few interventions have been developed to counteract this. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of interventions in preschoolers targeting different forms of sedentary behavior could not be located in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to describe the different steps of the Intervention Mapping Protocol used towards the development of an intervention component of the ToyBox-study focusing on decreasing preschoolers' sedentary behavior. The ToyBox-study focuses on the prevention of overweight in 4- to 6-year-old children by implementing a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention with family involvement in six different European countries. Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol, six different steps were systematically completed for the structured planning and development of the intervention. A literature search and results from focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers were used as a guide during the development of the intervention and the intervention materials. The application of the different steps in the Intervention Mapping Protocol resulted in the creation of matrices of change objectives, followed by the selection of practical applications for five different intervention tools that could be used at the individual level of the preschool child, at the interpersonal level (i.e., parents/caregivers) and at the organizational level (i.e., kindergarten teachers). No cultural differences regarding preschoolers' sedentary behavior were identified between the participating countries during the focus groups, so cultural and local adaptations of the intervention materials were not necessary to improve the adoption and implementation of the intervention. A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for the development of this kindergarten-based family-involved intervention targeting preschoolers, with the inclusion of parental involvement. The application of the Intervention Mapping Protocol may lead to the development of more effective interventions. The detailed intervention matrices that were developed as part of the ToyBox-study can be used by other researchers as an aid in order to avoid repetitive work for the design of similar interventions.

Using the intervention mapping protocol to reduce European preschoolers’ sedentary behavior, an application to the ToyBox-Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background High levels of sedentary behavior are often measured in preschoolers, but only a few interventions have been developed to counteract this. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of interventions in preschoolers targeting different forms of sedentary behavior could not be located in the literature. The aim of the present paper was to describe the different steps of the Intervention Mapping Protocol used towards the development of an intervention component of the ToyBox-study focusing on decreasing preschoolers’ sedentary behavior. The ToyBox-study focuses on the prevention of overweight in 4- to 6-year-old children by implementing a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention with family involvement in six different European countries. Methods Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol, six different steps were systematically completed for the structured planning and development of the intervention. A literature search and results from focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers were used as a guide during the development of the intervention and the intervention materials. Results The application of the different steps in the Intervention Mapping Protocol resulted in the creation of matrices of change objectives, followed by the selection of practical applications for five different intervention tools that could be used at the individual level of the preschool child, at the interpersonal level (i.e., parents/caregivers) and at the organizational level (i.e., kindergarten teachers). No cultural differences regarding preschoolers’ sedentary behavior were identified between the participating countries during the focus groups, so cultural and local adaptations of the intervention materials were not necessary to improve the adoption and implementation of the intervention. Conclusions A systematic and evidence-based approach was used for the development of this kindergarten-based family-involved intervention targeting preschoolers, with the inclusion of parental involvement. The application of the Intervention Mapping Protocol may lead to the development of more effective interventions. The detailed intervention matrices that were developed as part of the ToyBox-study can be used by other researchers as an aid in order to avoid repetitive work for the design of similar interventions. PMID:24552138

Demonstrating Patterns in the Views Of Stakeholders Regarding Ethically-Salient Issues in Clinical Research: A Novel Use of Graphical Models in Empirical Ethics Inquiry.

PubMed

Kim, Jane Paik; Roberts, Laura Weiss

Empirical ethics inquiry works from the notion that stakeholder perspectives are necessary for gauging the ethical acceptability of human studies and assuring that research aligns with societal expectations. Although common, studies involving different populations often entail comparisons of trends that problematize the interpretation of results. Using graphical model selection - a technique aimed at transcending limitations of conventional methods - this report presents data on the ethics of clinical research with two objectives: (1) to display the patterns of views held by ill and healthy individuals in clinical research as a test of the study's original hypothesis and (2) to introduce graphical model selection as a key analytic tool for ethics research. In this IRB-approved, NIH-funded project, data were collected from 60 mentally ill and 43 physically ill clinical research protocol volunteers, 47 healthy protocol-consented participants, and 29 healthy individuals without research protocol experience. Respondents were queried on the ethical acceptability of research involving people with mental and physical illness (i.e., cancer, HIV, depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder) and non-illness related sources of vulnerability (e.g., age, class, gender, ethnicity). Using a statistical algorithm, we selected graphical models to display interrelationships among responses to questions. Both mentally and physically ill protocol volunteers revealed a high degree of connectivity among ethically-salient perspectives. Healthy participants, irrespective of research protocol experience, revealed patterns of views that were not highly connected. Between ill and healthy protocol participants, the pattern of views is vastly different. Experience with illness was tied to dense connectivity, whereas healthy individuals expressed views with sparse connections. In offering a nuanced perspective on the interrelation of ethically relevant responses, graphical model selection has the potential to bring new insights to the field of ethics.

Optic neuritis in paediatric patients: Experience over 27 years and a management protocol.

PubMed

Monge Galindo, L; Martínez de Morentín, A L; Pueyo Royo, V; García Iñiguez, J P; Sánchez Marco, S; López-Pisón, J; Peña-Segura, J L

2018-03-08

In this article, we present our experience on optic neuritis (ON) and provide a diagnostic/therapeutic protocol, intended to rule out other aetiologies (particularly infection), and a fact sheet for parents. We conducted a descriptive, retrospective study of patients with ON over a 27-year period (1990-2017). A review of the available scientific evidence was performed in order to draft the protocol and fact sheet. Our neuropaediatrics department has assessed 20,744 patients in the last 27 years, of whom 14 were diagnosed with ON: 8 had isolated ON, 1 had multiple sclerosis (MS), 1 had clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 3 had acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and 1 had isolated ON and a history of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis one year previously. Patients' age range was 4-13 years; 50% were boys. Eight patients were aged over 10: 7 had isolated ON and 1 had MS. Nine patients had bilateral ON, and 3 had retrobulbar ON. MRI results were normal in 7 patients and showed involvement of the optic nerve only in 2 patients and optic nerve involvement + central nervous system demyelination in 5. Thirteen patients received corticosteroids. One patient had been vaccinated against meningococcus-C the previous month. Progression was favourable, except in the patient with MS. A management protocol and fact sheet are provided. ON usually has a favourable clinical course. In children aged older than 10 years with risk factors for MS or optic neuromyelitis (hyperintensity on brain MRI, oligoclonal bands, anti-NMO antibody positivity, ON recurrence), the initiation of immunomodulatory treatment should be agreed with the neurology department. The protocol is useful for diagnostic decision-making, follow-up, and treatment of this rare disease with potentially major repercussions. The use of protocols and fact sheets is important. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Improved Outcome of Enteric Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Aged 50 Years and Older with Temporary Discontinuation of Peritoneal Dialysis and Intravenous Meropenem.

PubMed

Abrahams, Alferso C; Rüger, Wim; Ter Wee, Pieter M; van Ittersum, Frans J; Boer, Walther H

2017-01-01

♦ BACKGROUND: Peritonitis is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, especially when caused by enteric microorganisms (EM). We have implemented a treatment protocol specifically aimed at improving the outcome in EM peritonitis. The adapted protocol was applied in all PD patients 50 years and older presenting with peritonitis who were considered to be at risk of EM peritonitis and involves 3 interventions: 1) temporary discontinuation of PD without removing the catheter (peritoneal rest), 2) intravenous meropenem, and 3) meropenem intracatheter as lock (Mero-PerRest protocol). ♦ METHODS: In this observational study, we compared the outcome of 203 peritonitis episodes in 71 patients treated with the Mero-PerRest protocol, with 217 episodes in 104 patients treated with a more traditional intraperitoneal gentamicin-rifampicin-based regimen. ♦ RESULTS: In EM peritonitis episodes, the Mero-PerRest protocol resulted in a higher primary cure rate (90.0% vs 65.3%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46 - 14.15]) and better technique survival (90.0% vs 69.4%, adjusted OR 3.41 [95% CI 1.07 - 10.87]). This effect was most distinct in patients with polymicrobial EM peritonitis (cure rate 87.5% vs 34.8%, p = 0.0003). Interestingly, primary cure rate (95.6% vs 84.7%, adjusted OR 3.92 [95% CI 1.37 - 11.19]) and technique survival (95.6% vs 85.6%, adjusted OR 3.60 [95% CI 1.25 - 10.32]) were also excellent in non-EM peritonitis episodes. Patient survival did not differ significantly. ♦ CONCLUSION: The poor outcome of peritonitis caused by EM in PD patients aged 50 years and older could be improved by applying a treatment protocol involving temporary discontinuation of PD without catheter removal and intravenous and intracatheter meropenem. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Association of the Ottawa Aggressive Protocol with rapid discharge of emergency department patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter.

PubMed

Stiell, Ian G; Clement, Catherine M; Perry, Jeffrey J; Vaillancourt, Christian; Symington, Cheryl; Dickinson, Garth; Birnie, David; Green, Martin S

2010-05-01

There is no consensus on the optimal management of recent-onset episodes of atrial fibrillation or flutter. The approach to these conditions is particularly relevant in the current era of emergency department (ED) overcrowding. We sought to examine the effectiveness and safety of the Ottawa Aggressive Protocol to perform rapid cardioversion and discharge patients with these arrhythmias. This cohort study enrolled consecutive patient visits to an adult university hospital ED for recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter managed with the Ottawa Aggressive Protocol. The protocol includes intravenous chemical cardioversion, electrical cardioversion if necessary and discharge home from the ED. A total of 660 patient visits were included, 95.2% involving atrial fibrillation and 4.9% involving atrial flutter. The mean age of patients enrolled was 64.5 years. In total, 96.8% were discharged home and, of those, 93.3% were in sinus rhythm. All patients were initially administered intravenous procainamide, with a 58.3% conversion rate. A total of 243 patients underwent subsequent electrical cardioversion with a 91.7% success rate. Adverse events occurred in 7.6% of cases: hypotension 6.7%, bradycardia 0.3% and 7-day relapse 8.6%. There were no cases of torsades de pointes, stroke or death. The median lengths of stay in the ED were as follows: 4.9 hours overall, 3.9 hours for those undergoing conversion with procainamide and 6.5 hours for those requiring electrical conversion. This is the largest study to date to evaluate the Ottawa Aggressive Protocol, a unique approach to cardioversion for ED patients with recent-onset episodes of atrial fibrillation and flutter. Our data demonstrate that the Ottawa Aggressive Protocol is effective, safe and rapid, and has the potential to significantly reduce hospital admissions and expedite ED care.

Serotonin2C receptors in the nucleus accumbens are involved in enhanced alcohol-drinking behavior

PubMed Central

Yoshimoto, Kanji; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Tanaka, Masaki; Kimura, Minoru

2012-01-01

Dopamine and serotonin (5-HT) in the nucleus accumbens (ACC) and ventral tegmental area of the mesoaccumbens reward pathways have been implicated in the mechanisms underlying development of alcohol dependence. We used a C57BL/6J mouse model with increased voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior by exposing the mice to alcohol vapor for 20 consecutive days. In the alcohol-exposed mice, the expression of 5-HT2C receptor mRNA increased in the ACC, caudate nucleus and putamen, dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), hippocampus and lateral hypothalamus, while the protein level of 5-HT2C receptor significantly increased in the ACC. The expression of 5-HT7 receptor mRNA increased in the ACC and DRN. Contents of 5-HT decreased in the ACC shell (ACCS) and DRN of the alcohol-exposed mice. The basal extracellular releases of dopamine (DA) and 5-HT in the ACCS increased more in the alcohol-exposed mice than in alcohol-naïve mice. The magnitude of the alcohol-induced ACCS DA and 5-HT release in the alcohol-exposed mice was increased compared with the control mice. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration or local injection into ACCS of the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, SB-242084, suppressed voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior in the alcohol-exposed mice. But the i.p. administration of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist, SB-258719, did not have significant effects on alcohol-drinking behavior in the alcohol-exposed mice. The effects of the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist were not observed in the air-exposed control mice. These results suggest that adaptations of the 5-HT system, especially the upregulation of 5-HT2C receptors in the ACCS, are involved in the development of enhanced voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior. PMID:22512261

Effects of nitrogen dioxide on respiratory tract clearance in the ferret

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

Rasmussen, R.E.; Mannix, R.C.; Oldham, M.J.

1994-01-01

During growth and development, young children are periodically exposed to relatively high concentrations of various air contaminants, including tobacco smoke and environmental pollutants generated by fossil fuel use. The effects of these exposures on respiratory function and lung development are difficult to determine because of interindividual variation and lack of accurate dosimetry. To provide information on the effects of chronic exposure to a common indoor and outdoor pollutant during lung development, a study was performed to assess the effects of exposure to two concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO[sub 2]; 0.5 or 10 ppm) on tracer particle clearance from the airwaysmore » of ferrets exposed during postnatal respiratory tract development. Separate groups of ferrets were exposed nose-only to the test atmospheres or clean air 4 h/d, 5 d/wk, for either 8 or 15 wk. Those animals exposed for 8 wk were subsequently housed in a filtered air environment until the particle clearance measurements commenced at 3 wk prior to the end of the 15-wk exposure protocol. Radiolabeled ([sup 51]Cr) tracer particles were deposited in the respiratory tract of all animals by inhalation, and the clearance rates from the head and thoracic regions were separately monitored for 18 d. No significant effects of the NO[sub 2] exposure on head airways clearance were seen. In contrast, the rates of particle clearance from the thorax of both the 8- and 15-wk groups exposed to 10 ppm NO[sub 2] were significantly reduced, and did not differ from each other. Thoracic clearance was also reduced in animals exposed to 0.5 ppm, but the rate was not significantly different from that of the clean air exposed controls. These results show that NO[sub 2] at moderate concentrations caused highly significant changes in the deep lung of the juvenile ferret, and suggest that impairment of the clearance function may be only slowly recovered after chronic exposure. 35 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less

Phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of multiple antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exposed to subinhibitory levels of oxacillin and levofloxacin.

PubMed

Jo, Ara; Ahn, Juhee

2016-07-29

The emergence and spread of multidrug resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDR-MRSA) has serious health consequences in the presence of sub-MIC antibiotics. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate β-lactamase activity, efflux activity, biofilm formation, and gene expression pattern in Staphylococcus aureus KACC 10778, S. aureus ATCC 15564, and S. aureus CCARM 3080 exposed to sublethal concentrations of levofloxacin and oxacillin. The decreased MICs were observed in S. aureus KACC and S. aureus ATCC when exposed to levofloxacin and oxacillin, while and S. aureus CCARM remained resistance to streptomycin (512 μg/mL) in the presence of levofloxacin and imipenem (>512 μg/mL) in the presence of oxacillin. The considerable increase in extracellular and membrane-bound β-lactamase activities was observed in S. aureus ATCC exposed to oxacillin (>26 μmol/min/mL). The antibiotic susceptibility of all strains exposed to EPIs (CCCP and PAβN) varied depending on the classes of antibiotics. The relative expression levels of adhesion-related genes (clfA, clfB, fnbA, fnnB, and icaD), efflux-related genes (norB, norC, and qacA/B), and enterotoxin gene (sec) were increased more than 5-fold in S. aureus CCARM. The eno and qacA/B genes were highly overexpressed by more than 12- and 9-folds, respectively, in S. aureus CCARM exposed to levofloxacin. The antibiotic susceptibility, lactamase activity, biofilm-forming ability, efflux activity, and gene expression pattern varied with the intrinsic antibiotic resistance of S. aureus KACC, S. aureus ATCC, and S. aureus CCARM exposed to levofloxacin and oxacillin. This study would provide useful information for better understating of combination therapy related to antibiotic resistance mechanisms and open the door for designing effective antibiotic treatment protocols to prevent excessive use of antibiotics in clinical practice.

Multidisciplinary approach to increasing Resilience in communities versus the hydrogeological and volcanic risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avvisati, Gala; Colucci, Orazio; Marotta, Enrica; Masucci, Armando; Nave, Rosella; Peluso, Rosario; Tomasone, Mario

2017-04-01

A given area may be exposed to different natural hazards, such as landslides, floods, earthquakes, volcanic events etc. which could affect usual human activities at many levels. The goal of our work is to increase the resilience level in communities exposed to natural hazards through an innovative and multidisciplinary research approach integrating engineering, geological, medical and sociological skills. We are going to use an analytical approach to consider simultaneously the Natural Environment and their dwellers, taking into account the sanitary protocols. We'll start by studying the hazards to which the Natural Environment could be exposed evaluating the deriving risks level trough technical studies. For each scenario it's vital to assess the defining aspects such as magnitude and frequency, through a statistical analysis of the specific data-bases in possession of relevant Authorities in charge. Regarding the Inhabitants, it's also vital to analyse the dwellers Risk Perception and their Historical Resilience through a sociological and psychological approach, in order to define the specific information and education program on natural risks. This study is of particular relevance, as even the most advanced risk management plan could fail if locals are not aware and informed about it. A correct disaster management policy must consider the medics role as paramount. Emergency first aid and emergency medicine are to be considered specific field of partitioning, and to be seen as the most appropriate way to deal with a dire situation, especially when the resources vs. magnitude of event ratio is low. The study of best practices helping to improve the resilience and reaction of areas exposed to different natural hazards with different socio-cultural layers is hence crucial. A possible model is to directly involve the residents into controlling the environment and improving/detailing the risks' and emergency areas mapping. These make the population more aware of both risks and reaction measures, with a correspondent increase in resilience. Some municipalities in Campania Region (Italy) have already undergone the phase of assessment of risks perception and historical resilience trough questionnaires submitted to residents. In some District of Campania Region (Italy), apps for mobile devices have been developed, in order to activate a bi-directional flow of information between local authorities and single citizens. Another level of participated monitoring could be issuing to residents low-cost, specifically designed devices, such as seismic micro-sensor and/or CO2 gauges to be positioned in schools. With advantage both information/education and monitoring. Local authorities have recently started to consider medical emergency assistance in disaster-affected areas as a specific tool to activate and use to handle such situations as best as possible. The results of these studies will result in: the development of an early warning network specifically targeted on each area and run by specifically trained operators; specific skills for medical personnel to be mastered to handle civilian casualties and/or shocked people in huge numbers; the locals in a condition of improved knowledge and preparedness, to the point to be involved actively in the program in a community-based monitoring procedure (participated monitoring).

Low-intensity red and infrared lasers affect mRNA expression of DNA nucleotide excision repair in skin and muscle tissue.

PubMed

Sergio, Luiz Philippe S; Campos, Vera Maria A; Vicentini, Solange C; Mencalha, Andre Luiz; de Paoli, Flavia; Fonseca, Adenilson S

2016-04-01

Lasers emit light beams with specific characteristics, in which wavelength, frequency, power, fluence, and emission mode properties determine the photophysical, photochemical, and photobiological responses. Low-intensity lasers could induce free radical generation in biological tissues and cause alterations in macromolecules, such as DNA. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) and excision repair cross-complementing group 2 (ERCC2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in biological tissues exposed to low-intensity lasers. Wistar rat (n = 28, 4 for each group) skin and muscle were exposed to low-intensity red (660 nm) and near-infrared (880 nm) lasers at different fluences (25, 50, and 100 J/cm(2)), and samples of these tissues were withdrawn for RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and gene expression evaluation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Laser exposure was in continuous wave and power of 100 mW. Data show that ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA expressions decrease in skin (p < 0.001) exposed to near-infrared laser, but increase in muscle tissue (p < 0.001). ERCC1 mRNA expression does not alter (p > 0.05), but ERCC2 mRNA expression decreases in skin (p < 0.001) and increases in muscle tissue (p < 0.001) exposed to red laser. Our results show that ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA expression is differently altered in skin and muscle tissue exposed to low-intensity lasers depending on wavelengths and fluences used in therapeutic protocols.

Post-marketing surveillance system for drugs in pregnancy--15 years experience of ENTIS.

PubMed

Schaefer, Christof; Hannemann, Doreen; Meister, Reinhard

2005-01-01

Teratology Information Services (TIS) provide the public and health professionals with tailor-made information on drug risks in pregnancy. TIS in Europe, Israel and Latin America collaborate in the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) in order to optimise interpretation of risk data, risk communication and risk management as well as recommendations for drug treatment in pregnant women. In addition, efforts are undertaken to enhance and harmonise documentation of exposed pregnancies and their outcomes. These prospectively ascertained data are evaluated like controlled, observational cohort studies, where exposed pregnancies are compared to a non-exposed control group for various outcome variables such as (major) malformations, birth measures and the state of the new-born infant, spontaneous abortion. The prospective methodology minimises recall bias of the studied drugs. Evaluating the data collected according to standardised protocols with appropriate statisticals methods substantially improves risk assessment. The comparison of spontaneous abortions between coumarin exposed pregnancies and controls enrolled in the Berlin TIS demonstrates the benefit of the methodology of survival analysis within the framework of the proportional hazard model. The ENTIS multi-centre approach permits studying large exposed cohorts even with seldomly used medicinal products. In terms of post-marketing surveillance there are no alternatives to TIS data. Data collection by TIS uses an already established risk communication system, and has the advantage of low costs and motivated responders. As a TIS is contacted mainly for insufficiently documented drugs or those suspected of acting as developmental toxicants there is even a selection for products needing research.

A technique for automatically extracting useful field of view and central field of view images.

PubMed

Pandey, Anil Kumar; Sharma, Param Dev; Aheer, Deepak; Kumar, Jay Prakash; Sharma, Sanjay Kumar; Patel, Chetan; Kumar, Rakesh; Bal, Chandra Sekhar

2016-01-01

It is essential to ensure the uniform response of the single photon emission computed tomography gamma camera system before using it for the clinical studies by exposing it to uniform flood source. Vendor specific acquisition and processing protocol provide for studying flood source images along with the quantitative uniformity parameters such as integral and differential uniformity. However, a significant difficulty is that the time required to acquire a flood source image varies from 10 to 35 min depending both on the activity of Cobalt-57 flood source and the pre specified counts in the vendors protocol (usually 4000K-10,000K counts). In case the acquired total counts are less than the total prespecified counts, and then the vendor's uniformity processing protocol does not precede with the computation of the quantitative uniformity parameters. In this study, we have developed and verified a technique for reading the flood source image, remove unwanted information, and automatically extract and save the useful field of view and central field of view images for the calculation of the uniformity parameters. This was implemented using MATLAB R2013b running on Ubuntu Operating system and was verified by subjecting it to the simulated and real flood sources images. The accuracy of the technique was found to be encouraging, especially in view of practical difficulties with vendor-specific protocols. It may be used as a preprocessing step while calculating uniformity parameters of the gamma camera in lesser time with fewer constraints.

Microbial Groundwater Sampling Protocol for Fecal-Rich Environments

PubMed Central

Harter, Thomas; Watanabe, Naoko; Li, Xunde; Atwill, Edward R; Samuels, William

2014-01-01

Inherently, confined animal farming operations (CAFOs) and other intense fecal-rich environments are potential sources of groundwater contamination by enteric pathogens. The ubiquity of microbial matter poses unique technical challenges in addition to economic constraints when sampling wells in such environments. In this paper, we evaluate a groundwater sampling protocol that relies on extended purging with a portable submersible stainless steel pump and Teflon® tubing as an alternative to equipment sterilization. The protocol allows for collecting a large number of samples quickly, relatively inexpensively, and under field conditions with limited access to capacity for sterilizing equipment. The protocol is tested on CAFO monitoring wells and considers three cross-contamination sources: equipment, wellbore, and ambient air. For the assessment, we use Enterococcus, a ubiquitous fecal indicator bacterium (FIB), in laboratory and field tests with spiked and blank samples, and in an extensive, multi-year field sampling campaign on 17 wells within 2 CAFOs. The assessment shows that extended purging can successfully control for equipment cross-contamination, but also controls for significant contamination of the well-head, within the well casing and within the immediate aquifer vicinity of the well-screen. Importantly, our tests further indicate that Enterococcus is frequently entrained in water samples when exposed to ambient air at a CAFO during sample collection. Wellbore and air contamination pose separate challenges in the design of groundwater monitoring strategies on CAFOs that are not addressed by equipment sterilization, but require adequate QA/QC procedures and can be addressed by the proposed sampling strategy. PMID:24903186

Low-voltage chest CT: another way to reduce the radiation dose in asbestos-exposed patients.

PubMed

Macía-Suárez, D; Sánchez-Rodríguez, E; Lopez-Calviño, B; Diego, C; Pombar, M

2017-09-01

To assess whether low voltage chest computed tomography (CT) can be used to successfully diagnose disease in patients with asbestos exposure. Fifty-six former employees of the shipbuilding industry, who were candidates to receive a standard-dose chest CT due to their occupational exposure to asbestos, underwent a routine CT. Immediately after this initial CT, they underwent a second acquisition using low-dose chest CT parameters, based on a low potential (80 kV) and limited tube current. The findings of the two CT protocols were compared based on typical diseases associated with asbestos exposure. The kappa coefficient for each parameter and for an overall rating (grouping them based on mediastinal, pleural, and pulmonary findings) were calculated in order to test for correlations between the two protocols. A good correlation between routine and low-dose CT was demonstrated for most parameters with a mean radiation dose reduction of up to 83% of the effective dose based on the dose-length product between protocols. Low-dose chest CT, based on a limited tube potential, is useful for patients with an asbestos exposure background. Low-dose chest CT can be successfully used to minimise the radiation dose received by patients, as this protocol produced an estimated mean effective dose similar to that of an abdominal or pelvis plain film. Copyright © 2017 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inventory of MRI applications and workers exposed to MRI-related electromagnetic fields in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Schaap, Kristel; Christopher-De Vries, Yvette; Slottje, Pauline; Kromhout, Hans

2013-12-01

This study aims to characterise and quantify the population that is occupationally exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices and to identify factors that determine the probability and type of exposure. A questionnaire survey was used to collect information about scanners, procedures, historical developments and employees working with or near MRI scanners in clinical and research MRI departments in the Netherlands. Data were obtained from 145 MRI departments. A rapid increase in the use of MRI and field strength of the scanners was observed and quantified. The strongest magnets were employed by academic hospitals and research departments. Approximately 7000 individuals were reported to be working inside an MRI scanner room and were thus considered to have high probability of occupational exposure to static magnetic fields (SMF). Fifty-four per cent was exposed to SMF at least one day per month. The largest occupationally exposed group were radiographers (n ~ 1700). Nine per cent of the 7000 involved workers were regularly present inside a scanner room during image acquisition, when exposure to additional types of EMF is considered a possibility. This practice was most prevalent among workers involved in scanning animals. The data illustrate recent trends and historical developments in magnetic resonance imaging and provide an extensive characterisation of the occupationally exposed population. A considerable number of workers are potentially exposed to MRI-related EMF. Type and frequency of potential exposure depend on the job performed, as well as the type of workplace. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Exercise Increases the Cardiovascular Stimulus Provided by Artificial Gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howarth, M. S.; Moore, F. B.; Hinghofer-Szalkay, H.; Jezova, D.; Diedrich, A.; Ferris, M. B.; Schlegel, T. T.; Pathwardhan, A. R.; Knapp, C. F.; Evans, J. M.

2008-01-01

We investigated fluid shifts and regulatory responses to variations of posture, exercise, Gz level and radius of rotation in subjects riding NASA Ames 20G centrifuge. Results are from 4 protocols that address radius and exercise effects only. Protocol A: After 10 min supine control, 12 healthy men (35 plus or minus 9 yr, 82.8 plus or minus 7.9 kg) were exposed to rotational 1 Gz (2.5 m radius) for 2 min followed by 20 min alternating between 1 and 1.25 Gz. Blood samples were taken pre and post spin. Protocol B: Same as A, but lower limb exercise (70% V02max) preceded ramps to 1.25 Gz. Protocol C: Same as A but radius of rotation 8.3 m. Protocol D: Same as B but at 8.3 m. The 8 subjects who completed all protocols, increased heart rate (HR) from control, on average, by: A: 5, B: 39, C: 11, D: 44 bpm. For thoracic fluid volume, (bioimpedance), the 8 subjects changed from control, on average: A: -394, B: -548, C: -537, D: -708 mL. For thigh fluid volume, changes from control, on average, were: A: -137, B: 129, C: -75, D: 159 mL. Hematocrit changes from control were: A: 2.3, B: 3.5, C: 2.3, D: 4.3 %. Radius effects were mild and included greater loss of fluid from the thorax, less fluid loss from the thigh and increased heart rate at the longer radius. Pre-acceleration exercise effects were more dramatic and included additional loss of fluid from the chest, increased fluid volume of the thigh, increased hematocrit and greater heart rate increases. We propose that short bouts of intense exercise can be used to magnify the cardiovascular stress delivered by artificial gravity (AG) training and the combination of AG with exercise training can be fine-tuned to preserve orthostatic tolerance of astronauts during spaceflight.

Proposed Requirements-driven User-scenario Development Protocol for the Belmont Forum E-Infrastructure and Data Management Cooperative Research Agreement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wee, B.; Car, N.; Percivall, G.; Allen, D.; Fitch, P. G.; Baumann, P.; Waldmann, H. C.

2014-12-01

The Belmont Forum E-Infrastructure and Data Management Cooperative Research Agreement (CRA) is designed to foster a global community to collaborate on e-infrastructure challenges. One of the deliverables is an implementation plan to address global data infrastructure interoperability challenges and align existing domestic and international capabilities. Work package three (WP3) of the CRA focuses on the harmonization of global data infrastructure for sharing environmental data. One of the subtasks under WP3 is the development of user scenarios that guide the development of applicable deliverables. This paper describes the proposed protocol for user scenario development. It enables the solicitation of user scenarios from a broad constituency, and exposes the mechanisms by which those solicitations are evaluated against requirements that map to the Belmont Challenge. The underlying principle of traceability forms the basis for a structured, requirements-driven approach resulting in work products amenable to trade-off analyses and objective prioritization. The protocol adopts the ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) as a top level framework. User scenarios are developed within RM-ODP's "Enterprise Viewpoint". To harmonize with existing frameworks, the protocol utilizes the conceptual constructs of "scenarios", "use cases", "use case categories", and use case templates as adopted by recent GEOSS Architecture Implementation Project (AIP) deliverables and CSIRO's eReefs project. These constructs are encapsulated under the larger construct of "user scenarios". Once user scenarios are ranked by goodness-of-fit to the Belmont Challenge, secondary scoring metrics may be generated, like goodness-of-fit to FutureEarth science themes. The protocol also facilitates an assessment of the ease of implementing given user scenario using existing GEOSS AIP deliverables. In summary, the protocol results in a traceability graph that can be extended to coordinate across research programmes. If implemented using appropriate technologies and harmonized with existing ontologies, this approach enables queries, sensitivity analyses, and visualization of complex relationships.