"It's Like Breathing in Blue Skies and Breathing out Stormy Clouds": Mindfulness Practices in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Elizabeth J.; Robinson, Kimberly A.; McGrath, Greg S.; Harney, Corrine J.

2017-01-01

Given the importance of social and emotional competence and confidence in early childhood, there has been growing attention on providing young children deliberate experiences to practice and acquire essential foundational skills for health and well-being. This article shares examples to illustrate how children can easily apply simple tools within…

The Role of State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems in Promoting Cultural Competence and Effective Cross-Cultural Communication. Building State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Series, Number 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sareen, Harvinder; Visencio, Diane; Russ, Shirley; Halfon, Neal

2005-01-01

If early childhood systems are to be effective at the population level then they must be able to provide family-centered care to all the racial, ethnic and cultural groups that they serve. Despite major policy driven and technological advances in healthcare, health disparities across different races and ethnicities persist. For example, the infant…

Mathematical Adventures in Role Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyce, Constance

2002-01-01

The provision of role play is vital in every early years setting. It provides opportunities for the development of all areas of learning. With careful thought and planning, all role play situations can provide children with mathematical adventures. Many examples of good quality role play had been observed in a variety of settings throughout…

Robert Henry Thurston: Professionalism and Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nienkamp, Paul

2016-01-01

Robert Henry Thurston is presented in this article. He provides one the most significant examples of professionalizing engineering through innovative education and promoting scientific education practices in the late nineteenth century. The son of a draftsmen and steam engine mechanic, Thurston spent his early years in Providence, Rhode Island.…

Gene-environment interactions and the neurobiology of social conflict.

PubMed

Suomi, Stephen J

2003-12-01

Recent research has disclosed marked individual differences in biobehavioral responses to social conflicts exhibited by rhesus monkeys across the life span. For example, approximately 5-10% of rhesus monkeys growing up in the wild consistently exhibit impulsive and/or inappropriately aggressive responses to mildly stressful situations throughout development; those same individuals also show chronic deficits in their central serotonin metabolism. These characteristic patterns of biobehavioral response emerge early in life and remain remarkably stable from infancy to adulthood. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that although these characteristics are highly heritable, they are also subject to major modification by specific early experiences, particularly those involving early social attachment relationships. Moreover, genetic and early experience factors can interact, often in dramatic fashion. For example, a specific polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene is associated with deficits in early neurobehavioral functioning and serotonin metabolism, extreme aggression, and excessive alcohol consumption among monkeys who experienced insecure early attachment relationships, but not in monkeys who developed secure attachment relationships with their mothers during infancy. Because daughters tend to develop the same type of attachment relationships with their own offspring that they experienced with their mothers early in life, such early experiences provide a possible nongenetic mechanism for transmitting these patterns to subsequent generations.

Preparing for floods: flood forecasting and early warning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cloke, Hannah

2016-04-01

Flood forecasting and early warning has continued to stride ahead in strengthening the preparedness phases of disaster risk management, saving lives and property and reducing the overall impact of severe flood events. For example, continental and global scale flood forecasting systems such as the European Flood Awareness System and the Global Flood Awareness System provide early information about upcoming floods in real time to various decisionmakers. Studies have found that there are monetary benefits to implementing these early flood warning systems, and with the science also in place to provide evidence of benefit and hydrometeorological institutional outlooks warming to the use of probabilistic forecasts, the uptake over the last decade has been rapid and sustained. However, there are many further challenges that lie ahead to improve the science supporting flood early warning and to ensure that appropriate decisions are made to maximise flood preparedness.

Integrating 3D Printing into an Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Course: Reflections on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Pamela; McCartney, Holly

2017-01-01

This reflection on practice describes a case study integrating 3D printing into a creativity course for preservice teachers. The theoretical rationale is discussed, and the steps for integration are outlined. Student responses and reflections on the experience provide the basis for our analysis. Examples and resources are provided, as well as a…

Giving Students the Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Dan

1995-01-01

Examples of school-based enterprises in Kentucky illustrate how schools can provide vital work-based learning experiences for high school students. The necessity of exposing students to career opportunities as early as possible and of developing empathy between teachers and employers is stressed. (SK)

Policy into Practice in Hong Kong Pre-Primary Kindergartens: The Impact of a Reform Agenda Viewing Early Childhood as The Foundation for Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelland, Nicola J.; Leung, Wai Man Vivienne

2018-01-01

In this paper we outline the provision of pre-primary education in the Hong Kong SAR and discuss how the educational reform initiatives of 2000 (Learning to Learn) and global imperatives provided the impetus to reshape a new educational approach to early childhood education. We use the example of a half-day pre-primary (kindergarten) programme to…

Combining simple patient-oriented tests with state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics for early diagnosis of cancer.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Rebecca C

2015-06-01

Early diagnosis is an important strategy to improve outcomes from cancer. Oesophageal adenocarcinoma is an example of a cancer that presents late, with very poor outcomes, and for which the presence of the precursor lesion Barrett's oesophagus provides the opportunity to intervene at an early stage. In this review, I describe the challenges in the field and the work that we have done to devise a conceptually novel approach to early diagnosis, using a cell collection device (Cytosponge), coupled with molecular assays. This is a personal perspective in which I also describe the career pathway that led me into academic gastroenterology, and the rewards and challenges of translational research in molecular diagnostics. There are fantastic opportunities for clinicians wishing to pursue academic medicine, because it is a time when massive strides are being made in a whole number of areas; for example: imaging, sequencing technology and targeted therapies. Clinicians who can straddle the laboratory and the clinic are essential, to maximise the progress that can be made for the benefit of patients.

31 CFR Appendix A to Part 344 - Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples for Subscriptions From December 28, 1976...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples for Subscriptions From December 28, 1976, Through October 27, 1996 A Appendix A to... GOVERNMENT SERIES Pt. 344, App. A Appendix A to Part 344—Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples...

31 CFR Appendix A to Part 344 - Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples for Subscriptions From December 28, 1976...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples for Subscriptions From December 28, 1976, Through October 27, 1996 A Appendix A to... GOVERNMENT SERIES Pt. 344, App. A Appendix A to Part 344—Early Redemption Market Charge Formulas and Examples...

Conserving carnivorous arthropods: an example from early-season cranberry (Ericaceae) flooding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biological control plays an important role in many IPM programs, but can be disrupted by other control strategies, including chemical and cultural controls. In commercial cranberry production, a spring flood can replace an insecticide application, providing an opportunity to study the compatibility ...

Interlibrary cooperation: from ILL to IAIMS and beyond.

PubMed

Riordan, M L; Perry, G J

1999-07-01

A recent solicitation over the MEDLIB-L e-mail discussion list revealed over thirty diverse examples of hospital library-based interlibrary cooperative initiatives currently underway. Many are familiar and have been featured in the professional literature. Most go unreported and unrecognized however, comprising invisible resource-sharing infrastructures that hospital librarians painstakingly piece together in order to provide their clients with expanded service options. This paper, drawing from the MEDLIB-L survey as well as descriptions in the published literature, provides a broad overview of such recent interlibrary cooperative efforts. Examples include interlibrary loan networks, collective purchasing initiatives, holder-of-record or union catalog access agreements, arrangements to provide e-mail and Internet access, and consortia to share electronic resources. Examples were chosen based on the initiatives' diversity of participants, and represent a wide range of locations across the United States. Such initiatives focus on local, statewide, or regional collaboration, and several involve partnerships between academic medical center libraries and regional hospital libraries. An early example of a hospital-based interlibrary cooperative IAIMS effort is described, pointing to future possibilities involving the Internet and regional hospital system intranets.

Driving CT developments the last mile: case examples of successful and somewhat less successful translations into clinical practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sodickson, Aaron D.

2017-03-01

CT technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, yet not all innovations translate readily into clinical practice. Technology advances must meet certain key requirements to make it into routine use: They must provide a well-defined clinical benefit. They must be easy to use and integrate readily into existing workflows, or better still, further streamline these workflows. These requirements heavily favor fully integrated or automated solutions that remove the human factor and provide a reproducible output independent of operator skill level. Further, to achieve these aims, collaboration with the ultimate end users is needed as early as possible in the development cycle, not just at the point of product testing. Technology innovators are encouraged to engage such collaborators even at early stages of feature or product definition. This manuscript highlights these concepts through exploration of challenging areas in CT imaging in an Emergency Department setting. Technique optimization for pulmonary embolus CT is described as an example of successful integration of multiple advances in radiation dose reduction and imaging speed. The typical workflow of a trauma "pan-scan" (incorporating scans from head through pelvis) is described to highlight workflow challenges and opportunities for improvement. Finally, Dual Energy CT is discussed to highlight the undeniable clinical value of the material characterization it provides, yet also its surprisingly slow integration into routine use beyond early adopters.

Using Problem Solving to Assess Young Children's Mathematics Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charlesworth, Rosalind; Leali, Shirley A.

2012-01-01

Mathematics problem solving provides a means for obtaining a view of young children's understanding of mathematics as they move through the early childhood concept development sequence. Assessment information can be obtained through observations and interviews as children develop problem solutions. Examples of preschool, kindergarten, and primary…

Enhancing Children's Sense of Self and Community through Utilizing Computers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugland, Susan

1996-01-01

Argues that computers in early childhood classrooms serve to raise young children's self-esteem, self-concept, and place in the classroom community. Provides examples of specific computer exercises including storytelling, journals, autobiographies, classroom data collection and recording, and classroom activities. Notes that these computer…

Linking Early Life Stages: The First Step towards Lifecourse Risk Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

The abstract is the overview of a workshop proposed for inclusion in 2015 Society of Toxicology annual meeting program. The workshop will introduce the audience to lifecourse theory and speakers will provide examples of using PBPK models to link exposures and outcomes resulting ...

Early identification systems for emerging foodborne hazards.

PubMed

Marvin, H J P; Kleter, G A; Prandini, A; Dekkers, S; Bolton, D J

2009-05-01

This paper provides a non-exhausting overview of early warning systems for emerging foodborne hazards that are operating in the various places in the world. Special attention is given to endpoint-focussed early warning systems (i.e. ECDC, ISIS and GPHIN) and hazard-focussed early warning systems (i.e. FVO, RASFF and OIE) and their merit to successfully identify a food safety problem in an early stage is discussed. Besides these early warning systems which are based on monitoring of either disease symptoms or hazards, also early warning systems and/or activities that intend to predict the occurrence of a food safety hazard in its very beginning of development or before that are described. Examples are trend analysis, horizon scanning, early warning systems for mycotoxins in maize and/or wheat and information exchange networks (e.g. OIE and GIEWS). Furthermore, recent initiatives that aim to develop predictive early warning systems based on the holistic principle are discussed. The assumption of the researchers applying this principle is that developments outside the food production chain that are either directly or indirectly related to the development of a particular food safety hazard may also provide valuable information to predict the development of this hazard.

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

Carpenter, J.M.

This paper reviews the early history of pulsed spallation neutron source development at Argonne and provides an overview of existing sources world wide. A number of proposals for machines more powerful than currently exist are under development, which are briefly described. The author reviews the status of the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, its instrumentation, and its user program, and provides a few examples of applications in fundamental condensed matter physics, materials science and technology.

Making Child Care Better: State Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groginsky, Scott; Robison, Susan; Smith, Shelley

In light of increasing evidence that good early childhood programs lead to school success, reduced delinquency and crime, and better job opportunities and productivity, state legislators are developing policies to improve these services. This report is designed to provide state lawmakers and their staff with research and state examples of policy…

Understanding and Working with Non-Compliant and Aggressive Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling

2009-01-01

Interpersonal, familial, and situational risk factors that predict young children's aggression and non-compliance are explored. Here examples of specific techniques and provided to help teachers and parents effectively support children's early development of cooperative and prosocial behaviours as well as problem-solving skills in family and…

Linking Life and Literature in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeece, Pauline Davey

2008-01-01

Using an example of a toddler's developing understanding of an apple, this article illustrates how children integrate all elements in their interpersonal and built environments to support their emerging literacy skills. Otto (2007) and others provide evidence from emergent literacy research that documents observations and exploration by infants,…

Academic Language in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Erica M.; Grifenhagen, Jill F.; Dickinson, David K.

2016-01-01

This article defines academic language by examining the central features of vocabulary, syntax, and discourse function. Examples of each feature are provided, as well as methods of identifying them in oral language and printed text. We describe a yearlong study that found teachers used different types of academic language based on instructional…

Beyond Gaming: A Technology Explosion in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzog, Nancy; Klein, Marjorie

2005-01-01

This article shares examples of how technology has been integrated into the curriculum. The impact of technology has personalized and differentiated instruction. This document provides some suggestions for others and concludes with possibilities for the future. At University Primary School, the use of technology as Mindtools has been a…

An eco-hydrological modeling framework for assessing trade-offs among ecosystem services in response to alternative land use and climate

EPA Science Inventory

Scientists, policymakers, community planners and others have discussed ecosystem services for decades, however, society is still in the early stages of developing methodologies to quantify and value the services provided by ecosystems. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protect...

Educationally Appropriate Kindergarten Practices. NEA Early Childhood Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spodek, Bernard, Ed.

The basis for educationally worthwhile activities in kindergarten is examined in a series of papers that also provide examples of how kindergarten programs can be organized and worthwhile learning presented to children. Long-term projects or units are seen as useful vehicles of instruction, and organizing teaching around topics or themes is shown…

Socratic Dialogue, the Humanities and the Art of the Question

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Sebastian

2006-01-01

Plato's depiction of Socrates' interrogations in his early dialogues provides an enduring example of the importance of asking questions as an educative method. This article considers the central educational elements of Socratic dialogue and the ways in which these were developed in the 20th century, particularly in "The Socratic Method"…

Trigonometry from a Different Angle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Michael

2008-01-01

The mathematics methodology subjects the author undertook in the early 1980s encouraged him to adopt a very expository style of teaching in which each new concept is introduced by its formal definition. The teacher should then explain a few carefully chosen examples for students to copy into their books, and then provide plenty of graded practice…

Epigenetics and the Biological Basis of Gene x Environment Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagot, Rosemary C.; Meaney, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Objective: Child and adolescent psychiatry is rife with examples of the sustained effects of early experience on brain function. The study of behavioral genetics provides evidence for a relation between genomic variation and personality and with the risk for psychopathology. A pressing challenge is that of "conceptually" integrating findings from…

Early Warning and Early Action during the 2015-16 El Nino Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, A. W.; Goddard, L. M.

2016-12-01

Strong El Niño events have a marked impact on regional climate worldwide through their influence on large-scale atmospheric circulation. As a result, seasonal climate forecasts show greater skill during El Niño events, which provide communities, governments and humanitarian agencies greater ability to plan and prepare. The scientific community has advanced considerably in the quality and content of information provided about El Niño and its impacts. As a result, society has become better aware of and engaged with this information. This talk will present some details on how we navigate the fine line between expectations and probabilistic forecasts, and how this information was used during the 2015-16 El Niño event. Examples are drawn from the health sector and food security community. Specific attention will be given to the importance of problem-focus and data availability in the appropriate tailoring of climate information for Early Warning/Early Action.

Fossilized melanosomes and the colour of Cretaceous dinosaurs and birds.

PubMed

Zhang, Fucheng; Kearns, Stuart L; Orr, Patrick J; Benton, Michael J; Zhou, Zhonghe; Johnson, Diane; Xu, Xing; Wang, Xiaolin

2010-02-25

Spectacular fossils from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Group of northeastern China have greatly expanded our knowledge of the diversity and palaeobiology of dinosaurs and early birds, and contributed to our understanding of the origin of birds, of flight, and of feathers. Pennaceous (vaned) feathers and integumentary filaments are preserved in birds and non-avian theropod dinosaurs, but little is known of their microstructure. Here we report that melanosomes (colour-bearing organelles) are not only preserved in the pennaceous feathers of early birds, but also in an identical manner in integumentary filaments of non-avian dinosaurs, thus refuting recent claims that the filaments are partially decayed dermal collagen fibres. Examples of both eumelanosomes and phaeomelanosomes have been identified, and they are often preserved in life position within the structure of partially degraded feathers and filaments. Furthermore, the data here provide empirical evidence for reconstructing the colours and colour patterning of these extinct birds and theropod dinosaurs: for example, the dark-coloured stripes on the tail of the theropod dinosaur Sinosauropteryx can reasonably be inferred to have exhibited chestnut to reddish-brown tones.

From research to policy and practice: the School of the 21st Century.

PubMed

Zigler, Edward; Finn-Stevenson, Matia

2007-04-01

Current education reform policies focus on raising academic achievement and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education. Because the achievement gap is apparent even before children enter school, the authors believe that education reform must encompass the early childhood years. The current dialogue about universal preschool presents an opportunity to address the need for a national system for early care and education. The authors believe this system should provide quality child care and preschool experiences for all children and embrace a whole-child approach that nurtures not only cognitive development but physical and mental health and social-emotional behaviors that are also important to successful schooling. The School of the 21st Century provides an example of an effective early care and education system using the public schools. The authors' work with the School of the 21st Century shows that schools can provide high-quality, developmentally appropriate care and that these programs benefit later school performance. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

A Report On Eight Early-Stage State And Regional Projects Testing Value-Based Payment

PubMed Central

Conrad, Douglas; Grembowski, David; Gibbons, Claire; Marcus-Smith, Miriam; Hernandez, Susan E.; Chang, Judy; Renz, Anne; Lau, Bernard; Cruz, Erin dela

2014-01-01

To help contain health care spending and improve the quality of care, practitioners and policy makers are trying to move away from fee-for-service toward value-based payment, which links providers’ reimbursement to the value, rather than the volume, of services delivered. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, eight grantees across the country are designing and implementing value-based payment reform projects. For example, in Salem, Oregon, the Physicians Choice Foundation is testing “Program Oriented Payments,” which include incentives for providers who follow a condition-specific program of care designed to meet goals set jointly by patient and provider. In this article we describe the funding rationale and the specific objectives, strategies, progress, and early stages of implementation of the eight projects. We also share some early lessons and identify prerequisites for success, such as ensuring that providers have broad and timely access to data so they can meet patients’ needs in cost-effective ways. PMID:23650332

Heteromultimetallic catalysis for sustainable organic syntheses.

PubMed

Lorion, Mélanie M; Maindan, Karan; Kapdi, Anant R; Ackermann, Lutz

2017-12-07

Fully complementary bimetallic catalysis has been identified as an increasingly powerful tool for molecular transformations, which was largely inspired by early examples of sequential catalytic transformations. Thus, energy-efficient one-pot reactions involving different metal catalysts orchestrated in concert constitute an attractive alternative to multi-step protocols, with major recent progress through the elegant ligand design in heterobimetallic catalysis as well as sustainable photo-induced C-H transformations, among others. This review provides a critical assessment of the state of the art in heterobimetallic catalysis for sustainable organic syntheses (SOS), highlighting key advances and representative examples until summer 2017.

A Literature Exercise Using Scifinder Scholar for the Sophomore-Level Organic Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenstein, Ian J.

2005-01-01

An exercise developed for use in the sophomore organic course that introduces students to the process of searching "Chemical Abstracts" with SciFinder Scholar using chiral auxiliaries as example compounds is described. The exercise provides a direct introduction to the chemical literature for students at an early stage of their undergraduate…

Families in the Legal Enforcement System: A Case Example of Blending Infant Mental Health and Family Partner Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivins, Barbara; Lee, Rashawnda; Reus, Cecilia

2013-01-01

Public enforcement agencies such as criminal justice, child welfare, and immigration directly or indirectly impact children and families, often through mandated requirements and forced separations. As a result, families involved with these agencies can be wary of trusting early childhood home visitors and mental health providers. Through case…

Why Doesn't the "High School Drop Out Rate" Drop?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truby, William F.

2016-01-01

This article provides information, questions, and answers about current approaches to dropping the dropout rate of our students. For example, our current model of education is based on the mass production or assembly line model promoted by Henry Ford back in early years of the 1900s (1900-1920). This model served both factory production and…

Implementation of Integrated Services--The Example of Family Centres in North Rhine-Westphalia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stöbe-Blossey, Sybille

2013-01-01

This paper deals with the implementation of integrated services providing early support for young children and their families. The integration of services is considered to have highly positive effects on the development of children and on the prevention of child neglect and maltreatment. Therefore, childcare centres have been developed into family…

The Embroidered Word: A Stitchery Overview for Visual Arts Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julian, June

2012-01-01

This historical research provides an examination of the embroidered word as a visual art piece, from early traditional examples to contemporary forms. It is intended to encourage appreciation of embroidery as an art form and to stimulate discussion about the role of historical contexts in the studio education of artists at the university level.…

Contextual Factors That Support Developmental Transitions: An International Perspective with Examples from Aboriginal/First Nations Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colbert, Judith A.

This study examined the role of contextual factors in providing quality early care and education services, focusing on program models from Aboriginal/First Nation settings in four countries. Methods included a search of published literature from mainstream and Aboriginal sources, an electronic search of unique Royal Commission on Aboriginal…

SERA Scenarios of Early Market Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Introductions: Modeling Framework, Regional Markets, and Station Clustering; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

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

Melaina, M.

This presentation provides an overview of the Scenario Evaluation and Regionalization Analysis (SERA) model, describes the methodology for developing scenarios for hydrogen infrastructure development, outlines an example "Hydrogen Success" scenario, and discusses detailed scenario metrics for a particular case study region, the Northeast Corridor.

Satellites as Sentinels for Health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maynard, Nancy G.; Yland, Jan-Marcus

2001-01-01

Remotely-sensed data and observations are providing powerful new tools for addressing the human health aspects of sustainability by enabling improved understanding of the relationships and linkages between health-related environmental parameters and society as well as techniques for early warning of potential health problems. Remote sensing, geographic information systems, improved computational capabilities, and interdisciplinary research between the Earth and health science communities are being combined in rich collaborative efforts resulting in more rapid problem-solving, early warning, and prevention in global health issues. This paper provides a number of recent examples of applications of these technologies to health issues related to the following: infectious and vector-borne diseases; urban, regional and global air pollution; heat stress; UV radiation; water-borne disease; extreme weather; contaminant pathways (ocean, atmosphere, ice).

Interworking evolution of mobile satellite and terrestrial networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matyas, R.; Kelleher, P.; Moller, P.; Jones, T.

1993-01-01

There is considerable interest among mobile satellite service providers in interworking with terrestrial networks to provide a universal global network. With such interworking, subscribers may be provided a common set of services such as those planned for the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and future Intelligent Networks (IN's). This paper first reviews issues in satellite interworking. Next the status and interworking plans of terrestrial mobile communications service providers are examined with early examples of mobile satellite interworking including a discussion of the anticipated evolution towards full interworking between mobile satellite and both fixed and mobile terrestrial networks.

Gutenberg's Gift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gingerich, O.

2007-10-01

Printing with movable type provided a great impetus for astronomy, both for preserving observations and for disseminating ideas. For example, Copernicus relied almost entirely on printed sources for the data needed in his De revolutionibus. Cheap textbooks helped bring knowledge of basic astronomy to a widening literate audience, in the university and beyond. Printed ephemerides were a major output from astronomers, and an examination of the accuracy of their positions shows us the gradual improvement in planetary theory. This ``show-and-tell talk" was illustrated with books from Prof. Gingerich's personal collection of early astronomy books, including his particularly extensive group of early ephemerides.

Children's Reactions to Katrina and Rita: A Ph.D. Student's Reflection after Observing His Own Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durham, R. Sean

2007-01-01

A graduate student in early childhood education discusses observations of his children during and after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. He relates his use of responsive parenting and provides examples of his children's learning and play that emerged after the storms. He reflects upon how aspects of developmentally appropriate…

The Variation in Student Achievement and Behavior within a Portfolio Management Model: Early Results from New Orleans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEachin, Andrew J.; Welsh, Richard Osbourne; Brewer, Dominic James

2016-01-01

A growing number of states experimented with alternative governance structures in response to pressure to raise student achievement. Post-Katrina experimentation in New Orleans was widely regarded as a model example of new governance reforms and provided a unique opportunity to learn about the variation in student achievement and behavior within…

Recent evolution and divergence among populations of a rare Mexican endemic, Chihuahua spruce, following holocene climatic warming

Treesearch

F. Thomas Ledig; Virginia Jacob-Cervantes; Paul D. Hodgskiss

1997-01-01

Fragmentation and reduction in population size are expected to reduce genetic diversity. However, examples from natural populations of forest trees are scarce. The range of Chihuahua spruce retreated northward and fragmented coincident with the warming climate that marked the early Holocene. The isolated populations vary from 15 to 2441 trees, which provided an...

Engaging Disconnected Young People in Education and Work: Findings from the Project Rise Implementation Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manno, Michelle S.; Yang, Edith; Bangser, Michael

2015-01-01

Educational attainment and early work experience provide a crucial foundation for future success. However, many young adults are disconnected from both school and the job market. Neglecting these young people can exact a heavy toll on not only the individuals but also society as a whole, for example, through lost productivity and tax…

An example of nighttime drying in the Santa Ana mountains

Treesearch

Michael A. Fosberg; Mark J. Schroeder

1965-01-01

Humidity patterns near the 500- to 1,000-meter level on California's coastal mountains often show an anomolous decrease in the moisture content at night and early morning. A study in the Santa Ana mountains suggests that nighttime downslope winds provide the most satisfactory explanation for the decrease in moisture because of their effect on the marine layer....

Can Routinely Collected Early Intervention Data for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children Be Used for Outcome Monitoring? A Case Example from British Columbia, Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poon, Brenda T.; Simmons, Noreen R.

2016-01-01

Population-based outcome monitoring could provide useful information about factors that differentially influence the developmental trajectories of deaf or hard-of-hearing children. A strong basis for population-based outcome monitoring is a coordinated, longitudinal data collection, and management infrastructure that includes quality local…

Track structure modeling in liquid water: A review of the Geant4-DNA very low energy extension of the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit.

PubMed

Bernal, M A; Bordage, M C; Brown, J M C; Davídková, M; Delage, E; El Bitar, Z; Enger, S A; Francis, Z; Guatelli, S; Ivanchenko, V N; Karamitros, M; Kyriakou, I; Maigne, L; Meylan, S; Murakami, K; Okada, S; Payno, H; Perrot, Y; Petrovic, I; Pham, Q T; Ristic-Fira, A; Sasaki, T; Štěpán, V; Tran, H N; Villagrasa, C; Incerti, S

2015-12-01

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms involved in the induction of biological damage by ionizing radiation remains a major challenge of today's radiobiology research. The Monte Carlo simulation of physical, physicochemical and chemical processes involved may provide a powerful tool for the simulation of early damage induction. The Geant4-DNA extension of the general purpose Monte Carlo Geant4 simulation toolkit aims to provide the scientific community with an open source access platform for the mechanistic simulation of such early damage. This paper presents the most recent review of the Geant4-DNA extension, as available to Geant4 users since June 2015 (release 10.2 Beta). In particular, the review includes the description of new physical models for the description of electron elastic and inelastic interactions in liquid water, as well as new examples dedicated to the simulation of physicochemical and chemical stages of water radiolysis. Several implementations of geometrical models of biological targets are presented as well, and the list of Geant4-DNA examples is described. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early detection: the impact of genomics.

PubMed

van Lanschot, M C J; Bosch, L J W; de Wit, M; Carvalho, B; Meijer, G A

2017-08-01

The field of genomics has shifted our view on disease development by providing insights in the molecular and functional processes encoded in the genome. In the case of cancer, many alterations in the DNA accumulate that enable tumor growth or even metastatic dissemination. Identification of molecular signatures that define different stages of progression towards cancer can enable early tumor detection. In this review, the impact of genomics will be addressed using early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) as an example. Increased understanding of the adenoma-to-carcinoma progression has led to the discovery of several diagnostic biomarkers. This combined with technical advancements, has facilitated the development of molecular tests for non-invasive early CRC detection in stool and blood samples. Even though several tests have already made it to clinical practice, sensitivity and specificity for the detection of precancerous lesions still need improvement. Besides the diagnostic qualities, also the accuracy of the intermediate endpoint is an important issue on how the effectiveness of a novel test is perceived. Here, progression biomarkers may provide a more precise measure than the currently used morphologically based features. Similar developments in biomarker use for early detection have taken place in other cancer types.

Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Industry in the Development of Biomarkers.

PubMed

Kenner, Barbara J; Go, Vay Liang W; Chari, Suresh T; Goldberg, Ann E; Rothschild, Laura J

A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is devastating owing to its poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of only 9%. Currently, most individuals are diagnosed at a late stage when treatment options are limited. Early detection of pancreatic cancer provides the greatest hope for making substantial improvements in survival. The Kenner Family Research Fund in partnership with the American Pancreatic Association has sponsored a series of fora to stimulate discussion and collaboration on early detection of pancreatic cancer. At the first forum in 2014, "Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference," a strategic plan was set forth by an international group of interdisciplinary scientific representatives and subsequently The Strategic Map for Innovation was generated. The current conference report is the third forum in the series, "Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Industry in the Development of Biomarkers," which was held in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 27, 2016. This report provides an overview of examples of innovative initiatives by industry and confirms the critical need for collaboration among industry, government, research institutions, and advocacy groups in order to make pancreatic cancer more easily detectable in its earlier stages, when it is more treatable.

Rosettes, Engrailed Edges, and Star-Shaped Patterns: Between Rediscovery and Forgetfulness in the Early Accounts of Vibrating Liquid Drops Floating over Hot Surfaces.

PubMed

Stewart, Seán M

2017-12-01

Small drops of liquid brought into contact with very hot surfaces float above it as beautiful, slightly flattened spheroids without coming to the boil. An example of film boiling, drops that are sessile can often suddenly and quite unexpectedly start to oscillate forming highly symmetric patterns of surprising pulchritude. The rim of these oscillating drops take on "star-shaped" patterns with many different modes of vibration possible. Still an object of study today, their discovery, early accounts, rediscovery and ensuing controversies over claims of priority, before quietly slipping away from the collective memory of the scientific community to become all but forgotten makes for a compelling story in the early history of film boiling. The episode serves not only as a valuable reminder of the importance the history of science can play in highlighting past achievements that would otherwise remain unknown to the modern practitioner. It also provides an example of how external pressures and personal ambition can often influence the work of a scientist in their pursuit of self-recognition and acclaim amongst their peers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The need for data science in epidemic modelling. Comment on: "Mathematical models to characterize early epidemic growth: A review" by Gerardo Chowell et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danon, Leon; Brooks-Pollock, Ellen

2016-09-01

In their review, Chowell et al. consider the ability of mathematical models to predict early epidemic growth [1]. In particular, they question the central prediction of classical differential equation models that the number of cases grows exponentially during the early stages of an epidemic. Using examples including HIV and Ebola, they argue that classical models fail to capture key qualitative features of early growth and describe a selection of models that do capture non-exponential epidemic growth. An implication of this failure is that predictions may be inaccurate and unusable, highlighting the need for care when embarking upon modelling using classical methodology. There remains a lack of understanding of the mechanisms driving many observed epidemic patterns; we argue that data science should form a fundamental component of epidemic modelling, providing a rigorous methodology for data-driven approaches, rather than trying to enforce established frameworks. The need for refinement of classical models provides a strong argument for the use of data science, to identify qualitative characteristics and pinpoint the mechanisms responsible for the observed epidemic patterns.

ICU early physical rehabilitation programs: financial modeling of cost savings.

PubMed

Lord, Robert K; Mayhew, Christopher R; Korupolu, Radha; Mantheiy, Earl C; Friedman, Michael A; Palmer, Jeffrey B; Needham, Dale M

2013-03-01

To evaluate the potential annual net cost savings of implementing an ICU early rehabilitation program. Using data from existing publications and actual experience with an early rehabilitation program in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical ICU, we developed a model of net financial savings/costs and presented results for ICUs with 200, 600, 900, and 2,000 annual admissions, accounting for both conservative- and best-case scenarios. Our example scenario provided a projected financial analysis of the Johns Hopkins Medical ICU early rehabilitation program, with 900 admissions per year, using actual reductions in length of stay achieved by this program. U.S.-based adult ICUs. Financial modeling of the introduction of an ICU early rehabilitation program. Net cost savings generated in our example scenario, with 900 annual admissions and actual length of stay reductions of 22% and 19% for the ICU and floor, respectively, were $817,836. Sensitivity analyses, which used conservative- and best-case scenarios for length of stay reductions and varied the per-day ICU and floor costs, across ICUs with 200-2,000 annual admissions, yielded financial projections ranging from -$87,611 (net cost) to $3,763,149 (net savings). Of the 24 scenarios included in these sensitivity analyses, 20 (83%) demonstrated net savings, with a relatively small net cost occurring in the remaining four scenarios, mostly when simultaneously combining the most conservative assumptions. A financial model, based on actual experience and published data, projects that investment in an ICU early rehabilitation program can generate net financial savings for U.S. hospitals. Even under the most conservative assumptions, the projected net cost of implementing such a program is modest relative to the substantial improvements in patient outcomes demonstrated by ICU early rehabilitation programs.

The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution.

PubMed

Caldwell, Michael W; Nydam, Randall L; Palci, Alessandro; Apesteguía, Sebastián

2015-01-27

The previous oldest known fossil snakes date from ~100 million year old sediments (Upper Cretaceous) and are both morphologically and phylogenetically diverse, indicating that snakes underwent a much earlier origin and adaptive radiation. We report here on snake fossils that extend the record backwards in time by an additional ~70 million years (Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous). These ancient snakes share features with fossil and modern snakes (for example, recurved teeth with labial and lingual carinae, long toothed suborbital ramus of maxillae) and with lizards (for example, pronounced subdental shelf/gutter). The paleobiogeography of these early snakes is diverse and complex, suggesting that snakes had undergone habitat differentiation and geographic radiation by the mid-Jurassic. Phylogenetic analysis of squamates recovers these early snakes in a basal polytomy with other fossil and modern snakes, where Najash rionegrina is sister to this clade. Ingroup analysis finds them in a basal position to all other snakes including Najash.

Salt disproportionation: A material science perspective.

PubMed

Thakral, Naveen K; Kelly, Ron C

2017-03-30

While screening the counter-ions for salt selection for an active pharmaceutical substance, there is often an uncertainty about disproportionation of the salt and hence physical stability of the final product formulation to provide adequate shelf life. Several examples of disproportionation reactions are reviewed to explain the concepts of pHmax, microenvironmental pH, and buffering capacity of excipients and APIs to gain mechanistic understanding of disproportionation reaction. Miscellaneous factors responsible for disproportionation are examined. In addition to the dissolution failure due to the formation of less soluble unionized form, various implications of the disproportionation are evaluated with specific examples. During lead optimization and early stages of development, when only a limited amount of material is available, use of predictive tools like mathematical models and model free kinetics to rank order the various counter-ions are discussed in detail. Finally, analytical methods and mitigation strategies are discussed to prevent the disproportionation by detecting it during early stages of drug development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Strategies of medical self-authorization in early modern medicine: the example of Volcher Coiter (1534-1576)].

PubMed

Gross, Dominik; Steinmetzer, Jan

2005-01-01

Based on the example of Volcher Coiter--a town physician at Nuremberg and one of the leading anatomists in early modern medicine--, this essay points out that the authoritative status of contemporary physicians mainly was predicated on an interplay of self-fashioning and outside perception. It provides ample evidence that Coiter made use of several characteristic rhetorical and discourse-related strategies of self-authorisation such as the participation in social networks, a highly convincing technique of self-fashioning by emphasizing particular erudition, the presentation of academic medicine as a science authorised by god and the concurrent devaluation of non-academic healers. Furthermore, graphic and visual strategies of self-authorisation could be ascertained: Coiter took care for a premium typography of his books. He also used his talent as a graphic artist in his books to visualise his medical concepts. Moreover, the so-called 'Nuremberg Portrait' of Coiter served to illustrate his outstanding authority.

China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-28

established method for countering an opponent’s military capability. A September 30, 2011, press report, for example, quotes Lieutenant General Herbert ...to address it. We are unable to provide additional details.”... 122 Spencer Ackerman, “How To Kill...China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities Congressional Research Service 105 As early as Feb. 17 [2011], Lt. Gen. Herbert

Early-Years Teachers' Concept Images and Concept Definitions: Triangles, Circles, and Cylinders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsamir, Pessia; Tirosh, Dina; Levenson, Esther; Barkai, Ruthi; Tabach, Michal

2015-01-01

This study investigates practicing early-years teachers' concept images and concept definitions for triangles, circles, and cylinders. Teachers were requested to define each figure and then to identify various examples and non-examples of the figure. Teachers' use of correct and precise mathematical language and reference to critical and…

Evaluation of a professional development training programme for mental health clinicians specializing in early psychosis.

PubMed

Macneil, Craig; Foster, Frances; Nicoll, Amanda; Osman, Helen; Monfries, Richard; Cotton, Sue

2018-06-01

The Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre Statewide Services (ESW) team provides training for multidisciplinary clinicians that specialise in early psychosis across the State of Victoria, Australia. The aim of this paper is to describe the 4-phase approach utilised by ESW to prepare for and deliver workshops, to report on participants' ratings of the ESW workshops, and to make recommendations for other trainers of early psychosis clinicians. Between March 2009 and September 2014, ESW provided 85 training workshops that had a strong focus on evidence-based approaches and international guidelines, and utilized clinical examples of early psychosis interventions. At the conclusion of each workshop, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that comprised qualitative and quantitative elements. These assessed perceived trainer knowledge, learning, interactivity and specific topic feedback. The focus of this paper will be on describing the quantitative data resulting from these questionnaires. A total of 1708 clinicians provided feedback on the 85 workshops. There was a high level of compliance, with 83.0% of workshop participants completing the questionnaires. Feedback was positive across all areas, with the 2 areas that were most highly endorsed being that presenters "appeared to know their subject matter well" (endorsed by 98.4% of participants) and that "topics were explained well" (endorsed by 96.8% of participants). Training for early psychosis clinicians that focusses on core clinical topics, is well planned, incorporates feedback from previous training, and is based on adult learning principles, is likely to be effective and well received by early psychosis clinicians. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Poppers, Kaposi's sarcoma, and HIV infection: empirical example of a strong confounding effect?

PubMed

Morabia, A

1995-01-01

Are there empirical examples of strong confounding effects? Textbooks usually show examples of weak confounding or use hypothetical examples of strong confounding to illustrate the paradoxical consequences of not separating out the effect of the studied exposure from that of second factor acting as a confounder. HIV infection is a candidate strong confounder of the spuriously high association reported between consumption of poppers, a sexual stimulant, and risk of Kaposi's sarcoma in the early phase of the AIDS epidemic. To examine this hypothesis, assumptions must be made on the prevalence of HIV infection among cases of Kaposi's sarcoma and on the prevalence of heavy popper consumption according to HIV infection in cases and controls. Results show that HIV infection may have confounded the poppers-Kaposi's sarcoma association. However, it cannot be ruled out that HIV did not qualify as a confounder because it was either an intermediate variable or an effect modifier of the association between popper inhalation and Kaposi's sarcoma. This example provides a basis to discuss the mechanism by which confounding occurs as well as the practical importance of confounding in epidemiologic research.

Coronal Mass Ejection early-warning mission by solar-photon sailcraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vulpetti, Giovanni; Circi, Christian; Pino, Tommaso

2017-11-01

A preliminary investigation of the early warning of solar storms caused by Coronal Mass Ejection has been carried out. A long warning time could be obtained with a sailcraft synchronous with the Earth-Moon barycenter, and stationed well below the L1 point. In this paper, the theory of heliocentric synchronous sailcraft is set up, its perturbed orbit is analyzed, and a potential solution capable of providing an annual synchrony is carried out. A simple analysis of the response from a low-mass electrochromic actuator for the realization of station-keeping attitude maneuvers is put forwards, and an example of propellantless re-orientation maneuver is studied.

Histopathological diagnosis of acral lentiginous melanoma in early stages.

PubMed

Fernandez-Flores, Angel; Cassarino, David S

2017-02-01

Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare variant of melanoma that is associated with a relatively low survival rate. The latter is partly due to the advanced stage in which the tumor is usually diagnosed. The diagnostic delay is mainly due to difficulties in identifying the very early histopathological signs of acral melanoma. The current article is a review of diagnostic clues, concepts, and definitions from the literature, as well as illustrating examples from our own archives. We have sought to provide an article that can be easily consulted in difficult cases of acral lentiginous melanoma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-Use and Emerging Disruptive Technology Trends

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-31

blog/establishing-zero-trust- infrastructure / (accessed No- vember 7, 2014) Mobile Thin Client End Points In the early days of computing, the...companies are using their network infrastructure to break into the mobile broadband market. For example, Ca- blevision recently began providing a Wi-Fi...smartphones and mobile devic- es will be used within the Pentagon. A building-wide cellular infrastructure is not the an- swer to retrieving and sending

Supply and Financial Systems Training for the Line Officer Afloat.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

Structural training is a most efficient and recognized method to obtain basic knowledge of shipboard life . The line officer’s first contact with...resources in order to support the ship’s mission. For example, when he signs requests for leave, early liberty, advancement , or any other request...Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate School, and Department Head School (formerly Destroyer School). These provide advanced training in a great

Synergy Between Individual and Institutional Capacity Building: Examples from the NASA DEVELOP National Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, K. W.; Childs-Gleason, L. M.; Favors, J.; Rogers, L.; Ruiz, M. L.; Allsbrook, K. N.

2016-12-01

The NASA DEVELOP National Program seeks to simultaneously build capacity to use Earth observations in early career and transitioning professionals while building capacity with institutional partners to apply Earth observations in conducting operations, making decisions, or informing policy. Engaging professionals in this manner lays the foundation of the NASA DEVELOP experience and provides a fresh perspective into institutional challenges. This energetic engagement of people in the emerging workforce elicits heightened attention and greater openness to new resources and processes from project partners. This presentation will describe how NASA DEVELOP provides over 350 opportunities for individuals to engage with over 140 partners per year. It will discuss how the program employs teaming approaches, logistical support, and access to science expertise to facilitate increased awareness and use of NASA geospatial information. It will conclude with examples of how individual/institutional capacity building synergies have led to useful capacity building outcomes.

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

Miller, Guthrie; Klumpp, John A.; Melo, Dunstana

Here, the pharmacokinetic equations of Pierson et al. describing the behavior of bromide in rat provide a general approach to the modeling of extracellular fluid (ECF). The movement of material into ECF spaces is rapid and is completely characterized by tissue volumes and vascular flow rates to and from a tissue, the volumes of the tissue, and the ECF associated with the tissue. Early-time measurements are needed to characterize ECF. Measurements of DTPA disappearance from plasma by Wedeking et al. are discussed as an example of such measurements. In any biokinetic model, the fastest transfer rates are not determinable withmore » the usual datasets, and if determined empirically, these rates will have very large and highly correlated uncertainties, so particular values of these rates, even though the model fits the available data, are not significant. A pharmacokinetic front-end provides values for these fast rates. An example of such a front-end for a 200–g rat is given.« less

CADx Mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costaridou, Lena

Although a wide variety of Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CADx) schemes have been proposed across breast imaging modalities, and especially in mammography, research is still ongoing to meet the high performance CADx requirements. In this chapter, methodological contributions to CADx in mammography and adjunct breast imaging modalities are reviewed, as they play a major role in early detection, diagnosis and clinical management of breast cancer. At first, basic terms and definitions are provided. Then, emphasis is given to lesion content derivation, both anatomical and functional, considering only quantitative image features of micro-calcification clusters and masses across modalities. Additionally, two CADx application examples are provided. The first example investigates the effect of segmentation accuracy on micro-calcification cluster morphology derivation in X-ray mammography. The second one demonstrates the efficiency of texture analysis in quantification of enhancement kinetics, related to vascular heterogeneity, for mass classification in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Leveraging Neuroscience to Inform Adolescent Health: The Need for an Innovative Transdisciplinary Developmental Science of Adolescence.

PubMed

Suleiman, Ahna Ballonoff; Dahl, Ronald E

2017-03-01

In this article, we consider how to leverage some of the rapid advances in developmental neuroscience in ways that can improve adolescent health. We provide a brief overview of several key areas of scientific progress relevant to these issues. We then focus on two examples of important health problems that increase sharply during adolescence: sleep problems and affective disorders. These examples illustrate how an integrative, developmental science approach provides new insights into treatment and intervention. They also highlight a cornerstone principle: how a deeper understanding of potentially modifiable factors-at key developmental inflection points along the trajectory toward clinical disorders-is beginning to inform, and may eventually transform, a broad range of innovative early intervention strategies to improve adolescent health. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microgravity Research: A Retrospective of Accomplishments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voorhees, Peter

2005-03-01

During the early days of human spaceflight U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began giving researchers the ability to perform experiments under extremely low gravity conditions (microgravity). Early microgravity experiments were rudimentary and discovery driven. The limitations of such an approach were clear and in the early 1990s, NASA broadened its program significantly beyond those experiments that were destined to be flown to include a ground- based program that contained both experimental and theoretical investigations. The ground-based program provided a source of carefully designed microgravity experiments. This led to the program in the Physical Sciences Division that involved research in, for example, fluids, materials and low temperature physics. The impact of the microgravity research program has been the focus of a recent National Research Council report titled “Assessment of Directions in Microgravity and Physical Sciences Research at NASA.” We found that there have been numerous high impact ground-based and flight investigations. For example, NASA funding has been instrumental in elucidating the nature of surface-tension-driven fluid flows, dendritic crystal growth and the thermodynamics of phase transitions near critical points. Using this report as a basis, a discussion of the impact of microgravity research on the fields in which it is a part will be given.

Integrating partner professionals. The Early Explorers project: Peers Early Education Partnership and the health visiting service.

PubMed

Barlow, J; Coe, C

2013-01-01

  A range of voluntary sector organizations are involved in the delivery of services to children, particularly within the Early Year's sector and children's centres. Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) Early Explorers project is one example of the way in which explicit partnerships are being forged across statutory and voluntary sectors with the aim of improving outcomes for children and families. This paper reports an exploration of stakeholder views and experiences of two Early Explorer clinics located in areas of high deprivation.   Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of stakeholders (n= 25) from children's centres, PEEP, the health visiting service and service users. Data were fully transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach.   The data suggest that the two key groups of stakeholders providing Early Explorer clinics (i.e. health visitors and PEEP practitioners) had quite different objectives in terms of their early goals for the clinic, but that despite these differences good progress was achieved in terms of working together effectively. All stakeholders including service users referred to the presence of PEEP as having improved the quality of the clinic environment, and participating mothers identified a wide range of benefits from the enhanced service. However, somewhat restricted views about the role of practitioners within the clinics were identified by users, and the findings suggest that although the early goals for the clinic had been exceeded, these may have been limited in terms of true 'partnership' working.   Early Explorer clinics appeared to have enhanced the service provided within traditional child health clinics and to have provided practitioners with access to hard-to-reach families and parents with access to services that are consistent with the broader policy aims of improving parent-infant interaction. However, questions remain as to whether the benefit of 'partnership' working was fully realized. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Modern Value of Early Writings in Medicine and Dentistry.

PubMed

Peck, Sheldon

2016-01-01

This article illustrates three examples supporting the modern value of early writings in dentistry and medicine. First, by studying cases described in works published long before the era of genetic science, we are able to develop new hypotheses about familial conditions and their genetic roots. Tooth transposition is presented as an example. Second, old writings may lead us to valuable historical insights and perspectives in medicine that can be revealed only in retrospective analysis. An example of this kind of historical analysis uncovers why dentistry became unnaturally separated from mainstream medicine in the 19th century. Third, early writings become keys to unlocking forgotten knowledge that enriches our understanding of historically significant people and events. The discovery of Norman Kingsley's long forgotten pyrographic paintings after Rembrandt portraits is used as an example. Libraries, the traditional custodians of these valued old texts, must continue to be supported, and not undermined by the paperless digital revolution. Copyright American Academy of the History of Dentistry.

Public Education and Targeted Outreach to Underserved Women Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

PubMed Central

Levano, Whitney; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Leonard, Banning; Bellick, Linda; Crane, Barbara E.; Kennedy, Stephenie K.; Haslage, Natalie M.; Hammond, Whitney; Tharpe, Felicia S.

2015-01-01

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was established to provide low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women access to cancer screening and diagnostic services with the goal of increasing the early detection and prevention of breast and cervical cancer. Although this is a valuable resource for women who might not have the means to get screened otherwise, providing services at no cost, by itself, does not guarantee uptake of screening services. Public education and targeted outreach facilitate the critical link between public service programs and the communities they serve. The purpose of public education and outreach in the NBCCEDP is to increase the number of women who use breast and cervical cancer screening services by raising awareness, providing education, addressing barriers, and motivating women to complete screening exams and follow-up. Effective strategies focus on helping to remove structural, physical, interpersonal, financial, and cultural barriers; educate women about the importance of screening and inform women about the services available to them. This article provides an overview of the importance of public education and targeted outreach activities for cancer screening through community-based programs including examples from NBCCEDP grantees that highlight successes, challenges, and solutions, encountered when conducting these types of interventions. PMID:25099902

Early events in speciation: Polymorphism for hybrid male sterility in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Reed, Laura K.; Markow, Therese A.

2004-01-01

Capturing the process of speciation early enough to determine the initial genetic causes of reproductive isolation remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. We have found, to our knowledge, the first example of substantial intraspecific polymorphism for genetic factors contributing to hybrid male sterility. Specifically, we show that the occurrence of hybrid male sterility in crosses between Drosophila mojavensis and its sister species, Drosophila arizonae, is controlled by factors present at different frequencies in different populations of D. mojavensis. In addition, we show that hybrid male sterility is a complex phenotype; some hybrid males with motile sperm still cannot sire offspring. Because male sterility factors in hybrids between these species are not yet fixed within D. mojavensis, this system provides an invaluable opportunity to characterize the genetics of reproductive isolation at an early stage. PMID:15184657

Early events in speciation: polymorphism for hybrid male sterility in Drosophila.

PubMed

Reed, Laura K; Markow, Therese A

2004-06-15

Capturing the process of speciation early enough to determine the initial genetic causes of reproductive isolation remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. We have found, to our knowledge, the first example of substantial intraspecific polymorphism for genetic factors contributing to hybrid male sterility. Specifically, we show that the occurrence of hybrid male sterility in crosses between Drosophila mojavensis and its sister species, Drosophila arizonae, is controlled by factors present at different frequencies in different populations of D. mojavensis. In addition, we show that hybrid male sterility is a complex phenotype; some hybrid males with motile sperm still cannot sire offspring. Because male sterility factors in hybrids between these species are not yet fixed within D. mojavensis, this system provides an invaluable opportunity to characterize the genetics of reproductive isolation at an early stage.

Preventing Genocide: How the Early Use of Force Might Have Succeeded in Rwanda.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

the Commission have been endorsed by all Commissioners. Reports to the Commission are published as a service to scholars, practitioners, and the...its normal complement of combat and service support would provide a foundation for an effective intervention force. For example, the Division Ready...recognize that their services will be in demand. This is not to say that only Western democracies can, should, or will perform the bulk of preventive

Seizing the Initiative by Establishing the Rule of Law During Combat Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

deliberate or crisis action planning. Without security, the conditions necessary to fulfill the other hierarchy of needs in Maslow’s pyramid will...established. The situation that occurred in the streets of Egypt and various locations throughout the Middle East in early 2011 are prime examples... Egypt , a place war had not ravished, provided the population a sense of security through the Egyptian military and police. The rule of law in Egypt

Explorations of electric current system in solar active regions. I - Empirical inferences of the current flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, Y. J.; Hong, Q. F.; Hagyard, M. J.; Deloach, A. C.; Liu, X. P.

1987-01-01

Techniques to identify sources of electric current systems and their channels of flow in solar active regions are explored. Measured photospheric vector magnetic fields together with high-resolution white-light and H-alpha filtergrams provide the data base to derive the current systems in the photosphere and chromosphere. As an example, the techniques are then applied to infer current systems in AR 2372 in early April 1980.

Transition from the labor market: older workers and retirement.

PubMed

Peterson, Chris L; Murphy, Greg

2010-01-01

The new millennium has seen the projected growth of older populations as a source of many problems, not the least of which is how to sustain this increasingly aging population. Some decades ago, early retirement from work posed few problems for governments, but most nations are now trying to ensure that workers remain in the workforce longer. In this context, the role played by older employees can be affected by at least two factors: their productivity (or perceived productivity) and their acceptance by younger workers and management. If the goal of maintaining employees into older age is to be achieved and sustained, opportunities must be provided, for example, for more flexible work arrangements and more possibilities to pursue bridge employment (work after formal retirement). The retirement experience varies, depending on people's circumstances. Some people, for example, have retirement forced upon them by illness or injury at work, by ill-health (such as chronic illnesses), or by downsizing and associated redundancies. This article focuses on the problems and opportunities associated with working to an older age or leaving the workforce early, particularly due to factors beyond one's control.

An introduction to Na(18)F bone scintigraphy: basic principles, advanced imaging concepts, and case examples.

PubMed

Bridges, Robert L; Wiley, Chris R; Christian, John C; Strohm, Adam P

2007-06-01

Na(18)F, an early bone scintigraphy agent, is poised to reenter mainstream clinical imaging with the present generations of stand-alone PET and PET/CT hybrid scanners. (18)F PET scans promise improved imaging quality for both benign and malignant bone disease, with significantly improved sensitivity and specificity over conventional planar and SPECT bone scans. In this article, basic acquisition information will be presented along with examples of studies related to oncology, sports medicine, and general orthopedics. The use of image fusion of PET bone scans with CT and MRI will be demonstrated. The objectives of this article are to provide the reader with an understanding of the history of early bone scintigraphy in relation to Na(18)F scanning, a familiarity with basic imaging techniques for PET bone scanning, an appreciation of the extent of disease processes that can be imaged with PET bone scanning, an appreciation for the added value of multimodality image fusion with bone disease, and a recognition of the potential role PET bone scanning may play in clinical imaging.

The cardiac tumors - some exceptional heart conditions.

PubMed

Cristian, Ana Maria; Moraru, Oriana Elena; Goleanu, Viorel Constantin; Butuşină, Marian; Pinte, Florina; Cotoi, Bogdan Virgil; Cristian, Gabriel

2018-01-01

Cardiac tumors are exceptional cardiac conditions, since they have a minimal occurrence, according to statistics. The cardiac myxoma cases are the most dominant for the representative examples for these clinical situations. Those tumors being benign, the patients enjoy a reasonable life expectancy provided they receive an early diagnosis. In the absence of potential complications, the symptoms can vary very much and they may often be non-specific, a fact which makes it more difficult to establish a proper diagnosis and to quickly tailor the optimal therapeutic solutions. Surgery is, in the most cases, a comfortable solution, allowing the cases to be permanently healed. Nowadays, cardiac surgery provides all the needed facilities to diagnose cases at an early stage, when diagnosis is quick and accurate. This paper illustrates, by the means of two suggestive cases, how difficult it is to establish a quick positive diagnosis, which is vital for healing this condition with an evolutionary risk frequently worsen by major complications.

EARLY EVALUATION OF NEW HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES: THE CASE FOR PREMARKET STUDIES THAT HARMONIZE REGULATORY AND COVERAGE PERSPECTIVES.

PubMed

Levin, Leslie

2015-01-01

With an increasing awareness that active engagement between policy decision makers, HTA agencies, regulators and payers with industry in the premarket space is needed, a disruptive comprehensive approach is described which moves the evidentiary process exclusively into this space. Single harmonized studies pre-market to address regulatory and coverage needs and expectations are more likely to be efficient and less costly and position evidence to drive rather than test innovation. An example of such a process through the MaRS EXCITE program in Ontario, Canada, now undergoing proof of concept, is briefly discussed. Other examples of dialogue between decision makers and industry pre-market are provided though these are less robust than a comprehensive evidentiary approach.

Making Human Spaceflight Practical and Affordable: Spacecraft Designs and their Degree of Operability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crocker, Alan R.

2011-01-01

As we push toward new and diverse space transportation capabilities, reduction in operations cost becomes increasingly important. Achieving affordable and safe human spaceflight capabilities will be the mark of success for new programs and new providers. The ability to perceive the operational implications of design decisions is crucial in developing safe yet cost competitive space transportation systems. Any human spaceflight program - government or commercial - must make countless decisions either to implement spacecraft system capabilities or adopt operational constraints or workarounds to account for the lack of such spacecraft capabilities. These decisions can benefit from the collective experience that NASA has accumulated in building and operating crewed spacecraft over the last five decades. This paper reviews NASA s history in developing and operating human rated spacecraft, reviewing the key aspects of spacecraft design and their resultant impacts on operations phase complexity and cost. Specific examples from current and past programs - including the Space Shuttle and International Space Station - are provided to illustrate design traits that either increase or increase cost and complexity associated with spacecraft operations. These examples address factors such as overall design performance margins, levels of redundancy, degree of automated failure response, type and quantity of command and telemetry interfaces, and the definition of reference scenarios for analysis and test. Each example - from early program requirements, design implementation and resulting real-time operations experience - to tell the end-to-end "story" Based on these experiences, specific techniques are recommended to enable earlier and more effective assessment of operations concerns during the design process. A formal method for the assessment of spacecraft operability is defined and results of such operability assessments for recent spacecraft designs are provided. Recent experience in applying these techniques to Orion spacecraft development is reviewed to highlight the direct benefits of early operational assessment and collaborative development efforts.

Transference and countertransference to medication and its implications for ego function.

PubMed

Marcus, Eric R

2007-01-01

Transference to medication can provide important information about specific ego dysfunction in sicker patients who often need medication. Whether positive or negative or both in content, the organization of the experience provides one example of the illness' effect on the patients' ego and can therefore be a specific diagnostic assessment strategy. Early resistances to medication may reveal the nature of resistances to the therapeutic alliance and to higher-level ego function. Understanding this can guide verbal and pharmacological interventions to strengthen ego function. Countertransference can similarly be helpful because it, too, can be a highly specific diagnostic indicator.

Reconstructing Climate Change: The Model-Data Ping-Pong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stocker, T. F.

2017-12-01

When Cesare Emiliani, the father of paleoceanography, made the first attempts at a quantitative reconstruction of Pleistocene climate change in the early 1950s, climate models were not yet conceived. The understanding of paleoceanographic records was therefore limited, and scientists had to resort to plausibility arguments to interpret their data. With the advent of coupled climate models in the early 1970s, for the first time hypotheses about climate processes and climate change could be tested in a dynamically consistent framework. However, only a model hierarchy can cope with the long time scales and the multi-component physical-biogeochemical Earth System. There are many examples how climate models have inspired the interpretation of paleoclimate data on the one hand, and conversely, how data have questioned long-held concepts and models. In this lecture I critically revisit a few examples of this model-data ping-pong, such as the bipolar seesaw, the mid-Holocene greenhouse gas increase, millennial and rapid CO2 changes reconstructed from polar ice cores, and the interpretation of novel paleoceanographic tracers. These examples also highlight many of the still unsolved questions and provide guidance for future research. The combination of high-resolution paleoceanographic data and modeling has never been more relevant than today. It will be the key for an appropriate risk assessment of impacts on the Earth System that are already underway in the Anthropocene.

Building an early career network through outreach projects: The "mon océan & moi" example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbieux, M.; Scheurle, C.; Ardyna, M.; Harmel, T.; Ferraris, M.; Jessin, T.; Lacour, L.; Mayot, N.; Organelli, E.; Pasqueron De Fommervault, O.; Penkerc'h, C.; Poteau, A.; Uitz, J.; Ramondec, S.; Sauzède, R.; Velluci, V.; Claustre, H.

2016-02-01

The ocean plays an important role in the global processes of our planet, from climate change to sea level rise, uptake of carbon dioxide to fisheries stocks. In addition, its scientific importance, extraordinary beauty and public fascination provide perfect ingredients for both education and public outreach. Four years ago, after the launch of the "mon océan & moi" outreach project, an early career network (Ph.D. students and postdocs) has been formed to "promote collaborations/exchanges between the scientific and educational worlds in order to co-elaborate a teaching method for raising the awareness of school children on marine environments". Scientists are pursuing new research yielding improved knowledge and new documentation resources. However, they lack the communication skills to make the subject accessible to the general public. On the other hand, teachers must be informed of recent discoveries and of new resources for educational purposes. To fill this gap, the early career scientists developed, in collaboration with a school authority and an experienced science communicators team, both a trail education program tested directly in middle and high schools and innovative supporting material (i.e., animations, educative video clips and experiments, interactive maps and quizzes). Here we outline a set of guidelines as to how to improve science outreach across a variety of disciplines (e.g., science, technology, engineering) and how this may impact the experience of early career scientists. These tips will be useful for other early career scientists and science outreach projects, large or small, regional, national or international. Such novel outreach initiatives will help educate current and next generations about the importance of ocean environments and the relevance of ocean sciences for the society, and may serve as an example of teamwork for other young scientists.

Aircraft Laminar Flow Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joslin, Ronald D.

1998-01-01

Aircraft laminar flow control (LFC) from the 1930's through the 1990's is reviewed and the current status of the technology is assessed. Examples are provided to demonstrate the benefits of LFC for subsonic and supersonic aircraft. Early studies related to the laminar boundary-layer flow physics, manufacturing tolerances for laminar flow, and insect-contamination avoidance are discussed. LFC concept studies in wind-tunnel and flight experiments are the major focus of the paper. LFC design tools are briefly outlined for completeness.

Astronomical Odds: A Policy Framework for the Cosmic Impact Hazard

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

171. 52 An early example of an expost approach to NEO interceptor design is Project Icarus, a study effort that recommended a Saturn-V class system...68 vii viii Astronomical Odds: A Policy Framework for the Cosmic Impact Hazard 3.2. "Giggle factor" within USAF study report...the access to the NEO SDT Study model provided by MIT Lincoln Laboratory, with special thanks to Grant Stokes and Jenifer Evans. I am grateful for

Chaos, patterns, coherent structures, and turbulence: Reflections on nonlinear science.

PubMed

Ecke, Robert E

2015-09-01

The paradigms of nonlinear science were succinctly articulated over 25 years ago as deterministic chaos, pattern formation, coherent structures, and adaptation/evolution/learning. For chaos, the main unifying concept was universal routes to chaos in general nonlinear dynamical systems, built upon a framework of bifurcation theory. Pattern formation focused on spatially extended nonlinear systems, taking advantage of symmetry properties to develop highly quantitative amplitude equations of the Ginzburg-Landau type to describe early nonlinear phenomena in the vicinity of critical points. Solitons, mathematically precise localized nonlinear wave states, were generalized to a larger and less precise class of coherent structures such as, for example, concentrated regions of vorticity from laboratory wake flows to the Jovian Great Red Spot. The combination of these three ideas was hoped to provide the tools and concepts for the understanding and characterization of the strongly nonlinear problem of fluid turbulence. Although this early promise has been largely unfulfilled, steady progress has been made using the approaches of nonlinear science. I provide a series of examples of bifurcations and chaos, of one-dimensional and two-dimensional pattern formation, and of turbulence to illustrate both the progress and limitations of the nonlinear science approach. As experimental and computational methods continue to improve, the promise of nonlinear science to elucidate fluid turbulence continues to advance in a steady manner, indicative of the grand challenge nature of strongly nonlinear multi-scale dynamical systems.

Evaluation of early efficacy endpoints for proof-of-concept trials.

PubMed

Chen, Cong; Sun, Linda; Li, Chih-Lin

2013-03-11

A Phase II proof-of-concept (POC) trial usually uses an early efficacy endpoint other than a clinical endpoint as the primary endpoint. Because of the advancement in bioscience and technology, which has yielded a number of new surrogate biomarkers, drug developers often have more candidate endpoints to choose from than they can handle. As a result, selection of endpoint and its effect size as well as choice of type I/II error rates are often at the center of heated debates in design of POC trials. While optimization of the trade-off between benefit and cost is the implicit objective in such a decision-making process, it is seldom explicitly accounted for in practice. In this research note, motivated by real examples from the oncology field, we provide practical measures for evaluation of early efficacy endpoints (E4) for POC trials. We further provide optimal design strategies for POC trials that include optimal Go-No Go decision criteria for initiation of Phase III and optimal resource allocation strategies for conducting multiple POC trials in a portfolio under fixed resources. Although oncology is used for illustration purpose, the same idea developed in this research note also applies to similar situations in other therapeutic areas or in early-stage drug development in that a Go-No Go decision has to rely on limited data from an early efficacy endpoint and cost-effectiveness is the main concern.

Government can't do it all. Over 250 million people in the developing world benefit from NGO support.

PubMed

1993-09-01

Throughout the world, citizens are attempting to improve living conditions using direct participatory measures. Trade unions provide some of the clearest examples of citizens' groups which are challenging the power structure and encouraging democratization. In Chile, Korea, Zambia, Mali, and Poland, unions have been responsible for impressive governmental changes. People have also been working to improve living conditions through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which have expanded their beneficial influence from 100 million people in the early 1980s to 250 million today. Donors unhappy with official channels for aid have funneled funds between the North and the South in amounts which have increased from US $1 billion in 1970 to $5 billion 1990. NGOs help the poorest of the poor to achieve a measure of self-sufficiency (for example, an NGO provides small loans to landless people in Bangladesh). They also have the flexibility to respond to emergencies with an immediacy denied official channels (for example Oxfam chartered a boatload of food and supplies for Cambodia in 1979), and they remain to provide aid when officialdom has deserted the field (for example, the Red Cross, Save the Children, CARE, Concern, and Medicins Sans Frontieres have been a constant presence in Somalia). By helping marginalized groups claim their rights (for example, land rights for Indians in Ecuador), NGOs empower citizens to improve their lives in countless arenas. NGOs also provide advocacy for the powerless; Amnesty International contributed to the release of 1,296 political prisoners in 1990. Despite the important role of these groups, NGOs operate on a very small scale and can never assume the role of governments. In fact, one of the most important tasks ahead for NGOs may be to act as an intermediary between governments and their citizens. With more aid and partnership support, NGOs will be able to continue to expand their positive influence in the world.

Low-Fe(III) Greenalite Was a Primary Mineral From Neoarchean Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Jena E.; Muhling, Janet R.; Cosmidis, Julie; Rasmussen, Birger; Templeton, Alexis S.

2018-04-01

Banded iron formations (BIFs) represent chemical precipitation from Earth's early oceans and therefore contain insights into ancient marine biogeochemistry. However, BIFs have undergone multiple episodes of alteration, making it difficult to assess the primary mineral assemblage. Nanoscale mineral inclusions from 2.5 billion year old BIFs and ferruginous cherts provide new evidence that iron silicates were primary minerals deposited from the Neoarchean ocean, contrasting sharply with current models for BIF inception. Here we used multiscale imaging and spectroscopic techniques to characterize the best preserved examples of these inclusions. Our integrated results demonstrate that these early minerals were low-Fe(III) greenalite. We present potential pathways in which low-Fe(III) greenalite could have formed through changes in saturation state and/or iron oxidation and reduction. Future constraints for ancient ocean chemistry and early life's activities should include low-Fe(III) greenalite as a primary mineral in the Neoarchean ocean.

Filtering big data from social media--Building an early warning system for adverse drug reactions.

PubMed

Yang, Ming; Kiang, Melody; Shang, Wei

2015-04-01

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are believed to be a leading cause of death in the world. Pharmacovigilance systems are aimed at early detection of ADRs. With the popularity of social media, Web forums and discussion boards become important sources of data for consumers to share their drug use experience, as a result may provide useful information on drugs and their adverse reactions. In this study, we propose an automated ADR related posts filtering mechanism using text classification methods. In real-life settings, ADR related messages are highly distributed in social media, while non-ADR related messages are unspecific and topically diverse. It is expensive to manually label a large amount of ADR related messages (positive examples) and non-ADR related messages (negative examples) to train classification systems. To mitigate this challenge, we examine the use of a partially supervised learning classification method to automate the process. We propose a novel pharmacovigilance system leveraging a Latent Dirichlet Allocation modeling module and a partially supervised classification approach. We select drugs with more than 500 threads of discussion, and collect all the original posts and comments of these drugs using an automatic Web spidering program as the text corpus. Various classifiers were trained by varying the number of positive examples and the number of topics. The trained classifiers were applied to 3000 posts published over 60 days. Top-ranked posts from each classifier were pooled and the resulting set of 300 posts was reviewed by a domain expert to evaluate the classifiers. Compare to the alternative approaches using supervised learning methods and three general purpose partially supervised learning methods, our approach performs significantly better in terms of precision, recall, and the F measure (the harmonic mean of precision and recall), based on a computational experiment using online discussion threads from Medhelp. Our design provides satisfactory performance in identifying ADR related posts for post-marketing drug surveillance. The overall design of our system also points out a potentially fruitful direction for building other early warning systems that need to filter big data from social media networks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Ecological security early-warning in Zhoushan Islands based on variable weight model].

PubMed

Zhou, Bin; Zhong, Lin-sheng; Chen, Tian; Zhou, Rui

2015-06-01

Ecological security early warning, as an important content of ecological security research, is of indicating significance in maintaining regional ecological security. Based on driving force, pressure, state, impact and response (D-P-S-I-R) framework model, this paper took Zhoushan Islands in Zhejiang Province as an example to construct the ecological security early warning index system, test degrees of ecological security early warning of Zhoushan Islands from 2000 to 2012 by using the method of variable weight model, and forecast ecological security state of 2013-2018 by Markov prediction method. The results showed that the variable weight model could meet the study needs of ecological security early warning of Zhoushan Islands. There was a fluctuant rising ecological security early warning index from 0.286 to 0.484 in Zhoushan Islands between year 2000 and 2012, in which the security grade turned from "serious alert" into " medium alert" and the indicator light turned from "orange" to "yellow". The degree of ecological security warning was "medium alert" with the light of "yellow" for Zhoushan Islands from 2013 to 2018. These findings could provide a reference for ecological security maintenance of Zhoushan Islands.

Distance mentoring of health researchers: Three case studies across the career-development trajectory.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaomeng; Schneider, Margaret; DeSorbo-Quinn, Alexandra L; King, Abby C; Allegrante, John P; Nigg, Claudio R

2017-01-01

Despite the crucial role of mentoring, little literature exists that addresses distance mentoring among health researchers. This article provides three case studies showcasing protégés at different stages of career development (one in graduate school, one as an early-stage researcher, and one as an established researcher). Each case study provides a brief history of the relationship, examines the benefits and challenges of working together at a distance, and discusses the lessons learned from both the mentor and the protégé over the course of these relationships. A mentoring model, examples of mentoring communications, and potential promising practices are also provided and discussed.

Will our children be healthy adults? Applying science to public health policy.

PubMed

Law, Catherine

2010-12-01

Cardiovascular disease is predicted to be a leading cause of death and disability worldwide for the foreseeable future. Observational studies link a variety of prevalent early life experiences (for example, smoking in pregnancy, child poverty) to increased risk of adult cardiovascular disease. Experimental animal studies suggest plausible causal relationships. However, there has been little consideration of how to use this wealth of information to benefit children's futures. Policy documents have drawn on research evidence to recognise that early experience influences life chances, the development of human capital, and long-term health. This has led to a general policy emphasis on prevention and early intervention. To date, there are few examples of the evidence base being useful in shaping specific policies, despite potential to do so, and some examples of policy misunderstanding of science. Minor changes to the perspectives of epidemiological research in this area might greatly increase the potential for evidence-based policy.

Gestalten of today: early processing of visual contours and surfaces.

PubMed

Kovács, I

1996-12-01

While much is known about the specialized, parallel processing streams of low-level vision that extract primary visual cues, there is only limited knowledge about the dynamic interactions between them. How are the fragments, caught by local analyzers, assembled together to provide us with a unified percept? How are local discontinuities in texture, motion or depth evaluated with respect to object boundaries and surface properties? These questions are presented within the framework of orientation-specific spatial interactions of early vision. Key observations of psychophysics, anatomy and neurophysiology on interactions of various spatial and temporal ranges are reviewed. Aspects of the functional architecture and possible neural substrates of local orientation-specific interactions are discussed, underlining their role in the integration of information across the visual field, and particularly in contour integration. Examples are provided demonstrating that global context, such as contour closure and figure-ground assignment, affects these local interactions. It is illustrated that figure-ground assignment is realized early in visual processing, and that the pattern of early interactions also brings about an effective and sparse coding of visual shape. Finally, it is concluded that the underlying functional architecture is not only dynamic and context dependent, but the pattern of connectivity depends as much on past experience as on actual stimulation.

Applying an Equity Lens to the Child Care Setting.

PubMed

Scott, Krista; Looby, Anna Ayers; Hipp, Janie Simms; Frost, Natasha

2017-03-01

In the current landscape, child care is increasingly being seen as a place for early education, and systems are largely bundling child care in the Early Care and Education sphere through funding and quality measures. As states define school readiness and quality, they often miss critical elements, such as equitable access to quality and cultural traditions. This article provides a summary of the various definitions and structures of child care. It also discusses how the current child care policy conversation can and ought to be infused with a framework grounded in the context of institutional racism and trauma. Models and examples will explore the differences between state government regulations, and how those differ than the regulation and structure of child care in Indian Country.

Evaluating markers for the early detection of cancer: overview of study designs and methods.

PubMed

Baker, Stuart G; Kramer, Barnett S; McIntosh, Martin; Patterson, Blossom H; Shyr, Yu; Skates, Steven

2006-01-01

The field of cancer biomarker development has been evolving rapidly. New developments both in the biologic and statistical realms are providing increasing opportunities for evaluation of markers for both early detection and diagnosis of cancer. To review the major conceptual and methodological issues in cancer biomarker evaluation, with an emphasis on recent developments in statistical methods together with practical recommendations. We organized this review by type of study: preliminary performance, retrospective performance, prospective performance and cancer screening evaluation. For each type of study, we discuss methodologic issues, provide examples and discuss strengths and limitations. Preliminary performance studies are useful for quickly winnowing down the number of candidate markers; however their results may not apply to the ultimate target population, asymptomatic subjects. If stored specimens from cohort studies with clinical cancer endpoints are available, retrospective studies provide a quick and valid way to evaluate performance of the markers or changes in the markers prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. Prospective studies have a restricted role because they require large sample sizes, and, if the endpoint is cancer on biopsy, there may be bias due to overdiagnosis. Cancer screening studies require very large sample sizes and long follow-up, but are necessary for evaluating the marker as a trigger of early intervention.

Oldest known dinosaurian nesting site and reproductive biology of the Early Jurassic sauropodomorph Massospondylus

PubMed Central

Reisz, Robert R.; Evans, David C.; Roberts, Eric M.; Sues, Hans-Dieter; Yates, Adam M.

2012-01-01

The extensive Early Jurassic continental strata of southern Africa have yielded an exceptional record of dinosaurs that includes scores of partial to complete skeletons of the sauropodomorph Massospondylus, ranging from embryos to large adults. In 1976 an incomplete egg clutch including in ovo embryos of this dinosaur, the oldest known example in the fossil record, was collected from a road-cut talus, but its exact provenance was uncertain. An excavation program at the site started in 2006 has yielded multiple in situ egg clutches, documenting the oldest known dinosaurian nesting site, predating other similar sites by more than 100 million years. The presence of numerous clutches of eggs, some of which contain embryonic remains, in at least four distinct horizons within a small area, provides the earliest known evidence of complex reproductive behavior including site fidelity and colonial nesting in a terrestrial vertebrate. Thus, fossil and sedimentological evidence from this nesting site provides empirical data on reproductive strategies in early dinosaurs. A temporally calibrated optimization of dinosaurian reproductive biology not only demonstrates the primary significance of the Massospondylus nesting site, but also provides additional insights into the initial stages of the evolutionary history of dinosaurs, including evidence that deposition of eggs in a tightly organized single layer in a nest evolved independently from brooding. PMID:22308330

The Role of Extracellular Fluid in Biokinetic Modeling

DOE PAGES

Miller, Guthrie; Klumpp, John A.; Melo, Dunstana; ...

2017-12-01

Here, the pharmacokinetic equations of Pierson et al. describing the behavior of bromide in rat provide a general approach to the modeling of extracellular fluid (ECF). The movement of material into ECF spaces is rapid and is completely characterized by tissue volumes and vascular flow rates to and from a tissue, the volumes of the tissue, and the ECF associated with the tissue. Early-time measurements are needed to characterize ECF. Measurements of DTPA disappearance from plasma by Wedeking et al. are discussed as an example of such measurements. In any biokinetic model, the fastest transfer rates are not determinable withmore » the usual datasets, and if determined empirically, these rates will have very large and highly correlated uncertainties, so particular values of these rates, even though the model fits the available data, are not significant. A pharmacokinetic front-end provides values for these fast rates. An example of such a front-end for a 200–g rat is given.« less

Passive in-home health and wellness monitoring: overview, value and examples.

PubMed

Alwan, Majd

2009-01-01

Modern sensor and communication technology, coupled with advances in data analysis and artificial intelligence techniques, is causing a paradigm shift in remote management and monitoring of chronic disease. In-home monitoring technology brings the added benefit of measuring individualized health status and reporting it to the care provider and caregivers alike, allowing timely and targeted preventive interventions, even in home and community based settings. This paper presents a paradigm for geriatric care based on monitoring older adults passively in their own living settings through placing sensors in their living environments or the objects they use. Activity and physiological data can be analyzed, archived and mined to detect indicators of early disease onset or changes in health conditions at various levels. Examples of monitoring systems are discussed and results from field evaluation pilot studies are summarized. The approach has shown great promise for a significant value proposition to all the stakeholders involved in caring for older adults. The paradigm would allow care providers to extend their services into the communities they serve.

The Utility of EEG Band Power Analysis in the Study of Infancy and Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Saby, Joni N.; Marshall, Peter J.

2012-01-01

Research employing electroencephalographic (EEG) techniques with infants and young children has flourished in recent years due to increased interest in understanding the neural processes involved in early social and cognitive development. This review focuses on the functional characteristics of the alpha, theta, and gamma frequency bands in the developing EEG. Examples of how analyses of EEG band power have been applied to specific lines of developmental research are also discussed. These examples include recent work on the infant mu rhythm and action processing, frontal alpha asymmetry and approach-withdrawal tendencies, and EEG power measures in the study of early psychosocial adversity. PMID:22545661

Approach to an Affordable and Productive Space Transportation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCleskey, Carey M.; Rhodes, Russel E.; Lepsch, Roger A.; Henderson, Edward M.; Robinson, John W.

2012-01-01

This paper describes an approach for creating space transportation architectures that are affordable, productive, and sustainable. The architectural scope includes both flight and ground system elements, and focuses on their compatibility to achieve a technical solution that is operationally productive, and also affordable throughout its life cycle. Previous papers by the authors and other members of the Space Propulsion Synergy Team (SPST) focused on space flight system engineering methods, along with operationally efficient propulsion system concepts and technologies. This paper follows up previous work by using a structured process to derive examples of conceptual architectures that integrate a number of advanced concepts and technologies. The examples are not intended to provide a near-term alternative architecture to displace current near-term design and development activity. Rather, the examples demonstrate an approach that promotes early investments in advanced system concept studies and trades (flight and ground), as well as in advanced technologies with the goal of enabling highly affordable, productive flight and ground space transportation systems.

Development of a Low Cost Earthquake Early Warning System in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Y. M.

2017-12-01

The National Taiwan University (NTU) developed an earthquake early warning (EEW) system for research purposes using low-cost accelerometers (P-Alert) since 2010. As of 2017, a total of 650 stations have been deployed and configured. The NTU system can provide earthquake information within 15 s of an earthquake occurrence. Thus, this system may provide early warnings for cities located more than 50 km from the epicenter. Additionally, the NTU system also has an onsite alert function that triggers a warning for incoming P-waves greater than a certain magnitude threshold, thus providing a 2-3 s lead time before peak ground acceleration (PGA) for regions close to an epicenter. Detailed shaking maps are produced by the NTU system within one or two minutes after an earthquake. Recently, a new module named ShakeAlarm has been developed. Equipped with real-time acceleration signals and the time-dependent anisotropic attenuation relationship of the PGA, ShakingAlarm can provide an accurate PGA estimation immediately before the arrival of the observed PGA. This unique advantage produces sufficient lead time for hazard assessment and emergency response, which is unavailable for traditional shakemap, which are based on only the PGA observed in real time. The performance of ShakingAlarm was tested with six M > 5.5 inland earthquakes from 2013 to 2016. Taking the 2016 M6.4 Meinong earthquake simulation as an example, the predicted PGA converges to a stable value and produces a predicted shake map and an isocontour map of the predicted PGA within 16 seconds of earthquake occurrence. Compared with traditional regional EEW system, ShakingAlarm can effectively identify possible damage regions and provide valuable early warning information (magnitude and PGA) for risk mitigation.

A Career in Inquiry

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

This article, based on the 52nd Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture given at the 95th American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference & Expo, explores the concept of inquiry as the basis for a career and as an activity of daily living. Using the heliocentric theory and the space program at NASA as examples, the broad concept of inquiry is discussed, because it has led to important changes in society over the course of history. The article describes how a career as a clinician–scientist can be grounded in the concept of inquiry and explains how all occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants can base their own careers in inquiry, using examples from the early history of the profession of occupational therapy and from work by current investigators. Practical suggestions applicable to every clinician are provided. PMID:26565091

RW Per - Nodal motion changes its amplitude by 1.4 mag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, Bradley E.; Fried, Robert E.

1991-01-01

RW Per was found to have large secular changes in its eclipse amplitude. In blue light, for example, the amplitude was 3.2 mag in the early 1900s, 2.2 mag in the late 1960s, and 1.75 mag in 1990. Throughout this time, the brightness at maximum was constant in all colors. It is shown that the only possible explanation is nodal motion, where the inclination varies with a period of roughly 100,000 yr. The nodal motion is caused by a third star, for which the light curve, the colors, and the O - C curve already provide evidence. Thus, RW Per is only the fourth known star with large changes of eclipse amplitude and is only the second example of nodal motion.

The role of ultrasound in the management and diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Currently, infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a clinically diagnosed condition. According to the American Family Physician criteria for IM, splenomegaly is the key factor that distinguishes IM from other causes of sore throat. Though heterophile antibody tests are often ordered to confirm diagnosis of IM, this test has a high false-negative rate early in the course of the disease. This case report provides an example of how the use of ultrasound to diagnose splenomegaly and subsequently mononucleosis increases diagnostic accuracy. PMID:24580968

Into the thermosphere: The atmosphere explorers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgess, Eric; Torr, Douglass

1987-01-01

The need to study the lower thermosphere with the new instrument, data handling, and spacecraft technology available in the 1960s led to the formulation and establishment of the Atmospheric Explorer program. This book provides an overview of this program with particular emphasis on the AE3, AE4, and AE5 satellites, which represent early examples of problem-dedicated missions. Both the satellites and their instrumentation on the one hand and the experimental and scientific considerations in studying the thermosphere on the other are discussed.

Building a Joint Force on the Fly: The Relationship of Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch and Lieutenant General Millard F. Harmon

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

v ABSTRACT The Solomons air campaign is an early example of a combined (New Zealand) and joint (Army, Navy, and Marine Corps) air campaign in...of victory in the Pacific was always at the forefront of their commands. The case of the Solomons air campaign provides an avenue to understanding...Station Norfolk, VA . . . . 26 3 USMC Solomon Islands Campaign Map, 1943. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 4 COMAIRSOPAC change of command 20

Recruitment standards and practices in occupational therapy, 1900-1930.

PubMed

Colman, W

1990-08-01

Debate regarding recruitment standards and practices exemplifies various visions of practice that exist within a profession. In occupational therapy, early recruitment criteria provide an example of how the field's founders envisioned the professional practitioner. As occupational therapy grew in membership throughout the 1920s, that vision was challenged. This paper identifies and describes the recruitment ideas expressed by both the founders of occupational therapy and their challengers from 1900 to 1930 and suggests the influence of their ideas on recruitment standards.

Historical aspects of immunization and vaccine safety communication.

PubMed

Helfert, Stephanie M

2015-01-01

It has been a long journey starting from the beginnings of variolation [3] leading up to the greatest success in the history of immunization: the eradication of smallpox [39]. Today, vaccines are an acknowledged important medical advance [40]. Nevertheless, immunization has been the subject of public controversy on several occasions [15, 24, 31]. This article shall provide a short overview of some aspects of the early stages of immunization in Western countries, including some examples of vaccine safety controversies in the past.

Mum's the word. Are we becoming silent on masturbation?

PubMed

Barrett, Denia G

2012-01-01

This paper explores the trend in contemporary child analytic technique away from addressing material related to masturbation. The author invites reconsideration of the value of timely, tactful exploration of a child's impulses, fantasies, and related conflicts. The analyst's resistances to open discussion of these are addressed, along with the limiting effect this may have on the patient feeling fully understood. Clinical examples are provided of analytic work with children from prelatency through preadolescence, whose symptoms range from neurotic conflict to more severe and early disturbances.

Large project experiences with object-oriented methods and reuse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wessale, William; Reifer, Donald J.; Weller, David

1992-01-01

The SSVTF (Space Station Verification and Training Facility) project is completing the Preliminary Design Review of a large software development using object-oriented methods and systematic reuse. An incremental developmental lifecycle was tailored to provide early feedback and guidance on methods and products, with repeated attention to reuse. Object oriented methods were formally taught and supported by realistic examples. Reuse was readily accepted and planned by the developers. Schedule and budget issues were handled by agreements and work sharing arranged by the developers.

Sweat testing to evaluate autonomic function

PubMed Central

Illigens, Ben M.W.; Gibbons, Christopher H.

2011-01-01

Sudomotor dysfunction is one of the earliest detectable neurophysiologic abnormalities in distal small fiber neuropathy. Traditional neurophysiologic measurements of sudomotor function include thermoregulatory sweat testing (TST), quantitative sudomotor axon reflex testing (QSART), silicone impressions, the sympathetic skin response (SSR), and the recent addition of quantitative direct and indirect axon reflex testing (QDIRT). These testing techniques, when used in combination, can detect and localized pre- and postganglionic lesions, can provide early diagnosis of sudomotor dysfunction and can monitor disease progression or disease recovery. In this article, we review the common tests available for assessment of sudomotor function, detail the testing methodology, review the limitations and provide examples of test results. PMID:18989618

Telemedicine and cardiac implants: what is the benefit?

PubMed Central

Varma, Niraj; Ricci, Renato Pietro

2013-01-01

Cardiac implantable electronic devices are increasing in prevalence. The post-implant follow-up is important for monitoring both device function and patient condition. However, practice is inconsistent. For example, ICD follow-up schedules vary from 3 monthly to yearly according to facility and physician preference and availability of resources. Recommended follow-up schedules impose significant burden. Importantly, no surveillance occurs between follow-up visits. In contrast, implantable devices with automatic remote monitoring capability provide a means for performing constant surveillance, with the ability to identify salient problems rapidly. Remote home monitoring reduces the volume of device clinic visits and provides early detection of patient and/or system problems. PMID:23211231

Sharing methodology: a worked example of theoretical integration with qualitative data to clarify practical understanding of learning and generate new theoretical development.

PubMed

Yardley, Sarah; Brosnan, Caragh; Richardson, Jane

2013-01-01

Theoretical integration is a necessary element of study design if clarification of experiential learning is to be achieved. There are few published examples demonstrating how this can be achieved. This methodological article provides a worked example of research methodology that achieved clarification of authentic early experiences (AEEs) through a bi-directional approach to theory and data. Bi-directional refers to our simultaneous use of theory to guide and interrogate empirical data and the use of empirical data to refine theory. We explain the five steps of our methodological approach: (1) understanding the context; (2) critique on existing applications of socio-cultural models to inform study design; (3) data generation; (4) analysis and interpretation and (5) theoretical development through a novel application of Metis. These steps resulted in understanding of how and why different outcomes arose from students participating in AEE. Our approach offers a mechanism for clarification without which evidence-based effective ways to maximise constructive learning cannot be developed. In our example it also contributed to greater theoretical understanding of the influence of social interactions. By sharing this example of research undertaken to develop both theory and educational practice we hope to assist others seeking to conduct similar research.

The Past, Present, and Future of Image-Enhanced Endoscopy

PubMed Central

Jang, Jae-Young

2015-01-01

Despite the remarkable progress recently made to enhance the resolution of white-light endoscopy, detection, and diagnosis of premalignant lesions, such as adenomas and subtle early-stage cancers, remains a great challenge. As for example, although chromoendoscopy, such as endoscopy using indigo carmine, is useful for the early diagnosis of subtle lesions, the technique presents various disadvantages ranging from the time required for spray application of the dye and suctioning of excess dye to the increased difficulty in identifying lesions in the presence of severe inflammation and obstruction of visual field due to the pooling of solution in depressed-type lesions. To overcome these diagnostic problems associated with chromoendoscopy, research has focused on the development of endoscopes based on new optical technologies. Several types of image-enhanced endoscopy methods have recently been presented. In particular, image-enhanced endoscopy has emerged as a new paradigm for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders. Image-enhanced endoscopes provide high-contrast images of lesions by means of optical or electronic technologies, including the contrast enhancement of the mucosal surface and of blood vessels. Chromoendoscopy, narrow-band imaging, i-SCAN, and flexible spectral imaging color enhancement are representative examples of image-enhanced endoscopy discussed in this paper. PMID:26668791

Improved protocol and data analysis for accelerated shelf-life estimation of solid dosage forms.

PubMed

Waterman, Kenneth C; Carella, Anthony J; Gumkowski, Michael J; Lukulay, Patrick; MacDonald, Bruce C; Roy, Michael C; Shamblin, Sheri L

2007-04-01

To propose and test a new accelerated aging protocol for solid-state, small molecule pharmaceuticals which provides faster predictions for drug substance and drug product shelf-life. The concept of an isoconversion paradigm, where times in different temperature and humidity-controlled stability chambers are set to provide a critical degradant level, is introduced for solid-state pharmaceuticals. Reliable estimates for temperature and relative humidity effects are handled using a humidity-corrected Arrhenius equation, where temperature and relative humidity are assumed to be orthogonal. Imprecision is incorporated into a Monte-Carlo simulation to propagate the variations inherent in the experiment. In early development phases, greater imprecision in predictions is tolerated to allow faster screening with reduced sampling. Early development data are then used to design appropriate test conditions for more reliable later stability estimations. Examples are reported showing that predicted shelf-life values for lower temperatures and different relative humidities are consistent with the measured shelf-life values at those conditions. The new protocols and analyses provide accurate and precise shelf-life estimations in a reduced time from current state of the art.

Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682-1771): his anatomic majesty's contributions to the neurosciences.

PubMed

Tubbs, R Shane; Steck, Dominik T; Mortazavi, Martin M; Shoja, Mohammadali M; Loukas, Marios; Cohen-Gadol, Aaron A

2012-07-01

Giovanni Battista Morgagni is considered the Father of Pathology and contributed much to our early understanding of neuropathology. For example, he introduced the concept that diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease must be based on an exact understanding of the pathologic changes in anatomic structures. Additionally, he contributed to what would become the discipline of neurosurgery and, for example, performed trepanation for head trauma. It is the contributions of such early pioneers as Morgagni that our current understanding of the neurosciences is based.

Wide-field phase imaging for the endoscopic detection of dysplasia and early-stage esophageal cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, C. R. M.; Gordon, G. S. D.; Sawyer, T. W.; Wilkinson, T. D.; Bohndiek, S. E.

2018-02-01

Esophageal cancer has a 5-year survival rate below 20%, but can be curatively resected if it is detected early. At present, poor contrast for early lesions in white light imaging leads to a high miss rate in standard-of- care endoscopic surveillance. Early lesions in the esophagus, referred to as dysplasia, are characterized by an abundance of abnormal cells with enlarged nuclei. This tissue has a different refractive index profile to healthy tissue, which results in different light scattering properties and provides a source of endogenous contrast that can be exploited for advanced endoscopic imaging. For example, point measurements of such contrast can be made with scattering spectroscopy, while optical coherence tomography generates volumetric data. However, both require specialist interpretation for diagnostic decision making. We propose combining wide-field phase imaging with existing white light endoscopy in order to provide enhanced contrast for dysplasia and early-stage cancer in an image format that is familiar to endoscopists. Wide-field phase imaging in endoscopy can be achieved using coherent illumination combined with phase retrieval algorithms. Here, we present the design and simulation of a benchtop phase imaging system that is compatible with capsule endoscopy. We have undertaken preliminary optical modelling of the phase imaging setup, including aberration correction simulations and an investigation into distinguishing between different tissue phantom scattering coefficients. As our approach is based on phase retrieval rather than interferometry, it is feasible to realize a device with low-cost components for future clinical implementation.

The Financial Benefit of Early Flood Warnings in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappenberger, Florian; Cloke, Hannah L.; Wetterhall, Fredrik; Parker, Dennis J.; Richardson, David; Thielen, Jutta

2015-04-01

Effective disaster risk management relies on science based solutions to close the gap between prevention and preparedness measures. The outcome of consultations on the UNIDSR post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction highlight the need for cross-border early warning systems to strengthen the preparedness phases of disaster risk management in order to save people's lives and property and reduce the overall impact of severe events. In particular, continental and global scale flood forecasting systems provide vital information to various decision makers with which early warnings of floods can be made. Here the potential monetary benefits of early flood warnings using the example of the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) are calculated based on pan-European Flood damage data and calculations of potential flood damage reductions. The benefits are of the order of 400 Euro for every 1 Euro invested. Because of the uncertainties which accompany the calculation, a large sensitivity analysis is performed in order to develop an envelope of possible financial benefits. Current EFAS system skill is compared against perfect forecasts to demonstrate the importance of further improving the skill of the forecasts. Improving the response to warnings is also essential in reaping the benefits of flood early warnings.

Staff Training Tips: Focusing on Early Childhood Education and Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

This document collects 15 brief guides to staff training in inclusive early childhood education settings. Guides offer examples of successful programs, research findings, and practical tips. Titles are: (1) "Giving Families Better Access to Early Intervention Services"; (2) "Creating Integrated Classrooms that Work"; (3) "Seamless Transition…

Fetal, infant, adolescent and adult phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome in prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys

PubMed Central

Abbott, David H; Tarantal, Alice F; Dumesic, Daniel A

2010-01-01

Old World monkeys provide naturally-occurring and experimentally-induced phenotypes closely resembling the highly prevalent polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women. In particular, experimentally-induced fetal androgen excess in female rhesus monkeys produces a comprehensive adult PCOS-like phenotype that includes both reproductive and metabolic dysfunction found in PCOS women. Such a reliable experimental approach enables the use of the prenatally androgenized (PA) female rhesus monkey model to (1) examine fetal, infant and adolescent antecedents of adult pathophysiology, gaining valuable insight into early phenotypic expression of PCOS, and (2) to understand adult pathophysiology from a mechanistic perspective. Elevated circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are the earliest indication of reproductive dysfunction in late gestation nonhuman primate fetuses and infants exposed to androgen excess during early (late first to second trimester) gestation. Such early gestation-exposed PA infants also are hyperandrogenic, with both LH hypersecretion and hyperandrogenism persisting in early gestation-exposed PA adults. Similarly, subtle metabolic abnormalities appearing in young nonhuman primate infants and adolescents precede the abdominal adiposity, hyperliplidemia, and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes that characterize early gestated-exposed PA adults. These new insights into the developmental origins of PCOS, and progression of the pathophysiology from infancy to adulthood, provide opportunities for clinical intervention to ameliorate the PCOS phenotype thus providing a preventive health care approach to PCOS-related abnormalities. For example, PCOS-like traits in PA monkeys, as in PCOS women, can improve with better insulin-glucose homeostasis, suggesting that lifestyle interventions preventing increased adiposity in adolescent daughters of PCOS mothers also may reduce their risk of acquiring many PCOS-related metabolic abnormalities in adulthood. PMID:19367587

Laying a Firm Foundation: Embedding Evidence-Based Emergent Literacy Practices Into Early Intervention and Preschool Environments.

PubMed

Terrell, Pamela; Watson, Maggie

2018-04-05

As part of this clinical forum on curriculum-based intervention, the goal of this tutorial is to share research about the importance of language and literacy foundations in natural environments during emergent literacy skill development, from infancy through preschool. Following an overview of intervention models in schools by Powell (2018), best practices at home, in child care, and in preschool settings are discussed. Speech-language pathologists in these settings will be provided a toolbox of best emergent literacy practices. A review of published literature in speech-language pathology, early intervention, early childhood education, and literacy was completed. Subsequently, an overview of the impact of early home and preschool literacy experiences are described. Research-based implementation of best practice is supported with examples of shared book reading and child-led literacy embedded in play within the coaching model of early intervention. Finally, various aspects of emergent literacy skill development in the preschool years are discussed. These include phonemic awareness, print/alphabet awareness, oral language skills, and embedded/explicit literacy. Research indicates that rich home literacy environments and exposure to rich oral language provide an important foundation for the more structured literacy environments of school. Furthermore, there is a wealth of evidence to support a variety of direct and indirect intervention practices in the home, child care, and preschool contexts to support and enhance all aspects of oral and written literacy. Application of this "toolbox" of strategies should enable speech-language pathologists to address the prevention and intervention of literacy deficits within multiple environments during book and play activities. Additionally, clinicians will have techniques to share with parents, child care providers, and preschool teachers for evidence-based literacy instruction within all settings during typical daily activities.

Optical sensors for water quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pellerin, Brian A.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.

2014-01-01

Recent advancements in commercially available in situ sensors, data platforms, and new techniques for data analysis provide an opportunity to monitor water quality in rivers, lakes, and estuaries on the time scales in which changes occur. For example, measurements that capture the variability in freshwater systems over time help to assess how shifts in seasonal runoff, changes in precipitation intensity, and increased frequencies of disturbances (such as fire and insect outbreaks) affect the storage, production, and transport of carbon and nitrogen in watersheds. Transmitting these data in real-time also provides information that can be used for early trend detection, help identify monitoring gaps, and provide sciencebased decision support across a range of issues related to water quality, freshwater ecosystems, and human health.

Application of Executable Architectures in Early Concept Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

xi List of Tables Page Table 1: Confusion Matrix Format (with example threshold values) ............................... 37 Table 2: Confusion... Matrix Logic Example ...................................................................... 37 Table 3: Test Case Matrix ...43 Table 4: Sensor Low Target Detection Threshold Confusion Matrix

Application of Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing technologies for assessing and monitoring malaria risk.

PubMed

Ceccato, P; Connor, S J; Jeanne, I; Thomson, M C

2005-03-01

Despite over 30 years of scientific research, algorithm development and multitudes of publications relating Remote Sensing (RS) information with the spatial and temporal distribution of malaria, it is only in recent years that operational products have been adopted by malaria control decision-makers. The time is ripe for the wealth of research knowledge and products from developed countries be made available to the decision-makers in malarious regions of the globe where this information is urgently needed. This paper reviews the capability of RS to provide useful information for operational malaria early warning systems. It also reviews the requirements for monitoring the major components influencing emergence of malaria and provides examples of applications that have been made. Discussion of the issues that have impeded implementation on a global scale and how those barriers are disappearing with recent economic, technological and political developments are explored; and help pave the way for implementation of an integrated Malaria Early Warning System framework using RS technologies.

How Genetically Engineered Mouse Tumor Models Provide Insights Into Human Cancers

PubMed Central

Politi, Katerina; Pao, William

2011-01-01

Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of human cancer were first created nearly 30 years ago. These early transgenic models demonstrated that mouse cells could be transformed in vivo by expression of an oncogene. A new field emerged, dedicated to generating and using mouse models of human cancer to address a wide variety of questions in cancer biology. The aim of this review is to highlight the contributions of mouse models to the diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Because of the breadth of the topic, we have selected representative examples of how GEMMs are clinically relevant rather than provided an exhaustive list of experiments. Today, as detailed here, sophisticated mouse models are being created to study many aspects of cancer biology, including but not limited to mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to drug treatment, oncogene cooperation, early detection, and metastasis. Alternatives to GEMMs, such as chemically induced or spontaneous tumor models, are not discussed in this review. PMID:21263096

Water and Life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, Christopher P.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Mars appears to be cold dry and dead world. However there is good evidence that early in its history it had liquid water, more active volcanism, and a thicker atmosphere. Mars had this earth-like environment over three and a half billion years ago, during the same time that life appeared on Earth. The main question in the exploration of Mars then is the search for a independent origin of life on that planet. Ecosystems in cold, dry locations on Earth - such as the Antarctic - provide examples of how life on Mars might have survived and where to look for fossils. Although the Viking results may indicate that Mars has no life today, there is direct geomorphological evidence that, in the past, Mars had large amounts of liquid water on its surface - possibly due to a thicker atmosphere. From a biological perspective the existence of liquid water, by itself motivates the question of the origin of life on Mars. One of the martian meteorites dates back to this early period and may contain evidence consistent with life. From studies of the Earth's earliest biosphere we know that by 3.5 Gyr. ago, life had originated on Earth and reached a fair degree of biological sophistication. Surface activity and erosion on Earth make it difficult to trace the history of life before the 3.5 Gyr timeframe. Ecosystems in cold, dry locations on Earth - such as the Antarctic - provide examples of how life on Mars might have survived and where to look for fossils.

Screening wish theories: dream psychologies and early cinema.

PubMed

Marinelli, Lydia

2006-03-01

The analogy between dream and film represents a central thread in the psychoanalytic discussion of cinema. Using examples taken from films created between 1900 and 1906, this paper develops a typology of dream scenes in early film. The basis for the proposed typology is provided by the dream knowledge in circulation toward the end of the nineteenth century. This knowledge was fed by a great variety of sources, some of them in the proximity of scientific research and some of them far from it, including wish-fulfilling prognostic models and those based on the reservoir of memory or on bodily stimuli. By setting cinema in a context of contemporary dream psychologies, it is possible to trace the specific conditions under which the analogy between dream and cinema could become effective.

Sensor Acquisition for Water Utilities: Survey, Down Selection Process, and Technology List

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

Alai, M; Glascoe, L; Love, A

2005-06-29

The early detection of the biological and chemical contamination of water distribution systems is a necessary capability for securing the nation's water supply. Current and emerging early-detection technology capabilities and shortcomings need to be identified and assessed to provide government agencies and water utilities with an improved methodology for assessing the value of installing these technologies. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has tasked a multi-laboratory team to evaluate current and future needs to protect the nation's water distribution infrastructure by supporting an objective evaluation of current and new technologies. The LLNL deliverable from this Operational Technology Demonstration (OTD) wasmore » to assist the development of a technology acquisition process for a water distribution early warning system. The technology survey includes a review of previous sensor surveys and current test programs and a compiled database of relevant technologies. In the survey paper we discuss previous efforts by governmental agencies, research organizations, and private companies. We provide a survey of previous sensor studies with regard to the use of Early Warning Systems (EWS) that includes earlier surveys, testing programs, and response studies. The list of sensor technologies was ultimately developed to assist in the recommendation of candidate technologies for laboratory and field testing. A set of recommendations for future sensor selection efforts has been appended to this document, as has a down selection example for a hypothetical water utility.« less

A Career in Inquiry.

PubMed

Cohen, Helen S

2015-01-01

This article, based on the 52nd Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture given at the 95th American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference & Expo, explores the concept of inquiry as the basis for a career and as an activity of daily living. Using the heliocentric theory and the space program at NASA as examples, the broad concept of inquiry is discussed, because it has led to important changes in society over the course of history. The article describes how a career as a clinician-scientist can be grounded in the concept of inquiry and explains how all occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants can base their own careers in inquiry, using examples from the early history of the profession of occupational therapy and from work by current investigators. Practical suggestions applicable to every clinician are provided. Copyright © 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

On the importance of risk knowledge for an end-to-end tsunami early warning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, Joachim; Strunz, Günter; Riedlinger, Torsten; Mück, Matthias; Wegscheider, Stephanie; Zosseder, Kai; Steinmetz, Tilmann; Gebert, Niklas; Anwar, Herryal

2010-05-01

Warning systems commonly use information provided by networks of sensors able to monitor and detect impending disasters, aggregate and condense these information to provide reliable information to a decision maker whether to warn or not, disseminates the warning message and provide this information to people at risk. Ultimate aim is to enable those in danger to make decisions (e.g. initiate protective actions for buildings) and to take action to safe their lives. This involves very complex issues when considering all four elements of early warning systems (UNISDR-PPEW), namely (1) risk knowledge, (2) monitoring and warning service, (3) dissemination and communication, (4) response capability with the ultimate aim to gain as much time as possible to empower individuals and communities to act in an appropriate manner to reduce injury, loss of life, damage to property and the environment and loss of livelihoods. Commonly most warning systems feature strengths and main attention on the technical/structural dimension (monitoring & warning service, dissemination tools) with weaknesses and less attention on social/cultural dimension (e.g. human response capabilities, defined warning chain to and knowing what to do by the people). Also, the use of risk knowledge in early warning most often is treated in a theoretical manner (knowing that it is somehow important), yet less in an operational, practical sense. Risk assessments and risk maps help to motivate people, prioritise early warning system needs and guide preparations for response and disaster prevention activities. Beyond this risk knowledge can be seen as a tie between national level early warning and community level reaction schemes. This presentation focuses on results, key findings and lessons-learnt related to tsunami risk assessment in the context of early warning within the GITEWS (German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning) project. Here a novel methodology reflecting risk information needs in the early warning context has been worked out. The generated results contribute significantly in the fields of (1) warning decision and warning levels, (2) warning dissemination and warning message content, (3) early warning chain planning, (4) increasing response capabilities and protective systems, (5) emergency relief and (6) enhancing communities' awareness and preparedness towards tsunami threats. Additionally examples will be given on the potentials of an operational use of risk information in early warning systems as first experiences exist for the tsunami early warning center in Jakarta, Indonesia. Beside this the importance of linking national level early warning information with tsunami risk information available at the local level (e.g. linking warning message information on expected intensity with respective tsunami hazard zone maps at community level for effective evacuation) will be demonstrated through experiences gained in three pilot areas in Indonesia. The presentation seeks to provide new insights on benefits using risk information in early warning and will provide further evidence that practical use of risk information is an important and indispensable component of end-to-end early warning.

Depression at an Early Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alper, Joseph

1986-01-01

Addresses the crisis associated with adolescent affective disorders and probes potential genetics, environmental, and physiological factors. Reviews case examples of depression, eating disorders, and suicide among youths. States clinical implications and advocates early diagnosis and treatment. (ML)

Improving Public Health through Innovations in Exposure ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In the traditional risk assessment paradigm, exposure science is relegated to a supporting role, providing an exposure estimate for comparison with hazard-based guidance values to determine whether there may be an unacceptable risk to public health. More recently, exposure science has transformed into a distinct discipline that complements toxicology as a means to understand the relationship between exposures to chemical mixtures and multiple health effects. This transformation is driven by advances in, for example, analytical methods, biomarker discovery, computational capabilities and algorithms, remote and on-person sensors, and geographic information systems. These major innovations in exposure science provide novel data streams that can revolutionize toxicity testing strategies and conventional risk assessment. For example, large numbers of chemicals are being detected at ever-lower concentrations in environmental and biological samples, providing relevant exposure information to be integrated into toxicity testing strategies. Novel biomarkers are being developed to expand our understanding of exposures, early biological effects, and susceptibility, and to allow for the exploration of contributions from both chemical and non-chemical stressors to adverse health outcomes. This workshop will introduce numerous innovative tools to enable better characterization of human exposures to mixtures of chemicals, including 1) a non-targeted approach to identify

Historical Analyses of Disordered Handwriting: Perspectives on Early 20th-Century Material From a German Psychiatric Hospital.

PubMed

Schiegg, Markus; Thorpe, Deborah

2017-01-01

Handwritten texts carry significant information, extending beyond the meaning of their words. Modern neurology, for example, benefits from the interpretation of the graphic features of writing and drawing for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases and disorders. This article examines how handwriting analysis can be used, and has been used historically, as a methodological tool for the assessment of medical conditions and how this enhances our understanding of historical contexts of writing. We analyze handwritten material, writing tests and letters, from patients in an early 20th-century psychiatric hospital in southern Germany (Irsee/Kaufbeuren). In this institution, early psychiatrists assessed handwriting features, providing us novel insights into the earliest practices of psychiatric handwriting analysis, which can be connected to Berkenkotter's research on medical admission records. We finally consider the degree to which historical handwriting bears semiotic potential to explain the psychological state and personality of a writer, and how future research in written communication should approach these sources.

The 19S proteasome activator promotes human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene expression through proteolytic and nonproteolytic mechanisms.

PubMed

Winkler, Laura L; Kalejta, Robert F

2014-10-01

Proteasomes are large, multisubunit complexes that support normal cellular activities by executing the bulk of protein turnover. During infection, many viruses have been shown to promote viral replication by using proteasomes to degrade cellular factors that restrict viral replication. For example, the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pp71 protein induces the proteasomal degradation of Daxx, a cellular transcriptional repressor that can silence viral immediate early (IE) gene expression. We previously showed that this degradation requires both the proteasome catalytic 20S core particle (CP) and the 19S regulatory particle (RP). The 19S RP associates with the 20S CP to facilitate protein degradation but also plays a 20S CP-independent role promoting transcription. Here, we present a nonproteolytic role of the 19S RP in HCMV IE gene expression. We demonstrate that 19S RP subunits are recruited to the major immediate early promoter (MIEP) that directs IE transcription. Depletion of 19S RP subunits generated a defect in RNA polymerase II elongation through the MIE locus during HCMV infection. Our results reveal that HCMV commandeers proteasome components for both proteolytic and nonproteolytic roles to promote HCMV lytic infection. Importance: Proteasome inhibitors decrease or eliminate 20S CP activity and are garnering increasing interest as chemotherapeutics. However, an increasing body of evidence implicates 19S RP subunits in important proteolytic-independent roles during transcription. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of the 20S CP as a means to modulate proteasome function toward therapeutic effect is an incomplete capitalization on the potential of this approach. Here, we provide an additional example of nonproteolytic 19S RP function in promoting HCMV transcription. These data provide a novel system with which to study the roles of different proteasome components during transcription, a rationale for previously described shifts in 19S RP subunit localization during HCMV infection, and a potential therapeutic intervention point at a pre-immediate early stage for the inhibition of HCMV infection. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Early-state damage detection, characterization, and evolution using high-resolution computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandin, Robert John

Safely using materials in high performance applications requires adequately understanding the mechanisms which control the nucleation and evolution of damage. Most of a material's operational life is spent in a state with noncritical damage, and, for example in metals only a small portion of its life falls within the classical Paris Law regime of crack growth. Developing proper structural health and prognosis models requires understanding the behavior of damage in these early stages within the material's life, and this early-stage damage occurs on length scales at which the material may be considered "granular'' in the sense that the discrete regions which comprise the whole are large enough to require special consideration. Material performance depends upon the characteristics of the granules themselves as well as the interfaces between granules. As a result, properly studying early-stage damage in complex, granular materials requires a means to characterize changes in the granules and interfaces. The granular-scale can range from tenths of microns in ceramics, to single microns in fiber-reinforced composites, to tens of millimeters in concrete. The difficulty of direct-study is often overcome by exhaustive testing of macro-scale damage caused by gross material loads and abuse. Such testing, for example optical or electron microscopy, destructive and further, is costly when used to study the evolution of damage within a material and often limits the study to a few snapshots. New developments in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) provide the necessary spatial resolution to directly image the granule length-scale of many materials. Successful application of HRCT with fiber-reinforced composites, however, requires extending the HRCT performance beyond current limits. This dissertation will discuss improvements made in the field of CT reconstruction which enable resolutions to be pushed to the point of being able to image the fiber-scale damage structures and the application of this new capability to the study of early-stage damage.

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach

PubMed Central

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-01-01

Abstract Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). PMID:27681097

A Brief Taxometrics Primer

PubMed Central

Beauchaine, Theodore P.

2009-01-01

Taxometric procedures provide an empirical means of determining which psychiatric disorders are typologically distinct from normal behavioral functioning. Although most disorders reflect extremes along continuously distributed behavioral traits, identifying those that are discrete has important implications for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, early identification of risk, and improved understanding of etiology. This article provides (a) brief descriptions of the conceptual bases of several taxometric procedures, (b) example analyses using simulated data, and (c) strategies for avoiding common pitfalls that are often observed in taxometrics research. To date, most taxometrics studies have appeared in the adult psychopathology literature. It is hoped that this primer will encourage interested readers to extend taxometrics research to child and adolescent populations. PMID:18088222

An Overview of the Swinburne Online Astronomy Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dempsey, F.

2013-06-01

(Abstract only) An overview of the online astronomy courses at Swinburne University of Technology is presented for the benefit of AAVSO members who might be interested in the courses or programs. The decision to take the online Master's degree in astronomy at Swinburne was a natural evolution from being interested in astronomy at an early age, being an amateur astronomer all my life, and being a variable star observer and member of the AAVSO for the past several decades. This presentation provides an overview of the program and examples of the course materials, assignments, and projects that may provide some idea of the commitment and expectations for AAVSO members considering the program.

MEMS-based thermoelectric infrared sensors: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Dehui; Wang, Yuelin; Xiong, Bin; Li, Tie

2017-12-01

In the past decade, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based thermoelectric infrared (IR) sensors have received considerable attention because of the advances in micromachining technology. This paper presents a review of MEMS-based thermoelectric IR sensors. The first part describes the physics of the device and discusses the figures of merit. The second part discusses the sensing materials, thermal isolation microstructures, absorber designs, and packaging methods for these sensors and provides examples. Moreover, the status of sensor implementation technology is examined from a historical perspective by presenting findings from the early years to the most recent findings.

Revolutionizing Child Welfare with Outcomes Management

PubMed Central

Toche-Manley, Linda L.; Dietzen, Laura; Nankin, Jesse; Beigel, Astrid

2013-01-01

Outcomes management technology holds great promise for improving the quality of services provided to youth in the child welfare system. Advantages include better detection of behavioral health and trauma-related issues, early indicators of case progress or risk of failure and program- and system-level learning. Yet organizational barriers to implementation persist. Attention is spent in this paper on addressing these barriers so the use of outcomes management technology becomes a common practice. A model for predicting resiliency is presented, along with case examples demonstrating its potential use for treatment planning and monitoring progress. PMID:23460130

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

Klimsiak, Tomasz, E-mail: tomas@mat.umk.pl; Rozkosz, Andrzej, E-mail: rozkosz@mat.umk.pl

In the paper we consider the problem of valuation of American options written on dividend-paying assets whose price dynamics follow the classical multidimensional Black and Scholes model. We provide a general early exercise premium representation formula for options with payoff functions which are convex or satisfy mild regularity assumptions. Examples include index options, spread options, call on max options, put on min options, multiply strike options and power-product options. In the proof of the formula we exploit close connections between the optimal stopping problems associated with valuation of American options, obstacle problems and reflected backward stochastic differential equations.

Panel Speaker 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doering, Robert

2014-03-01

Profitable products are frequently enabled by innovations that prevent early commoditization. At its best, industrial physics research provides the key differentiators for such products. To fulfill this goal, it's necessary to establish effective working relationships between R&D staff with both physics and engineering backgrounds. In the semiconductor industry, the ``middle ground'' is often materials science, electromagnetics, or a wide range of phenomena useful for creating sensors. In this brief presentation, we will mention a few examples of such collaborative development at Texas Instruments, including MEMS devices, ferroelectric memory, and silicon-IC-based radar.

Research in the perianesthesia setting: the basics of getting started.

PubMed

Myers, Gina; Kosinski, Michele

2005-02-01

Research can be defined as a process that systematically investigates a situation with the objective of expanding the existing knowledge of a profession. Research asks the question "Does what we do as nurses help or hinder?" The purpose of this article is to provide a brief history of nursing research and to review basic research methods. In addition, examples of potential research projects focused in the perianesthesia practice arena will be explored. Practical steps will be outlined to guide novice nurse researchers in their early endeavors.

Navy composite maintenance and repair experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donnellan, T. M.; Cochran, R. C.; Rosenzweig, E. L.; Trabocco, R. E.

1992-01-01

The Navy has been a strong proponent of composites for aircraft structure. Fleet use of composites started with the F-14 in the early 1970's and has steadily increased. This experience base provides sufficient information to allow an evaluation of the maintenance performance of polymer composites in service. A summary is presented of the Navy's experience with maintenance of composite structure. The general types of damage experienced in the fleet as well as specific examples of composite damage to aircraft is described. The impact of future designs on supportability is also discussed.

White dwarf evolution - Cradle-to-grave constraints via pulsation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kawaler, Steven D.

1990-01-01

White dwarf evolution, particularly in the early phases, is not very strongly constrained by observation. Fortunately, white dwarfs undergo nonradial pulsation in three distinct regions of the H-R diagram. These pulsations provide accurate masses, surface compositional structure and rotation velocities, and help constrain other important physical properties. We demonstrate the application of the tools of stellar seismology to white dwarf evolution using the hot white dwarf star PG 1159-035 and the cool DAV (or ZZ Ceti) stars as examples. From pulsation studies, significant challenges to the theory of white dwarf evolution emerge.

Which System Variables Carry Robust Early Signs of Upcoming Phase Transition? An Ecological Example.

PubMed

Negahbani, Ehsan; Steyn-Ross, D Alistair; Steyn-Ross, Moira L; Aguirre, Luis A

2016-01-01

Growth of critical fluctuations prior to catastrophic state transition is generally regarded as a universal phenomenon, providing a valuable early warning signal in dynamical systems. Using an ecological fisheries model of three populations (juvenile prey J, adult prey A and predator P), a recent study has reported silent early warning signals obtained from P and A populations prior to saddle-node (SN) bifurcation, and thus concluded that early warning signals are not universal. By performing a full eigenvalue analysis of the same system we demonstrate that while J and P populations undergo SN bifurcation, A does not jump to a new state, so it is not expected to carry early warning signs. In contrast with the previous study, we capture a significant increase in the noise-induced fluctuations in the P population, but only on close approach to the bifurcation point; it is not clear why the P variance initially shows a decaying trend. Here we resolve this puzzle using observability measures from control theory. By computing the observability coefficient for the system from the recordings of each population considered one at a time, we are able to quantify their ability to describe changing internal dynamics. We demonstrate that precursor fluctuations are best observed using only the J variable, and also P variable if close to transition. Using observability analysis we are able to describe why a poorly observable variable (P) has poor forecasting capabilities although a full eigenvalue analysis shows that this variable undergoes a bifurcation. We conclude that observability analysis provides complementary information to identify the variables carrying early-warning signs about impending state transition.

The Introduction and Early Use of Lithography in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnhill, Georgia B.

This paper discusses the use of lithography in the United States in the early 1800s. Highlights include: the development of lithography in Germany between 1796 and 1798; early expectations for lithography; competition against the existing technology for the production of images--relief prints and copper-plate engravings; examples of 18th-century…

Some Aspects of Early School Leaving in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cederberg, Margareta; Hartsmar, Nanny

2013-01-01

This article describes early school leaving in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, using examples to show a complex representation of early school leaving and its consequences for young people's subsequent access to the labour market. We show how measures taken by governments and school authorities in the respective countries have resulted in…

Integrated Practice in the Early Years in Australia: The Assumptions, Omissions and Contradictions of Policy Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macfarlane, Kym; Nolan, Andrea; Cartmel, Jennifer

2016-01-01

The aim of this article is to examine current national early years' policy reform, which emphasises the importance of service integration, national quality standards and a quality knowledge base for educators concerning the provision of early childhood education and care. Using Queensland, Australia, as an example, a policy discourse analysis…

Time in Early Childhood: Creative Possibilities with Different Conceptions of Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farquhar, Sandy

2016-01-01

Time is an important driver of pedagogy which is often overlooked in the busy atmosphere of an early childhood centre. Engaging philosophically with three different concepts of time, and drawing examples from literature and art to focus attention on how time is constituted in early childhood centres, this article argues that we inhabit the…

Keeping Friends Safe: A Prospective Study Examining Early Adolescent's Confidence and Support Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckley, L.; Chapman, R. L.; Sheehan, M.; Cunningham, L.

2012-01-01

There is a continued need to consider ways to prevent early adolescent engagement in a variety of harmful risk-taking behaviours for example, violence, road-related risks and alcohol use. The current prospective study examined adolescents' reports of intervening to try and stop friends' engagement in such behaviours among 207 early adolescents…

The Struggle for Early Childhood Curricula: A Comparison of the English Foundation Stage Curriculum, "Te Whariki" and Reggio Emilia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler, Janet; Miller, Linda

2003-01-01

Focuses upon the way visions for early childhood are expressed through curricula in England, New Zealand, and Reggio Emilia in Italy. Includes curricular examples illustrating how growing pressure from vocational and instrumental influences affect progressive and socioculturally inspired early childhood curricula. Reveals how curricula and…

Structure and Function of Mammalian Carbohydrate-Lectin Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Kevin; Evers, David; Rice, Kevin G.

Over the past three decades the field of glycobiology has expanded beyond a basic understanding of the structure and biosynthesis of glycoprotein, proteoglycans, and glycolipids toward a more detailed picture of how these molecules afford communication through binding to mammalian lectins. Although the number of different mammalian lectin domains appears to be finite and even much smaller than early estimates predicated based on the diversity of glycan structures, nature appears capable of using these in numerous combinations to fine tune specificity. The following provides an overview of the major classes of mammalian lectins and discusses their glycan binding specificity. The review provides a snapshot of the field of glycobiology that continues to grow providing an increasing number of examples of biological processes that rely upon glycan-lectin binding.

Early Assessment of VIIRS On-Orbit Calibration and Support Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Chiang, Kwofu; McIntire, Jeffrey; Oudrari, Hassan; Wu, Aisheng; Schwaller, Mathew; Butler, James

2012-01-01

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, formally the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP), provides a bridge between current and future low-Earth orbiting weather and environmental observation satellite systems. The NASA s NPP VIIRS Characterization Support Team (VCST) is designed to assess the long term geometric and radiometric performance of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument onboard the S-NPP spacecraft and to support NPP Science Team Principal Investigators (PI) for their independent evaluation of VIIRS Environmental Data Records (EDRs). This paper provides an overview of Suomi NPP VIIRS on-orbit calibration activities and examples of sensor initial on-orbit performance. It focuses on the radiometric calibration support activities and capabilities provided by the NASA VCST.

The Moon as a recorder of organic evolution in the early solar system: a lunar regolith analog study.

PubMed

Matthewman, Richard; Court, Richard W; Crawford, Ian A; Jones, Adrian P; Joy, Katherine H; Sephton, Mark A

2015-02-01

The organic record of Earth older than ∼3.8 Ga has been effectively erased. Some insight is provided to us by meteorites as well as remote and direct observations of asteroids and comets left over from the formation of the Solar System. These primitive objects provide a record of early chemical evolution and a sample of material that has been delivered to Earth's surface throughout the past 4.5 billion years. Yet an effective chronicle of organic evolution on all Solar System objects, including that on planetary surfaces, is more difficult to find. Fortunately, early Earth would not have been the only recipient of organic matter-containing objects in the early Solar System. For example, a recently proposed model suggests the possibility that volatiles, including organic material, remain archived in buried paleoregolith deposits intercalated with lava flows on the Moon. Where asteroids and comets allow the study of processes before planet formation, the lunar record could extend that chronicle to early biological evolution on the planets. In this study, we use selected free and polymeric organic materials to assess the hypothesis that organic matter can survive the effects of heating in the lunar regolith by overlying lava flows. Results indicate that the presence of lunar regolith simulant appears to promote polymerization and, therefore, preservation of organic matter. Once polymerized, the mineral-hosted newly formed organic network is relatively protected from further thermal degradation. Our findings reveal the thermal conditions under which preservation of organic matter on the Moon is viable.

Technique for Early Reliability Prediction of Software Components Using Behaviour Models

PubMed Central

Ali, Awad; N. A. Jawawi, Dayang; Adham Isa, Mohd; Imran Babar, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Behaviour models are the most commonly used input for predicting the reliability of a software system at the early design stage. A component behaviour model reveals the structure and behaviour of the component during the execution of system-level functionalities. There are various challenges related to component reliability prediction at the early design stage based on behaviour models. For example, most of the current reliability techniques do not provide fine-grained sequential behaviour models of individual components and fail to consider the loop entry and exit points in the reliability computation. Moreover, some of the current techniques do not tackle the problem of operational data unavailability and the lack of analysis results that can be valuable for software architects at the early design stage. This paper proposes a reliability prediction technique that, pragmatically, synthesizes system behaviour in the form of a state machine, given a set of scenarios and corresponding constraints as input. The state machine is utilized as a base for generating the component-relevant operational data. The state machine is also used as a source for identifying the nodes and edges of a component probabilistic dependency graph (CPDG). Based on the CPDG, a stack-based algorithm is used to compute the reliability. The proposed technique is evaluated by a comparison with existing techniques and the application of sensitivity analysis to a robotic wheelchair system as a case study. The results indicate that the proposed technique is more relevant at the early design stage compared to existing works, and can provide a more realistic and meaningful prediction. PMID:27668748

150 years of land degradation and development: loss of habitats, natural resources due to quarrying and industrialization followed by land reclamation in the heart of Budapest city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Török, Ákos

2017-04-01

The urban development and land degradation is an accelerated process in the 21st century; however several examples are known when this happened in the past. A historic case study is discussed in this research when clump of three former small towns (named: Buda, Pest and Óbuda) became a million population city more than hundred years ago invoking significant land degradation, drastic and surprising changes in land use. Budapest which is now the capital of Hungary has seen rapid land use changes in the past 150 years especially from 1850'ies to early 20th century. The population of the city rapidly grown from the end of 19th century to early 20th century; i.e. it is tripled from 1880 to 1920 and reached nearly 1 million in 40 years. This population boom induced significant land degradation, changes in land use and loss of habitats. The paper presents examples how the land use has changed in the past 105 years with historic maps and interpreted cases suggesting different pathways leading to land degradation. The first one focuses on vineyards and grape cultivation and explains how these areas were first converted to limestone quarries to provide construction material to the city and then transformed to urban habitat in the early 20th century again. The cellars - former quarry galleries - than were used for housing (urban habitat) and later were used as storage facilities and mushroom cultivation sites. At present these subsurface openings cause high risk of land development (collapse) and limit the land use of the given area. The current paper also outlines the development of the city via the perspective of natural resources, since drinking water and industrial water need modified the land development and urbanization. Another example is also given how the brewery industry exploited natural resources and the surface water use was shifted to exploitation of karstic waters causing land degradation and drop of water table. Additional example demonstrates how the former drifting sand dunes was conquest and now form parts of the urban habitat. Finally, the 125-year history of gradual loosing of wetland habitats and flood plain forests due to university campus development is also shown. These examples clearly indicate that urban development cause various grades of land degradation and also bring unexpected risks of potential land use.

[From educational and health tourism for children to social tourism: vacation camps in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].

PubMed

Bruno, Perla

2015-12-01

The early twentieth century saw the rise of vacation camps for frail children as educational and health-giving experiences provided by medical and philanthropic organizations. This article analyzes some of these early experiences, seen here as the predecessors of social tourism, in the Province of Buenos Aires. A combination of written sources are examined, mainly institutional reports, periodicals such as the Monitor de la Educación Común - published by the Consejo Nacional de Educación (National Board of Education) - or laws, with photographs and plans for different examples. I argue that these buildings were both physical and cultural "brands" in the places where they were located, and that their architectural structure encapsulated ideas about leisure space and cures in unique natural environments.

Universal biology and the statistical mechanics of early life.

PubMed

Goldenfeld, Nigel; Biancalani, Tommaso; Jafarpour, Farshid

2017-12-28

All known life on the Earth exhibits at least two non-trivial common features: the canonical genetic code and biological homochirality, both of which emerged prior to the Last Universal Common Ancestor state. This article describes recent efforts to provide a narrative of this epoch using tools from statistical mechanics. During the emergence of self-replicating life far from equilibrium in a period of chemical evolution, minimal models of autocatalysis show that homochirality would have necessarily co-evolved along with the efficiency of early-life self-replicators. Dynamical system models of the evolution of the genetic code must explain its universality and its highly refined error-minimization properties. These have both been accounted for in a scenario where life arose from a collective, networked phase where there was no notion of species and perhaps even individuality itself. We show how this phase ultimately terminated during an event sometimes known as the Darwinian transition, leading to the present epoch of tree-like vertical descent of organismal lineages. These examples illustrate concrete examples of universal biology: the quest for a fundamental understanding of the basic properties of living systems, independent of precise instantiation in chemistry or other media.This article is part of the themed issue 'Reconceptualizing the origins of life'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Universal biology and the statistical mechanics of early life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenfeld, Nigel; Biancalani, Tommaso; Jafarpour, Farshid

2017-11-01

All known life on the Earth exhibits at least two non-trivial common features: the canonical genetic code and biological homochirality, both of which emerged prior to the Last Universal Common Ancestor state. This article describes recent efforts to provide a narrative of this epoch using tools from statistical mechanics. During the emergence of self-replicating life far from equilibrium in a period of chemical evolution, minimal models of autocatalysis show that homochirality would have necessarily co-evolved along with the efficiency of early-life self-replicators. Dynamical system models of the evolution of the genetic code must explain its universality and its highly refined error-minimization properties. These have both been accounted for in a scenario where life arose from a collective, networked phase where there was no notion of species and perhaps even individuality itself. We show how this phase ultimately terminated during an event sometimes known as the Darwinian transition, leading to the present epoch of tree-like vertical descent of organismal lineages. These examples illustrate concrete examples of universal biology: the quest for a fundamental understanding of the basic properties of living systems, independent of precise instantiation in chemistry or other media. This article is part of the themed issue 'Reconceptualizing the origins of life'.

40 CFR 35.939 - Protests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... complainant, the grantee's procurement action (for example, contract award) must be taken in accordance with...) of this section should be made as early as possible during the procurement process (for example... grantee proposes to award a formally advertised, competitively bid, fixed price contract to a party who...

Automated Health Alerts Using In-Home Sensor Data for Embedded Health Assessment

PubMed Central

Guevara, Rainer Dane; Rantz, Marilyn

2015-01-01

We present an example of unobtrusive, continuous monitoring in the home for the purpose of assessing early health changes. Sensors embedded in the environment capture behavior and activity patterns. Changes in patterns are detected as potential signs of changing health. We first present results of a preliminary study investigating 22 features extracted from in-home sensor data. A 1-D alert algorithm was then implemented to generate health alerts to clinicians in a senior housing facility. Clinicians analyze each alert and provide a rating on the clinical relevance. These ratings are then used as ground truth for training and testing classifiers. Here, we present the methodology for four classification approaches that fuse multisensor data. Results are shown using embedded sensor data and health alert ratings collected on 21 seniors over nine months. The best results show similar performance for two techniques, where one approach uses only domain knowledge and the second uses supervised learning for training. Finally, we propose a health change detection model based on these results and clinical expertise. The system of in-home sensors and algorithms for automated health alerts provides a method for detecting health problems very early so that early treatment is possible. This method of passive in-home sensing alleviates compliance issues. PMID:27170900

Enhancement of K - 12 Astronomy Education Through Multicultural Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.

1997-12-01

History bears out the fact that various cultures developed their own unique interpretation of the stars and the universe. Children are first introduced to the cultural lore in their pre--school years by their primary teachers --- the parents. In today's technological world, with social migration and assimilation of differing ethnic peoples into a common society, parents often neglect or ignore this valuable contibution to enhancing the child's interest in astronomy at an early age. This important contibution can be re-awakened by applying a multicultural approach to introductory astronomy/solar system science in primary grades by teachers, parents and scientists. Such an integrated approach unifies a society and instructs the child by identifying its cultural and scientific heritage. Some common examples are the interpretation of the Big Dipper, Zodiac and the planets. These and other examples will be provided along with teaching aids.

The impact of pharmacophore modeling in drug design.

PubMed

Guner, Osman F

2005-07-01

With the reliable use of computer simulations in scientific research, it is possible to achieve significant increases in productivity as well as a reduction in research costs compared with experimental approaches. For example, computer-simulation can substantially enchance productivity by focusing the scientist to better, more informed choices, while also driving the 'fail-early' concept to result in a significant reduction in cost. Pharmacophore modeling is a reliable computer-aided design tool used in the discovery of new classes of compounds for a given therapeutic category. This commentary will briefly review the benefits and applications of this technology in drug discovery and design, and will also highlight its historical evolution. The two most commonly used approaches for pharmacophore model development will be discussed, and several examples of how this technology was successfully applied to identify new potent leads will be provided. The article concludes with a brief outline of the controversial issue of patentability of pharmacophore models.

Monitoring and modeling for investigating driver/pressure-state/impact relationships in coastal ecosystems: Examples from the Lagoon of Venice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pastres, Roberto; Solidoro, Cosimo

2012-01-01

In this paper, we show how the integration of monitoring data and mathematical model can generate valuable information by using a few examples taken from a well studied but complex ecosystem, namely the Lagoon of Venice. We will focus on three key issues, which are of concern also for many other coastal ecosystems, namely: (1) Nitrogen and Phosphorus annual budgets; (2) estimation of Net Ecosystem Metabolism and early warnings for anoxic events; (3) assessment of ecosystem status. The results highlight the importance of framing monitoring activities within the "DPSIR" conceptual model, thus going far beyond the monitoring of major biogeochemical variables and including: (1) the estimation of the fluxes of the main constituents at the boundaries; (2) the use of appropriate mathematical models. These tools can provide quantitative links among Pressures and State/Impacts, thus enabling decision makers and stakeholders to evaluate the effects of alternative management scenarios.

Systems engineering at the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benkoski, Jason J.; Breidenich, Jennifer L.; Wei, Michael C.; Clatterbaughi, Guy V.; Keng, Pei Yuin; Pyun, Jeffrey

2012-06-01

Nanomaterials have provided some of the greatest leaps in technology over the past twenty years, but their relatively early stage of maturity presents challenges for their incorporation into engineered systems. Perhaps even more challenging is the fact that the underlying physics at the nanoscale often run counter to our physical intuition. The current state of nanotechnology today includes nanoscale materials and devices developed to function as components of systems, as well as theoretical visions for "nanosystems," which are systems in which all components are based on nanotechnology. Although examples will be given to show that nanomaterials have indeed matured into applications in medical, space, and military systems, no complete nanosystem has yet been realized. This discussion will therefore focus on systems in which nanotechnology plays a central role. Using self-assembled magnetic artificial cilia as an example, we will discuss how systems engineering concepts apply to nanotechnology.

Active hematite concretion formation in modern acid saline lake sediments, Lake Brown, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, Brenda Beitler; Benison, K. C.; Oboh-Ikuenobe, F. E.; Story, S.; Mormile, M. R.

2008-04-01

Concretions can provide valuable records of diagenesis and fluid-sediment interactions, however, reconstruction of ancient concretion-forming conditions can be difficult. Observation of modern hematite concretion growth in a natural sedimentary setting provides a rare glimpse of conditions at the time of formation. Spheroidal hematite-cemented concretions are actively precipitating in shallow subsurface sediments at Lake Brown in Western Australia. Lake Brown is a hypersaline (total dissolved solids up to 23%) and acidic (pH ˜ 4) ephemeral lake. The concretion host sediments were deposited between ˜ 1 and 3 ka, based on dating of stratigraphically higher and lower beds. These age constraints indicate that the diagenetic concretions formed < 3 ka, and field observations suggest that some are currently forming. These modern concretions from Lake Brown provide an example of very early diagenetic formation in acid and saline conditions that may be analogous to past conditions on Mars. Previously, the hematite concretions in the Burns formation on Mars have been interpreted as late stage diagenetic products, requiring long geologic time scales and multiple fluid flow events to form. In contrast, the Lake Brown concretions support the possibility of similar syndepositional to very early diagenetic concretion precipitation on Mars.

What determines direction of asymmetry: genes, environment or chance?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Conspicuous asymmetries seen in many animals and plants offer diverse opportunities to test how the development of a similar morphological feature has evolved in wildly different types of organisms. One key question is: do common rules govern how direction of asymmetry is determined (symmetry is broken) during ontogeny to yield an asymmetrical individual? Examples from numerous organisms illustrate how diverse this process is. These examples also provide some surprising answers to related questions. Is direction of asymmetry in an individual determined by genes, environment or chance? Is direction of asymmetry determined locally (structure by structure) or globally (at the level of the whole body)? Does direction of asymmetry persist when an asymmetrical structure regenerates following autotomy? The answers vary greatly for asymmetries as diverse as gastropod coiling direction, flatfish eye side, crossbill finch bill crossing, asymmetrical claws in shrimp, lobsters and crabs, katydid sound-producing structures, earwig penises and various plant asymmetries. Several examples also reveal how stochastic asymmetry in mollusc and crustacean early cleavage, in Drosophila oogenesis, and in Caenorhabditis elegans epidermal blast cell movement, is a normal component of deterministic development. Collectively, these examples shed light on the role of genes as leaders or followers in evolution. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Provocative questions in left–right asymmetry’. PMID:27821528

Cranial muscle development in the model organism ambystoma mexicanum: implications for tetrapod and vertebrate comparative and evolutionary morphology and notes on ontogeny and phylogeny.

PubMed

Ziermann, Janine M; Diogo, Rui

2013-07-01

There is still confusion about the homology of several cranial muscles in salamanders with those of other vertebrates. This is true, in part, because of the fact that many muscles present in early ontogeny of amphibians disappear during development and specifically during metamorphosis. Resolving this confusion is important for the understanding of the comparative and evolutionary morphology of vertebrates and tetrapods because amphibians are the phylogenetically most plesiomorphic tetrapods, concerning for example their myology, and include two often used model organisms, Xenopus laevis (anuran) and Ambystoma mexicanum (urodele). Here we provide the first detailed report of the cranial muscle development in axolotl from early ontogenetic stages to the adult stage. We describe different and complementary types of general muscle morphogenetic gradients in the head: from anterior to posterior, from lateral to medial, and from origin to insertion. Furthermore, even during the development of neotenic salamanders such as axolotls, various larval muscles become indistinct, contradicting the commonly accepted view that during ontogeny the tendency is mostly toward the differentiation of muscles. We provide an updated comparison between these muscles and the muscles of other vertebrates, a discussion of the homologies and evolution, and show that the order in which the muscles appear during axolotl ontogeny is in general similar to their appearance in phylogeny (e.g. differentiation of adductor mandibulae muscles from one anlage to four muscles), with only a few remarkable exceptions, as for example the dilatator laryngis that appears evolutionary later but in the development before the intermandibularis. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Utilizing big data to provide better health at lower cost.

PubMed

Jones, Laney K; Pulk, Rebecca; Gionfriddo, Michael R; Evans, Michael A; Parry, Dean

2018-04-01

The efficient use of big data in order to provide better health at a lower cost is described. As data become more usable and accessible in healthcare, organizations need to be prepared to use this information to positively impact patient care. In order to be successful, organizations need teams with expertise in informatics and data management that can build new infrastructure and restructure existing infrastructure to support quality and process improvements in real time, such as creating discrete data fields that can be easily retrieved and used to analyze and monitor care delivery. Organizations should use data to monitor performance (e.g., process metrics) as well as the health of their populations (e.g., clinical parameters and health outcomes). Data can be used to prevent hospitalizations, combat opioid abuse and misuse, improve antimicrobial stewardship, and reduce pharmaceutical spending. These examples also serve to highlight lessons learned to better use data to improve health. For example, data can inform and create efficiencies in care and engage and communicate with stakeholders early and often, and collaboration is necessary to have complete data. To truly transform care so that it is delivered in a way that is sustainable, responsible, and patient-centered, health systems need to act on these opportunities, invest in big data, and routinely use big data in the delivery of care. Using data efficiently has the potential to improve the care of our patients and lower cost. Despite early successes, barriers to implementation remain including data acquisition, integration, and usability. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality imaging techniques in the study of embryonic and early placental health.

PubMed

Rousian, Melek; Koster, Maria P H; Mulders, Annemarie G M G J; Koning, Anton H J; Steegers-Theunissen, Régine P M; Steegers, Eric A P

2018-04-01

Embryonic and placental growth and development in the first trimester of pregnancy have impact on the health of the fetus, newborn, child and even the adult. This emphasizes the importance of this often neglected period in life. The development of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasonography in combination with virtual reality (VR) opens the possibility of accurate and reliable visualization of embryonic and placental structures with real depth perception. These techniques enable new biometry and volumetry measurements that contribute to the knowledge of the (patho)physiology of embryonic and early placental health. Examples of such measurements are the length of complex structures like the umbilical cord, vitelline duct, limbs and cerebellum or the volume of the whole embryo and brain cavities. Moreover, for the first time, embryos can now be staged in vivo (Carnegie stages) and vasculature volumes of both the embryo and the early placenta can be measured when VR is combined with power Doppler signals. These innovative developments have already been used to study associations between periconceptional maternal factors, such as age, smoking, alcohol use, diet and vitamin status, and embryonic and early placental growth and development. Future studies will also focus on the identification of abnormal embryonic and early placental development already in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, which provides opportunities for early prevention of pregnancy complications. Copyright © 2018 IFPA, Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Assessment of health risks resulting from early-life exposures: Are current chemical toxicity testing protocols and risk assessment methods adequate?

PubMed

Felter, Susan P; Daston, George P; Euling, Susan Y; Piersma, Aldert H; Tassinari, Melissa S

2015-03-01

Abstract Over the last couple of decades, the awareness of the potential health impacts associated with early-life exposures has increased. Global regulatory approaches to chemical risk assessment are intended to be protective for the diverse human population including all life stages. However, questions persist as to whether the current testing approaches and risk assessment methodologies are adequately protective for infants and children. Here, we review physiological and developmental differences that may result in differential sensitivity associated with early-life exposures. It is clear that sensitivity to chemical exposures during early-life can be similar, higher, or lower than that of adults, and can change quickly within a short developmental timeframe. Moreover, age-related exposure differences provide an important consideration for overall susceptibility. Differential sensitivity associated with a life stage can reflect the toxicokinetic handling of a xenobiotic exposure, the toxicodynamic response, or both. Each of these is illustrated with chemical-specific examples. The adequacy of current testing protocols, proposed new tools, and risk assessment methods for systemic noncancer endpoints are reviewed in light of the potential for differential risk to infants and young children.

Bridging the gap: facilities and technologies for development of early stage therapeutic mAb candidates.

PubMed

Munro, Trent P; Mahler, Stephen M; Huang, Edwin P; Chin, David Y; Gray, Peter P

2011-01-01

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) currently dominate the biologics marketplace. Development of a new therapeutic mAb candidate is a complex, multistep process and early stages of development typically begin in an academic research environment. Recently, a number of facilities and initiatives have been launched to aid researchers along this difficult path and facilitate progression of the next mAb blockbuster. Complementing this, there has been a renewed interest from the pharmaceutical industry to reconnect with academia in order to boost dwindling pipelines and encourage innovation. In this review, we examine the steps required to take a therapeutic mAb from discovery through early stage preclinical development and toward becoming a feasible clinical candidate. Discussion of the technologies used for mAb discovery, production in mammalian cells and innovations in single-use bioprocessing is included. We also examine regulatory requirements for product quality and characterization that should be considered at the earliest stages of mAb development. We provide details on the facilities available to help researchers and small-biotech build value into early stage product development, and include examples from within our own facility of how technologies are utilized and an analysis of our client base.

Text-based Analytics for Biosurveillance

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

Charles, Lauren E.; Smith, William P.; Rounds, Jeremiah

The ability to prevent, mitigate, or control a biological threat depends on how quickly the threat is identified and characterized. Ensuring the timely delivery of data and analytics is an essential aspect of providing adequate situational awareness in the face of a disease outbreak. This chapter outlines an analytic pipeline for supporting an advanced early warning system that can integrate multiple data sources and provide situational awareness of potential and occurring disease situations. The pipeline, includes real-time automated data analysis founded on natural language processing (NLP), semantic concept matching, and machine learning techniques, to enrich content with metadata related tomore » biosurveillance. Online news articles are presented as an example use case for the pipeline, but the processes can be generalized to any textual data. In this chapter, the mechanics of a streaming pipeline are briefly discussed as well as the major steps required to provide targeted situational awareness. The text-based analytic pipeline includes various processing steps as well as identifying article relevance to biosurveillance (e.g., relevance algorithm) and article feature extraction (who, what, where, why, how, and when). The ability to prevent, mitigate, or control a biological threat depends on how quickly the threat is identified and characterized. Ensuring the timely delivery of data and analytics is an essential aspect of providing adequate situational awareness in the face of a disease outbreak. This chapter outlines an analytic pipeline for supporting an advanced early warning system that can integrate multiple data sources and provide situational awareness of potential and occurring disease situations. The pipeline, includes real-time automated data analysis founded on natural language processing (NLP), semantic concept matching, and machine learning techniques, to enrich content with metadata related to biosurveillance. Online news articles are presented as an example use case for the pipeline, but the processes can be generalized to any textual data. In this chapter, the mechanics of a streaming pipeline are briefly discussed as well as the major steps required to provide targeted situational awareness. The text-based analytic pipeline includes various processing steps as well as identifying article relevance to biosurveillance (e.g., relevance algorithm) and article feature extraction (who, what, where, why, how, and when).« less

Early molecular events during retinoic acid induced differentiation of neuromesodermal progenitors

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Thomas J.; Colas, Alexandre

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Bipotent neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) residing in the caudal epiblast drive coordinated body axis extension by generating both posterior neuroectoderm and presomitic mesoderm. Retinoic acid (RA) is required for body axis extension, however the early molecular response to RA signaling is poorly defined, as is its relationship to NMP biology. As endogenous RA is first seen near the time when NMPs appear, we used WNT/FGF agonists to differentiate embryonic stem cells to NMPs which were then treated with a short 2-h pulse of 25 nM RA or 1 µM RA followed by RNA-seq transcriptome analysis. Differential expression analysis of this dataset indicated that treatment with 25 nM RA, but not 1 µM RA, provided physiologically relevant findings. The 25 nM RA dataset yielded a cohort of previously known caudal RA target genes including Fgf8 (repressed) and Sox2 (activated), plus novel early RA signaling targets with nearby conserved RA response elements. Importantly, validation of top-ranked genes in vivo using RA-deficient Raldh2−/− embryos identified novel examples of RA activation (Nkx1-2, Zfp503, Zfp703, Gbx2, Fgf15, Nt5e) or RA repression (Id1) of genes expressed in the NMP niche or progeny. These findings provide evidence for early instructive and permissive roles of RA in controlling differentiation of NMPs to neural and mesodermal lineages. PMID:27793834

The EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory and allied networks, the makings of nascent Earthquake and Tsunami Early Warning System in Western North America.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattioli, Glen; Mencin, David; Hodgkinson, Kathleen; Meertens, Charles; Phillips, David; Blume, Fredrick; Berglund, Henry; Fox, Otina; Feaux, Karl

2016-04-01

The NSF-funded GAGE Facility, managed by UNAVCO, operates approximately ~1300 GNSS stations distributed across North and Central America and in the circum-Caribbean. Following community input starting in 2011 from several workshops and associated reports,UNAVCO has been exploring ways to increase the capability and utility of the geodetic resources under its management to improve our understanding in diverse areas of geophysics including properties of seismic, volcanic, magmatic and tsunami deformation sources. Networks operated by UNAVCO for the NSF have the potential to profoundly transform our ability to rapidly characterize events, provide rapid characterization and warning, as well as improve hazard mitigation and response. Specific applications currently under development include earthquake early warning, tsunami early warning, and tropospheric modeling with university, commercial, non-profit and government partners on national and international scales. In the case of tsunami early warning, for example, an RT-GNSS network can provide multiple inputs in an operational system starting with rapid assessment of earthquake sources and associated deformation, which leads to the initial model of ocean forcing and tsunami generation. In addition, terrestrial GNSScan provide direct measurements of the tsunami through the associated traveling ionospheric disturbance from several 100's of km away as they approach the shoreline,which can be used to refine tsunami inundation models. Any operational system like this has multiple communities that rely on a pan-Pacific real-time open data set. Other scientific and operational applications for high-rate GPS include glacier and ice sheet motions, tropospheric modeling, and better constraints on the dynamics of space weather. Combining existing data sets and user communities, for example seismic data and tide gauge observations, with GNSS and Met data products has proven complicated because of issues related to metadata, appropriate data formats, data quality assessment in real-time and other issues related to using these products operational forecasting. While progress has been made toward more open and free data access across national borders and toward more cooperation among cognizant government sanctioned "early warning" agencies, some impediments remain making a truly operational system a work in progress. Accordingly, UNAVCO has embarked on significant improvements and improvement goals to the original infrastructure and scope of the PBO. We anticipate that PBO and related networks will form a backbone for these disparate efforts providing high quality, low latency raw and processed GNSS data. This requires substantial upgrades to the entire system from the basic GNNS receiver, through robust data collection, archiving and open distribution mechanisms, to efficient data-processing strategies. UNAVCO is currently in a partnership with the commercial and scientific stakeholders to define, develop and deploy all segments of this improved geodetic network. We present the overarching goals, and current and planned future stateof this international resource.

Computer-Based Information Networks: Selected Examples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardesty, Larry

The history, purpose, and operation of six computer-based information networks are described in general and nontechnical terms. In the introduction the many definitions of an information network are explored. Ohio College Library Center's network (OCLC) is the first example. OCLC began in 1963, and since early 1973 has been extending its services…

Ecological, morphological and genetic divergence of sympatric North Atlantic killer whale populations.

PubMed

Foote, Andrew D; Newton, Jason; Piertney, Stuart B; Willerslev, Eske; Gilbert, M Thomas P

2009-12-01

Ecological divergence has a central role in speciation and is therefore an important source of biodiversity. Studying the micro-evolutionary processes of ecological diversification at its early stages provides an opportunity for investigating the causative mechanisms and ecological conditions promoting divergence. Here we use morphological traits, nitrogen stable isotope ratios and tooth wear to characterize two disparate types of North Atlantic killer whale. We find a highly specialist type, which reaches up to 8.5 m in length and a generalist type which reaches up to 6.6 m in length. There is a single fixed genetic difference in the mtDNA control region between these types, indicating integrity of groupings and a shallow divergence. Phylogenetic analysis indicates this divergence is independent of similar ecological divergences in the Pacific and Antarctic. Niche-width in the generalist type is more strongly influenced by between-individual variation rather than within-individual variation in the composition of the diet. This first step to divergent specialization on different ecological resources provides a rare example of the ecological conditions at the early stages of adaptive radiation.

FUNDAMENTALS OF VITAMIN D HORMONE-REGULATED GENE EXPRESSION

PubMed Central

Pike, J. Wesley; Meyer, Mark B.

2014-01-01

Initial research focused upon several known genetic targets provided early insight into the mechanism of action of the vitamin D hormone (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3)). Recently, however, a series of technical advances involving the coupling of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to unbiased methodologies that initially involved tiled DNA microarrays (ChIP-chip analysis) and now Next Generation DNA Sequencing techniques (ChIP-Seq analysis) has opened new avenues of research into the mechanisms through which 1,25(OH)2D3 regulates gene expression. In this review, we summarize briefly the results of this early work and then focus on more recent studies in which ChIP-chip and ChIP-seq analyses have been used to explore the mechanisms of 1,25(OH)2D3 action on a genome-wide scale providing specific target genes as examples. The results of this work have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms involved at both genetic and epigenetic levels and have revealed a series of new principles through which the vitamin D hormone functions to control the expression of genes. PMID:24239506

Guidepost neurons for the lateral olfactory tract: expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 and innervation by glutamatergic olfactory bulb axons.

PubMed

Hirata, Tatsumi; Kumada, Tatsuro; Kawasaki, Takahiko; Furukawa, Tomonori; Aiba, Atsu; Conquet, François; Saga, Yumiko; Fukuda, Atsuo

2012-12-01

The guidepost neurons for the lateral olfactory tract, which are called lot cells, are the earliest-generated neurons in the neocortex. They migrate tangentially and ventrally further down this tract, and provide scaffolding for the olfactory bulb axons projecting into this pathway. The molecular profiles of the lot cells are largely uncharacterized. We found that lot cells specifically express metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype-1 at a very early stage of development. This receptor is functionally competent and responds to a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist with a transient increase in the intracellular calcium ion concentration. When the glutamatergic olfactory bulb axons were electrically stimulated, lot cells responded to the stimulation with a calcium increase mainly via ionotropic glutamate receptors, suggesting potential neurotransmission between the axons and lot cells during early development. Together with the finding that lot cells themselves are glutamatergic excitatory neurons, our results provide another notable example of precocious interactions between the projecting axons and their intermediate targets. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A review of our understanding of the role played in the climate system by land surface processes (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholson, S. E.

2013-12-01

The paper provides an historical review of research on the impact of the land surface on climate. It commences will the seminal work of Jule Charney on albedo as a potential cause of drought and follows the trail of follow-up studies on the question of desertification and its role in climate. With the exception of a very early paper by Namias, early work was limited mainly to modeling efforts. At the same time, several observational studies provided evidence that land surface feedbacks could enhance and prolong drought, especially in the African Sahel. Later work emphasized the role of soil moisture rather than albedo. Several important field studies also examined the role of the land surface. Examples include FIFE, HAPEX-Sahel and BOREAS. In recent years some major changes in the concept have occurred. There is now substantial observational evidence of an impact at the mesoscale. The role of land surface feedback on climate has become mainstream. Finally, a new subdiscipline has emerged that emphasizes feedbacks between the water cycle, vegetation and climate, namely ecohydrology.

Satellites as Sentinels for Environment & Health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maynard, Nancy G.

2002-01-01

Satellites as Sentinels for Environment & Health Remotely-sensed data and observations are providing powerful new tools for addressing human and ecosystem health by enabling improved understanding of the relationships and linkages between health-related environmental parameters and society as well as techniques for early warning of potential health problems. NASA Office of Earth Science Applications Program has established a new initiative to utilize its data, expertise, and observations of the Earth for public health applications. In this initiative, lead by Goddard Space Flight Center, remote sensing, geographic information systems, improved computational capabilities, and interdisciplinary research between the Earth and health science communities are being combined in rich collaborative efforts resulting in more rapid problem-solving, early warning, and prevention in global health issues. This presentation provides a number of recent examples of applications of advanced remote sensing and other technologies to health.and security issues related to the following: infectious and vector-borne diseases; urban, regional and global air pollution; African and Asian airborne dust; heat stress; UV radiation; water-borne disease; extreme weather; contaminant pathways (ocean, atmosphere, ice)

AsMA Medical Guidelines for Air Travel: Airline Special Services.

PubMed

Thibeault, Claude; Evans, Anthony D

2015-07-01

Medical Guidelines for Airline Travel provide information that enables healthcare providers to properly advise patients who plan to travel by air. Treating physicians should advise patients in need of special services to contact the airline well before travel to find out if the required services will be available. Ensuring the required services are available throughout a journey can be challenging, especially when different airlines and aircraft types are involved. For example, airlines carry a limited supply of oxygen for use in the event of an unexpected in-flight emergency; however, this supply is not intended for use by passengers needing supplemental oxygen. Arrangements must be made in advance with the airline. Therefore, early contact with the airline is helpful.

A business case for quality improvement in addiction treatment: evidence from the NIATx collaborative.

PubMed

Quanbeck, Andrew R; Madden, Lynn; Edmundson, Eldon; Ford, James H; McConnell, K John; McCarty, Dennis; Gustafson, David H

2012-01-01

The Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) promotes treatment access and retention through a customer-focused quality improvement model. This paper explores the issue of the "business case" for quality improvement in addiction treatment from the provider's perspective. The business case model developed in this paper is based on case examples of early NIATx participants coupled with a review of the literature. Process inefficiencies indicated by long waiting times, high no-show rates, and low continuation rates cause underutilization of capacity and prevent optimal financial performance. By adopting customer-focused practices aimed at removing barriers to treatment access and retention, providers may be able to improve financial performance, increase staff retention, and gain long-term strategic advantage.

Sturgeon research update: Confirmed pallid sturgeon spawning in the Missouri River in 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mac, Michael; Mestl, Gerald

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have confirmed spawning of two female pallid sturgeon in the upstream reaches of the lower Missouri River in May 2007. Combined with supporting research in reproductive physiology, identification of spawning habitat, and early life history this result provides new understanding of environmental factors (for example, photoperiod, temperature, water quality, and flow regime) that might affect reproduction of this endangered species. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide stakeholders, scientists, and managers with some of the preliminary results from the 2007 field assessment of sturgeon reproduction in the lower Missouri River.

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach.

PubMed

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-08-01

Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Nobel Lecture: Topological quantum matter*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haldane, F. Duncan M.

2017-10-01

Nobel Lecture, presented December 8, 2016, Aula Magna, Stockholm University. I will describe the history and background of three discoveries cited in this Nobel Prize: The "TKNN" topological formula for the integer quantum Hall effect found by David Thouless and collaborators, the Chern insulator or quantum anomalous Hall effect, and its role in the later discovery of time-reversal-invariant topological insulators, and the unexpected topological spin-liquid state of the spin-1 quantum antiferromagnetic chain, which provided an initial example of topological quantum matter. I will summarize how these early beginnings have led to the exciting, and currently extremely active, field of "topological matter."

Structural concepts for large solar concentrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedgepeth, J. M.; Miller, R. K.

1986-01-01

Solar collectors for space use are examined, including both early designs and current concepts. In particular, attention is given to stiff sandwich panels and aluminum dishes as well as inflated and umbrella-type membrane configurations. The Sunflower concentrator is described as an example of a high-efficiency collector. It is concluded that stiff reflector panels are most likely to provide the long-term consistent accuracy necessary for low-orbit operation. A new configuration consisting of a Pactruss backup structure, with identical panels installed after deployment in space, is presented. It is estimated that concentration ratios in excess of 2000 can be achieved with this concept.

The Biological Relevance of Artificial Life: Lessons from Artificial Intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombano, Silvano

2000-01-01

There is no fundamental reason why A-life couldn't simply be a branch of computer science that deals with algorithms that are inspired by, or emulate biological phenomena. However, if these are the limits we place on this field, we miss the opportunity to help advance Theoretical Biology and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the nature of life. The history of Artificial Intelligence provides a good example, in that early interest in the nature of cognition quickly was lost to the process of building tools, such as "expert systems" that, were certainly useful, but provided little insight in the nature of cognition. Based on this lesson, I will discuss criteria for increasing the biological relevance of A-life and the probability that this field may provide a theoretical foundation for Biology.

"Rapid Revisit" Measurements of Sea Surface Winds Using CYGNSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J.; Johnson, J. T.

2017-12-01

The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) is a space-borne GNSS-R (GNSS-Reflectometry) mission that launched December 15, 2016 for ocean surface wind speed measurements. CYGNSS includes 8 small satellites in the same LEO orbit, so that the mission provides wind speed products having unprecedented coverage both in time and space to study multi-temporal behaviors of oceanic winds. The nature of CYGNSS coverage results in some locations on Earth experiencing multiple wind speed measurements within a short period of time (a "clump" of observations in time resulting in a "rapid revisit" series of measurements). Such observations could seemingly provide indications of regions experiencing rapid changes in wind speeds, and therefore be of scientific utility. Temporally "clumped" properties of CYGNSS measurements are investigated using early CYGNSS L1/L2 measurements, and the results show that clump durations and spacing vary with latitude. For example, the duration of a clump can extend as long as a few hours at higher latitudes, with gaps between clumps ranging from 6 to as high as 12 hours depending on latitude. Examples are provided to indicate the potential of changes within a clump to produce a "rapid revisit" product for detecting convective activity. Also, we investigate detector design for identifying convective activities. Results from analyses using recent CYGNSS L2 winds will be provided in the presentation.

Ancient hydrothermal seafloor deposits in Eridania basin on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalski, Joseph R.; Dobrea, Eldar Z. Noe; Niles, Paul B.; Cuadros, Javier

2017-07-01

The Eridania region in the southern highlands of Mars once contained a vast inland sea with a volume of water greater than that of all other Martian lakes combined. Here we show that the most ancient materials within Eridania are thick (>400 m), massive (not bedded), mottled deposits containing saponite, talc-saponite, Fe-rich mica (for example, glauconite-nontronite), Fe- and Mg-serpentine, Mg-Fe-Ca-carbonate and probable Fe-sulphide that likely formed in a deep water (500-1,500 m) hydrothermal setting. The Eridania basin occurs within some of the most ancient terrain on Mars where striking evidence for remnant magnetism might suggest an early phase of crustal spreading. The relatively well-preserved seafloor hydrothermal deposits in Eridania are contemporaneous with the earliest evidence for life on Earth in potentially similar environments 3.8 billion years ago, and might provide an invaluable window into the environmental conditions of early Earth.

Historical Analyses of Disordered Handwriting

PubMed Central

Schiegg, Markus; Thorpe, Deborah

2016-01-01

Handwritten texts carry significant information, extending beyond the meaning of their words. Modern neurology, for example, benefits from the interpretation of the graphic features of writing and drawing for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases and disorders. This article examines how handwriting analysis can be used, and has been used historically, as a methodological tool for the assessment of medical conditions and how this enhances our understanding of historical contexts of writing. We analyze handwritten material, writing tests and letters, from patients in an early 20th-century psychiatric hospital in southern Germany (Irsee/Kaufbeuren). In this institution, early psychiatrists assessed handwriting features, providing us novel insights into the earliest practices of psychiatric handwriting analysis, which can be connected to Berkenkotter’s research on medical admission records. We finally consider the degree to which historical handwriting bears semiotic potential to explain the psychological state and personality of a writer, and how future research in written communication should approach these sources. PMID:28408774

Noise Control in Space Shuttle Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodman, Jerry R.

2009-01-01

Acoustic limits in habitable space enclosures are required to ensure crew safety, comfort, and habitability. Noise control is implemented to ensure compliance with the acoustic requirements. The purpose of this paper is to describe problems with establishing acoustic requirements and noise control efforts, and present examples of noise control treatments and design applications used in the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Included is the need to implement the design discipline of acoustics early in the design process, and noise control throughout a program to ensure that limits are met. The use of dedicated personnel to provide expertise and oversight of acoustic requirements and noise control implementation has shown to be of value in the Space Shuttle Orbiter program. It is concluded that to achieve acceptable and safe noise levels in the crew habitable space, early resolution of acoustic requirements and implementation of effective noise control efforts are needed. Management support of established acoustic requirements and noise control efforts is essential.

Ancient hydrothermal seafloor deposits in Eridania basin on Mars

PubMed Central

Michalski, Joseph R.; Dobrea, Eldar Z. Noe; Niles, Paul B.; Cuadros, Javier

2017-01-01

The Eridania region in the southern highlands of Mars once contained a vast inland sea with a volume of water greater than that of all other Martian lakes combined. Here we show that the most ancient materials within Eridania are thick (>400 m), massive (not bedded), mottled deposits containing saponite, talc-saponite, Fe-rich mica (for example, glauconite-nontronite), Fe- and Mg-serpentine, Mg-Fe-Ca-carbonate and probable Fe-sulphide that likely formed in a deep water (500–1,500 m) hydrothermal setting. The Eridania basin occurs within some of the most ancient terrain on Mars where striking evidence for remnant magnetism might suggest an early phase of crustal spreading. The relatively well-preserved seafloor hydrothermal deposits in Eridania are contemporaneous with the earliest evidence for life on Earth in potentially similar environments 3.8 billion years ago, and might provide an invaluable window into the environmental conditions of early Earth. PMID:28691699

The sociologic context of occupational health in South Africa.

PubMed Central

Myers, J E; Macun, I

1989-01-01

The early history of the occupational health system in South Africa is outlined up to the early 1970s which mark a political and social transition in the society. Relevant demographic and social data are provided, and the roles and mutual relations of capital, labor, state, and academic sectors are discussed. During the past 15 years there has been heightened occupational health activity. Major legislative activity has included several commissions, the promulgation of new laws and regulations governing the workplace, and deregulatory measures in a contradictory mix. Conflictual relations between social forces are illustrated by two examples involving the introduction of safety representatives in the workplace, and compensation for occupational lung disease. The implications of wider political and economic realities are analyzed, and current and probable future trends in the evolution of the occupational health system are identified. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 PMID:2521546

Model implementation for dynamic computation of system cost for advanced life support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levri, J. A.; Vaccari, D. A.

2004-01-01

Life support system designs for long-duration space missions have a multitude of requirements drivers, such as mission objectives, political considerations, cost, crew wellness, inherent mission attributes, as well as many other influences. Evaluation of requirements satisfaction can be difficult, particularly at an early stage of mission design. Because launch cost is a critical factor and relatively easy to quantify, it is a point of focus in early mission design. The method used to determine launch cost influences the accuracy of the estimate. This paper discusses the appropriateness of dynamic mission simulation in estimating the launch cost of a life support system. This paper also provides an abbreviated example of a dynamic simulation life support model and possible ways in which such a model might be utilized for design improvement. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The wall traction induced by flowing red blood cells in model microvessels and its potential mechanotransduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freund, Jonathan; Vermot, Julien

2013-11-01

There is evidence in early embryonic development, even well before advective oxygen transport is important, that the presence of red bloods cells per se trigger essential steps of normal vascular development. For example, showed that sequestration of blood cells early in the development of a mouse, such that the hematocrit is reduced, suppresses normal vascular network development. Vascular development also provides a model for remodeling and angiogenesis. We consider the transient stresses associated with blood cells flowing in model microvessels of comparable diameter to those at early stages of development (6 μm to 12 μm). A detailed simulation tool is used to show that passing blood cells present a significant fluctuating traction signature on the vessel wall, well above the mean stresses. This is particularly pronounced for slow flows (<= 50 μm/s) or small diameters (<= 7 μm), for which root-mean-square wall traction fluctuations can exceed their mean. These events potentially present mechanotranduction triggers that direct development or remodeling. Attenuation of such fluctuating tractions by a viscoelastic endothelial glycocalyx layer is also considered. NSF supported.

Hydrocarbon provinces and productive trends in Libya and adjacent areas

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

Missallati, A.A.

1988-08-01

According to the age of major reservoirs, hydrocarbon occurrences in Libya and adjacent areas can be grouped into six major systems which, according to their geographic locations, can be classified into two major hydrocarbon provinces: (1) Sirte-Pelagian basins province, with major reservoirs ranging from middle-late Mesozoic to early Tertiary, and (2) Murzog-Ghadames basins province, with major reservoirs ranging from early Paleozoic to early Mesozoic. In the Sirte-Pelagian basins province, hydrocarbons have been trapped in structural highs or in stratigraphic wedge-out against structural highs and in carbonate buildups. Here, hydrocarbon generation is characterized by the combined effect of abundant structural reliefmore » and reservoir development in the same hydrocarbon systems of the same age, providing an excellent example of hydrocarbon traps in sedimentary basins that have undergone extensive tensional fracturing in a shallow marine environment. In the Murzog-Ghadames basins province, hydrocarbons have been trapped mainly in structural highs controlled by paleostructural trends as basement arches which acted as focal points for oil migration and accumulation.« less

The Moon as a Recorder of Organic Evolution in the Early Solar System: A Lunar Regolith Analog Study

PubMed Central

Court, Richard W.; Crawford, Ian A.; Jones, Adrian P.; Joy, Katherine H.; Sephton, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Abstract The organic record of Earth older than ∼3.8 Ga has been effectively erased. Some insight is provided to us by meteorites as well as remote and direct observations of asteroids and comets left over from the formation of the Solar System. These primitive objects provide a record of early chemical evolution and a sample of material that has been delivered to Earth's surface throughout the past 4.5 billion years. Yet an effective chronicle of organic evolution on all Solar System objects, including that on planetary surfaces, is more difficult to find. Fortunately, early Earth would not have been the only recipient of organic matter–containing objects in the early Solar System. For example, a recently proposed model suggests the possibility that volatiles, including organic material, remain archived in buried paleoregolith deposits intercalated with lava flows on the Moon. Where asteroids and comets allow the study of processes before planet formation, the lunar record could extend that chronicle to early biological evolution on the planets. In this study, we use selected free and polymeric organic materials to assess the hypothesis that organic matter can survive the effects of heating in the lunar regolith by overlying lava flows. Results indicate that the presence of lunar regolith simulant appears to promote polymerization and, therefore, preservation of organic matter. Once polymerized, the mineral-hosted newly formed organic network is relatively protected from further thermal degradation. Our findings reveal the thermal conditions under which preservation of organic matter on the Moon is viable. Key Words: Moon—Regolith—Organic preservation—Biomarkers. Astrobiology 15, 154–168. PMID:25615648

Early Childhood Intervention in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Yuzhu; Maude, Susan P.; Brotherson, Mary Jane

2015-01-01

With rapid economic development and increasing awareness of the importance of early childhood intervention (ECI), China is re-examining its social and educational practices for young children with disabilities. This re-examination may have a significant impact on young children with disabilities in China. It may also set an example for other…

The Early Years: Integrating Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashbrook, Peggy; Nellor, Sue

2015-01-01

Engineering is such a common part of children's work in early childhood programs that teachers can simply look around the room to identify examples where students have engaged in engineering practices. This article presents a classroom activity that integrates engineering design by building on the everyday problems that young children encounter in…

Mapping the Llano Estacado

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Early maps of North America, prepared in the 18th and early 19th centuries, often depicted the Llano Estacado as a conspicuous blank spot - a terra incognita. A good example is a map of the southwest sketched by Alexander von Humboldt in 1804. In 1830, Stephen F. Austin added little detail to the ...

Teaching Young Children Basic Concepts of Geography: A Literature-Based Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannibal, Mary Anne Zeitler; Vasiliev, Ren; Lin, Qiuyun

2002-01-01

This article advocates a literature-based instructional approach as a way of promoting geographic awareness in early childhood classrooms. Instruction focuses on basic geography concepts of location, place, human- environment interaction, movement, and region. Examples of children's picture books are included to show what early childhood teachers…

Emergent Technological Literacy: What Do Children Bring to School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mawson, W. B.

2013-01-01

There has been very little research into children's technological practice in early childhood settings. This article describes four typical examples of the technological activity that occurs on a daily basis in New Zealand early childhood settings. It is suggested that children come to compulsory schooling with well-developed technological…

Safeguarding Our Children at Home: Reducing Exposures to Toxic Chemicals and Heavy Metals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Elise; Snow, Nancy

2005-01-01

Emerging research suggests that exposure to environmental pollutants, prenatally and in early childhood, may contribute significantly to diseases and disabilities. For example, exposures to mercury or lead early in life can impact the nervous system and brain, potentially contributing to learning, behavioral, and developmental disabilities. The…

Chemistry Perfumes Your Daily Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortineau, Anne-Dominique

2004-01-01

The use of perfumes can be tracked back to many early civilizations. Historically, perfumes were composed exclusively of natural ingredients, mainly essential oils, and were reserved for the wealthiest people. The use of synthetic ingredients marked the beginning of modern perfumery at the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, perfumes are available to everyone and are present in a wide range of consumer goods. The methods used to extract perfume ingredients from their natural sources have changed over time as technology has advanced. Depending on the material, expression, distillation, and solvent extraction are the main techniques used to extract the odorant components from a natural source. Synthetic organic chemistry has provided perfumers with novel ingredients that are cheaper and more stable than many natural materials over the years. Today, more than 3000 fragrance ingredients are estimated to be available to perfumers to create a harmonious composition of head (for example, citrusy), heart (for example, fruity floral) and base notes (for example, musky). Future developments and uses of perfume are endless and as Ernest Beaux, the perfumer who created Chanel N85, once said, "In perfumery the future lies primarily in the hands of the chemists." Featured on the Cover See Featured Molecules .

An Example of an INPRO Assessment of an INS in the Area of Waste Management

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

Allan, C.; Busurin, Y.; Depisch, F.

2006-07-01

Following a resolution of the General Conference of the IAEA in the year 2000 the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles, referred to as INPRO, was initiated. INPRO has defined requirements organized in a hierarchy of Basic Principles, User Requirements and Criteria (consisting of an indicator and an acceptance limit) to be met by innovative nuclear reactor systems (INS) in six areas, namely: economics, safety, waste management, environment, proliferation resistance, and infrastructure. If an INS meets all requirements in all areas it represents a sustainable system for the supply of energy, capable of making a significant contributionmore » to meeting the energy needs of the 21. century. Draft manuals have been developed, for each INPRO area, to provide guidance for performing an assessment of whether an INS meets the INPRO requirements in a given area. The manuals set out the information that needs to be assembled to perform an assessment and provide guidance on selecting the acceptance limits and, for a given INS, for determining the value of the indicators for comparison with the associated acceptance limits. Each manual also includes an example of a specific assessment to illustrate the guidance. This paper discusses the example presented in the manual for performing an INPRO assessment in the area of waste management. The example, chosen solely for the purpose of illustrating the INPRO methodology, describes an assessment of an INS based on the DUPIC fuel cycle. It is assumed that uranium is mined, milled, converted, enriched, and fabricated into LWR fuel in Canada. The LWR fuel is assumed to be leased to a utility in the USA. The spent LWR fuel is assumed to be returned to Canada where it is processed into CANDU DUPIC fuel, which is then burned in CANDU reactors. The assessment steps and the results are presented in detail in the paper. The example illustrates an assessment performed for an INS at an early stage of development. (authors)« less

The Hundred Person Wellness Project and Google's Baseline Study: medical revolution or unnecessary and potentially harmful over-testing?

PubMed

Diamandis, Eleftherios P

2015-01-09

The Hundred Person Wellness Project is an ambitious pilot undertaking, which aims to intensely monitor 100 individuals over 10 months. Patients with abnormal findings will be treated, in hopes that this early intervention will avoid, or delay, symptomatic disease. Google's "Baseline Study" is of similar scope and will enroll 10,000 people over 2 to 3 years. I here speculate that these approaches will likely not be effective in preventing disease, but instead, lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful interventions. Examples from the cancer screening experience over the last 30 years are provided, which show that intensive testing may uncover indolent disease or incidental findings which, when treated, may cause more harm than good. Additional examples show that aggressive treatments for cancer and other diseases do not always lead to better patient outcomes. I conclude that the recent advances in omics provide us with unprecedented opportunities for high content clinical testing, but such testing should be used with caution to avoid the harmful consequences of over-diagnosis and over-treatment. Despite the detailed rebuttals by Hood and colleagues in another commentary in BMC Medicine, time will show the actual benefits and harms of these ambitious initiatives.

Communal visual histories to detect environmental change in northern areas: Examples of emerging North American and Eurasian practices.

PubMed

Mustonen, Tero

2015-12-01

This article explores the pioneering potential of communal visual-optic histories which are recorded, painted, documented, or otherwise expressed. These materials provide collective meanings of an image or visual material within a specific cultural group. They potentially provide a new method for monitoring and documenting changes to ecosystem health and species distribution, which can effectively inform society and decision makers of Arctic change. These visual histories can be positioned in a continuum that extends from rock art to digital photography. They find their expressions in forms ranging from images to the oral recording of knowledge and operate on a given cultural context. For monitoring efforts in the changing boreal zone and Arctic, a respectful engagement with visual histories can reveal emerging aspects of change. The examples from North America and case studies from Eurasia in this article include Inuit sea ice observations, Yu'pik visual traditions of masks, fish die-offs in a sub-boreal catchment area, permafrost melt in the Siberian tundra and early, first detection of a scarabaeid beetle outbreak, a Southern species in the Skolt Sámi area. The pros and cons of using these histories and their reliability are reviewed.

Leak detection system and control using non-rigid bladder

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

Pillette, K.P.

1980-11-11

A portable system for early detection of leaks from suspect piping fittings, for example, as used on the ''christmas tree'' portion of a gas well provides an encapsulating bladder which sealably encapsulates the suspect fitting and collects leaks from the fitting. The apparatus provides, in the preferred embodiment, a bladder which can encase any suspect portion of the christmas tree (Or like piping system), such as for example, the choke jacket or other like fittings where maximum turbulence occurs as when gas or oil mixed with sand flows through the fitting. In the preferred embodiment, the collection of a leakmore » within the bladder causes a regulator to operate a control valve and halt the flow of gas, oil, or like flowing material through the piping system of which the suspect fitting is a part. The system can be applied to any other similar existing and operating piping arrangement where the detection of leaks from suspect fittings is desirable. The portable bladder and shut off arrangement of the present invention has particular application in the offshore oil and gas industry, where it can perform a safety function on unmanned gas/oil well platforms.« less

Thermoplastic nanofluidic devices for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Weerakoon-Ratnayake, Kumuditha M; O'Neil, Colleen E; Uba, Franklin I; Soper, Steven A

2017-01-31

Microfluidics is now moving into a developmental stage where basic discoveries are being transitioned into the commercial sector so that these discoveries can affect, for example, healthcare. Thus, high production rate microfabrication technologies, such as thermal embossing and/or injection molding, are being used to produce low-cost consumables appropriate for commercial applications. Based on recent reports, it is clear that nanofluidics offers some attractive process capabilities that may provide unique venues for biomolecular analyses that cannot be realized at the microscale. Thus, it would be attractive to consider early in the developmental cycle of nanofluidics production pipelines that can generate devices possessing sub-150 nm dimensions in a high production mode and at low-cost to accommodate the commercialization of this exciting technology. Recently, functional sub-150 nm thermoplastic nanofluidic devices have been reported that can provide high process yield rates, which can enable commercial translation of nanofluidics. This review presents an overview of recent advancements in the fabrication, assembly, surface modification and the characterization of thermoplastic nanofluidic devices. Also, several examples in which nanoscale phenomena have been exploited for the analysis of biomolecules are highlighted. Lastly, some general conclusions and future outlooks are presented.

Evaluating Expected Costs and Benefits of Granting Access to New Treatments on the Basis of Progression-Free Survival in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Lakdawalla, Darius N; Chou, Jacquelyn W; Linthicum, Mark T; MacEwan, Joanna P; Zhang, Jie; Goldman, Dana P

2015-05-01

Surrogate end points may be used as proxy for more robust clinical end points. One prominent example is the use of progression-free survival (PFS) as a surrogate for overall survival (OS) in trials for oncologic treatments. Decisions based on surrogate end points may expedite regulatory approval but may not accurately reflect drug efficacy. Payers and clinicians must balance the potential benefits of earlier treatment access based on surrogate end points against the risks of clinical uncertainty. To present a framework for evaluating the expected net benefit or cost of providing early access to new treatments on the basis of evidence of PFS benefits before OS results are available, using non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as an example. A probabilistic decision model was used to estimate expected incremental social value of the decision to grant access to a new treatment on the basis of PFS evidence. The model analyzed a hypothetical population of patients with NSCLC who could be treated during the period between PFS and OS evidence publication. Estimates for delay in publication of OS evidence following publication of PFS evidence, expected OS benefit given PFS benefit, incremental cost of new treatment, and other parameters were drawn from the literature on treatment of NSCLC. Incremental social value of early access for each additional patient per month (in 2014 US dollars). For "medium-value" model parameters, early reimbursement of drugs with any PFS benefit yields an incremental social cost of more than $170,000 per newly treated patient per month. In contrast, granting early access on the basis of PFS benefit between 1 and 3.5 months produces more than $73,000 in incremental social value. Across the full range of model parameter values, granting access for drugs with PFS benefit between 3 and 3.5 months is robustly beneficial, generating incremental social value ranging from $38,000 to more than $1 million per newly treated patient per month, whereas access for all drugs with any PFS benefit is usually not beneficial. The value of providing access to new treatments on the basis of surrogate end points, and PFS in particular, likely varies considerably. Payers and clinicians should carefully consider how to use PFS data in balancing potential benefits against costs in each particular disease.

Data Mining for Forecasting Mississippi Cropland Data Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shore, F. L.; Gregory, T. L.

2011-12-01

In 1999, Mississippi became an early adopter of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cropland Data Layer (CDL) program. With the support of the NASS Spatial Analysis Research Section (SARS), we have progressed from an annual crop picture to a pixel by pixel history of Mississippi farming. Much of our early work for Mississippi agriculture is now easily provided from the web based application CropScape, released by SARS in 2011. In this study, pixel history data from CDLs has been mined to give forecasts of Mississippi crop acres. Traditionally, such agricultural data mining emphasizes the trends of early adopters driven by factors such as global warming, technology, practices, or the marketplace. These studies provide forecasted CDL products produced using See5° and Imagine°, the same software used in Mississippi CDL production since 2006. Mississippi CDL forecasts were made using historical information available as soon as the CDL for the previous year was completed. For example, the CDL forecast for winter wheat, produced at a date when winter wheat was planted but not most crops, gave results of 104.6 +/- 5.4% of the official NASS estimates for winter wheat for the years 2009-2011. In 2012, all of the states of the contiguous US will have the historical CDL data to do this type of study. A CDL forecast is proposed as a useful addition to CropScape.

Early intervention for vulnerable infants and their families: an emerging agenda.

PubMed

Kruskal, M O; Thomasgard, M C; Shonkoff, J P

1989-12-01

Early childhood development is a complex dynamic process that begins at birth and unfolds in a transactional manner as infants interact with their environment. Children are highly adaptive organisms with powerful homeostatic mechanisms; consequently, most high-risk infants do well. Environmental factors are powerful mediators in this process, and a supportive and responsive environment may alleviate many early developmental insults, while a deficient environment can exacerbate developmental weaknesses. Available data suggest that appropriately designed early intervention services can be effective in facilitating both child and family adaptation for a variety of target groups. However, many important questions remain unanswered. For example, although interventions have been shown to improve cognitive function, effects in other important areas such as social and emotional functioning and family coping have not been well studied. Information about the impact of family variables is also incomplete as is our knowledge about which services work best for which children and families. Finally, the influence of protective factors in the child and in the environment requires further exploration. The perinatologist can make several critical contributions to the comprehensive care of high risk infants beyond their medical management. He or she can play a pivotal role in identifying those neonates who need early intervention on the basis of their biologic vulnerability, their environmental risk factors, or both. Perinatologists are also in the best position to facilitate early entry into an appropriate service system and can be important collaborators in providing comprehensive services and long-term follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biased ART: a neural architecture that shifts attention toward previously disregarded features following an incorrect prediction.

PubMed

Carpenter, Gail A; Gaddam, Sai Chaitanya

2010-04-01

Memories in Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) networks are based on matched patterns that focus attention on those portions of bottom-up inputs that match active top-down expectations. While this learning strategy has proved successful for both brain models and applications, computational examples show that attention to early critical features may later distort memory representations during online fast learning. For supervised learning, biased ARTMAP (bARTMAP) solves the problem of over-emphasis on early critical features by directing attention away from previously attended features after the system makes a predictive error. Small-scale, hand-computed analog and binary examples illustrate key model dynamics. Two-dimensional simulation examples demonstrate the evolution of bARTMAP memories as they are learned online. Benchmark simulations show that featural biasing also improves performance on large-scale examples. One example, which predicts movie genres and is based, in part, on the Netflix Prize database, was developed for this project. Both first principles and consistent performance improvements on all simulation studies suggest that featural biasing should be incorporated by default in all ARTMAP systems. Benchmark datasets and bARTMAP code are available from the CNS Technology Lab Website: http://techlab.bu.edu/bART/. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revisiting Lake Hämelsee: reconstructing abrupt Lateglacial climate transitions using state- of-the-art palaeoclimatological proxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engels, Stefan; Hoek, Wim; Lane, Christine; Sachse, Dirk; Wagner-Cremer, Friederike

2015-04-01

Lake Hämelsee (Germany) is one of the northernmost sites in NW Europe that has varved sediments throughout large parts of its Lateglacial and Early Holocene sediment sequence. Previous research on this site has shown its potential, in terms of chronological resolution and palaeoecological reconstructions, for reconstructing the abrupt transitions into and out of the Younger Dryas, the last cold period of the last glacial. The site was revisited during a 1-week summer school for Early Stage Researchers (2013), within the INTIMATE Example training and research project, supported by EU Cost Action ES0907. Two overlapping sediment sequences were retrieved from the centre of the lake during the summer school. These sediments have since formed the basis for follow-up research projects, which have sparked the collaboration of around 30 researchers in 12 laboratories across Europe. A chronological framework for the core has been composed from a combination of varve counting, radiocarbon dating and tephrochronology. Tephrostratigraphic correlations allow direct correlation and precise comparison of the record to marine and ice core records from the North Atlantic region, and other terrestrial European archives. Furthermore, the core is has been subjected to multiple sedimentological (e.g. XRF, loss-on-ignition), geochemical (e.g. lipid biomarkers, GDGTs) and palaeoecological (e.g. pollen, chironomids) proxy-based reconstructions of past environmental and climatic conditions. The results provide important insights into the nature of the abrupt climate transitions of the Lateglacial and Early Holocene, both locally and on a continental scale. The INTIMATE Example participants: Illaria Baneschi, Achim Brauer, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Renee de Bruijn, Siwan Davies, Aritina Haliuc, Katalin Hubay, Gwydion Jones, Meike Müller, Johanna Menges, Josef Merkt, Tom Peters, Francien Peterse, Anneke ter Schure, Kathrin Schuetrumpf, Richard Staff, Falko Turner, Valerie van den Bos.

Communication pitfalls of traditional history and physical write-up documentation

PubMed Central

Brown, Jeffrey L

2017-01-01

Background An unofficial standardized “write-up” outline is commonly used for documenting history and physical examinations, giving oral presentations, and teaching clinical skills. Despite general acceptance, there is an apparent discrepancy between the way clinical encounters are conducted and how they are documented. Methods Fifteen medical school websites were randomly selected from search-engine generated lists. One example of a history and physical write-up from each of six sites, one teaching outline from each of nine additional sites, and recommendations for documentation made in two commonly used textbooks were compared for similarities and differences. Results Except for minor variations in documenting background information, all sampled materials utilized the same standardized format. When the examiners’ early perceptions of the patients’ degree of illness or level of distress were described, they were categorized as “general appearance” within the physical findings. Contrary to clinical practice, none of the examples or recommendations documented these early perceptions before chief concerns and history were presented. Discussion An examiner’s initial perceptions of a patient’s affect, degree of illness, and level of distress can influence the content of the history, triage decisions, and prioritization of likely diagnoses. When chief concerns and history are shared without benefit of this information, erroneous assumptions and miscommunications can result. Conclusion This survey confirms common use of a standardized outline for documenting, communicating, and teaching history-taking and physical examination protocol. The present outline shares early observations out of clinical sequence and may provide inadequate context for accurate interpretation of chief concerns and history. Corrective actions include modifying the documentation sequence to conform to clinical practice and teaching contextual methodology for sharing patient information. PMID:28096709

Capacity Building with CHIRPS Amidst a Station-Recording Crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, P.

2016-12-01

Station data are essential for improving the accuracy of satellite-derived rainfall products. However we face a severe reporting crisis as the number of available stations observations has declined precipitously. For example there were 2400 monthly stations available in Africa (excluding South Africa) in the 1980's, while at present there are about 500 stations (Figure 1). In this talk we describe how partnerships with regional and national collaborators can improve our collective ability to monitor food production and inform decision making. A high quality, long-term, high-resolution precipitation dataset is key for supporting agricultural drought monitoring, food security and early warning. Here we present the Climate Hazards group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) v2.0, developed by scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Center under the direction of Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). This quasi-global precipitation product is available at daily to seasonal time scales with a spatial resolution of 0.05° and a 1981 to near real-time period of record. The Climate Hazards Group (CHG) has developed an extensive database of in situ daily, pentadal, and monthly precipitation totals with over a billion daily observations worldwide. Under support from the USAID FEWS NET, CHG/USGS has developed a two way strategy for incorporating contributed station data while providing web-based visualization tools to partners in developing nations. For example, we are currently working with partners in Mexico (Conagua), Southern Africa (SASSCAL), Colombia (IDEAM), Somalia (SWALIM) and Ethiopia (NMA). These institutions provide in situ observations which enhance the CHIRPS. The CHIRPS is then placed in a web accessible geospatial database. Partners in these countries can then access and display this information using web based mapping tools. This provides a win-win collaboration, leading to improved globally accessible precipitation estimates and improved climate services in developing nations.

Index cost estimate based BIM method - Computational example for sports fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zima, Krzysztof

2017-07-01

The paper presents an example ofcost estimation in the early phase of the project. The fragment of relative database containing solution, descriptions, geometry of construction object and unit cost of sports facilities was shown. The Index Cost Estimate Based BIM method calculationswith use of Case Based Reasoning were presented, too. The article presentslocal and global similarity measurement and example of BIM based quantity takeoff process. The outcome of cost calculations based on CBR method was presented as a final result of calculations.

Elucidating early CT after pancreatico-duodenectomy: a primer for radiologists.

PubMed

Tonolini, Massimo; Ierardi, Anna Maria; Carrafiello, Gianpaolo

2018-04-13

Pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD) represents the standard surgical treatment for resectable malignancies of the pancreatic head, distal common bile duct, periampullary region and duodenum, and is also performed to manage selected benign tumours and refractory chronic pancreatitis. Despite improved surgical techniques and acceptable mortality, PD remains a technically demanding, high-risk operation burdened with high morbidity (complication rates 40-50% of patients). Multidetector computed tomography (CT) represents the mainstay modality to rapidly investigate the postoperative abdomen, and to provide a consistent basis for an appropriate choice between conservative, interventional or surgical treatment. However, radiologists require familiarity with the surgically altered anatomy, awareness of expected imaging appearances and possible complications to correctly interpret early post-PD CT studies. This paper provides an overview of surgical indications and techniques, discusses risk factors and clinical manifestations of the usual postsurgical complications, and suggests appropriate techniques and indications for early postoperative CT imaging. Afterwards, the usual, normal early post-PD CT findings are presented, including transient fluid, pneumobilia, delayed gastric emptying, identification of pancreatic gland remnant and of surgical anastomoses. Finally, several imaging examples review the most common and some unusual complications such as pancreatic fistula, bile leaks, abscesses, intraluminal and extraluminal haemorrhage, and acute pancreatitis. • Pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD) is a technically demanding surgery burdened with high morbidity (40-50%). • Multidetector CT is the mainstay technique to investigate suspected complications following PD. • Interpreting post-PD CT requires knowledge of surgically altered anatomy and expected findings. • CT showing collection at surgical site supports clinico-biological diagnosis of pancreatic fistula. • Other complications include biliary leaks, haemorrhage, abscesses and venous thrombosis.

Early universe cosmology, effective supergravity, and invariants of algebraic forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Kuver

2015-09-01

The presence of light scalars can have profound effects on early universe cosmology, influencing its thermal history as well as paradigms like inflation and baryogenesis. Effective supergravity provides a framework to make quantifiable, model-independent studies of these effects. The Riemannian curvature of the Kähler manifold spanned by scalars belonging to chiral superfields, evaluated along supersymmetry breaking directions, provides an order parameter (in the sense that it must necessarily take certain values) for phenomena as diverse as slow roll modular inflation, nonthermal cosmological histories, and the viability of Affleck-Dine baryogenesis. Within certain classes of UV completions, the order parameter for theories with n scalar moduli is conjectured to be related to invariants of n -ary cubic forms (for example, for models with three moduli, the order parameter is given by a function on the ring of invariants spanned by the Aronhold invariants). Within these completions, and under the caveats spelled out, this may provide an avenue to obtain necessary conditions for the above phenomena that are in principle calculable given nothing but the intersection numbers of a Calabi-Yau compactification geometry. As an additional result, abstract relations between holomorphic sectional and bisectional curvatures are utilized to constrain Affleck-Dine baryogenesis on a wide class of Kähler geometries.

The Prints: A Picture Book for Pre-Formal Geometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skoumpourdi, Chrysanthi; Mpakopoulou, Ifigenia

2011-01-01

A pre-test questionnaire was conducted in a kindergarten and it showed that, although the children were able to give various examples of objects, from their everyday lives, that are similar to solid shapes, the examples they gave for plane figures were also tangible objects. Since it is suggested that geometry instruction has to begin early,…

Forests and Phenology: Designing the Early Warning System to Understand Forest Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, T.; Phillips, M. B.; Hargrove, W. W.; Dobson, G.; Hicks, J.; Hutchins, M.; Lichtenstein, K.

2010-12-01

Vegetative phenology is the study of plant development and changes with the seasons, such as the greening-up and browning-down of forests, and how these events are influenced by variations in climate. A National Phenology Data Set, based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite images covering 2002 through 2009, is now available from work by NASA, the US Forest Service, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This new data set provides an easily interpretable product useful for detecting changes to the landscape due to long-term factors such as climate change, as well as finding areas affected by short-term forest threats such as insects or disease. The Early Warning System (EWS) is a toolset being developed by the US Forest Service and the University of North Carolina-Asheville to support distribution and use of the National Phenology Data Set. The Early Warning System will help research scientists, US Forest Service personnel, forest and natural resources managers, decision makers, and the public in the use of phenology data to better understand unexpected change within our nation’s forests. These changes could have multiple natural sources such as insects, disease, or storm damage, or may be due to human-induced events, like thinning, harvest, forest conversion to agriculture, or residential and commercial use. The primary goal of the Early Warning System is to provide a seamless integration between monitoring, detection, early warning and prediction of these forest disturbances as observed through phenological data. The system consists of PC and web-based components that are structured to support four user stages of increasing knowledge and data sophistication. Building Literacy: This stage of the Early Warning System educates potential users about the system, why the system should be used, and the fundamentals about the data the system uses. The channels for this education include a website, interactive tutorials, pamphlets, and other technology transfer methodologies. Achieving Context and Meaning: To provide deeper meaning and knowledge about the Early Warning System to users, this stage of the Early Warning System provides more information about specific examples of disturbances seen in the phenological data, as well the spatial and temporal context to these disturbances. The main components of this stage are specific case studies of forest disturbances. Accessing Data: This component of the Early Warning System includes products for research scientists, the aerial detection survey sketch mapper community, and others who will access and analyze the Early Warning System and phenological data. Products and data will be available through online GIS mashups and WMS and KML downloads. Utilizing Services: The final stage of the Early Warning System supports the analysis of phenological data and serves the results to those end users, including forest managers, the forest industry, and the public, who need to locate past, present, and potential forest disturbances. The main components of this stage include data-driven web tools, automated analysis processes, and end user training programs.

Early Improper Motion Detection in Golf Swings Using Wearable Motion Sensors: The First Approach

PubMed Central

Stančin, Sara; Tomažič, Sašo

2013-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of a golf swing to detect improper motion in the early phase of the swing. Led by the desire to achieve a consistent shot outcome, a particular golfer would (in multiple trials) prefer to perform completely identical golf swings. In reality, some deviations from the desired motion are always present due to the comprehensive nature of the swing motion. Swing motion deviations that are not detrimental to performance are acceptable. This analysis is conducted using a golfer's leading arm kinematic data, which are obtained from a golfer wearing a motion sensor that is comprised of gyroscopes and accelerometers. Applying the principal component analysis (PCA) to the reference observations of properly performed swings, the PCA components of acceptable swing motion deviations are established. Using these components, the motion deviations in the observations of other swings are examined. Any unacceptable deviations that are detected indicate an improper swing motion. Arbitrarily long observations of an individual player's swing sequences can be included in the analysis. The results obtained for the considered example show an improper swing motion in early phase of the swing, i.e., the first part of the backswing. An early detection method for improper swing motions that is conducted on an individual basis provides assistance for performance improvement. PMID:23752563

Early improper motion detection in golf swings using wearable motion sensors: the first approach.

PubMed

Stančin, Sara; Tomažič, Sašo

2013-06-10

This paper presents an analysis of a golf swing to detect improper motion in the early phase of the swing. Led by the desire to achieve a consistent shot outcome, a particular golfer would (in multiple trials) prefer to perform completely identical golf swings. In reality, some deviations from the desired motion are always present due to the comprehensive nature of the swing motion. Swing motion deviations that are not detrimental to performance are acceptable. This analysis is conducted using a golfer's leading arm kinematic data, which are obtained from a golfer wearing a motion sensor that is comprised of gyroscopes and accelerometers. Applying the principal component analysis (PCA) to the reference observations of properly performed swings, the PCA components of acceptable swing motion deviations are established. Using these components, the motion deviations in the observations of other swings are examined. Any unacceptable deviations that are detected indicate an improper swing motion. Arbitrarily long observations of an individual player's swing sequences can be included in the analysis. The results obtained for the considered example show an improper swing motion in early phase of the swing, i.e., the first part of the backswing. An early detection method for improper swing motions that is conducted on an individual basis provides assistance for performance improvement.

Constructs of Childhood: Enduring or Open to Change? Early Years Students' Reflections on First Hand Experiences of Childhood and Early Years Education in a Different Country and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGillivray, Gill

2009-01-01

It can be argued that globalisation brings change for children and their families in the guise of increased poverty and inequality; for example, for the world's poorest populations and communities. Students undertaking Early Childhood Studies degrees in the United Kingdom are likely to encounter modules with a focus on childhood in a variety of…

The REDIH experience: an emerging design to develop an effective training program for graduate students in reproductive science.

PubMed

Macdonald, Colla J; Archibald, Douglas; Baltz, Jay M; Kidder, Gerald M

2013-01-01

A training program in Reproduction, Early Development, and the Impact on Health (REDIH) was initiated in 2009 by researchers specializing in biomedical, clinical, population health, and ethics research from seven collaborating universities in Quebec and Ontario, and Health Canada. This paper reports the findings from the first three years of the 6-year program. The objective of the REDIH program is to provide increased opportunities for excellent training in reproduction and early development for graduate students and fellows, in order to build research, clinical, regulatory, decision-making, and industry capacity in Canada. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the REDIH training program, so as to combine the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative studies. A total of four focus groups (two with mentors and two with trainees) were run during the June 2012 REDIH meeting. Surveys were administered directly after each training module. The W(e)Learn framework was used as a guide to design and evaluate the program and answer the research questions. The data from the analysis of the focus group interviews, in corroboration with the survey data, suggested trainees enjoyed and benefited from the REDIH experience. Trainees provided several examples of new knowledge and skills they had acquired from REDIH sessions, regarding reproductive and early developmental biology, and health. A few trainees who had been in the program for over a year provided examples of knowledge and skills acquired during the REDIH session that they were using in their place of work. Next steps will include following up on REDIH graduates to see if the program has had any impact on trainees' employment opportunities and career development. Trainees and mentors concluded that the curricular design, which focuses on modules in 2-day learning sessions over a 6-year period, with opportunities for application in the workplace, enabled the sessions to be tailored to the outcomes of the formative evaluation. By sharing our experiences with REDIH, we hope that others can benefit from this unique emerging design, which focuses on the flexibility and receptivity of the mentors, and results in a program that lends itself to curriculum modification and tailoring as learners' needs are solicited and addressed.

The REDIH experience: an emerging design to develop an effective training program for graduate students in reproductive science

PubMed Central

MacDonald, Colla J; Archibald, Douglas; Baltz, Jay M; Kidder, Gerald M

2013-01-01

Background A training program in Reproduction, Early Development, and the Impact on Health (REDIH) was initiated in 2009 by researchers specializing in biomedical, clinical, population health, and ethics research from seven collaborating universities in Quebec and Ontario, and Health Canada. This paper reports the findings from the first three years of the 6-year program. Objectives The objective of the REDIH program is to provide increased opportunities for excellent training in reproduction and early development for graduate students and fellows, in order to build research, clinical, regulatory, decision-making, and industry capacity in Canada. Methods A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the REDIH training program, so as to combine the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative studies. A total of four focus groups (two with mentors and two with trainees) were run during the June 2012 REDIH meeting. Surveys were administered directly after each training module. The W(e)Learn framework was used as a guide to design and evaluate the program and answer the research questions. Results The data from the analysis of the focus group interviews, in corroboration with the survey data, suggested trainees enjoyed and benefited from the REDIH experience. Trainees provided several examples of new knowledge and skills they had acquired from REDIH sessions, regarding reproductive and early developmental biology, and health. A few trainees who had been in the program for over a year provided examples of knowledge and skills acquired during the REDIH session that they were using in their place of work. Next steps will include following up on REDIH graduates to see if the program has had any impact on trainees’ employment opportunities and career development. Conclusion Trainees and mentors concluded that the curricular design, which focuses on modules in 2-day learning sessions over a 6-year period, with opportunities for application in the workplace, enabled the sessions to be tailored to the outcomes of the formative evaluation. By sharing our experiences with REDIH, we hope that others can benefit from this unique emerging design, which focuses on the flexibility and receptivity of the mentors, and results in a program that lends itself to curriculum modification and tailoring as learners’ needs are solicited and addressed. PMID:24159264

Older Siblings’ Contributions to Young Child’s Cognitive Skills

PubMed Central

Dai, Xianhua; Heckman, James J.

2014-01-01

This work finds that older siblings as well as early parenting influence young children’s cognitive skills directly or indirectly, for example, Mathematics, and English. Our findings challenge a pervasive view in the economical literatures that early parenting play a dominant role in explaining child development. In economics, early environmental conditions are important to demonstrate the evolution of adolescent and adult cognitive skills (Knudsen, Heckman, Cameron, and Shonkoff, 2006; Cunha and Heckman, 2007), and it establishes causal impacts of early parental inputs and other environmental factors on cognitive and non-cognitive skills (Heckman, Stixrud, and Urzua, 2006; Borghans, Duckworth, Heckman, and Weel, 2006; Cunha, Heckman, and Schennach, 2010). Early parenting as well as older siblings should explain a diverse array of academic and social outcomes, for example, Mathematics, English, maritage and pregnancy. In fact, older siblings’ characteristics are as important, if not more important, than parenting for child development. Our analysis addresses the problems of measurement error, imperfect proxies, and reverse causality that plague conventional approach in psychology. We find that older brother contributes much more than older sister to child’s mathematical achievement, while older sister contributes much more to child’s english achievement. Our evidence is consistent with psychology literature, for example, Hetherington (1988), Jenkins (1992), Zukow-Goldring (1995), Marshall, Garcia-Coll, Marx, McCartney, Keffe, and Rub (1997), Maynard (2002), and Brody Ge, Kim, Murry, Simons, Gibbons, Gerrard, and Conger (2003) for siblings’ direct contributions to child development, Bronfenbrenner (1997), East (1998), Whiteman and Buchanan (2002), and Brody, Ge, Kim, Murry, Simons, Gibbons, Gerrard, and Conger (2003) for siblings’s indirect contributions, and Reiss, Neiderhiser, Hetherington, and Plomin (2000), Feinberg and Hetherington (2001), Kowal, Kramer, Krull, and Crick (2002) for parental differential treatment. PMID:25309016

Older Siblings' Contributions to Young Child's Cognitive Skills.

PubMed

Dai, Xianhua; Heckman, James J

2013-09-01

This work finds that older siblings as well as early parenting influence young children's cognitive skills directly or indirectly, for example, Mathematics, and English. Our findings challenge a pervasive view in the economical literatures that early parenting play a dominant role in explaining child development. In economics, early environmental conditions are important to demonstrate the evolution of adolescent and adult cognitive skills (Knudsen, Heckman, Cameron, and Shonkoff, 2006; Cunha and Heckman, 2007), and it establishes causal impacts of early parental inputs and other environmental factors on cognitive and non-cognitive skills (Heckman, Stixrud, and Urzua, 2006; Borghans, Duckworth, Heckman, and Weel, 2006; Cunha, Heckman, and Schennach, 2010). Early parenting as well as older siblings should explain a diverse array of academic and social outcomes, for example, Mathematics, English, maritage and pregnancy. In fact, older siblings' characteristics are as important, if not more important, than parenting for child development. Our analysis addresses the problems of measurement error, imperfect proxies, and reverse causality that plague conventional approach in psychology. We find that older brother contributes much more than older sister to child's mathematical achievement, while older sister contributes much more to child's english achievement. Our evidence is consistent with psychology literature, for example, Hetherington (1988), Jenkins (1992), Zukow-Goldring (1995), Marshall, Garcia-Coll, Marx, McCartney, Keffe, and Rub (1997), Maynard (2002), and Brody Ge, Kim, Murry, Simons, Gibbons, Gerrard, and Conger (2003) for siblings' direct contributions to child development, Bronfenbrenner (1997), East (1998), Whiteman and Buchanan (2002), and Brody, Ge, Kim, Murry, Simons, Gibbons, Gerrard, and Conger (2003) for siblings's indirect contributions, and Reiss, Neiderhiser, Hetherington, and Plomin (2000), Feinberg and Hetherington (2001), Kowal, Kramer, Krull, and Crick (2002) for parental differential treatment.

Differential effectiveness in patient protection laws: what are the causes? An example from the drive-through delivery laws.

PubMed

Dow, William H; Harris, Dean M; Liu, Zhimei

2006-12-01

In the mid-1990s, many states as well as the federal government began to regulate early postpartum hospital discharge. Length-of-stay patterns changed markedly in response, but effects were much greater in some states than others. In particular, laws directly empowering patients appeared more effective than laws requiring providers to follow practice guidelines. In addition, the effectiveness of regulation could potentially be influenced by state environment, such as managed care penetration as well as exposure to media attention and public pressure on the issue, though these factors alone were insufficient to cause general behavior change. Furthermore, the 1996 federal law had little effect beyond state laws, suggesting that it did not provide substantial benefits to women in self-insured plans exempted from state law regulation by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Findings from this study could provide lessons for similar patient protection initiatives.

Metal-Silicate Segregation in Asteroidal Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrin, Jason S.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.

2006-01-01

A fundamental process of planetary differentiation is the segregation of metal-sulfide and silicate phases, leading eventually to the formation of a metallic core. Asteroidal meteorites provide a glimpse of this process frozen in time from the early solar system. While chondrites represent starting materials, iron meteorites provide an end product where metal has been completely concentrated in a region of the parent asteroid. A complimentary end product is seen in metal-poor achondrites that have undergone significant igneous processing, such as angrites, HED's and the majority of aubrites. Metal-rich achondrites such as acapulcoite/lodranites, winonaites, ureilites, and metal-rich aubrites may represent intermediate stages in the metal segregation process. Among these, acapulcoite-lodranites and ureilites are examples of primary metal-bearing mantle restites, and therefore provide an opportunity to observe the metal segregation process that was captured in progress. In this study we use bulk trace element compositions of acapulcoites-lodranites and ureilites for this purpose.

Quality Profiles in Early Childhood: An Example from Virginia's Quality Rating Improvement System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squibb, Kathryn M.

2013-01-01

Quality in early childhood settings has emerged as an important factor in determining whether the potential benefits of educational experiences before kindergarten will be realized. Research demonstrates that in order for such interventions to be beneficial to young children's development, the quality of their educational environments and…

Early Transition and Adjustment and Children's Adjustment after Six Years of Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margetts, Kay

2009-01-01

Researchers have made convincing arguments for the benefits of a smooth transition to school. The passage through this significant social change may have a lasting influence on children's progress. For example, social, emotional and academic difficulties in the early years of schooling have been shown to persist through school and into…

Citizens or Cosmopolitans? Nationalism, Internationalism, and Academic Identity in the Early American Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Adam R.

2013-01-01

Historically, the changing roles of academics have often been associated with changing relations between scholarship and the state. What functions did the state expect scholars to fulfill? Using a historical-biographical approach, this essay considers the example of early nineteenth-century astronomer Ferdinand Rudolf Hassler, who immigrated to…

Listening to Students: Studying for a Part-Time Degree in Early Childhood Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burn, Elizabeth

For this study, 12 part-time students in an early childhood studies program were interviewed and videotaped concerning their personal stories as students. Initial analysis of their responses revealed main themes: (1) economic barriers to full-time degree study; (2) domestic responsibilities/gender issues (for example, the stress of juggling…

Open Listening: Creative Evolution in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Bronwyn

2011-01-01

This article sketches out a philosophy and practice of open listening, linking open listening to Bergson's (1998) concept of creative evolution. I draw on examples of small children at play from a variety of sources, including Reggio-Emilia-inspired preschools in Sweden. The article offers a challenge to early childhood educators to listen and to…

A Model for Early Detection and Primary Prevention of Emotional or Behavioral Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forness, Steven R.; Serna, Loretta A.; Nielsen, Elizabeth; Lambros, Katina; Hale, Mary Johnell; Kavale, Kenneth A.

2000-01-01

This paper describes an example of the use of early detection of emotional/behavioral disorders and a self-determination curriculum in the Head Start Program of Youth Development Incorporated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The rationale for this approach is discussed and preliminary data on the program's effectiveness are presented. (Contains…

Diverse dinosaur-dominated ichnofaunas from the Potomac Group (Lower Cretaceous) Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanford, Ray; Lockley, Martin G.; Weems, Robert E.

2007-01-01

Until recently fossil footprints were virtually unknown from the Cretaceous of the eastern United States. The discovery of about 300 footprints in iron-rich siliciclastic facies of the Patuxent Formation (Potomac Group) of Aptian age is undoubtedly one of the most significant Early Cretaceous track discoveries since the Paluxy track discoveries in Texas in the 1930s. The Patuxent tracks include theropod, sauropod, ankylosaur and ornithopod dinosaur footprints, pterosaur tracks, and miscellaneous mammal and other vertebrate ichnites that collectively suggest a diversity of about 14 morphotypes. This is about twice the previous maximum estimate for any known Early Cretaceous vertebrate ichnofauna. Among the more distinctive forms are excellent examples of hypsilophodontid tracks and a surprisingly large mammal footprint. A remarkable feature of the Patuxent track assemblage is the high proportion of small tracks indicative of hatchlings, independently verified by the discovery of a hatchling-sized dinosaur. Such evidence suggests the proximity of nest sites. The preservation of such small tracks is very rare in the Cretaceous track record, and indeed throughout most of the Mesozoic.This unusual preservation not only provides us with a window into a diverse Early Cretaceous ecosystem, but it also suggests the potential of such facies to provide ichnological bonanzas. A remarkable feature of the assemblage is that it consists largely of reworked nodules and clasts that may have previously been reworked within the Patuxent Formation. Such unusual contexts of preservation should provide intriguing research opportunities for sedimentologists interested in the diagenesis and taphonomy of a unique track-bearing facies.

Adult Stem Cells and Diseases of Aging

PubMed Central

Boyette, Lisa B.; Tuan, Rocky S.

2014-01-01

Preservation of adult stem cells pools is critical for maintaining tissue homeostasis into old age. Exhaustion of adult stem cell pools as a result of deranged metabolic signaling, premature senescence as a response to oncogenic insults to the somatic genome, and other causes contribute to tissue degeneration with age. Both progeria, an extreme example of early-onset aging, and heritable longevity have provided avenues to study regulation of the aging program and its impact on adult stem cell compartments. In this review, we discuss recent findings concerning the effects of aging on stem cells, contributions of stem cells to age-related pathologies, examples of signaling pathways at work in these processes, and lessons about cellular aging gleaned from the development and refinement of cellular reprogramming technologies. We highlight emerging therapeutic approaches to manipulation of key signaling pathways corrupting or exhausting adult stem cells, as well as other approaches targeted at maintaining robust stem cell pools to extend not only lifespan but healthspan. PMID:24757526

Sand fairway mapping as a tool for tectonic restoration in orogenic belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, Rob

2016-04-01

The interplay between regional subsidence mechanisms and local deformation associated with individual fold-thrust structures is commonly investigated in neotectonic subaerial systems using tectonic geomorphology. Taking these approaches back into the early evolution of mountain belts is difficult as much of the key evidence is lost through erosion. The challenge is to develop appropriate tools for investigating these early stages of orogenesis. However, many such systems developed under water. In these settings the connections between regional and local tectonics are manifest in complex bathymetry. Turbidity currents flowing between and across these structures will interact with their substrate and thus their deposits, tied to stratigraphic ages, can chart tectonic evolution. Understanding the depositional processes of the turbidity currents provides substantial further insight on confining seabed geometry and thus can establish significant control on the evolution of bathymetric gradients and continuity through basins. However, reading these records commonly demands working in structurally deformed terrains that hitherto have discouraged sedimentological study. This is now changing. Sand fairway mapping provides a key approach. Fairway maps chart connectivity between basins and hence their relative elevation through time. Larger-scale tectonic reconstructions may be tested by linking fairway maps to sand composition and other provenance data. More detailed turbidite sedimentology provides substantial further insight. In confined turbidite systems, it is the coarser sand component that accumulates in the deeper basin with fines fractionated onto the flanks. Flow bypass, evidenced by abrupt breaks in grading within individual event beds, can be used to predict sand fraction distribution down fairways. Integrating sedimentology into fairway maps can chart syntectonic slope evolution and thus provide high resolution tools equivalent to those in subaerial tectonic geomorphology. The stratigraphic records are preserved in many parts of the Alpine-Mediterranean region. Examples are drawn from the Eo-Oligocene of the western Alps and the early Miocene of the Maghreb-Apennine system to illustrate how turbidite sedimentology, linked to studies of basin structure, can inform understanding of tectonic processes on regional and local scales. In both examples, sediment was delivered across deforming basin arrays containing contractional structures, sourced from beyond the immediate orogenic segments. The depositional systems show that multiple structures were active in parallel, rather than develop in any particular sequence. Both systems show that significant deformation occurs, emerging to the syn-orogenic surface ahead of the main orogenic wedge. The cycling of uplift and subsidence of "massifs" can be significantly more complex that the histories resolved from thermochronological data alone.

Drought Monitoring and Forecasting: Experiences from the US and Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffield, Justin; Chaney, Nate; Yuan, Xing; Wood, Eric

2013-04-01

Drought has important but very different consequences regionally due to differences in vulnerability. These differences derive from variations in exposure related to climate variability and change, sensitivity of local populations, and coping capacity at all levels. Managing the risk of drought impacts relies on a variety of measures to reduce vulnerability that includes forewarning of drought development through early-warning systems. Existing systems rely on a variety of observing systems from satellites to local observers, modeling tools, and data dissemination methods. They range from sophisticated state-of-the-art systems to simple ground reports. In some regions, systems are virtually non-existent due to limited national capacity. This talk describes our experiences in developing and implementing drought monitoring and seasonal forecast systems in the US and sub-Saharan Africa as contrasting examples of the scientific challenges and user needs in developing early warning systems. In particular, early warning can help improve livelihoods based on subsistence farming in sub-Saharan Africa; whist reduction of economic impacts is generally foremost in the US. For the US, our national drought monitoring and seasonal forecast system has been operational for over 8 years and provides near real-time updates on hydrological states at ~12km resolution and hydrological forecasts out to 9 months. Output from the system contributes to national assessments such as from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the US National Drought Monitor (USDM). For sub-Saharan Africa, our experimental drought monitoring system was developed as a translation of the US system but presents generally greater challenges due to, for example, lack of ground data and unique user needs. The system provides near real-time updates based on hydrological modeling and satellite based precipitation estimates, and has recently been augmented by a seasonal forecast component. We discuss the differences in experiences in development and implementation between the two systems in terms of the scientific challenges and the utility of the systems to stakeholders, for whom the information must be relevant to local conditions and needs.

Spitzer Science operations: the good, the bad, and the ugly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levine, Deborah A.

2008-07-01

We review the Spitzer Space Telescope Science Center operations teams and processes and their interfaces with other Project elements -- what we planned early in the development of the science center, what we had at a launch and what we have now and why. We also explore the checks and balances behind building an organizational structure that supports constructive airing of conflicts and a timely resolution that balances the inputs and provides for very efficient on-orbit operations. For example, what organizational roles are involved in reviewing observing schedules, what constituency do they represent and who has authority to approve or disapprove the schedule.

[The early history of child and adolescent psychiatry. A review of research on historical aspects of the concepts of child psychiatric thought and processes].

PubMed

Fegert, J M

1986-01-01

This sociohistorical essay attempts to trace back to the enlightenment the roots of contemporary child psychiatry. Five examples are used for illustrative purposes: the emergence of the concepts of human development, classification, compensation for deficits and psychohygiene (now mental hygiene), and the problems arising from the differentiation of schooling. Historical considerations provide numerous reasons for regarding child psychiatry as a medical specialty. These arguments would seem to outweight any need, deriving from economic pressure, to defend this field as an entity separate from its "parent disciplines" (pediatrics, psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine).

Control of gene expression by CRISPR-Cas systems

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loci and their associated cas (CRISPR-associated) genes provide adaptive immunity against viruses (phages) and other mobile genetic elements in bacteria and archaea. While most of the early work has largely been dominated by examples of CRISPR-Cas systems directing the cleavage of phage or plasmid DNA, recent studies have revealed a more complex landscape where CRISPR-Cas loci might be involved in gene regulation. In this review, we summarize the role of these loci in the regulation of gene expression as well as the recent development of synthetic gene regulation using engineered CRISPR-Cas systems. PMID:24273648

Click Chemistry in Complex Mixtures: Bioorthogonal Bioconjugation

PubMed Central

McKay, Craig S.; Finn, M.G.

2014-01-01

The selective chemical modification of biological molecules drives a good portion of modern drug development and fundamental biological research. While a few early examples of reactions that engage amine and thiol groups on proteins helped establish the value of such processes, the development of reactions that avoid most biological molecules so as to achieve selectivity in desired bond-forming events has revolutionized the field. We provide an update on recent developments in bioorthogonal chemistry that highlights key advances in reaction rates, biocompatibility, and applications. While not exhaustive, we hope this summary allows the reader to appreciate the rich continuing development of good chemistry that operates in the biological setting. PMID:25237856

Bipolar disorder in adolescence.

PubMed

DeFilippis, Melissa; Wagner, Karen Dineen

2013-08-01

Bipolar disorder is a serious psychiatric condition that may have onset in childhood. It is important for physicians to recognize the symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents in order to accurately diagnose this illness early in its course. Evidence regarding the efficacy of various treatments is necessary to guide the management of bipolar disorder in youth. For example, several medications commonly used for adults with bipolar disorder have not shown efficacy for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. This article reviews the prevalence, diagnosis, course, and treatment of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents and provides physicians with information that will aid in diagnosis and treatment.

Remote sensing sensors and applications in environmental resources mapping and modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Melesse, Assefa M.; Weng, Qihao; Thenkabail, Prasad S.; Senay, Gabriel B.

2007-01-01

The history of remote sensing and development of different sensors for environmental and natural resources mapping and data acquisition is reviewed and reported. Application examples in urban studies, hydrological modeling such as land-cover and floodplain mapping, fractional vegetation cover and impervious surface area mapping, surface energy flux and micro-topography correlation studies is discussed. The review also discusses the use of remotely sensed-based rainfall and potential evapotranspiration for estimating crop water requirement satisfaction index and hence provides early warning information for growers. The review is not an exhaustive application of the remote sensing techniques rather a summary of some important applications in environmental studies and modeling.

Single-machine common/slack due window assignment problems with linear decreasing processing times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xingong; Lin, Win-Chin; Wu, Wen-Hsiang; Wu, Chin-Chia

2017-08-01

This paper studies linear non-increasing processing times and the common/slack due window assignment problems on a single machine, where the actual processing time of a job is a linear non-increasing function of its starting time. The aim is to minimize the sum of the earliness cost, tardiness cost, due window location and due window size. Some optimality results are discussed for the common/slack due window assignment problems and two O(n log n) time algorithms are presented to solve the two problems. Finally, two examples are provided to illustrate the correctness of the corresponding algorithms.

Kindergarteners’ Self-Reported Social Inhibition and Observed Social Reticence: Moderation by Adult-Reported Social Inhibition and Social Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Buss, Kristin A.; Molitor, Joseph G.

2014-01-01

Prevention of later anxiety problems would best be accomplished by identifying at-risk children early in development. For example, children who develop Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) may show social withdrawal in the form of social inhibition (i.e., shyness with unfamiliar adults and peers) at school entry. Although the use of children’s perceptions of their own social inhibition would provide insight into early risk, the utility of young children’s self-reports remains unclear. The current study examined whether children deemed more extreme on social inhibition or social anxiety by adult report provided self-report of social inhibition that related to observed social reticence in the laboratory. Participants included 85 kindergarten children (36 female, 49 male), their parents, and their teachers. Moderation analyses revealed that children’s self-reported social inhibition related significantly to observed social reticence under the conditions of high parent-reported social inhibition, high teacher-reported social inhibition, and high SAD symptoms. These results suggest that the most inhibited children are aware of their behavior and can report it in a meaningfully way as young as kindergarten age. PMID:25113397

Solar Energetic Particle Warnings from a Coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St Cyr, O. C.; Posner, A.; Burkepile, J. T.

2017-01-01

We report here the concept of using near-real time observations from a coronagraph to provide early warning of a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) and the possible onset of a solar energetic particle (SEP) event. The 1 January 2016, fast CME, and its associated SEP event are cited as an example. The CME was detected by the ground-based K-Cor coronagraph at Mauna Loa Solar Observatory and by the SOHO Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph. The near-real-time availability of the high-cadence K-Cor observations in the low corona leads to an obvious question: Why has no one attempted to use a coronagraph as an early warning device for SEP events? The answer is that the low image cadence and the long latency of existing spaceborne coronagraphs make them valid for archival studies but typically unsuitable for near-real-time forecasting. The January 2016 event provided favorable CME viewing geometry and demonstrated that the primary component of a prototype ground-based system for SEP warnings is available several hours on most days. We discuss how a conceptual CME-based warning system relates to other techniques, including an estimate of the relative SEP warning times, and how such a system might be realized.

Microscopy reveals disease control through novel effects on fungal development: a case study with an early-generation benzophenone fungicide.

PubMed

Schmitt, Mark R; Carzaniga, Raffaella; Cotter, H Van T; O'Connell, Richard; Hollomon, Derek

2006-05-01

The benzophenones are a new class of agricultural fungicides that demonstrate protectant, curative and eradicative/antisporulant activity against powdery mildews. The chemistry is represented in the marketplace by the fungicide metrafenone, recently introduced by BASF and discussed in the following paper. The benzophenones show no evidence of acting by previously identified biochemical mechanisms, nor do they show cross-resistance with existing fungicides. The value of microscopy in elucidating fungicide mode of action is demonstrated through identification of the effects of an early benzophenone, eBZO, on mildew development. eBZO caused profound alterations in the morphology of powdery mildews of both monocotyledons and dicotyledons, affecting multiple stages of fungal development, including spore germination, appressorial formation, penetration, surface hyphal morphology and sporogenesis. Identification of analogous effects of eBZO on sporulation in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans (Eidam) Winter provides a unique opportunity to elucidate important morphogenetic regulatory sites in the economically important obligate pathogens, the powdery mildews. Benzophenones provide a further example of the benefits of whole-organism testing in the search for novel fungicide modes of action. Copyright 2006 Society of Chemical Industry.

Advances in the microbial etiology and pathogenesis of early childhood caries

PubMed Central

Hajishengallis, Evlambia; Parsaei, Yassmin; Klein, Marlise I.; Koo, Hyun

2016-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases affecting children worldwide. ECC is an aggressive form of dental caries, which left untreated, can result in rapid and extensive cavitation in teeth (rampant caries) that is painful and costly to treat. Furthermore, it affects mostly children from impoverished background, and thus constitutes a major challenge in public health. The disease is a prime example of the consequences arising from complex, dynamic interactions between microorganisms, host and diet, leading to the establishment of highly pathogenic (cariogenic) biofilms. To date, there are no effective methods to identify those at risk of developing ECC or control the disease in affected children. Recent advances in deep-sequencing technologies, novel imaging methods and (meta)proteomics-metabolomics approaches provide an unparalleled potential to reveal new insights to illuminate our current understanding about the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease. In this concise review, we provide a broader perspective about the etiology and pathogenesis of ECC based on previous and current knowledge on biofilm matrix, microbial diversity and host-microbe interactions which could have direct implications for developing new approaches for improved risk assessment and prevention of this devastating and costly childhood health condition. PMID:26714612

Networked Microgrids Scoping Study

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

Backhaus, Scott N.; Dobriansky, Larisa; Glover, Steve

2016-12-05

Much like individual microgrids, the range of opportunities and potential architectures of networked microgrids is very diverse. The goals of this scoping study are to provide an early assessment of research and development needs by examining the benefits of, risks created by, and risks to networked microgrids. At this time there are very few, if any, examples of deployed microgrid networks. In addition, there are very few tools to simulate or otherwise analyze the behavior of networked microgrids. In this setting, it is very difficult to evaluate networked microgrids systematically or quantitatively. At this early stage, this study is relyingmore » on inputs, estimations, and literature reviews by subject matter experts who are engaged in individual microgrid research and development projects, i.e., the authors of this study The initial step of the study gathered input about the potential opportunities provided by networked microgrids from these subject matter experts. These opportunities were divided between the subject matter experts for further review. Part 2 of this study is comprised of these reviews. Part 1 of this study is a summary of the benefits and risks identified in the reviews in Part 2 and synthesis of the research needs required to enable networked microgrids.« less

Treatment expectations of men with ED and their female partners: an exploratory qualitative study based on grounded theory.

PubMed

Henninger, S; Höhn, C; Leiber, C; Berner, M M

2015-01-01

Erectile dysfunction (ED) can impair the quality of life and the relationship. An early treatment is necessary to avoid the development of comorbid complaints. To arise the help-seeking behavior and to improve the treatment of affected men, it is necessary to be aware of the treatment expectations. The objective of this study was to investigate the treatment expectations of men with ED and their female partners. This is an explorative qualitative study using semistructured telephone interviews with 12 men with ED and their female partners. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analyzed on the basis of the grounded theory. We could identify various treatment expectations, which could be differentiated into expectations according to the conditions (for example, low costs and an early access), the handling of the practitioner (for example, showing interest and taking the patient seriously or incorporate the female partner), the treatment itself (for example, clearing the causes and helpful medication) and the treatment outcome (for example, having no ED and more sexual desire). Considering the identified expectations could increase treatment motivation and compliance. We derive five theses from our data, how to implement our findings.

Martin Mayman's early memories technique: bridging the gap between personality assessment and psychotherapy.

PubMed

Fowler, J C; Hilsenroth, M J; Handler, L

2000-08-01

In this article, we describe Martin Mayman's approach to early childhood memories as a projective technique, beginning with his scientific interest in learning theory, coupled with his interest in ego psychology and object relations theory. We describe Mayman's contributions to the use of the early memories technique to inform the psychotherapy process, tying assessment closely to psychotherapy and making assessment more useful in treatment. In this article, we describe a representative sample of research studies that demonstrate the reliability and validity of early memories, followed by case examples in which the early memories informed the therapy process, including issues of transference and countertransference.

Combined control-structure optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salama, M.; Milman, M.; Bruno, R.; Scheid, R.; Gibson, S.

1989-01-01

An approach for combined control-structure optimization keyed to enhancing early design trade-offs is outlined and illustrated by numerical examples. The approach employs a homotopic strategy and appears to be effective for generating families of designs that can be used in these early trade studies. Analytical results were obtained for classes of structure/control objectives with linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) costs. For these, researchers demonstrated that global optima can be computed for small values of the homotopy parameter. Conditions for local optima along the homotopy path were also given. Details of two numerical examples employing the LQR control cost were given showing variations of the optimal design variables along the homotopy path. The results of the second example suggest that introducing a second homotopy parameter relating the two parts of the control index in the LQG/LQR formulation might serve to enlarge the family of Pareto optima, but its effect on modifying the optimal structural shapes may be analogous to the original parameter lambda.

Teaching Petrarchan and Anti-Petrarchan Discourses in Early Modern English Lyrics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribes, Purificación

2012-01-01

The aim of the present article is to help students realize that Petrarchism has been an influential source of inspiration for Early Modern English lyrics. Its topics and conventions have lent themselves to a wide variety of appropriations which the present selection of texts for analysis tries to illustrate. A few telling examples from Spenser,…

Working on the Impossible: Early Childhood Policies in Namibia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Helen

2008-01-01

This article discusses the complexities of aid-giving using the example of early childhood policies in Namibia. It supports a critical view of aid processes and of World Bank endeavours in particular. Using an analysis of the World Bank funded education sector-wide improvement plan (ETSIP) in Namibia and three Namibian local case studies, it shows…

Early Childhood Curricula in Sweden from the 1850s to the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Ann-Christine Vallberg

2006-01-01

This article introduces the curriculum history of early childhood education in Sweden. The study is based on curriculum theory and gender theory. A broad curricular concept is used. The period analysed ranges from approximately the 1850s to the present day. Examples of key-texts analysed are National curricula, Handbooks, one journal (The…

Integrating Early Childhood Education in a Health Program: An Example from El Salvador

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borisova, Ivelina; Coddington, Cathy

2010-01-01

The early childhood years (conception to age 8) are not only the most critical time for human growth but also for development and learning. Neurological and behavioral scientists document how inadequate stimulation and interactions can disrupt basic neural circuitry and cause long-term challenges for child's cognitive development. Yet, despite the…

Prolonged Institutional Rearing Is Associated with Atypically Large Amygdala Volume and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tottenham, Nim; Hare, Todd A.; Quinn, Brian T.; McCarry, Thomas W.; Nurse, Marcella; Gilhooly, Tara; Millner, Alexander; Galvan, Adriana; Davidson, Matthew C.; Eigsti, Inge-Marie; Thomas, Kathleen M.; Freed, Peter J.; Booma, Elizabeth S.; Gunnar, Megan R.; Altemus, Margaret; Aronson, Jane; Casey, B. J.

2010-01-01

Early adversity, for example poor caregiving, can have profound effects on emotional development. Orphanage rearing, even in the best circumstances, lies outside of the bounds of a species-typical caregiving environment. The long-term effects of this early adversity on the neurobiological development associated with socio-emotional behaviors are…

Don't We Care?: The Ethics and Emotional Labour of Early Years Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taggart, Geoff

2011-01-01

This paper argues that early childhood education and care (ECEC) has a legitimate aspiration to be a "caring profession" like others such as nursing or social work, defined by a moral purpose. For example, practitioners often draw on an ethic of care as evidence of their professionalism. However, the discourse of professionalism in…

ILRS Website Redesign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noll, C.; Lee, L.; Torrence, M.

2011-01-01

The International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) website, http://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov, is the central source of information for all aspects of the service. The website provides information on the organization and operation of ILRS and descriptions of ILRS components, data, and products. Furthermore, the website and provides an entry point to the archive of these data and products available through the data centers. Links are provided to extensive information on the ILRS network stations including performance assessments and data quality evaluations. Descriptions of supported satellite missions (current, future, and past) are provided to aid in station acquisition and data analysis. The current format for the ILRS website has been in use since the early years of the service. Starting in 2010, the ILRS Central Bureau began efforts to redesign the look and feel for the website. The update will allow for a review of the contents, ensuring information is current and useful. This poster will detail the proposed design including specific examples of key sections and webpages.

A seamless global hydrological monitoring and forecasting system for water resources assessment and hydrological hazard early warning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffield, Justin; He, Xiaogang; Wood, Eric; Pan, Ming; Wanders, Niko; Zhan, Wang; Peng, Liqing

2017-04-01

Sustainable management of water resources and mitigation of the impacts of hydrological hazards are becoming ever more important at large scales because of inter-basin, inter-country and inter-continental connections in water dependent sectors. These include water resources management, food production, and energy production, whose needs must be weighed against the water needs of ecosystems and preservation of water resources for future generations. The strains on these connections are likely to increase with climate change and increasing demand from burgeoning populations and rapid development, with potential for conflict over water. At the same time, network connections may provide opportunities to alleviate pressures on water availability through more efficient use of resources such as trade in water dependent goods. A key constraint on understanding, monitoring and identifying solutions to increasing competition for water resources and hazard risk is the availability of hydrological data for monitoring and forecasting water resources and hazards. We present a global online system that provides continuous and consistent water products across time scales, from the historic instrumental period, to real-time monitoring, short-term and seasonal forecasts, and climate change projections. The system is intended to provide data and tools for analysis of historic hydrological variability and trends, water resources assessment, monitoring of evolving hazards and forecasts for early warning, and climate change scale projections of changes in water availability and extreme events. The system is particular useful for scientists and stakeholders interested in regions with less available in-situ data, and where forecasts have the potential to help decision making. The system is built on a database of high-resolution climate data from 1950 to present that merges available observational records with bias-corrected reanalysis and satellite data, which then drives a coupled land surface model-flood inundation model to produce hydrological variables and indices at daily, 0.25-degree resolution, globally. The system is updated in near real-time (< 2 days) using satellite precipitation and weather model data, and produces forecasts at short-term (out to 7 days) based on the Global Forecast System (GFS) and seasonal (up to 6 months) based on U.S. National Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) seasonal forecasts. Climate change projections are based on bias-corrected and downscaled CMIP5 climate data that is used to force the hydrological model. Example products from the system include real-time and forecast drought indices for precipitation, soil moisture, and streamflow, and flood magnitude and extent indices. The model outputs are complemented by satellite based products and indices based on satellite data for vegetation health (MODIS NDVI) and soil moisture (SMAP). We show examples of the validation of the system at regional scales, including how local information can significantly improve predictions, and examples of how the system can be used to understand large-scale water resource issues, and in real-world contexts for early warning, decision making and planning.

Role of Cell-to-Cell Variability in Activating a Positive Feedback Antiviral Response in Human Dendritic Cells

PubMed Central

Hu, Jianzhong; Nudelman, German; Shimoni, Yishai; Kumar, Madhu; Ding, Yaomei; López, Carolina; Hayot, Fernand; Wetmur, James G.; Sealfon, Stuart C.

2011-01-01

In the first few hours following Newcastle disease viral infection of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells, the induction of IFNB1 is extremely low and the secreted type I interferon response is below the limits of ELISA assay. However, many interferon-induced genes are activated at this time, for example DDX58 (RIGI), which in response to viral RNA induces IFNB1. We investigated whether the early induction of IFNBI in only a small percentage of infected cells leads to low level IFN secretion that then induces IFN-responsive genes in all cells. We developed an agent-based mathematical model to explore the IFNBI and DDX58 temporal dynamics. Simulations showed that a small number of early responder cells provide a mechanism for efficient and controlled activation of the DDX58-IFNBI positive feedback loop. The model predicted distributions of single cell responses that were confirmed by single cell mRNA measurements. The results suggest that large cell-to-cell variation plays an important role in the early innate immune response, and that the variability is essential for the efficient activation of the IFNB1 based feedback loop. PMID:21347441

An early Oligocene fossil demonstrates treeshrews are slowly evolving "living fossils".

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Ni, Xijun

2016-01-14

Treeshrews are widely considered a "living model" of an ancestral primate, and have long been called "living fossils". Actual fossils of treeshrews, however, are extremely rare. We report a new fossil species of Ptilocercus treeshrew recovered from the early Oligocene (~34 Ma) of China that represents the oldest definitive fossil record of the crown group of treeshrews and nearly doubles the temporal length of their fossil record. The fossil species is strikingly similar to the living Ptilocercus lowii, a species generally recognized as the most plesiomorphic extant treeshrew. It demonstrates that Ptilocercus treeshrews have undergone little evolutionary change in their morphology since the early Oligocene. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analysis support the long-standing idea that Ptilocercus treeshrews are morphologically conservative and have probably retained many characters present in the common stock that gave rise to archontans, which include primates, flying lemurs, plesiadapiforms and treeshrews. This discovery provides an exceptional example of slow morphological evolution in a mammalian group over a period of 34 million years. The persistent and stable tropical environment in Southeast Asia through the Cenozoic likely played a critical role in the survival of such a morphologically conservative lineage.

Sleep characteristics, body mass index, and risk for hypertension in young adolescents.

PubMed

Peach, Hannah; Gaultney, Jane F; Reeve, Charlie L

2015-02-01

Inadequate sleep has been identified as a risk factor for a variety of health consequences. For example, short sleep durations and daytime sleepiness, an indicator of insufficient sleep and/or poor sleep quality, have been identified as risk factors for hypertension in the adult population. However, less evidence exists regarding whether these relationships hold within child and early adolescent samples and what factors mediate the relationship between sleep and risk for hypertension. Using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the present study examined body mass index (BMI) as a possible mediator for the effects of school-night sleep duration, weekend night sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness on risk for hypertension in a sample of sixth graders. The results demonstrated gender-specific patterns. Among boys, all three sleep characteristics predicted BMI and yielded significant indirect effects on risk for hypertension. Oppositely, only daytime sleepiness predicted BMI among girls and yielded a significant indirect effect on risk for hypertension. The findings provide clarification for the influence of sleep on the risk for hypertension during early adolescence and suggest a potential need for gender-specific designs in future research and application endeavors.

When the business of nursing was the nursing business: the private duty registry system, 1900-1940.

PubMed

Whelan, Jean C

2012-05-31

In the initial decades of the 20th century, most nurses worked in the private sector as private duty nurses dependent on their own resources for securing and obtaining employment with individual patients. To organize and systematize the ways in which nurses sought jobs, a structure of private duty registries, agencies which connected nurses with patients, was established via professional nurse associations. This article describes the origins of the private duty nurse labor market as the main employment field for early nurses and ways in which the private duty registry system connected nurses and patients. The impact of professional nurses associations and two registries, (New York and Chicago) illustrates how the business of nursing was carried out, including registry formation, operation, and administration. Private duty nurses are compelling examples of a previous generation of nurse entrepreneurs. The discussion identifies problems and challenges of private nursing practice via registries, including the decline and legacy of this innovative nurse role. The story of early 20th century nurse owned and operated registries provides an early and critical historical illustration of the realization of nurse power, entrepreneurship, and control over professional practice that we still learn from today.

Bridging the gap

PubMed Central

Mahler, Stephen M; Huang, Edwin P; Chin, David Y; Gray, Peter P

2011-01-01

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) currently dominate the biologics marketplace. Development of a new therapeutic mAb candidate is a complex, multistep process and early stages of development typically begin in an academic research environment. Recently, a number of facilities and initiatives have been launched to aid researchers along this difficult path and facilitate progression of the next mAb blockbuster. Complementing this, there has been a renewed interest from the pharmaceutical industry to reconnect with academia in order to boost dwindling pipelines and encourage innovation. In this review, we examine the steps required to take a therapeutic mAb from discovery through early stage preclinical development and toward becoming a feasible clinical candidate. Discussion of the technologies used for mAb discovery, production in mammalian cells and innovations in single-use bioprocessing is included. We also examine regulatory requirements for product quality and characterization that should be considered at the earliest stages of mAb development. We provide details on the facilities available to help researchers and small-biotech build value into early stage product development, and include examples from within our own facility of how technologies are utilized and an analysis of our client base. PMID:21822050

An early Oligocene fossil demonstrates treeshrews are slowly evolving “living fossils”

PubMed Central

Li, Qiang; Ni, Xijun

2016-01-01

Treeshrews are widely considered a “living model” of an ancestral primate, and have long been called “living fossils”. Actual fossils of treeshrews, however, are extremely rare. We report a new fossil species of Ptilocercus treeshrew recovered from the early Oligocene (~34 Ma) of China that represents the oldest definitive fossil record of the crown group of treeshrews and nearly doubles the temporal length of their fossil record. The fossil species is strikingly similar to the living Ptilocercus lowii, a species generally recognized as the most plesiomorphic extant treeshrew. It demonstrates that Ptilocercus treeshrews have undergone little evolutionary change in their morphology since the early Oligocene. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analysis support the long-standing idea that Ptilocercus treeshrews are morphologically conservative and have probably retained many characters present in the common stock that gave rise to archontans, which include primates, flying lemurs, plesiadapiforms and treeshrews. This discovery provides an exceptional example of slow morphological evolution in a mammalian group over a period of 34 million years. The persistent and stable tropical environment in Southeast Asia through the Cenozoic likely played a critical role in the survival of such a morphologically conservative lineage. PMID:26766238

Revisioning Fordham's 'Defences of the self' in light of modern relational theory and contemporary neuroscience.

PubMed

Kalsched, Donald E

2015-09-01

This paper explores the evolution of Michael Fordham's ideas concerning 'defences of the self', including his application of this concept to a group of 'difficult' adult patients in his famous 1974 paper by the same name. After tracing the relevance of Fordham's ideas to my own discovery of a 'self-care system' in the psychological material of early trauma patients (Kalsched ), I describe how Fordham's seminal notions might be revisioned in light of contemporary relational theory as well as early attachment theory and affective neuroscience. These revisionings involve an awareness that the severe woundings of early unremembered trauma are not transformable through interpretation but will inevitably be repeated in the transference, leading to mutual 'enactments' between the analytic partners and, hopefully, to a new outcome. A clinical example of one such mutual enactment between the author and his patient is provided. The paper concludes with reflections on the clinical implications of this difficult case and what it means to become a 'real person' to our patients. Finally, Jung's alchemical views on transference are shown to be useful analogies in our understanding of the necessary mutuality in the healing process with these patients. © 2015, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

An example of fisheries oceanography: Walleye pollock in Alaskan waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schumacher, Jim; Kendall, Arthur W.

1995-07-01

A major area of research in fisheries oceanography examines relationships between recruitment dynamics of fish populations and the marine environment. A primary goal is to understand the natural causes of variability in year-class strength of commercially valuable species and apply this knowledge to management [Perry, 1994]. The paradigm that the majority of mortality occurs during transport of early life history stages from spawning to nursery grounds [Rothschild, 1986; Houde, 1987] provides an initial temporal focus for most research. The spatial domain includes the region occupied by early life history stages. Since global climate variability impacts regional ecosystem dynamics, however, the spatial domain often must be expanded. The relative importance and manifestation of biological factors [starvation and predation] that limit survival varies each year. Marked interannual and longer period variations in temperature (an influence on metabolic rates and behavior), transport of planktonic stages, and turbulence can exert an influence on both survival of early life history stages, and distribution of juveniles and adults. To understand how these environmental factors influence reproductive success of fish stocks also requires knowledge of the impact of these factors on predators and prey throughout the food web.

MID-LATITUDE CYCLONES WITH TROPICAL ORIGINS: lessons from two historical case studies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Herrera, R.; Vaquero, J. M.; Wheeler, D.

2009-04-01

Interest in storm and hurricane activity has grown over recent years, their changing incidence being seen, rightly or wrongly, as a gauge of ‘global warming'. Yet such judgements can be confidently offered only on the basis of a reliable long period of record that provides more informative perspective on the events of the past few decades. This presentation is concerned with two examples of hurricane activity, both of which make valuable use of historical source material but provide different lessons for climatologists. The first example is from 1680 and demonstrates the value of historical source material in reconstructing events from the distant past and suggests a way forward in developing and improving the long-term storm chronologies. The other, based on the analogous events of 1842 and 2005, offers a convincing demonstration of the need to call upon such comprehensive long-term chronologies in order to avoid making mistaken and unintentionally ill-informed observations on the seeming idiosyncrasies of recent climatic variation. The first example, from August 1680, reconstructs the trajectory and development of an Atlantic tropical cyclone, and draws upon a notable variety of documentary sources ranging from ships' logbooks, official and unofficial correspondence and some early examples of instrumental data. It serves as a model of how such sources, which remain largely unexploited, can be called upon to provide important climatic information. It allows also for the reconstruction the tropical and extratropical phases of the cyclone's trajectory and its possible impact over the UK. The second example, which compares hurricane Vince (2005) with an earlier but overlooked analogue from 1842, demonstrates the caution with which recent events should be interpreted and the need to take as long-term view as possible. Hurricane Vince, which moved directly from the eastern Atlantic towards Iberia, was widely proclaimed as a unique event and a consequence of global warming. Yet a careful search of the historical record provided an almost perfect analogue from 1842 and in doing so offered a salutary warning of our need for caution and for a clearer picture of the past. This presentation reviews both examples and discusses their implications in terms of the possibility of improving the cyclone chronology and, thereby, of assisting in our understanding of present-day events. References Vaquero J.M., R. García-Herrera, D. Wheeler, M. Chenoweth and C. J. Mock, 2008: An historical analogue of 2005 hurricane Vince. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 89, 191 - 201. WheelerD., R. García-Herrera, J.M.Vaquero, M. Chenoweth and C. J. Mock, 2009: Reconstructing the trajectory of the August 1680 Hurricane from contemporary records Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society,(accepted).

Landslide early warning based on failure forecast models: the example of Mt. de La Saxe rockslide, northern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manconi, A.; Giordan, D.

2015-02-01

We investigate the use of landslide failure forecast models by exploiting near-real-time monitoring data. Starting from the inverse velocity theory, we analyze landslide surface displacements on different temporal windows, and apply straightforward statistical methods to obtain confidence intervals on the estimated time of failure. Here we describe the main concepts of our method, and show an example of application to a real emergency scenario, the La Saxe rockslide, Aosta Valley region, northern Italy. Based on the herein presented case study, we identify operational thresholds based on the reliability of the forecast models, in order to support the management of early warning systems in the most critical phases of the landslide emergency.

Early childhood development in deprived urban settlements.

PubMed

Nair, M K C; Radhakrishnan, S Rekha

2004-03-01

Poverty, the root cause of the existence of slums or settlement colonies in urban areas has a great impact on almost all aspects of life of the urban poor, especially the all-round development of children. Examples from countries, across the globe provide evidence of improved early child development, made possible through integrated slum improvement programs, are few in numbers. The observed 2.5% prevalence of developmental delay in the less than 2 year olds of deprived urban settlements, the presence of risk factors for developmental delay like low birth weight, birth asphyxia, coupled with poor environment of home and alternate child care services, highlights the need for simple cost effective community model for promoting early child development. This review on early child development focuses on the developmental status of children in the deprived urban settlements, who are yet to be on the priority list of Governments and international agencies working for the welfare of children, the contributory nature-nurture factors and replicable working models like infant stimulation, early detection of developmental delay in infancy itself, developmental screening of toddlers, skill assessment for preschool children, school readiness programs, identification of mental sub-normality and primary education enhancement program for primary school children. Further, the review probes feasible intervention strategies through community owned early child care and development facilities, utilizing existing programs like ICDS, Urban Basic Services and by initiating services like Development Friendly Well Baby Clinics, Community Extension services, Child Development Referral Units at district hospitals and involving trained manpower like anganwadi/creche workers, public health nurses and developmental therapists. With the decentralization process the local self-government at municipalities and city corporations are financially equipped to be the prime movers to initiate, monitor and promote early child development programs, to emerge as a part and parcel of community owned sustainable development process.

Masks in Imaging Flow Cytometry

PubMed Central

Dominical, Venina; Samsel, Leigh; McCoy, J. Philip

2016-01-01

Data analysis in imaging flow cytometry incorporates elements of flow cytometry together with other aspects of morphological analysis of images. A crucial early step in this analysis is the creation of a mask to distinguish the portion of the image upon which further examination of specified features can be performed. Default masks are provided by the manufacturer of the imaging flow cytometer but additional custom masks can be created by the individual user for specific applications. Flawed or inaccurate masks can have a substantial negative impact on the overall analysis of a sample, thus great care must be taken to ensure the accuracy of masks. Here we discuss various types of masks and cite examples of their use. Furthermore we provide our insight for how to approach selecting and assessing the optimal mask for a specific analysis. PMID:27461256

Molecular brain imaging in the multimodality era

PubMed Central

Price, Julie C

2012-01-01

Multimodality molecular brain imaging encompasses in vivo visualization, evaluation, and measurement of cellular/molecular processes. Instrumentation and software developments over the past 30 years have fueled advancements in multimodality imaging platforms that enable acquisition of multiple complementary imaging outcomes by either combined sequential or simultaneous acquisition. This article provides a general overview of multimodality neuroimaging in the context of positron emission tomography as a molecular imaging tool and magnetic resonance imaging as a structural and functional imaging tool. Several image examples are provided and general challenges are discussed to exemplify complementary features of the modalities, as well as important strengths and weaknesses of combined assessments. Alzheimer's disease is highlighted, as this clinical area has been strongly impacted by multimodality neuroimaging findings that have improved understanding of the natural history of disease progression, early disease detection, and informed therapy evaluation. PMID:22434068

Human factors and ergonomics for primary care.

PubMed

Bowie, Paul; Jeffcott, Shelly

2016-03-01

In the second paper of this series, we provide a brief overview of the scientific discipline of human factors and ergonomics (HFE). Traditionally the HFE focus in healthcare has been in acute hospital settings which are perceived to exhibit characteristics more similar to other high-risk industries already applying related principles and methods. This paper argues that primary care is an area which could benefit extensively from an HFE approach, specifically in improving the performance and well-being of people and organisations. To this end, we define the purpose of HFE, outline its three specialist sub-domains (physical, cognitive and organisational HFE) and provide examples of guiding HFE principles and practices. Additionally, we describe HFE issues of significance to primary care education, improvement and research and outline early plans for building capacity and capability in this setting.

Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Rheumatic Diseases: Which Parameters Should Be Evaluated?

PubMed Central

Etehad Tavakol, Mahnaz; Erlandsson, Björn-Erik

2015-01-01

Video nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC), considered as an extension of the widefield technique, allows a more accurate measuring and storing of capillary data and a better defining, analyzing, and quantifying of capillary abnormalities. Capillaroscopic study is often performed on the patients suspected of having microcirculation problems such as Raynaud's phenomenon as the main indication for nailfold capillaroscopy. Capillaroscopic findings based on microcirculation studies can provide useful information in the fields of pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, and monitoring therapy. Nailfold capillaroscopy provides a vital assessment in clinical practices and research; for example, its reputation in the early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis is well established and it is also used as a classification criterion in this regard. This review focuses on the manner of performing video nailfold capillaroscopy and on a common approach for measuring capillary dimensions in fingers and toes. PMID:26421308

Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Rheumatic Diseases: Which Parameters Should Be Evaluated?

PubMed

Etehad Tavakol, Mahnaz; Fatemi, Alimohammad; Karbalaie, Abdolamir; Emrani, Zahra; Erlandsson, Björn-Erik

2015-01-01

Video nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC), considered as an extension of the widefield technique, allows a more accurate measuring and storing of capillary data and a better defining, analyzing, and quantifying of capillary abnormalities. Capillaroscopic study is often performed on the patients suspected of having microcirculation problems such as Raynaud's phenomenon as the main indication for nailfold capillaroscopy. Capillaroscopic findings based on microcirculation studies can provide useful information in the fields of pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, and monitoring therapy. Nailfold capillaroscopy provides a vital assessment in clinical practices and research; for example, its reputation in the early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis is well established and it is also used as a classification criterion in this regard. This review focuses on the manner of performing video nailfold capillaroscopy and on a common approach for measuring capillary dimensions in fingers and toes.

American Akicita: Indigenous American warriors and military service.

PubMed

McDonald, J Douglas

2017-08-01

Indigenous Americans (i.e., Native/American Indians, AK natives, Pacific Islanders) have consistently volunteered for military service at greater rates than any other ethnic group, including the majority culture, since the early days of the country. This article is an introduction to the special section which includes a number of outstanding papers that provide an innovative and compelling effort to overcome the challenges of casualties from war and render effective and culturally informed care. These manuscripts describe culturally appropriate considerations of suicide (O'Keefe), family involvement and access to care (Whealin), and telehealth for treatment of rural Native veterans (Goss). Challenging and complex treatment needs call for equally mindful and competent approaches. These authors and providers present compelling examples of addressing these needs in working with our Wounded Warriors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Context on Training: Is Learning Situated?

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-13

not underlie the central processes of ordinary everyday cognition ? We think not." There are numerous examples where abstract instruction has been shown... instruction , concrete examples, and abstract rules and procedures. Claims made by proponents of Situated Learning Theory suggest that training must be... instruction . This argues against apprenticeship learning during early stages of acquisition for many skills. Further, too much fidelity in simulation may

Radar observation of known and unknown clear echoes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glover, K. M.; Konrad, T. G.

1979-01-01

Target cross-section as a function of wavelength for known insects, known bird, and dot targets is presented. Tracking data using the time series analysis was tabulated for known birds. Examples were selected from these early works to give entomologists some indication of the types of information that are available by radar as well as examples of the different sources of clear-air radar backscatter.

The mathematical properties of the quasi-chemical model for microorganism growth-death kinetics in foods.

PubMed

Ross, E W; Taub, I A; Doona, C J; Feeherry, F E; Kustin, K

2005-03-15

Knowledge of the mathematical properties of the quasi-chemical model [Taub, Feeherry, Ross, Kustin, Doona, 2003. A quasi-chemical kinetics model for the growth and death of Staphylococcus aureus in intermediate moisture bread. J. Food Sci. 68 (8), 2530-2537], which is used to characterize and predict microbial growth-death kinetics in foods, is important for its applications in predictive microbiology. The model consists of a system of four ordinary differential equations (ODEs), which govern the temporal dependence of the bacterial life cycle (the lag, exponential growth, stationary, and death phases, respectively). The ODE system derives from a hypothetical four-step reaction scheme that postulates the activity of a critical intermediate as an antagonist to growth (perhaps through a quorum sensing biomechanism). The general behavior of the solutions to the ODEs is illustrated by several examples. In instances when explicit mathematical solutions to these ODEs are not obtainable, mathematical approximations are used to find solutions that are helpful in evaluating growth in the early stages and again near the end of the process. Useful solutions for the ODE system are also obtained in the case where the rate of antagonist formation is small. The examples and the approximate solutions provide guidance in the parameter estimation that must be done when fitting the model to data. The general behavior of the solutions is illustrated by examples, and the MATLAB programs with worked examples are included in the appendices for use by predictive microbiologists for data collected independently.

A dinosaur missing-link? Chilesaurus and the early evolution of ornithischian dinosaurs.

PubMed

Baron, Matthew G; Barrett, Paul M

2017-08-01

The enigmatic dinosaur taxon Chilesaurus diegosuarezi was originally described as a tetanuran theropod, but this species possesses a highly unusual combination of features that could provide evidence of alternative phylogenetic positions within the clade. In order to test the relationships of Chilesaurus , we added it to a new dataset of early dinosaurs and other dinosauromorphs. Our analyses recover Chilesaurus in a novel position, as the earliest diverging member of Ornithischia, rather than a tetanuran theropod. The basal position of Chilesaurus within the clade and its suite of anatomical characters suggest that it might represent a 'transitional' taxon, bridging the morphological gap between Theropoda and Ornithischia, thereby offering potential insights into the earliest stages of ornithischian evolution, which were previously obscure. For example, our results suggest that pubic retroversion occurred prior to some of the craniodental and postcranial modifications that previously diagnosed the clade (e.g. the presence of a predentary bone and ossified tendons). © 2017 The Author(s).

Graphic Narratives and Cancer Prevention: A Case Study of an American Cancer Society Comic Book.

PubMed

Krakow, Melinda

2017-05-01

As the interest in graphic medicine grows, health communicators have started engaging readers with compelling visual and textual accounts of health and illness, including via comic books. One context where comics have shown promise is cancer communication. This brief report presents an early example of graphic medicine developed by the American Cancer Society. "Ladies … Wouldn't It Be Better to Know?" is a comic book produced in the 1960s to provide the public with lay information about the Pap test for cervical cancer prevention and detection. An analysis of a key narrative attribute, plot development, illustrates the central role that perceived barriers played in this midcentury public health message, a component that remains a consideration of cancer communication design today. This case study of an early graphic narrative identifies promising cancer message features that can be used to address and refute barriers to cervical cancer screening and connects contemporary research with historical efforts in public health communication.

Disease-modifying treatments for early and advanced multiple sclerosis: a new treatment paradigm.

PubMed

Giovannoni, Gavin

2018-06-01

The treatment of multiple sclerosis is evolving rapidly with 11 classes of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). This article provides an overview of a new classification system for DMTs and treatment paradigm for using these DMTs effectively and safely. A summary of research into the use of more active approaches to early and effective treatment of multiple sclerosis with defined treatment targets of no evident disease activity (NEDA). New insights are discussed that is allowing the field to begin to tackle more advanced multiple sclerosis, including people with multiple sclerosis using wheelchairs. However, the need to modify expectations of what can be achieved in more advanced multiple sclerosis are discussed; in particular, the focus on neuronal systems with reserve capacity, for example, upper limb, bulbar and visual function. The review describes a new more active way of managing multiple sclerosis and concludes with a call to action in solving the problem of slow adoption of innovations and the global problem of untreated, or undertreated, multiple sclerosis.

Getting the Word Out: Teaching Middle-School Children about Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

Toepperwein, Mary Anne; Pruski, Linda A.; Blalock, Cheryl L.; Lemelle, Olivia R.; Lichtenstein, Michael J.

2008-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has roots in childhood; since CVD begins early, a clear strong case for early education focused on CVD primary prevention exists. Scientists are not traditionally involved in disseminating health knowledge into public education. Similarly, public school teachers typically do not have access to biomedical research that may increase their students’ health science literacy. One way to bridge the ‘cultural’ gap between researchers and school teachers is to form science education partnerships. In order for such partnerships to be successful, teams of scientists and teachers must ‘translate’ biomedical research into plain language appropriate for students. In this article, we briefly review the need for improving health literacy, especially through school-based programs, and describe work with one model scientist/teacher partnership, the Teacher Enrichment Initiatives. Examples of cardiovascular research ‘translated’ into plain language lessons for middle school students are provided and practical considerations for researchers pursuing a science education partnership are delineated. PMID:19122871

Structure-activity relationships of β-hairpin mimics as modulators of amyloid β-peptide aggregation.

PubMed

Tonali, Nicolo; Kaffy, Julia; Soulier, Jean-Louis; Gelmi, Maria Luisa; Erba, Emanuela; Taverna, Myriam; van Heijenoort, Carine; Ha-Duong, Tap; Ongeri, Sandrine

2018-05-18

Aggregation of amyloid proteins is currently involved in more than 20 serious human diseases that are actually untreated, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite many efforts made to target the amyloid cascade in AD, finding an aggregation inhibiting compound and especially modulating early oligomerization remains a relevant and challenging strategy. We report herein the first examples of small and non-peptide mimics of acyclic beta-hairpins, showing an ability to delay the fibrillization of amyloid-β (Aβ 1-42 ) peptide and deeply modify its early oligomerization process. Modifications providing better druggability properties such as increased hydrophilicity and reduced peptidic character were performed. We also demonstrate that an appropriate balance between flexibility and stability of the β-hairpin must be reached to adapt to the different shape of the various aggregated forms of the amyloid peptide. This strategy can be investigated to target other challenging amyloid proteins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A brief period of eyes-closed rest enhances motor skill consolidation.

PubMed

Humiston, Graelyn B; Wamsley, Erin J

2018-06-05

Post-training sleep benefits both declarative and procedural memory consolidation. However, recent research suggests that eyes-closed waking rest may provide a similar benefit. Brokaw et al. (2016), for example, recently demonstrated that verbal declarative memory improved more following a 15 min period of waking rest, in comparison to 15 min of active wake. Here, we used the same procedures to test whether procedural memory similarly benefits from waking rest. Participants were trained on the Motor Sequence Task (MST), followed by a 15 min retention interval during which they either rested with their eyes closed or completed a distractor task. Rest significantly enhanced MST performance, mirroring the effect observed in Brokaw et al. (2016) and demonstrating that waking rest benefits the early stages of procedural memory. An additional group of participants tested 4 h later displayed no effect of rest. Overall, these results suggest that the early MST performance "boost" described in prior studies may depend on post-learning state. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating Safety and Mission Assurance into Systems Engineering Modeling Practices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckman, Sean; Darpel, Scott

2015-01-01

During the early development of products, flight, or experimental hardware, emphasis is often given to the identification of technical requirements, utilizing such tools as use case and activity diagrams. Designers and project teams focus on understanding physical and performance demands and challenges. It is typically only later, during the evaluation of preliminary designs that a first pass, if performed, is made to determine the process, safety, and mission quality assurance requirements. Evaluation early in the life cycle, though, can yield requirements that force a fundamental change in design. This paper discusses an alternate paradigm for using the concepts of use case or activity diagrams to identify safety hazard and mission quality assurance risks and concerns using the same systems engineering modeling tools being used to identify technical requirements. It contains two examples of how this process might be used in the development of a space flight experiment, and the design of a Human Powered Pizza Delivery Vehicle, along with the potential benefits to decrease development time, and provide stronger budget estimates.

Advances in early fetal loss research: importance for risk assessment.

PubMed Central

Sweeney, A M; LaPorte, R E

1991-01-01

The assessment of early fetal losses (EFLs) in relationship to environmental agents offers unique advantages compared to other end points for hazard assessment. There is a high incidence (greater than 20% of all pregnancies end in an EFL), and the interval between exposure and end point is the short duration between conception and event, i.e., approximately 12 weeks. In contrast, cancer, which is the primary end point evaluated in risk assessment models, occurs with much lower frequency, and the latency period is measured in years or decades. EFLs have not been used effectively for risk assessment because most of the events are not detected. Prospective studies provide the only approach whereby it is possible to link exposure to EFLs. Recent methodologic advancements have demonstrated that it is now possible to conduct population-based studies of EFLs. It is likely that EFLs could serve as sentinels to monitor adverse health effects of many potential environmental hazards. The methodology will be demonstrated using lead exposure in utero as an example. PMID:2050056

Photoacoustic Non-Destructive Evaluation and Imaging of Caries in Dental Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

2010-02-01

Dental caries is a disease wherein bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure. Traditional dental radiography has its limitations for detecting early stage caries. In this study, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with the near-infrared light source has been applied to postmortem dental samples to obtain 2-D and 3-D images. Imaging results showed that the PA technique can be used to image human teeth caries. For non-destructive photoacoustic evaluation and imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. For example, temperature rises above 5 °C within live human teeth will cause pulpal necrosis. Therefore, several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict temperature and pressure fields within samples. Predicted temperature levels are below corresponding safety limits, but care is required to avoid nonlinear absorption phenomena. Furthermore, PA imaging results from the phantom provide evidence for high sensitivity, which shows the imaging potential of the PA technique for detecting early stage disease.

"Secrets of the female sex": Jane Sharp, the reproductive female body, and early modern midwifery manuals.

PubMed

Hobby, E

2001-01-01

Early modern midwifery manuals in Britain were usually the work of men. These books were a significant source of information about the body to the wider reading public: many sold well, and their prefatory materials include injunctions to readers not to make improper use of them. What is particularly interesting about Jane Sharp's Midwives Book (1671) is that it both provides a compendium of current beliefs concerning reproduction, and indicates the author's ironic perception of the misogyny that underpinned accepted ideas about the female reproductive body. This article gives key examples of Sharp's interventions, and also refers to Thomas Bartholin, Bartholinus Anatomy (1688); Richard Bunworth, The Doctresse (1656); Hugh Chamberlen, The Accomplisht Midwife (1673); The Compleat Midwifes Practice (1656); Helkiah Crooke, Microcosmographia (1615); Nicholas Culpeper, A Directory for Midwives (1651); Jacques Guillemeau, Childbirth (1612); Jean Riolan, A Sure Guide (1657); Daniel Sennert, Practical Physick (1664); William Sermon, The Ladies Companion (1671); and Percival Willughby, Observations in Midwifery (c. 1675).

Development of anti-migraine therapeutics using the capsaicin-induced dermal blood flow model.

PubMed

Buntinx, Linde; Vermeersch, Steve; de Hoon, Jan

2015-11-01

The efficacy of calcitonin gene-related peptide (receptor) (CGRP-(R)) blocking therapeutics in the treatment of acute migraine headache provided proof-of-concept for the involvement of CGRP in the pathophysiology of this disorder. One of the major hurdles for the development of any class of drugs, including CGRP blocking therapeutics, is the early clinical development process during which toxic and inefficacious compounds need to be eliminated as early as possible in order to focus on the most promising molecules. At this stage, human models providing proof of target engagement, combined with safety and tolerability studies, are extremely valuable in focusing on those therapeutics that have the highest engagement from the lowest exposure. They guide the go/no-go decision making, establish confidence in the candidate molecule by de-risking toxicity and safety issues and thereby speed up the early clinical development. In this review the focus is on the so called 'capsaicin model' as a typical example of a target engagement biomarker used as a human model for the development of CGRP blocking therapeutics. By applying capsaicin onto the skin, TRPV1 channels are activated and a CGRP-mediated increase in dermal blood flow can be quantified with laser Doppler perfusion imaging. Effective CGRP blocking therapeutics in turn, display blockade of this response. The translation of this biomarker model from animals to humans is discussed as well as the limitations of the assay in predicting the efficacy of anti-migraine drugs. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Earthquake Early Warning ShakeAlert System: Testing and certification platform

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cochran, Elizabeth S.; Kohler, Monica D.; Given, Douglas; Guiwits, Stephen; Andrews, Jennifer; Meier, Men-Andrin; Ahmad, Mohammad; Henson, Ivan; Hartog, Renate; Smith, Deborah

2017-01-01

Earthquake early warning systems provide warnings to end users of incoming moderate to strong ground shaking from earthquakes. An earthquake early warning system, ShakeAlert, is providing alerts to beta end users in the western United States, specifically California, Oregon, and Washington. An essential aspect of the earthquake early warning system is the development of a framework to test modifications to code to ensure functionality and assess performance. In 2016, a Testing and Certification Platform (TCP) was included in the development of the Production Prototype version of ShakeAlert. The purpose of the TCP is to evaluate the robustness of candidate code that is proposed for deployment on ShakeAlert Production Prototype servers. TCP consists of two main components: a real‐time in situ test that replicates the real‐time production system and an offline playback system to replay test suites. The real‐time tests of system performance assess code optimization and stability. The offline tests comprise a stress test of candidate code to assess if the code is production ready. The test suite includes over 120 events including local, regional, and teleseismic historic earthquakes, recentering and calibration events, and other anomalous and potentially problematic signals. Two assessments of alert performance are conducted. First, point‐source assessments are undertaken to compare magnitude, epicentral location, and origin time with the Advanced National Seismic System Comprehensive Catalog, as well as to evaluate alert latency. Second, we describe assessment of the quality of ground‐motion predictions at end‐user sites by comparing predicted shaking intensities to ShakeMaps for historic events and implement a threshold‐based approach that assesses how often end users initiate the appropriate action, based on their ground‐shaking threshold. TCP has been developed to be a convenient streamlined procedure for objectively testing algorithms, and it has been designed with flexibility to accommodate significant changes in development of new or modified system code. It is expected that the TCP will continue to evolve along with the ShakeAlert system, and the framework we describe here provides one example of how earthquake early warning systems can be evaluated.

Foreland-forearc collisional granitoid and mafic magmatism caused by lower-plate lithospheric slab breakoff: The Acadian of Maine, and other orogens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoonmaker, A.; Kidd, W.S.F.; Bradley, D.C.

2005-01-01

During collisional convergence, failure in extension of the lithosphere of the lower plate due to slab pull will reduce the thickness or completely remove lower-plate lithosphere and cause decompression melting of the asthenospheric mantle; magmas from this source may subsequently provide enough heat for substantial partial melting of crustal rocks under or beyond the toe of the collisional accretionary system. In central Maine, United States, this type of magmatism is first apparent in the Early Devonian West Branch Volcanics and equivalent mafic volcanics, in the slightly younger voluminous mafic/silicic magmatic event of the Moxie Gabbro-Katahdin batholith and related ignimbrite volcanism, and in other Early Devonian granitic plutons. Similar lower-plate collisional sequences with mafic and related silicic magmatism probably caused by slab breakoff are seen in the Miocene-Holocene Papuan orogen, and the Hercynian-Alleghenian belt. Magmatism of this type is significant because it gives evidence in those examples of whole-lithosphere extension. We infer that normal fault systems in outer trench slopes of collisional orogens in general, and possibly those of oceanic subduction zones, may not be primarily due to flexural bending, but are also driven by whole-lithosphere extension due to slab pull. The Maine Acadian example suggests that slab failure and this type of magmatism may be promoted by pre-existing large margin-parallel faults in the lower plate. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Color Maintenance of LEDs in Laboratory and Field Applications

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

Royer, Michael P.; Tuttle, Ralph; Rosenfeld, Scott M.

Synopsis: To date, consideration for parametric failure of LED products has largely been focused on lumen maintenance. However, color shift is a cause of early failure for some products, and is especially important to consider in certain applications, like museums, where visual appearance is critical. Example data collected by the GATEWAY program for LED lamps installed in museums shows that many have changed color beyond a reasonable tolerance well before their rated lifetime was reached, necessitating replacement. Similar data collected by the CALiPER program between 2008 and 2010 reveals that many early products shifted beyond acceptable tolerances in as littlemore » as a few thousand hours. In contrast, data from the L Prize program illustrates that commercially available LED products can have exemplary color stability that is unmatched by traditional light sources. Beyond presenting data from the aforementioned DOE programs, this report discusses the metrics used for communicating color shift—namely MacAdam ellipses and Δu'v'—as well as providing guidance for end users on how to monitor color shift and what to look for in manufacturer warranties. Also included are descriptions of the physical changes that have been documented as leading to color shift in some example types of LED packages. As with complete products, the data presented herein for LED packages shows that a wide variety of products are available; in order for specifiers and consumers to make educated choices, more detailed and standardized information should be made available.« less

WFIRST: Science from the Guest Investigator and Parallel Observation Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Postman, Marc; Nataf, David; Furlanetto, Steve; Milam, Stephanie; Robertson, Brant; Williams, Ben; Teplitz, Harry; Moustakas, Leonidas; Geha, Marla; Gilbert, Karoline; Dickinson, Mark; Scolnic, Daniel; Ravindranath, Swara; Strolger, Louis; Peek, Joshua; Marc Postman

2018-01-01

The Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) mission will provide an extremely rich archival dataset that will enable a broad range of scientific investigations beyond the initial objectives of the proposed key survey programs. The scientific impact of WFIRST will thus be significantly expanded by a robust Guest Investigator (GI) archival research program. We will present examples of GI research opportunities ranging from studies of the properties of a variety of Solar System objects, surveys of the outer Milky Way halo, comprehensive studies of cluster galaxies, to unique and new constraints on the epoch of cosmic re-ionization and the assembly of galaxies in the early universe.WFIRST will also support the acquisition of deep wide-field imaging and slitless spectroscopic data obtained in parallel during campaigns with the coronagraphic instrument (CGI). These parallel wide-field imager (WFI) datasets can provide deep imaging data covering several square degrees at no impact to the scheduling of the CGI program. A competitively selected program of well-designed parallel WFI observation programs will, like the GI science above, maximize the overall scientific impact of WFIRST. We will give two examples of parallel observations that could be conducted during a proposed CGI program centered on a dozen nearby stars.

Seen and Heard: Children's Rights in Early Childhood Education. Early Childhood Education Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Ellen Lynn; Rudkin, Jennifer Kofkin

2011-01-01

Using examples from a Reggio-inspired school with children from ages 6 weeks to 6 years, the authors emphasize the importance of children's rights and our responsibility as adults to hear their voices. "Seen and Heard" summarizes research and theory pertaining to young children's rights in the United States, and offers strategies educators can use…

Creating Environments that Sustain Children, Staff, and Our Planet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoecklin, Vicki L.

2005-01-01

Early childhood educators know that a child's values are formed before age five, yet they have done little to teach young children how to be good stewards of the earth. This article discusses what early childhood practitioners can do to set a good example for children by demonstrating ways to be more in tune with Mother Earth. The author states…

Gender and Schooling in the Early Years. Research on Women and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Janice, Ed.; Irby, Beverly, Ed.

2005-01-01

In this volume, gender and schooling in the early years addresses a broad range of issues including, but not limited, to gender equity in education. We explore, for example, the complex world of play in Fromberg's chapter and are reminded that for young children, play involves issues of power and hierarchy in ways that parallel the role of gender…

Getting Personal: How Early Childhood Teacher Education Troubles Students' and Teacher Educators' Identities Regarding Subjectivity and Feminism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguchi, Hillevi Lenz

2005-01-01

This article constitutes an attempt to investigate how student teachers and teacher educators in the context of Swedish early childhood teacher education are invented and reinvented by practices that are inspired by feminist and post-structural thinking. I give examples of practice that explicitly make use of different aspects of the personal,…

Application of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stegelin, Dolores A.

2003-01-01

This article focuses on the relevance of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education for science knowledge and content standards for the preK-12 student population. The article includes: (1) a summary of key concepts; (2) a description of the science curriculum standards for K-3 in the United States; and (3) an example of an in-depth…

Early Child Care and Education, Italian Style: The Reggio Emilia Daycare and Preschool Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New, Rebecca S.

The municipal early childhood program in Reggio Emilia, Italy, one of the most renowned examples of community-supported child care systems in the Western world, is described. A brief historical overview is followed by discussion of such aspects of the Reggio Emilia project as the high level of exchange between families and schools, the…

The Portrayal of Industrial Melanism in American College General Biology Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulford, Janice Marie; Rudge, David Wÿss

2016-01-01

The phenomenon of industrial melanism (IM) became widely acknowledged as a well-documented example of natural selection largely as a result of H.B.D. Kettlewell's pioneering research on the subject in the early 1950s. It was quickly picked up by American biology textbooks starting in the early 1960s and became ubiquitous throughout the 1970s,…

Herbivory more limiting than competition on early and established native plants in an invaded meadow.

PubMed

Gonzales, Emily K; Arcese, Peter

2008-12-01

The dominance of nonnative plants coupled with declines of native plants suggests that competitive displacement drives extinctions, yet empirical examples are rare. Herbivores, however, can alter vegetation structure and reduce diversity when abundant. Herbivores may act on mature, reproductive life stages whereas some of the strongest competitive effects might occur at early life stages that are difficult to observe. For example, competition by perennial nonnative grasses can interfere with the establishment of native seeds. We contrasted the effects of ungulate herbivory and competition by neighboring plants on the performance of native plant species at early and established life stages in invaded oak meadows. We recorded growth, survival, and flowering in two native species transplanted as established plants, six native species grown from seed, and five extant lily species as part of two 2 x 2 factorial experiments that manipulated herbivory and competition. Herbivory reduced the performance of nearly all focal native species at early and established life stages, whereas competition had few measurable effects. Our results suggest that herbivory has a greater local influence on native plant species than competition and that reducing herbivore impacts will be required to successfully restore endangered oak meadows where ungulates are now abundant.

Quality Assurance Through Quality Improvement and Professional Development in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

PubMed Central

Siegl, Elvira J.; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Khan, Kris; Harris, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) is the process of providing evidence that the outcome meets the established standards. Quality improvement (QI), by contrast, is the act of methodically developing ways to meet acceptable quality standards and evaluating current processes to improve overall performance. In the case of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), the desired outcome is the delivery of quality health care services to program clients. The NBCCEDP provides professional development to ensure that participating providers have current knowledge of evidence-based clinical standards regarding breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnosis and are monitoring women with abnormal screening results for timely follow-up. To assess the quality of clinical care provided to NBCCEDP clients, performance data are collected by NBCCEDP grantees and compared against predetermined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) benchmarks known as Data Quality Indicator Guides. In this article, the authors describe 1) the development and use of indicators for QI in the NBCCEDP and 2) the professional development activities implemented to improve clinical outcomes. QA identifies problems, whereas QI systematically corrects them. The quality of service delivery and improved patient outcomes among NBCCEDP grantees has enhanced significantly because of continuous monitoring of performance and professional development. By using QA, NBCCEDP grantees can maximize the quality of patient screening, diagnostic services, and follow-up. Examples of grantee activities to maintain quality of care are also described in this report. PMID:25099901

Why risk managers need information about spatio-temporal variability of natural hazards. Examples from practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zischg, Andreas

2013-04-01

Integrated risk management consists of risk prevention, early warning, intervention during an event and restoration/re-construction after an event. The prevention phase consists of land use planning measures with a long-term time horizon and of structural measures that sometimes have a lifespan of more than 30-50 years. In this case, it is important to analyse the long-term evolvement of natural risks due to climate changes or land use changes. Besides of this, the spatial and temporal variability of a natural hazard process during the course of an event is also important. The shift from "static" hazard and risk assessment towards a "dynamic" assessment offers benefits for improving the intervention phase in risk management. This contribution describes some examples and points out the benefits of this shift for risk management. One example is the variable disposition of small alpine catchments for runoff and its relevance for early warning. The disposition for runoff depends on the actual status of environmental variables such as soil moisture and the snowpack characteristics. A feasibility study showed how the monitoring of soil moisture and the status of the snowpack can be incorporated into a rule base for describing the temporal variability of the disposition for high runoff in alpine catchments. The study showed that this information about the system state of alpine catchments can be used to improve the assessment of the consequences of a weather forecast for risk management. Another example is the use of snowpack and weather monitoring and traffic intensity measurements for avalanche risk management on alpine roads. Here, the information about the spatio-temporal variability of the snow avalanches and the presence of vehicles can be used for improving the procedures for road closure and re-opening. Another example is the preparation of intervention plans for fire brigades and other relief units during urban floods. The simulation of the temporal evolvement of a single flood event (time horizon of 0-24 hours) provides information for the elaboration of the intervention tactic. The following questions can be answered only by knowing the temporal and spatial evolvement during an event itself: Which intervention priorities have to be set if the resources of the relief units are limited? Which early interventions could be turn out to be unhelpful because in a later step the object to be protected will be flooded anyway? What is the time available for setting up object protection measures and other flood protection measures? The most important factor to implement the theory in practice is the focus on the interlinkages between the simulation of all possible scenarios in advance (scenario techniques, analysing the time-steps in flood simulation), the monitoring system (now-casting, real-time-data), the scenarios of intervention measures and their interdependency with the hazard scenarios. The interlinkages can be set up and described with the expert system approach.

Health Literacy: Cancer Prevention Strategies for Early Adults.

PubMed

Simmons, Robert A; Cosgrove, Susan C; Romney, Martha C; Plumb, James D; Brawer, Rickie O; Gonzalez, Evelyn T; Fleisher, Linda G; Moore, Bradley S

2017-09-01

Health literacy, the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand health information and services needed to make health decisions, is an essential element for early adults (aged 18-44 years) to make informed decisions about cancer. Low health literacy is one of the social determinants of health associated with cancer-related disparities. Over the past several years, a nonprofit organization, a university, and a cancer center in a major urban environment have developed and implemented health literacy programs within healthcare systems and in the community. Health system personnel received extensive health literacy training to reduce medical jargon and improve their patient education using plain language easy-to-understand written materials and teach-back, and also designed plain language written materials including visuals to provide more culturally and linguistically appropriate health education and enhance web-based information. Several sustainable health system policy changes occurred over time. At the community level, organizational assessments and peer leader training on health literacy have occurred to reduce communication barriers between consumers and providers. Some of these programs have been cancer specific, including consumer education in such areas as cervical cancer, skin cancer, and breast cancer that are targeted to early adults across the cancer spectrum from prevention to treatment to survivorship. An example of consumer-driven health education that was tested for health literacy using a comic book-style photonovel on breast cancer with an intergenerational family approach for Chinese Americans is provided. Key lessons learned from the health literacy initiatives and overall conclusions of the health literacy initiatives are also summarized. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elementary Introduction to the Green's Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitten, R. C.; McCormick, P. T.

1975-01-01

Presents a technique, using the method of variation of parameters for solving differential equations, for introducing Green's function early in an undergraduate curriculum. Presents various examples. (Author/MLH)

Maternal determinants of renal mass and function in the fetus and neonate.

PubMed

Brophy, Patrick

2017-04-01

The impact of adverse maternal and early gestational issues, ranging from maternal-fetal interactions all the way through to premature birth, are recognized as having influence on the subsequent development of chronic diseases later in life. The development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a direct result of early life renal injury or a sequela of diseases such as hypertension or diabetes is a good model example of the potential impact that early life events may have on renal development and lifelong function. The global monetary and human resource cost of CKD is exorbitant. Socio-economic factors, along with other factors (genetic and environmental) may significantly influence the timing and display of phenotypic expression in fetuses and neonates at risk for developing CKD, yet very few of these factors are studied or well understood. In general our focus has been directed at treatment once CKD is established. This strategy has been and remains short-sighted and costly. Earlier understanding of the intrauterine determinants of renal mass development (i.e. environmental "biomes", poor maternal-fetal health, socio-economic factors impacting early life events, diet, access to value based health care and educational opportunities on disease evolution) may allow us an opportunity for earlier intervention. This article aims to provide some foundation for improved understanding of the maternal determinants of renal mass and function in the fetus and neonate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 1.312-4 - Examples of adjustments provided in section 312(c).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples of adjustments provided in section 312... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Effects on Corporation § 1.312-4 Examples of adjustments... examples: Example 1. On December 2, 1954, Corporation X distributed to its sole shareholder, A, an...

The ESWN webpage as a tool to increase international collaboration in the Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glessmer, Mirjam S.; Adams, Manda; de Boer, Agatha M.; Hastings, Meredith; Kontak, Rose

2013-04-01

The Earth Science Women's Network (ESWN; ESWNonline.org) is an international peer-mentoring network of women in the Earth Sciences, many in the early stages of their careers. ESWN's mission is to promote career development, build community, provide opportunities for informal mentoring and support, and facilitate professional collaborations. This has been accomplished via email and a listserv, on Facebook, at in-person networking events, and at professional development workshops. Over the last 10 years, ESWN has grown by word of mouth to include more than 1600 members working on all 7 continents. In an effort to facilitate international connections among women in the Earth Sciences, ESWN has developed a password protected community webpage where members can create an online presence and interact with each other. For example, regional groups help women to connect with co-workers at the same employer, in the same city or the same country, or with women at the place where they are considering taking a new job, will attend a conference or will start working soon. Topical groups center around a vast array of topics ranging from research interests, funding opportunities, work-life balance, teaching, scientific methods, and searching for a job to specific challenges faced by women in the earth sciences. Members can search past discussions and share documents like examples of research statements, useful interview materials, or model recommendation letters. The new webpage also allows for more connectivity among other online platforms used by our members, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Built in Wordpress with a Buddypress members-only section, the new ESWN website is supported by AGU and a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant. While the ESWN members-only community webpage is focused on providing a service to women geoscientists, the content on the public site is designed to be useful for institutions and individuals interested in helping to increase, retain, promote, and advance women in the geosciences. Information on gender bias issues, as well as strategies to overcome these biases, is included. We also share gained knowledge with a broader audience, such as lessons learned at our professional development workshops, collected recommendations from members of podcasts, science books, writing materials, and resources for early career faculty. At the same time we provide a platform to highlight women in the Earth sciences, and links to our own and outside content in the form of, for example, Youtube videos, blogs, and Twitter feeds related to women geoscientists.

Constructing the 'Best' Reliability Data for the Job - Developing Generic Reliability Data from Alternative Sources Early in a Product's Development Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinhammer, Roger K.; Graber, Robert R.; DeMott, D. L.

2016-01-01

Reliability practitioners advocate getting reliability involved early in a product development process. However, when assigned to estimate or assess the (potential) reliability of a product or system early in the design and development phase, they are faced with lack of reasonable models or methods for useful reliability estimation. Developing specific data is costly and time consuming. Instead, analysts rely on available data to assess reliability. Finding data relevant to the specific use and environment for any project is difficult, if not impossible. Instead, analysts attempt to develop the "best" or composite analog data to support the assessments. Industries, consortia and vendors across many areas have spent decades collecting, analyzing and tabulating fielded item and component reliability performance in terms of observed failures and operational use. This data resource provides a huge compendium of information for potential use, but can also be compartmented by industry, difficult to find out about, access, or manipulate. One method used incorporates processes for reviewing these existing data sources and identifying the available information based on similar equipment, then using that generic data to derive an analog composite. Dissimilarities in equipment descriptions, environment of intended use, quality and even failure modes impact the "best" data incorporated in an analog composite. Once developed, this composite analog data provides a "better" representation of the reliability of the equipment or component. It can be used to support early risk or reliability trade studies, or analytical models to establish the predicted reliability data points. It also establishes a baseline prior that may updated based on test data or observed operational constraints and failures, i.e., using Bayesian techniques. This tutorial presents a descriptive compilation of historical data sources across numerous industries and disciplines, along with examples of contents and data characteristics. It then presents methods for combining failure information from different sources and mathematical use of this data in early reliability estimation and analyses.

Doing business in space: How to get there from here

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, P. W.; Stark, P. M.

1984-01-01

A step by step process is described through which an existing enterprise or an entrepreneurial venture can initiate and carry out a new space venture. Throughout this process the business and technical aspects must be advanced in parallel with each other. Each depends on the other for its continued success, and companies may be unable to complete the venture if one or the other is neglected. The existing NASA programs and the experience of early trailblazers provide sufficient examples and opportunities for other firms to undertake new ventures with confidence. With the introduction of NASA's Commercial Space Policy, both the opportunities and the ease with which ventures can be carried out should increase significantly.

Model-Based Systems Engineering Pilot Program at NASA Langley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vipavetz, Kevin G.; Murphy, Douglas G.; Infeld, Samatha I.

2012-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center conducted a pilot program to evaluate the benefits of using a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach during the early phase of the Materials International Space Station Experiment-X (MISSE-X) project. The goal of the pilot was to leverage MBSE tools and methods, including the Systems Modeling Language (SysML), to understand the net gain of utilizing this approach on a moderate size flight project. The System Requirements Review (SRR) success criteria were used to guide the work products desired from the pilot. This paper discusses the pilot project implementation, provides SysML model examples, identifies lessons learned, and describes plans for further use on MBSE on MISSE-X.

Dynamic malware containment under an epidemic model with alert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tianrui; Yang, Lu-Xing; Yang, Xiaofan; Wu, Yingbo; Tang, Yuan Yan

2017-03-01

Alerting at the early stage of malware invasion turns out to be an important complement to malware detection and elimination. This paper addresses the issue of how to dynamically contain the prevalence of malware at a lower cost, provided alerting is feasible. A controlled epidemic model with alert is established, and an optimal control problem based on the epidemic model is formulated. The optimality system for the optimal control problem is derived. The structure of an optimal control for the proposed optimal control problem is characterized under some conditions. Numerical examples show that the cost-efficiency of an optimal control strategy can be enhanced by adjusting the upper and lower bounds on admissible controls.

Insights into Global Health Practice from the Agile Software Development Movement

PubMed Central

Flood, David; Chary, Anita; Austad, Kirsten; Diaz, Anne Kraemer; García, Pablo; Martinez, Boris; Canú, Waleska López; Rohloff, Peter

2016-01-01

Global health practitioners may feel frustration that current models of global health research, delivery, and implementation are overly focused on specific interventions, slow to provide health services in the field, and relatively ill-equipped to adapt to local contexts. Adapting design principles from the agile software development movement, we propose an analogous approach to designing global health programs that emphasizes tight integration between research and implementation, early involvement of ground-level health workers and program beneficiaries, and rapid cycles of iterative program improvement. Using examples from our own fieldwork, we illustrate the potential of ‘agile global health’ and reflect on the limitations, trade-offs, and implications of this approach. PMID:27134081

Remote Sensing Sensors and Applications in Environmental Resources Mapping and Modelling

PubMed Central

Melesse, Assefa M.; Weng, Qihao; S.Thenkabail, Prasad; Senay, Gabriel B.

2007-01-01

The history of remote sensing and development of different sensors for environmental and natural resources mapping and data acquisition is reviewed and reported. Application examples in urban studies, hydrological modeling such as land-cover and floodplain mapping, fractional vegetation cover and impervious surface area mapping, surface energy flux and micro-topography correlation studies is discussed. The review also discusses the use of remotely sensed-based rainfall and potential evapotranspiration for estimating crop water requirement satisfaction index and hence provides early warning information for growers. The review is not an exhaustive application of the remote sensing techniques rather a summary of some important applications in environmental studies and modeling. PMID:28903290

Wire-number effects on high-power annular z-pinches and some characteristics at high wire number

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

SANFORD,THOMAS W. L.

2000-05-23

Characteristics of annular wire-array z-pinches as a function of wire number and at high wire number are reviewed. The data, taken primarily using aluminum wires on Saturn are comprehensive. The experiments have provided important insights into the features of wire-array dynamics critical for high x-ray power generation, and have initiated a renaissance in z-pinches when high numbers of wires are used. In this regime, for example, radiation environments characteristic of those encountered during the early pulses required for indirect-drive ICF ignition on the NIF have been produced in hohlraums driven by x-rays from a z-pinch, and are commented on here.

The Biochemistry of Memory: The Twenty-Six Year Journey of a ‘New and Specific Hypothesis’

PubMed Central

Baudry, Michel; Bi, Xiaoning; Gall, Christine; Lynch, Gary

2010-01-01

This Special Issue of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory dedicated to Dr. Richard Thompson to celebrate his 80th birthday and his numerous contributions to the field of learning and memory gave us the opportunity to revisit the hypothesis we proposed more than 25 years ago regarding the biochemistry of learning and memory. This review summarizes our early 1980s hypothesis and then describes how it was tested and modified over the years following its introduction. We then discuss the current status of the hypothesis and provide some examples of how it has led to unexpected insights into the memory problems that accompany a broad range of neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:21134478

Defining the Field of Existence of Shrouded Blades in High-Speed Gas Turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belousov, Anatoliy I.; Nazdrachev, Sergeiy V.

2018-01-01

This work provides a method for determining the region of existence of banded blades of gas turbines for aircraft engines based on the analytical evaluation of tensile stresses in specific characteristic sections of the blade. This region is determined by the set of values of the parameter, which forms the law of distribution of the cross-sectional area of the cross-sections along the height of the airfoil. When seven independent parameters (gas-dynamic, structural and strength) are changed, the choice of the best option is proposed at the early design stage. As an example, the influence of the dimension of a turbine on the domain of the existence of banded blades is shown.

Insights into Global Health Practice from the Agile Software Development Movement.

PubMed

Flood, David; Chary, Anita; Austad, Kirsten; Diaz, Anne Kraemer; García, Pablo; Martinez, Boris; Canú, Waleska López; Rohloff, Peter

2016-01-01

Global health practitioners may feel frustration that current models of global health research, delivery, and implementation are overly focused on specific interventions, slow to provide health services in the field, and relatively ill-equipped to adapt to local contexts. Adapting design principles from the agile software development movement, we propose an analogous approach to designing global health programs that emphasizes tight integration between research and implementation, early involvement of ground-level health workers and program beneficiaries, and rapid cycles of iterative program improvement. Using examples from our own fieldwork, we illustrate the potential of 'agile global health' and reflect on the limitations, trade-offs, and implications of this approach.

Analysis of the Reliable STING Early Warning System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

verr much appreciated. II .. . . . . . . . . . iV, , . . .l . . al I ll I III I I I III - 7 --7 ,,- ..11! I. INTRODUCTION A. BACKGROUND The U.S. Army is...information to a variety of elements ranging from the division staff to de ~loyed maneuver units, this study will focus on the air defense information...aircraft type . TABLE I Example Track Report ELEMENTS OF INFORMATION EXAMPLE IDENTIFICATION .................... HOSTILE TRACK DESIGNATOR

Nineteenth Century Long-Term Instrumental Records, Examples From the Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mock, C. J.

2001-12-01

Early instrumental records in the United States, defined as those operating before 1892 which is regarded the period prior to the modern climate record, provide a longer perspective of climatic variability at decadal and interannual timescales. Such reconstructions also provide a means of verification for other proxy data. This paper provides a American perspective of historical climatic research, emphasizing the urgent need to properly evaluate data quality and provide necessary corrections to make them compatible with the modern record. Different fixed observation times, different practices of weather instrument exposures, and statistical methods for calibration are the main issues in applying corrections and conducting proper climatic interpretations. I illustrate several examples on methodologies of this historical climatic research, focusing on the following in the Southeastern United States: daily reconstructed temperature time-series centered on Charleston SC and Natchez MS back to the late eighteenth century, and precipitation frequency reconstructions during the antebellum period for the Gulf Coast and coastal Southeast Atlantic states. Results indicate several prominent extremes unprecedented as compared to the modern record, such as the widespread warm winter of 1827-28, and the severe cold winters of 1856 and 1857. The reconstructions also yield important information concerning responses to past ENSO events, the PNA, NAO, and the PDO, particularly when compared with instrumental data from other regions. A high potential also exists for applying the climate reconstructions to assess historical climatic impacts on society in the Southeast, such as to understand climatic linkages to famous case studies of Yellow Fever epidemics and severe drought.

AWIPS II Application Development, a SPoRT Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burks, Jason E.; Smith, Matthew; McGrath, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

The National Weather Service (NWS) is deploying its next-generation decision support system, called AWIPS II (Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System II). NASA's Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has developed several software 'plug-ins' to extend the capabilities of AWIPS II. SPoRT aims to continue its mission of improving short-term forecasts by providing NASA and NOAA products on the decision support system used at NWS weather forecast offices (WFOs). These products are not included in the standard Satellite Broadcast Network feed provided to WFOs. SPoRT has had success in providing support to WFOs as they have transitioned to AWIPS II. Specific examples of transitioning SPoRT plug-ins to WFOs with newly deployed AWIPS II systems will be presented. Proving Ground activities (GOES-R and JPSS) will dominate SPoRT's future AWIPS II activities, including tool development as well as enhancements to existing products. In early 2012 SPoRT initiated the Experimental Product Development Team, a group of AWIPS II developers from several institutions supporting NWS forecasters with innovative products. The results of the team's spring and fall 2013 meeting will be presented. Since AWIPS II developers now include employees at WFOs, as well as many other institutions related to weather forecasting, the NWS has dealt with a multitude of software governance issues related to the difficulties of multiple remotely collaborating software developers. This presentation will provide additional examples of Research-to-Operations plugins, as well as an update on how governance issues are being handled in the AWIPS II developer community.

Travelling Policies and Global Buzzwords: How International Non-Governmental Organizations and Charities Spread the Word about Early Childhood in the Global South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Helen

2011-01-01

This article is based on a web-search commissioned by an international charity to review the work of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and charities which promote and support early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the global South. The article examines examples of such initiatives. It is suggested that there is…

Children's Spaces as Sites for Ethical Practices: A "School-as-a-Tree" in an Economically Impoverished Neighbourhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasconcelos, Teresa

2006-01-01

This paper attempts to help us to move our reflections beyond quality issues and introduces an example of an early childhood setting as a site for ethical practices. Drawing from philosophical works by Levinas and Readings and the work by feminists such as Tronto and Sevenhuijsen, it affirms an ethics of care for early childhood education and the…

[Contribution to the history of pharmacology (the early Roman empire)].

PubMed

Tesařová, Drahomíra

2014-01-01

This article is a contribution to the history of pharmacology in the early Roman empire. It contains texts mainly written in Latin: the works of Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Scribonius Largus and Plinius Maior (Pliny the Elder). It describes their structure and contributions to the history of medicine and gives examples of some prescriptions and drugs in the original language and in Czech.

A New Approach to Predicting the Thermal Environment in Buildings at the Early Design Stage. Building Research Establishment Current Paper 2/74.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milbank, N. O.

The paper argues that existing computer programs for thermal predictions do not produce suitable information for architects, particularly at the early stages of design. It reviews the important building features that determine the thermal environment and the need for heating and cooling plant. Graphical design aids are proposed, with examples to…

Classroom Wall Charts and Biblical History: A Study of Educational Technology in Elementary Schools in Late Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evertsson, Jakob

2014-01-01

This article considers the emergence of classroom wall charts as a teaching technology in Swedish elementary schools in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, using Biblical history teaching as an example. There has been some work done internationally on wall charts as an instructional technology, but few studies have looked at their…

The first hominin from the early Pleistocene paleocave of Haasgat, South Africa.

PubMed

Leece, A B; Kegley, Anthony D T; Lacruz, Rodrigo S; Herries, Andy I R; Hemingway, Jason; Kgasi, Lazarus; Potze, Stephany; Adams, Justin W

2016-01-01

Haasgat is a primate-rich fossil locality in the northeastern part of the Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we report the first hominin identified from Haasgat, a partial maxillary molar (HGT 500), that was recovered from an ex situ calcified sediment block sampled from the locality. The in situ fossil bearing deposits of the Haasgat paleokarstic deposits are estimated to date to slightly older than 1.95 Ma based on magnetobiostratigraphy. This places the hominin specimen at a critical time period in South Africa that marks the last occurrence of Australopithecus around 1.98 Ma and the first evidence of Paranthropus and Homo in the region between ∼2.0 and 1.8 Ma. A comprehensive morphological evaluation of the Haasgat hominin molar was conducted against the current South African catalogue of hominin dental remains and imaging analyses using micro-CT, electron and confocal microscopy. The preserved occlusal morphology is most similar to Australopithecus africanus or early Homo specimens but different from Paranthropus. Occlusal linear enamel thickness measured from micro-CT scans provides an average of ∼2.0 mm consistent with Australopithecus and early Homo. Analysis of the enamel microstructure suggests an estimated periodicity of 7-9 days. Hunter-Schreger bands appear long and straight as in some Paranthropus, but contrast with this genus in the short shape of the striae of Retzius. Taken together, these data suggests that the maxillary fragment recovered from Haasgat best fits within the Australopithecus-early Homo hypodigms to the exclusion of the genus Paranthropus. At ∼1.95 Ma this specimen would either represent another example of late occurring Australopithecus or one of the earliest examples of Homo in the region. While the identification of this first hominin specimen from Haasgat is not unexpected given the composition of other South African penecontemporaneous site deposits, it represents one of the few hominin localities in the topographically-distinct northern World Heritage Site. When coupled with the substantial differences in the mammalian faunal communities between the northern localities (e.g., Haasgat, Gondolin) and well-sampled Bloubank Valley sites (e.g., Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai), the recovery of the HGT 500 specimen highlights the potential for further research at the Haasgat locality for understanding the distribution and interactions of hominin populations across the landscape, ecosystems and fossil mammalian communities of early Pleistocene South Africa. Such contextual data from sites like Haasgat is critical for understanding the transition in hominin representation at ∼2 Ma sites in the region from Australopithecus to Paranthropus and early Homo.

Selected contributions to ground-water hydrology by C.V. Theis, and a review of his life and work

USGS Publications Warehouse

contributions by Theis, C. V.; Appel, Charles A.; Clebsch, Alfred; White, Robert A.; Clebsch, Alfred

1994-01-01

This publication highlights two previously unpublished papers by C.V. Theis; each is augmented with a discussion that explains why he wrote the paper, attempts to discern why he did not publish the paper, and amplifies the information with reference material not included by Theis. 'A Primer on Anisotropy' was written in the early 1970's to provide practicing hydrogeologists of the day with a method of analyzing ground-water problems involving anisotropic hydraulic-conductivity distribution without using tensor mathematics. The equations were developed for horizontal flow through dipping beds with differing conductivities parallel and perpendicular to the bedding and for flow through dipping beds having three different hydraulic conductivities, one perpendicular to the bedding and two others parallel to the bedding, at an angle to the strike of the beds. Although most colleagues who reviewed the primer in the early 1970's encouraged its publication enthusiastically, at least one suggested the addition of some examples in which the method would be demonstrated. Handwritten notes from Theis' files indicate that he may have worked on some examples and possibly other additions to the paper. The comments by Charles A. Appel include some examples of the primer's use and augment the presentation with references to relevant published papers, both those available to Theis but not cited by him, and subsequent publications. 'Aquifers, Ground-Water Bodies, and Hydrophers' was written in the early 1980's as an attempt to clarify the semantic and conceptual confusion in the use of the term aquifer, applied by some investigators to the saturated part of a permeable formation and by others to the entire permeable formation. The physical distinction between the aquifer and the ground-water body is emphasized, and the term hydropher is proposed to describe the saturated part of a permeable formation. Theis' interest in and familiarity with the French literature on ground water was the basis for a discussion of the French usage, which eschews the term aquifer. The analysis and critique of Theis' palzler explains the 1835 paper from which aquifer was reportedly derived, and provides further justification for the term hydropher. Theis' more important contributions to ground-water hydrology were outgrowths of his solutions to small local water problems based on field investigations. The biographical sketch, drawing extensively from a partial autobiography that Theis had dictated, reveals both the reasons for and the intellectual processes that led to his development of the nonequilibrium concept of ground-water hydraulics. The sketch also describes the background of the man, reviews his career, and portrays the admiration and respect he elicited from his colleagues and associates. The magnitude of Theis' contribution to the science of ground-water hydrology, to the appraisal of the water resources of New Mexico, and to the early research on ground disposal of radioactive wastes is evident from the bibliography of his writings, which includes 168 reports, many of them unpublished. The evolution of his thinking about the role of geologic inhomogeneities in mass transport, conceptualized but not quantified, was the major contribution of the latter part of his career.

Day, night and all-weather security surveillance automation synergy from combining two powerful technologies

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

Morellas, Vassilios; Johnson, Andrew; Johnston, Chris

2006-07-01

Thermal imaging is rightfully a real-world technology proven to bring confidence to daytime, night-time and all weather security surveillance. Automatic image processing intrusion detection algorithms are also a real world technology proven to bring confidence to system surveillance security solutions. Together, day, night and all weather video imagery sensors and automated intrusion detection software systems create the real power to protect early against crime, providing real-time global homeland protection, rather than simply being able to monitor and record activities for post event analysis. These solutions, whether providing automatic security system surveillance at airports (to automatically detect unauthorized aircraft takeoff andmore » landing activities) or at high risk private, public or government facilities (to automatically detect unauthorized people or vehicle intrusion activities) are on the move to provide end users the power to protect people, capital equipment and intellectual property against acts of vandalism and terrorism. As with any technology, infrared sensors and automatic image intrusion detection systems for global homeland security protection have clear technological strengths and limitations compared to other more common day and night vision technologies or more traditional manual man-in-the-loop intrusion detection security systems. This paper addresses these strength and limitation capabilities. False Alarm (FAR) and False Positive Rate (FPR) is an example of some of the key customer system acceptability metrics and Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) and Minimum Resolvable Temperature are examples of some of the sensor level performance acceptability metrics. (authors)« less

Behavioral Informatics and Computational Modeling in Support of Proactive Health Management and Care

PubMed Central

Jimison, Holly B.; Korhonen, Ilkka; Gordon, Christine M.; Saranummi, Niilo

2016-01-01

Health-related behaviors are among the most significant determinants of health and quality of life. Improving health behavior is an effective way to enhance health outcomes and mitigate the escalating challenges arising from an increasingly aging population and the proliferation of chronic diseases. Although it has been difficult to obtain lasting improvements in health behaviors on a wide scale, advances at the intersection of technology and behavioral science may provide the tools to address this challenge. In this paper, we describe a vision and an approach to improve health behavior interventions using the tools of behavioral informatics, an emerging transdisciplinary research domain based on system-theoretic principles in combination with behavioral science and information technology. The field of behavioral informatics has the potential to optimize interventions through monitoring, assessing, and modeling behavior in support of providing tailored and timely interventions. We describe the components of a closed-loop system for health interventions. These components range from fine grain sensor characterizations to individual-based models of behavior change. We provide an example of a research health coaching platform that incorporates a closed-loop intervention based on these multiscale models. Using this early prototype, we illustrate how the optimized and personalized methodology and technology can support self-management and remote care. We note that despite the existing examples of research projects and our platform, significant future research is required to convert this vision to full-scale implementations. PMID:26441408

Why don't dentists talk to patients about oral cancer?

PubMed

Awojobi, O; Newton, J T; Scott, S E

2015-05-08

Up to half of oral cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced lesions. One route to early diagnosis could involve dentists raising awareness of oral cancer through discussions with patients, emphasising prompt help-seeking. This study explores opinions and practices of dentists regarding discussing oral cancer with patients including views on barriers and facilitators. Qualitative in-depth interviews.Setting Dentists working in general dental practices in the United Kingdom were interviewed in 2013. In-depth interviews with dentists (n = 16) were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data was analysed using framework analysis. Dentists recognised the importance of raising awareness but identified several barriers to discussions including system factors (for example, time constraints and a lack of financial incentive), patient factors (for example, fear of invoking undue anxiety) and dentist factors (for example, a lack of sufficient knowledge, training and self-confidence). Facilitators included developing practice standards and good dentist-patient relationships. Identified barriers may hold back efforts to raise awareness of oral cancer and could be targeted in future initiatives to encourage early detection.

Best practice in smoking cessation services for pregnant women: results of a survey of three services reporting the highest national returns, and three beacon services.

PubMed

Lee, Michelle; Hajek, Peter; McRobbie, Hayden; Owen, Lesley

2006-09-01

The NHS allocated dedicated funds to establish specialist smoking cessation services for pregnant smokers in England in 2000. An early survey revealed some uncertainty as to how the new services should work and monitor their outcome. The current survey focused on identifying examples of good practice in this difficult new field. Three services with the highest number of successful four-week quitters reported for the 2003/4 monitoring year were identified from Department of Health (DH) monitoring records, and three services were nominated from those known in the field as examples of best practice. There was no overlap between the two groups. All six services provided in-depth interviews. All three highest ranking services that reported close to 100 per cent success rates included unaided quitters identified from hospital wards, rather then smokers actually treated. They had only minimal or average genuine treatment provision for pregnant smokers in place. The three beacon services far exceeded the national throughput and outcome average identified in the previous survey, and provided a wealth of useful information. Although they differed in staffing levels and other aspects of their activities, they all shared several key elements, including a systematic training of midwives in how to refer pregnant smokers, offering nicotine replacement treatment to almost all clients and having an efficient system of providing the prescriptions, offering flexible home visits, and providing intensive multi-session treatment delivered by a small number of dedicated staff. Smoking cessation services for pregnant women may need clearer guidance on what they are expected to provide, and how they should monitor their outcome. The key features of the beacon services can serve as a practical model of current best practice applicable across most PCTs.

Primary Care Integration of Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Services: A Primer for Providers and Case Report of Local Implementation.

PubMed

Guerrero, Anthony Ps; Takesue, Cori L; Medeiros, Jared Hn; Duran, Aileen A; Humphry, Joseph W; Lunsford, Ryan M; Shaw, Diana V; Fukuda, Michael H; Hishinuma, Earl S

2017-06-01

Mental health conditions are common, disabling, potentially life-threatening, and costly; however, they are mostly treatable with early detection and intervention. Unfortunately, mental healthcare is in significantly short supply both nationally and locally, and particularly in small, rural, and relatively isolated communities. This article provides physicians and other health practitioners with a primer on the basic rationale and principles of integrating behavioral healthcare - particularly psychiatric specialty care - in primary care settings, including effective use of teleconferencing. Referring to a local-based example, this paper describes the programmatic components (universal screening, telephone availability, mutually educational team rounds, as-needed consultations, etc) that operationalize and facilitate successful primary care integration, and illustrates how these elements are applied to population segments with differing needs for behavioral healthcare involvement. Lastly, the article discusses the potential value of primary care integration in promoting quality, accessibility, and provider retention; discusses how new developments in healthcare financing could enhance the sustainability of primary care integration models; and summarizes lessons learned.

Progress in thermomechanical control of steel plates and their commercialization

PubMed Central

Nishioka, Kiyoshi; Ichikawa, Kazutoshi

2012-01-01

The water-cooled thermomechanical control process (TMCP) is a technology for improving the strength and toughness of water-cooled steel plates, while allowing control of the microstructure, phase transformation and rolling. This review describes metallurgical aspects of the microalloying of steel, such as niobium addition, and discusses advantages of TMCP, for example, in terms of weldability, which is reduced upon alloying. Other covered topics include the development of equipment, distortions in steel plates, peripheral technologies such as steel making and casting, and theoretical modeling, as well as the history of property control in steel plate production and some early TMCP technologies. We provide some of the latest examples of applications of TMCP steel in various industries such as shipbuilding, offshore structures, building construction, bridges, pipelines, penstocks and cryogenic tanks. This review also introduces high heat-affected-zone toughness technologies, wherein the microstructure of steel is improved by the addition of fine particles of magnesium-containing sulfides and magnesium- or calcium-containing oxides. We demonstrate that thanks to ongoing developments TMCP has the potential to meet the ever-increasing demands of steel plates. PMID:27877477

PARP-1 Controls the Adipogenic Transcriptional Program by PARylating C/EBPβ and Modulating Its Transcriptional Activity.

PubMed

Luo, Xin; Ryu, Keun Woo; Kim, Dae-Seok; Nandu, Tulip; Medina, Carlos J; Gupte, Rebecca; Gibson, Bryan A; Soccio, Raymond E; Yu, Yonghao; Gupta, Rana K; Kraus, W Lee

2017-01-19

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a post-translational modification of proteins mediated by PARP family members, such as PARP-1. Although PARylation has been studied extensively, few examples of definitive biological roles for site-specific PARylation have been reported. Here we show that C/EBPβ, a key pro-adipogenic transcription factor, is PARylated by PARP-1 on three amino acids in a conserved regulatory domain. PARylation at these sites inhibits C/EBPβ's DNA binding and transcriptional activities and attenuates adipogenesis in various genetic and cell-based models. Interestingly, PARP-1 catalytic activity drops precipitously during the first 48 hr of differentiation, corresponding to a release of C/EBPβ from PARylation-mediated inhibition. This promotes the binding of C/EBPβ at enhancers controlling the expression of adipogenic target genes and continued differentiation. Depletion or chemical inhibition of PARP-1, or mutation of the PARylation sites on C/EBPβ, enhances these early adipogenic events. Collectively, our results provide a clear example of how site-specific PARylation drives biological outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are oceanic plateaus sites of komatiite formation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Storey, M.; Mahoney, J. J.; Kroenke, L. W.; Saunders, A. D.

1991-04-01

During Cretaceous and Tertiary time a series of oceanic terranes were accreted onto the Pacific continental margin of Colombia. The island of Gorgona is thought to represent part of the most recent, early Eocene, terrane-forming event. Gorgona is remarkable for the occurrence of komatiites of middle Cretaceous age, having MgO contents up to 24%. The geochemistry of spatially and temporally associated tholeiites suggests that Gorgona is an obducted fragment of the oceanic Caribbean Plateau, postulated by Duncan and Hargraves (1984) to have formed at 100 to 75 Ma over the Galapagos hotspot. Further examples of high-MgO oceanic lavas that may represent fragments of the Caribbean Plateau occur in allochthonous terranes on the island of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles and in the Romeral zone ophiolites in the southwestern Colombian Andes. These and other examples suggest that the formation of high-MgO liquids may be a feature of oceanic-plateau settings. The association of Phanerozoic komatiites with oceanic plateaus, coupled with thermal considerations, provides a plausible analogue for the origin of some komatiite-tholeiite sequences in Archean greenstone belts.

Standardized Clinical Assessment And Management Plans (SCAMPs) Provide A Better Alternative To Clinical Practice Guidelines

PubMed Central

Farias, Michael; Jenkins, Kathy; Lock, James; Rathod, Rahul; Newburger, Jane; Bates, David W.; Safran, Dana G.; Friedman, Kevin; Greenberg, Josh

2014-01-01

Variability in medical practice in the United States leads to higher costs without achieving better patient outcomes. Clinical practice guidelines, which are intended to reduce variation and improve care, have several drawbacks that limit the extent of buy-in by clinicians. In contrast, standardized clinical assessment and management plans (SCAMPs) offer a clinician-designed approach to promoting care standardization that accommodates patients’ individual differences, respects providers’ clinical acumen, and keeps pace with the rapid growth of medical knowledge. Since early 2009 more than 12,000 patients have been enrolled in forty-nine SCAMPs in nine states and Washington, D.C. In one example, a SCAMP was credited with increasing clinicians’ rate of compliance with a recommended specialist referral for children from 19.6 percent to 75 percent. In another example, SCAMPs were associated with an 11–51 percent decrease in total medical expenses for six conditions when compared with a historical cohort. Innovative tools such as SCAMPs should be carefully examined by policy makers searching for methods to promote the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care. PMID:23650325

Progress in thermomechanical control of steel plates and their commercialization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishioka, Kiyoshi; Ichikawa, Kazutoshi

2012-04-01

The water-cooled thermomechanical control process (TMCP) is a technology for improving the strength and toughness of water-cooled steel plates, while allowing control of the microstructure, phase transformation and rolling. This review describes metallurgical aspects of the microalloying of steel, such as niobium addition, and discusses advantages of TMCP, for example, in terms of weldability, which is reduced upon alloying. Other covered topics include the development of equipment, distortions in steel plates, peripheral technologies such as steel making and casting, and theoretical modeling, as well as the history of property control in steel plate production and some early TMCP technologies. We provide some of the latest examples of applications of TMCP steel in various industries such as shipbuilding, offshore structures, building construction, bridges, pipelines, penstocks and cryogenic tanks. This review also introduces high heat-affected-zone toughness technologies, wherein the microstructure of steel is improved by the addition of fine particles of magnesium-containing sulfides and magnesium- or calcium-containing oxides. We demonstrate that thanks to ongoing developments TMCP has the potential to meet the ever-increasing demands of steel plates.

Ares Launch Vehicles Lean Practices Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doreswamy, Rajiv; Self, Timothy A.

2007-01-01

The Ares launch vehicles team, managed by the Ares Projects Office (APO) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, has completed the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle System Requirements Review and System Definition Review and early design work for the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle. This paper provides examples of how Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen events, and Six Sigma practices are helping APO deliver a new space transportation capability on time and within budget, while still meeting stringent technical requirements. For example, Lean philosophies have been applied to numerous process definition efforts and existing process improvement activities, including the Ares I-X test flight Certificate of Flight Readiness (CoFR) process, risk management process, and review board organization and processes. Ares executives learned Lean practices firsthand, making the team "smart buyers" during proposal reviews and instilling the team with a sense of what is meant by "value-added" activities. Since the goal of the APO is to field launch vehicles at a reasonable cost and on an ambitious schedule, adopting Lean philosophies and practices will be crucial to the Ares Project's long-term SUCCESS.

Probing Models of Dark Matter and the Early Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlofsky, Nicholas David

This thesis discusses models for dark matter (DM) and their behavior in the early universe. An important question is how phenomenological probes can directly search for signals of DM today. Another topic of investigation is how the DM and other processes in the early universe must evolve. Then, astrophysical bounds on early universe dynamics can constrain DM. We will consider these questions in the context of three classes of DM models--weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, and primordial black holes (PBHs). Starting with WIMPs, we consider models where the DM is charged under the electroweak gauge group of the Standard Model. Such WIMPs, if generated by a thermal cosmological history, are constrained by direct detection experiments. To avoid present or near-future bounds, the WIMP model or cosmological history must be altered in some way. This may be accomplished by the inclusion of new states that coannihilate with the WIMP or a period of non-thermal evolution in the early universe. Future experiments are likely to probe some of these altered scenarios, and a non-observation would require a high degree of tuning in some of the model parameters in these scenarios. Next, axions, as light pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons, are susceptible to quantum fluctuations in the early universe that lead to isocurvature perturbations, which are constrained by observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We ask what it would take to allow axion models in the face of these strong CMB bounds. We revisit models where inflationary dynamics modify the axion potential and discuss how isocurvature bounds can be relaxed, elucidating the difficulties in these constructions. Avoiding disruption of inflationary dynamics provides important limits on the parameter space. Finally, PBHs have received interest in part due to observations by LIGO of merging black hole binaries. We ask how these PBHs could arise through inflationary models and investigate the opportunity for corroboration through experimental probes of gravitational waves at pulsar timing arrays. We provide examples of theories that are already ruled out, theories that will soon be probed, and theories that will not be tested in the foreseeable future. The models that are most strongly constrained are those with relatively broad primordial power spectra.

State and National Contexts in Evaluating Cannabis Laws: A Case Study of Washington State.

PubMed

Cambron, Christopher; Guttmannova, Katarina; Fleming, Charles B

2017-01-01

As of January 2016, 23 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical or nonmedical cannabis, with more likely to follow. This dynamic policy context represents a substantial challenge for policy evaluation. Part I of this article provides a summary of state-level cannabis policy components across states and federal action regarding state-level policies. Part II presents a detailed history of cannabis policies in Washington State from 1998 to 2015 and analyzes the potential impacts of the policy changes on cannabis supply and demand. As an early adopter of both medical and nonmedical cannabis policies, Washington State provides an excellent example of the key elements to be considered in evaluating the relationship between policy changes and cannabis use. We highlight the importance of the interplay of federal enforcement priorities and previously adopted state-level cannabis regimes in interpreting the potential impacts of new cannabis policies.

The Numerical Propulsion System Simulation: A Multidisciplinary Design System for Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lytle, John K.

1999-01-01

Advances in computational technology and in physics-based modeling are making large scale, detailed simulations of complex systems possible within the design environment. For example, the integration of computing, communications, and aerodynamics has reduced the time required to analyze ma or propulsion system components from days and weeks to minutes and hours. This breakthrough has enabled the detailed simulation of major propulsion system components to become a routine part of design process and to provide the designer with critical information about the components early in the design process. This paper describes the development of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS), a multidisciplinary system of analysis tools that is focussed on extending the simulation capability from components to the full system. This will provide the product developer with a "virtual wind tunnel" that will reduce the number of hardware builds and tests required during the development of advanced aerospace propulsion systems.

The MiSPOT System: Personalized Publicity and Marketing over Interactive Digital TV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Nores, Martín; Pazos-Arias, José Juan; Blanco-Fernández, Yolanda; García-Duque, Jorge; Tubío-Pardavila, Ricardo; Rey-López, Marta

The development of Interactive Digital TV bears a great potential for electronic commerce, which remains heavily underexploited to date. The early initiatives to harness these technologies rely on the advertising techniques traditionally employed by the television industry, which have proven deficiencies related to viewers' comfort, locality and targeting. Furthermore, out of dedicated channels, there are very few attempts to provide interactive commercial functionalities through the TV, for example to sell products or to hire services. This chapter presents an overview of a system called MiSPOT that introduces solutions to these problems in two levels: (i) to advertise items that match the preferences and needs of the viewers, without interfering with their enjoyment of the TV programs; and (ii) to assemble specialized interactive applications that provide them with tailor-made commercial functionalities. These solutions are grounded on techniques from the Semantic Web, and are valid for both domestic TV receivers and mobile ones.

Modified Ride-on Toy Cars for Early Power Mobility: A Technical Report

PubMed Central

Huang, Hsiang-han; Galloway, James C

2012-01-01

Background and Purpose Children with significantly decreased mobility have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. A variety of assistive technologies are available to increase mobility, however no single device provides the level of functional mobility that typically developing children enjoy. The purpose of this technical report is to formally introduce a new power mobility option - the modified ride-on toy car. Key Points This report will provide a) an overview of toy car features, b) examples of basic electrical and mechanical modifications and c) a brief clinical case. Clinical Implications With creative use and customized modifications, toy cars function as a “general learning environment” for use in the clinic, home and school. As such, we anticipate that these cars will become a multi-use clinical tool to address not only mobility goals but also goals involving body function and structure such as posture and movement impairments. PMID:22466382

Modified ride-on toy cars for early power mobility: a technical report.

PubMed

Huang, Hsiang-Han; Galloway, James C

2012-01-01

Children with significantly decreased mobility have limited opportunities to explore their physical and social environment. A variety of assistive technologies are available to increase mobility; however, no single device provides the level of functional mobility that children developing typically enjoy. The purpose of this technical report is to formally introduce a new power mobility option--the modified ride-on toy car. This report will provide (a) an overview of toy car features, (b) examples of basic electrical and mechanical modifications, and (c) a brief clinical case. With creative use and customized modifications, toy cars can function as a "general learning environment" for use in the clinic, home, and school. As such, we anticipate that these cars will become a multiuse clinical tool to address not only mobility goals but also goals involving body function and structure such as posture and movement impairments.

The Aboriginal Australian cosmic landscape. Part 1: the ethnobotany of the skyworld

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Philip A.

2014-11-01

In Aboriginal Australia, the corpus of cosmological beliefs was united by the centrality of the Skyworld, which was considered to be the upper part of a total landscape that possessed topography linked with that of Earth and the Underworld. Early historical accounts of classical Australian hunter-gatherer beliefs described the heavens as inhabited by human and spiritual ancestors who interacted with the same species of plants and animals as they had below. This paper is the first of two that describes Indigenous perceptions of the Skyworld flora and draws out major ethnobotanical themes from the corpus of ethnoastronomical records garnered from a diverse range of Australian Aboriginal cultures. It investigates how Indigenous perceptions of the flora are interwoven with Aboriginal traditions concerning the heavens, and provides examples of how the study of ethnoastronomy can provide insights into the Indigenous use and perception of plants.

Using Data to Effectively Manage a National Screening Program

PubMed Central

Yancy, Brandie; Royalty, Janet E.; Marroulis, Steve; Mattingly, Cindy; Benard, Vicki B.; DeGroff, Amy

2015-01-01

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is implemented through cooperative agreements with state health departments, US territories, and tribal health organizations (grantees). Grantees typically contract with clinicians and other providers to deliver breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. As required by the CDC, grantees report biannually a subset of patient and clinical level program data known as the Minimum Data Elements. Rigorous processes are in place to ensure the completeness and quality of program data collection. In this article, the authors describe the NBCCEDP data-collection processes and data management system and discusses how data are used for 1) program monitoring and improvement, 2) evaluation and research, and 3) policy development and analysis. They also provide 2 examples of how grantees use data to improve their performance. PMID:25099900

KCDC — The KASCADE Cosmic-ray Data Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haungs, A.; Blumer, J.; Fuchs, B.; Kang, D.; Schoo, S.; Wochele, D.; Wochele, J.; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Fuhrmann, D.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Kampert, K. H.; Klages, H. O.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Palmieri, N.; Petcu, M.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schieler, H.; Schröder, F. G.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; Weindl, A.; Zabierowski, J.

2015-08-01

KCDC, the ‘KASCADE Cosmic-ray Data Centre’, is a web portal, where data of astroparticle physics experiments will be made available for the interested public. The KASCADE experiment, financed by public money, was a large-area detector for the measurement of high-energy cosmic rays via the detection of air showers. KASCADE and its extension KASCADE-Grande stopped finally the active data acquisition of all its components including the radio EAS experiment LOPES end of 2012 after more than 20 years of data taking. In a first release, with KCDC we provide to the public the measured and reconstructed parameters of more than 160 million air showers. In addition, KCDC provides the conceptional design, how the data can be treated and processed so that they are also usable outside the community of experts in the research field. Detailed educational examples make a use also possible for high-school students and early stage researchers.

State and National Contexts in Evaluating Cannabis Laws: A Case Study of Washington State

PubMed Central

Cambron, Christopher; Guttmannova, Katarina; Fleming, Charles B.

2017-01-01

As of January 2016, 23 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical or nonmedical cannabis, with more likely to follow. This dynamic policy context represents a substantial challenge for policy evaluation. Part I of this article provides a summary of state-level cannabis policy components across states and federal action regarding state-level policies. Part II presents a detailed history of cannabis policies in Washington State from 1998 to 2015 and analyzes the potential impacts of the policy changes on cannabis supply and demand. As an early adopter of both medical and nonmedical cannabis policies, Washington State provides an excellent example of the key elements to be considered in evaluating the relationship between policy changes and cannabis use. We highlight the importance of the interplay of federal enforcement priorities and previously adopted state-level cannabis regimes in interpreting the potential impacts of new cannabis policies. PMID:28458396

Utility of de-escalatory confidence-building measures

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

Nation, J.

1989-06-01

This paper evaluates the utility of specific confidence-building de-escalatory measures and pays special attention to the evaluation of measures which place restrictions on or establish procedures for strategic forces. Some measures appear more promising than others. Potentially useful confidence-building measures largely satisfy defined criteria and include the phased return of strategic nuclear forces to peacetime bases and operations, the termination of interference with communications and NTMs (National Technical Means) and the termination of civil defense preparations. Less-promising CBMs include the standing down of supplemental early warning systems, the establishment of SSBN keep-out zones, and decreases in bomber alert rates. Establishmentmore » of SSBN keep-out zones and reduction in bomber rates are difficult to verify, while the standing-down of early warning systems provides little benefit at potentially large costs. Particular confidence-building measures (CBMs) may be most useful in building superpower confidence at specific points in the crisis termination phase. For example, a decrease in strategic bomber alert rates may provide some decrease in perception of the likelihood of war, but its potential costs, particularly in increasing bomber vulnerability, may limit its utility and implementation to the final crisis stages when the risks of re-escalation and surprise attack are lower.« less

Modeling the Interplay of Multilevel Risk Factors for Future Academic and Behavior Problems: A Person-Centered Approach

PubMed Central

Lanza, Stephanie T.; Rhoades, Brittany L.; Nix, Robert L.; Greenberg, Mark T.

2010-01-01

This study identified profiles of 13 risk factors across child, family, school, and neighborhood domains in a diverse sample of children in kindergarten from 4 US locations (n = 750; 45% minority). It then examined the relation of those early risk profiles to externalizing problems, school failure, and low academic achievement in Grade 5. A person-centered approach, latent class analysis, revealed four unique risk profiles, which varied considerably across urban African American, urban white, and rural white children. Profiles characterized by several risks that cut across multiple domains conferred the highest risk for negative outcomes. Compared to a variable-centered approach, such as a cumulative risk index, these findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the early precursors to negative outcomes. For example, results suggested that urban children in single-parent homes that have few other risk factors (i.e., show at least average parenting warmth and consistency and report relatively low stress and high social support) are at quite low risk for externalizing problems, but at relatively high risk for poor grades and low academic achievement. These findings provide important information for refining and targeting preventive interventions to groups of children who share particular constellations of risk factors. PMID:20423544

Foreign language learning in immersive virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Benjamin; Sheldon, Lee; Si, Mei; Hand, Anton

2012-03-01

Virtual reality has long been used for training simulations in fields from medicine to welding to vehicular operation, but simulations involving more complex cognitive skills present new design challenges. Foreign language learning, for example, is increasingly vital in the global economy, but computer-assisted education is still in its early stages. Immersive virtual reality is a promising avenue for language learning as a way of dynamically creating believable scenes for conversational training and role-play simulation. Visual immersion alone, however, only provides a starting point. We suggest that the addition of social interactions and motivated engagement through narrative gameplay can lead to truly effective language learning in virtual environments. In this paper, we describe the development of a novel application for teaching Mandarin using CAVE-like VR, physical props, human actors and intelligent virtual agents, all within a semester-long multiplayer mystery game. Students travel (virtually) to China on a class field trip, which soon becomes complicated with intrigue and mystery surrounding the lost manuscript of an early Chinese literary classic. Virtual reality environments such as the Forbidden City and a Beijing teahouse provide the setting for learning language, cultural traditions, and social customs, as well as the discovery of clues through conversation in Mandarin with characters in the game.

Modeling the interplay of multilevel risk factors for future academic and behavior problems: a person-centered approach.

PubMed

Lanza, Stephanie T; Rhoades, Brittany L; Nix, Robert L; Greenberg, Mark T

2010-05-01

This study identified profiles of 13 risk factors across child, family, school, and neighborhood domains in a diverse sample of children in kindergarten from four US locations (n = 750; 45% minority). It then examined the relation of those early risk profiles to externalizing problems, school failure, and low academic achievement in Grade 5. A person-centered approach, latent class analysis, revealed four unique risk profiles, which varied considerably across urban African American, urban White, and rural White children. Profiles characterized by several risks that cut across multiple domains conferred the highest risk for negative outcomes. Compared to a variable-centered approach, such as a cumulative risk index, these findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the early precursors to negative outcomes. For example, results suggested that urban children in single-parent homes that have few other risk factors (i.e., show at least average parenting warmth and consistency and report relatively low stress and high social support) are at quite low risk for externalizing problems, but at relatively high risk for poor grades and low academic achievement. These findings provide important information for refining and targeting preventive interventions to groups of children who share particular constellations of risk factors.

The Early Development and Evolution of the QARTOD for In-Situ Wave Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchard, R. H.; Thomas, J.; Teng, C. C.; Burnett, W.; Castel, D.

2017-12-01

In 2013 the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Program Office issued manual was for the Real-Time Quality Control of In-Situ Surface Wave Data. This was one of the first Quality Assurance/Quality Control of Real-Time Oceanographic Data (QARTOD) manuals that now cover 11 different in situ measurements. This landmark document was the product of an effort initiated at a 2002 OCEANS.US workshop. The workshop identified and prioritized ocean variables with directional waves ranked as one of the highest key variables for inclusion into a national backbone of observations. The workshop was the impetus that led to the first QARTOD meeting in 2003 that involved over 80 participants and developed minimum standards for real-time observations. Over three more QARTOD meetings, two ad hoc meetings, and many hours of coordination and review involving dozens of wave measurement users and providers, consensus was reached on a list of essential "must Do's" for quality control tests that eventually formed the basis of the manual. The IOOS QARTOD manual established a standard format, provided greater detail, included codeable examples of the algorithms and established a framework for periodic reviews and updates. While the bulk of the quality control procedures originated with those being used by the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) and by NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), QARTOD also enlisted the expertise of federal, academic, and industry partners. CDIP and NDBC each operated more than 100 wave measuring buoys and had long histories of wave buoy measurements. In addition to buoy measurements, users and providers of fixed and bottom-mounted wave systems were also included. This paper examines the individual contributions, early developments, and the evolution of the QARTOD wave measurement efforts that culminated in the US IOOS manual. These efforts serve as an example of how individuals with a common interest and dedication can achieve results for the common good. Quality control algorithms of value, but not included in the essential list and further quality control advancements outside of the QARTOD will also be reviewed.

Viewpoints, Formalisms, Languages, and Tools for Cyber-Physical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-16

Organization]: Special-Purpose and Application-Based Systems —real-time and embedded sys- tems; F.1.2 [Computation by Abstract Devices]: Mod- els of...domain CPS is not new. For example, early automotive embedded systems in the 1970s already combined closed-loop control of the brake and engine subsystems...Consider for example the development of an embedded control system such as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) (e.g., adaptive cruise control

Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis, an Underutilized Safety, Reliability, Project Management and Systems Engineering Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullin, Daniel Richard

2013-09-01

The majority of space programs whether manned or unmanned for science or exploration require that a Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) be performed as part of their safety and reliability activities. This comes as no surprise given that FMECAs have been an integral part of the reliability engineer's toolkit since the 1950s. The reasons for performing a FMECA are well known including fleshing out system single point failures, system hazards and critical components and functions. However, in the author's ten years' experience as a space systems safety and reliability engineer, findings demonstrate that the FMECA is often performed as an afterthought, simply to meet contract deliverable requirements and is often started long after the system requirements allocation and preliminary design have been completed. There are also important qualitative and quantitative components often missing which can provide useful data to all of project stakeholders. These include; probability of occurrence, probability of detection, time to effect and time to detect and, finally, the Risk Priority Number. This is unfortunate as the FMECA is a powerful system design tool that when used effectively, can help optimize system function while minimizing the risk of failure. When performed as early as possible in conjunction with writing the top level system requirements, the FMECA can provide instant feedback on the viability of the requirements while providing a valuable sanity check early in the design process. It can indicate which areas of the system will require redundancy and which areas are inherently the most risky from the onset. Based on historical and practical examples, it is this author's contention that FMECAs are an immense source of important information for all involved stakeholders in a given project and can provide several benefits including, efficient project management with respect to cost and schedule, system engineering and requirements management, assembly integration and test (AI&T) and operations if applied early, performed to completion and updated along with system design.

INVESTIGATING ALTERNATIVES TO THE FISH EARLY-LIFE STAGE TEST: A STRATEGY FOR DISCOVERING AND ANNOTATING ADVERSE OUTCOME PATHWAYS FOR EARLY FISH DEVELOPMENT

PubMed Central

Villeneuve, Daniel; Volz, David C; Embry, Michelle R; Ankley, Gerald T; Belanger, Scott E; Léonard, Marc; Schirmer, Kristin; Tanguay, Robert; Truong, Lisa; Wehmas, Leah

2014-01-01

The fish early-life stage (FELS) test (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] test guideline 210) is the primary test used internationally to estimate chronic fish toxicity in support of ecological risk assessments and chemical management programs. As part of an ongoing effort to develop efficient and cost-effective alternatives to the FELS test, there is a need to identify and describe potential adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) relevant to FELS toxicity. To support this endeavor, the authors outline and illustrate an overall strategy for the discovery and annotation of FELS AOPs. Key events represented by major developmental landmarks were organized into a preliminary conceptual model of fish development. Using swim bladder inflation as an example, a weight-of-evidence–based approach was used to support linkage of key molecular initiating events to adverse phenotypic outcomes and reduced young-of-year survival. Based on an iterative approach, the feasibility of using key events as the foundation for expanding a network of plausible linkages and AOP knowledge was explored and, in the process, important knowledge gaps were identified. Given the scope and scale of the task, prioritization of AOP development was recommended and key research objectives were defined relative to factors such as current animal-use restrictions in the European Union and increased demands for fish toxicity data in chemical management programs globally. The example and strategy described are intended to guide collective efforts to define FELS-related AOPs and develop resource-efficient predictive assays that address the toxicological domain of the OECD 210 test. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:158–169. © 2013 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. PMID:24115264

A data analysis framework for biomedical big data: Application on mesoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Alexander; Riveiro, Maria; Améen, Caroline; Åkesson, Karolina; Andersson, Christian X.; Sartipy, Peter; Synnergren, Jane

2017-01-01

The development of high-throughput biomolecular technologies has resulted in generation of vast omics data at an unprecedented rate. This is transforming biomedical research into a big data discipline, where the main challenges relate to the analysis and interpretation of data into new biological knowledge. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for biomedical big data analytics, and apply it for analyzing transcriptomics time series data from early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. To this end, transcriptome profiling by microarray was performed on differentiating human pluripotent stem cells sampled at eleven consecutive days. The gene expression data was analyzed using the five-stage analysis framework proposed in this study, including data preparation, exploratory data analysis, confirmatory analysis, biological knowledge discovery, and visualization of the results. Clustering analysis revealed several distinct expression profiles during differentiation. Genes with an early transient response were strongly related to embryonic- and mesendoderm development, for example CER1 and NODAL. Pluripotency genes, such as NANOG and SOX2, exhibited substantial downregulation shortly after onset of differentiation. Rapid induction of genes related to metal ion response, cardiac tissue development, and muscle contraction were observed around day five and six. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of these processes, e.g. POU1F1, TCF4 and TBP for muscle contraction genes. Pathway analysis revealed temporal activity of several signaling pathways, for example the inhibition of WNT signaling on day 2 and its reactivation on day 4. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of biological events and key regulators of the early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. The proposed analysis framework can be used to structure data analysis in future research, both in stem cell differentiation, and more generally, in biomedical big data analytics. PMID:28654683

A data analysis framework for biomedical big data: Application on mesoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Ulfenborg, Benjamin; Karlsson, Alexander; Riveiro, Maria; Améen, Caroline; Åkesson, Karolina; Andersson, Christian X; Sartipy, Peter; Synnergren, Jane

2017-01-01

The development of high-throughput biomolecular technologies has resulted in generation of vast omics data at an unprecedented rate. This is transforming biomedical research into a big data discipline, where the main challenges relate to the analysis and interpretation of data into new biological knowledge. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for biomedical big data analytics, and apply it for analyzing transcriptomics time series data from early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. To this end, transcriptome profiling by microarray was performed on differentiating human pluripotent stem cells sampled at eleven consecutive days. The gene expression data was analyzed using the five-stage analysis framework proposed in this study, including data preparation, exploratory data analysis, confirmatory analysis, biological knowledge discovery, and visualization of the results. Clustering analysis revealed several distinct expression profiles during differentiation. Genes with an early transient response were strongly related to embryonic- and mesendoderm development, for example CER1 and NODAL. Pluripotency genes, such as NANOG and SOX2, exhibited substantial downregulation shortly after onset of differentiation. Rapid induction of genes related to metal ion response, cardiac tissue development, and muscle contraction were observed around day five and six. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of these processes, e.g. POU1F1, TCF4 and TBP for muscle contraction genes. Pathway analysis revealed temporal activity of several signaling pathways, for example the inhibition of WNT signaling on day 2 and its reactivation on day 4. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of biological events and key regulators of the early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. The proposed analysis framework can be used to structure data analysis in future research, both in stem cell differentiation, and more generally, in biomedical big data analytics.

Terrestrial Biomarkers for Early Life on Earth as Analogs for Possible Martian Life Forms: Examples of Minerally Replaced Bacteria and Biofilms From the 3.5 - 3.3-Ga Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westall, F.; McKay, D. S.; Gibson, E. K.; deWit, M. J.; Dann, J.; Gerneke, D.; deRonde, C. E. J.

1998-01-01

The search for extraterrestrial life and especially martian life hinges on a variety of methods used to identify vestiges of what we could recognize as life, including chemical signatures, morphological fossils, and biogenic precipitates. Although the possibility of extant life on Mars (subsurface) is being considered, most exploration efforts may be directed toward the search for fossil life. Geomorphological evidence points to a warmer and wetter Mars early on in its history, a scenario that encourages comparison with the early Earth. For this reason, study of the early terrestrial life forms and environment in which they lived may provide clues as to how to search for extinct martian life. As a contribution to the early Archean database of terrestrial microfossils, we present new data on morphological fossils from the 3.5-3.3-Ga Barberton greenstone belt (BGB), South Africa. This study underlines the variety of fossil types already present in some of the oldest, best-preserved terrestrial sediments, ranging from minerally replaced bacteria and bacteria molds of vaRious morphologies (coccoid, coccobacillus, bacillus) to minerally replaced biofilm. Biofilm or extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) is produced by bacteria and appears to be more readily fossilisable than bacteria themselves. The BGB fossils occur in shallow water to subaerial sediments interbedded with volcanic lavas, the whole being deposited on oceanic crust. Penecontemporaneous silicification of sediments and volcanics resulted in the chertification of the rocks, which were later subjected to low-grade metamorphism (lower greenschist).

Early-to-middle Holocene sea-level fluctuations, coastal progradation and the Neolithic occupations in Yaojiang valley of southern Hangzhou bay, eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Sun, Q.; Fan, D.; Chen, Z.

2017-12-01

The formation of Holocene coast in eastern China provided material base for the development of Neolithic civilizations. The coastal Yaojiang valley of south Hangzhou bay was one of the examples where the well-known Neolithic Hemudu Culture (HC) of Eastern China initiated. Here, we studied the early-to-middle Holocene environment changes in relation to sea-level fluctuations on the basis of a serial of sediment cores based on a set of new Accelerator Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) chronology. The result indicated that relative sea-level rose rapidly in the Yaojiang valley at the early Holocene, reaching its maximum at ca. 8000-7800 cal yr BP and then decelerated at ca. 7800-7500 cal yr BP. The alluvial plain in Yaojiang valley began to form at the foothills first and then grew towards the valley center accompanying with the sea-level stabilization after ca. 7500 cal yr BP. This progressive progradation of alluvial plain would attract the early arrivals of foragers to dwell at the foothills to engaging in rice farming after ca.7000 cal yr BP and starting the epic Hemudu Culture. The HC people then move down to the valley center as more land became available thanks to sediment aggregation and progradation. The rise and development of HC were closely associated with the sea-level induced landscape changes in Yaojiang valley at the early-middle Holocene, and the unstable hydraulic condition in the valley after 5000 cal yr BP could be accountable for the cultural termination.

Non-equivalent contributions of maternal and paternal genomes to early plant embryogenesis.

PubMed

Del Toro-De León, Gerardo; García-Aguilar, Marcelina; Gillmor, C Stewart

2014-10-30

Zygotic genome activation in metazoans typically occurs several hours to a day after fertilization, and thus maternal RNAs and proteins drive early animal embryo development. In plants, despite several molecular studies of post-fertilization transcriptional activation, the timing of zygotic genome activation remains a matter of debate. For example, two recent reports that used different hybrid ecotype combinations for RNA sequence profiling of early Arabidopsis embryo transcriptomes came to divergent conclusions. One identified paternal contributions that varied by gene, but with overall maternal dominance, while the other found that the maternal and paternal genomes are transcriptionally equivalent. Here we assess paternal gene activation functionally in an isogenic background, by performing a large-scale genetic analysis of 49 EMBRYO DEFECTIVE genes and testing the ability of wild-type paternal alleles to complement phenotypes conditioned by mutant maternal alleles. Our results demonstrate that wild-type paternal alleles for nine of these genes are completely functional 2 days after pollination, with the remaining 40 genes showing partial activity beginning at 2, 3 or 5 days after pollination. Using our functional assay, we also demonstrate that different hybrid combinations exhibit significant variation in paternal allele activation, reconciling the apparently contradictory results of previous transcriptional studies. The variation in timing of gene function that we observe confirms that paternal genome activation does not occur in one early discrete step, provides large-scale functional evidence that maternal and paternal genomes make non-equivalent contributions to early plant embryogenesis, and uncovers an unexpectedly profound effect of hybrid genetic backgrounds on paternal gene activity.

Asymmetric seasonal march from autumn to the next spring in East Asia (Toward interdisciplinary education on the climate systems and the "seasonal feeling" such as around the Japan Islands area)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Kuranoshin; Kato, Haruko; Sato, Sari; Akagi, Rikako; Haga, Yuichi; Miyake, Shoji

2014-05-01

There are many steps of seasonal transitions in East Asia, greatly influenced by the considerable phase differences of seasonal cycle among the Asian monsoon subsystems, resulting in the variety of "seasonal feeling" around the Japan Islands. For example, the "wintertime pressure pattern" begins to prevail already from November due to the seasonal development of the Siberian Air mass and the Siberian High, although the air temperature around the Japan Islands is still rather higher than in midwinter. On the other hand, since the southward retreat of the warm moist air mass in the western Pacific area delays rather greatly to the advances of those northern systems. Thus it would be interesting to re-examine the whole seasonal cycle around the Japan Islands at the view point of how the phase differences among seasonal marches of the Asian monsoon subsystems affect the variety of the seasonal cycle there, together with their effects on the "seasonal feeling". As such, the present study will examine the asymmetric seasonal march from autumn to the next spring through midwinter around the Japan Islands as an interesting example, and will also report the joint activity with music, and so on, toward the development of an interdisciplinary study plan on such topics for the students in junior high school, high school and the faculty of education of the university. The wintertime weather pattern, i.e., precipitation in the Japan Sea side and clear day in the Pacific side of the Japan Islands, prevails from early November to early March, reflected by the seasonal cycle of the Siberian Air Mass and the Siberian High. However, the air temperature shows the minimum from late January to early February around the Japan Islands. In other words, although the dominant weather patterns around November and in early March are nearly the same as each other, air temperature is still lower in early March (early spring). In spite of that, the solar radiation is rather stronger in early March. Comparison of "seasonal feeling" expressed in the Japanese classic poems called "Wa-Ka", the Japanese school songs, and so on, between those seasons was also made, referring to the asymmetric seasonal march as just mentioned above. We would like to introduce also the results of the trial of the class at Kurashiki-Seiryo High School or Faculty of Education of Okyama University. We should note that the present joint activity might also contribute to providing the study materials for the cultural understanding, which is one of the important elements for the ESD (Education for Sustainable Development).

Students' Reactions to Climate Change Adaptation Risks and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiel, M.; Grant, J. H.

2015-12-01

Objectives/Scope How undergraduate (UG) business students at a major public university in the Rocky Mountain region develop appreciation, and some understanding of physical and natural sciences causing climate change (CC) and their implications for society through examples drawn from the students' immediate and meaningful physical environments. Methods, Procedures, Process Three regional examples of ways in which CC impacts the lives of students on the local campus will provide practical approaches for students' environmentally responsible actions beyond the classroom. The cases from different industries will help UG students learn how they play critical roles in preventing and managing natural hazards, disaster management, ecology, development, famine, and secure livelihoods. Observations, Results, Conclusions Classroom discussions of "businesses' ecological responsibilities" in some remote location often fail to "connect" with students who have spent most of their lives within 300 miles of campus. However, when businesses in Asia are adding particulate to the atmosphere in the jet stream over the Pacific, and subsequently graying the local ski slopes, causing early melting and delaying the start of ski seasons, that is a different matter! However, more summer activities offer economic opportunities! A second example is found among the local entrepreneurial woodworkers who take "beetle kill" pine trees that are wildfire hazards and convert them into beautiful, creatively described "blue pine" furniture, interior beams, wall panels and table-top decorations. The "industrial scale" anaerobic digesters used in the "circular economy" of giant cheese factories, dairy farms and packing plants offer a third example for linking business to chemistry, engineering, and aesthetics (odor reduction).

From Ecology to Finance (and Back?): A Review on Entropy-Based Null Models for the Analysis of Bipartite Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straka, Mika J.; Caldarelli, Guido; Squartini, Tiziano; Saracco, Fabio

2018-04-01

Bipartite networks provide an insightful representation of many systems, ranging from mutualistic networks of species interactions to investment networks in finance. The analyses of their topological structures have revealed the ubiquitous presence of properties which seem to characterize many—apparently different—systems. Nestedness, for example, has been observed in biological plant-pollinator as well as in country-product exportation networks. Due to the interdisciplinary character of complex networks, tools developed in one field, for example ecology, can greatly enrich other areas of research, such as economy and finance, and vice versa. With this in mind, we briefly review several entropy-based bipartite null models that have been recently proposed and discuss their application to real-world systems. The focus on these models is motivated by the fact that they show three very desirable features: analytical character, general applicability, and versatility. In this respect, entropy-based methods have been proven to perform satisfactorily both in providing benchmarks for testing evidence-based null hypotheses and in reconstructing unknown network configurations from partial information. Furthermore, entropy-based models have been successfully employed to analyze ecological as well as economic systems. As an example, the application of entropy-based null models has detected early-warning signals, both in economic and financial systems, of the 2007-2008 world crisis. Moreover, they have revealed a statistically-significant export specialization phenomenon of country export baskets in international trade, a result that seems to reconcile Ricardo's hypothesis in classical economics with recent findings on the (empirical) diversification industrial production at the national level. Finally, these null models have shown that the information contained in the nestedness is already accounted for by the degree sequence of the corresponding graphs.

Early Rockets

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

All through the 13th to the 15th Centuries there were reports of many rocket experiments. For example, Joanes de Fontana of Italy designed a surface-rurning, rocket-powered torpedo for setting enemy ships on fire

An integrated approach to the Taxonomic identification of prehistoric shell ornaments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demarchi, Beatrice; O'Connor, Sonia; Ponzoni, Andre de Lima; Ponzoni, Raquel de Almeida Roch; Sheridan, Alison; Penkman, Kirsty; Hancock, Y.; Wilson, Julie

2014-01-01

Shell beads appear to have been one of the earliest examples of personal adornments. Marine shells identified far from the shore evidence long-distance transport and imply networks of exchange and negotiation. However, worked beads lose taxonomic clues to identification, and this may be compounded by taphonomic alteration. Consequently, the significance of this key early artefact may be underestimated. We report the use of bulk amino acid composition of the stable intra-crystalline proteins preserved in shell biominerals and the application of pattern recognition methods to a large dataset (777 samples) to demonstrate that taxonomic identification can be achieved at genus level. Amino acid analyses are fast (<2 hours per sample) and micro-destructive (sample size <2 mg). Their integration with non-destructive techniques provides a valuable and affordable tool, which can be used by archaeologists and museum curators to gain insight into early exploitation of natural resources by humans. Here we combine amino acid analyses, macro- and microstructural observations (by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) and Raman spectroscopy to try to identify the raw material used for beads discovered at the Early Bronze Age site of Great Cornard (UK). Our results show that at least two shell taxa were used and we hypothesise that these were sourced locally.

[Chickenpox case estimation in acyclovir pharmacy survey and early bioterrorism detection].

PubMed

Sugawara, Tamie; Ohkusa, Yasushi; Kawanohara, Hirokazu; Taniguchi, Kiyosu; Okabe, Nobuhiko

2011-11-01

Early potential health hazards and bioterrorism threats require early detection. Smallpox cases caused by terrorist could, for example, be treated by prescribing acyclovir to those having fever and vesicle exanthema diagnosed as chicken pox. We have constructed real-time pharmacy surveillance scenarios using information technology (IT) to monitor acyclovir prescription. We collected the number of acyclovir prescriptions from 5138 pharmacies using the Application Server Provider System (ASP) to estimate the number of cases. We then compared the number of those given acyclovir under 15 years old from pharmacy surveillance and sentinel surveillance for chickenpox under the Infection Disease Control Law. The estimated number of under 15 years old prescribed acyclovir in pharmacy surveillance resembled sentinel surveillance results and showed a similar seasonal chickenpox pattern. The correlation coefficient was 0.8575. The estimated numbers of adults, older than 15 but under 65 years old, and elderly, older than 65, prescribed acyclovir showed no clear seasonal pattern. Pharmacy surveillance for acyclovir identified the baseline and can be used to detect unusual chickenpox outbreak. Bioterrorism attack could potentially be detected using smallpox virus when acyclovir prescription for adults suddenly increases without outbreaks in children or the elderly. This acyclovir prescription monitoring such as an application is, to our knowledge, the first of its kind anywhre.

Determination of early warning signs for photocatalytic degradation of titanium white oil paints by means of surface analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Driel, B. A.; Wezendonk, T. A.; van den Berg, K. J.; Kooyman, P. J.; Gascon, J.; Dik, J.

2017-02-01

Titanium white (TiO2) has been widely used as a pigment in the 20th century. However, its most photocatalytic form (anatase) can cause severe degradation of the oil paint in which it is contained. UV light initiates TiO2-photocatalyzed processes in the paint film, degrading the oil binder into volatile components resulting in chalking of the paint. This will eventually lead to severe changes in the appearance of a painting. To date, limited examples of degraded works of art containing titanium white are known due to the relatively short existence of the paintings in question and the slow progress of the degradation process. However, UV light will inevitably cause degradation of paint in works of art containing photocatalytic titanium white. In this work, a method to detect early warning signs of photocatalytic degradation of unvarnished oil paint is proposed, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Consequently, a four-stage degradation model was developed through in-depth study of TiO2-containing paint films in various stages of degradation. The XPS surface analysis proved very valuable for detecting early warning signs of paint degradation, whereas the AFM results provide additional confirmation and are in good agreement with bulk gloss reduction.

The armoured dissorophid Cacops from the Early Permian of Oklahoma and the exploitation of the terrestrial realm by amphibians.

PubMed

Reisz, Robert R; Schoch, Rainer R; Anderson, Jason S

2009-07-01

Cacops, one of the most distinctive Paleozoic amphibians, is part of a clade of dissorophoid temnospondyls that diversified in the equatorial region of Pangea during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian, persisting into the Late Permian in Central Russia and China. Dissorophids were a successful group of fully terrestrial, often spectacularly armoured predators, the only amphibians apparently able to coexist with amniotes when the latter started to dominate terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we describe excellent new skulls from the Early Permian of Oklahoma attributed to Cacops, Cacops morrisi sp. nov. and provide for the first time detailed information about this iconic dissorophid. These specimens show anatomical and ontogenetic features that will impact on future studies on the evolution of terrestriality in tetrapods. For example, the large, posteriorly closed tympanic embayment has fine striations on an otherwise smooth surface, documenting the oldest known clear evidence for the presence of a tympanic membrane in the fossil record, a structure that is used for hearing airborne sound in extant tetrapods. The skull of C. morrisi also has several features associated with predatory behaviour, indicating that this dissorophid may have been one of the top terrestrial predators of its time.

Biomarkers in rheumatic diseases: how can they facilitate diagnosis and assessment of disease activity?

PubMed

Mohan, Chandra; Assassi, Shervin

2015-11-26

Serological and proteomic biomarkers can help clinicians diagnose rheumatic diseases earlier and assess disease activity more accurately. These markers have been incorporated into the recently revised classification criteria of several diseases to enable early diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment. Furthermore, they also facilitate more accurate subclassification and more focused monitoring for the detection of certain disease manifestations, such as lung and renal involvement. These biomarkers can also make the assessment of disease activity and treatment response more reliable. Simultaneously, several new serological and proteomic biomarkers have become available in the routine clinical setting--for example, a protein biomarker panel for rheumatoid arthritis and a myositis antibody panel for dermatomyositis and polymyositis. This review will focus on commercially available antibody and proteomic biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), dermatomyositis and polymyositis, and axial spondyloarthritis (including ankylosing spondylitis). It will discuss how these markers can facilitate early diagnosis as well as more accurate subclassification and assessment of disease activity in the clinical setting. The ultimate goal of current and future biomarkers in rheumatic diseases is to enable early detection of these diseases and their clinical manifestations, and to provide effective monitoring and treatment regimens that are tailored to each patient's needs and prognosis. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015.

Laser ultrasonic techniques for assessment of tooth structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blodgett, David W.; Baldwin, Kevin C.

2000-06-01

Dental health care and research workers require a means of imaging the structures within teeth in vivo. For example, there is a need to image the margins of a restoration for the detection of poor bonding or voids between the restorative material and the dentin. With conventional x-ray techniques, it is difficult to detect cracks and to visualize interfaces between hard media. This due to the x-ray providing only a 2 dimensional projection of the internal structure (i.e. a silhouette). In addition, a high resolution imaging modality is needed to detect tooth decay in its early stages. If decay can be detected early enough, the process can be monitored and interventional procedures, such as fluoride washes and controlled diet, can be initiated which can help the tooth to re-mineralize itself. Currently employed x-ray imaging is incapable of detecting decay at a stage early enough to avoid invasive cavity preparation followed by a restoration with a synthetic material. Other clinical applications include the visualization of periodontal defects, the localization of intraosseous lesions, and determining the degree of osseointegration between a dental implant and the surrounding bone. A means of assessing the internal structure of the tooth based upon use of high frequency, highly localized ultrasound (acoustic waves) generated by a laser pulse is discussed. Optical interferometric detection of ultrasound provides a complementary technique with a very small detection footprint. Initial results using laser-based ultrasound for assessment of dental structures are presented. Discussion will center on the adaptability of this technique to clinical applications.

1995 annual epidemiologic surveillance report for Hanford Site

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

NONE

1995-12-31

The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) commitment to assuring the health and safety of its workers includes the conduct of epidemiologic surveillance activities that provide an early warning system for health problems among workers. A number of DOE sites participate in the Epidemiologic Surveillance Program. This program monitors illnesses and health conditions that result in an absence of five or more consecutive workdays, occupational injuries and illnesses, disabilities and deaths among current workers. This report provides a summary of epidemiologic surveillance data collected from the Hanford Site from January 1, 1995 through December 31, 1995. The data were collected bymore » a coordinator at Hanford and submitted to the Epidemiologic Surveillance Data Center, located at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, where quality control procedures and data analyses were carried out. The information in the main body of the report provides a descriptive analysis of the data collected from the site, and the appendices provides additional detail. The report also contains an expanded Glossary and an Explanation of Diagnostic Categories which gives examples of health conditions in each of the diagnostic categories.« less

Web image retrieval using an effective topic and content-based technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ching-Cheng; Prabhakara, Rashmi

2005-03-01

There has been an exponential growth in the amount of image data that is available on the World Wide Web since the early development of Internet. With such a large amount of information and image available and its usefulness, an effective image retrieval system is thus greatly needed. In this paper, we present an effective approach with both image matching and indexing techniques that improvise on existing integrated image retrieval methods. This technique follows a two-phase approach, integrating query by topic and query by example specification methods. In the first phase, The topic-based image retrieval is performed by using an improved text information retrieval (IR) technique that makes use of the structured format of HTML documents. This technique consists of a focused crawler that not only provides for the user to enter the keyword for the topic-based search but also, the scope in which the user wants to find the images. In the second phase, we use query by example specification to perform a low-level content-based image match in order to retrieve smaller and relatively closer results of the example image. From this, information related to the image feature is automatically extracted from the query image. The main objective of our approach is to develop a functional image search and indexing technique and to demonstrate that better retrieval results can be achieved.

Testing the Model-Observer Similarity Hypothesis with Text-Based Worked Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoogerheide, Vincent; Loyens, Sofie M. M.; Jadi, Fedora; Vrins, Anna; van Gog, Tamara

2017-01-01

Example-based learning is a very effective and efficient instructional strategy for novices. It can be implemented using text-based worked examples that provide a written demonstration of how to perform a task, or (video) modelling examples in which an instructor (the "model") provides a demonstration. The model-observer similarity (MOS)…

Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease

MedlinePlus

... occurs . Early Signs and Symptoms (3 to 30 days after tick bite) Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle ... examples of EM rashes Later Signs and Symptoms (days to months after tick bite) Severe headaches and ...

Information Models, Data Requirements, and Agile Data Curation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, John S.; Crichton, Dan; Ritschel, Bernd; Hardman, Sean; Joyner, Ron

2015-04-01

The Planetary Data System's next generation system, PDS4, is an example of the successful use of an ontology-based Information Model (IM) to drive the development and operations of a data system. In traditional systems engineering, requirements or statements about what is necessary for the system are collected and analyzed for input into the design stage of systems development. With the advent of big data the requirements associated with data have begun to dominate and an ontology-based information model can be used to provide a formalized and rigorous set of data requirements. These requirements address not only the usual issues of data quantity, quality, and disposition but also data representation, integrity, provenance, context, and semantics. In addition the use of these data requirements during system's development has many characteristics of Agile Curation as proposed by Young et al. [Taking Another Look at the Data Management Life Cycle: Deconstruction, Agile, and Community, AGU 2014], namely adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and rapid and flexible response to change. For example customers can be satisfied through early and continuous delivery of system software and services that are configured directly from the information model. This presentation will describe the PDS4 architecture and its three principle parts: the ontology-based Information Model (IM), the federated registries and repositories, and the REST-based service layer for search, retrieval, and distribution. The development of the IM will be highlighted with special emphasis on knowledge acquisition, the impact of the IM on development and operations, and the use of shared ontologies at multiple governance levels to promote system interoperability and data correlation.

Process analytical technology (PAT) in insect and mammalian cell culture processes: dielectric spectroscopy and focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM).

PubMed

Druzinec, Damir; Weiss, Katja; Elseberg, Christiane; Salzig, Denise; Kraume, Matthias; Pörtner, Ralf; Czermak, Peter

2014-01-01

Modern bioprocesses demand for a careful definition of the critical process parameters (CPPs) already during the early stages of process development in order to ensure high-quality products and satisfactory yields. In this context, online monitoring tools can be applied to recognize unfavorable changes of CPPs during the production processes and to allow for early interventions in order to prevent losses of production batches due to quality issues. Process analytical technologies such as the dielectric spectroscopy or focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) are possible online monitoring tools, which can be applied to monitor cell growth as well as morphological changes. Since the dielectric spectroscopy only captures cells with intact cell membranes, even information about dead cells with ruptured or leaking cell membranes can be derived. The following chapter describes the application of dielectric spectroscopy on various virus-infected and non-infected cell lines with respect to adherent as well as suspension cultures in common stirred tank reactors. The adherent mammalian cell lines Vero (African green monkey kidney cells) and hMSC-TERT (telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells) are thereby cultured on microcarrier, which provide the required growth surface and allow the cultivation of these cells even in dynamic culture systems. In turn, the insect-derived cell lines S2 and Sf21 are used as examples for cells typically cultured in suspension. Moreover, the FBRM technology as a further monitoring tool for cell culture applications has been included in this chapter using the example of Drosophila S2 insect cells.

Finding faults: analogical comparison supports spatial concept learning in geoscience.

PubMed

Jee, Benjamin D; Uttal, David H; Gentner, Dedre; Manduca, Cathy; Shipley, Thomas F; Sageman, Bradley

2013-05-01

A central issue in education is how to support the spatial thinking involved in learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We investigated whether and how the cognitive process of analogical comparison supports learning of a basic spatial concept in geoscience, fault. Because of the high variability in the appearance of faults, it may be difficult for students to learn the category-relevant spatial structure. There is abundant evidence that comparing analogous examples can help students gain insight into important category-defining features (Gentner in Cogn Sci 34(5):752-775, 2010). Further, comparing high-similarity pairs can be especially effective at revealing key differences (Sagi et al. 2012). Across three experiments, we tested whether comparison of visually similar contrasting examples would help students learn the fault concept. Our main findings were that participants performed better at identifying faults when they (1) compared contrasting (fault/no fault) cases versus viewing each case separately (Experiment 1), (2) compared similar as opposed to dissimilar contrasting cases early in learning (Experiment 2), and (3) viewed a contrasting pair of schematic block diagrams as opposed to a single block diagram of a fault as part of an instructional text (Experiment 3). These results suggest that comparison of visually similar contrasting cases helped distinguish category-relevant from category-irrelevant features for participants. When such comparisons occurred early in learning, participants were more likely to form an accurate conceptual representation. Thus, analogical comparison of images may provide one powerful way to enhance spatial learning in geoscience and other STEM disciplines.

Listmania. How lists can open up fresh possibilities for research in the history of science.

PubMed

Delbourgo, James; Müller-Wille, Staffan

2012-12-01

Anthropologists, linguists, cultural historians, and literary scholars have long emphasized the value of examining writing as a material practice and have often invoked the list as a paradigmatic example thereof. This Focus section explores how lists can open up fresh possibilities for research in the history of science. Drawing on examples from the early modern period, the contributors argue that attention to practices of list making reveals important relations between mercantile, administrative, and scientific attempts to organize the contents of the world. Early modern lists projected both spatial and temporal visions of nature: they inventoried objects in the process of exchange and collection; they projected possible trajectories for future endeavor; they publicized the social identities of scientific practitioners; and they became research tools that transformed understandings of the natural order.

Early Earthquakes of the Americas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, James

2004-11-01

Robert Kovach's second book looks at the interplay of earthquake and volcanic events, archeology, and history in the Americas. Throughout history, major earthquakes have caused the deaths of millions of people and have damaged countless cities. Earthquakes undoubtedly damaged prehistoric cities in the Americas, and evidence of these events could be preserved in archeological records. Kovach asks, Did indigenous native cultures-Indians of the Pacific Northwest, Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas-document their natural history? Some events have been explicitly documented, for example, in Mayan codices, but many may have been recorded as myth and legend. Kovach's discussions of how early cultures dealt with fearful events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are colorful, informative, and entertaining, and include, for example, a depiction of how the Maya would talk to maize plants in their fields during earthquakes to reassure them.

Setting the Clock for Fail-Safe Early Embryogenesis.

PubMed

Fickentscher, Rolf; Struntz, Philipp; Weiss, Matthias

2016-10-28

The embryogenesis of the small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a remarkably robust self-organization phenomenon. Cell migration trajectories in the early embryo, for example, are well explained by mechanical cues that push cells into positions where they experience the least repulsive forces. Yet, how this mechanically guided progress in development is properly timed has remained elusive so far. Here, we show that cell volumes and division times are strongly anticorrelated during the early embryogenesis of C. elegans with significant differences between somatic cells and precursors of the germline. Our experimental findings are explained by a simple model that in conjunction with mechanical guidance can account for the fail-safe early embryogenesis of C. elegans.

Early examples of art in Scottish hospitals, 2: Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries.

PubMed

Park, Maureen

2003-12-01

Fine art has been used in hospitals for centuries. However, Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries pioneered the use of art activity in the treatment of its patients. This article is the second of two which look at examples of art created for, and in, Scottish hospitals in the 19th century. It is suggested that the importance of Scotland's contribution to this movement is unrecognized by many of its modern-day practitioners.

Ancient lenses in art and sculpture and the objects viewed through them, dating back 4500 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enoch, Jay M.

1998-07-01

The early history of lenses is controversial. The author has sought to address the problem by identifying lens elements (mainly convex/plano) which remain associated with objects intended to be viewed through them (i.e., in their original context). These are found in museums in sculptures, rings, pendants, etc. A number of outstanding examples will be illustrated in the talk; these sophisticated pieces of art are certainly not first constructs. Most are of rock crystal, rose quartz, or glass. Lenses have origin among artisans rather than scientists. Clearly, skills were often lost and rediscovered. Early lens-like objects have been found broadly in the eastern Mediterranean area/Middle East, in France, in Italy (Rome), and possibly in Peru and Scandinavia, etc. To date, the earliest lenses identified in context are from the IV/V Dynasties of Egypt, dating back to about 4500 years ago (e.g., the superb `Le Scribe Accroupi' and `the Kai' in the Louvre; added fine examples are located in the Cairo Museum). Latter examples have been found in Knossos (Minoan [Herakleion Museum]; ca. 3500 years ago); others had origin in Greece (examples in the Athens National Archeological Museum and the British Museum equals BM), in Rome (Metropolitan Museum, NY; BM; Vatican Museums; Bologna Archeological Museum), etc. Also. of great interest is the study of possible lens applications. This is a fascinating scientific, artistic and intellectual project.

The Potential Return on Public Investment in Detecting Adverse Drug Effects.

PubMed

Huybrechts, Krista F; Desai, Rishi J; Park, Moa; Gagne, Joshua J; Najafzadeh, Mehdi; Avorn, Jerry

2017-06-01

Many countries lack fully functional pharmacovigilance programs, and public budgets allocated to pharmacovigilance in industrialized countries remain low due to resource constraints and competing priorities. Using 3 case examples, we sought to estimate the public health and economic benefits resulting from public investment in active pharmacovigilance programs to detect adverse drug effects. We assessed 3 examples in which early signals of safety hazards were not adequately recognized, resulting in continued exposure of a large number of patients to these drugs when safer and effective alternative treatments were available. The drug examples studied were rofecoxib, cerivastatin, and troglitazone. Using an individual patient simulation model and the health care system perspective, we estimated the potential costs that could have been averted by early systematic detection of safety hazards through the implementation of active surveillance programs. We found that earlier drug withdrawal made possible by active safety surveillance would most likely have resulted in savings in direct medical costs of $773-$884 million for rofecoxib, $3-$10 million for cerivastatin, and $38-$63 million for troglitazone in the United States through the prevention of adverse events. By contrast, the yearly public investment in Food and Drug Administration initiated population-based pharmacovigilance activities in the United States is about $42.5 million at present. These examples illustrate a critical and economically justifiable role for active adverse effect surveillance in protecting the health of the public.

The Potential Return on Public Investment in Detecting Adverse Drug Effects

PubMed Central

Huybrechts, Krista F.; Desai, Rishi J.; Park, Moa; Gagne, Joshua J.; Najafzadeh, Mehdi; Avorn, Jerry

2017-01-01

Background Many countries lack fully functional pharmacovigilance programs, and public budgets allocated to pharmacovigilance in industrialized countries remain low due to resource constraints and competing priorities. Objective Using 3 case examples, we sought to estimate the public health and economic benefits resulting from public investment in active pharmacovigilance programs to detect adverse drug effects. Research Design We assessed three examples in which early signals of safety hazards were not adequately recognized, resulting in continued exposure of a large number of patients to these drugs when safer and effective alternative treatments were available. The drug examples studied were rofecoxib, cerivastatin, and troglitazone. Using an individual patient simulation model and the healthcare system perspective, we estimated the potential costs that could have been averted by early systematic detection of safety hazards through the implementation of active surveillance programs. Results We found that earlier drug withdrawal made possible by active safety surveillance would most likely have resulted in savings in direct medical costs of $773 to $884 million for rofecoxib, $3 to $10 million for cerivastatin, and $38 to $63 million for troglitazone in the US through the prevention of adverse events. By contrast, the yearly public investment in FDA initiated population-based pharmacovigilance activities in the US is about $42.5 million at present. Conclusion These examples illustrate a critical and economically justifiable role for active adverse effect surveillance in protecting the health of the public. PMID:28505041

Geological constraints on continental arc activity since 720 Ma: implications for the link between long-term climate variability and episodicity of continental arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, W.; Lee, C. T.

2016-12-01

Continental arc volcanoes have been suggested to release more CO2 than island arc volcanoes due to decarbonation of wallrock carbonates in the continental upper plate through which the magmas traverse (Lee et al., 2013). Continental arcs may thus play an important role in long-term climate. To test this hypothesis, we compiled geological maps to reconstruct the surface distribution of granitoid plutons and the lengths of ancient continental arcs. These results were then compiled into a GIS framework and incorporated into GPlates plate reconstructions. Our results show an episodic nature of global continental arc activity since 720 Ma. The lengths of continental arcs were at minimums during most of the Cryogenian ( 720-670 Ma), the middle Paleozoic ( 460-300 Ma) and the Cenozoic ( 50-0 Ma). Arc lengths were highest during the Ediacaran ( 640-570 Ma), the early Paleozoic ( 550-430 Ma) and the entire Mesozoic with peaks in the Early Triassic ( 250-240 Ma), Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous ( 160-130 Ma), and Late Cretaceous ( 90-65 Ma). The extensive continental arcs in the Ediacaran and early Paleozoic reflect the Pan-African events and circum-Gondwana subduction during the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Early Triassic peak is coincident with the final closure of the paleo-Asian oceans and the onset of circum-Pacific subduction associated with the assembly of the Pangea supercontinent. The Jurassic-Cretaceous peaks reflect the extensive continental arcs established in the western Pacific, North and South American Cordillera, coincident with the initial dispersal of the Pangea. Continental arcs are favored during the final assembly and the early-stage dispersal of a supercontinent. Our compilation shows a temporal match between continental arc activity and long-term climate at least since 720 Ma. For example, continental arc activity was reduced during the Cryogenian icehouse event, and enhanced during the Early Paleozoic and Jurassic-Cretaceous greenhouse events. This coherence provides further evidence that continental arcs may play an important role in controlling long-term climate evolution. CO2 degassing fluxes from continental arcs should be incorporated into global, long-term climate models. Our work provides a quantitative framework for estimating these fluxes.

NSCL and FRIB at Michigan State University: Nuclear science at the limits of stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gade, A.; Sherrill, B. M.

2016-05-01

The National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University (MSU) is a scientific user facility that offers beams of rare isotopes at a wide range of energies. This article describes the facility, its capabilities, and some of the experimental devices used to conduct research with rare isotopes. The versatile nuclear science program carried out by researchers at NSCL continues to address the broad challenges of the field, employing sensitive experimental techniques that have been developed and optimized for measurements with rare isotopes produced by in-flight separation. Selected examples showcase the broad program, capabilities, and the relevance for forefront science questions in nuclear physics, addressing, for example, the limits of nuclear existence; the nature of the nuclear force; the origin of the elements in the cosmos; the processes that fuel explosive scenarios in the Universe; and tests for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. NSCL will cease operations in approximately 2021. The future program will be carried out at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, FRIB, presently under construction on the MSU campus adjacent to NSCL. FRIB will provide fast, stopped, and reaccelerated beams of rare isotopes at intensities exceeding NSCL’s capabilities by three orders of magnitude. An outlook will be provided on the enormous opportunities that will arise upon completion of FRIB in the early 2020s.

Quality Document Examples (Record of Decision of the Year Contest)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides document examples with clear documentation that are consistent with the Superfund Program's policy and regulations. The examples provided here are the winners of the Superfund ROD of the Year Contest (1999-2004)

Anti-infective use in children and pregnancy: current deficiencies and future challenges

PubMed Central

Gwee, Amanda; Cranswick, Noel

2015-01-01

There are a number of challenges to using anti-infective agents in children and pregnant women. There is limited understanding of the altered pharmacokinetics of anti-infectives in these populations and as a result, optimized dosing regimens are yet to be established. The potential adverse effects of the drug on pregnancy outcome and the developing foetus is a major consideration, and the long term implications of drug side effects must be taken into account when drug exposure occurs early in life. These factors hinder research and licensing of new anti-infective drugs in these populations. We describe the current deficiencies and future challenges of anti-infective use in children and pregnant women, providing specific examples. PMID:24588467

Virtual reality, immersion, and the unforgettable experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morie, Jacquelyn F.

2006-02-01

Virtual reality has been in the public eye for nearly forty years. Its early promise was vast: worlds we could visit and live in, if we could bend the technology to our desires. Progress was made, but along the way the original directions and challenges of fully immersive VR took a back seat to more ubiquitous technology such as games that provided many of the same functions. What was lost in this transition was the potential for VR to become a stage for encounters that are meaningful, those experiences that tap into what it means to be human. This paper describes examples of such experiences using VR technology and puts forward several avenues of thought concerning how we might reinvigorate these types of VR explorations.

Wearables and the Internet of Things for Health: Wearable, Interconnected Devices Promise More Efficient and Comprehensive Health Care.

PubMed

Metcalf, David; Milliard, Sharlin T J; Gomez, Melinda; Schwartz, Michael

2016-01-01

In our recent book Health-e Everything: Wearables and the Internet of Things for Health, we capture in an interactive e-book format some global thought-leader perspectives as well as early examples of case studies and novel innovations that are driving this emerging technology domain. Here, we provide a brief snapshot of key findings related to these novel technologies and use cases, which are driving both health care practitioners and health consumers (patients). As technologists, having a firm understanding of customer-driven innovation and the actual user benefits of interconnective devices for health will help us engineer better solutions that are more targeted to the triple aim of better, faster, and cheaper health solutions.

Targeting Parenting in Early Childhood: A Public Health Approach to Improve Outcomes for Children Living in Poverty.

PubMed

Morris, Amanda Sheffield; Robinson, Lara R; Hays-Grudo, Jennifer; Claussen, Angelika H; Hartwig, Sophie A; Treat, Amy E

2017-03-01

In this article, the authors posit that programs promoting nurturing parent-child relationships influence outcomes of parents and young children living in poverty through two primary mechanisms: (a) strengthening parents' social support and (b) increasing positive parent-child interactions. The authors discuss evidence for these mechanisms as catalysts for change and provide examples from selected parenting programs that support the influence of nurturing relationships on child and parenting outcomes. The article focuses on prevention programs targeted at children and families living in poverty and closes with a discussion of the potential for widespread implementation and scalability for public health impact. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The NOAA Big Data Project: NEXRAD on the Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundwall, Jed; Bouffler, Brendan

2016-04-01

Last year, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made headlines when it entered into a research agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to explore sustainable models to increase the output of open NOAA data. Publicly available NOAA data drives multi-billion dollar industries and critical research efforts. Under this new agreement, AWS and its Data Alliance collaborators are looking at ways to push more NOAA data to the cloud and build an ecosystem of innovation around it. In this presentation, we will provide a brief overview of the NOAA Big Data Project and the AWS Data Alliance, then dive into a specific example of data that has been made available (high resolution Doppler radar from the NEXRAD system) and early use cases.

The NOAA Big Data Project: NEXRAD on the Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gold, A.; Weber, J.

2015-12-01

This past April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made headlines when it entered into a research agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to explore sustainable models to increase the output of open NOAA data. Publicly available NOAA data drives multi-billion dollar industries and critical research efforts. Under this new agreement, AWS and its Data Alliance collaborators are looking at ways to push more NOAA data to the cloud and build an ecosystem of innovation around it. In this presentation, we will provide a brief overview of the NOAA Big Data Project and the AWS Data Alliance, then dive into a specific example of data that has been made available (high resolution Doppler radar from the NEXRAD system) and early use cases.

The Other Shoe: An Early Operant Conditioning Chamber for Pigeons.

PubMed

Sakagami, Takayuki; Lattal, Kennon A

2016-05-01

We describe an early operant conditioning chamber fabricated by Harvard University instrument maker Ralph Gerbrands and shipped to Japan in 1952 in response to a request of Professor B. F. Skinner by Japanese psychologists. It is a rare example, perhaps the earliest still physically existing, of such a chamber for use with pigeons. Although the overall structure and many of the components are similar to contemporary pigeon chambers, several differences are noted and contrasted to evolutionary changes in this most important laboratory tool in the experimental analysis of behavior. The chamber also is testimony to the early internationalization of behavior analysis.

Improving User Access to the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huffman, George; Bolvin, David; Nelkin, Eric; Kidd, Christopher

2016-04-01

The U.S. Global Precipitation Measurement mission (GPM) team has developed the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) algorithm to take advantage of the international constellation of precipitation-relevant satellites and the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre surface precipitation gauge analysis. The goal is to provide a long record of homogeneous, high-resolution quasi-global estimates of precipitation. While expert scientific researchers are major users of the IMERG products, it is clear that many other user communities and disciplines also desire access to the data for wide-ranging applications. Lessons learned during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, the predecessor to GPM, led to some basic design choices that provided the framework for supporting multiple user bases. For example, two near-real-time "runs" are computed, the Early and Late (currently 5 and 15 hours after observation time, respectively), then the Final Run about 3 months later. The datasets contain multiple fields that provide insight into the computation of the complete precipitation data field, as well as diagnostic (currently) estimates of the precipitation's phase. In parallel with this, the archive sites are working to provide the IMERG data in a variety of formats, and with subsetting and simple interactive analysis to make the data more easily available to non-expert users. The various options for accessing the data are summarized under the pmm.nasa.gov data access page. The talk will end by considering the feasibility of major user requests, including polar coverage, a simplified Data Quality Index, and reduced data latency for the Early Run. In brief, the first two are challenging, but under the team's control. The last requires significant action by some of the satellite data providers.

Developmental Disorders of Communication With Special Reference to Deaf Children With Additional Handicaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denmark, John C.

1971-01-01

Reviews 9 examples of "non-communicating children" whose probelms stem from: 1) intellectual impairment; 2) mental illness; 3) congenital verbal agnosia; 4) physical disease; or, 5) early profound deafness. (MB)

Accelerating research through reagent repositories: the genome editing example.

PubMed

Joung, J Keith; Voytas, Daniel F; Kamens, Joanne

2015-11-20

Keith Joung, Dan Voytas and Joanne Kamens share insights into how the genome editing field was advanced by early access to biological resources and the role in this process that plasmid repositories play.

Education and Professionalization: An Historical Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullough, Vern L.

1970-01-01

Institutionalization of training within the university seems to have been the key to professionalization, and those areas which first were regarded as graduate" subjects -- medicine, divinity, and law -- early came to be looked upon as professions. (Author)

From science to policy in early childhood education.

PubMed

Gormley, William T

2011-08-19

This paper examines the relationship between scientific research and public policy. After explaining why the simple conversion of research into public law is unlikely, several factors are identified that can promote the use of research by public officials. Examples of use and non-use are cited from early childhood education, where empirical evidence on program effects is relatively strong. Some specific suggestions are offered for improving the connection between science and public policy.

Responsive parenting: establishing early foundations for social, communication, and independent problem-solving skills.

PubMed

Landry, Susan H; Smith, Karen E; Swank, Paul R

2006-07-01

Mothers whose infants varied in early biological characteristics (born at term, n = 120; born at very low birth weight [VLBW], n = 144) were randomized to a target group (n = 133) or developmental feedback comparison group (n = 131) to determine whether learning responsive behaviors would facilitate infant development. The target condition included videotaped examples, problem-solving activities, and mothers' critique of their own behaviors through video procedures across 10 home visits. All target versus comparison mothers showed greater increases across multiple responsiveness behaviors observed in 4 assessments conducted across 6-13 months of age; changes in emotionally supportive behaviors were strongest for target mothers of infants born at VLBW. Increased maternal responsiveness facilitated greater growth in target infants' social, emotional, communication, and cognitive competence, supporting a causal role for responsiveness on infant development. Although benefits were generally comparable across risk groups, aspects of social and emotional skills showed greater change for those born at VLBW. Evidence for responsiveness as a multidimensional construct was provided as well as the importance of different aspects of responsiveness mediating the effect of the intervention on different infant skill domains.

PHOTOACOUSTIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION AND IMAGING OF CARIES IN DENTAL SAMPLES

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

Li, T.; Dewhurst, R. J.

Dental caries is a disease wherein bacterial processes damage hard tooth structure. Traditional dental radiography has its limitations for detecting early stage caries. In this study, a photoacoustic (PA) imaging system with the near-infrared light source has been applied to postmortem dental samples to obtain 2-D and 3-D images. Imaging results showed that the PA technique can be used to image human teeth caries. For non-destructive photoacoustic evaluation and imaging, the induced temperature and pressure rises within biotissues should not cause physical damage to the tissue. For example, temperature rises above 5 deg. C within live human teeth will causemore » pulpal necrosis. Therefore, several simulations based on the thermoelastic effect have been applied to predict temperature and pressure fields within samples. Predicted temperature levels are below corresponding safety limits, but care is required to avoid nonlinear absorption phenomena. Furthermore, PA imaging results from the phantom provide evidence for high sensitivity, which shows the imaging potential of the PA technique for detecting early stage disease.« less

A MUB E2 structure reveals E1 selectivity between cognate ubiquitin E2s in eukaryotes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xiaolong; Malley, Konstantin R.; Brenner, Caitlin C.; Koroleva, Olga; Korolev, Sergey; Downes, Brian P.

2016-08-01

Ubiquitin (Ub) is a protein modifier that controls processes ranging from protein degradation to endocytosis, but early-acting regulators of the three-enzyme ubiquitylation cascade are unknown. Here we report that the prenylated membrane-anchored ubiquitin-fold protein (MUB) is an early-acting regulator of subfamily-specific E2 activation. An AtMUB3:AtUBC8 co-crystal structure defines how MUBs inhibit E2~Ub formation using a combination of E2 backside binding and a MUB-unique lap-bar loop to block E1 access. Since MUBs tether Arabidopsis group VI E2 enzymes (related to HsUbe2D and ScUbc4/5) to the plasma membrane, and inhibit E2 activation at physiological concentrations, they should function as potent plasma membrane localized regulators of Ub chain synthesis in eukaryotes. Our findings define a biochemical function for MUB, a family of highly conserved Ub-fold proteins, and provide an example of selective activation between cognate Ub E2s, previously thought to be constitutively activated by E1s.

A practical model for economic evaluation of tissue-engineered therapies.

PubMed

Tan, Tien-En; Peh, Gary S L; Finkelstein, Eric A; Mehta, Jodhbir S

2015-01-01

Tissue-engineered therapies are being developed across virtually all fields of medicine. Some of these therapies are already in clinical use, while others are still in clinical trials or the experimental phase. Most initial studies in the evaluation of new therapies focus on demonstration of clinical efficacy. However, cost considerations or economic viability are just as important. Many tissue-engineered therapies have failed to be impactful because of shortcomings in economic competitiveness, rather than clinical efficacy. Furthermore, such economic viability studies should be performed early in the process of development, before significant investment has been made. Cost-minimization analysis combined with sensitivity analysis is a useful model for the economic evaluation of new tissue-engineered therapies. The analysis can be performed early in the development process, and can provide valuable information to guide further investment and research. The utility of the model is illustrated with the practical real-world example of tissue-engineered constructs for corneal endothelial transplantation. The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Geoeffectiveness during the early phase of Solar Cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pande, Bimal

Geoeffectiveness during the early phase of Solar Cycle 24 \\underline{} Abstract\\underline{} It is very important and interesting to understand the solar eruptions because it produces the geoeffectiveness in our Earth environment. In the rise phase of the solar cycle, geoeffective events are less frequent, thus this provide us better opportunity to study these events including the detection of their source regions. Keeping this in mind, we have analysed the data of rise phase of current solar cycle 24 ( 2009-2012). During above time period, we have selected 59 geoeffective events having Disturbance Storm Time (Dst) index < -50 nT. Based on the Dst index, we divided the events into two categories i.e. moderate (< -50 nT > -100 nT ) and intense ( <-100 nT). To locate the solar source regions of geoeffective and SEPs associated events, we have used available images, movies and Solar Geophysical data (SGD) list: for example movies from SOHO/EIT, images and movies from the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). In this study, we will discuss and compare the different properties of associated CMEs, flares and their relation with geoeffectiveness.

Point-of-care testing in the early diagnosis of acute pesticide intoxication: The example of paraquat.

PubMed

Wei, Ting-Yen; Yen, Tzung-Hai; Cheng, Chao-Min

2018-01-01

Acute pesticide intoxication is a common method of suicide globally. This article reviews current diagnostic methods and makes suggestions for future development. In the case of paraquat intoxication, it is characterized by multi-organ failure, causing substantial mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis may save the life of a paraquat intoxication patient. Conventional paraquat intoxication diagnostic methods, such as symptom review and urine sodium dithionite assay, are time-consuming and impractical in resource-scarce areas where most intoxication cases occur. Several experimental and clinical studies have shown the potential of portable Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), paper-based devices, and machine learning for paraquat intoxication diagnosis. Portable SERS and new SERS substrates maintain the sensitivity of SERS while being less costly and more convenient than conventional SERS. Paper-based devices provide the advantages of price and portability. Machine learning algorithms can be implemented as a mobile phone application and facilitate diagnosis in resource-limited areas. Although these methods have not yet met all features of an ideal diagnostic method, the combination and development of these methods offer much promise.

A novel headspace gas chromatographic method for in situ monitoring of monomer conversion during polymerization in an emulsion environment.

PubMed

Chai, Xin-Sheng; Zhong, Jin-Feng; Hu, Hui-Chao

2012-05-18

This paper describes a novel multiple-headspace extraction/gas chromatographic (MHE-GC) technique for monitoring monomer conversion during a polymerization reaction in a water-based emulsion environment. The polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in an aqueous emulsion is used as an example. The reaction was performed in a closed headspace sample vial (as a mini-reactor), with pentane as a tracer. In situ monitoring of the vapor concentration of the tracer, employing a multiple headspace extraction (sampling) scheme, coupled to a GC, makes it possible to quantitatively follow the conversion of MMA during the early stages of polymerization. Data on the integrated amount of the tracer vapor released from the monomer droplet phase during the polymerization is described by a mathematic equation from which the monomer conversion can be calculated. The present method is simple, automated and economical, and provides an efficient tool in the investigation of the reaction kinetics and effects of the reaction conditions on the early stage of polymerization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The interplay between customer participation and difficulty of design examples in the online designing process and its effect on customer satisfaction: mediational analyses.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Chi; Chen, Hui-Yun; Huang, I-Chiang

2009-04-01

In the current consumer-centric economy, consumers increasingly desire the opportunity to design their own products in order to express more effectively their self-image. Mass customization, based on efficient and flexible modulization designs, has provided individualized products to satisfy this desire. This work presents an experiment employed to demonstrate that customer participation leads to higher satisfaction. Specifically, the increment in customer satisfaction due to participation is greater when an easy example is provided than when either no example or a difficult one is provided. Additionally, self-congruity plays a mediating role on the customer participation-satisfaction relationship, and this mediating effect varies across different levels of the design example provided in the design process. When an easy design example is present, customer participation has a direct effect on satisfaction, in addition to the indirect effect of self-congruity. When a difficult example is provided, customer participation does not have incremental effects on either self-congruity or customer satisfaction. Finally, when no design example is shown to customers, contrary to our expectation, participation still enhances customer satisfaction due to an increased sense of self-congruity.

Opportunities and challenges of integrating ecological restoration into assessment and management of contaminated ecosystems.

PubMed

Hull, Ruth N; Luoma, Samuel N; Bayne, Bruce A; Iliff, John; Larkin, Daniel J; Paschke, Mark W; Victor, Sasha L; Ward, Sara E

2016-04-01

Ecosystem restoration planning near the beginning of the site assessment and management process ("early integration") involves consideration of restoration goals from the outset in developing solutions for contaminated ecosystems. There are limitations to integration that stem from institutional barriers, few successful precedents, and limited availability of guidance. Challenges occur in integrating expertise from various disciplines and multiple, sometimes divergent interests and goals. The more complex process can result in timing, capacity, communication, and collaboration challenges. On the other hand, integrating the 2 approaches presents new and creative opportunities. For example, integration allows early planning for expanding ecosystem services on or near contaminated lands or waters that might otherwise have been unaddressed by remediation alone. Integrated plans can explicitly pursue ecosystem services that have market value, which can add to funds for long-term monitoring and management. Early integration presents opportunities for improved and productive collaboration and coordination between ecosystem restoration and contaminant assessment and management. Examples exist where early integration facilitates liability resolution and generates positive public relations. Restoration planning and implementation before the completion of the contaminated site assessment, remediation, or management process ("early restoration") can facilitate coordination with offsite restoration options and a regional approach to restoration of contaminated environments. Integration of performance monitoring, for both remedial and restoration actions, can save resources and expand the interpretive power of results. Early integration may aid experimentation, which may be more feasible on contaminated lands than in many other situations. The potential application of concepts and tools from adaptive management is discussed as a way of avoiding pitfalls and achieving benefits in early integration. In any case, there will be challenges with early integration of restoration concepts for contaminated ecosystems, but the benefits are likely to outweigh them. © 2015 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

HIV evolution in early infection: selection pressures, patterns of insertion and deletion, and the impact of APOBEC.

PubMed

Wood, Natasha; Bhattacharya, Tanmoy; Keele, Brandon F; Giorgi, Elena; Liu, Michael; Gaschen, Brian; Daniels, Marcus; Ferrari, Guido; Haynes, Barton F; McMichael, Andrew; Shaw, George M; Hahn, Beatrice H; Korber, Bette; Seoighe, Cathal

2009-05-01

The pattern of viral diversification in newly infected individuals provides information about the host environment and immune responses typically experienced by the newly transmitted virus. For example, sites that tend to evolve rapidly across multiple early-infection patients could be involved in enabling escape from common early immune responses, could represent adaptation for rapid growth in a newly infected host, or could represent reversion from less fit forms of the virus that were selected for immune escape in previous hosts. Here we investigated the diversification of HIV-1 env coding sequences in 81 very early B subtype infections previously shown to have resulted from transmission or expansion of single viruses (n = 78) or two closely related viruses (n = 3). In these cases, the sequence of the infecting virus can be estimated accurately, enabling inference of both the direction of substitutions as well as distinction between insertion and deletion events. By integrating information across multiple acutely infected hosts, we find evidence of adaptive evolution of HIV-1 env and identify a subset of codon sites that diversified more rapidly than can be explained by a model of neutral evolution. Of 24 such rapidly diversifying sites, 14 were either i) clustered and embedded in CTL epitopes that were verified experimentally or predicted based on the individual's HLA or ii) in a nucleotide context indicative of APOBEC-mediated G-to-A substitutions, despite having excluded heavily hypermutated sequences prior to the analysis. In several cases, a rapidly evolving site was embedded both in an APOBEC motif and in a CTL epitope, suggesting that APOBEC may facilitate early immune escape. Ten rapidly diversifying sites could not be explained by CTL escape or APOBEC hypermutation, including the most frequently mutated site, in the fusion peptide of gp41. We also examined the distribution, extent, and sequence context of insertions and deletions, and we provide evidence that the length variation seen in hypervariable loop regions of the envelope glycoprotein is a consequence of selection and not of mutational hotspots. Our results provide a detailed view of the process of diversification of HIV-1 following transmission, highlighting the role of CTL escape and hypermutation in shaping viral evolution during the establishment of new infections.

HIV Evolution in Early Infection: Selection Pressures, Patterns of Insertion and Deletion, and the Impact of APOBEC

PubMed Central

Wood, Natasha; Bhattacharya, Tanmoy; Keele, Brandon F.; Giorgi, Elena; Liu, Michael; Gaschen, Brian; Daniels, Marcus; Ferrari, Guido; Haynes, Barton F.; McMichael, Andrew; Shaw, George M.; Hahn, Beatrice H.; Korber, Bette; Seoighe, Cathal

2009-01-01

The pattern of viral diversification in newly infected individuals provides information about the host environment and immune responses typically experienced by the newly transmitted virus. For example, sites that tend to evolve rapidly across multiple early-infection patients could be involved in enabling escape from common early immune responses, could represent adaptation for rapid growth in a newly infected host, or could represent reversion from less fit forms of the virus that were selected for immune escape in previous hosts. Here we investigated the diversification of HIV-1 env coding sequences in 81 very early B subtype infections previously shown to have resulted from transmission or expansion of single viruses (n = 78) or two closely related viruses (n = 3). In these cases, the sequence of the infecting virus can be estimated accurately, enabling inference of both the direction of substitutions as well as distinction between insertion and deletion events. By integrating information across multiple acutely infected hosts, we find evidence of adaptive evolution of HIV-1 env and identify a subset of codon sites that diversified more rapidly than can be explained by a model of neutral evolution. Of 24 such rapidly diversifying sites, 14 were either i) clustered and embedded in CTL epitopes that were verified experimentally or predicted based on the individual's HLA or ii) in a nucleotide context indicative of APOBEC-mediated G-to-A substitutions, despite having excluded heavily hypermutated sequences prior to the analysis. In several cases, a rapidly evolving site was embedded both in an APOBEC motif and in a CTL epitope, suggesting that APOBEC may facilitate early immune escape. Ten rapidly diversifying sites could not be explained by CTL escape or APOBEC hypermutation, including the most frequently mutated site, in the fusion peptide of gp41. We also examined the distribution, extent, and sequence context of insertions and deletions, and we provide evidence that the length variation seen in hypervariable loop regions of the envelope glycoprotein is a consequence of selection and not of mutational hotspots. Our results provide a detailed view of the process of diversification of HIV-1 following transmission, highlighting the role of CTL escape and hypermutation in shaping viral evolution during the establishment of new infections. PMID:19424423

Water Management Applications of Advanced Precipitation Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, L. E.; Braswell, G.; Delaney, C.

2012-12-01

Advanced precipitation sensors and numerical models track storms as they occur and forecast the likelihood of heavy rain for time frames ranging from 1 to 8 hours, 1 day, and extended outlooks out to 3 to 7 days. Forecast skill decreases at the extended time frames but the outlooks have been shown to provide "situational awareness" which aids in preparation for flood mitigation and water supply operations. In California the California-Nevada River Forecast Centers and local Weather Forecast Offices provide precipitation products that are widely used to support water management and flood response activities of various kinds. The Hydrometeorology Testbed (HMT) program is being conducted to help advance the science of precipitation tracking and forecasting in support of the NWS. HMT high-resolution products have found applications for other non-federal water management activities as well. This presentation will describe water management applications of HMT advanced precipitation products, and characterization of benefits expected to accrue. Two case examples will be highlighted, 1) reservoir operations for flood control and water supply, and 2) urban stormwater management. Application of advanced precipitation products in support of reservoir operations is a focus of the Sonoma County Water Agency. Examples include: a) interfacing the high-resolution QPE products with a distributed hydrologic model for the Russian-Napa watersheds, b) providing early warning of in-coming storms for flood preparedness and water supply storage operations. For the stormwater case, San Francisco wastewater engineers are developing a plan to deploy high resolution gap-filling radars looking off shore to obtain longer lead times on approaching storms. A 4 to 8 hour lead time would provide opportunity to optimize stormwater capture and treatment operations, and minimize combined sewer overflows into the Bay.ussian River distributed hydrologic model.

Application of a High Throughput Method of Biomarker Discovery to Improvement of the EarlyCDT®-Lung Test

PubMed Central

Macdonald, Isabel K.; Murray, Andrea; Healey, Graham F.; Parsy-Kowalska, Celine B.; Allen, Jared; McElveen, Jane; Robertson, Chris; Sewell, Herbert F.; Chapman, Caroline J.; Robertson, John F. R.

2012-01-01

Background The National Lung Screening Trial showed that CT screening for lung cancer led to a 20% reduction in mortality. However, CT screening has a number of disadvantages including low specificity. A validated autoantibody assay is available commercially (EarlyCDT®-Lung) to aid in the early detection of lung cancer and risk stratification in patients with pulmonary nodules detected by CT. Recent advances in high throughput (HTP) cloning and expression methods have been developed into a discovery pipeline to identify biomarkers that detect autoantibodies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the successful clinical application of this strategy to add to the EarlyCDT-Lung panel in order to improve its sensitivity and specificity (and hence positive predictive value, (PPV)). Methods and Findings Serum from two matched independent cohorts of lung cancer patients were used (n = 100 and n = 165). Sixty nine proteins were initially screened on an abridged HTP version of the autoantibody ELISA using protein prepared on small scale by a HTP expression and purification screen. Promising leads were produced in shake flask culture and tested on the full assay. These results were analyzed in combination with those from the EarlyCDT-Lung panel in order to provide a set of re-optimized cut-offs. Five proteins that still displayed cancer/normal differentiation were tested for reproducibility and validation on a second batch of protein and a separate patient cohort. Addition of these proteins resulted in an improvement in the sensitivity and specificity of the test from 38% and 86% to 49% and 93% respectively (PPV improvement from 1 in 16 to 1 in 7). Conclusion This is a practical example of the value of investing resources to develop a HTP technology. Such technology may lead to improvement in the clinical utility of the EarlyCDT­-Lung test, and so further aid the early detection of lung cancer. PMID:23272083

A-21st-century-approach to firefighting in the Western US: How microwave-based seismic networks can change fire suppression from reactive to proactive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, G. M.; Smith, K. D.; Williams, M. C.; Slater, D. E.; Plank, G.; McCarthy, M.; Rojas-Gonzalez, R.; Vernon, F.; Driscoll, N. W.; Hidley, G.

2015-12-01

The Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL) at UNR has recently embarked on a bold technical initiative, installing a high-speed (up to 190 Mb/sec) mountaintop-based Internet Protocol (IP) microwave network, enabling a myriad of sensor systems for Multi-Hazard Early Warning detection and response. In the Tahoe Basin, this system is known as AlertTahoe; a similar network has been deployed in north-central Nevada as part of a 5-year-long grant with BLM. The UNR network mirrors the successful HPWREN multi-hazard network run through UCSD; the UNR "Alert" program (Access to Leverage Emergency information in Real Time) has expanded on the original concept by providing a framework for early fire detection and discovery. Both systems do not rely on open-access public Internet services such as those provided by cellular service providers. Instead, they utilize private wireless communication networks to collect data 24/7 in real-time from multiple sensors throughout the system. Utilizing this restricted-access private communication platform enhances system reliability, capability, capacity and versatility for staff and its community of certified users. Both UNR and UCSD fire camera systems are presently being confederated under a common framework to provide end users (e.g., BLM, USFS, CalFire) a unified interface. Earthquake response has been both organizations' primary mission for decades; high-speed IP microwave fundamentally changes the playing field allowing for rapid early detection of wildfires, earthquakes and other natural disasters, greatly improving local and regional disaster response/recovery. For example, networked cameras can be optimally placed for wildfire detection and are significantly less vulnerable due infrastructure hardening and the ability to avoid extreme demands by the public on cellular and other public networks during a crisis. These systems also provide a backup for emergency responders to use when public access communications become overwhelmed or fail during an event. The crowd-sourced fire cameras can be viewed year round through AlertTahoe and AlertSoCal websites with on-demand time-lapse, an integrated real time lightning map, and other useful features.

Leveraging model-informed approaches for drug discovery and development in the cardiovascular space.

PubMed

Dockendorf, Marissa F; Vargo, Ryan C; Gheyas, Ferdous; Chain, Anne S Y; Chatterjee, Manash S; Wenning, Larissa A

2018-06-01

Cardiovascular disease remains a significant global health burden, and development of cardiovascular drugs in the current regulatory environment often demands large and expensive cardiovascular outcome trials. Thus, the use of quantitative pharmacometric approaches which can help enable early Go/No Go decision making, ensure appropriate dose selection, and increase the likelihood of successful clinical trials, have become increasingly important to help reduce the risk of failed cardiovascular outcomes studies. In addition, cardiovascular safety is an important consideration for many drug development programs, whether or not the drug is designed to treat cardiovascular disease; modeling and simulation approaches also have utility in assessing risk in this area. Herein, examples of modeling and simulation applied at various stages of drug development, spanning from the discovery stage through late-stage clinical development, for cardiovascular programs are presented. Examples of how modeling approaches have been utilized in early development programs across various therapeutic areas to help inform strategies to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular-related adverse events, such as QTc prolongation and changes in blood pressure, are also presented. These examples demonstrate how more informed drug development decisions can be enabled by modeling and simulation approaches in the cardiovascular area.

NASA's supercomputing experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, F. Ron

1990-01-01

A brief overview of NASA's recent experience in supercomputing is presented from two perspectives: early systems development and advanced supercomputing applications. NASA's role in supercomputing systems development is illustrated by discussion of activities carried out by the Numerical Aerodynamical Simulation Program. Current capabilities in advanced technology applications are illustrated with examples in turbulence physics, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, chemistry, and structural mechanics. Capabilities in science applications are illustrated by examples in astrophysics and atmospheric modeling. Future directions and NASA's new High Performance Computing Program are briefly discussed.

[Incident reporting systems in anesthesiology--methods and benefits using the example of PaSOS].

PubMed

Rall, Marcus; Reddersen, Silke; Zieger, Jörg; Schädle, Bertram; Hirsch, Patricia; Stricker, Eric; Martin, Jörg; Geldner, Götz; Schleppers, Alexander

2008-09-01

Preventing patient harm is one of the main tasks for the field of anesthesiology from early on. With the introduction of the national German incident reporting system PaSOS, which is hosted by the German anesthesia society, anesthesiology is again leading the field of patient safety. Important elements, success factors and background information for the introduction of successful incident reporting systems in an organization are given. Examples by and from PaSOS are given.

Current oil and gas production from North American Upper Cretaceous chalks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholle, Peter A.

1977-01-01

Production of oil and natural gas from North American chalks has increased significantly during the past five years, spurred by the prolific production from North Sea chalks, as well as by higher prices and improved production technology. Chalk reservoirs have been discovered in the Gulf Coast in the Austin Group, Saratoga and Annona Chalks, Ozan Formation, Selma Group, Monroe gas rock (an informal unit of Navarro age), and other Upper Cretaceous units. In the Western Interior, production has been obtained from the Cretaceous Niobrara and Greenhorn Formations. Significant, though subcommercial, discoveries of natural gas and gas condensate also have been made in the Upper Cretaceous Wyandot Formation on the Scotian Shelf of eastern Canada. All North American chalk units share a similar depositional and diagenetic history. The chalks consist primarily of whole and fragmented coccoliths with subordinate planktonic and benthonic Foraminifera, inoceramid prisms, oysters, and other skeletal grains. Most have between 10 and 35 percent HCl-insoluble residue, predominantly clay. Deposition was principally below wave base in tens to hundreds of meters of water. The diagenetic history of a chalk is critical in determining its reservoir potential. All chalk has a stable composition (low-Mg calcite) and very high primary porosity. With subsequent burial, mechanical and chemical (solution-transfer) compaction can reduce or completely eliminate pore space. The degree of loss of primary porosity in chalk sections is normally a direct function of the maximum depth to which it has been buried. Pore-water chemistry, pore-fluid pressures, and tectonic stresses also influence rates of cementation. Oil or gas reservoirs of North American chalk fall into three main groups: 1. Areas with thin overburden and significant primary porosity retention (for example, Niobrara Formation of Kansas and eastern Colorado). 2. Areas with thicker overburden but considerable fracturing. Here primary porosity has been largely lost but secondary (fracture) porosity provides some storage capacity and greatly improves permeability (for example, Austin Group of the Pearsall field, Texas). 3. Areas with thick overburden in which marine pore fluids have been retained, or where hydrocarbons (including biogenically generated methane) were introduced early in the diagenetic history. In these settings, primary porosity is reduced to a lesser degree than in group two, and adequate reservoir properties can be maintained to depths approaching 2,000 m (6,600 ft) (for example, Scotian Shelf of Canada). Continued small-scale oil and gas discoveries can be expected from these types of reservoirs in North America. The prolific production of oil and gas from North Sea chalk reservoirs will not be matched in North America unless deeply buried, overpressured chalks can be located. It is the early formation of overpressures and (or) early oil input into North Sea chalks that have preserved porosities as high as 40 percent at 3,000- to 3,500-m (9,800- to 11,500-ft) depths and provided the outstanding reservoir capacity of those chalks.

Designing "Real-World" trials to meet the needs of health policy makers at marketing authorization.

PubMed

Calvert, Melanie; Wood, John; Freemantle, Nick

2011-07-01

There is increasing interest in conducting "Real-World" trials that go beyond traditional assessment of efficacy and safety to examine market access and value for money questions before marketing authorization of a new pharmaceutical product or health technology. This commentary uses practical examples to demonstrate how high-quality evidence of the cost-effectiveness of an intervention may be gained earlier in the development process. Issues surrounding the design and analysis of "Real-World" trials to demonstrate relative cost-effectiveness early in the life of new technologies are discussed. The modification of traditional phase III trial designs, de novo trial designs, the combination of trial-based and epidemiological data, and the use of simulation model-based approaches to address reimbursement questions are described. Modest changes to a phase III trial protocol and case report form may be undertaken at the design stage to provide valid estimates of health care use and the benefits accrued; however, phase III designs often preclude "real-life" practice. Relatively small de novo trials may be used to address adherence to therapy or patient preference, although simply designed studies with active comparators enrolling large numbers of patients may provide evidence on long-term safety and rare adverse events. Practical examples demonstrate that it is possible to provide high-quality evidence of the cost-effectiveness of an intervention earlier in the development process. Payers and decision makers should preferentially adopt treatments with such evidence than treatments for which evidence is lacking or of lower quality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Conditions or Disorders are Commonly Associated with Down Syndrome?

MedlinePlus

... Society Hib Vaccine PKU and Newborn Screening Congenital Hypothyroidism Annual NICHD Research Advances Snapshot of Early Development ... do infants without Down syndrome, for example. 2 Hypothyroidism . The thyroid is a gland that makes hormones ...

Historical Perspective of Split Cord Malformations: A Tale of Two Cords.

PubMed

Saker, Erfanul; Loukas, Marios; Fisahn, Christian; Oskouian, Rod J; Tubbs, R Shane

2017-01-01

Our appreciation and understanding of what is now known as the split cord malformation (SCM) have a long history. The oldest known example of SCM is from roughly AD 100. Other isolated examples can be found in the large body of work of the pathologists of the 1800s, where the SCMs were found incidentally during autopsies. SCM has a rich history and has intrigued physicians for over 200 years. Many well-known figures from the past such as Chiari and von Recklinghausen, both pathologists, made early postmortem descriptions of SCM. With the advent of MRI, these pathological embryological derailments can now often be detected and appreciated early and during life. Our understanding and ability to treat these congenital malformations as well as the terminology used to describe them have changed over the last several decades. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Basic features of the predictive tools of early warning systems for water-related natural hazards: examples for shallow landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greco, Roberto; Pagano, Luca

2017-12-01

To manage natural risks, an increasing effort is being put in the development of early warning systems (EWS), namely, approaches facing catastrophic phenomena by timely forecasting and alarm spreading throughout exposed population. Research efforts aimed at the development and implementation of effective EWS should especially concern the definition and calibration of the interpretative model. This paper analyses the main features characterizing predictive models working in EWS by discussing their aims and their features in terms of model accuracy, evolutionary stage of the phenomenon at which the prediction is carried out and model architecture. Original classification criteria based on these features are developed throughout the paper and shown in their practical implementation through examples of flow-like landslides and earth flows, both of which are characterized by rapid evolution and quite representative of many applications of EWS.

Integrating visualization and interaction research to improve scientific workflows.

PubMed

Keefe, Daniel F

2010-01-01

Scientific-visualization research is, nearly by necessity, interdisciplinary. In addition to their collaborators in application domains (for example, cell biology), researchers regularly build on close ties with disciplines related to visualization, such as graphics, human-computer interaction, and cognitive science. One of these ties is the connection between visualization and interaction research. This isn't a new direction for scientific visualization (see the "Early Connections" sidebar). However, momentum recently seems to be increasing toward integrating visualization research (for example, effective visual presentation of data) with interaction research (for example, innovative interactive techniques that facilitate manipulating and exploring data). We see evidence of this trend in several places, including the visualization literature and conferences.

Executive Cognitive Functions and Impulsivity as Correlates of Risk Taking and Problem Behavior in Preadolescents

PubMed Central

Romer, Daniel; Betancourt, Laura; Giannetta, Joan M.; Brodsky, Nancy L.; Farah, Martha; Hurt, Hallam

2009-01-01

Early initiation of drugs and other risk behaviors portends dysfunctional developmental outcomes. For example, youth who initiate drug use prior to age 14 exhibit the highest rates of lifetime drug use and substance use disorder (SUD) (Grant & Dawson, 1998). Early users of drugs also tend to engage in other externalizing behaviors, such as aggressive behavior and rule breaking that place them at risk for poor developmental trajectories (McGue, Iacono, & Krueger, 2006; Moffitt, 1993, 1996; Moffitt & Caspi, 2001). Early intervention may be able to alter these trajectories toward a healthier course. We examine and test neuropsychological explanations for these early manifestations of problem behavior to help identify potential points of intervention. PMID:19560477

Early androgen exposure and human gender development.

PubMed

Hines, Melissa; Constantinescu, Mihaela; Spencer, Debra

2015-01-01

During early development, testosterone plays an important role in sexual differentiation of the mammalian brain and has enduring influences on behavior. Testosterone exerts these influences at times when the testes are active, as evidenced by higher concentrations of testosterone in developing male than in developing female animals. This article critically reviews the available evidence regarding influences of testosterone on human gender-related development. In humans, testosterone is elevated in males from about weeks 8 to 24 of gestation and then again during early postnatal development. Individuals exposed to atypical concentrations of testosterone or other androgenic hormones prenatally, for example, because of genetic conditions or because their mothers were prescribed hormones during pregnancy, have been consistently found to show increased male-typical juvenile play behavior, alterations in sexual orientation and gender identity (the sense of self as male or female), and increased tendencies to engage in physically aggressive behavior. Studies of other behavioral outcomes following dramatic androgen abnormality prenatally are either too small in their numbers or too inconsistent in their results, to provide similarly conclusive evidence. Studies relating normal variability in testosterone prenatally to subsequent gender-related behavior have produced largely inconsistent results or have yet to be independently replicated. For studies of prenatal exposures in typically developing individuals, testosterone has been measured in single samples of maternal blood or amniotic fluid. These techniques may not be sufficiently powerful to consistently detect influences of testosterone on behavior, particularly in the relatively small samples that have generally been studied. The postnatal surge in testosterone in male infants, sometimes called mini-puberty, may provide a more accessible opportunity for measuring early androgen exposure during typical development. This approach has recently begun to be used, with some promising results relating testosterone during the first few months of postnatal life to later gender-typical play behavior. In replicating and extending these findings, it may be important to assess testosterone when it is maximal (months 1 to 2 postnatal) and to take advantage of the increased reliability afforded by repeated sampling.

Vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis is an early trigger for hypothyroid atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Wang, Pei; Xu, Tian-Ying; Guan, Yun-Feng; Zhao, Yan; Li, Zhi-Yong; Lan, Xiao-Hong; Wang, Xia; Yang, Peng-Yuan; Kang, Zhi-Min; Vanhoutte, Paul M; Miao, Chao-Yu

2014-06-01

Endothelial dysfunction is an initial and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis, a later step of atherosclerosis. Hypothyroidism accelerates atherosclerosis. However, the early events responsible for this pro-atherosclerotic effect are unclear. Rats were resistant to induction of atherosclerosis by high cholesterol diet alone, but became susceptible in hypothyroid state achieved by administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) for 6 weeks. VSMC dysfunction and apoptosis were obvious within 1 week after PTU treatment, without signs of endothelial dysfunction. This early VSMC damage was caused by hypothyroidism but not the high cholesterol diet. In ApoE knockout mice, PTU-induced hypothyroidism triggered early VSMC apoptosis, increased oxidative stress, and accelerated atherosclerosis development. Thyroid hormone supplementation (T4, 10, or 50 μg/kg) prevented atherogenic phenotypes in hypothyroid rats and mice. In rats, thyroidectomy caused severe hypothyroidism 5 days after operation, which also led to rapid VSMC dysfunction and apoptosis. In vitro studies did not show a direct toxic effect of PTU on VSMCs. In contrast, thyroid hormone (T3, 0.75 μg/L plus T4, 50 nmol/L) exerted a direct protection against VSMC apoptosis, which was reduced by knockdown of TRα1, rather than TRβ1 and TRβ2 receptors. TRα1-mediated inhibition of apoptotic signalling of JNKs and caspase-3 contributed to the anti-apoptotic action of thyroid hormone. These findings provide an in vivo example for VSMC apoptosis as an early trigger of hypothyroidism-associated atherosclerosis, and reveal activation of TRα1 receptors to prevent VSMC apoptosis as a therapeutic strategy in this disease. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Research and application of a hybrid model based on dynamic fuzzy synthetic evaluation for establishing air quality forecasting and early warning system: A case study in China.

PubMed

Xu, Yunzhen; Du, Pei; Wang, Jianzhou

2017-04-01

As the atmospheric environment pollution has been becoming more and more serious in China, it is highly desirable to develop a scientific and effective early warning system that plays a great significant role in analyzing and monitoring air quality. However, establishing a robust early warning system for warning the public in advance and ameliorating air quality is not only an extremely challenging task but also a public concerned problem for human health. Most previous studies are focused on improving the prediction accuracy, which usually ignore the significance of uncertainty information and comprehensive evaluation concerning air pollutants. Therefore, in this paper a novel robust early warning system was successfully developed, which consists of three modules: evaluation module, forecasting module and characteristics estimating module. In this system, a new dynamic fuzzy synthetic evaluation is proposed and applied to determine air quality levels and primary pollutants, which can be regarded as the research objectives; Moreover, to further mine and analyze the characteristics of air pollutants, four different distribution functions and interval forecasting method are also employed that can not only provide predictive range, confidence level and the other uncertain information of the pollutants future values, but also assist decision-makers in reducing and controlling the emissions of atmospheric pollutants. Case studies utilizing hourly PM 2.5 , PM 10 and SO 2 data collected from Tianjin and Shanghai in China are applied as illustrative examples to estimate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system. Experimental results obviously indicated that the developed novel early warning system is much suitable for analyzing and monitoring air pollution, which can also add a novel viable option for decision-makers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pediatric genetic macular and choroidal diseases

PubMed Central

Bergman, Mica Y.; Nallasamy, Sudha

2014-01-01

Genetic diseases of the macula and choroid have various inheritance patterns and varying degrees of impact on vision. Herein, we review the literature including most recent advances in the understanding of the genetics of these diseases. Although many of these disorders have limited treatment options, knowledge of inheritance patterns can aid in early detection and with close monitoring can help the ophthalmologist preserve as much vision as possible (for example with early treatment of choroidal neovascularization). PMID:27625881

Exploiting Constraints in Design Synthesis

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

viewed as a sequence of implicit or explicit, decisions. Heuristic Dendral [8], REF-ARF [24] and Stefik’s MOLGEN planner [93,92] are important examples of...8217 early papers [39,38,37] on declarativism were also seminal. A declarativist view is part and parcel of logic programming, and such a view has been...embodied in such systems as Prolog [78] and MRS [27,79. See also Kowalski [48,47] for early expressions of declarativism as it related to logic

Querying Provenance Information: Basic Notions and an Example from Paleoclimate Reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stodden, V.; Ludaescher, B.; Bocinsky, K.; Kintigh, K.; Kohler, T.; McPhillips, T.; Rush, J.

2016-12-01

Computational models are used to reconstruct and explain past environments and to predict likely future environments. For example, Bocinsky and Kohler have performed a 2,000-year reconstruction of the rain-fed maize agricultural niche in the US Southwest. The resulting academic publications not only contain traditional method descriptions, figures, etc. but also links to code and data for basic transparency and reproducibility. Examples include ResearchCompendia.org and the new project "Merging Science and Cyberinfrastructure Pathways: The Whole Tale." Provenance information provides a further critical element to understand a published study and to possibly extend or challenge the findings of the original authors. We present different notions and uses of provenance information using a computational archaeology example, e.g., the common use of "provenance for others" (for transparency and reproducibility), but also the more elusive but equally important use of "provenance for self". To this end, we distinguish prospective provenance (a.k.a. workflow) from retrospective provenance (a.k.a. data lineage) and show how combinations of both forms of provenance can be used to answer different kinds of important questions about a workflow and its execution. Since many workflows are developed using scripting or special purpose languages such as Python and R, we employ an approach and toolkit called YesWorkflow that brings provenance modeling, capture, and querying into the realm of scripting. YesWorkflow employs the basic W3C PROV standard, as well as the ProvONE extension for sharing and exchanging retrospective and prospective provenance information, respectively. Finally, we argue that the utility of provenance information should be maximized by developing different kinds provenance questions and queries during the early phases of computational workflow design and implementation.

An H-band Vector Vortex Coronagraph for the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme-adaptive Optics System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, J.; Serabyn, E.; Lozi, J.; Jovanovic, N.; Currie, T.; Guyon, O.; Kudo, T.; Martinache, F.; Liewer, K.; Singh, G.; Tamura, M.; Mawet, D.; Hagelberg, J.; Defrere, D.

2018-03-01

The vector vortex is a coronagraphic imaging mode of the recently commissioned Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) platform on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This multi-purpose high-contrast visible and near-infrared (R- to K-band) instrument is not only intended to serve as a VLT-class “planet-imager” instrument in the northern hemisphere, but also to operate as a technology demonstration testbed ahead of the ELTs-era, with a particular emphasis on small inner-working angle (IWA) coronagraphic capabilities. The given priority to small-IWA imaging led to the early design choice to incorporate focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs. In this context, a test H-band vector vortex liquid crystal polymer waveplate was provided to SCExAO, to allow a one-to-one comparison of different small-IWA techniques on the same telescope instrument, before considering further steps. Here we present a detailed overview of the vector vortex coronagraph, from its installation and performances on the SCExAO optical bench, to the on-sky results in the extreme AO regime, as of late 2016/early 2017. To this purpose, we also provide a few recent on-sky imaging examples, notably high-contrast ADI detection of the planetary-mass companion κ Andromedae b, with a signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reached in less than 10 mn exposure time.

Paleoenvironmental change as derived from loess sediment properties: Examples of last glacial loess sites from the Carpathian Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, Frank; Zeeden, Christian; Bösken, Janina; Eckmeier, Eileen; Hambach, Ulrich; Hauck, Thomas; Klasen, Nicole; Markovic, Slobodan; Obreht, Igor; Schulte, Philipp; Sümegi, Pal; Chu, Wei; Timar-Gabor, Alida; Veres, Daniel

2015-04-01

The project B1 within the CRC 806 "Our way to Europe" focuses on the "Eastern Trajectory" of modern human migration from Africa into Europe. The Middle East, and SE Europe constitute the principal areas to be investigated. SE Europe has become a special research focus since two early Homo sapiens individuals have been found at Oase Cave in the southern Banat. The fossils lack any stratigraphic context; cultural and environmental circumstances of these findings have remained unclear. In the neighbourhood of Oase Cave, however, several early Upper Palaeolithic sites, embedded in loess sequences were known since the 1950's. Some sites were re-investigated by our research team. Conceptionally we are following the idea of upland-lowland interaction, which combines parameters as sedimentary transport, sediment distribution, and paleosol development in different altitudes, all influenced by paleoclimate in space and time. Furthermore, some detailed studies concerning site-formation processes and the quality of open-air sites (sedimentary development, paleoecology, multilayering, reworking, human impact on soils and sediments) are being conducted at selected localities. Recent investigations of the loess-paleosol sequences (LPS) in SE Europe provided important environmental information which differ from "classical" ecological approaches derived from other European loess provinces. New luminescence dating results provide a sensitive chronology of environmental changes recorded in the LPS from both upland and lowland positions, giving the potential to link these.

Our Culture/Your Good Intentions (Reflections).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewett, Kerri-Ann

1996-01-01

Offers a Native Hawaiian educator's perspective on the well- intentioned but misguided efforts of many non-Native teachers, administrators, and professors. Uses the Kamehameha Early Education Program as an example of an authoritarian discourse being taught to Native children. (SR)

Early Rockets

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

By 1870, American and British inventors had found other ways to use rockets. For example, the Congreve rocket was capable of carrying a line over 1,000 feet to a stranded ship. In 1914, an estimated 1,000 lives were saved by this technique.

Structural Basis of Multifunctionality in a Vitamin B[subscript 12]-processing Enzyme

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

Koutmos, Markos; Gherasim, Carmen; Smith, Janet L.

An early step in the intracellular processing of vitamin B{sub 12} involves CblC, which exhibits dual reactivity, catalyzing the reductive decyanation of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B{sub 12}), and the dealkylation of alkylcobalamins (e.g. methylcobalamin; MeCbl). Insights into how the CblC scaffold supports this chemical dichotomy have been unavailable despite it being the most common locus of patient mutations associated with inherited cobalamin disorders that manifest in both severe homocystinuria and methylmalonic aciduria. Herein, we report structures of human CblC, with and without bound MeCbl, which provide novel biochemical insights into its mechanism of action. Our results reveal that CblC is themore » most divergent member of the NADPH-dependent flavin reductase family and can use FMN or FAD as a prosthetic group to catalyze reductive decyanation. Furthermore, CblC is the first example of an enzyme with glutathione transferase activity that has a sequence and structure unrelated to the GST superfamily. CblC thus represents an example of evolutionary adaptation of a common structural platform to perform diverse chemistries. The CblC structure allows us to rationalize the biochemical basis of a number of pathological mutations associated with severe clinical phenotypes.« less

High Sensitive Methods for Health Monitoring of Compressor Blades and Fatigue Detection

PubMed Central

Witoś, Mirosław

2013-01-01

The diagnostic and research aspects of compressor blade fatigue detection have been elaborated in the paper. The real maintenance and overhaul problems and characteristic of different modes of metal blade fatigue (LCF, HCF, and VHCF) have been presented. The polycrystalline defects and impurities influencing the fatigue, along with their related surface finish techniques, are taken into account. The three experimental methods of structural health assessment are considered. The metal magnetic memory (MMM), experimental modal analysis (EMA) and tip timing (TTM) methods provide information on the damage of diagnosed objects, for example, compressor blades. Early damage symptoms, that is, magnetic and modal properties of material strengthening and weakening phases (change of local dislocation density and grain diameter, increase of structural and magnetic anisotropy), have been described. It has been proven that the shape of resonance characteristic gives abilities to determine if fatigue or a blade crack is concerned. The capabilities of the methods for steel and titanium alloy blades have been illustrated in examples from active and passive experiments. In the conclusion, the MMM, EMA, and TTM have been verified, and the potential for reliable diagnosis of the compressor blades using this method has been confirmed. PMID:24191135

Strategies to address mental health through schools with examples from China.

PubMed

Whitman, Cheryl Vince; Aldinger, Carmen; Zhang, Xin-Wei; Magner, Elizabeth

2008-06-01

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one in five young people under the age of 18 experiences some form of developmental, emotional or behavioural problem, and one in eight experiences a mental disorder. Because research shows that half of adult mental disorders begin before the age of 14 and that early intervention can prevent and reduce more serious consequences later in life, it is critical to expand the role of mental health professionals with schools worldwide. Schools have the potential to affect the mental health of millions of young people, as well as those who work in schools. Research indicates that programmes promoting mental health are among the most effective of health promoting school efforts. This paper discusses the health promoting schools framework, reviews effective strategies for promoting mental health in schools, and provides examples from Zhejiang Province, China. This article also discusses the key roles that mental health professionals can play in promoting mental health through schools. As advocates, policy makers, researchers and teachers, mental health professionals can bridge the sectors of education, mental health and public health. Developing common frameworks and interdisciplinary training will create a foundation of shared understanding to achieve this goal.

Preparing for budget-based payment methodologies: global payment and episode-based payment.

PubMed

Hudson, Mark E

2015-10-01

Use of budget-based payment methodologies (capitation and episode-based bundled payment) has been demonstrated to drive value in healthcare delivery. With a focus on high-volume, high-cost surgical procedures, inclusion of anaesthesiology services in these methodologies is likely. This review provides a summary of budget-based payment methodologies and practical information necessary for anaesthesiologists to prepare for participation in these programmes. Although few examples of anaesthesiologists' participation in these models exist, an understanding of the structure of these programmes and opportunities for participation are available. Prospective preparation in developing anaesthesiology-specific bundled payment profiles and early participation in pathway development associated with selected episodes of care are essential for successful participation as a gainsharing partner. With significant opportunity to contribute to care coordination and cost management, anaesthesiology can play an important role in budget-based payment programmes and should expect to participate as full gainsharing partners. Precise costing methodologies and accurate economic modelling, along with identification of quality management and cost control opportunities, will help identify participation opportunities and appropriate payment and gainsharing agreements. Anaesthesiology-specific examples with budget-based payment models are needed to help guide increased participation in these programmes.

Genomic biomarkers for molecular imaging: predicting the future.

PubMed

Thakur, Mathew L

2009-07-01

Over the past few decades, great strides have been made in anatomical imaging of disease that has led to their diagnosis with minimal invasion. Despite these advances, diseases such as cancer continue to take one human life every minute in the United States. Complimentary approaches that pertain directly to the genesis of the disease might contribute to its early diagnosis and subsequent management. In cancer, an array of molecular abnormalities leading to the modulations in expression of key proteins important in the cellular signaling pathways and cell proliferation has been identified. These specific disease fingerprints, biomarkers, are overexpressed on malignant cell surfaces or within the cytoplasm, and they provide unique targets that are promising for improving cancer diagnosis and therapy. We and others have designed, synthesized, and evaluated some novel probes specific for those oncogenes and oncogene product biomarkers for PET and SPECT molecular imaging of certain types of cancers. This article briefly describes this approach and gives specific examples that depict the ability of molecular imaging to detect occult lesions not detectable by current scintigraphic approaches. The article also outlines a few examples predicting other possible applications of targeting such specific probes not yet used.

The Anne Frank Haven in an Israeli Kibbutz.

PubMed

Dror, Y

1995-01-01

The Anne Frank Haven, founded in 1956, in the Israeli Kibbutz Sasa provides a unique educational program for coping with muticultural and integration problems. It is a holistic, regional junior and senior high school system within the holistic community of three kibbutzim. The Haven has been the subject of much research into "Moral Development," carried out by Wolins (1969, 1971), and mainly by Kohlberg (1971), his doctoral students Reimer and Snarey and other colleagues. In the seventies and eighties they used the Kibbutz example as a model for the "Just Community" approach. In the early nineties, an Israeli group evaluated the success of the program and its rationale, taking into consideration all the "educational factors" of the community, in the Haven, and in the kibbutzim around it. This article offers a comprehensive picture of the Kohlbergian moral-developmental research at the Anne Frank Haven, including all the relevant references and evaluations of the Haven as a part of the "Just Community" approach. It concludes with a suggestion for another approach--"Community Education" research in the same Haven--as an example of present and future studies in the area of "Moral" and "Values" education.

Learning about Functions through Learner-Generated Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinkelman, Martha O.; Cavey, Laurie O.

2015-01-01

In many mathematics classrooms, the teacher provides "worked examples" to demonstrate how students should perform certain algorithms or processes. Some students find it difficult to generalize from the examples that teachers provide and cannot apply what they have learned in new situations (Watson and Mason 2002). Instead, teachers might…

Determination of early warning signs for photocatalytic degradation of titanium white oil paints by means of surface analysis.

PubMed

van Driel, B A; Wezendonk, T A; van den Berg, K J; Kooyman, P J; Gascon, J; Dik, J

2017-02-05

Titanium white (TiO 2 ) has been widely used as a pigment in the 20th century. However, its most photocatalytic form (anatase) can cause severe degradation of the oil paint in which it is contained. UV light initiates TiO 2 -photocatalyzed processes in the paint film, degrading the oil binder into volatile components resulting in chalking of the paint. This will eventually lead to severe changes in the appearance of a painting. To date, limited examples of degraded works of art containing titanium white are known due to the relatively short existence of the paintings in question and the slow progress of the degradation process. However, UV light will inevitably cause degradation of paint in works of art containing photocatalytic titanium white. In this work, a method to detect early warning signs of photocatalytic degradation of unvarnished oil paint is proposed, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Consequently, a four-stage degradation model was developed through in-depth study of TiO 2 -containing paint films in various stages of degradation. The XPS surface analysis proved very valuable for detecting early warning signs of paint degradation, whereas the AFM results provide additional confirmation and are in good agreement with bulk gloss reduction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-hospital and early in-hospital management of severe injuries: changes and trends.

PubMed

Hussmann, Bjoern; Lendemans, Sven

2014-10-01

The pre-hospital and early in-hospital management of most severely injured patients has dramatically changed over the last 20 years. In this context, the factor time has gained more and more attention, particularly in German-speaking countries. While the management in the early 1990s aimed at comprehensive and complete therapy at the accident site, the premise today is to stabilise trauma patients at the accident site and transfer them into the hospital rapidly. In addition, the introduction of training and education programmes such as Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS(®)), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS(®)) concept or the TEAM(®) concept has increased the quality of treatment of most severely injured trauma patients both in the preclinical field and in the emergency trauma room. Today, all emergency surgical procedures in severely injured patients are generally performed in accordance with the Damage Control Orthopaedics (DCO) principle. The advancements described in this article provide examples for the improved quality of the management of severely injured patients in the preclinical field and during the initial in-hospital treatment phase. The implementation of trauma networks, the release of the S3 polytrauma guidelines, and the DGU "Weißbuch" have contributed to a more structured management of most severely injured patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coordinated Development of Muscles and Tendon-Like Structures: Early Interactions in the Drosophila Leg.

PubMed

Soler, Cedric; Laddada, Lilia; Jagla, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

The formation of the musculoskeletal system is a remarkable example of tissue assembly. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, precise connectivity between muscles and skeleton (or exoskeleton) via tendons or equivalent structures is fundamental for movement and stability of the body. The molecular and cellular processes underpinning muscle formation are well-established and significant advances have been made in understanding tendon development. However, the mechanisms contributing to proper connection between these two tissues have received less attention. Observations of coordinated development of tendons and muscles suggest these tissues may interact during the different steps in their development. There is growing evidence that, depending on animal model and muscle type, these interactions can take place from progenitor induction to the final step of the formation of the musculoskeletal system. Here, we briefly review and compare the mechanisms behind muscle and tendon interaction throughout the development of vertebrates and Drosophila before going on to discuss our recent findings on the coordinated development of muscles and tendon-like structures in Drosophila leg. By altering apodeme formation (the functional Drosophila equivalent of tendons in vertebrates) during the early steps of leg development, we affect the spatial localization of subsequent myoblasts. These findings provide the first evidence of the developmental impact of early interactions between muscle and tendon-like precursors, and confirm the appendicular Drosophila muscle system as a valuable model for studying these processes.

Coordinated Development of Muscles and Tendon-Like Structures: Early Interactions in the Drosophila Leg

PubMed Central

Soler, Cedric; Laddada, Lilia; Jagla, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

The formation of the musculoskeletal system is a remarkable example of tissue assembly. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, precise connectivity between muscles and skeleton (or exoskeleton) via tendons or equivalent structures is fundamental for movement and stability of the body. The molecular and cellular processes underpinning muscle formation are well-established and significant advances have been made in understanding tendon development. However, the mechanisms contributing to proper connection between these two tissues have received less attention. Observations of coordinated development of tendons and muscles suggest these tissues may interact during the different steps in their development. There is growing evidence that, depending on animal model and muscle type, these interactions can take place from progenitor induction to the final step of the formation of the musculoskeletal system. Here, we briefly review and compare the mechanisms behind muscle and tendon interaction throughout the development of vertebrates and Drosophila before going on to discuss our recent findings on the coordinated development of muscles and tendon-like structures in Drosophila leg. By altering apodeme formation (the functional Drosophila equivalent of tendons in vertebrates) during the early steps of leg development, we affect the spatial localization of subsequent myoblasts. These findings provide the first evidence of the developmental impact of early interactions between muscle and tendon-like precursors, and confirm the appendicular Drosophila muscle system as a valuable model for studying these processes. PMID:26869938

Tectonic sequence stratigraphy, Early Permian Dry Mountain trough, east-central Nevada

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

Snyder, W.S.; Gallegos, D.M.; Spinosa, C.

1991-06-01

The Early Permian Dry Mountain trough (DMT) of east-central Nevada is one of several tectonic basins and associated uplifts that developed along the continenetal margin during the latest Pennsylvanian-Early Permian Dry Mountain tectonic phase. The sequence stratigraphy reflects a combination of eustatic sea level changes and tectonic uplift or subsidence. Fewer than one to only a few million years separate the development of sequence boundaries within the DMT. At this scale, differences among published eustasy curves preclude their use as definitive tools to identify eustatically controlled sequence boundaries. Nevertheless, available data indicate several pulses of tectonism affected sedimentation within themore » DMT. The authors are attempting to develop criteria to distinguish tectonic from eustatic sequence boundaries. Detailed biostratigraphic data are required to provide an independent check on the correlation of sequence boundaries between measured sections. For example, the same age boundary may reflect tectonic uplift in one part of the basin and subsidence in another. The uplift may or may not result in subaerial exposure and erosion. For those boundaries that do not result from subaerial exposure, lithofacies and biofacies analyses are required to infer relative uplift (water depth decrease) or subsidence (water depth increase). There are inherent resolution limitations in both the paleontologic and sedimentologic methodologies. These limitations, combined with those of eustasy curves, dictate the preliminary nature of their results.« less

Integrated modeling: a look back

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, Clark

2015-09-01

This paper discusses applications and implementation approaches used for integrated modeling of structural systems with optics over the past 30 years. While much of the development work focused on control system design, significant contributions were made in system modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) environments. Early work appended handmade line-of-sight models to traditional finite element models, such as the optical spacecraft concept from the ACOSS program. The IDEAS2 computational environment built in support of Space Station collected a wider variety of existing tools around a parametric database. Later, IMOS supported interferometer and large telescope mission studies at JPL with MATLAB modeling of structural dynamics, thermal analysis, and geometric optics. IMOS's predecessor was a simple FORTRAN command line interpreter for LQG controller design with additional functions that built state-space finite element models. Specialized language systems such as CAESY were formulated and prototyped to provide more complex object-oriented functions suited to control-structure interaction. A more recent example of optical modeling directly in mechanical CAD is used to illustrate possible future directions. While the value of directly posing the optical metric in system dynamics terms is well understood today, the potential payoff is illustrated briefly via project-based examples. It is quite likely that integrated structure thermal optical performance (STOP) modeling could be accomplished in a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tool set. The work flow could be adopted, for example, by a team developing a small high-performance optical or radio frequency (RF) instrument.

Encapsulation methods for organic electrical devices

DOEpatents

Blum, Yigal D.; Chu, William Siu-Keung; MacQueen, David Brent; Shi, Yijian

2013-06-18

The disclosure provides methods and materials suitable for use as encapsulation barriers in electronic devices. In one embodiment, for example, there is provided an electroluminescent device or other electronic device encapsulated by alternating layers of a silicon-containing bonding material and a ceramic material. The encapsulation methods provide, for example, electronic devices with increased stability and shelf-life. The invention is useful, for example, in the field of microelectronic devices.

FGF-Dependent, Context-Driven Role for FRS Adapters in the Early Telencephalon

PubMed Central

Gutin, Grigoriy; Blackwood, Christopher A.; Kamatkar, Nachiket G.; Lee, Kyung W.; Fishell, Gordon; Wang, Fen

2017-01-01

FGF signaling, an important component of intercellular communication, is required in many tissues throughout development to promote diverse cellular processes. Whether FGF receptors (FGFRs) accomplish such varied tasks in part by activating different intracellular transducers in different contexts remains unclear. Here, we used the developing mouse telencephalon as an example to study the role of the FRS adapters FRS2 and FRS3 in mediating the functions of FGFRs. Using tissue-specific and germline mutants, we examined the requirement of Frs genes in two FGFR-dependent processes. We found that Frs2 and Frs3 are together required for the differentiation of a subset of medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived neurons, but are dispensable for the survival of early telencephalic precursor cells, in which any one of three FGFRs (FGFR1, FGFR2, or FGFR3) is sufficient for survival. Although FRS adapters are dispensable for ERK-1/2 activation, they are required for AKT activation within the subventricular zone of the developing MGE. Using an FRS2,3-binding site mutant of Fgfr1, we established that FRS adapters are necessary for mediating most or all FGFR1 signaling, not only in MGE differentiation, but also in cell survival, implying that other adapters mediate at least in part the signaling from FGFR2 and FGFR3. Our study provides an example of a contextual role for an intracellular transducer and contributes to our understanding of how FGF signaling plays diverse developmental roles. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT FGFs promote a range of developmental processes in many developing tissues and at multiple developmental stages. The mechanisms underlying this multifunctionality remain poorly defined in vivo. Using telencephalon development as an example, we show here that FRS adapters exhibit some selectivity in their requirement for mediating FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling and activating downstream mediators that depend on the developmental process, with a requirement in neuronal differentiation but not cell survival. Differential engagement of FRS and non-FRS intracellular adapters downstream of FGFRs could therefore in principle explain how FGFs play several distinct roles in other developing tissues and developmental stages. PMID:28483978

FGF-Dependent, Context-Driven Role for FRS Adapters in the Early Telencephalon.

PubMed

Nandi, Sayan; Gutin, Grigoriy; Blackwood, Christopher A; Kamatkar, Nachiket G; Lee, Kyung W; Fishell, Gordon; Wang, Fen; Goldfarb, Mitchell; Hébert, Jean M

2017-06-07

FGF signaling, an important component of intercellular communication, is required in many tissues throughout development to promote diverse cellular processes. Whether FGF receptors (FGFRs) accomplish such varied tasks in part by activating different intracellular transducers in different contexts remains unclear. Here, we used the developing mouse telencephalon as an example to study the role of the FRS adapters FRS2 and FRS3 in mediating the functions of FGFRs. Using tissue-specific and germline mutants, we examined the requirement of Frs genes in two FGFR-dependent processes. We found that Frs2 and Frs3 are together required for the differentiation of a subset of medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived neurons, but are dispensable for the survival of early telencephalic precursor cells, in which any one of three FGFRs (FGFR1, FGFR2, or FGFR3) is sufficient for survival. Although FRS adapters are dispensable for ERK-1/2 activation, they are required for AKT activation within the subventricular zone of the developing MGE. Using an FRS2,3-binding site mutant of Fgfr1 , we established that FRS adapters are necessary for mediating most or all FGFR1 signaling, not only in MGE differentiation, but also in cell survival, implying that other adapters mediate at least in part the signaling from FGFR2 and FGFR3. Our study provides an example of a contextual role for an intracellular transducer and contributes to our understanding of how FGF signaling plays diverse developmental roles. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT FGFs promote a range of developmental processes in many developing tissues and at multiple developmental stages. The mechanisms underlying this multifunctionality remain poorly defined in vivo Using telencephalon development as an example, we show here that FRS adapters exhibit some selectivity in their requirement for mediating FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling and activating downstream mediators that depend on the developmental process, with a requirement in neuronal differentiation but not cell survival. Differential engagement of FRS and non-FRS intracellular adapters downstream of FGFRs could therefore in principle explain how FGFs play several distinct roles in other developing tissues and developmental stages. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/375690-09$15.00/0.

A service model for delivering care closer to home.

PubMed

Dodd, Joanna; Taylor, Charlotte Elizabeth; Bunyan, Paul; White, Philippa Mary; Thomas, Siân Myra; Upton, Dominic

2011-04-01

Upton Surgery (Worcestershire) has developed a flexible and responsive service model that facilitates multi-agency support for adult patients with complex care needs experiencing an acute health crisis. The purpose of this service is to provide appropriate interventions that avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or, alternatively, provide support to facilitate early discharge from secondary care. Key aspects of this service are the collaborative and proactive identification of patients at risk, rapid creation and deployment of a reactive multi-agency team and follow-up of patients with an appropriate long-term care plan. A small team of dedicated staff (the Complex Care Team) are pivotal to coordinating and delivering this service. Key skills are sophisticated leadership and project management skills, and these have been used sensitively to challenge some traditional roles and boundaries in the interests of providing effective, holistic care for the patient.This is a practical example of early implementation of the principles underlying the Department of Health's (DH) recent Best Practice Guidance, 'Delivering Care Closer to Home' (DH, July 2008) and may provide useful learning points for other general practice surgeries considering implementing similar models. This integrated case management approach has had enthusiastic endorsement from patients and carers. In addition to the enhanced quality of care and experience for the patient, this approach has delivered value for money. Secondary care costs have been reduced by preventing admissions and also by reducing excess bed-days. The savings achieved have justified the ongoing commitment to the service and the staff employed in the Complex Care Team. The success of this service model has been endorsed recently by the 'Customer Care' award by 'Management in Practice'. The Surgery was also awarded the 'Practice of the Year' award for this and a number of other customer-focussed projects.

Subliminal (latent) processing of pain and its evolution to conscious awareness

PubMed Central

Borsook, David; Youssef, Andrew M.; Barakat, Nadia; Sieberg, Christine B.; Elman, Igor

2018-01-01

By unconscious or covert processing of pain we refer to nascent interactions that affect the eventual deliverance of pain awareness. Thus, internal processes (viz., repeated nociceptive events, inflammatory kindling, re-organization of brain networks, genetic) or external processes (viz., environment, socioeconomic levels, modulation of epigenetic status) contribute to enhancing or inhibiting the presentation of pain awareness. Here we put forward the notion that for many patients, ongoing sub-conscious changes in brain function are significant players in the eventual manifestation of chronic pain. In this review, we provide clinical examples of nascent or what we term pre-pain processes and the neurobiological mechanisms of how these changes may contribute to pain, but also potential opportunities to define the process for early therapeutic interventions. PMID:29476771

From bedside to blackboard: the benefits of teaching molecular biology within a medical context.

PubMed

Sitaraman, Ramakrishnan

2012-01-01

Courses in molecular biology are part of practically every degree program in medicine and the life sciences. Historically, many basic discoveries in this field have resulted from investigations by doctors into the nature of diseases. This essay suggests that medical educators deliberately incorporate such material, whether historical or contemporaneous, into their molecular and cell biology courses. An example of such usage, an early report of the detection of bacteriophage activity on pathogenic bacteria, is discussed in detail. Such an approach can potentially narrow the perceived gap between "basic" and "applied" science. As medicine is so intimately and obviously linked with human welfare, this also provides an avenue for educators to discuss issues of scientific integrity and ethics within a "pure science" course.

Technical advances and pitfalls on the way to human cloning.

PubMed

Mollard, Richard; Denham, Mark; Trounson, Alan

2002-03-01

There exists a widespread consensus that the cloning of human beings to term would be detrimental to both the mother and child and of little value to society. However, the ambition of a few organisations and the recent advances in cellular and molecular technologies that led to the cloning of Dolly the sheep, for example, have meant that such a procedure will be possible if not illegal in the near future. The science associated with the cloning technologies practiced in other mammalian species reported to date provide important advances in our understanding of how cells function during early developmental processes and commit themselves to specific developmental pathways. However, many technological insufficiencies remain. Both technological advances and several of the associated insufficiencies are outlined in this review.

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP, volume 19

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, R. A. (Editor)

1986-01-01

This MAP handbook is concerned with rocket techniques and instrumentation as they are currently employed in the middle atmosphere. It is composed of nine chapters, written by experts on rocket experiments. The emphasis is on measurement techniques rather than results, although results are incorporated wherever they provide examples which illustrate the measurement features. The chapters first cover techniques relating to measurements of neutral dynamics and chemistry, then measurements of the various intermittent and excessive radiation sources which effect the middle atmospheric environment, and finally measurements of the plasma environment including electric fields. The weighting toward plasma related parameters is not accidental, but reflects both the historical headstart given by early development of radio wave and probe techniques to measure electron density, and by the relatively limited number of techniques available for neutral atmospheric measurements.

Exploring the read-write genome: mobile DNA and mammalian adaptation.

PubMed

Shapiro, James A

2017-02-01

The read-write genome idea predicts that mobile DNA elements will act in evolution to generate adaptive changes in organismal DNA. This prediction was examined in the context of mammalian adaptations involving regulatory non-coding RNAs, viviparous reproduction, early embryonic and stem cell development, the nervous system, and innate immunity. The evidence shows that mobile elements have played specific and sometimes major roles in mammalian adaptive evolution by generating regulatory sites in the DNA and providing interaction motifs in non-coding RNA. Endogenous retroviruses and retrotransposons have been the predominant mobile elements in mammalian adaptive evolution, with the notable exception of bats, where DNA transposons are the major agents of RW genome inscriptions. A few examples of independent but convergent exaptation of mobile DNA elements for similar regulatory rewiring functions are noted.

The 1917 Halifax Explosion: the first coordinated local civilian medical response to disaster in Canada

PubMed Central

McAlister, Chryssa N.; Marble, Allan E.; Murray, T. Jock

2017-01-01

Summary The 1917 Halifax Explosion was an unfortunate but predictable tragedy, given the sea traffic and munitions cargo, resulting in sudden large-scale damage and catastrophic injuries, with 1950 dead and 8000 injured. Although generous support was received from the United States, the bulk of the medical work was undertaken using local resources through an immediate, massive, centrally coordinated medical response. The incredible care provided 100 years ago by these Canadian physicians, nurses and students is often forgotten, but deserves attention. The local medical response to the 1917 disaster is an early example of coordinated mass casualty relief, the first in Canada, and remains relevant to modern disaster preparedness planning. This commentary has an appendix, available at canjsurg.ca/016317-a1. PMID:29173258

Demographics in Astronomy and Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulvestad, James S.

2011-05-01

Astronomy has been undergoing a significant demographic shift over the last several decades, as shown by data presented in the 2000 National Research Council (NRC) report "Federal Funding of Astronomical Research," and the 2010 NRC report, "New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics." For example, the number of advertised postdoctoral positions in astronomy has increased much more rapldly than the number of faculty positions, contributing to a holding pattern of early-career astronomers in multiple postdoctoral positions. This talk will summarize some of the current demographic trends in astronomy, including information about gender and ethnic diversity, and describe some of the possible implications for the future. I thank the members of the Astro2010 Demographics Study Group, as well as numerous white-paper contributors to Astro2010, for providing data and analyses.

Bayesian adaptive trials offer advantages in comparative effectiveness trials: an example in status epilepticus.

PubMed

Connor, Jason T; Elm, Jordan J; Broglio, Kristine R

2013-08-01

We present a novel Bayesian adaptive comparative effectiveness trial comparing three treatments for status epilepticus that uses adaptive randomization with potential early stopping. The trial will enroll 720 unique patients in emergency departments and uses a Bayesian adaptive design. The trial design is compared to a trial without adaptive randomization and produces an efficient trial in which a higher proportion of patients are likely to be randomized to the most effective treatment arm while generally using fewer total patients and offers higher power than an analogous trial with fixed randomization when identifying a superior treatment. When one treatment is superior to the other two, the trial design provides better patient care, higher power, and a lower expected sample size. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large animal models and new therapies for glycogen storage disease.

PubMed

Brooks, Elizabeth D; Koeberl, Dwight D

2015-05-01

Glycogen storage diseases (GSD), a unique category of inherited metabolic disorders, were first described early in the twentieth century. Since then, the biochemical and genetic bases of these disorders have been determined, and an increasing number of animal models for GSD have become available. At least seven large mammalian models have been developed for laboratory research on GSDs. These models have facilitated the development of new therapies, including gene therapy, which are undergoing clinical translation. For example, gene therapy prolonged survival and prevented hypoglycemia during fasting for greater than one year in dogs with GSD type Ia, and the need for periodic re-administration to maintain efficacy was demonstrated in that dog model. The further development of gene therapy could provide curative therapy for patients with GSD and other inherited metabolic disorders.

Modelling interstellar physics and chemistry: implications for surface and solid-state processes.

PubMed

Williams, David; Viti, Serena

2013-07-13

We discuss several types of regions in the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and other galaxies in which the chemistry appears to be influenced or dominated by surface and solid-state processes occurring on or in interstellar dust grains. For some of these processes, for example, the formation of H₂ molecules, detailed experimental and theoretical approaches have provided excellent fundamental data for incorporation into astrochemical models. In other cases, there is an astrochemical requirement for much more laboratory and computational study, and we highlight these needs in our description. Nevertheless, in spite of the limitations of the data, it is possible to infer from astrochemical modelling that surface and solid-state processes play a crucial role in astronomical chemistry from early epochs of the Universe up to the present day.

Review: Semiconductor Piezoresistance for Microsystems.

PubMed

Barlian, A Alvin; Park, Woo-Tae; Mallon, Joseph R; Rastegar, Ali J; Pruitt, Beth L

2009-01-01

Piezoresistive sensors are among the earliest micromachined silicon devices. The need for smaller, less expensive, higher performance sensors helped drive early micromachining technology, a precursor to microsystems or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The effect of stress on doped silicon and germanium has been known since the work of Smith at Bell Laboratories in 1954. Since then, researchers have extensively reported on microscale, piezoresistive strain gauges, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and cantilever force/displacement sensors, including many commercially successful devices. In this paper, we review the history of piezoresistance, its physics and related fabrication techniques. We also discuss electrical noise in piezoresistors, device examples and design considerations, and alternative materials. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of integrated piezoresistor technology with an introduction to the physics of piezoresistivity, process and material selection and design guidance useful to researchers and device engineers.

Evidence of an application of a variable MEMS capacitive sensor for detecting shunt occlusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apigo, David J.; Bartholomew, Philip L.; Russell, Thomas; Kanwal, Alokik; Farrow, Reginald C.; Thomas, Gordon A.

2017-04-01

A sensor was tested subdural and in vitro, simulating a supine infant with a ventricular-peritoneal shunt and controlled occlusions. The variable MEMS capacitive device is able to detect and forecast blockages, similar to early detection procedures in cancer patients. For example, with gradual occlusion development over a year, the method forecasts a danger over one month ahead of blockage. The method also distinguishes between ventricular and peritoneal occlusions. Because the sensor provides quantitative data on the dynamics of the cerebrospinal fluid, it can help test new therapies and work toward understanding hydrocephalus as well as idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. The sensor appears to be a substantial advance in treating brain injuries treated with shunts and has the potential to bring significant impact in a clinical setting.

Nanopore Electrochemistry: A Nexus for Molecular Control of Electron Transfer Reactions

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Pore-based structures occur widely in living organisms. Ion channels embedded in cell membranes, for example, provide pathways, where electron and proton transfer are coupled to the exchange of vital molecules. Learning from mother nature, a recent surge in activity has focused on artificial nanopore architectures to effect electrochemical transformations not accessible in larger structures. Here, we highlight these exciting advances. Starting with a brief overview of nanopore electrodes, including the early history and development of nanopore sensing based on nanopore-confined electrochemistry, we address the core concepts and special characteristics of nanopores in electron transfer. We describe nanopore-based electrochemical sensing and processing, discuss performance limits and challenges, and conclude with an outlook for next-generation nanopore electrode sensing platforms and the opportunities they present. PMID:29392173

Subliminal (latent) processing of pain and its evolution to conscious awareness.

PubMed

Borsook, David; Youssef, Andrew M; Barakat, Nadia; Sieberg, Christine B; Elman, Igor

2018-05-01

By unconscious or covert processing of pain we refer to nascent interactions that affect the eventual deliverance of pain awareness. Thus, internal processes (viz., repeated nociceptive events, inflammatory kindling, reorganization of brain networks, genetic) or external processes (viz., environment, socioeconomic levels, modulation of epigenetic status) contribute to enhancing or inhibiting the presentation of pain awareness. Here we put forward the notion that for many patients, ongoing sub-conscious changes in brain function are significant players in the eventual manifestation of chronic pain. In this review, we provide clinical examples of nascent or what we term pre-pain processes and the neurobiological mechanisms of how these changes may contribute to pain, but also potential opportunities to define the process for early therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.