The High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC) Program: Flight Demonstration Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Southwick, Robert D.; Gallops, George W.; Orme, John S.

1998-01-01

Future aircraft turbine engines, both commercial and military, must be able to accommodate expected increased levels of steady-state and dynamic engine-face distortion. The current approach of incorporating sufficient design stall margin to tolerate these increased levels of distortion would significantly reduce performance. The objective of the High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC) program is to design, develop, and flight-demonstrate an advanced, integrated engine control system that uses measurement-based estimates of distortion to enhance engine stability. The resulting distortion tolerant control reduces the required design stall margin, with a corresponding increase in performance and decrease in fuel burn. The HISTEC concept has been developed and was successfully flight demonstrated on the F-15 ACTIVE aircraft during the summer of 1997. The flight demonstration was planned and carried out in two phases, the first to show distortion estimation, and the second to show distortion accommodation. Post-flight analysis shows that the HISTEC technologies are able to successfully estimate and accommodate distortion, transiently setting the stall margin requirement on-line and in real-time. This allows the design stall margin requirement to be reduced, which in turn can be traded for significantly increased performance and/or decreased weight. Flight demonstration of the HISTEC technologies has significantly reduced the risk of transitioning the technology to tactical and commercial engines.

Nitrogen Leaching Index

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

World agricultural production will have to increase significantly during the next few decades to keep up with the increasing demands for food brought about by a growing human population. Increases in agricultural production will be required not only to supply grain for a larger world population, but...

Pretreatment of Hardwood and Miscanthus with Trametes versicolor for Bioenergy Conversion and Densification Strategies.

PubMed

Kalinoski, Ryan M; Flores, Hector D; Thapa, Sunil; Tuegel, Erin R; Bilek, Michael A; Reyes-Mendez, Evelin Y; West, Michael J; Dumonceaux, Tim J; Canam, Thomas

2017-12-01

The pretreatment of plant biomass negatively impacts the economics of many bioenergy and bioproduct processes due to the thermochemical requirements for deconstruction of lignocelluluose. An effective strategy to reduce these severity requirements is to pretreat the biomass with white-rot fungi, such as Trametes versicolor, which have the innate ability to deconstruct lignocellulose with a suite of specialized enzymes. In the present study, the effects of 12 weeks of pretreatment with a wild-type strain (52J) and a cellobiose dehydrogenase-deficient strain (m4D) of T. versicolor on hardwood and Miscanthus were explored. Both strains of T. versicolor led to significant decreases of insoluble lignin and significant increases of soluble lignin after acid hydrolysis, which suggests improved lignin extractability. The glucose yields after saccharification using an enzyme cocktail containing chitinase were similar or significantly higher with 52J-treated biomass compared to untreated hardwood and Miscanthus, respectively. The fungal treated biomass, regardless of the strain used, also showed significant increases in energy content and compressive strength of pellets. Overall, the use of T. versicolor as a pretreatment agent for hardwood and Miscanthus could be an environmentally friendly strategy for conversion technologies that require delignification and saccharification, and/or processes that require densification and transport.

Obesity in pediatric trauma.

PubMed

Witt, Cordelie E; Arbabi, Saman; Nathens, Avery B; Vavilala, Monica S; Rivara, Frederick P

2017-04-01

The implications of childhood obesity on pediatric trauma outcomes are not clearly established. Anthropomorphic data were recently added to the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) Research Datasets, enabling a large, multicenter evaluation of the effect of obesity on pediatric trauma patients. Children ages 2 to 19years who required hospitalization for traumatic injury were identified in the 2013-2014 NTDB Research Datasets. Age and gender-specific body mass indices (BMI) were calculated. Outcomes included injury patterns, operative procedures, complications, and hospital utilization parameters. Data from 149,817 pediatric patients were analyzed; higher BMI percentiles were associated with significantly more extremity injuries, and fewer injuries to the head, abdomen, thorax and spine (p values <0.001). On multivariable analysis, higher BMI percentiles were associated with significantly increased likelihood of death, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolus and pneumonia; although there was no difference in risk of overall complications. Obese children also had significantly longer lengths of stay and more frequent ventilator requirement. Among children admitted after trauma, increased BMI percentile is associated with increased risk of death and potentially preventable complications. These findings suggest that obese children may require different management than nonobese counterparts to prevent complications. Level III; prognosis study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climate impacts of oil extraction increase significantly with oilfield age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masnadi, Mohammad S.; Brandt, Adam R.

2017-08-01

Record-breaking temperatures have induced governments to implement targets for reducing future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Use of oil products contributes ~35% of global GHG emissions, and the oil industry itself consumes 3-4% of global primary energy. Because oil resources are becoming increasingly heterogeneous, requiring different extraction and processing methods, GHG studies should evaluate oil sources using detailed project-specific data. Unfortunately, prior oil-sector GHG analysis has largely neglected the fact that the energy intensity of producing oil can change significantly over the life of a particular oil project. Here we use decades-long time-series data from twenty-five globally significant oil fields (>1 billion barrels ultimate recovery) to model GHG emissions from oil production as a function of time. We find that volumetric oil production declines with depletion, but this depletion is accompanied by significant growth--in some cases over tenfold--in per-MJ GHG emissions. Depletion requires increased energy expenditures in drilling, oil recovery, and oil processing. Using probabilistic simulation, we derive a relationship for estimating GHG increases over time, showing an expected doubling in average emissions over 25 years. These trends have implications for long-term emissions and climate modelling, as well as for climate policy.

ROS-activated Ca/calmodulin kinase IIδ is required for late INa augmentation leading to cellular Na and Ca overload

PubMed Central

Wagner, Stefan; Ruff, Hanna M.; Weber, Sarah L.; Bellmann, Sarah; Sowa, Thomas; Schulte, Timo; Grandi, Eleonora; Bers, Donald M.; Backs, Johannes; Belardinelli, Luiz; Maier, Lars S.

2011-01-01

Rationale In heart failure (HF), CaMKII expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased. Both ROS and CaMKII can increase late INa leading to intracellular Na accumulation and arrhythmias. It has been shown that ROS can activate CaMKII via oxidation. Objective We tested whether CaMKIIδ is required for ROS-dependent late INa regulation and if ROS-induced Ca released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is involved. Methods and Results 40 µmol/L H2O2 significantly increased CaMKII oxidation and autophosphorylation in permeabilized rabbit cardiomyocytes. Without free [Ca]i (5 mmol/L BAPTA/1 mmol/L Br2-BAPTA) or after SR depletion (caffeine 10 mmol/L, thapsigargin 5 µmol/L) the H2O2-dependent CaMKII oxidation and autophosphorylation was abolished. H2O2 significantly increased SR Ca spark frequency (confocal microscopy) but reduced SR Ca load. In wildtype (WT) mouse myocytes, H2O2 increased late INa (whole cell patch-clamp). This increase was abolished in CaMKIIδ−/− myocytes. H2O2-induced [Na]i and [Ca]i accumulation (SBFI and Indo-1 epifluorescence) was significantly slowed in CaMKIIδ−/− myocytes (vs. WT). CaMKIIδ−/− myocytes developed significantly less H2O2-induced arrhythmias, and were more resistant to hypercontracture. Opposite results (increased late INa, [Na]i and [Ca]i accumulation) were obtained by overexpression of CaMKIIδ in rabbit myocytes (adenoviral gene transfer) reversible with CaMKII inhibition (10 µmol/L KN93 or 0.1 µmol/L AIP). Conclusion Free [Ca]i and a functional SR are required for ROS activation of CaMKII. ROS-activated CaMKIIδ enhances late INa, which may lead to cellular Na and Ca overload. This may be of relevance in HF, where enhanced ROS production meets increased CaMKII expression. PMID:21252154

HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE OF PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

As the sensitivity and precision of functional tests improves, we become increasingly able to measure responses to pollutant exposures with little, if any, demonstrable health significance. Proper interpretation of such functional responses generally requires an ability to evalua...

Comprehensive evaluation of contemporary assisted reproduction technology laboratory operations to determine staffing levels that promote patient safety and quality care.

PubMed

Alikani, Mina; Go, Kathryn J; McCaffrey, Caroline; McCulloh, David H

2014-11-01

To consider how staffing requirements have changed with evolving and increasingly more complex assisted reproduction technology (ART) laboratory practice. Analysis by four laboratory directors from three different ART programs of the level of complexity and time requirements for contemporary ART laboratory activities to determine adequate staffing levels. University-based and private ART programs. None. None. Human resource requirements for ART procedures. Both complexity and time required for completion of a contemporary ART cycle have increased significantly compared with the same requirements for the "traditional cycle" of the past. The latter required roughly 9 personnel hours, but a contemporary cycle can require up to 20 hours for completion. Consistent with this increase, a quantitative analysis shows that the number of embryologists required for safe and efficient operation of the ART laboratory has also increased. This number depends on not only the volume but also the types of procedures performed: the higher the number of complex procedures, the more personnel required. An interactive Personnel Calculator is introduced that can help determine staffing needs. The increased complexity of the contemporary ART laboratory requires a new look at the allocation of human resources. Our work provides laboratory directors with a practical, individualized tool to determine their staffing requirements with a view to increasing the safety and efficiency of operations. The work could serve as the basis for revision of the 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) staffing guidelines. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is a Responsive Default Mode Network Required for Successful Working Memory Task Performance?

PubMed Central

Čeko, Marta; Gracely, John L.; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Seminowicz, David A.; Schweinhardt, Petra

2015-01-01

In studies of cognitive processing using tasks with externally directed attention, regions showing increased (external-task-positive) and decreased or “negative” [default-mode network (DMN)] fMRI responses during task performance are dynamically responsive to increasing task difficulty. Responsiveness (modulation of fMRI signal by increasing load) has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance in external-task-positive regions but not in DMN regions. To investigate whether a responsive DMN is required for successful cognitive performance, we compared healthy human subjects (n = 23) with individuals shown to have decreased DMN engagement (chronic pain patients, n = 28). Subjects performed a multilevel working-memory task (N-back) during fMRI. If a responsive DMN is required for successful performance, patients having reduced DMN responsiveness should show worsened performance; if performance is not reduced, their brains should show compensatory activation in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. All subjects showed decreased accuracy and increased reaction times with increasing task level, with no significant group differences on either measure at any level. Patients had significantly reduced negative fMRI response (deactivation) of DMN regions (posterior cingulate/precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex). Controls showed expected modulation of DMN deactivation with increasing task difficulty. Patients showed significantly reduced modulation of DMN deactivation by task difficulty, despite their successful task performance. We found no evidence of compensatory neural recruitment in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. Individual responsiveness of the external-task-positive ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, but not of DMN regions, correlated with task accuracy. These findings suggest that a responsive DMN may not be required for successful cognitive performance; a responsive external-task-positive network may be sufficient. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We studied the relationship between responsiveness of the brain to increasing task demand and successful cognitive performance, using chronic pain patients as a probe. fMRI working memory studies show that two main cognitive networks [“external-task positive” and “default-mode network” (DMN)] are responsive to increasing task difficulty. The responsiveness of both of these brain networks is suggested to be required for successful task performance. The responsiveness of external-task-positive regions has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance, as we also show here. However, pain patients show decreased engagement and responsiveness of the DMN but can perform a working memory task as well as healthy subjects, without demonstrable compensatory neural recruitment. Therefore, a responsive DMN might not be needed for successful cognitive performance. PMID:26290236

Intelligent redundant actuation system requirements and preliminary system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defeo, P.; Geiger, L. J.; Harris, J.

1985-01-01

Several redundant actuation system configurations were designed and demonstrated to satisfy the stringent operational requirements of advanced flight control systems. However, this has been accomplished largely through brute force hardware redundancy, resulting in significantly increased computational requirements on the flight control computers which perform the failure analysis and reconfiguration management. Modern technology now provides powerful, low-cost microprocessors which are effective in performing failure isolation and configuration management at the local actuator level. One such concept, called an Intelligent Redundant Actuation System (IRAS), significantly reduces the flight control computer requirements and performs the local tasks more comprehensively than previously feasible. The requirements and preliminary design of an experimental laboratory system capable of demonstrating the concept and sufficiently flexible to explore a variety of configurations are discussed.

The effect of cadence on the muscle-tendon mechanics of the gastrocnemius muscle during walking.

PubMed

Brennan, S F; Cresswell, A G; Farris, D J; Lichtwark, G A

2017-03-01

Humans naturally select a cadence that minimizes metabolic cost at a constant walking velocity. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cadence on the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle and tendon interaction, and examine how this might influence lower limb energetics. We hypothesized that cadences higher than preferred would increase MG fascicle shortening velocity because of the reduced stride time. Furthermore, we hypothesized that cadences lower than preferred would require greater MG fascicle shortening to achieve increased muscle work requirements. We measured lower limb kinematics and kinetics, surface electromyography of the triceps surae and MG fascicle length, via ultrasonography, during walking at a constant velocity at the participants' preferred cadence and offsets of ±10%, ±20%, and ±30%. There was a significant increase in MG fascicle shortening with decreased cadence. However, there was no increase in the MG fascicle shortening velocity at cadences higher than preferred. Cumulative MG muscle activation per minute was significantly increased at higher cadences. We conclude that low cadence walking requires more MG shortening work, while MG muscle and tendon function changes little for each stride at higher cadences, driving up cumulative activation costs due to the increase in steps per minute. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

76 FR 65541 - Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Related to Exemption From Certain...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

... Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact. FOR FURTHER... the action does not require either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement... adverse environmental impacts. The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or...

Future US energy demands based upon traditional consumption patterns lead to requirements which significantly exceed domestic supply

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Energy consumption in the United States has risen in response to both increasing population and to increasing levels of affluence. Depletion of domestic energy reserves requires consumption modulation, production of fossil fuels, more efficient conversion techniques, and large scale transitions to non-fossile fuel energy sources. Widening disparity between the wealthy and poor nations of the world contributes to trends that increase the likelihood of group action by the lesser developed countries to achieve political and economic goals. The formation of anticartel cartels is envisioned.

Anesthetic Requirement is Increased in Redheads

PubMed Central

Liem, Edwin B.; Lin, Chun–Ming; Suleman, Mohammad–Irfan; Doufas, Anthony G.; Gregg, Ronald G.; Veauthier, Jacqueline M.; Loyd, Gary

2005-01-01

Background: Age and body temperature alter inhalational anesthetic requirement; however, no human genotype is associated with inhalational anesthetic requirement. There is an anecdotal impression that anesthetic requirement is increased in redheads. Furthermore, red hair results from distinct mutations of the melanocortin-1 receptor. We thus tested the hypothesis that the requirement for the volatile anesthetic desflurane is greater in natural redhead than in dark-haired women. Methods: We studied healthy women with bright red (n=10) or dark (n=10) hair. Blood was sampled for subsequent analyses of melanocortin-1 receptor alleles. Anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane and maintained with desflurane randomly set at an end-tidal concentration between 5.5 and 7.5%. After an equilibration period, a noxious electrical stimulation (100 Hz, 70 mA) was transmitted through bilateral intradermal needles. If the volunteer moved in response to stimulation, desflurane was increased by 0.5%; otherwise it was decreased by 0.5%. This was continued until volunteers “crossed-over” from movement to non-movement (or vice versa) four times. Individual logistic regression curves were used to determine desflurane requirement (P50). Desflurane requirements in the two groups were compared using Mann-Whitney nonparametric two-sample test; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The desflurane requirement in redheads (6.2 volume-percent [95% CI, 5.9 - 6.5]) was significantly greater than in dark-haired women (5.2 volume-percent [4.9 – 5.5], P = 0.0004). Nine of 10 redheads were either homozygous or compound heterozygotes for mutations on the melanocortin-1 receptor gene. Conclusions: Red hair appears to be a distinct phenotype linked to anesthetic requirement in humans that can also be traced to a specific genotype. PMID:15277908

The effect of coracoacromial ligament excision and acromioplasty on the amount of rotator cuff force production necessary to restore intact glenohumeral biomechanics.

PubMed

Budoff, Jeffrey E; Lin, Cheng-Li; Hong, Chih-Kai; Chiang, Florence L; Su, Wei-Ren

2016-06-01

Coracoacromial ligament (CAL) excision and acromioplasty increase superior and anterosuperior glenohumeral translation. It is unknown how much of an increase in rotator cuff force production is required to re-establish intact glenohumeral biomechanics after these surgical procedures. We hypothesized that, after CAL excision and acromioplasty, an increase in rotator cuff force production would not be necessary to reproduce the anterosuperior and superior translations of the intact specimens. Nine cadaveric shoulders were subjected to loading in the superior and anterosuperior directions in the intact state after CAL excision, acromioplasty, and recording of the translations. The rotator cuff force was then increased to normalize glenohumeral biomechanics. After CAL excision at 150 and 200 N of loading, an increase in the rotator cuff force by 25% decreased anterosuperior translation to the point where there was no significant difference from the intact specimen's translation. After acromioplasty (and CAL excision) at 150 and 200 N, an increase in the rotator cuff force of 25% and 30%, respectively, decreased superior translation to the point where there was no significant difference from the intact specimen's translation. At 150 to 200 N of loading, CAL excision and acromioplasty increase the rotator cuff force required to maintain normal glenohumeral biomechanics by 25% to 30%. After a subacromial decompression, the rotator cuff has an increased force production requirement to maintain baseline glenohumeral mechanics. Under many circumstances, in vivo force requirements may be even greater after surgical attenuation of the coracoacromial arch. Basic Science Study; Biomechanics. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Planning for the Electricity-Water Nexus

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

Tidwell, Vincent Carroll

2015-02-01

Energy production requires water, while the conveyance, storage, and treatment of water requires energy—this is the energy-water nexus. The importance of this nexus has recently been highlighted by droughts reducing hydropower production, heat waves impacting stream water temperatures forcing nuclear and coal-fired power plants to suspend operations, floods and hurricanes damaging energy infrastructure, and the denial of new power plant permits due to limited water availability. All this while the energy intensity of the water sector is increasing as water is moved from more distant locations and increasing water treatment is required. Tackling this energy-water nexus will require significant coordinationmore » between water and energy managers from the local to the federal level.« less

Quantification of the impacts of climate change and human agricultural activities on oasis water requirements in an arid region: a case study of the Heihe River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xingran; Shen, Yanjun

2018-03-01

Ecological deterioration in arid regions caused by agricultural development has become a global issue. Understanding water requirements of the oasis ecosystems and the influences of human agricultural activities and climate change is important for the sustainable development of oasis ecosystems and water resource management in arid regions. In this study, water requirements of the main oasis in Heihe River basin during 1986-2013 were analyzed and the amount showed a sharp increase from 10.8 × 108 m3 in 1986 to 19.0 × 108 m3 in 2013. Both human agricultural activities and climate change could lead to the increase in water requirement. To quantify the contributions of agricultural activities and climate change to the increase in water requirements, partial derivative and slope method were used. Results showed that climate change and human agricultural activities, such as oasis expansion and changes in land cropping structure, has contributed to the increase in water requirement at rates of 6.9, 58.1, and 25.3 %, respectively. Overall, human agricultural activities were the dominant forces driving the increase in water requirement. In addition, the contribution of oasis expanding to the increased water requirement was significantly greater than that of other concerned variables. This reveals that controlling the oasis scale is extremely important and effective for balancing water for agriculture and ecosystems and to achieving a sustainable oasis development in arid regions.

Material Challenges and Opportunities for Commercial Electric Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Misra, Ajay

2014-01-01

Significant reduction in carbon dioxide emission for future air transportation system will require adoption of electric propulsion system and more electric architectures. Various options for aircraft electric propulsion include hybrid electric, turboelectric, and full electric system. Realization of electric propulsion system for commercial aircraft applications will require significant increases in power density of electric motors and energy density of energy storage system, such as the batteries and fuel cells. In addition, transmission of MW of power in the aircraft will require high voltage power transmission system to reduce the weight of the power transmission system. Finally, there will be significant thermal management challenges. Significant advances in material technologies will be required to meet these challenges. Technologies of interest include materials with higher electrical conductivity than Cu, high thermal conductivity materials, and lightweight electrically insulating materials with high breakdown voltage, high temperature magnets, advanced battery and fuel cell materials, and multifunctional materials. The presentation will include various challenges for commercial electric aircraft and provide an overview of material improvements that will be required to meet these challenges.

Process-oriented guided inquiry learning strategy enhances students' higher level thinking skills in a pharmaceutical sciences course.

PubMed

Soltis, Robert; Verlinden, Nathan; Kruger, Nicholas; Carroll, Ailey; Trumbo, Tiffany

2015-02-17

To determine if the process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) teaching strategy improves student performance and engages higher-level thinking skills of first-year pharmacy students in an Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences course. Overall examination scores and scores on questions categorized as requiring either higher-level or lower-level thinking skills were compared in the same course taught over 3 years using traditional lecture methods vs the POGIL strategy. Student perceptions of the latter teaching strategy were also evaluated. Overall mean examination scores increased significantly when POGIL was implemented. Performance on questions requiring higher-level thinking skills was significantly higher, whereas performance on questions requiring lower-level thinking skills was unchanged when the POGIL strategy was used. Student feedback on use of this teaching strategy was positive. The use of the POGIL strategy increased student overall performance on examinations, improved higher-level thinking skills, and provided an interactive class setting.

Texas transportation planning for future renewable energy projects : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

There will be a significant increase in the number of renewable energy production facilities in Texas. The : construction of wind farms requires the transport of wind turbine components that create increased loads on : rural roads and bridges. These ...

The Development of the Institution of School Counselors in Rural Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurianova, M. P.

2014-01-01

Two decades of experience with the use of school counselors in rural areas of Russia has demonstrated their necessity in supporting students, but their further development and increasing effectiveness requires a significant increase in resources provided to them.

Nutrient Requirements in Adolescence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKigney, John I,; Munro, Hamish N.

It is important to understand the nutrient requirements and the significance of nutrition both in pubescence and adolescence. The pubescent growth spurt is characterized by an increase in body size and a change in proportion of different tissues. Both of these factors are of great nutritional importance, since there is reason to believe that the…

Uptake of Meningococcal Vaccine in Arizona Schoolchildren After Implementation of School-Entry Immunization Requirements

PubMed Central

Hills, Rebecca A.; Allwes, Deborah; Rasmussen, Lisa

2013-01-01

Objectives Meningitis and bacteremia due to Neisseria meningitidis are rare but potentially deadly diseases that can be prevented with immunization. Beginning in 2008, Arizona school immunization requirements were amended to include immunization of children aged 11 years or older with meningococcal vaccine before entering the sixth grade. We describe patterns in meningococcal vaccine uptake surrounding these school-entry requirement changes in Arizona. Methods We used immunization records from the Arizona State Immunization Information System (ASIIS) to compare immunization rates in 11- and 12-year-olds. We used principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify and analyze demographic variables reported by the 2010 U.S. Census. Results Adolescent meningococcal immunization rates in Arizona increased after implementation of statewide school-entry immunization requirements. The increase in meningococcal vaccination rates among 11- and 12-year-olds from 2007 to 2008 was statistically significant (p<0.0001). All demographic groups had significantly higher odds of on-schedule vaccination after the school-entry requirement change (odds ratio range = 5.57 to 12.81, p<0.0001). County demographic factors that were associated with lower odds of on-schedule vaccination included higher poverty, more children younger than 18 years of age, fewer high school graduates, and a higher proportion of Native Americans. Conclusions This analysis suggests that implementation of school immunization requirements resulted in increased meningococcal vaccination rates in Arizona, with degree of response varying by demographic profile. ASIIS was useful for assessing changes in immunization rates over time. Further study is required to identify methods to control for population overestimates in registry data. PMID:23277658

Impact of orthodontic treatment on self-esteem and quality of life of adult patients requiring oral rehabilitation.

PubMed

de Couto Nascimento, Vanessa; de Castro Ferreira Conti, Ana Cláudia; de Almeida Cardoso, Maurício; Valarelli, Danilo Pinelli; de Almeida-Pedrin, Renata Rodrigues

2016-09-01

To evaluate whether orthodontic treatment in adults requiring oral rehabilitation is effective for increasing patients' self-esteem and quality of life (QoL). The sample consisted of 102 adult patients (77 women and 25 men) aged between 18 and 66 years (mean, 35.1 years) requiring oral rehabilitation and orthodontic treatment simultaneously. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem (RSE) Scale and a questionnaire about QoL based on the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) were used to determine self-esteem and QoL scores retrospectively. Questionnaires were carried out in two stages, T1 (start of treatment) and T2 (6 months after). To compare score changes between T1 and T2, the data obtained from the RSE Scale were evaluated with paired t tests, and data from the quality-of-life questionnaire were assessed by applying descriptive statistics. The results showed a statistically significant increase in self-esteem (P < .001) and a great improvement on patients' QoL. Orthodontic treatment causes a significant increase in self-esteem and QoL, providing psychological benefits for adult patients in need of oral rehabilitation.

Parity Increases Insulin Requirements in Pregnant Women With Type 1 Diabetes.

PubMed

Skajaa, Gitte Ø; Fuglsang, Jens; Kampmann, Ulla; Ovesen, Per G

2018-06-01

Tight glycemic control throughout pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes is crucial, and knowledge about which factors that affect insulin sensitivity could improve the outcome for both mother and offspring. To evaluate insulin requirements in women with type 1 diabetes during pregnancy and test whether parity affects insulin requirements. Observational cohort study consisting of women with type 1 diabetes who gave birth at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, from 2004 to 2014. Daily insulin requirement (the hypothesis that parity could affect insulin resistance was formulated before data collection). A total of 380 women with a total of 536 pregnancies were included in the study. Mean age was 31.1 years, and prepregnancy hemoglobin A1c was 60 mmol/mol. Parity was as follows: P0, 43%; P1, 40%; P2, 14%; and P3+4, 3%. Insulin requirements from weeks 11 to 16 decreased significantly by 4% (P = 0.0004) and rose from week 19 to delivery with a peak of 70% (P < 0.0005) at weeks 33 to 36. Overall, insulin requirements increased significantly with parity. The unadjusted differences between P0 and P1, P2, and P3+4 were 9% (P < 0.0005), 12% (P < 0.0005), and 23% (P < 0.0011), respectively. After adjustment for confounders, differences were 13% (P < 0.0005), 20% (P < 0.0005), and 36% (P < 0.0005). We also observed an adjusted difference between P1 and P3+4 of 20% (P < 0.0012). The data show changes in insulin requirements from week to week in pregnancy and indicate that insulin requirements increase with parity. This suggests that the patient's parity probably should be considered in choosing insulin dosages for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes.

Increased Learning Time under Stimulus-Funded School Improvement Grants: High Hopes, Varied Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurrer, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Research has long suggested that significantly increasing quality time in school for teaching and learning can have a positive impact on student achievement. Recognizing this connection, federal guidance requires low-performing schools to increase student learning time if they are implementing two popular reform models using school improvement…

Countermeasure for Radiation Protection and Repair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Exposure to ionizing radiation during long-duration space missions is expected to cause short-term illness and increase long-term risk of cancer for astronauts. Radiation-induced free radicals overload the antioxidant defense mechanisms and lead to cellular damage at the membrane, enzyme, and chromosome levels. A large number of radioprotective agents were screened, but most had significant side effects. But there is increasing evidence that significant radioprotective benefit is achieved by increasing the dietary intake of foods with high antioxidant potential. Early plant-growing systems for space missions will be limited in both size and volume to minimize power and mass requirements. These systems will be well suited to producing plants containing high concentrations of bioprotective antioxidants. This project explored whether the production of bioprotective compounds could be increased by altering the lighting system, without increasing the space or power requirements for production, and evaluated the effects of environmental conditions (light quantity, light quality, and carbon dioxide [CO2] concentration) on the production of bioprotective compounds in lettuce, which provide a biological countermeasure for radiation exposure. The specific deliverables were to develop a database of bioprotectant compounds in plants that are suitable for use on longduration space missions, develop protocols for maintaining and increasing bioprotectant production under light emitting diodes (LEDs), recommend lighting requirements to produce dietary countermeasures of radiation, and publish results in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

HITECH spurs EHR vendor competition and innovation, resulting in increased adoption.

PubMed

Joseph, Seth; Sow, Max; Furukawa, Michael F; Posnack, Steven; Chaffee, Mary Ann

2014-09-01

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was enacted to increase electronic health record (EHR) adoption by providers and hospitals. Experts expressed skepticism about whether the program would indeed hasten adoption and could be implemented in time for the initial reporting period. Could EHR vendors meet the certification requirements, and could the industry innovate to meet small-practice needs? This study, in addition to documenting increased provider adoption, provides the first evidence of increased competitiveness and innovation in the EHR industry spurred by HITECH. For example, the number of EHR vendors certified for e-prescribing with Surescripts increased from 96 to 229 over the program's first 3 years. We also find that prescribers in small practices increasingly adopted lower-cost, Web-based e-prescribing and EHR applications at significantly higher rates (15%-35%) than did large practices (3%-4%), which generally have more human and capital resources to make significant investments. These findings suggest that EHR vendors were highly responsive to HITECH requirements and have been adapting their strategies to meet nuanced market needs, providing reason to be optimistic about the Programs' future.

The effect of increased number of cesarean on maternal and fetal outcomes.

PubMed

Çintesun, Ersin; Al, Ragıp Atakan

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of multiple cesarean deliveries (CDs) on maternal-fetal mor-bidity and mortality rates. This retrospective study included a total of 1,506 patients who underwent multiple CDs between January 2006 and May 2014. The patients were divided into two groups. One group consisted of patients with four or more CDs (n = 444) and a control group of patients with three CDs (n=1,062). Both groups were analyzed for demographics, complications from multiple cesarean deliveries and perinatal outcomes. The mean age was higher in the study group (p < 0.001). Dense adhesion (p < 0.001), demand for tubal ligation (p < 0.001), the requirement of pelvic drainage (p < 0.001), duration of hospitalization (p < 0.001) and the requirement for blood transfusion (p=0.03) was also significantly higher in the study group. Hemoglobin levels (p = 0.002) were signifi-cantly higher in the control group on the second postoperative day. Regarding perinatal morbidity; umbilical artery pH results (p = 0.003) were significantly lower in the study group. There was no significant difference in the maternal and fetal mortality rates between both groups. According to our study results, an increase in the number of cesarean sections increases maternal and fetal morbidity rates significantly. Therefore, we recommend decreasing the rate of primary cesarean deliveries by encouraging vaginal birth after CD. We also advocate the use of permanent contraceptive methods in patients with a high number of CD's. Further large-scale prospective results are required to establish a definitive conclusion.

Risk Management of GM Crops

EPA Science Inventory

Driven by biofuel demand, a significant increase in GM corn acreage is anticipated for the 2007 growing season with future planted GM corn acreage approaching 80% of the corn crop by 2009. As demand increases, grower non-compliance with mandated planting requirements is likely to...

Future requirements for and supply of ophthalmologists for an aging population in Singapore.

PubMed

Ansah, John P; De Korne, Dirk; Bayer, Steffen; Pan, Chong; Jayabaskar, Thiyagarajan; Matchar, David B; Lew, Nicola; Phua, Andrew; Koh, Victoria; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Quek, Desmond

2015-11-17

Singapore's population, as that of many other countries, is aging; this is likely to lead to an increase in eye diseases and the demand for eye care. Since ophthalmologist training is long and expensive, early planning is essential. This paper forecasts workforce and training requirements for Singapore up to the year 2040 under several plausible future scenarios. The Singapore Eye Care Workforce Model was created as a continuous time compartment model with explicit workforce stocks using system dynamics. The model has three modules: prevalence of eye disease, demand, and workforce requirements. The model is used to simulate the prevalence of eye diseases, patient visits, and workforce requirements for the public sector under different scenarios in order to determine training requirements. Four scenarios were constructed. Under the baseline business-as-usual scenario, the required number of ophthalmologists is projected to increase by 117% from 2015 to 2040. Under the current policy scenario (assuming an increase of service uptake due to increased awareness, availability, and accessibility of eye care services), the increase will be 175%, while under the new model of care scenario (considering the additional effect of providing some services by non-ophthalmologists) the increase will only be 150%. The moderated workload scenario (assuming in addition a reduction of the clinical workload) projects an increase in the required number of ophthalmologists of 192% by 2040. Considering the uncertainties in the projected demand for eye care services, under the business-as-usual scenario, a residency intake of 8-22 residents per year is required, 17-21 under the current policy scenario, 14-18 under the new model of care scenario, and, under the moderated workload scenario, an intake of 18-23 residents per year is required. The results show that under all scenarios considered, Singapore's aging and growing population will result in an almost doubling of the number of Singaporeans with eye conditions, a significant increase in public sector eye care demand and, consequently, a greater requirement for ophthalmologists.

The development of Nb-based advanced intermetallic alloys for structural applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, P. R.; Mendiratta, M. G.; Dimiduk, D. M.

1996-01-01

A new generation of refractory material systems with significant increases in temperature capability is required to meet the demands of future aerospace applications. Such materials require a balance of properties such as low-temperature damage tolerance, high-temperature strength, creep resistance, and superior environmental stability for implementation in advanced aerospace systems. Systems incorporating niobium-based beta alloys and intermetallic compounds have the potential for meeting these requirements.

Sewage impacts coral reefs at multiple levels of ecological organization.

PubMed

Reopanichkul, Pasinee; Schlacher, Thomas A; Carter, R W; Worachananant, Suchai

2009-09-01

Against a backdrop of rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification which pose global threats to coral reefs, excess nutrients and turbidity continue to be significant stressors at regional and local scales. Because interventions usually require local data on pollution impacts, we measured ecological responses to sewage discharges in Surin Marine Park, Thailand. Wastewater disposal significantly increased inorganic nutrients and turbidity levels, and this degradation in water quality resulted in substantial ecological shifts in the form of (i) increased macroalgal density and species richness, (ii) lower cover of hard corals, and (iii) significant declines in fish abundance. Thus, the effects of nutrient pollution and turbidity can cascade across several levels of ecological organization to change key properties of the benthos and fish on coral reefs. Maintenance or restoration of ecological reef health requires improved wastewater management and run-off control for reefs to deliver their valuable ecosystems services.

[Effects of intermittent irrigation on ecological and physiological water requirement of rice in north China].

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoying; Liang, Wenju; Wen, Dazhong

2004-10-01

The ecological and physiological water requirement of rice was studied in a paddy field of north China, and the field experiment was conducted at Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Under continuous flooding irrigation (CSF) and intermittent irrigation (IT) conditions, the evapotranspiration and soil evaporation of paddy fields were measured by non-weighing lysimeters and micro-lysimeters, respectively. The results showed that compared with continuous flooding irrigation, the transpiration under intermittent irrigation condition was not significantly reduced, but 16% and 24% of water amounts were reduced by decreasing the water losses through soil water evaporation and percolation, respectively. The water use efficiency of intermittent irrigation was increased 10%, without any adverse effects on biomass and grain yield of rice. Although the amount of water requirement under IT treatment was reduced significantly compared with CSF treatment, about 60% of total water requirement was still lost through deep percolation. Based on the results obtained, the corresponding countermeasures to reduce the amounts of soil water evaporation and percolation and to increase the water use efficiency were put forward in this paper.

Web-based oil immersion whole slide imaging increases efficiency and clinical team satisfaction in hematopathology tumor board

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhongchuan Will; Kohan, Jessica; Perkins, Sherrie L.; Hussong, Jerry W.; Salama, Mohamed E.

2014-01-01

Background: Whole slide imaging (WSI) is widely used for education and research, but is increasingly being used to streamline clinical workflow. We present our experience with regard to satisfaction and time utilization using oil immersion WSI for presentation of blood/marrow aspirate smears, core biopsies, and tissue sections in hematology/oncology tumor board/treatment planning conferences (TPC). Methods: Lymph nodes and bone marrow core biopsies were scanned at ×20 magnification and blood/marrow smears at 83X under oil immersion and uploaded to an online library with areas of interest to be displayed annotated digitally via web browser. Pathologist time required to prepare slides for scanning was compared to that required to prepare for microscope projection (MP). Time required to present cases during TPC was also compared. A 10-point evaluation survey was used to assess clinician satisfaction with each presentation method. Results: There was no significant difference in hematopathologist preparation time between WSI and MP. However, presentation time was significantly less for WSI compared to MP as selection and annotation of slides was done prior to TPC with WSI, enabling more efficient use of TPC presentation time. Survey results showed a significant increase in satisfaction by clinical attendees with regard to image quality, efficiency of presentation of pertinent findings, aid in clinical decision-making, and overall satisfaction regarding pathology presentation. A majority of respondents also noted decreased motion sickness with WSI. Conclusions: Whole slide imaging, particularly with the ability to use oil scanning, provides higher quality images compared to MP and significantly increases clinician satisfaction. WSI streamlines preparation for TPC by permitting prior slide selection, resulting in greater efficiency during TPC presentation. PMID:25379347

Biomechanical benefits of anterior offsetting of humeral head component in posteriorly unstable total shoulder arthroplasty: A cadaveric study.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Min Mike; Chacon, Alexander C; Andrews, Seth H; Roush, Evan P; Cho, Edward; Conaway, William K; Kunselman, Allen R; Lewis, Gregory S

2016-04-01

Restoration of joint stability during total shoulder arthroplasty can be challenging in the face of severe glenoid retroversion. A novel technique of humeral head component anterior-offsetting has been proposed to address posterior instability. We evaluated the biomechanical benefits of this technique in cadaveric specimens. Total shoulder arthroplasty was performed in 14 cadaveric shoulders from 7 donors. Complementary shoulders were assigned to either 10° or 20° glenoid retroversion, with retroversion created by eccentric reaming. Two humeral head component offset positions were tested in each specimen: The anatomic (posterior) and anterior (reverse). With loads applied to the rotator cuff and deltoid, joint contact pressures and the force and energy required for posterior humeral head translation were measured. The force and energy required to displace the humeral head posteriorly increased significantly with the anterior offset position compared to the anatomic offset position. The joint contact pressures were significantly shifted anteriorly, and the joint contact area significantly increased with the anterior offset position. Anterior offsetting of the humeral head component increased the resistance to posterior humeral head translation, shifted joint contact pressures anteriorly, and increased joint contact area, thus, potentially increasing the joint stability in total shoulder arthroplasty with simulated glenoid retroversion. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

To what extent have relaxed eligibility requirements and increased generosity of disability benefits acted as disincentives for employment? A systematic review of evidence from countries with well-developed welfare systems.

PubMed

Barr, Ben; Clayton, Stephen; Whitehead, Margaret; Thielen, Karsten; Burström, Bo; Nylén, Lotta; Dahl, Espen

2010-12-01

Reductions in the eligibility requirements and generosity of disability benefits have been introduced in several Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in recent years, on the assumption that this will increase work incentives for people with chronic illness and disabilities. This paper systematically reviews the evidence for this assumption in the context of well-developed welfare systems. Systematic review of all empirical studies from five OECD countries from 1970 to December 2009 investigating the effect of changes in eligibility requirements or level of disability benefits on employment of disabled people. Sixteen studies were identified. Only one of five studies found that relaxed eligibility was significantly associated with a decline in employment. The most robust study found no significant effect. On generosity, eight out of 11 studies reported that benefit levels had a significant negative association with employment. The most robust study demonstrated a small but significant negative association. There was no firm evidence that changes in benefit eligibility requirements affected employment. While there was some evidence indicating that benefit level was negatively associated with employment, there was insufficient evidence of a high enough quality to determine the extent of that effect. Policy makers and researchers need to address the lack of a robust empirical basis for assessing the employment impact of these welfare reforms as well as potentially wider poverty impacts.

[Estimating the impacts of future climate change on water requirement and water deficit of winter wheat in Henan Province, China].

PubMed

Ji, Xing-jie; Cheng, Lin; Fang, Wen-song

2015-09-01

Based on the analysis of water requirement and water deficit during development stage of winter wheat in recent 30 years (1981-2010) in Henan Province, the effective precipitation was calculated using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation method, the water requirement (ETC) was estimated by using FAO Penman-Monteith equation and crop coefficient method recommended by FAO, combined with the climate change scenario A2 (concentration on the economic envelopment) and B2 ( concentration on the sustainable development) of Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) , the spatial and temporal characteristics of impacts of future climate change on effective precipitation, water requirement and water deficit of winter wheat were estimated. The climatic impact factors of ETc and WD also were analyzed. The results showed that under A2 and B2 scenarios, there would be a significant increase in anomaly percentage of effective precipitation, water requirement and water deficit of winter wheat during the whole growing period compared with the average value from 1981 to 2010. Effective precipitation increased the most in 2030s under A2 and B2 scenarios by 33.5% and 39.2%, respectively. Water requirement increased the most in 2010s under A2 and B2 scenarios by 22.5% and 17.5%, respectively, and showed a significant downward trend with time. Water deficit increased the most under A2 scenario in 2010s by 23.6% and under B2 scenario in 2020s by 13.0%. Partial correlation analysis indicated that solar radiation was the main cause for the variation of ETc and WD in future under A2 and B2 scenarios. The spatial distributions of effective precipitation, water requirement and water deficit of winter wheat during the whole growing period were spatially heterogeneous because of the difference in geographical and climatic environments. A possible tendency of water resource deficiency may exist in Henan Province in the future.

The force required to fracture endodontically roots restored with various materials as intra-orifice barriers.

PubMed

Yasa, E; Arslan, H; Yasa, B; Akcay, M; Alsancak, M; Hatirli, H

2017-10-01

To evaluate the effect of various materials as intra-orifice barriers on the force required fracture roots. One hundred-thirty five mandibular premolars were decoronated and prepared up to size #40. The root canals were filled and randomly divided into two control and seven experimental groups (n = 15), as follows: Positive control group (the intra-orifice barrier cavity was not prepared), negative control group (the intra-orifice barrier cavity was prepared, but not filled), filling using glass ionomer cement, nano-hybrid composite resin, short fiber-reinforced composite, bulk-fill flowable composite, MTA Angelus, Micro Mega MTA or Biodentine. A fracture strength test was performed, and the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests. Nano-hybrid composite, short fiber-reinforced composite, bulk-fill flow able composite, and glass ionomer cement increased the force required fracture the roots compared to the positive and negative control groups (P < 0.05). While MTA groups did not increase the force required fracture the roots compared to the control groups, Biodentine increased significantly. Within the limitations of the present study, the use of nano-hybrid composite, short fiber-reinforced composite, bulk-fill flowable composite, and glass ionomer cement as an intra-orifice barrier may be useful in reinforcing roots. MTA placement (MTA Angelus or Micro Mega MTA) did not significantly increase the fracture resistance of endodontically treated roots compared to the control groups, however Biodentine did.

Prospective evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging guided in-bore prostate biopsy versus systematic transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy in biopsy naïve men with elevated prostate specific antigen.

PubMed

Quentin, Michael; Blondin, Dirk; Arsov, Christian; Schimmöller, Lars; Hiester, Andreas; Godehardt, Erhard; Albers, Peter; Antoch, Gerald; Rabenalt, Robert

2014-11-01

Magnetic resonance imaging guided biopsy is increasingly performed to diagnose prostate cancer. However, there is a lack of well controlled, prospective trials to support this treatment method. We prospectively compared magnetic resonance imaging guided in-bore biopsy with standard systematic transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy in biopsy naïve men with increased prostate specific antigen. We performed a prospective study in 132 biopsy naïve men with increased prostate specific antigen (greater than 4 ng/ml). After 3 Tesla functional multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging patients were referred for magnetic resonance imaging guided in-bore biopsy of prostate lesions (maximum 3) followed by standard systematic transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy (12 cores). We analyzed the detection rates of prostate cancer and significant prostate cancer (greater than 5 mm total cancer length or any Gleason pattern greater than 3). A total of 128 patients with a mean ± SD age of 66.1 ± 8.1 years met all study requirements. Median prostate specific antigen was 6.7 ng/ml (IQR 5.1-9.0). Transrectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging guided biopsies provided the same 53.1% detection rate, including 79.4% and 85.3%, respectively, for significant prostate cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging and transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies missed 7.8% and 9.4% of clinically significant prostate cancers, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging biopsy required significantly fewer cores and revealed a higher percent of cancer involvement per biopsy core (each p <0.01). Combining the 2 methods provided a 60.9% detection rate with an 82.1% rate for significant prostate cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging guided in-bore and systematic transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies achieved equally high detection rates in biopsy naïve patients with increased prostate specific antigen. Magnetic resonance imaging guided in-bore biopsies required significantly fewer cores and revealed a significantly higher percent of cancer involvement per biopsy core. Copyright © 2014 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is a Responsive Default Mode Network Required for Successful Working Memory Task Performance?

PubMed

Čeko, Marta; Gracely, John L; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Seminowicz, David A; Schweinhardt, Petra; Bushnell, M Catherine

2015-08-19

In studies of cognitive processing using tasks with externally directed attention, regions showing increased (external-task-positive) and decreased or "negative" [default-mode network (DMN)] fMRI responses during task performance are dynamically responsive to increasing task difficulty. Responsiveness (modulation of fMRI signal by increasing load) has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance in external-task-positive regions but not in DMN regions. To investigate whether a responsive DMN is required for successful cognitive performance, we compared healthy human subjects (n = 23) with individuals shown to have decreased DMN engagement (chronic pain patients, n = 28). Subjects performed a multilevel working-memory task (N-back) during fMRI. If a responsive DMN is required for successful performance, patients having reduced DMN responsiveness should show worsened performance; if performance is not reduced, their brains should show compensatory activation in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. All subjects showed decreased accuracy and increased reaction times with increasing task level, with no significant group differences on either measure at any level. Patients had significantly reduced negative fMRI response (deactivation) of DMN regions (posterior cingulate/precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex). Controls showed expected modulation of DMN deactivation with increasing task difficulty. Patients showed significantly reduced modulation of DMN deactivation by task difficulty, despite their successful task performance. We found no evidence of compensatory neural recruitment in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. Individual responsiveness of the external-task-positive ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, but not of DMN regions, correlated with task accuracy. These findings suggest that a responsive DMN may not be required for successful cognitive performance; a responsive external-task-positive network may be sufficient. We studied the relationship between responsiveness of the brain to increasing task demand and successful cognitive performance, using chronic pain patients as a probe. fMRI working memory studies show that two main cognitive networks ["external-task positive" and "default-mode network" (DMN)] are responsive to increasing task difficulty. The responsiveness of both of these brain networks is suggested to be required for successful task performance. The responsiveness of external-task-positive regions has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance, as we also show here. However, pain patients show decreased engagement and responsiveness of the DMN but can perform a working memory task as well as healthy subjects, without demonstrable compensatory neural recruitment. Therefore, a responsive DMN might not be needed for successful cognitive performance. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3511596-11$15.00/0.

Exit Strategies: How Low-Performing High Schools Respond to High School Exit Examination Requirements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holme, Jennifer Jellison

2013-01-01

Background: Over the past several decades, a significant number of states have either adopted or increased high school exit examination requirements. Although these policies are intended to generate improvement in schools, little is known about how high schools are responding to exit testing pressures. Purpose: This study examined how five…

Use of Advanced Solar Cells for Commercial Communication Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

1995-01-01

The current generation of communications satellites are located primarily in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Over the next decade, however, a new generation of communications satellites will be built and launched, designed to provide a world-wide interconnection of portable telephones. For this mission, the satellites must be positioned in lower polar and near-polar orbits. To provide complete coverage, large numbers of satellites will be required. Because the required number of satellites decreases as the orbital altitude is increased, fewer satellites would be required if the orbit chosen were raised from low to intermediate orbit. However, in intermediate orbits, satellites encounter significant radiation due to trapped electrons and protons. Radiation tolerant solar cells may be necessary to make such satellites feasible. We analyze the amount of radiation encountered in low and intermediate polar orbits at altitudes of interest to next-generation communication satellites, calculate the expected degradation for silicon, GaAs, and InP solar cells, and show that the lifetimes can be significantly increased by use of advanced solar cells.

Use of advanced solar cells for commerical communication satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Bailey, Sheila G.

1995-01-01

The current generation of communications satellites are located primarily in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Over the next decade, however, a new generation of communications satellites will be built and launched, designed to provide a world-wide interconnection of portable telephones. For this mission, the satellites must be positioned in lower polar- and near-polar orbits. To provide complete coverage, large numbers of satellites will be required. Because of the required number of satellites decreases as the orbital altitude is increased, fewer satellites would be required if the orbit chosen were raised from Low to intermediate orbit. However, in intermediate orbits, satellites encounter significant radiation due to trapped electrons and protons. Radiation tolerant solar cells may be necessary to make such satellites feasible. We analyze the amount of radiation encountered in low and intermediate polar orbits at altitudes of interest to next-generation communication satellites, calculate the expected degradation for silicon, GaAs, and InP solar cells, and show that the lifetimes can be significantly increased by use of advanced solar cells.

Use of advanced solar cells for commercial communication satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

1995-03-01

The current generation of communications satellites are located primarily in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Over the next decade, however, a new generation of communications satellites will be built and launched, designed to provide a world-wide interconnection of portable telephones. For this mission, the satellites must be positioned in lower polar and near-polar orbits. To provide complete coverage, large numbers of satellites will be required. Because the required number of satellites decreases as the orbital altitude is increased, fewer satellites would be required if the orbit chosen were raised from low to intermediate orbit. However, in intermediate orbits, satellites encounter significant radiation due to trapped electrons and protons. Radiation tolerant solar cells may be necessary to make such satellites feasible. We analyze the amount of radiation encountered in low and intermediate polar orbits at altitudes of interest to next-generation communication satellites, calculate the expected degradation for silicon, GaAs, and InP solar cells, and show that the lifetimes can be significantly increased by use of advanced solar cells.

Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Strategy Enhances Students’ Higher Level Thinking Skills in a Pharmaceutical Sciences Course

PubMed Central

Verlinden, Nathan; Kruger, Nicholas; Carroll, Ailey; Trumbo, Tiffany

2015-01-01

Objective. To determine if the process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) teaching strategy improves student performance and engages higher-level thinking skills of first-year pharmacy students in an Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences course. Design. Overall examination scores and scores on questions categorized as requiring either higher-level or lower-level thinking skills were compared in the same course taught over 3 years using traditional lecture methods vs the POGIL strategy. Student perceptions of the latter teaching strategy were also evaluated. Assessment. Overall mean examination scores increased significantly when POGIL was implemented. Performance on questions requiring higher-level thinking skills was significantly higher, whereas performance on questions requiring lower-level thinking skills was unchanged when the POGIL strategy was used. Student feedback on use of this teaching strategy was positive. Conclusion. The use of the POGIL strategy increased student overall performance on examinations, improved higher-level thinking skills, and provided an interactive class setting. PMID:25741027

Assimilating Digital Immigrants into High-Access Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseberry, Jason

2016-01-01

As schools have placed an increased emphasis on instructional technology, the amount of money spent on hardware and student devices in classrooms has increased significantly (Nagel, 2014). Because administrators are underestimating the instructional shift required for effective integration of these devices, they are not allocating enough time and…

In vitro fracture resistance of three commercially available zirconia crowns for primary molars.

PubMed

Townsend, Janice A; Knoell, Patrick; Yu, Qingzhao; Zhang, Jian-Feng; Wang, Yapin; Zhu, Han; Beattie, Sean; Xu, Xiaoming

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure the fracture resistance of primary mandibular first molar zirconia crowns from three different manufacturers-EZ Pedo (EZP), NuSmile (NSZ), and Kinder Krowns (KK)-and compare it with the thickness of the zirconia crowns and the measured fracture resistance of preveneered stainless steel crowns (SSCs). The thickness of 20 zirconia crowns from three manufacturers were measured. The mean force required to fracture the crowns was determined. Preveneered NuSmile (NSW) SSCs were tested as a control. EZP crowns were significantly thicker in three of the six measured locations. The force required to fracture the EZP crown was significantly higher than that required for NSZ and KK. There was a positive correlation between fracture resistance and crown thickness in the mesial, distal, mesioocclusal, and distoocclusal dimensions. None of the zirconia crowns proved to be as resistant to fracture as the preveneered SSCs. Statistically significant differences were found among the forces required to fracture zirconia crowns by three different manufacturers. The increase in force correlated with crown thickness. The forces required to fracture the preveneered stainless steel crowns were greater than the forces required to fracture all manufacturers' zirconia crowns.

Big questions, big science: meeting the challenges of global ecology.

PubMed

Schimel, David; Keller, Michael

2015-04-01

Ecologists are increasingly tackling questions that require significant infrastucture, large experiments, networks of observations, and complex data and computation. Key hypotheses in ecology increasingly require more investment, and larger data sets to be tested than can be collected by a single investigator's or s group of investigator's labs, sustained for longer than a typical grant. Large-scale projects are expensive, so their scientific return on the investment has to justify the opportunity cost-the science foregone because resources were expended on a large project rather than supporting a number of individual projects. In addition, their management must be accountable and efficient in the use of significant resources, requiring the use of formal systems engineering and project management to mitigate risk of failure. Mapping the scientific method into formal project management requires both scientists able to work in the context, and a project implementation team sensitive to the unique requirements of ecology. Sponsoring agencies, under pressure from external and internal forces, experience many pressures that push them towards counterproductive project management but a scientific community aware and experienced in large project science can mitigate these tendencies. For big ecology to result in great science, ecologists must become informed, aware and engaged in the advocacy and governance of large ecological projects.

Extended Constant Power Speed Range of the Brushless DC Motor Through Dual Mode Inverter Control

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

Lawler, J.S.

2000-06-23

The trapezoidal back electromotive force (emf) brushless direct current (dc) motor (BDCM) with surface-mounted magnets has high-power density and efficiency especially when rare-earth magnet materials are used. Traction applications, such as electric vehicles, could benefit significantly from the use of such motors. Unfortunately, a practical means for driving the motor over a constant power speed ratio (CPSR) of 5:1 or more has not yet been developed. A key feature of these motors is that they have low internal inductance. The phase advance method is effective in controlling the motor power over such a speed range, but the current at highmore » speed may be several times greater than that required at the base speed. The increase in current during high-speed operation is due to the low motor inductance and the action of the bypass diodes of the inverter. The use of such a control would require increased current rating of the inverter semiconductors and additional cooling for the inverter, where the conduction losses increase proportionally with current, and especially for the motor, where the losses increase with the square of the current. The high current problems of phase advance can be mitigated by adding series inductance; however, this reduces power density, requires significant increase in supply voltage, and leaves the CPSR performance of the system highly sensitive to variations in the available voltage. A new inverter topology and control scheme has been developed that can drive low-inductance BDCMs over the CPSR that would be required in electric vehicle applications. This new controller is called the dual-mode inverter control (DMIC). It is shown that the BDCM has an infinite CPSR when it is driven by the DMIC.« less

A Lean Six Sigma quality improvement project to increase discharge paperwork completeness for admission to a comprehensive integrated inpatient rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Neufeld, Nathan J; Hoyer, Erik H; Cabahug, Philippines; González-Fernández, Marlís; Mehta, Megha; Walker, N Colbey; Powers, Richard L; Mayer, R Samuel

2013-01-01

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) process analysis can be used to increase completeness of discharge summary reports used as a critical communication tool when a patient transitions between levels of care. The authors used the LSS methodology as an intervention to improve systems process. Over the course of the project, 8 required elements were analyzed in the discharge paperwork. The authors analyzed the discharge paperwork of patients (42 patients preintervention and 143 patients postintervention) of a comprehensive integrated inpatient rehabilitation program (CIIRP). Prior to this LSS project, 61.8% of required discharge elements were present. The intervention improved the completeness to 94.2% of the required elements. The percentage of charts that were 100% complete increased from 11.9% to 67.8%. LSS is a well-established process improvement methodology that can be used to make significant improvements in complex health care workflow issues. Specifically, the completeness of discharge documentation required for transition of care to CIIRP can be improved.

The Influence of the Severity of Chronic Virus-Related Liver Disease on Propofol Requirements during Propofol-Remifentanil Anesthesia

PubMed Central

Wu, Jian; Huang, Su-Qin; Chen, Qing-Lian

2013-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of chronic virus-related liver disease severity on propofol requirements. Materials and Methods In this study, 48 male patients with chronic hepatitis B infection were divided into three groups according to Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification of liver function (groups A, B, and C with mild, moderate and severe liver disease, respectively). After intubation, propofol concentration was adjusted by ±0.3 µg/mL increments to maintain bispectral index in the range of 40-60. Target propofol concentrations at anesthesia initiation, pre-intubation and pre-incision were recorded. Results The initial concentration used in group C was significantly lower than that used in group A or B (p<0.05), whereas no difference was observed between groups A and B. At pre-intubation, the actual required concentration of propofol increased significantly (3.2 µg/mL) in group A (p<0.05), which lead to significant differences between the groups (p<0.05). At pre-incision, the requirements for propofol decreased significantly in both groups A and B (3.0 µg/mL and 2.7 µg/mL, respectively) compared with those at pre-intubation (p<0.05), and were significantly different for all three groups (p<0.05), with group C demonstrating the lowest requirement (2.2 µg/mL). The required concentrations of propofol at pre-incision were similar to those at induction. Conclusion In this study, propofol requirements administered by target-controlled infusion to maintain similar depths of hypnosis were shown to depend on the severity of chronic virus-related liver dysfunction. In other words, patients with the most severe liver dysfunction required the least amount of propofol. PMID:23225825

Exercise training improves free testosterone in lifelong sedentary aging men.

PubMed

Hayes, Lawrence D; Herbert, Peter; Sculthorpe, Nicholas F; Grace, Fergal M

2017-07-01

As the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on systemic hormones in aging men is unstudied to date, we investigated whether total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), free testosterone (free-T) and cortisol (all in serum) were altered following HIIT in a cohort of 22 lifelong sedentary (62 ± 2 years) older men. As HIIT requires preconditioning exercise in sedentary cohorts, participants were tested at three phases, each separated by six-week training; baseline (phase A), following conditioning exercise (phase B) and post-HIIT (phase C). Each measurement phase used identical methods. TT was significantly increased following HIIT (~17%; P  < 0.001) with most increase occurring during preconditioning (~10%; P  = 0.007). Free-T was unaffected by conditioning exercise ( P  = 0.102) but was significantly higher following HIIT compared to baseline (~4.5%; P  = 0.023). Cortisol remained unchanged from A to C ( P  = 0.138). The present data indicate a combination of preconditioning, and HIIT increases TT and SHBG in sedentary older males, with the HIIT stimulus accounting for a small but statistically significant increase in free-T. Further study is required to determine the biological importance of small improvements in free-T in aging men. © 2017 The authors.

State farm-to-school laws influence the availability of fruits and vegetables in school lunches at US public elementary schools.

PubMed

Nicholson, Lisa; Turner, Lindsey; Schneider, Linda; Chriqui, Jamie; Chaloupka, Frank

2014-05-01

State laws and farm-to-school programs (FTSPs) have the potential to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) availability in school meals. This study examined whether FV were more available in public elementary school lunches in states with a law requiring/encouraging FTSPs or with a locally grown-related law, and whether the relationship between state laws and FV availability could be explained by schools opting for FTSPs. A pooled, cross-sectional analysis linked a nationally representative sample of public elementary schools with state laws. A series of multivariate logistic regressions, controlling for school-level demographics were performed according to mediation analysis procedures for dichotomous outcomes. Roughly 50% of schools reported FV availability in school lunches on most days of the week. Schools with the highest FV availability (70.6%) were in states with laws and schools with FTSPs. State laws requiring/encouraging FTSPs were significantly associated with increased FV availability in schools and a significant percentage (13%) of this relationship was mediated by schools having FTSPs. Because state farm-to-school laws are associated with significantly higher FV availability in schools-through FTSPs, as well as independently-enacting more state legislation may facilitate increased FTSP participation by schools and increased FV availability in school meals. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Byproduct metal requirements for U.S. wind and solar photovoltaic electricity generation up to the year 2040 under various Clean Power Plan scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nassar, Nedal T.; Wilburn, David R.; Goonan, Thomas G.

2016-01-01

The United States has and will likely continue to obtain an increasing share of its electricity from solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind power, especially under the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The need for additional solar PV modules and wind turbines will, among other things, result in greater demand for a number of minor metals that are produced mainly or only as byproducts. In this analysis, the quantities of 11 byproduct metals (Ag, Cd, Te, In, Ga, Se, Ge, Nd, Pr, Dy, and Tb) required for wind turbines with rare-earth permanent magnets and four solar PV technologies are assessed through the year 2040. Three key uncertainties (electricity generation capacities, technology market shares, and material intensities) are varied to develop 42 scenarios for each byproduct metal. The results indicate that byproduct metal requirements vary significantly across technologies, scenarios, and over time. In certain scenarios, the requirements are projected to become a significant portion of current primary production. This is especially the case for Te, Ge, Dy, In, and Tb under the more aggressive scenarios of increasing market share and conservative material intensities. Te and Dy are, perhaps, of most concern given their substitution limitations. In certain years, the differences in byproduct metal requirements between the technology market share and material intensity scenarios are greater than those between the various CPP and No CPP scenarios. Cumulatively across years 2016–2040, the various CPP scenarios are estimated to require 15–43% more byproduct metals than the No CPP scenario depending on the specific byproduct metal and scenario. Increasing primary production via enhanced recovery rates of the byproduct metals during the beneficiation and enrichment operations, improving end-of-life recycling rates, and developing substitutes are important strategies that may help meet the increased demand for these byproduct metals.

Soft-Tissue Reconstruction of the Complicated Knee Arthroplasty: Principles and Predictors of Salvage.

PubMed

Colen, David L; Carney, Martin J; Shubinets, Valeriy; Lanni, Michael A; Liu, Tiffany; Levin, L Scott; Lee, Gwo-Chin; Kovach, Stephen J

2018-04-01

Total knee arthroplasty is a common orthopedic procedure in the United States and complications can be devastating. Soft-tissue compromise or joint infection may cause failure of prosthesis requiring knee fusion or amputation. The role of a plastic surgeon in total knee arthroplasty is critical for cases requiring optimization of the soft-tissue envelope. The purpose of this study was to elucidate factors associated with total knee arthroplasty salvage following complications and clarify principles of reconstruction to optimize outcomes. A retrospective review of patients requiring soft-tissue reconstruction performed by the senior author after total knee arthroplasty over 8 years was completed. Logistic regression and Fisher's exact tests determined factors associated with the primary outcome, prosthesis salvage versus knee fusion or amputation. Seventy-three knees in 71 patients required soft-tissue reconstruction (mean follow-up, 1.8 years), with a salvage rate of 61.1 percent, mostly using medial gastrocnemius flaps. Patients referred to our institution with complicated periprosthetic wounds were significantly more likely to lose their knee prosthesis than patients treated only within our system. Patients with multiple prior knee operations before definitive soft-tissue reconstruction had significantly decreased rates of prosthesis salvage and an increased risk of amputation. Knee salvage significantly decreased with positive joint cultures (Gram-negative greater than Gram-positive organisms) and particularly at the time of definitive reconstruction, which also trended toward an increased risk of amputation. In revision total knee arthroplasty, prompt soft-tissue reconstruction improves the likelihood of success, and protracted surgical courses and contamination increase failure and amputations. The authors show a benefit to involving plastic surgeons early in the course of total knee arthroplasty complications to optimize genicular soft tissues. Therapeutic, III.

Effect of contact lens wear and a near task on tear film break-up.

PubMed

Jansen, Meredith E; Begley, Carolyn G; Himebaugh, Nikole H; Port, Nicholas L

2010-05-01

To study the effect of extrinsic controls on blinking by examining blink parameters and tear stability among adapted soft contact lens (CL) wearers performing tasks that require varying amounts of visual concentration. The Demographic Questionnaire, Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire, and Current Symptoms Questionnaire were completed by 15 adapted soft CL wearers (nine females). Three 55 s simultaneous measurements of tear film stability via retroillumination and blinking were obtained with a slit-lamp biomicroscope and 200 Hz video camera while subjects listened to music and played a video game with and without their habitual CLs. Interblink interval (IBI) and blink amplitude (BA) were calculated. The area of break-up (AB) was calculated for the retroillumination image before each blink. The Current Symptoms Questionnaire was completed four times throughout testing. With the game compared to music, IBI was significantly longer and BA significantly decreased without CLs (p < or = 0.001). With CLs, the IBI did not significantly change between tasks but the BA significantly decreased (p = 0.100). The AB significantly increased with CL and the game (paired t-test, p < or = 0.001). The BA was significantly correlated with self-reported severity of dry eye for all testing scenarios (Spearman r > or = 0.5579, p < 0.0001) and several symptom measures (Spearman r > or = 0.6262, p < 0.0001). The AB was significantly correlated with symptom measures including bothersome discomfort for the game with and without CLs (Spearman r > or = 0.5064, p < 0.0001). During tasks requiring concentration, the IBI increased (blink rate decreased) and many blinks were incomplete without CLs. With CLs, tear film instability increased. Blinking frequency also increased, but it remained high when subjects played the game, and symptoms of ocular irritation increased. This suggests that wearing soft CLs, even when fully adapted, provides enough extrinsic ocular surface stimulation to override internal controls and affect blink parameters.

Building a Pipeline for College Access and Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazis, Richard

2006-01-01

The message that college matters is getting through to more and more young people. Young people understand that a middle-class lifestyle increasingly requires at least an associate degree. Yet the percentage of college students actually completing a two- or four-year degree has not increased significantly in more than 30 years. College completion…

12 CFR 702.203 - Prompt corrective action for “significantly undercapitalized” credit unions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... to increase except as provided in § 702.202(a)(3) and (4) Restrict member business loans. Not increase the total dollar amount of member business loans (defined as loans outstanding and unused... this part: (1) Requiring prior approval for acquisitions, branching, new lines of business. Prohibit a...

[The demographic development in Germany : challenge and chances for urology].

PubMed

Schneider, A W; Fichtner, J

2014-08-01

Urology is affected by the demographic development in Germany more than any other medical discipline. Despite a relatively stable total population, by the year 2040 there will be an absolute and relevant increase in urological diseases caused only by the demographic development in the population. This is particularly true for the increase in oncological treatment just in the field of the discipline of urology. Even now the current numbers for tumor development in Germany (RKI 2014) in the urological oncology segment of all tumor diseases show an increasing trend with more than 23 %. This significant increase in performance is in contrast to the age development of the specialists in this discipline. In total but especially due to the significantly over-aged specialist medical profession in urology, this leads to a substantial bottleneck of specialists in the discipline of urology. This deficiency of personnel resources in urology is aggravated by the requirements of Generation Y for a well-adjusted work-life balance and the associated feminization of the medical profession. This requires intelligent strategies for.

Number of repetitions required to retain single-digit multiplication math facts for elementary students.

PubMed

Burns, Matthew K; Ysseldyke, Jim; Nelson, Peter M; Kanive, Rebecca

2015-09-01

Computational fluency is an important aspect of math proficiency. Despite widely held beliefs about the differential difficulty of single-digit multiplication math facts, little empirical work has examined this issue. The current study analyzed the number of repetitions needed to master multiplication math facts. Data from 15,402 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders were analyzed using a national database. Results suggested that (a) students with lower math skills required significantly (p < .001) more repetitions than more skilled students; (b) across all students, single-digit multiplication facts with 4s, 5s, 6s, and 7s required significantly (p < .001) more repetition than did 2s and 3s; and (c) the number of practice sessions needed to attain mastery significantly (p < .001) decreased with increase in grade level. Implications for instructional planning and implementation are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Aerodynamics and Optimal Design of Biplane Wind Turbine Blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Phillip

In order to improve energy capture and reduce the cost of wind energy, in the past few decades wind turbines have grown significantly larger. As their blades get longer, the design of the inboard region (near the blade root) becomes a trade-off between competing structural and aerodynamic requirements. State-of-the-art blades require thick airfoils near the root to efficiently support large loads inboard, but those thick airfoils have inherently poor aerodynamic performance. New designs are required to circumvent this design compromise. One such design is the "biplane blade", in which the thick airfoils in the inboard region are replaced with thinner airfoils in a biplane configuration. This design was shown previously to have significantly increased structural performance over conventional blades. In addition, the biplane airfoils can provide increased lift and aerodynamic efficiency compared to thick monoplane inboard airfoils, indicating a potential for increased power extraction. This work investigates the fundamental aerodynamic aspects, aerodynamic design and performance, and optimal structural design of the biplane blade. First, the two-dimensional aerodynamics of biplanes with relatively thick airfoils are investigated, showing unique phenomena which arise as a result of airfoil thickness. Next, the aerodynamic design of the full biplane blade is considered. Two biplane blades are designed for optimal aerodynamic loading, and their aerodynamic performance quantified. Considering blades with practical chord distributions and including the drag of the mid-blade joint, it is shown that biplane blades have comparable power output to conventional monoplane designs. The results of this analysis also show that the biplane blades can be designed with significantly less chord than conventional designs, a characteristic which enables larger blade designs. The aerodynamic loads on the biplane blades are shown to be increased in gust conditions and decreased under extreme conditions. Finally, considering these aerodynamic loads, the blade mass reductions achievable by biplane blades are quantified. The internal structure of the biplane blades are designed using a multi-disciplinary optimization which seeks to minimize mass, subject to constraints which represent realistic design requirements. Using this approach, it is shown that biplane blades can be built more than 45% lighter than a similarly-optimized conventional blade; the reasons for these mass reductions are examined in detail. As blade length is increased, these mass reductions are shown to be even more significant. These large mass reductions are indicative of significant cost of electricity reductions from rotors fitted with biplane blades. Taken together, these results show that biplane blades are a concept which can enable the next generation of larger wind turbine rotors.

Pilot's Automated Weather Support System (PAWSS) concepts demonstration project. Phase 1: Pilot's weather information requirements and implications for weather data systems design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crabill, Norman L.; Dash, Ernie R.

1991-01-01

The weather information requirements for pilots and the deficiencies of the current aviation weather support system in meeting these requirements are defined. As the amount of data available to pilots increases significantly in the near future, expert system technology will be needed to assist pilots in assimilating that information. Some other desirable characteristics of an automation-assisted system for weather data acquisition, dissemination, and assimilation are also described.

Techniques for increasing the efficiency of Earth gravity calculations for precision orbit determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. L.; Lyubomirsky, A. S.

1981-01-01

Two techniques were analyzed. The first is a representation using Chebyshev expansions in three-dimensional cells. The second technique employs a temporary file for storing the components of the nonspherical gravity force. Computer storage requirements and relative CPU time requirements are presented. The Chebyshev gravity representation can provide a significant reduction in CPU time in precision orbit calculations, but at the cost of a large amount of direct-access storage space, which is required for a global model.

A Data-Centric Strategy for Modern Biobanking.

PubMed

Quinlan, Philip R; Gardner, Stephen; Groves, Martin; Emes, Richard; Garibaldi, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Biobanking has been in existence for many decades and over that time has developed significantly. Biobanking originated from a need to collect, store and make available biological samples for a range of research purposes. It has changed as the understanding of biological processes has increased and new sample handling techniques have been developed to ensure samples were fit-for-purpose.As a result of these developments, modern biobanking is now facing two substantial new challenges. Firstly, new research methods such as next generation sequencing can generate datasets that are at an infinitely greater scale and resolution than previous methods. Secondly, as the understanding of diseases increases researchers require a far richer data set about the donors from which the sample originate.To retain a sample-centric strategy in a research environment that is increasingly dictated by data will place a biobank at a significant disadvantage and even result in the samples collected going unused. As a result biobanking is required to change strategic focus from a sample dominated perspective to a data-centric strategy.

Monitoring agrochemical diffusion through cuticle wax with coherent Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaunt, Nicholas P.; Thomson, Niall; Padia, Faheem; Moger, Julian

2018-02-01

The world's population is increasing rapidly and higher calorific diets are becoming more common; as a consequence the demand for grain is predicted to increase by more than 50% by 2050 without a significant increase in the available agricultural land. Maximising the productivity of the existing agricultural land is key to maintaining food security and agrochemicals continue to be a key enabler for the efficiency gains required. However, agrochemicals can be susceptible to significant losses and thus often require further chemical to be applied to compensate. Sources of such losses include spray drift, poor spray retention/capture by the target and poor penetration through the plant cuticle. Adjuvants can be used to help mitigate such losses but characterising how they alter the movement of the active ingredients (AIs) can be challenging. In this contribution we demonstrate the use of coherent Raman Scattering (CRS) as a tool to enable in-situ, real-time, label free characterisation of agrochemical AI as they move through wax.

Preliminary development of a wing in ground effect vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Razali; Ahamat, Mohamad Asmidzam; Ahmad, Tarmizi; Saad, Mohd Rasdan; Hafizi, Ezzat

2018-02-01

Wing in ground vehicle is one of the mode of transportation that allows high speed movement over water by travelling few meters above the water level. Through this manouver strategy, a cushion of compressed air exists between the wing in ground vehicle wings and water. This significantly increase the lift force, thus reducing the necessity in having a long wing span. Our project deals with the development of wing in ground vehicle with the capability of transporting four people. The total weight of this wing in ground vehicle was estimated at 5.4 kN to enable the prediction on required wing area, minimum takeoff velocity, drag force and engine power requirement. The required takeoff velocity is decreases as the lift coefficient increases, and our current mathematical model shows the takeoff velocity at 50 m/s avoid the significant increase in lift coefficient for the wing area of 5 m2. At the velocity of 50 m/s, the drag force created by this wing in ground vehicle is well below 1 kN, which required a 100-120 kW of engine power if the propeller has the efficiency of 0.7. Assessment on the stresses and deflection of the hull structural indicate the capability of plywood to withstand the expected load. However, excessive deflection was expected in the rear section which requires a minor structural modification. In the near future, we expect that the wind tunnel tests of this wing in ground vehicle model would enable more definite prediction on the important parameters related to its performance.

Insulin requirements in late pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective review.

PubMed

Achong, N; Callaway, L; d'Emden, M; McIntyre, H D; Lust, K; Barrett, H L

2012-12-01

Pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is generally associated with increased insulin requirements. To determine the frequency and significance of declining insulin requirements in late gestation in women with T1DM. We conducted a retrospective review of 54 women seen at our institution from 2006 to 2010 with a diagnosis of T1DM pre-pregnancy and presentation for antenatal care prior to 28 weeks. Information was collected regarding patient demographics, insulin dose and pregnancy outcome. A 15% difference in weight-adjusted basal insulin from 30 weeks gestation to delivery was considered significant. Five women (9.3%) had a fall of 15% or more and 23 (42.5%) had a rise of 15% or more rise in insulin requirements. There were fewer neonatal intensive care admissions but more infants with an APGAR <8 at 5 min in women with a fall in insulin requirements. These differences were not evident when the data were re-analysed by quartiles of change. In most women with T1DM, insulin requirements show little change from 30 weeks gestation until delivery. Almost 10% of women had a significant fall in insulin requirements which did not correlate with adverse neonatal outcome. These results require validation in a larger, prospective trial. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new competency model for general practice: implications for selection, training, and careers.

PubMed

Patterson, Fiona; Tavabie, Abdol; Denney, MeiLing; Kerrin, Máire; Ashworth, Vicki; Koczwara, Anna; MacLeod, Sheona

2013-05-01

Recent structural and policy changes in the UK health service have significantly changed the job responsibilities for the GP role. To replicate a previous job analysis study to examine the relevance of current competency domains and selection criteria for doctors entering training. A multisource, multimethod approach comprising three phases: (1) stakeholder consultation (n = 205) using interviews, focus groups and behavioural observation of practising GPs; (2) a validation questionnaire based on results from phase 1 (n = 1082); followed by (3) an expert panel (n = 6) to review and confirm the final competency domains. Eleven competency domains were identified, which extends previous research findings. A new domain was identified called Leading for Continuing Improvement. Results show that, Empathy and Perspective Taking, Communication Skills, Clinical Knowledge and Expertise, and Professional Integrity are currently rated the most important domains. Results indicate a significant increase in ratings of importance for each domain in the future (P<0.001), except for Communication Skills and Empathy and Perspective Taking, which consistently remain high. The breadth of competencies required for GPs has increased significantly. GPs are now required to resolve competing tensions to be effective in their role, such as maintaining a patient focus while overseeing commissioning, with a potential ethical conflict between these aspects. Selection criteria remain largely unchanged but with increased priority in some domains (for example, Effective Teamworking). However, there is an urgent need to review the training provision arrangements to reflect the greater breadth of competencies now required.

Compressing Aviation Data in XML Format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, Hemil; Lau, Derek; Kulkarni, Deepak

2003-01-01

Design, operations and maintenance activities in aviation involve analysis of variety of aviation data. This data is typically in disparate formats making it difficult to use with different software packages. Use of a self-describing and extensible standard called XML provides a solution to this interoperability problem. XML provides a standardized language for describing the contents of an information stream, performing the same kind of definitional role for Web content as a database schema performs for relational databases. XML data can be easily customized for display using Extensible Style Sheets (XSL). While self-describing nature of XML makes it easy to reuse, it also increases the size of data significantly. Therefore, transfemng a dataset in XML form can decrease throughput and increase data transfer time significantly. It also increases storage requirements significantly. A natural solution to the problem is to compress the data using suitable algorithm and transfer it in the compressed form. We found that XML-specific compressors such as Xmill and XMLPPM generally outperform traditional compressors. However, optimal use of Xmill requires of discovery of optimal options to use while running Xmill. This, in turn, depends on the nature of data used. Manual disc0ver.y of optimal setting can require an engineer to experiment for weeks. We have devised an XML compression advisory tool that can analyze sample data files and recommend what compression tool would work the best for this data and what are the optimal settings to be used with a XML compression tool.

Large-Scale Wind-Tunnel Tests of an Airplane Model with an Unswept, Aspect-Ratio-10 Wing, Two Propellers, and Blowing Flaps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Roy N., Jr.; Holzhauser, Curt A.; Weiberg, James A.

1958-01-01

An investigation was made to determine the lifting effectiveness and flow requirements of blowing over the trailing-edge flaps and ailerons on a large-scale model of a twin-engine, propeller-driven airplane having a high-aspect-ratio, thick, straight wing. With sufficient blowing jet momentum to prevent flow separation on the flap, the lift increment increased for flap deflections up to 80 deg (the maximum tested). This lift increment also increased with increasing propeller thrust coefficient. The blowing jet momentum coefficient required for attached flow on the flaps was not significantly affected by thrust coefficient, angle of attack, or blowing nozzle height.

Smoke inhalation increases intensive care requirements and morbidity in paediatric burns.

PubMed

Tan, Alethea; Smailes, Sarah; Friebel, Thessa; Magdum, Ashish; Frew, Quentin; El-Muttardi, Naguib; Dziewulski, Peter

2016-08-01

Burn survival has improved with advancements in fluid resuscitation, surgical wound management, wound dressings, access to antibiotics and nutritional support for burn patients. Despite these advancements, the presence of smoke inhalation injury in addition to a cutaneous burn still significantly increases morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiology of smoke inhalation has been well studied in animal models. Translation of this knowledge into effectiveness of clinical management and correlation with patient outcomes including the paediatric population, is still limited. We retrospectively reviewed our experience of 13 years of paediatric burns admitted to a regional burn's intensive care unit. We compared critical care requirements and patient outcomes between those with cutaneous burns only and those with concurrent smoke inhalation injury. Smoke inhalation increases critical care requirements and mortality in the paediatric burn population. Therefore, early critical care input in the management of these patients is advised. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Advanced nickel-hydrogen cell configuration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Long-term trends in the evolution of space power technology point toward increased payload power demand which in turn translates into both higher battery system charge storage capability and higher operating voltages. State of the art nickel-hydrogen cells of the 50 to 60 Wh size, packaged in individual pressure vessels, are capable of meeting the required cycle life for a wide range of anticipated operating conditions; however, they provided several drawbacks to battery system integrated efforts. Because of size, high voltage/high power systems require integrating hundreds of cells into the operating system. Packaging related weight and volume inefficiencies degrade the energy density and specific energy of individual cells currently at 30 Wh/cudm and 40 Wh/kg respectively. In addition, the increased parts count and associated handling significantly affect the overall battery related costs. Spacecraft battery systems designers within industry and Government realize that to reduce weight, volume, and cost requires increases in the capacity of nickel-hydrogen cells.

E057: Renal Stone Risk Assessment During Space Flight: Assessment and Countermeasure Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitson, Peggy A.; Pietrzyk, Robert A.; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Sams, Clarence F.

2001-01-01

Exposure to the microgravity environment results in many metabolic and physiological changes to humans. Body fluid volumes, electrolyte levels, and bone and muscle undergo changes as the human body adapts to the weightless environment. Changes in the urinary biochemistry occur as early as flight day 3-4 in the short duration Shuttle crewmembers. Significant decreases were observed both in fluid intake and urinary output. Other significant changes were observed in the urinary pH, calcium, potassium and uric acid levels. During Shuttle missions, the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation increased early in the flight, continued at elevated levels throughout the flight and remained in the increased risk range on landing day. The calcium phosphate risk was significantly increased early in-flight and remained significantly elevated throughout the remainder of the mission. Results from the long duration Shuttle-Mir missions followed a similar trend. Most long duration crewmembers demonstrated increased urinary calcium levels despite lower dietary calcium intake. Fluid intake and urine volumes were significantly lower during the flight than during the preflight. The calcium oxalate risk was increased relative to the preflight levels during the early in-flight period and continued in the elevated risk range for the remainder of the space flight and through two weeks postflight. Calcium phosphate risk for these long duration crewmembers increased during flight and remained in the increased risk range throughout the flight and following landing. The complexity, expense and visibility of the human space program require that every effort be made to protect the health of the crewmembers and ensure the success of the mission. Results from our early investigations clearly indicate that exposure to the microgravity environment of space significantly increases the risk of renal stone formation. The early studies have indicated specific avenues for development of countermeasures for the increased renal stone risk observed during and following space flight. Increased hydration and implementation of pharmacological countermeasures are being tested for their efficacy in mitigating the in-flight risk of renal stones. Maintaining the health and well-being of crewmembers during space flight requires a means of minimizing potential detrimental health effects of microgravity. The formation of a renal stone during flight obviously has severe consequences for the affected crewmember as well as the success of the mission.

Type II iodothyronine deiodinase provides intracellular 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine to normal and regenerating mouse skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Marsili, Alessandro; Tang, Dan; Harney, John W; Singh, Prabhat; Zavacki, Ann Marie; Dentice, Monica; Salvatore, Domenico; Larsen, P Reed

2011-11-01

The FoxO3-dependent increase in type II deiodinase (D2), which converts the prohormone thyroxine (T(4)) to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T(3)), is required for normal mouse skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration. This implies a requirement for an increase in D2-generated intracellular T(3) under these conditions, which has not been directly demonstrated despite the presence of D2 activity in skeletal muscle. We directly show that D2-mediated T(4)-to-T(3) conversion increases during differentiation in C(2)C(12) myoblast and primary cultures of mouse neonatal skeletal muscle precursor cells, and that blockade of D2 eliminates this. In adult mice given (125)I-T(4) and (131)I-T(3), the intracellular (125)I-T(3)/(131)I-T(3) ratio is significantly higher than in serum in both the D2-expressing cerebral cortex and the skeletal muscle of wild-type, but not D2KO, mice. In D1-expressing liver and kidney, the (125)I-T(3)/(131)I-T(3) ratio does not differ from that in serum. Hypothyroidism increases D2 activity, and in agreement with this, the difference in (125)I-T(3)/(131)I-T(3) ratio is increased further in hypothyroid wild-type mice but not altered in the D2KO. Notably, in wild-type but not in D2KO mice, the muscle production of (125)I-T(3) is doubled after skeletal muscle injury. Thus, D2-mediated T(4)-to-T(3) conversion generates significant intracellular T(3) in normal mouse skeletal muscle, with the increased T(3) required for muscle regeneration being provided by increased D2 synthesis, not by T(3) from the circulation.

Type II iodothyronine deiodinase provides intracellular 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine to normal and regenerating mouse skeletal muscle

PubMed Central

Marsili, Alessandro; Tang, Dan; Harney, John W.; Singh, Prabhat; Zavacki, Ann Marie; Dentice, Monica; Salvatore, Domenico

2011-01-01

The FoxO3-dependent increase in type II deiodinase (D2), which converts the prohormone thyroxine (T4) to 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3), is required for normal mouse skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration. This implies a requirement for an increase in D2-generated intracellular T3 under these conditions, which has not been directly demonstrated despite the presence of D2 activity in skeletal muscle. We directly show that D2-mediated T4-to-T3 conversion increases during differentiation in C2C12 myoblast and primary cultures of mouse neonatal skeletal muscle precursor cells, and that blockade of D2 eliminates this. In adult mice given 125I-T4 and 131I-T3, the intracellular 125I-T3/131I-T3 ratio is significantly higher than in serum in both the D2-expressing cerebral cortex and the skeletal muscle of wild-type, but not D2KO, mice. In D1-expressing liver and kidney, the 125I-T3/131I-T3 ratio does not differ from that in serum. Hypothyroidism increases D2 activity, and in agreement with this, the difference in 125I-T3/131I-T3 ratio is increased further in hypothyroid wild-type mice but not altered in the D2KO. Notably, in wild-type but not in D2KO mice, the muscle production of 125I-T3 is doubled after skeletal muscle injury. Thus, D2-mediated T4-to-T3 conversion generates significant intracellular T3 in normal mouse skeletal muscle, with the increased T3 required for muscle regeneration being provided by increased D2 synthesis, not by T3 from the circulation. PMID:21771965

Archiving and Distributing Mouse Lines by Sperm Cryopreservation, IVF, and Embryo Transfer

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Hideko; Liu, Chengyu

2012-01-01

The number of genetically modified mouse lines has been increasing exponentially in the past few decades. In order to safeguard them from accidental loss and genetic drifting, to reduce animal housing cost, and to efficiently distribute them around the world, it is important to cryopreserve these valuable genetic resources. Preimplantation-stage embryos from thousands of mouse lines have been cryopreserved during the past two to three decades. Although reliable, this method requires several hundreds of embryos, which demands a sizable breeding colony, to safely preserve each line. This requirement imposes significant delay and financial burden for the archiving effort. Sperm cryopreservation is now emerging as the leading method for storing and distributing mouse lines, largely due to the recent finding that addition of a reducing agent, monothioglycerol, into the cryoprotectant can significantly increase the in vitro fertilization (IVF) rate in many mouse strains, including the most widely used C57BL/6 strain. This method is quick, inexpensive, and requires only two breeding age male mice, but it still remains tricky and strain-dependent. A small change in experimental conditions can lead to significant variations in the outcome. In this chapter, we describe in detail our sperm cryopreservation, IVF, and oviduct transfer procedures for storing and reviving genetically modified mouse lines. PMID:20691860

RADIANCE PROCESS EVALUATION FOR PARTICLE REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

The microelectronics industry (wafer, flat panel displays, photomasks, and storage media) is transitioning to higher device densities and larger substrate formats. These changes will challenge standard cleaning methods and will require significant increases to the fabricator inf...

Expanding Exposure: Can Increasing the Daily Duration of Head Start Reduce Childhood Obesity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frisvold, David E.; Lumeng, Julie C.

2011-01-01

Coinciding with the work requirements of welfare reform in the mid-1990s, the early childhood education program, Head Start, significantly expanded to increase the availability of full-day classes. Using unique administrative data, we examine the effect of full-day compared to half-day attendance on childhood obesity. This effect is identified…

Teaching with Vision: How One Teacher Negotiates the Tension between High Ideals and Standardized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammerness, Karen

2004-01-01

These are challenging times for teachers. Mixed messages, conflicting demands, and increasing needs on all fronts surround them. Each day, teachers face increasing requirements and significant pressures on their daily practice from administrators and policymakers. It is hard to be, or remain, a teacher of quality committed to one's ideals. In this…

Toward a Grounded Theory of Nursing Student Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Lenora

2010-01-01

Attrition of students from a nursing program is a significant concern. It is even more critical now because there are not enough nurses to fill all open positions in the healthcare industry. It is predicted the shortage will worsen in the next decade as an aging society increases the number of people requiring nursing care. While increasing the…

76 FR 63302 - Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements Submitted to the Office of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-12

... propose any changes to the information that issuers must submit for each rate increase. Thus, burden... protections provided under Section 1003 of the Affordable Care Act. In absence of this change, a significant number of individual and small group rate increases for the 2012 plan year would not be subject to the...

High Temperature Requirement A1, Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1, phosphoSmad2 and Ki67 in Eutopic and Ectopic Endometrium of Women With Endometriosis

PubMed Central

Goteri, G.; Altobelli, E.; Tossetta, G.; Zizzi, A.; Avellini, C.; Licini, C.; Lorenzi, T.; Castellucci, M.; Ciavattini, A.

2015-01-01

Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that TGFβ1 signalling may be mediated by high temperature requirement A1 (HtrA1) serine protease, acting on important regulatory mechanisms such as cell proliferation and mobility. Evidence is now accumulating to suggest that HtrA1 is involved in the development and progression of several pathologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate: i) if HtrA1 and TGFβ1 expressions differ in eutopic and ectopic endometrium in women with endometriosis; ii) if HtrA1 correlates to TGFβ1, pSmad and Ki67. This study was carried out including 10 women with ovarian endometriosis (cases) and 10 women with non endometriotic diseases (controls). Endometrial tissue underwent immunohistochemical H-score analysis for HtrA1, TGFβ1, pSmad and Ki67 molecules. Data evaluation was performed by a nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman correlation was applied to evaluate the relationship among the molecules investigated in the epithelial and in the stromal compartment. The HtrA1 was significantly decreased in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis when compared with control endometrium in epithelial compartment. TGFβ1was significantly increased in eutopic endometrium and decreased in ectopic endometrium in epithelial and stromal compartment. In addition, Ki67 was significantly increased and an increase, but not significant, was detected for pSMAd2 in eutopic and ectopic endometrium compared to control one. In summary, the significant direct correlation between TGFβ1 and pSmad2 as well as between HtrA1 and TGFβ1 and the very significant increase of Ki67 in stromal compartment of eutopic endometrium suggest a possible involvement of HtrA1 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. PMID:26708185

Impacts of Climate Change on Water Requirements of Dry Season Boro Rice: Recent Trends and Future Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharjee, T. K.; Ludwig, F.; Halsema, G. V.; Hellegers, P.; Supit, I.

2017-12-01

The North-West part of Bangladesh is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, because of dry season water shortage and high water demand for rice cultivation. A study was carried out to understand the impacts of recent climate change (1980-2013) and future consequences (for 2050s and 2080s) on water requirements of Boro rice. The reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo), potential crop water requirement (∑ETC), effective rainfall (ER), potential irrigation requirement for crop evapotranspiration (∑ETC-ER) and net irrigation requirement of Boro rice were estimated in CropWat using observed daily climate data for recent trends and statistically downscaled and bias corrected GCM outputs (five models and two RCPs) for future scenarios. ETo showed a significant decreasing recent trends due to increasing relative humidity and decreasing wind speed and sun shine hours instead of an increase in temperature. However, the strong future increase in temperature will lead to an insignificant increase in ETo. ∑ETC showed a decreasing recent trend and will further decrease in the future because of shortened duration of Boro growth stages as crop's phenological response to increased temperature. The variations in trends of ∑ETC-ER found among different districts, are mainly linked to the variations in trends of changes in effective rainfall. During last three decades, the net irrigation requirement has decreased by 11% at an average rate of -4.4 mm/year, instead of a decreasing effective rainfall, mainly because of high rate of decrease of crop evapotranspiration (-5.9 mm/year). In future, although daily water requirement will increase, the total net irrigation requirement of Boro rice will decrease by 1.6% in 2050s and 7.4% in 2080s for RCP 8.5 scenario on an average for five models and four districts compared to the base period (1980-2013). High variations in projected changes in rainfall bring high uncertainty for future water requirements estimation. Therefore, a warming climate will not directly increase the water demand for crop agriculture in North-West Bangladesh but will make the future agricultural water management more complex by bringing more variations and uncertainty in the system.

Effects of climate change on spring wheat phenophase and water requirement in Heihe River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dongmei; Yan, Denghua; Xu, Xinyi; Gao, Yu

2017-02-01

Climate change has significantly altered the temperature rhythm which is a key factor for the growth and phenophase of the crop. And temperature change further affects crop water requirement and irrigation system. In the north-west of China, one of the most important crop production bases is Heihe River basin where the observed phenological data is scarce. This study thus first adopted accumulated temperature threshold (ATT) method to define the phenological stages of the crop, and analysed the effect of climate change on phenological stages and water requirement of the crop during growing season. The results indicated the ATT was available for the determination of spring wheat phenological stages. The start dates of all phenological stages became earlier and the growing season length (days) was reduced by 7 days under climate change. During the growing season, water requirement without consideration of phenophase change has been increased by 26.1 mm, while that with consideration of phenophase change was featured in the decrease of water requirement by 50 mm. When temperature increased by 1°C on average, the changes were featured in the 2 days early start date of growing season, 2 days decrease of growing season length, and the 1.4 mm increase of water requirement, respectively.

The Postcard Initiative: Personal Communication From Students Can Increase Timely Compliance With Health Requirements.

PubMed

Maurer, Michelle; Warren, Kerry E; Pohl, Carla

2016-05-01

Immunizations and physical exams ensure the health and safety of school children. Failure to comply with state regulations can lead to exclusion from school activities. Students in fifth and eighth grades personalized postcards that contained health requirements for entry into sixth (junior high) and ninth (high school). The postcards were mailed three times over the school year. The junior high had a decline in first-day exclusions that did not reach significance. The high school decreased first-day exclusions from 6.4% to 1.6%. Both schools had significantly more physicals turned in before August 1 when compared with the previous year. Communicating health requirements by personalized postcards provides information in a manner that is better understood by parents/guardians. © 2016 The Author(s).

Intravenous sotalol decreases transthoracic cardioversion energy requirement for chronic atrial fibrillation in humans: assessment of the electrophysiological effects by biatrial basket electrodes.

PubMed

Lai, L P; Lin, J L; Lien, W P; Tseng, Y Z; Huang, S K

2000-05-01

This study was undertaken to assess the effects of sotalol on the transthoracic cardioversion energy requirement for chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and on the atrial electrograms during AF recorded by two basket electrodes. The effects of sotalol infusion on transthoracic electrical cardioversion for chronic atrial fibrillation in humans have not been well investigated. We included 18 patients with persistent AF for more than three months. Atrial electrograms were recorded by two basket electrodes positioned in each atrium respectively. Transthoracic cardioversion was performed before and after sotalol 1.5 mg/kg i.v. infusion. In the 14 patients whose AF could be terminated by cardioversion before sotalol infusion, the atrial defibrillation energy was significantly reduced after sotalol infusion (236 +/- 74 jules [J] vs. 186 +/- 77 J; p < 0.01). Atrial fibrillation was refractory to cardioversion in four patients at baseline and was converted to sinus rhythm by cardioversion after sotalol infusion in two of them. We further divided the patients into two groups. Group A consisted of 10 patients in whom the energy requirement was decreased by sotalol while group B consisted of eight patients in whom the energy requirement was not decreased. The mean A-A (atrial local electrogram) intervals during AF were significantly increased after sotalol infusion in both groups, but the increment of A-A interval was significantly larger in group A than it was in group B patients (36 +/- 13 ms vs. 22 +/- 8 ms for the right atrium; 19 +/- 7 ms vs. 9 +/- 7 ms for the left atrium; both p < 0.05). The spatial and temporal dispersions of A-A intervals were not significantly changed after sotalol infusion in both atria in both groups. Sotalol decreases the atrial defibrillation energy requirement by increasing atrial refractoriness but not by decreasing the dispersion of refractoriness.

Good Asset Accounting Procedures for Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golz, William C.

1981-01-01

Increased accountability is required in school accounting due to rising education costs and the significant investment made in property and equipment in educational facilities. Guidelines for planning and implementing a property record-keeping system are provided. (Author/MLF)

Project to Increase 777 Airplane Production at Boeing Everett

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document may be of assistance in applying the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting regulations including the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements. This document is part of the NSR Policy and Guidance Database.

78 FR 12381 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-22

... computer technology that permitted more efficient, and increasingly paperless, distribution of proxy... requires ongoing technology support, services and maintenance, and is a significant part of the total cost...

Perspective for Fibre-Hybrid Composites in Wind Energy Applications

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Increasing the efficiency of wind turbines will be vital for the wind energy sector to continue growing. The drive for increased efficiency is pushing turbine manufacturers to shift from glass fibre composite blades towards carbon/glass fibre-hybrid composite blades. This shift brings significant challenges in terms of optimising the design and understanding the failure of these new blade materials. This review therefore surveys the literature on fibre-hybrid composites, with an emphasis on aspects that are relevant for turbine blade materials. The literature on tensile, flexural, compressive, and fatigue performance is critically assessed and areas for future research are identified. Numerical simulations of fibre-hybrid composites have reached a reasonable maturity for tensile failure, but significant progress is required for flexural, compressive, and fatigue failure. Fatigue failure of fibre-hybrid composites in particular, requires more careful attention from both a modelling and experimental point of view. PMID:29117126

Perspective for Fibre-Hybrid Composites in Wind Energy Applications.

PubMed

Swolfs, Yentl

2017-11-08

Increasing the efficiency of wind turbines will be vital for the wind energy sector to continue growing. The drive for increased efficiency is pushing turbine manufacturers to shift from glass fibre composite blades towards carbon/glass fibre-hybrid composite blades. This shift brings significant challenges in terms of optimising the design and understanding the failure of these new blade materials. This review therefore surveys the literature on fibre-hybrid composites, with an emphasis on aspects that are relevant for turbine blade materials. The literature on tensile, flexural, compressive, and fatigue performance is critically assessed and areas for future research are identified. Numerical simulations of fibre-hybrid composites have reached a reasonable maturity for tensile failure, but significant progress is required for flexural, compressive, and fatigue failure. Fatigue failure of fibre-hybrid composites in particular, requires more careful attention from both a modelling and experimental point of view.

Lean Manufacturing and the Infantry: Retaining Quality during Total Mobilization

DTIC Science & Technology

United States last decisive war against a peer threat, World War II, required significant manpower resources. Prioritizing quality manpower ...distribution to technical jobs resulted in the degradation of the infantry, which then required the Army to implement corrective measures to reverse the...deficiency in quality. Should another decisive war occur in the future, the lethality and speed of modern warfare will increase the demand for manpower , which

Dietary diversity scores can be improved through the use of portion requirements: an analysis in young Filipino children.

PubMed

Daniels, M C; Adair, L S; Popkin, B M; Truong, Y K

2009-02-01

Early childhood malnutrition is a pressing international concern which dietary diversity scores (summary scores of food groups in the diet) may be helpful in addressing. We explored three current research needs surrounding diversity scores: the impact of portion size on score function, the relationship of scores to nutrient adequacy and density and the ability of scores to function as screening tools. 1810 children, age 24 months. Cross sectional study of a birth cohort. We evaluated two nine food group dietary diversity scores based on 0 and 10 g minimum food group requirements for their relationship to nutrient adequacy and nutrient density. Both scores were significantly correlated with nutrient adequacy and density and predicted statistically significant increases (P<0.05) in the probability of adequacy for all nutrients. However, correlations and predicted increases were somewhat larger for the 10 g score. We also considered the sensitivity and specificity of each score for detecting low and high nutrient adequacy in the population. The 10 g cutoff improved score ability to predict low nutrient adequacy, and reduced the misclassification of subjects for all comparisons. This research suggests that the score without portion requirements reflects dietary adequacy, but when feasible, further refinement of diversity scores is desirable through the application of minimum portion requirements.

Coping with the Sluggish Economy: State Responses to Revenue Shortfalls and Their Significance for Public Schools and Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaines, Gale

Responses of southern states to revenue shortfalls and their significance for public schools and higher education are examined in this report. Many different actions have been take to address state fiscal problems: most strategies require changes in revenue polices that increase taxes and fees or reallocate funds, and many have mandated spending…

Nutritional criteria for closed-loop space food systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rambaut, P. C.

1980-01-01

The nutritional requirements for Skylab crews are summarized as a data base for long duration spaceflight nutrient requirements. Statistically significant increases in energy consumption were detected after three months, along with CO2/O2 exhalation during exercise and thyroxine level increases. Linoleic acid amounting to 3-4 g/day was found to fulfill all fat requirements, and carbohydrate and protein (amino acid) necessities are discussed, noting that vigorous exercise programs avoid deconditioning which enhances nitrogen loss. Urinary calcium losses continued at a rate 100% above a baseline figure, a condition which ingestion of vitamin D2 did not correct. Projections are given that spaceflights lasting more than eight years will necessitate recycling of human waste for nutrient growth, which can be processed into highly efficient space food with a variety of tastes.

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems.

PubMed

Carberry, Peter S; Liang, Wei-li; Twomlow, Stephen; Holzworth, Dean P; Dimes, John P; McClelland, Tim; Huth, Neil I; Chen, Fu; Hochman, Zvi; Keating, Brian A

2013-05-21

Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat-maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems.

Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

PubMed Central

Carberry, Peter S.; Liang, Wei-li; Twomlow, Stephen; Holzworth, Dean P.; Dimes, John P.; McClelland, Tim; Huth, Neil I.; Chen, Fu; Hochman, Zvi; Keating, Brian A.

2013-01-01

Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems. PMID:23671071

The advantage of objects over images in discrimination and reversal learning by kea, Nestor notabilis

PubMed Central

O'Hara, Mark; Huber, Ludwig; Gajdon, Gyula Kopanny

2015-01-01

Studies investigating the same paradigm but employing different methods are often directly compared in the literature. One such paradigm used to assess behavioural flexibility in animals is reversal learning. Commonly, these studies require individuals to learn the reward contingency of either solid objects presented on the ground or images presented on a touchscreen. Once learned, these contingencies are swapped. Researchers often refer to trials required to reach learning criteria from different studies, to compare the flexibility of different species, but rarely take methodological differences into account. A direct evaluation of the validity of such comparisons is lacking. To address this latent question, we confronted kea, an alpine parrot species of New Zealand and known for its behavioural flexibility, with a standard reversal learning paradigm on the touchscreen and a standard reversal learning paradigm with solid objects. The kea required significantly more trials to reach criterion in the acquisition and the reversal on the touchscreen. Also, the absolute increase in the number of trials required for the reversal was significantly greater on the touchscreen. This indicates that it is not valid to compare learning speed across studies that do not correspond in the addressed methodology. Taking into account the kea's ecology and explorative nature we discuss stimulus abstraction (limited depth cues and tactile stimulus feedback) and the spatial relation between reward and stimulus on the touchscreen as possible causes for decreased inhibition in this condition. Contrary to the absolute increase in number of trials required for the reversal, the increase in relation to the acquisition was greater with solid objects. This highlights the need for further research on the mechanisms involved causing methodology-dependent differences, some of which we discuss, in order to increase the validity of interpretations across studies and in respect to the subject's ecology. PMID:25745190

Impact of Increasing Home Size on Energy Demand, The

EIA Publications

2012-01-01

Homes built since 1990 are on average 27% larger than homes built in earlier decades, a significant trend because most energy end-uses are correlated with the size of the home. As square footage increases, the burden on heating and cooling equipment rises, lighting requirements increase, and the likelihood that the household uses more than one refrigerator increases. Square footage typically stays fixed over the life of a home and it is a characteristic that is expensive, even impractical to alter to reduce energy consumption.

The impact of RAC audits on US hospitals.

PubMed

Harrison, Jeffrey P; Barksdale, Rachel M

2013-01-01

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) authorized a three-year demonstration program using recovery audit contractors (RACs) to identify and correct improper payments in the Medicare Fee-For-Service program. More recently, Section 6411 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded the RAC program to include the Medicaid program. This shows the Cent ers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) believe RAC audits are a cost-effective method to ensure health care providers are paid correctly and thereby protect the Medicare Trust Fund. RAC audits are highly complex and require significant manpower to handle the large volume of requests received during a short period of time. Additionally, the RAC audit appeal process is complicated and requires a high level of technical expertise. The demonstration project found that RAC audits resulted in sizeable amounts of overpayments collected ("take-backs") from many providers. This research study assesses the potential impact of the RAC audit program on US acute care hospitals. Data obtained from CMS show that RAC overpayments collected for FY 2010 were $75.4 million, increased to $797.4 million in FY 2011, and increased to $986.2 million in the first six months of FY 2012. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) RACTrac audit survey, the vast majority of these collections represent complex denials where hospitals are required to provide medical record documents in support of their billed claims. This study found that the RAC audit program collections are increasing significantly over time. As a result, these collections are having a significant negative impact on the profitability of US hospitals.

Enabling fast charging - Vehicle considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meintz, Andrew; Zhang, Jiucai; Vijayagopal, Ram; Kreutzer, Cory; Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Burnham, Andrew; Carlson, Richard B.; Dias, Fernando; Dufek, Eric J.; Francfort, James; Hardy, Keith; Jansen, Andrew N.; Keyser, Matthew; Markel, Anthony; Michelbacher, Christopher; Mohanpurkar, Manish; Pesaran, Ahmad; Scoffield, Don; Shirk, Matthew; Stephens, Thomas; Tanim, Tanvir

2017-11-01

To achieve a successful increase in the plug-in battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, it is anticipated that a significant improvement in battery performance is required to increase the range that BEVs can travel and the rate at which they can be recharged. While the range that BEVs can travel on a single recharge is improving, the recharge rate is still much slower than the refueling rate of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. To achieve comparable recharge times, we explore the vehicle considerations of charge rates of at least 400 kW. Faster recharge is expected to significantly mitigate the perceived deficiencies for long-distance transportation, to provide alternative charging in densely populated areas where overnight charging at home may not be possible, and to reduce range anxiety for travel within a city when unplanned charging may be required. This substantial increase in charging rate is expected to create technical issues in the design of the battery system and the vehicle's electrical architecture that must be resolved. This work focuses on vehicle system design and total recharge time to meet the goals of implementing improved charge rates and the impacts of these expected increases on system voltage and vehicle components.

Risk Factors Associated with Mortality and Increased Drug Costs in Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

PubMed

Lu, Mingliang; Sun, Gang; Zhang, Xiu-li; Zhang, Xiao-mei; Liu, Qing-sen; Huang, Qi-yang; Lau, James W Y; Yang, Yun-sheng

2015-06-01

To determine risk factors associated with mortality and increased drug costs in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients hospitalized with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding between January 2001-December 2011. Demographic and clinical characteristics and drug costs were documented. Univariate analysis determined possible risk factors for mortality. Statistically significant variables were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Multiple linear regression analyzed factors influencing drug costs. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study included data from 627 patients. Risk factors associated with increased mortality were age > 60, systolic blood pressure<100 mmHg, lack of endoscopic examination, comorbidities, blood transfusion, and rebleeding. Drug costs were higher in patients with rebleeding, blood transfusion, and prolonged hospital stay. In this patient cohort, re-bleeding rate is 11.20% and mortality is 5.74%. The mortality risk in patients with comorbidities was higher than in patients without comorbidities, and was higher in patients requiring blood transfusion than in patients not requiring transfusion. Rebleeding was associ-ated with mortality. Rebleeding, blood transfusion, and prolonged hospital stay were associated with increased drug costs, whereas bleeding from lesions in the esophagus and duodenum was associated with lower drug costs.

Exponential increase in postprandial blood-glucose exposure with increasing carbohydrate loads using a linear carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio.

PubMed

Marran, K J; Davey, B; Lang, A; Segal, D G

2013-04-10

Postprandial glucose excursions contribute significantly to average blood glucose, glycaemic variability and cardiovascular risk. Carbohydrate counting is a method of insulin dosing that balances carbohydrate load to insulin dose using a fixed ratio. Many patients and current insulin pumps calculate insulin delivery for meals based on a linear carbohydrate-to-insulin relationship. It is our hypothesis that a non-linear relationship exists between the amounts of carbohydrate consumed and the insulin required to cover it. To document blood glucose exposure in response to increasing carbohydrate loads on fixed carbohydrate-to-insulin ratios. Five type 1 diabetic subjects receiving insulin pump therapy with good control were recruited. Morning basal rates and carbohydrate- to-insulin ratios were optimised. A Medtronic glucose sensor was used for 5 days to collect data for area-under-the-curve (AUC) analysis, during which standardised meals of increasing carbohydrate loads were consumed. Increasing carbohydrate loads using a fixed carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio resulted in increasing glucose AUC. The relationship was found to be exponential rather than linear. Late postprandial hypoglycaemia followed carbohydrate loads of >60 g and this was often followed by rebound hyperglycaemia that lasted >6 hours. A non-linear relationship exists between carbohydrates consumed and the insulin required to cover them. This has implications for control of postprandial blood sugars, especially when consuming large carbohydrate loads. Further studies are required to look at the optimal ratios, duration and type of insulin boluses required to cover increasing carbohydrate loads.

The increasing incidence of severe pelvic injury in motor vehicle collisions.

PubMed

Inaba, Kenji; Sharkey, Philip W; Stephen, David J G; Redelmeier, Donald A; Brenneman, Frederick D

2004-08-01

Pelvic fractures constitute a major cause of death and residual disability in motor vehicle collisions (MVC). To date there has been poor documentation of the epidemiology of severe pelvic injuries. A detailed retrospective examination of all abbreviated injury score (AIS) > or = 4 pelvic fractures sustained in occupants of MVCs seen at this lead trauma hospital over the last 12 years and in the province of Ontario over the last 6 years was completed. The regional trauma centre registry and provincial database were used to obtain demographics, injuries, course in hospital and crash data on patients sustaining AIS > or = 4 pelvic injuries between May 1988 and April 2000. Data was analysed for drivers (D), front (FP) and rear (RP) passengers in 4-year blocks. Means (S.D.) with t-test for continuous and chi2 for categorical data were used for analysis. AIS > or = 4 pelvic fractures increased significantly in D and FP over 12 years and in RP over the last 8 years. Similar significant increases were seen throughout the province over the last 6 years. No significant change in age, sex, ISS or referral patterns was seen. Lateral impact collisions also increased over the study duration. Occupants with pelvic injury compared to all MVC survivors ISS > or = 16 during the same study period had a higher ISS (P < 0.001), utilised more blood in 24h and in total (P < 0.001) and died more frequently (P < 0.001). However, significantly fewer required ICU support (P < 0.01) which may reflect the associated injuries. Patients with pelvic fractures had significantly fewer head and chest injuries as well as fewer face and neck injuries. They did have significantly more injuries in the region of the pelvis including lumbar and sacral spine fractures, genitourinary, liver, spleen and lower extremity blood vessel, nerve and bone injuries. This study documented an increasing incidence of severe pelvic injury resulting from MVCs. This may be related to an associated increase in the incidence of lateral impact collisions. The role of side impact protection and side airbags, introduced to decrease injury severity in lateral impact collisions will require further study.

Effects of dietary methionine on performance, egg quality and glutathione redox system in egg-laying ducks.

PubMed

Fouad, A M; Ruan, D; Lin, Y C; Zheng, C T; Zhang, H X; Chen, W; Wang, S; Xia, W G; Li, Y

2016-12-01

In this study, 6 dietary DL-methionine (Met) levels (2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 g/kg) were tested to estimate the dietary Met requirements of Longyan ducks from 19 to 46 weeks of age, and to investigate its effect on the glutathione redox system. In total, 1080 Longyan ducks aged 19 weeks were allocated randomly to the 6 dietary treatments, where each treatment comprised 6 replicate pens with 30 ducks per pen. Met had no effects on egg production, yolk weight, yolk colour or the glutathione redox system, but the egg weight, egg mass and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were improved significantly by dietary Met supplementation. As the dietary Met concentration increased, the eggshell thickness and breaking strength decreased significantly, whereas the albumen weight increased significantly. According to broken-line regression analysis, the optimum Met requirements for egg weight, egg mass, FCR and albumen weight are 686, 661, 658 and 731 mg/bird/d, respectively, with a dietary crude protein level of 170 g/kg.

Soil Penetration by Earthworms and Plant Roots—Mechanical Energetics of Bioturbation of Compacted Soils

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We quantify mechanical processes common to soil penetration by earthworms and growing plant roots, including the energetic requirements for soil plastic displacement. The basic mechanical model considers cavity expansion into a plastic wet soil involving wedging by root tips or earthworms via cone-like penetration followed by cavity expansion due to pressurized earthworm hydroskeleton or root radial growth. The mechanical stresses and resulting soil strains determine the mechanical energy required for bioturbation under different soil hydro-mechanical conditions for a realistic range of root/earthworm geometries. Modeling results suggest that higher soil water content and reduced clay content reduce the strain energy required for soil penetration. The critical earthworm or root pressure increases with increased diameter of root or earthworm, however, results are insensitive to the cone apex (shape of the tip). The invested mechanical energy per unit length increase with increasing earthworm and plant root diameters, whereas mechanical energy per unit of displaced soil volume decreases with larger diameters. The study provides a quantitative framework for estimating energy requirements for soil penetration work done by earthworms and plant roots, and delineates intrinsic and external mechanical limits for bioturbation processes. Estimated energy requirements for earthworm biopore networks are linked to consumption of soil organic matter and suggest that earthworm populations are likely to consume a significant fraction of ecosystem net primary production to sustain their subterranean activities. PMID:26087130

Patent ductus arteriosus and indomethacin treatment as independent risk factors for plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity.

PubMed

Tsui, Irena; Ebani, Edward; Rosenberg, Jamie B; Lin, Juan; Angert, Robert M; Mian, Umar

2013-01-01

To examine whether clinically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) or indomethacin treatment are associated with plus disease or retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) requiring treatment. Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Charts were reviewed for gestational age, birth weight, birth head circumference, birth length, maternal characteristics, gender, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, PDA and its treatments, gastrointestinal comorbidities, blood transfusions, and sepsis. Main outcome measures were increased rates of plus disease or ROP requiring treatment. A total of 450 premature infants screened for ROP in a mid-sized, urban neonatal intensive care unit were included. On univariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, birth head circumference, birth length, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, PDA and its treatments, gastrointestinal comorbidities, and sepsis were significantly correlated to plus disease and ROP requiring treatment. PDA was significantly associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, sepsis, and blood transfusions (P < .0001). With type 3 multivariate analysis, only gestational age and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were independent risk factors for ROP. PDA and indomethacin were associated with plus disease and ROP requiring treatment on univariate analysis but this was not significant after adjusting for other risk factors. PDA was also strongly related to bronchopulmonary dysplasia and blood transfusions, which may explain its effect on ROP. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC): Flight Demonstration Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delaat, John C.; Southwick, Robert D.; Gallops, George W.; Orme, John S.

1998-01-01

Future aircraft turbine engines, both commercial and military, must be able to accommodate expected increased levels of steady-state and dynamic engine-face distortion. The current approach of incorporating sufficient design stall margin to tolerate these increased levels of distortion would significantly reduce performance. The High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC) program has developed technologies for an advanced, integrated engine control system that uses measurement- based estimates of distortion to enhance engine stability. The resulting distortion tolerant control reduces the required design stall margin, with a corresponding increase in performance and/or decrease in fuel burn. The HISTEC concept was successfully flight demonstrated on the F-15 ACTIVE aircraft during the summer of 1997. The flight demonstration was planned and carried out in two parts, the first to show distortion estimation, and the second to show distortion accommodation. Post-flight analysis shows that the HISTEC technologies are able to successfully estimate and accommodate distortion, transiently setting the stall margin requirement on-line and in real-time. Flight demonstration of the HISTEC technologies has significantly reduced the risk of transitioning the technology to tactical and commercial engines.

Modified Active Videogame Play Results in Moderate-Intensity Exercise.

PubMed

Monedero, Javier; McDonnell, Adam C; Keoghan, Melissa; O'Gorman, Donal J

2014-08-01

Large proportions of the population do not meet current American College of Sports Medicine physical activity recommendations, and innovative approaches are required. Most active videogames do not require a significant amount of energy expenditure. The purpose of this study was to determine if modifying an active videogame increased exercise intensity to meet current physical activity recommendations. After completing a maximal oxygen uptake test, participants did a familiarization session on a separate day. Thirteen healthy participants 24.2±3.4 years of age played (1) a sedentary videogame, (2) an active videogame, and (3) a modified active videogame designed to increase physical activity for 46 minutes in a randomized order on separate days. Oxygen uptake, heart rate, heart rate reserve, percentage of maximal heart rate, metabolic equivalents of task, and energy expenditure were significantly higher during the modified active videogame trial than during the active videogame or sedentary videogame trials and also between the active videogame and sedentary videogame. A simple modification to an existing active videogame was sufficient to reach moderate exercise intensity. Active videogames could provide an important option for increasing daily physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

Use of randomised controlled trials for producing cost-effectiveness evidence: potential impact of design choices on sample size and study duration.

PubMed

Backhouse, Martin E

2002-01-01

A number of approaches to conducting economic evaluations could be adopted. However, some decision makers have a preference for wholly stochastic cost-effectiveness analyses, particularly if the sampled data are derived from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Formal requirements for cost-effectiveness evidence have heightened concerns in the pharmaceutical industry that development costs and times might be increased if formal requirements increase the number, duration or costs of RCTs. Whether this proves to be the case or not will depend upon the timing, nature and extent of the cost-effectiveness evidence required. To illustrate how different requirements for wholly stochastic cost-effectiveness evidence could have a significant impact on two of the major determinants of new drug development costs and times, namely RCT sample size and study duration. Using data collected prospectively in a clinical evaluation, sample sizes were calculated for a number of hypothetical cost-effectiveness study design scenarios. The results were compared with a baseline clinical trial design. The sample sizes required for the cost-effectiveness study scenarios were mostly larger than those for the baseline clinical trial design. Circumstances can be such that a wholly stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis might not be a practical proposition even though its clinical counterpart is. In such situations, alternative research methodologies would be required. For wholly stochastic cost-effectiveness analyses, the importance of prior specification of the different components of study design is emphasised. However, it is doubtful whether all the information necessary for doing this will typically be available when product registration trials are being designed. Formal requirements for wholly stochastic cost-effectiveness evidence based on the standard frequentist paradigm have the potential to increase the size, duration and number of RCTs significantly and hence the costs and timelines associated with new product development. Moreover, it is possible to envisage situations where such an approach would be impossible to adopt. Clearly, further research is required into the issue of how to appraise the economic consequences of alternative economic evaluation research strategies.

Latent KSHV Infected Endothelial Cells Are Glutamine Addicted and Require Glutaminolysis for Survival

PubMed Central

Sanchez, Erica L.; Carroll, Patrick A.; Thalhofer, Angel B.; Lagunoff, Michael

2015-01-01

Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS). KSHV establishes a predominantly latent infection in the main KS tumor cell type, the spindle cell, which is of endothelial cell origin. KSHV requires the induction of multiple metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and fatty acid synthesis, for the survival of latently infected endothelial cells. Here we demonstrate that latent KSHV infection leads to increased levels of intracellular glutamine and enhanced glutamine uptake. Depletion of glutamine from the culture media leads to a significant increase in apoptotic cell death in latently infected endothelial cells, but not in their mock-infected counterparts. In cancer cells, glutamine is often required for glutaminolysis to provide intermediates for the tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and support for the production of biosynthetic and bioenergetic precursors. In the absence of glutamine, the TCA cycle intermediates alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) and pyruvate prevent the death of latently infected cells. Targeted drug inhibition of glutaminolysis also induces increased cell death in latently infected cells. KSHV infection of endothelial cells induces protein expression of the glutamine transporter, SLC1A5. Chemical inhibition of SLC1A5, or knockdown by siRNA, leads to similar cell death rates as glutamine deprivation and, similarly, can be rescued by αKG. KSHV also induces expression of the heterodimeric transcription factors c-Myc-Max and related heterodimer MondoA-Mlx. Knockdown of MondoA inhibits expression of both Mlx and SLC1A5 and induces a significant increase in cell death of only cells latently infected with KSHV, again, fully rescued by the supplementation of αKG. Therefore, during latent infection of endothelial cells, KSHV activates and requires the Myc/MondoA-network to upregulate the glutamine transporter, SLC1A5, leading to increased glutamine uptake for glutaminolysis. These findings expand our understanding of the required metabolic pathways that are activated during latent KSHV infection of endothelial cells, and demonstrate a novel role for the extended Myc-regulatory network, specifically MondoA, during latent KSHV infection. PMID:26197457

Does chronic warfarin cause increased blood loss and transfusion during lumbar spinal surgery?

PubMed

Young, Ernest Y; Ahmadinia, Kasra; Bajwa, Navkirat; Ahn, Nicholas U

2013-10-01

The use of oral anticoagulation therapy such as warfarin is projected to increase significantly as the population ages and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease increases. Current recommendations state that warfarin be discontinued before surgery and the international normalized ratio (INR) normalized. To determine if stopping warfarin 7 days before surgery and correcting INR had any effect on intraoperative blood loss or the requirements for blood product transfusion. This was a retrospective cohort study in a high-volume tertiary care center. Sample comprised 263 consecutive patients who underwent elective lumbar spinal surgery. The outcome measures were intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative blood transfusion, and the number of blood products transfused. The records of patients undergoing elective spinal surgery were analyzed for patient demographic data, comorbidities, coagulation panel laboratory findings, operative characteristics, blood loss, and blood transfusion requirements. These included patients undergoing full laminectomies with or without posterolateral fusion and instrumentation. Patients on warfarin were analyzed for the mean dosage of warfarin and underlying pathology that required anticoagulation. All patients on warfarin had their anticoagulation therapy stopped 7 days before surgery and their INR checked preoperatively to confirm normalization. Both univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. The patients on warfarin had a mean intraoperative blood loss of 839 mL compared with 441 mL for patients not on warfarin (p<.01). Multiple regression analysis determined that warfarin and number of spinal levels decompressed/fused/instrumented were predictors for increased blood loss (R(2)=0.37). Patients on warfarin also had increased postoperative blood transfusions (23.1% compared with 7.4%, p=.04). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of intraoperative blood transfusion or number of units transfused. Patients on chronic anticoagulation therapy with warfarin who have their therapy stopped 7 days before surgery and have their INR normalized still demonstrated increased intraoperative blood loss and requirement for postoperative transfusion. Surgeons should be aware of the increased propensity of these patients to bleed despite adherence to protocols and should attempt to mitigate this risk. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leukocyte and platelet changes following low-dose lipopolysaccharide administration in five dogs.

PubMed

Flatland, B; Fry, M M; LeBlanc, C J; Rohrbach, B W

2011-02-01

Effects of low-dose LPS (0.1 μg/kg i.v.) on leukocyte and platelet parameters measured using an Advia 120 hematology analyzer were investigated. Five dogs received a saline sham treatment prior to LPS, and blood was collected before and 3, 6, and 24 h post-treatment. LPS-treated dogs had mild neutrophil toxic change and increased neutrophil bands at 3 and 6 h. Compared to saline-treated controls, total leukocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts of LPS-treated dogs were significantly decreased at 3 h and increased at 24 h. Compared to baseline, total leukocyte counts of LPS-treated dogs were significantly decreased at 3 h and increased at 24 h. Mean platelet volume was significantly increased and mean platelet component concentration was decreased at 3 h compared to baseline. Platelet count was significantly decreased at 3 and 6 h; plateletcrit did not change significantly. High dosage is not required in order to detect LPS-mediated hematologic effects in dogs. Low-dose LPS administration causes significant changes in leukocyte and platelet indices in dogs without causing severe clinical signs or death. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duloxetine reduces morphine requirements after knee replacement surgery.

PubMed

Ho, K-Y; Tay, W; Yeo, M-C; Liu, H; Yeo, S-J; Chia, S-L; Lo, N-N

2010-09-01

Multimodal analgesia is advocated for perioperative pain management to reduce opioid use and its associated adverse effects. Serotonin and norepinephrine are involved in the modulation of endogenous analgesic mechanisms via descending inhibitory pain pathways in the brain and spinal cord. An increase in serotonin and norepinephrine may increase inhibition of nociceptive input and improve pain relief. Duloxetine, a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in chronic pain conditions such as painful diabetic neuropathy and post-herpetic neuralgia. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of duloxetine in reducing morphine requirements in patients after knee replacement surgery. Fifty patients received either two doses of oral duloxetine 60 mg (2 h before surgery and on first postoperative day) or placebo. All patients received patient-controlled analgesia with morphine for 48 h after operation. Pain and adverse effects were assessed at 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery on an 11-point numeric rating scale. Twenty-three patients in the duloxetine group and 24 patients in the placebo group completed the study. Morphine requirements during the 48 h after surgery were significantly lower in the duloxetine group [19.5 mg, standard deviation (sd) 14.5 mg] compared with the placebo group (30.3 mg, sd 18.1 mg) (P=0.017). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in pain scores (at rest and on movement) or in adverse effects. Perioperative administration of duloxetine reduced postoperative morphine requirements during the first 48 h after knee replacement surgery, without significant adverse effects.

Impact of climate change on irrigation management for olive orchards at southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorite, Ignacio; Gabaldón-Leal, Clara; Santos, Cristina; Belaj, Angjelina; de la Rosa, Raul; Leon, Lorenzo; Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita

2017-04-01

The irrigation management for olive orchards under future weather conditions requires the development of advanced tools for considering specific physiological and phenological components affected by the foreseen changes in climate and atmospheric [CO2]. In this study a new simulation model named AdaptaOlive has been considered to develop controlled deficit irrigation and full irrigation scheduling for the traditional olive orchards located in Andalusia region (southern Spain) under the projected climate generated by an ensemble of 11 climate models from the ENSEMBLES European project corresponding to the SRES A1B scenario. Irrigation requirements, irrigation water productivity (IWP) and net margin (NM) were evaluated for three periods (baseline, near future and far future) and three irrigation strategies (rainfed, RF, controlled deficit irrigation, CDI, and full irrigation, FI). For irrigation requirements, a very limited average increase for far future compared with baseline period was found (2.6 and 1.3%, for CDI and FI, respectively). Equally, when IWP was analyzed, significant increases were identified for both irrigation strategies (77.4 and 72.2%, for CDI and FI, respectively) due to the high simulated increase in yield. Finally, when net margin was analyzed, the irrigation water cost had a key significance. For low water costs FI provided higher net margin values than for CDI. However, for high water costs (expected in the future due to the foreseen reduction in rainfall and the increase of the competence for the available water resources), net margin is reduced significantly, generating a very elevated number of years with negative net margin. All the described results are affected by a high level of uncertainty as the projections from the ensemble of 11 climate models show large spread. Thus, for a representative location within Andalusia region as Baeza, a reduction of irrigation requirements under full irrigation strategy was found for the ensemble mean (equal to 0.5%). However, when the individual projections from the 11 climate models were considered the variation of irrigation requirements for far future compared with baseline period ranged from increases of 8.5% to reductions of 10.7%. This fact demonstrates the necessity to consider ensembles of climate models for identifying averaged impacts and the range of variability of these impacts, quantifying the uncertainty in the estimates related with water management in the future. The study concludes that the promotion of controlled deficit irrigation strategies is an excellent adaptation strategy. However, this strategy must be supported with the enhance of farmers' training by the implementation of local or regional irrigation advisory services.

Pre-operative ultrasound identification of thyroiditis helps predict the need for thyroid hormone replacement after thyroid lobectomy.

PubMed

Morris, Lilah F; Iupe, Isabella M; Edeiken-Monroe, Beth S; Warneke, Carla L; Hansen, Mandy O; Evans, Douglas B; Lee, Jeffrey E; Grubbs, Elizabeth G; Perrier, Nancy D

2013-01-01

To evaluate whether pre-operative thyroiditis identified by ultrasound (US) could help predict the need for thyroid hormone replacement (THR) following thyroid lobectomy. Data from patients who underwent thyroid lobectomy in 2006-2011, were not taking THR pre-operatively, and had ≥1 month of follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. THR was prescribed for relatively elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and hypothyroid symptoms. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the percentage of patients who required THR at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postoperatively, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate prognostic factors for requiring post-thyroid lobectomy THR. During follow-up, 45 of 98 patients required THR. Median follow-up among patients not requiring THR was 11.6 months (range, 1.2 to 51.3 months). Six months after thyroid lobectomy, 22% of patients were taking THR (95% confidence interval [CI], 15-32%); the proportion increased to 46% at 12 months (95% CI, 36-57%) and 55% at 18 months (95% CI, 43-67%). On univariate analysis, significant prognostic factors for postoperative THR included a pre-operative TSH level >2.5 μ international units [IU]/mL (hazard ratio [HR], 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.5; P = .004) and pathology-identified thyroiditis (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.3; P = .005). Patients with both pre-operative TSH >2.5 μIU/mL and US-identified thyroiditis had a 5.8-fold increased risk of requiring postoperative THR (95% CI, 2.4-13.9; P<.0001). A pre-operative TSH level >2.5 μIU/mL significantly increases the risk of requiring THR after thyroid lobectomy. Thyroiditis can add to that prediction and guide pre-operative patient counseling and surgical decision making. US-identified thyroiditis should be reported and post-thyroid lobectomy patients followed long-term (≥18 months).

Dietary fat acutely increases glucose concentrations and insulin requirements in patients with type 1 diabetes: implications for carbohydrate-based bolus dose calculation and intensive diabetes management.

PubMed

Wolpert, Howard A; Atakov-Castillo, Astrid; Smith, Stephanie A; Steil, Garry M

2013-04-01

Current guidelines for intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes base the mealtime insulin bolus calculation exclusively on carbohydrate counting. There is strong evidence that free fatty acids impair insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that patients with type 1 diabetes would require more insulin coverage for higher-fat meals than lower-fat meals with identical carbohydrate content. We used a crossover design comparing two 18-h periods of closed-loop glucose control after high-fat (HF) dinner compared with low-fat (LF) dinner. Each dinner had identical carbohydrate and protein content, but different fat content (60 vs. 10 g). Seven patients with type 1 diabetes (age, 55 ± 12 years; A1C 7.2 ± 0.8%) successfully completed the protocol. HF dinner required more insulin than LF dinner (12.6 ± 1.9 units vs. 9.0 ± 1.3 units; P = 0.01) and, despite the additional insulin, caused more hyperglycemia (area under the curve >120 mg/dL = 16,967 ± 2,778 vs. 8,350 ± 1,907 mg/dL⋅min; P < 0001). Carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio for HF dinner was significantly lower (9 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3 g/unit; P = 0.01). There were marked interindividual differences in the effect of dietary fat on insulin requirements (percent increase significantly correlated with daily insulin requirement; R(2) = 0.64; P = 0.03). This evidence that dietary fat increases glucose levels and insulin requirements highlights the limitations of the current carbohydrate-based approach to bolus dose calculation. These findings point to the need for alternative insulin dosing algorithms for higher-fat meals and suggest that dietary fat intake is an important nutritional consideration for glycemic control in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Reshaping the Energy Landscape Transforms the Mechanism and Binding Kinetics of DNA Threading Intercalation.

PubMed

Clark, Andrew G; Naufer, M Nabuan; Westerlund, Fredrik; Lincoln, Per; Rouzina, Ioulia; Paramanathan, Thayaparan; Williams, Mark C

2018-02-06

Molecules that bind DNA via threading intercalation show high binding affinity as well as slow dissociation kinetics, properties ideal for the development of anticancer drugs. To this end, it is critical to identify the specific molecular characteristics of threading intercalators that result in optimal DNA interactions. Using single-molecule techniques, we quantify the binding of a small metal-organic ruthenium threading intercalator (Δ,Δ-B) and compare its binding characteristics to a similar molecule with significantly larger threading moieties (Δ,Δ-P). The binding affinities of the two molecules are the same, while comparison of the binding kinetics reveals significantly faster kinetics for Δ,Δ-B. However, the kinetics is still much slower than that observed for conventional intercalators. Comparison of the two threading intercalators shows that the binding affinity is modulated independently by the intercalating section and the binding kinetics is modulated by the threading moiety. In order to thread DNA, Δ,Δ-P requires a "lock mechanism", in which a large length increase of the DNA duplex is required for both association and dissociation. In contrast, measurements of the force-dependent binding kinetics show that Δ,Δ-B requires a large DNA length increase for association but no length increase for dissociation from DNA. This contrasts strongly with conventional intercalators, for which almost no DNA length change is required for association but a large DNA length change must occur for dissociation. This result illustrates the fundamentally different mechanism of threading intercalation compared with conventional intercalation and will pave the way for the rational design of therapeutic drugs based on DNA threading intercalation.

Clinically Significant Pocket Hematoma Increases Long-Term Risk of Device Infection: BRUISE CONTROL INFECTION Study.

PubMed

Essebag, Vidal; Verma, Atul; Healey, Jeff S; Krahn, Andrew D; Kalfon, Eli; Coutu, Benoit; Ayala-Paredes, Felix; Tang, Anthony S; Sapp, John; Sturmer, Marcio; Keren, Arieh; Wells, George A; Birnie, David H

2016-03-22

The BRUISE CONTROL trial (Bridge or Continue Coumadin for Device Surgery Randomized Controlled Trial) demonstrated that a strategy of continued warfarin during cardiac implantable electronic device surgery was safe and reduced the incidence of clinically significant pocket hematoma (CSH). CSH was defined as a post-procedure hematoma requiring further surgery and/or resulting in prolongation of hospitalization of at least 24 h, and/or requiring interruption of anticoagulation. Previous studies have inconsistently associated hematoma with the subsequent development of device infection; reasons include the retrospective nature of many studies, lack of endpoint adjudication, and differing subjective definitions of hematoma. The BRUISE CONTROL INFECTION (Bridge or Continue Coumadin for Device Surgery Randomized Controlled Trial Extended Follow-Up for Infection) prospectively examined the association between CSH and subsequent device infection. The study included 659 patients with a primary outcome of device-related infection requiring hospitalization, defined as 1 or more of the following: pocket infection; endocarditis; and bloodstream infection. Outcomes were verified by a blinded adjudication committee. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify predictors of infection. The overall 1-year device-related infection rate was 2.4% (16 of 659). Infection occurred in 11% of patients (7 of 66) with previous CSH and in 1.5% (9 of 593) without CSH. CSH was the only independent predictor and was associated with a >7-fold increased risk of infection (hazard ratio: 7.7; 95% confidence interval: 2.9 to 20.5; p < 0.0001). Empiric antibiotics upon development of hematoma did not reduce long-term infection risk. CSH is associated with a significantly increased risk of infection requiring hospitalization within 1 year following cardiac implantable electronic device surgery. Strategies aimed at reducing hematomas may decrease the long-term risk of infection. (Bridge or Continue Coumadin for Device Surgery Randomized Controlled Trial [BRUISE CONTROL]; NCT00800137). Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intravenous iron sucrose therapy for moderate to severe anaemia in pregnancy.

PubMed

Kriplani, Alka; Mahey, Reeta; Dash, Biswa Bhusan; Kulshreshta, Vidushi; Agarwal, Nutan; Bhatla, Neerja

2013-01-01

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in pregnancy. Prophylactic oral iron is recommended during pregnancy to meet the increased requirement. In India, women become pregnant with low baseline haemoglobin level resulting in high incidence of moderate to severe anaemia in pregnancy where oral iron therapy cannot meet the requirement. Pregnant women with moderate anaemia are to be treated with parentral iron therapy. This study was undertaken to evaluate the response and effect of intravenous iron sucrose complex (ISC) given to pregnant women with IDA. A prospective study was conducted (June 2009 to June 2011) in the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. One hundred pregnant women with haemoglobin between 5-9 g% with diagnosed iron deficiency attending antenatal clinic were given intravenous iron sucrose complex in a dose of 200 mg twice weekly schedule after calculating the dose requirement. The mean haemoglobin raised from 7.63 ± 0.61 to 11.20 ± 0.73 g% (P<0.001) after eight wk of therapy. There was significant rise in serum ferritin levels (from 11.2 ± 4.7 to 69 ± 23.1 μg/l) (P<0.001). Reticulocyte count increased significantly after two wk of starting therapy (from 1.5 ± 0.6 to 4.6 ± 0.8%).Other parameters including serum iron levels and red cell indices were also improved significantly. Only one woman was lost to follow up. No major side effects or anaphylactic reactions were noted during study period. Parentral iron therapy was effective in increasing haemoglobin, serum ferritin and other haematological parameters in pregnant women with moderate anaemia. Intravenous iron sucrose can be used in hospital settings and tertiary urban hospitals where it can replace intramuscular therapy due to injection related side effects. Further, long-term comparative studies are required to recommend its use at peripheral level.

Increasing dietary crude protein does not increase the methionine requirement in kittens.

PubMed

Strieker, M J; Morris, J G; Kass, P H; Rogers, Q R

2007-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine if the methionine (met) requirement of kittens is correlated with the concentration of dietary crude protein (CP). The study used 48 male kittens in two replications of six 4 x 4 Latin squares, each representing one concentration of met (1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 6.0 or 9.0 g/kg diet) with four CP concentrations (150, 200, 300 and 500 g/kg diet) in 2-week periods. Cystine was present in the lowest CP diet at 5.3 g/kg diet and increased as dietary CP increased. Body weight gain, food intake, nitrogen balance and plasma amino acids, glucose, insulin, cortisol, somatomedin C, T(3) and T(4) concentrations on day 12 were measured. From breakpoint analysis of the nitrogen retention curves, the met requirement of kittens was found to be 3.1, 3.8, 3.1 and 2.4 g met/kg for the 150, 200, 300 and 500 g CP/kg diets, respectively. When met was limiting (1.5 or 2.5 g/kg diet), increasing dietary CP did not decrease, but rather increased food intake, body weight gain and nitrogen retention. Plasma met concentrations increased as dietary met increased and at 2.5-3.5 g met/kg diet were not different among kittens fed the various CP diets. Total plasma T(3) and T(4) increased significantly as dietary CP increased in kittens given the 2.5 and 4.5 g met/kg diets. Results indicate that food intake and possibly altered hormonal secretion play a role in this growth response. In conclusion, the met requirement of growing kittens, unlike omnivores and herbivores studied, was not positively correlated with the concentration of dietary CP.

Deterministic Ethernet for Space Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fidi, C.; Wolff, B.

2015-09-01

Typical spacecraft systems are distributed to be able to achieve the required reliability and availability targets of the mission. However the requirements on these systems are different for launchers, satellites, human space flight and exploration missions. Launchers require typically high reliability with very short mission times whereas satellites or space exploration missions require very high availability at very long mission times. Comparing a distributed system of launchers with satellites it shows very fast reaction times in launchers versus much slower once in satellite applications. Human space flight missions are maybe most challenging concerning reliability and availability since human lives are involved and the mission times can be very long e.g. ISS. Also the reaction times of these vehicles can get challenging during mission scenarios like landing or re-entry leading to very fast control loops. In these different applications more and more autonomous functions are required to fulfil the needs of current and future missions. This autonomously leads to new requirements with respect to increase performance, determinism, reliability and availability. On the other hand side the pressure on reducing costs of electronic components in space applications is increasing, leading to the use of more and more COTS components especially for launchers and LEO satellites. This requires a technology which is able to provide a cost competitive solution for both the high reliable and available deep-space as well as the low cost “new space” markets. Future spacecraft communication standards therefore have to be much more flexible, scalable and modular to be able to deal with these upcoming challenges. The only way to fulfill these requirements is, if they are based on open standards which are used cross industry leading to a reduction of the lifecycle costs and an increase in performance. The use of a communication network that fulfills these requirements will be essential for such spacecraft’s to allow the use in launcher, satellite, human space flight and exploration missions. Using one technology and the related infrastructure for these different applications will lead to a significant reduction of complexity and would moreover lead to significant savings in size weight and power while increasing the performance of the overall system. The paper focuses on the use of the TTEthernet technology for launchers, satellites and human spaceflight and will demonstrate the scalability of the technology for the different applications. The data used is derived from the ESA TRP 7594 on “Reliable High-Speed Data Bus/Network for Safety-Oriented Missions”.

Does the valve regulated release of urine from the bladder decrease encrustation and blockage of indwelling catheters by crystalline proteus mirabilis biofilms?

PubMed

Sabbuba, N A; Stickler, D J; Long, M J; Dong, Z; Short, T D; Feneley, R J C

2005-01-01

We tested whether valve regulated, intermittent flow of urine from catheterized bladders decreases catheter encrustation. Laboratory models of the catheterized bladder were infected with Proteus mirabilis. Urine was allowed to drain continuously through the catheters or regulated by valves to drain intermittently at predetermined intervals. The time that catheters required to become blocked was recorded and encrustation was visualized by scanning electron microscopy. When a manual valve was used to drain urine from the bladder at 2-hour intervals 4 times during the day, catheters required significantly longer to become blocked than those on continuous drainage (mean 62.6 vs 35.9 hours, p = 0.039). A similar 1.7-fold increase occurred when urine was drained at 4-hour intervals 3 times daily. Experiments with an automatic valve in which urine was released at 2 or 4-hour intervals through the day and night also showed a significant increase in mean time to blockage compared with continuous drainage (p = 0.001). Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that crystalline biofilm was less extensive on valve regulated catheters. Valve regulated, intermittent flow of urine through catheters increases the time that catheters require to become blocked with crystalline biofilm. The most beneficial effect was recorded when urine was released from the bladder at 4-hour intervals throughout the day and night by an automatic valve.

International Space Station USOS Crew Quarters Ventilation and Acoustic Design Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

2009-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) United States Operational Segment (USOS) has four permanent rack sized ISS Crew Quarters (CQ) providing a private crewmember space. The CQ uses Node 2 cabin air for ventilation/thermal cooling, as opposed to conditioned ducted air from the ISS Temperature Humidity Control System or the ISS fluid cooling loop connections. Consequently, CQ can only increase the air flow rate to reduce the temperature delta between the cabin and the CQ interior. However, increasing airflow causes increased acoustic noise so efficient airflow distribution is an important design parameter. The CQ utilized a two fan push-pull configuration to ensure fresh air at the crewmember s head position and reduce acoustic exposure. The CQ interior needs to be below Noise Curve 40 (NC-40). The CQ ventilation ducts are open to the significantly louder Node 2 cabin aisle way which required significantly acoustic mitigation controls. The design implementation of the CQ ventilation system and acoustic mitigation are very inter-related and require consideration of crew comfort balanced with use of interior habitable volume, accommodation of fan failures, and possible crew uses that impact ventilation and acoustic performance. This paper illustrates the types of model analysis, assumptions, vehicle interactions, and trade-offs required for CQ ventilation and acoustics. Additionally, on-orbit ventilation system performance and initial crew feedback is presented. This approach is applicable to any private enclosed space that the crew will occupy.

Metabolic effects of propranolol and hydroflumethiazide treatment in Kenyans with mild to moderate essential hypertension.

PubMed

Yonga, G O; Ogola, E N; Orinda, D A

1993-11-01

In a prospective single-blind comparative trial, sixty newly diagnosed mild to moderate hypertensives were randomly assigned to either propranolol or hydroflumethiazide monotherapy. Baseline fasting serum glucose lipid profiles, serum uric acid and potassium levels, were determined at the beginning of the trial. Repeat levels were determined at completion of twelve weeks of treatment. Propranolol treatment significantly reduced HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.02) and increased both VLDL and total serum triglycerides (p < 0.01). Hydroflumethiazide significantly increased total and LDL-chole-sterol, fasting serum glucose and uric acid levels (p < 0.01); potassium levels were significantly lowered (p < 0.01). Treatment with either propranolol or hydroflumethiazide is associated with significant metabolic side-effects which require regular monitoring and intervention as appropriate.

Protein Conformation and Supercharging with DMSO from Aqueous Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterling, Harry J.; Prell, James S.; Cassou, Catherine A.; Williams, Evan R.

2011-07-01

The efficacy of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a supercharging reagent for protein ions formed by electrospray ionization from aqueous solution and the mechanism for supercharging were investigated. Addition of small amounts of DMSO to aqueous solutions containing hen egg white lysozyme or equine myoglobin results in a lowering of charge, whereas a significant increase in charge occurs at higher concentrations. Results from both near-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy and solution-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry indicate that DMSO causes a compaction of the native structure of these proteins at low concentration, but significant unfolding occurs at ~63% and ~43% DMSO for lysozyme and myoglobin, respectively. The DMSO concentrations required to denature these two proteins in bulk solution are ~3-5 times higher than the concentrations required for the onset of supercharging, consistent with a significantly increased concentration of this high boiling point supercharging reagent in the ESI droplet as preferential evaporation of water occurs. DMSO is slightly more basic than m-nitrobenzyl alcohol and sulfolane, two other supercharging reagents, based on calculated proton affinity and gas-phase basicity values both at the B3LYP and MP2 levels of theory, and all three of these supercharging reagents are significantly more basic than water. These results provide additional evidence that the origin of supercharging from aqueous solution is the result of chemical and/or thermal denaturation that occurs in the ESI droplet as the concentration of these supercharging reagents increases, and that proton transfer reactivity does not play a significant role in the charge enhancement observed.

Protamine reduces bleeding complications associated with carotid endarterectomy without increasing the risk of stroke.

PubMed

Stone, David H; Nolan, Brian W; Schanzer, Andres; Goodney, Philip P; Cambria, Robert A; Likosky, Donald S; Walsh, Daniel B; Cronenwett, Jack L

2010-03-01

Controversy persists regarding the use of protamine during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) based on prior conflicting reports documenting both reduced bleeding as well as increased stroke risk. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of protamine reversal of heparin anticoagulation on the outcome of CEA in a contemporary multistate registry. We reviewed a prospective regional registry of 4587 CEAs in 4311 patients performed by 66 surgeons from 11 centers in Northern New England from 2003-2008. Protamine use varied by surgeon (38% routine use, 44% rare use, 18% selective use). Endpoints were postoperative bleeding requiring reoperation as well as potential thrombotic complications, including stroke, death, and myocardial infarction (MI). Predictors of endpoints were determined by multivariate logistic regression after associated variables were identified by univariate analysis. Of the 4587 CEAs performed, 46% utilized protamine, while 54% did not. Fourteen patients (0.64%) in the protamine-treated group required reoperation for bleeding compared with 42 patients (1.66%) in the untreated cohort (P = .001). Protamine use did not affect the rate of MI (1.1% vs 0.91%, P = .51), stroke (0.78% vs 1.15%, P = .2), or death (0.23% vs 0.32%, P = .57) between treated and untreated patients, respectively. By multivariate analysis, protamine (odds ratio [OR] 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.63; P = .001) and patch angioplasty (OR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.26-0.81; P = .007) were independently associated with diminished reoperation for bleeding. A single center was associated with a significantly higher rate of reoperation for bleeding (OR 6.47, 95% CI, 3.02-13.9; P < .001). Independent of protamine use, consequences of reoperation for bleeding were significant, with a four-fold increase in MI, a seven-fold increase in stroke, and a 30-fold increase in death. Protamine reduced serious bleeding requiring reoperation during CEA without increasing the risk of MI, stroke, or death, in this large, contemporary registry. In light of significant complications referable to bleeding, liberal use of protamine during CEA appears warranted.

Migratory preparation associated alterations in pectoralis muscle biochemistry and proteome in Palearctic-Indian emberizid migratory finch, red-headed bunting, Emberiza bruniceps.

PubMed

Banerjee, Somanshu; Chaturvedi, Chandra Mohini

2016-03-01

Avian migration is an exceptionally high-energy-demanding process, which is met by the accumulation and utilization of fuel stores as well as the alterations in muscle physiology prior to their flight. Pre-migratory fattening coupled with changes in flight muscle metabolic enzymes and proteome is required to provide the necessary fuel and muscle performance required for migration. We studied how the serum metabolites (urea, uric acid, and creatinine), pectoralis muscle metabolites (glycogen, glucose, and cholesterol), muscle metabolic enzymes (CPT, HOAD, CS, MDH, CCO, CK, LDH, PFK, MLPL, and PK), liver lipogenic enzyme (FAS), and pectoralis muscle proteins get altered in pre-migratory and non-migratory buntings. Significantly increased pectoralis muscle fatty acid oxidation (CPT and HOAD activity), aerobic/anaerobic capacity (CS, CCO, and MDH activity), glycolytic capacity (PFK and PK activity), lipolysis (muscle LPL), and burst power (CK activity) were observed prior to the spring migration in pre-migratory buntings, whereas significantly increased pectoralis muscle anaerobic capacity (LDH activity) was observed in non-migratory buntings. Significant increase in the liver FAS showed profound lipogenesis prior to the spring migration. In this study, we have also investigated whether muscle has differential protein content during the pre-migratory and non-migratory phases of the annual migratory cycle. Twenty-nine proteins are identified and well characterized varying in expression significantly during the pre-migratory and non-migratory phases. These findings indicate that significant pre-migratory fattening and alterations in flight (pectoralis) muscle biochemistry and proteome in between the non- and pre-migratory phases may play a significant role in pre-migratory flight muscle preparation in these long-route migrants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urban heat island-induced increases in evapotranspirative demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zipper, Samuel C.; Schatz, Jason; Kucharik, Christopher J.; Loheide, Steven P.

2017-01-01

Although the importance of vegetation in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) is known, the impacts of UHI-induced changes in micrometeorological conditions on vegetation are not well understood. Here we show that plant water requirements are significantly higher in urban areas compared to rural areas surrounding Madison, WI, driven by increased air temperature with minimal effects of decreased air moisture content. Local increases in impervious cover are strongly associated with increased evapotranspirative demand in a consistent manner across years, with most increases caused by elevated temperatures during the growing season rather than changes in changes in growing season length. Potential evapotranspiration is up to 10% higher due to the UHI, potentially mitigating changes to the water and energy balances caused by urbanization. Our results indicate that local-scale land cover decisions (increases in impervious cover) can significantly impact evapotranspirative demand, with likely implications for water and carbon cycling in urban ecosystems.

Risk factors and outcome of increased red blood cell transfusion in cardiac surgical patients aged 65 years and older.

PubMed

Isil, Canan Tulay; Yazici, Pinar; Bakir, Ihsan

2015-02-01

The use of blood products is not uncommon during cardiac surgery in elderly patients. We conducted this study to investigate the risk factors and adverse outcomes of increased red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in the patients aged ≥ 65 years undergoing cardiac surgery. During 1 year period, 288 patients (197 male/91 female) aged ≥ 65 years who underwent coronary and/or valvular surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were stratified into groups on the basis of the number of transfusions received (< 4 and ≥ 4 U) which was classified as increased transfusion. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for increased transfusion. The mean unit of RBC transfusion was 4.5 ± 3.1 and 55.9% (n = 161) of patients received ≥ 4 U RBC. The overall postoperative complication rate was 36% and significantly higher in those with ≥ 4 U) RBC transfusion (p < 0.01). Risk factors including age, EuroSCORE, and low body surface were significantly higher in patient with ≥ 4 U RBC transfusion. Besides, preoperative anemia, postoperative drainage volume, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion during hospital stay were found to be significantly associated with increased transfusion requirements. No difference was observed in mortality (p = 0.13). These results suggest that improvement in blood transfusion policy in elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery requires elimination of preoperative anemia, careful attention to surgical hemostasis, and FFP use. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Understanding, compliance and psychological impact of the SARS quarantine experience.

PubMed

Reynolds, D L; Garay, J R; Deamond, S L; Moran, M K; Gold, W; Styra, R

2008-07-01

This study examines a cohort of persons quarantined during the 2003 SARS outbreak in Canada and describes their understanding of, difficulties and compliance with, and the psychological impact of the quarantine experience. A mailed questionnaire was administered to 1912 eligible adults and included the Impact of Events Scale - Revised (IES-R) to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Self-reported compliance with all required quarantine measures was low (15.8+/-2.3%), although significantly higher when the rationale for quarantine was understood (P=0.018). Health-care workers (HCW) experienced greater psychological distress, including symptoms of PTSD (P<0.001). Increasing perceived difficulty with compliance, HCW, longer quarantine and compliance with quarantine requirements were significant contributors to higher IES-R scores. The low compliance with quarantine requirements introduces concerns about the effectiveness of quarantine as a public health measure. Improvements in compliance and reduced psychological distress may be possible by minimizing duration, revising requirements, and providing enhanced education and support.

Understanding, compliance and psychological impact of the SARS quarantine experience

PubMed Central

REYNOLDS, D. L.; GARAY, J. R.; DEAMOND, S. L.; MORAN, M. K.; GOLD, W.; STYRA, R.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY This study examines a cohort of persons quarantined during the 2003 SARS outbreak in Canada and describes their understanding of, difficulties and compliance with, and the psychological impact of the quarantine experience. A mailed questionnaire was administered to 1912 eligible adults and included the Impact of Events Scale – Revised (IES-R) to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Self-reported compliance with all required quarantine measures was low (15·8±2·3%), although significantly higher when the rationale for quarantine was understood (P=0·018). Health-care workers (HCW) experienced greater psychological distress, including symptoms of PTSD (P<0·001). Increasing perceived difficulty with compliance, HCW, longer quarantine and compliance with quarantine requirements were significant contributors to higher IES-R scores. The low compliance with quarantine requirements introduces concerns about the effectiveness of quarantine as a public health measure. Improvements in compliance and reduced psychological distress may be possible by minimizing duration, revising requirements, and providing enhanced education and support. PMID:17662167

Ethics and Animal Numbers: Informal Analyses, Uncertain Sample Sizes, Inefficient Replications, and Type I Errors

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

To obtain approval for the use vertebrate animals in research, an investigator must assure an ethics committee that the proposed number of animals is the minimum necessary to achieve a scientific goal. How does an investigator make that assurance? A power analysis is most accurate when the outcome is known before the study, which it rarely is. A ‘pilot study’ is appropriate only when the number of animals used is a tiny fraction of the numbers that will be invested in the main study because the data for the pilot animals cannot legitimately be used again in the main study without increasing the rate of type I errors (false discovery). Traditional significance testing requires the investigator to determine the final sample size before any data are collected and then to delay analysis of any of the data until all of the data are final. An investigator often learns at that point either that the sample size was larger than necessary or too small to achieve significance. Subjects cannot be added at this point in the study without increasing type I errors. In addition, journal reviewers may require more replications in quantitative studies than are truly necessary. Sequential stopping rules used with traditional significance tests allow incremental accumulation of data on a biomedical research problem so that significance, replicability, and use of a minimal number of animals can be assured without increasing type I errors. PMID:21838970

Conservative fluid management prevents age-associated ventilator induced mortality.

PubMed

Herbert, Joseph A; Valentine, Michael S; Saravanan, Nivi; Schneck, Matthew B; Pidaparti, Ramana; Fowler, Alpha A; Reynolds, Angela M; Heise, Rebecca L

2016-08-01

Approximately 800 thousand patients require mechanical ventilation in the United States annually with an in-hospital mortality rate of over 30%. The majority of patients requiring mechanical ventilation are over the age of 65 and advanced age is known to increase the severity of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and in-hospital mortality rates. However, the mechanisms which predispose aging ventilator patients to increased mortality rates are not fully understood. Ventilation with conservative fluid management decreases mortality rates in acute respiratory distress patients, but to date there has been no investigation of the effect of conservative fluid management on VILI and ventilator associated mortality rates. We hypothesized that age-associated increases in susceptibility and incidence of pulmonary edema strongly promote age-related increases in ventilator associated mortality. 2month old and 20month old male C57BL6 mice were mechanically ventilated with either high tidal volume (HVT) or low tidal volume (LVT) for up to 4h with either liberal or conservative fluid support. During ventilation, lung compliance, total lung capacity, and hysteresis curves were quantified. Following ventilation, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analyzed for total protein content and inflammatory cell infiltration. Wet to dry ratios were used to directly measure edema in excised lungs. Lung histology was performed to quantify alveolar barrier damage/destruction. Age matched non-ventilated mice were used as controls. At 4h, both advanced age and HVT ventilation significantly increased markers of inflammation and injury, degraded pulmonary mechanics, and decreased survival rates. Conservative fluid support significantly diminished pulmonary edema and improved pulmonary mechanics by 1h in advanced age HVT subjects. In 4h ventilations, conservative fluid support significantly diminished pulmonary edema, improved lung mechanics, and resulted in significantly lower mortality rates in older subjects. Our study demonstrates that conservative fluid alone can attenuate the age associated increase in ventilator associated mortality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservative Fluid Management Prevents Age-Associated Ventilator Induced Mortality

PubMed Central

Herbert, Joseph A.; Valentine, Michael S.; Saravanan, Nivi; Schneck, Matthew B.; Pidaparti, Ramana; Fowler, Alpha A.; Reynolds, Angela M.; Heise, Rebecca L.

2017-01-01

Background Approximately 800 thousand patients require mechanical ventilation in the United States annually with an in-hospital mortality rate of over 30%. The majority of patients requiring mechanical ventilation are over the age of 65 and advanced age is known to increase the severity of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and in-hosptial mortality rates. However, the mechanisms which predispose aging ventilator patients to increased mortality rates are not fully understood. Ventilation with conservative fluid management decreases mortality rates in acute respiratory distress patients, but to date there has been no investigation of the effect of conservative fluid management on VILI and ventilator associated mortality rates. We hypothesized that age-associated increases in susceptibility and incidence of pulmonary edema strongly promote age-related increases in ventilator associated mortality. Methods 2 month old and 20 month old male C57BL6 mice were mechanically ventilated with either high tidal volume (HVT) or low tidal volume (LVT) for up to 4 hours with either liberal or conservative fluid support. During ventilation, lung compliance, total lung capacity, and hysteresis curves were quantified. Following ventilation, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analyzed for total protein content and inflammatory cell infiltration. Wet to dry ratios were used to directly measure edema in excised lungs. Lung histology was performed to quantify alveolar barrier damage/destruction. Age matched non-ventilated mice were used as controls. Results At 4hrs, both advanced age and HVT ventilation significantly increased markers of inflammation and injury, degraded pulmonary mechanics, and decreased survival rates. Conservative fluid support significantly diminished pulmonary edema and improved pulmonary mechanics by 1hr in advanced age HVT subjects. In 4hr ventilations, conservative fluid support significantly diminished pulmonary edema, improved lung mechanics, and resulted in significantly lower mortality rates in older subjects. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that conservative fluid alone can attenuate the age associated increase in ventilator associated mortality. PMID:27188767

Effect of lateral offset center of rotation in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: a biomechanical study.

PubMed

Henninger, Heath B; Barg, Alexej; Anderson, Andrew E; Bachus, Kent N; Burks, Robert T; Tashjian, Robert Z

2012-09-01

Lateral offset center of rotation (COR) reduces the incidence of scapular notching and potentially increases external rotation range of motion (ROM) after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA). The purpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical effects of changing COR on abduction and external rotation ROM, deltoid abduction force, and joint stability. A biomechanical shoulder simulator tested cadaveric shoulders before and after rTSA. Spacers shifted the COR laterally from baseline rTSA by 5, 10, and 15 mm. Outcome measures of resting abduction and external rotation ROM, and abduction and dislocation (lateral and anterior) forces were recorded. Resting abduction increased 20° vs native shoulders and was unaffected by COR lateralization. External rotation decreased after rTSA and was unaffected by COR lateralization. The deltoid force required for abduction significantly decreased 25% from native to baseline rTSA. COR lateralization progressively eliminated this mechanical advantage. Lateral dislocation required significantly less force than anterior dislocation after rTSA, and both dislocation forces increased with lateralization of the COR. COR lateralization had no influence on ROM (adduction or external rotation) but significantly increased abduction and dislocation forces. This suggests the lower incidence of scapular notching may not be related to the amount of adduction deficit after lateral offset rTSA but may arise from limited impingement of the humeral component on the lateral scapula due to a change in joint geometry. Lateralization provides the benefit of increased joint stability, but at the cost of increasing deltoid abduction forces. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manipulation Under Anesthesia After Total Knee Arthroplasty is Associated with An Increased Incidence of Subsequent Revision Surgery.

PubMed

Werner, Brian C; Carr, James B; Wiggins, John C; Gwathmey, F Winston; Browne, James A

2015-09-01

A national database was used to evaluate the risk for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the association of demographics and comorbidities with needing MUA, and the risk of revision TKA after MUA. Of the 141,016 patients who underwent TKA, 4.3% required MUA within 6 months. Age under 50 years (OR: 2.79, P<0.0001), age 50-65 years (OR: 2.03, P<0.0001), and female gender (OR: 1.12, P<0.0001) were all associated with increased rates of MUA. In patients under age 65 years, smoking (OR: 1.47, P<0.0001) was associated with an increased rate of MUA. Patients who require MUA within 6 months after TKA have a significantly increased risk of early revision TKA (OR: 2.43, P<0.0001). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Managing marine disease emergencies in an era of rapid change

PubMed Central

Maynard, Jeffrey; Breyta, Rachel; Carnegie, Ryan B.; Dobson, Andy; Friedman, Carolyn S.; Froelich, Brett; Garren, Melissa; Gulland, Frances M. D.; Heron, Scott F.; Noble, Rachel T.; Revie, Crawford W.; Shields, Jeffrey D.; Vanderstichel, Raphaël; Weil, Ernesto; Wyllie-Echeverria, Sandy; Harvell, C. Drew

2016-01-01

Infectious marine diseases can decimate populations and are increasing among some taxa due to global change and our increasing reliance on marine environments. Marine diseases become emergencies when significant ecological, economic or social impacts occur. We can prepare for and manage these emergencies through improved surveillance, and the development and iterative refinement of approaches to mitigate disease and its impacts. Improving surveillance requires fast, accurate diagnoses, forecasting disease risk and real-time monitoring of disease-promoting environmental conditions. Diversifying impact mitigation involves increasing host resilience to disease, reducing pathogen abundance and managing environmental factors that facilitate disease. Disease surveillance and mitigation can be adaptive if informed by research advances and catalysed by communication among observers, researchers and decision-makers using information-sharing platforms. Recent increases in the awareness of the threats posed by marine diseases may lead to policy frameworks that facilitate the responses and management that marine disease emergencies require. PMID:26880835

Innovative Double Bypass Engine for Increased Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manoharan, Sanjivan

Engines continue to grow in size to meet the current thrust requirements of the civil aerospace industry. Large engines pose significant transportation problems and require them to be split in order to be shipped. Thus, large amounts of time have been spent in researching methods to increase thrust capabilities while maintaining a reasonable engine size. Unfortunately, much of this research has been focused on increasing the performance and efficiencies of individual components while limited research has been done on innovative engine configurations. This thesis focuses on an innovative engine configuration, the High Double Bypass Engine, aimed at increasing fuel efficiency and thrust while maintaining a competitive fan diameter and engine length. The 1-D analysis was done in Excel and then compared to the results from Numerical Propulsion Simulation System (NPSS) software and were found to be within 4% error. Flow performance characteristics were also determined and validated against their criteria.

Managing marine disease emergencies in an era of rapid change.

PubMed

Groner, Maya L; Maynard, Jeffrey; Breyta, Rachel; Carnegie, Ryan B; Dobson, Andy; Friedman, Carolyn S; Froelich, Brett; Garren, Melissa; Gulland, Frances M D; Heron, Scott F; Noble, Rachel T; Revie, Crawford W; Shields, Jeffrey D; Vanderstichel, Raphaël; Weil, Ernesto; Wyllie-Echeverria, Sandy; Harvell, C Drew

2016-03-05

Infectious marine diseases can decimate populations and are increasing among some taxa due to global change and our increasing reliance on marine environments. Marine diseases become emergencies when significant ecological, economic or social impacts occur. We can prepare for and manage these emergencies through improved surveillance, and the development and iterative refinement of approaches to mitigate disease and its impacts. Improving surveillance requires fast, accurate diagnoses, forecasting disease risk and real-time monitoring of disease-promoting environmental conditions. Diversifying impact mitigation involves increasing host resilience to disease, reducing pathogen abundance and managing environmental factors that facilitate disease. Disease surveillance and mitigation can be adaptive if informed by research advances and catalysed by communication among observers, researchers and decision-makers using information-sharing platforms. Recent increases in the awareness of the threats posed by marine diseases may lead to policy frameworks that facilitate the responses and management that marine disease emergencies require. © 2016 The Author(s).

Influence of eccentric actions on the metabolic cost of resistance exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Gary A.; Golden, Catherine L.; Tesch, Per A.; Harris, Robert T.; Buchanan, Paul

1991-01-01

The contributions of concentric (con) and eccentric (ecc) muscle actions are evaluated with respect to increasing the metabolic cost of resistance exercise. Male subjects perform leg exercise with either con and ecc actions or only con actions while the net energy cost of the exercise is measured by oxygen consumption data. In both groups, the con actions require 290 J/kg body weight of total work, with an energy cost of 0.003 cal/J. The energy costs for the con/ecc actions of the second group is increased by 14 percent. The metabolic cost of leg exercise is concluded to be primarily generated by the con leg actions, and ecc leg actions increase the resistance with only a slight increase in required energy. The findings are significant for practical applications that emphasize the conservation of energy expenditure during exercise in spacecraft environments.

A forward view on reliable computers for flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, J.; Wensley, J. H.

1976-01-01

The requirements for fault-tolerant computers for flight control of commercial aircraft are examined; it is concluded that the reliability requirements far exceed those typically quoted for space missions. Examination of circuit technology and alternative computer architectures indicates that the desired reliability can be achieved with several different computer structures, though there are obvious advantages to those that are more economic, more reliable, and, very importantly, more certifiable as to fault tolerance. Progress in this field is expected to bring about better computer systems that are more rigorously designed and analyzed even though computational requirements are expected to increase significantly.

Effect of ammonium and nitrate on ferric chelate reductase and nitrate reductase in Vaccinium species.

PubMed

Poonnachit, U; Darnell, R

2004-04-01

Most Vaccinium species have strict soil requirements for optimal growth, requiring low pH, high iron availability and nitrogen primarily in the ammonium form. These soils are limited and are often located near wetlands. Vaccinium arboreum is a wild species adapted to a wide range of soils, including high pH, low iron, and nitrate-containing soils. This broader soil adaptation in V. arboreum may be related to increased efficiency of iron or nitrate uptake compared with the cultivated Vaccinium species. Nitrate, ammonium and iron uptake, and nitrate reductase (NR) and ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activities were compared in two Vaccinium species grown hydroponically in either nitrate or ammonia, with or without iron. The species studied were the wild V. arboreum and the cultivated V. corymbosum interspecific hybrid, which exhibits the strict soil requirements of most Vaccinium species. Ammonium uptake was significantly greater than nitrate uptake in both species, while nitrate uptake was greater in the wild species, V. arboreum, compared with the cultivated species, V. corymbosum. The increased nitrate uptake in V. arboreum was correlated with increased root NR activity compared with V. corymbosum. The lower nitrate uptake in V. corymbosum was reflected in decreased plant dry weight in this species compared with V. arboreum. Root FCR activity increased significantly in V. corymbosum grown under iron-deficient conditions, compared with the same species grown under iron-sufficient conditions or with V. arboreum grown under either iron condition. V. arboreum appears to be more efficient in acquiring nitrate compared with V. corymbosum, possibly due to increased NR activity and this may partially explain the wider soil adaptation of V. arboreum.

Effect of Ammonium and Nitrate on Ferric Chelate Reductase and Nitrate Reductase in Vaccinium Species

PubMed Central

POONNACHIT, U.; DARNELL, R.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims Most Vaccinium species have strict soil requirements for optimal growth, requiring low pH, high iron availability and nitrogen primarily in the ammonium form. These soils are limited and are often located near wetlands. Vaccinium arboreum is a wild species adapted to a wide range of soils, including high pH, low iron, and nitrate‐containing soils. This broader soil adaptation in V. arboreum may be related to increased efficiency of iron or nitrate uptake compared with the cultivated Vaccinium species. • Methods Nitrate, ammonium and iron uptake, and nitrate reductase (NR) and ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activities were compared in two Vaccinium species grown hydroponically in either nitrate or ammonia, with or without iron. The species studied were the wild V. arboreum and the cultivated V. corymbosum interspecific hybrid, which exhibits the strict soil requirements of most Vaccinium species. • Key Results Ammonium uptake was significantly greater than nitrate uptake in both species, while nitrate uptake was greater in the wild species, V. arboreum, compared with the cultivated species, V. corymbosum. The increased nitrate uptake in V. arboreum was correlated with increased root NR activity compared with V. corymbosum. The lower nitrate uptake in V. corymbosum was reflected in decreased plant dry weight in this species compared with V. arboreum. Root FCR activity increased significantly in V. corymbosum grown under iron‐deficient conditions, compared with the same species grown under iron‐sufficient conditions or with V. arboreum grown under either iron condition. • Conclusions. V. arboreum appears to be more efficient in acquiring nitrate compared with V. corymbosum, possibly due to increased NR activity and this may partially explain the wider soil adaptation of V. arboreum. PMID:14980973

Leadership Matters: Addressing the Student Success and Completion Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClenney, Byron N.

2013-01-01

This chapter describes a movement to significantly increase student attainment in community and technical colleges. The observations of Leadership Coaches in Achieving the Dream, developed over a nine-year period of involvement, provide insight into the leadership required to transform institutional culture.

High Throughput Screening of Toxicity Pathways Perturbed by Environmental Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicology, a field largely unchanged over the past several decades, is undergoing a significant transformation driven by a number of forces – the increasing number of chemicals needing assessment, changing legal requirements, advances in biology and computer science, and concern...

The effects of soak temperature on sugar maple seed germination

Treesearch

Carol A. Janerette

1978-01-01

The temperature at which sugar maple seeds were soaked before stratification significantly influenced their germination. Maximal germination was obtained when seeds were soaked at 4?C, but if seeds were soaked at 25?C, germination decreased and the stratification requirement increased.

Environmental impacts of biofuel production and use

EPA Science Inventory

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) required a significant increase in the production and use of renewable fuels. Given the current state of technology and infrastructure, nearly all of the projected volume of biofuel consumption over the foreseeable future is ex...

Spacecraft Conceptual Design Compared to the Apollo Lunar Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, C.; Bowie, J.; Rust, R.; Lenius, J.; Anderson, M.; Connolly, J.

2011-01-01

Future human exploration of the Moon will require an optimized spacecraft design with each sub-system achieving the required minimum capability and maintaining high reliability. The objective of this study was to trade capability with reliability and minimize mass for the lunar lander spacecraft. The NASA parametric concept for a 3-person vehicle to the lunar surface with a 30% mass margin totaled was considerably heavier than the Apollo 15 Lunar Module "as flown" mass of 16.4 metric tons. The additional mass was attributed to mission requirements and system design choices that were made to meet the realities of modern spaceflight. The parametric tool used to size the current concept, Envision, accounts for primary and secondary mass requirements. For example, adding an astronaut increases the mass requirements for suits, water, food, oxygen, as well as, the increase in volume. The environmental control sub-systems becomes heavier with the increased requirements and more structure was needed to support the additional mass. There was also an increase in propellant usage. For comparison, an "Apollo-like" vehicle was created by removing these additional requirements. Utilizing the Envision parametric mass calculation tool and a quantitative reliability estimation tool designed by Valador Inc., it was determined that with today?s current technology a Lunar Module (LM) with Apollo capability could be built with less mass and similar reliability. The reliability of this new lander was compared to Apollo Lunar Module utilizing the same methodology, adjusting for mission timeline changes as well as component differences. Interestingly, the parametric concept's overall estimated risk for loss of mission (LOM) and loss of crew (LOC) did not significantly improve when compared to Apollo.

Effect of a single intra-articular injection of bupivacaine on synovial fluid prostaglandin E2 concentrations in normal canine stifles.

PubMed

Giangarra, Jenna E; Barry, Sabrina L; Dahlgren, Linda A; Lanz, Otto I; Benitez, Marian E; Werre, Stephen R

2018-04-25

To identify if synovial fluid prostaglandin E 2 increases in response to a single intra-articular dose of bupivacaine in the normal canine stifle. There were no significant differences in synovial fluid prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) concentrations between treatment groups or over time within bupivacaine or saline groups. Samples requiring ≥ 3 arthrocentesis attempts had significantly higher PGE 2 concentrations compared to samples requiring 1 or 2 attempts. Following correction for number of arthrocentesis attempts, PGE 2 concentrations were significantly higher than baseline at 24 and 48 h in the bupivacaine group; however there were no significant differences between the bupivacaine and saline groups. In normal dogs, a single bupivacaine injection did not cause significant synovial inflammation, as measured by PGE 2 concentrations, compared to saline controls. Future research should minimize aspiration attempts and include evaluation of the synovial response to bupivacaine in clinical cases with joint disease.

Acceleration techniques for dependability simulation. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnette, James David

1995-01-01

As computer systems increase in complexity, the need to project system performance from the earliest design and development stages increases. We have to employ simulation for detailed dependability studies of large systems. However, as the complexity of the simulation model increases, the time required to obtain statistically significant results also increases. This paper discusses an approach that is application independent and can be readily applied to any process-based simulation model. Topics include background on classical discrete event simulation and techniques for random variate generation and statistics gathering to support simulation.

Response requirement and increases in accuracy produced by stimulant drugs in a 5-choice serial reaction-time task in rats.

PubMed

Koffarnus, Mikhail N; Katz, Jonathan L

2011-02-01

Increased signal-detection accuracy on the 5-choice serial reaction time (5-CSRT) task has been shown with drugs that are useful clinically in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but these increases are often small and/or unreliable. By reducing the reinforcer frequency, it may be possible to increase the sensitivity of this task to pharmacologically induced improvements in accuracy. Rats were trained to respond on the 5-CSRT task on a fixed ratio (FR) 1, FR 3, or FR 10 schedule of reinforcement. Drugs that were and were not expected to enhance performance were then administered before experimental sessions. Significant increases in accuracy of signal detection were not typically obtained under the FR 1 schedule with any drug. However, d-amphetamine, methylphenidate, and nicotine typically increased accuracy under the FR 3 and FR 10 schedules. Increasing the FR requirement in the 5-CSRT task increases the likelihood of a positive result with clinically effective drugs, and may more closely resemble conditions in children with attention deficits.

Analysis of complications from abdominoplasty: a review of 206 cases at a university hospital.

PubMed

Neaman, Keith C; Hansen, Juliana E

2007-03-01

The number of abdominoplasties performed in the United States has been steadily increasing over the past decade. A large proportion of these patients are bariatric patients who remain obese despite prior weight-reduction surgery. This study was done to review the experience of patients undergoing abdominoplasty at a university hospital. A retrospective chart review of 206 consecutive patients was performed. The overall complication rate was 37.4%. Major complications [hematoma requiring surgical intervention, seroma requiring aspiration or surgical drainage, cellulitis or abscess requiring hospitalization and intravenous (IV) antibiotics, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE)] occurred in 16% of patients. The rate of minor complications (hematoma or seroma requiring no intervention, epidermolysis, small-wound dehiscence, neuropathic pain, and minor cellulitis) was 26.7%. Obese patients had a significantly increased risk of developing major complications as compared with nonobese patients (53.4% versus 28.8%, P = 0.001). An in-depth analysis of all complications and risk factors was done.

Precise time technology for selected Air Force systems: Present status and future requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yannoni, N. F.

1981-01-01

Precise time and time interval (PTTI) technology is becoming increasingly significant to Air Force operations as digital techniques find expanded utility in military missions. Timing has a key role in the function as well as in navigation. A survey of the PTTI needs of several Air Force systems is presented. Current technology supporting these needs was reviewed and new requirements are emphasized for systems as they transfer from initial development to final operational deployment.

Proton channel HVCN1 is required for effector functions of mouse eosinophils

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Proton currents are required for optimal respiratory burst in phagocytes. Recently, HVCN1 was identified as the molecule required for the voltage-gated proton channel activity associated with the respiratory burst in neutrophils. Although there are similarities between eosinophils and neutrophils regarding their mechanism for respiratory burst, the role of proton channels in eosinophil functions has not been fully understood. Results In the present study, we first identified the expression of the proton channel HVCN1 in mouse eosinophils. Furthermore, using HVCN1-deficient eosinophils, we demonstrated important cell-specific effector functions for HVCN1. Similar to HVCN1-deficient neutrophils, HVCN1-deficient eosinophils produced significantly less reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation compared with WT eosinophils. In contrast to HVCN1-deficient neutrophils, HVCN1-deficient eosinophils did not show impaired calcium mobilization or migration ability compared with wild-type (WT) cells. Uniquely, HVCN1-deficient eosinophils underwent significantly increased cell death induced by PMA stimulation compared with WT eosinophils. The increased cell death was dependent on NADPH oxidase activation, and correlated with the failure of HVCN1-deficient cells to maintain membrane polarization and intracellular pH in the physiological range upon activation. Conclusions Eosinophils require proton channel HVCN1 for optimal ROS generation and prevention of activation-induced cell death. PMID:23705768

Improving risk classification of critical illness with biomarkers: a simulation study

PubMed Central

Seymour, Christopher W.; Cooke, Colin R.; Wang, Zheyu; Kerr, Kathleen F.; Yealy, Donald M.; Angus, Derek C.; Rea, Thomas D.; Kahn, Jeremy M.; Pepe, Margaret S.

2012-01-01

Purpose Optimal triage of patients at risk of critical illness requires accurate risk prediction, yet little data exists on the performance criteria required of a potential biomarker to be clinically useful. Materials and Methods We studied an adult cohort of non-arrest, non-trauma emergency medical services encounters transported to a hospital from 2002–2006. We simulated hypothetical biomarkers increasingly associated with critical illness during hospitalization, and determined the biomarker strength and sample size necessary to improve risk classification beyond a best clinical model. Results Of 57,647 encounters, 3,121 (5.4%) were hospitalized with critical illness and 54,526 (94.6%) without critical illness. The addition of a moderate strength biomarker (odds ratio=3.0 for critical illness) to a clinical model improved discrimination (c-statistic 0.85 vs. 0.8, p<0.01), reclassification (net reclassification improvement=0.15, 95%CI: 0.13,0.18), and increased the proportion of cases in the highest risk categoryby+8.6% (95%CI: 7.5,10.8%). Introducing correlation between the biomarker and physiological variables in the clinical risk score did not modify the results. Statistically significant changes in net reclassification required a sample size of at least 1000 subjects. Conclusions Clinical models for triage of critical illness could be significantly improved by incorporating biomarkers, yet, substantial sample sizes and biomarker strength may be required. PMID:23566734

Comparison of epsilon aminocaproic acid and tranexamic Acid in thoracic aortic surgery: clinical efficacy and safety.

PubMed

Makhija, Neeti; Sarupria, Anju; Kumar Choudhary, Shiv; Das, Sambhunath; Lakshmy, Ramakrishnan; Kiran, Usha

2013-12-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) versus epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) in patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery. A prospective randomized study. A tertiary care center. The study was conducted on 64 consecutive adult patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Group EACA received a bolus of 50 mg/kg of EACA after induction of anesthesia over 20 minutes followed by maintenance infusion of 25 mg/kg/h until chest closure. Group TXA received a bolus of 10 mg/kg of TXA after induction of anesthesia over 20 minutes followed by maintenance infusion of 1 mg/kg/h until chest closure. Cumulated mean blood loss, total packed red blood cells, and blood product requirement up to 24 h postoperatively were comparable between groups. A significant renal injury (EACA 40% v TXA 16%; p = 0.04) and increased tendency for renal failure (EACA 10% v TXA 0%, p = 0.11; relative risk 2.15) were observed with EACA compared to TXA. There was increased tendency of seizure with TXA (EACA v TXA: 3.3% v 10%; p>0.05, relative risk 1.53). There was significant increase in the D-dimer from preoperative to postoperative values in Group EACA. (p< 0.01). Both EACA and TXA were equally effective in reducing the perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirement in patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery. While significant renal injury was observed with EACA, there was a tendency for higher incidence of seizure with TXA. Prospective placebo-controlled trials recruiting larger sample size using sensitive biomarkers are required before any recommendations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between seasonal weather changes, risk of dehydration, and incidence of severe bradyarrhythmias requiring urgent temporary transvenous cardiac pacing in an elderly population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmisano, Pietro; Accogli, Michele; Zaccaria, Maria; Vergari, Alessandra; De Luca De Masi, Gabriele; Negro, Luca; De Blasi, Sergio

2014-09-01

There is little information on any seasonal variations or meteorological factors associated with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias requiring cardiac pacing. The aim of this single-center study was to investigate the seasonal distribution of the incidence of severe, life-threatening bradyarrhythmias requiring urgent temporary transvenous cardiac pacing in an elderly population. Consecutive patients who underwent urgent temporary transvenous cardiac pacing between 2007 and 2012 were enrolled. The baseline characteristics of the patients and some meteorological parameters, including the calculation the daily heat index (HI), were recorded. During the study period, 79 consecutive patients (mean age 82 ± 8 years, 41 % male) underwent urgent temporary transvenous cardiac pacing, mainly for third-degree atrioventricular block (79 %). The incidence of bradyarrhythmias was significantly higher in summer than in the other seasons ( P < 0.001). Moreover, the highest incidence was observed in months with HI > 90 °F for >3 h per day for at least 10 days ( P < 0.001). A direct correlation was found between the average monthly temperature and the monthly number of patients undergoing temporary cardiac pacing (r = 0.54, P < 0.001). Compared with other patients, those observed during the hottest months were significantly older and more frequently affected by chronic disabling neurological diseases (all P < 0.05). In addition, they more frequently showed biochemical indices of dehydration, renal function impairment and hyperkalemia (all P < 0.05). This study showed an increased incidence of severe bradyarrhythmias in an elderly population during the hottest months of the year. In these months, in subjects characterized by increased susceptibility to dehydration, the risk of developing bradyarrhythmias was increased significantly.

Death and Dialysis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Analysis of the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

PubMed

Hansen, James W; Foy, Andrew; Yadav, Pradeep; Gilchrist, Ian C; Kozak, Mark; Stebbins, Amanda; Matsouaka, Roland; Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Wang, Alice; Wang, Dee Dee; Eng, Marvin H; Greenbaum, Adam B; O'Neill, William O

2017-10-23

The authors sought to elucidate the true incidence of renal replacement therapy (RRT) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). There is a wide discrepancy in the reported rate of RRT after TAVR (1.4% to 40%). The true incidence of RRT after TAVR is unknown. The STS/ACC TVT (Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy) registry was linked to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid database to identify all patients that underwent TAVR from November 2011 through September 2015 and their outcomes. The authors compared rates of death, new RRT, and a composite of both as a function of pre-procedure glomerular filtration rate (GFR), both in stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as on a continuous scale. Pre-procedure GFR is associated with the risk of death and new RRT after TAVR when GFR is <60 ml/min/m 2 , and increases significantly when GFR falls below 30 ml/min/m 2 . Incremental increases in GFR of 5 ml/min/m 2 were statistically significant (unadjusted hazard ratio: 0.71; p < 0.001) at 30 days, and continued to be significant at 1 year when pre-procedure GFR was <60 ml/min/m 2 . One in 3 CKD stage 4 patients will be dead within 1 year, with 14.6% (roughly 1 in 6) requiring dialysis. In CKD stage 5, more than one-third of patients will require RRT within 30 days; nearly two-thirds will require RRT at 1 year. In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, pre-procedural GFR was associated with the outcomes of death and new RRT. Increasing CKD stage leads to an increased risk of death and/or RRT. Continuous analysis showed significant differences in outcomes in all levels of CKD when GFR was <60 ml/min/m 2 . Pre-procedure GFR should be considered when selecting CKD patients for TAVR. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Recovery System for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-28

300170 1 of 10 A RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLES STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST [0001] The invention described herein may...6 of 10 forces cannot be easily predicted and can be strong enough to require a significantly larger handling system and significantly more...the sea state, the ship handling system , the capture mechanism and the design of the capture mechanism 400. [0024] The water jets 100 will increase

Red cell alloimmunization is associated with development of autoantibodies and increased red cell transfusion requirements in myelodysplastic syndrome

PubMed Central

Singhal, Deepak; Kutyna, Monika M.; Chhetri, Rakchha; Wee, Li Yan A.; Hague, Sophia; Nath, Lakshmi; Nath, Shriram V.; Sinha, Romi; Wickham, Nicholas; Lewis, Ian D.; Ross, David M.; Bardy, Peter G.; To, Luen Bik; Reynolds, John; Wood, Erica M.; Roxby, David J.; Hiwase, Devendra K.

2017-01-01

Up to 90% of patients with a myelodysplastic syndrome require red blood cell transfusion; nevertheless, comprehensive data on red cell alloimmunization in such patients are limited. This study evaluates the incidence and clinical impact of red cell alloimmunization in a large cohort of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome registered in the statewide South Australian-MDS registry. The median age of the 817 patients studied was 73 years, and 66% were male. The cumulative incidence of alloimmunization was 11%. Disease-modifying therapy was associated with a lower risk of alloimmunization while alloimmunization was significantly higher in patients with a revised International Prognostic Scoring System classification of Very Low, Low or Intermediate risk compared to those with a High or Very High risk (P=0.03). Alloantibodies were most commonly directed against antigens in the Rh (54%) and Kell (24%) systems. Multiple alloantibodies were present in 49% of alloimmunized patients. Although 73% of alloimmunized patients developed alloantibodies during the period in which they received their first 20 red cell units, the total number of units transfused was significantly higher in alloimmunized patients than in non-alloimmunized patients (90±100 versus 30±52; P<0.0001). In individual patients, red cell transfusion intensity increased significantly following alloimmunization (2.8±1.3 versus 4.1±2.0; P<0.0001). A significantly higher proportion of alloimmunized patients than non-alloimmunized patients had detectable autoantibodies (65% versus 18%; P<0.0001) and the majority of autoantibodies were detected within a short period of alloimmunization. In conclusion, this study characterizes alloimmunization in a large cohort of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and demonstrates a signficant increase in red cell transfusion requirements following alloimmunization, most probably due to development of additional alloantibodies and autoantibodies, resulting in subclinical/clinical hemolysis. Strategies to mitigate alloimmunization risk are critical for optimizing red cell transfusion support. PMID:28983058

A longitudinal study of disturbances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in women with progestin-negative functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.

PubMed

Kondoh, Y; Uemura, T; Murase, M; Yokoi, N; Ishikawa, M; Hirahara, F

2001-10-01

To longitudinally evaluate disturbances of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in women with secondary progestin-negative hypothalamic amenorrhea. Retrospective cohort study. Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan. Twenty-four women with progestin-negative hypothalamic amenorrhea. Administration of human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH) and treatment with a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Plasma cortisol and ACTH concentrations and period required for recovery from amenorrhea. Plasma ACTH concentrations 30 and 60 minutes after injection of hCRH and the percent maximum increment (%Cmax) of ACTH were significantly lower in the amenorrheic patients compared with the control group patients. The basal cortisol was significantly higher, and the %Cmax of cortisol was significantly lower. In the 16 patients who recovered from amenorrhea, there was a significant positive correlation (Y = 1.93X-10.8, r = 0.629) between the basal cortisol concentrations (X) and the period for recovery (Y). The serum E2 gradually increased before recovery, and this E2 increase was preceded by changes in the plasma cortisol concentration and the %Cmax values of cortisol and ACTH. The CRH test might be useful for evaluating the roles of stress and for estimating the period required for recovery in hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Growth and antioxidant status of oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense fed with diets containing vitamin E

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Weihong; Wang, Zisheng; Yu, Yebing; Qi, Zhitao; Lü, Linlan; Zhang, Yuxia; Lü, Fu

2016-05-01

A feeding trial was carried out to investigate the dietary vitamin E requirement of the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense (weight of 0.3-0.4 g) and its effect role on antioxidant activity. Prawns were fed with seven levels of vitamin E (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg diet) for 60 days. The results show that dietary vitamin E supplementation could significantly increased the prawn weight ( P < 0.05). The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the hepatopancreas was significantly higher in prawns fed with diets supplemented with ≤75 mg/kg vitamin E than in those fed with diets supplemented with 100-400 mg/kg vitamin E ( P < 0.05). The activity of catalase (CAT) in the hepatopancreas decreased significantly as dietary vitamin E supplementation increased ( P < 0.05), and no significant difference was detected in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity between different dietary groups ( P >0.05). The contents of vitamin E in the hepatopancreas and in the muscle increased with increasing dietary vitamin E. There was a linear correlation between the vitamin E level in diet and that in muscle, and between the vitamin E level in diet and that in the hepatopancreas. All the above results indicated that dietary vitamin E can be stored in the hepatopancreas and muscle and lower both the activities of SOD and CAT in the hepatopancreas, suggesting that it is a potential antioxidant in M. nipponense. Broken line analysis conducted on the weight gains of prawns in each diet group showed that the dietary vitamin E requirement for maximum growth is 94.10 mg/kg.

Physiological responses to indoor rock-climbing and their relationship to maximal cycle ergometry.

PubMed

Sheel, A William; Seddon, Nicholas; Knight, Andrew; McKenzie, Donald C; R Warburton, Darren E

2003-07-01

To quantify the cardiorespiratory responses to indoor climbing during two increasingly difficult climbs and relate them to whole-body dynamic exercise. It was hypothesized that as climbing difficulty increased, oxygen consumption ([V02] and heart rate would increase, and that climbing would require utilization of a significant fraction of maximal cycling values. Elite competitive sport rock climbers (6 male, 3 female) completed two data collection sessions. The first session was completed at an indoor climbing facility, and the second session was an incremental cycle test to exhaustion. During indoor climbing subjects were randomly assigned to climb two routes designated as "harder" or "easier" based on their previous best climb. Subjects wore a portable metabolic system, which allowed measurement of oxygen consumption [V02], minute ventilation ([V02]E), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and heart rate. During the second session, maximal values for [V02], [V02]E, RER, and heart rate were determined during an incremental cycle test to exhaustion. Heart rate and [VO2], expressed as percent of cycling maximum, were significantly higher during harder climbing compared with easier climbing. During harder climbing, %HR(max) was significantly higher than %[V02] (2max) (89.6% vs 51.2%), and during easier climbing, %HR(max) was significantly higher than %[V02] (2max) (66.9% vs 45.3%). With increasing levels of climbing difficulty, there is a rise in both heart rate and [V02]. However, there is a disproportional rise in heart rate compared with [V02], which we attribute to the fact that climbing requires the use of intermittent isometric contractions of the arm musculature and the reliance of both anaerobic and aerobic metabolism.

Algorithms for Lightweight Key Exchange.

PubMed

Alvarez, Rafael; Caballero-Gil, Cándido; Santonja, Juan; Zamora, Antonio

2017-06-27

Public-key cryptography is too slow for general purpose encryption, with most applications limiting its use as much as possible. Some secure protocols, especially those that enable forward secrecy, make a much heavier use of public-key cryptography, increasing the demand for lightweight cryptosystems that can be implemented in low powered or mobile devices. This performance requirements are even more significant in critical infrastructure and emergency scenarios where peer-to-peer networks are deployed for increased availability and resiliency. We benchmark several public-key key-exchange algorithms, determining those that are better for the requirements of critical infrastructure and emergency applications and propose a security framework based on these algorithms and study its application to decentralized node or sensor networks.

Effects of valproic acid and magnesium sulphate on rocuronium requirement in patients undergoing craniotomy for cerebrovascular surgery.

PubMed

Kim, M-H; Hwang, J-W; Jeon, Y-T; Do, S-H

2012-09-01

Many anti-epileptics cause resistance to non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents, but this has not been reported for valproic acid (VPA). We hypothesized that VPA would increase the rocuronium requirement and that magnesium sulphate (MgSO(4)) may reduce this increase. Fifty-five patients undergoing cerebrovascular surgeries were studied. Subjects were allocated into three groups at a 1:1:1 ratio: Groups VM, VC, and C. Groups VM and VC were given VPA premedication; Group C was not. A rocuronium injection (0.6 mg kg(-1) i.v.) was administered to Group VM, followed by MgSO(4) as a 50 mg kg(-1) i.v. bolus and 15 mg kg(-1) h(-1) infusion. The same volume of 0.9% saline was administered to the other groups. Supplementary rocuronium (0.15 mg kg(-1)) was given whenever the train-of-four count reached 2. Rocuronium requirements (primary outcome), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), nausea, vomiting, shivering, and use of anti-emetics and nicardipine were compared. Group VC showed the highest rocuronium requirement [mg kg(-1) h(-1): 0.47 (0.08) vs 0.33 (0.12) (Group C), 0.31 (0.07) (Group VM); P<0.001]. MAP, intraoperative HR, nausea, vomiting, shivering, and use of anti-emetics and nicardipine were not significantly different among the groups. Postoperative HR was lower in Group VM than in Group VC. VPA increased the rocuronium requirement, and MgSO(4) infusion attenuated this increase.

Shoulder Strength Requirements for Upper Limb Functional Tasks: Do Age and Rotator Cuff Tear Status Matter?

PubMed

Santago, Anthony C; Vidt, Meghan E; Li, Xiaotong; Tuohy, Christopher J; Poehling, Gary G; Freehill, Michael T; Saul, Katherine R

2017-12-01

Understanding upper limb strength requirements for daily tasks is imperative for early detection of strength loss that may progress to disability due to age or rotator cuff tear. We quantified shoulder strength requirements for 5 upper limb tasks performed by 3 groups: uninjured young adults and older adults, and older adults with a degenerative supraspinatus tear prior to repair. Musculoskeletal models were developed for each group representing age, sex, and tear-related strength losses. Percentage of available strength used was quantified for the subset of tasks requiring the largest amount of shoulder strength. Significant differences in strength requirements existed across tasks: upward reach 105° required the largest average strength; axilla wash required the largest peak strength. However, there were limited differences across participant groups. Older adults with and without a tear used a larger percentage of their shoulder elevation (p < .001, p < .001) and external rotation (p < .001, p = .017) strength than the young adults, respectively. Presence of a tear significantly increased percentage of internal rotation strength compared to young (p < .001) and uninjured older adults (p = .008). Marked differences in strength demand across tasks indicate the need for evaluating a diversity of functional tasks to effectively detect early strength loss, which may lead to disability.

Impact of moisture content in AAC on its heat insulation properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubene, S.; Vilnitis, M.

2017-10-01

One of the most popular trends in construction industry is sustainable construction. Therefore, application of construction materials with high insulation characteristics has significantly increased during the past decade. Requirements for application of construction materials with high insulation parameters are required not only by means of energy saving and idea of sustainable construction but also by legislative requirements. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is a load bearing construction material, which has high heat insulation parameters. However, if the AAC masonry construction has high moisture content the heat insulation properties of the material decrease significantly. This fact lead to the necessity for the on-site control of moisture content in AAC in order to avoid inconsistency between the designed and actual thermal resistivity values of external delimiting constructions. Research of the impact of moisture content in AAC on its heat insulation properties has been presented in this paper.

On the evaluation of derivatives of Gaussian integrals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helgaker, Trygve; Taylor, Peter R.

1992-01-01

We show that by a suitable change of variables, the derivatives of molecular integrals over Gaussian-type functions required for analytic energy derivatives can be evaluated with significantly less computational effort than current formulations. The reduction in effort increases with the order of differentiation.

Economic analysis of payments required to establish longleaf pine habitat on private lands to facilitate training on military installations

Treesearch

J. Viola Glenn; Fred Cubbage; Ron Myers; M. Nils Peterson

2015-01-01

Steady population growth, urbanization, increased military presence, and the 2030 completion of two significant “super highway”infrastructure projects stand to fundamentally reshape the landscape in eastern North Carolina and increase pressure on the state’s land-based industries (Marstel-Day 2012). With similar trends occurring throughout rural communities in the...

Thalidomide has a significant effect in patients with thalassemia intermedia.

PubMed

Li, YunShuan; Ren, Quan; Zhou, Yali; Li, Pingping; Lin, Wanhua; Yin, Xiaolin

2018-01-01

To investigate the effect of thalidomide in patients with thalassemia intermedia. We observed the effect of thalidomide in seven patients with thalassemia intermedia requiring blood transfusion. Four of the patients were transfusion-independent, and three patients were transfusion-dependent. For the four transfusion-independent patients, hemoglobin concentration increased significantly (≥2 g/dl) in three and moderately (1-2 g/dl) in one. After 3 months of treatment, hemoglobin concentration increased 3.2 ± 1.2 g/dl compared to pretreatment. Among the three transfusion-dependent patients, transfusion was terminated after one month of treatment in one patient and decreased >50% in the other two patients, accompanied by an increase in the average hemoglobin concentration. Thalidomide had a significant effect in patients with thalassemia intermedia. Further studies of a larger scale and more rigorous design are warranted.

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Final ACT configuration evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Final ACT Configuration Evaluation Task of the Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology project within the energy efficient transport program is summarized. The Final ACT Configuration, through application of Active Controls Technology (ACT) in combination with increased wing span, exhibits significant performance improvements over the conventional baseline configuration. At the design range for these configurations, 3590 km, the block fuel used is 10% less for the Final ACT Configuration, with significant reductions in fuel usage at all operational ranges. Results of this improved fuel usage and additional system and airframe costs and the complexity required to achieve it were analyzed to determine its economic effects. For a 926 km mission, the incremental return on investment is nearly 25% at 1980 fuel prices. For longer range missions or increased fuel prices, the return is greater. The technical risks encountered in the Final ACT Configuration design and the research and development effort required to reduce these risks to levels acceptable for commercial airplane design are identified.

Visual risk factors for falls in older people.

PubMed

Lord, Stephen R

2006-09-01

Poor vision reduces postural stability and significantly increases the risk of falls and fractures in older people. Most studies have found that poor visual acuity increases the risk of falls. However, studies that have included multiple visual measures have found that reduced contrast sensitivity and depth perception are the most important visual risk factors for falls. Multifocal glasses may add to this risk because their near-vision lenses impair distance contrast sensitivity and depth perception in the lower visual field. This reduces the ability of an older person to detect environmental hazards. There is now evidence that maximising vision through cataract surgery is an effective strategy for preventing falls. Further randomised controlled trials are required to determine whether individual strategies (such as restriction of use of multifocal glasses) or multi-strategy visual improvement interventions can significantly reduce falls in older people. Public health initiatives are required to raise awareness in older people and their carers of the importance of regular eye examinations and use of appropriate prescription glasses.

The effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on genotoxic damage in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma receiving thyroid remnant ablation with iodine-131.

PubMed

Dardano, Angela; Ballardin, Michela; Caraccio, Nadia; Boni, Giuseppe; Traino, Claudio; Mariani, Giuliano; Ferdeghini, Marco; Barale, Roberto; Monzani, Fabio

2012-03-01

Radioiodine ((131)I) therapy is usually performed in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Although (131)I is generally considered safe, genotoxic damage has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on the time-course of appearance, after (131)I therapy for DTC, of plasma factors with chromosome-damaging properties (so-called "clastogenic" factors [CFs]) and of micronuclei (MN) in lymphocytes. Twenty-three patients (median age 42 years, range 18-73) with DTC receiving (131)I activity (3.7 GBq) for thyroid remnant ablation were randomly assigned to receive GBE (120 mg/day for one month; n=10) or placebo (n=13) in a double-blind manner. Blood samples were taken at various intervals (from baseline to 90 days) after (131)I therapy. The frequency of MN in blood lymphocytes was determined, and CFs were assayed in plasma by a method that used MN increase in lymphocytes from an healthy donor as the endpoint of the assay. MN in blood lymphocytes increased significantly after (131)I treatment in the placebo group, peaking at the 7th day (p=0.002) and slowly declining thereafter. In contrast, in similarly treated patients who were also treated with GBE both before and after (131)I treatment, a significant increase of blood lymphocyte MN level was not observed. In addition, only the placebo group showed a significant, progressive increase in CFs activity. This peaked at the 14th day (p=0.003 vs. baseline) and was still noted for the last plasma sample. The differences in the change in lymphocyte MN and CFs activity between the placebo and GBE-treated groups were significant (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). Thyroid function tests, including serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and anti-Tg antibody levels, were never significantly different. GBE may protect from possible oxidative and genotoxic damage associated with (131)I treatment in patients requiring (131)I therapy for thyroid cancer, without affecting the clinical outcome. Further studies with larger cohorts of patients are needed to confirm this report and verify the beneficial effect of GBE in patients requiring (131)I therapy, particularly for those in whom repeated treatments and high activities of (131)I are required.

The effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative analgesia and sedation in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

PubMed

Olutoye, Olutoyin A; Glover, Chris D; Diefenderfer, John W; McGilberry, Michael; Wyatt, Matthew M; Larrier, Deidre R; Friedman, Ellen M; Watcha, Mehernoor F

2010-08-01

The immediate postoperative period after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, one of the most common pediatric surgical procedures, is often difficult. These children frequently have severe pain but postoperative airway edema along with increased sensitivity to the respiratory-depressant effects of opioids may result in obstructive symptoms and hypoxemia. Opioid consumption may be reduced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, but these drugs may be associated with increased bleeding after this operation. Dexmedetomidine has mild analgesic properties, causes sedation without respiratory depression, and does not have an effect on coagulation. We designed a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled study to determine the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative recovery including pain, sedation, and hemodynamics in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. One hundred nine patients were randomized to receive a single intraoperative dose of dexmedetomidine 0.75 microg/kg, dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg, morphine 50 microg/kg, or morphine 100 microg/kg over 10 minutes after endotracheal intubation. There were no significant differences among the 4 groups in patient demographics, ASA physical status, postoperative opioid requirements, sedation scores, duration of oxygen supplementation in the postanesthetic care unit, and time to discharge readiness. The median time to first postoperative rescue analgesic was similar in patients receiving dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg and morphine 100 microg/kg, but significantly longer compared with patients receiving dexmedetomidine 0.75 microg/kg or morphine 50 microg/kg (P < 0.01). In addition, the number of patients requiring >1 rescue analgesic dose was significantly higher in the dexmedetomidine 0.75 microg/kg group compared with the dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg and morphine 100 microg/kg groups, but not the morphine 50 microg/kg group. Patients receiving dexmedetomidine had significantly slower heart rates in the first 30 minutes after surgery compared with those receiving morphine (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in sedation scores among the groups. The total postoperative rescue opioid requirements were similar in tonsillectomy patients receiving intraoperative dexmedetomidine or morphine. However, the use of dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg and morphine 100 microg/kg had the advantages of an increased time to first analgesic and a reduced need for additional rescue analgesia doses, without increasing discharge times.

Cardiovascular changes in unanesthetized and ketamine-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to 2. 8-GHz radiofrequency radiation

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

Jauchem, J.R.; Frei, M.R.

1991-01-01

Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2.8-GHz radiofrequency radiation, first while unanesthetized and then while anesthetized with ketamine (150 mg/kg.I.M.). Irradiation at a power density of 60 mW/cm2 (whole-body average specific absorption rate of approximately 14 W/kg) was conducted for sufficient duration to increase colonic temperature from 38.5 to 39.5 degrees C. The time required for the temperature increase was significantly longer in the anesthetized state. During irradiation, heart rate increased significantly both with and without anesthesia, while mean arterial blood pressure increased only when the rats were unanesthetized. The heart rate increase in the anesthetized state contrasts with a lackmore » of change in a previous study of Fischer rats. This difference between anesthetized Sprague-Dawley and Fischer rats should be considered when comparing cardiovascular data obtained from these two strains of rats.« less

Mechanical and chemical compaction in fine-grained shallow-water limestones.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shinn, E.A.; Robbin, D.M.

1983-01-01

Significant mechanical compaction resulted from pressures simulating less than 305 m of burial. Increasing loads to an equivalent of more than 3400 m did not significantly increase compaction or reduce sediment core length. Chemical compaction (pressure dissolution) was detected only in sediment cores compacted to pressures greater than 3400 m of burial. These short-term experiments suggest that chemical compaction would begin at much shallower depths given geologic time. Compaction experiments that caused chemical compaction lend support to the well-established hypothesis; that cement required to produce a low-porosity/low-permeability fine-grained limestone is derived internally. Dissolution, ion diffusion, and reprecipitation are considered the most likely processes for creating significant thicknesses of dense limestone in the geologic record. Continuation of chemical compaction after significant porosity reduction necessitates expulsion of connate fluids, possibly including hydrocarbons. -from Authors

Conversion from insulin glargine U-100 to insulin glargine U-300 or insulin degludec and the impact on dosage requirements.

PubMed

Pearson, Scott M; Trujillo, Jennifer M

2018-04-01

We wanted to determine whether basal insulin requirements change when patients transition from insulin glargine U-100 (Gla-100) to insulin glargine U-300 (Gla-300) or insulin degludec. This study involved subjects seen in the University of Colorado Health Endocrine Clinic who were transitioned from Gla-100 to either Gla-300 ( n = 95) or insulin degludec ( n = 39). The primary outcome was the difference between baseline Gla-100 dose and dose of Gla-300 or insulin degludec prescribed after first follow-up visit within 1-12 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in glycemic control and empiric dose conversion from Gla-100 to Gla-300 or insulin degludec on the day of transition. Wilcoxon rank sum tests evaluated changes in insulin doses, and paired t tests assessed changes in glycemic control using GraphPad statistical software. Median daily basal insulin dose increased for individuals transitioned from Gla-100 to Gla-300 from 30 [19-60 interquartile range (IQR)] units at baseline to 34.5 (19-70 IQR) units after follow up ( p = 0.01). For patients transitioned to insulin degludec, dose changes from baseline to follow up were not significantly different ( p = 0.56). At the time of transition, the prescribed dose of Gla-300 or insulin degludec did not significantly differ from the previous dose of Gla-100 ( p = 0.73 and 0.28, respectively), indicating that empiric dose adjustments were not routinely prescribed. Patients who transitioned from Gla-100 to Gla-300 had increased basal insulin requirements between visits, while basal insulin requirements for those transitioned from Gla-100 to insulin degludec were not significantly different.

Conversion from insulin glargine U-100 to insulin glargine U-300 or insulin degludec and the impact on dosage requirements

PubMed Central

Trujillo, Jennifer M.

2018-01-01

Background: We wanted to determine whether basal insulin requirements change when patients transition from insulin glargine U-100 (Gla-100) to insulin glargine U-300 (Gla-300) or insulin degludec. Methods: This study involved subjects seen in the University of Colorado Health Endocrine Clinic who were transitioned from Gla-100 to either Gla-300 (n = 95) or insulin degludec (n = 39). The primary outcome was the difference between baseline Gla-100 dose and dose of Gla-300 or insulin degludec prescribed after first follow-up visit within 1–12 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in glycemic control and empiric dose conversion from Gla-100 to Gla-300 or insulin degludec on the day of transition. Wilcoxon rank sum tests evaluated changes in insulin doses, and paired t tests assessed changes in glycemic control using GraphPad statistical software. Results: Median daily basal insulin dose increased for individuals transitioned from Gla-100 to Gla-300 from 30 [19–60 interquartile range (IQR)] units at baseline to 34.5 (19–70 IQR) units after follow up (p = 0.01). For patients transitioned to insulin degludec, dose changes from baseline to follow up were not significantly different (p = 0.56). At the time of transition, the prescribed dose of Gla-300 or insulin degludec did not significantly differ from the previous dose of Gla-100 (p = 0.73 and 0.28, respectively), indicating that empiric dose adjustments were not routinely prescribed. Conclusions: Patients who transitioned from Gla-100 to Gla-300 had increased basal insulin requirements between visits, while basal insulin requirements for those transitioned from Gla-100 to insulin degludec were not significantly different. PMID:29619208

Soil Solution Phosphorus Status and Mycorrhizal Dependency in Leucaena leucocephala.

PubMed

Habte, M; Manjunath, A

1987-04-01

A phosphorus sorption isotherm was used to establish concentrations of P in a soil solution ranging from 0.002 to 0.807 mug/ml. The influence of P concentration on the symbiotic interaction between the tropical tree legume Leucaena leucocephala and the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum was evaluated in pot experiments. The level of mycorrhizal infection in Leucaena roots increased as the concentration of P was raised from 0.002 to 0.153 mug/ml. Higher levels of P depressed mycorrhizal infection, but the level of infection never declined below 50%. Periodic monitoring of P contents of Leucaena subleaflets indicated that significant mycorrhizal activity was detected as early as 17 days after planting, with the activity peaking 12 to 16 days thereafter. The highest level of mycorrhizal activity was associated with a soil solution P level of 0.021 mug/ml. Even though the mycorrhizal inoculation effect diminished as the concentration of P in the soil solution was increased, mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased P uptake and dry-matter yield of Leucaena at all levels of soil solution P examined. The concentration of P required by nonmycorrhizal L. leucocephala for maximum yield was 27 to 38 times higher than that required by mycorrhizal L. leucocephala. The results illustrate the very high dependence of L. leucocephala on VAM fungi and the significance of optimizing soil solution phosphorus for enhancing the benefits of the VAM symbiosis.

Effect of a worktable position on head and shoulder posture and shoulder muscles in manual material handling.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Hee; Yoo, Won-Gyu

2015-06-05

According to a recent research, manual working with high levels of static contraction, repetitive loads, or extreme working postures involving the neck and shoulder muscles causes an increased risk of neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. We investigated the effects of the forwardly worktable position on head and shoulder angles and shoulder muscle activity in manual material handling tasks. The forward head and shoulder angles and the activity of upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and middle deltoid muscle activities of 15 workers were measured during performing of manual material handling in two tasks that required different forward head and shoulder angles. The second manual material task required a significantly increased forward head and shoulder angle. The upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscle activity in second manual material task was increased significantly compared with first manual material task. The middle deltoid muscle activity in second manual material task was not significantly different compared with first manual material task. Based on this result, the forward head and shoulder angles while performing manual work need to be considered in selection of the forward distance of a worktable form the body. The high level contractions of the neck and shoulder muscles correlated with neck and shoulder pain. Therefore, the forward distance of a worktable can be an important factor in preventing neck and shoulder pain in manual material handling workers.

The importance of declining insulin requirements during pregnancy in patients with pre-gestational gestational diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Ram, Maya; Feinmesser, Larissa; Shinar, Shiri; Maslovitz, Sharon

2017-08-01

In patients with pre-gestational and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), insulin requirements often increase during the third trimester of pregnancy in order to maintain proper glycemic control. However, a fraction of patients demonstrate a significant decrease in insulin requirements in late gestation. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of decreasing insulin requirements in patients with pre-gestational diabetes and GDM with respect to fetal wellbeing and pregnancy outcome. We performed a retrospective cohort study in a single referral center for gestational diabetes between 1/2010 and 12/2014. Healthy pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes and GDMA2 and a decrease of at least 30% in insulin requirements over a period of two weeks during the third trimester (group A) were compared to women with stable or increasing insulin requirements (group B). The primary outcome was a composite of situations associated with feto-placental dysfunction (fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios and cesarean section due to category 2-3 monitor). Secondary outcomes were maternal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results 6 weeks postpartum, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates, Apgar scores ≤7 at 5min, arterial blood pH≤7.1, macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycemia and a composite adverse neonatal outcomes (defined as one or more of the following: respiratory morbidity, cerebral morbidity, phototherapy, need for blood transfusion, necrotizing enterocolitis or death). Group A consisted of 101 women and group B - of 203 women. There were no differences between the groups in demographic characteristics or diagnostic characteristics of diabetes. The frequency of conditions related to feto-placental dysfunction did not differ between the groups (7.9% vs. 8.4%, p=0.61). Secondary outcome measures also did not differ between the groups, regardless of insulin requirements. Decreasing insulin requirements during the third trimester are not associated with adverse perinatal outcome related to placental dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inferring Biological Structures from Super-Resolution Single Molecule Images Using Generative Models

PubMed Central

Maji, Suvrajit; Bruchez, Marcel P.

2012-01-01

Localization-based super resolution imaging is presently limited by sampling requirements for dynamic measurements of biological structures. Generating an image requires serial acquisition of individual molecular positions at sufficient density to define a biological structure, increasing the acquisition time. Efficient analysis of biological structures from sparse localization data could substantially improve the dynamic imaging capabilities of these methods. Using a feature extraction technique called the Hough Transform simple biological structures are identified from both simulated and real localization data. We demonstrate that these generative models can efficiently infer biological structures in the data from far fewer localizations than are required for complete spatial sampling. Analysis at partial data densities revealed efficient recovery of clathrin vesicle size distributions and microtubule orientation angles with as little as 10% of the localization data. This approach significantly increases the temporal resolution for dynamic imaging and provides quantitatively useful biological information. PMID:22629348

A public health initiative to increase annual influenza immunization among hospital health care personnel: the San Diego Hospital Influenza Immunization Partnership.

PubMed

Sawyer, Mark H; Peddecord, K Michael; Wang, Wendy; Deguire, Michelle; Miskewitch-Dzulynsky, Michelle; Vuong, David D

2012-09-01

A public health department-supported intervention to increase influenza immunization among hospital-based health care practitioners (HCPs) in San Diego County took place between 2005 and 2008. The study included all major hospitals in the county, with a population of approximately 3.5 million. Information on hospital activities was collected from before, during and after initiative activities. Vaccination status and demographics were collected directly from HCP using hospital-based and random-dialed telephone surveys. Between 2006 and 2008, hospitals increased promotion activities and reported increases in vaccination rates. Based on the random-dialed surveys, HCP influenza vaccination coverage rates did not increase significantly. Vaccination rates were significantly higher in HCPs who reported that employers provided free vaccination and those who believed that their employers mandated influenza vaccination. This local public health initiative and concurrent state legislation were effective in increasing employer efforts to promote influenza vaccination; however, population-based surveys of HCPs did not show significant increases in influenza vaccination. Overall, this study suggests that public health leadership, intensive employer promotion activities, and state-required declinations alone were not sufficient to significantly increase HCP influenza vaccination. Policymakers and employers should consider mandates to achieve optimal influenza vaccination among HCPs. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

YAP-dependent Mechanotransduction is Required for Proliferation and Migration on Native-like Substrate Topography

PubMed Central

Mascharak, Shamik; Benitez, Patrick L.; Proctor, Amy C.; Madl, Christopher M.; Hu, Kenneth H.; Dewi, Ruby E.; Butte, Manish J.; Heilshorn, Sarah C.

2017-01-01

Native vascular extracellular matrices (vECM) consist of elastic fibers that impart varied topographical properties, yet most in vitro models designed to study the effects of topography on cell behavior are not representative of native architecture. Here, we engineer an electrospun elastin-like protein (ELP) system with independently tunable, vECM-mimetic topography and demonstrate that increasing topographical variation causes loss of endothelial cell-cell junction organization. This loss of VE-cadherin signaling and increased cytoskeletal contractility on more topographically varied ELP substrates in turn promote YAP activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in significantly increased endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Our findings identify YAP as a required signaling factor through which fibrous substrate topography influences cell behavior and highlights topography as a key design parameter for engineered biomaterials. PMID:27889666

Financial, nonfinancial and editors' conflicts of interest in high-impact biomedical journals.

PubMed

Bosch, Xavier; Pericas, Juan M; Hernández, Cristina; Doti, Pamela

2013-07-01

To assess financial, nonfinancial and editors' conflicts of interest (COI) disclosure policies among the most influential biomedical journals publishing original research. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 399 high-impact biomedical journals in 27 biomedical categories of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) in December 2011. Information relevant to COI and requirements for disclosures that was publicly available on journal websites was collected. While financial COI disclosures were required by 358 (89.7%) and nonfinancial by 280 (70.2%) journals, 155 (38.8%) required editors' disclosures. Journals in the first decile of the JCR classification scored significantly higher than those in the second decile for all disclosure policies. Ninety (22.6%) journals were published by Elsevier and 59 (14.8%) by Wiley-Blackwell, with Elsevier scoring significantly better in financial disclosure policies (P = 0.022). Clinical journals scored significantly higher than basic journals for all disclosure policies. No differences were observed between open-access (n = 25) and nonopen-access (n = 374) journals for any type of disclosure. Somewhat incoherently, authors' disclosure statements were included in some published manuscript in 57.1% of journals without any COI disclosure policies. Authors' financial COI disclosures were required by about 90% of high-impact clinical and basic journals publishing original research. Unlike recent studies showing a significantly lower prevalence of nonfinancial compared with financial disclosures, the former were required by about 70% of journals, suggesting that editors are increasingly concerned about nonfinancial competing interests. Only 40% of journals required disclosure of editors' COI, in conflict with the recommendations of the most influential editors' associations. © 2013 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk of thrombosis according to need of phlebotomies in patients with polycythemia vera treated with hydroxyurea

PubMed Central

Alvarez-Larrán, Alberto; Pérez-Encinas, Manuel; Ferrer-Marín, Francisca; Hernández-Boluda, Juan Carlos; Ramírez, María José; Martínez-López, Joaquín; Magro, Elena; Cruz, Yasmina; Mata, María Isabel; Aragües, Pilar; Fox, María Laura; Cuevas, Beatriz; Montesdeoca, Sara; Hernández-Rivas, José Angel; García-Gutiérrez, Valentín; Gómez-Casares, María Teresa; Steegmann, Juan Luis; Durán, María Antonia; Gómez, Montse; Kerguelen, Ana; Bárez, Abelardo; García, Mari Carmen; Boqué, Concepción; Raya, José María; Martínez, Clara; Albors, Manuel; García, Francesc; Burgaleta, Carmen; Besses, Carlos

2017-01-01

Hematocrit control below 45% is associated with a lower rate of thrombosis in polycythemia vera. In patients receiving hydroxyurea, this target can be achieved with hydroxyurea alone or with the combination of hydroxyurea plus phlebotomies. However, the clinical implications of phlebotomy requirement under hydroxyurea therapy are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for additional phlebotomies during the first five years of hydroxyurea therapy in 533 patients with polycythemia vera. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year (n=85, 16%) showed a worse hematocrit control than those requiring 2 or less phlebotomies per year (n=448, 84%). There were no significant differences between the two study groups regarding leukocyte and platelet counts. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year received significantly higher doses of hydroxyurea than the remaining patients. A significant higher rate of thrombosis was found in patients treated with hydroxyurea plus 3 or more phlebotomies per year compared to hydroxyurea with 0–2 phlebotomies per year (20.5% vs. 5.3% at 3 years; P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for thrombosis were phlebotomy dependency (HR: 3.3, 95%CI: 1.5–6.9; P=0.002) and thrombosis at diagnosis (HR: 4.7, 95%CI: 2.3–9.8; P<0.0001). The proportion of patients fulfilling the European LeukemiaNet criteria of resistance/intolerance to hydroxyurea was significantly higher in the group requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year (18.7% vs. 7.1%; P=0.001) mainly due to extrahematologic toxicity. In conclusion, phlebotomy requirement under hydroxyurea therapy identifies a subset of patients with increased proliferation of polycythemia vera and higher risk of thrombosis. PMID:27686377

Risk of thrombosis according to need of phlebotomies in patients with polycythemia vera treated with hydroxyurea.

PubMed

Alvarez-Larrán, Alberto; Pérez-Encinas, Manuel; Ferrer-Marín, Francisca; Hernández-Boluda, Juan Carlos; Ramírez, María José; Martínez-López, Joaquín; Magro, Elena; Cruz, Yasmina; Mata, María Isabel; Aragües, Pilar; Fox, María Laura; Cuevas, Beatriz; Montesdeoca, Sara; Hernández-Rivas, José Angel; García-Gutiérrez, Valentín; Gómez-Casares, María Teresa; Steegmann, Juan Luis; Durán, María Antonia; Gómez, Montse; Kerguelen, Ana; Bárez, Abelardo; García, Mari Carmen; Boqué, Concepción; Raya, José María; Martínez, Clara; Albors, Manuel; García, Francesc; Burgaleta, Carmen; Besses, Carlos

2017-01-01

Hematocrit control below 45% is associated with a lower rate of thrombosis in polycythemia vera. In patients receiving hydroxyurea, this target can be achieved with hydroxyurea alone or with the combination of hydroxyurea plus phlebotomies. However, the clinical implications of phlebotomy requirement under hydroxyurea therapy are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for additional phlebotomies during the first five years of hydroxyurea therapy in 533 patients with polycythemia vera. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year (n=85, 16%) showed a worse hematocrit control than those requiring 2 or less phlebotomies per year (n=448, 84%). There were no significant differences between the two study groups regarding leukocyte and platelet counts. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year received significantly higher doses of hydroxyurea than the remaining patients. A significant higher rate of thrombosis was found in patients treated with hydroxyurea plus 3 or more phlebotomies per year compared to hydroxyurea with 0-2 phlebotomies per year (20.5% vs. 5.3% at 3 years; P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for thrombosis were phlebotomy dependency (HR: 3.3, 95%CI: 1.5-6.9; P=0.002) and thrombosis at diagnosis (HR: 4.7, 95%CI: 2.3-9.8; P<0.0001). The proportion of patients fulfilling the European LeukemiaNet criteria of resistance/intolerance to hydroxyurea was significantly higher in the group requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year (18.7% vs. 7.1%; P=0.001) mainly due to extrahematologic toxicity. In conclusion, phlebotomy requirement under hydroxyurea therapy identifies a subset of patients with increased proliferation of polycythemia vera and higher risk of thrombosis. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Testing of the World Health Organization-recommended formulations for surgical hand preparation and proposals for increased efficacy.

PubMed

Suchomel, M; Kundi, M; Allegranzi, B; Pittet, D; Rotter, M L

2011-10-01

The 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on hand hygiene in health care recommend alcohol-based hand rubs for both hygienic and pre-surgical hand treatment. Two formulations based on ethanol 80% v/v and 2-propanol 75% v/v are proposed for local preparation in healthcare settings where commercial products are not available or too expensive. Both formulations and our suggested modifications (using mass rather than volume percent concentrations) were evaluated for their conformity with the efficacy requirements of the forthcoming amendment of the European Norm (EN) 12791, i.e. non-inferiority of a product when compared with a reference procedure (1-propanol 60% v/v for 3 min) immediately and 3 h after antisepsis. In this study, the WHO-recommended formulations were tested for 3 min and 5 min. Neither formulation met the efficacy requirements of EN 12791 with 3 min application. Increasing the respective concentrations to 80 w/w (85% v/v) and 75 w/w (80% v/v), together with a prolonged application of 5 min, rendered the immediate effect of both formulations non-inferior to the reference antisepsis procedure. This was not the case with the 3h effect, which remained significantly inferior to the reference. Although the original formulations do not meet the efficacy requirements of EN 12791, the clinical significance of this finding deserves further clinical trials. To comply with the requirement of EN 12791, an amendment to the formulations is possible by increasing the alcohol concentrations through changing volume into mass percent and prolonging the duration of application from 3 min to 5 min. Copyright © 2011 World Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of the Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Limited phosphorus availability is the Achilles heel of tropical reef corals in a warming ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezzat, Leïla; Maguer, Jean-François; Grover, Renaud; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine

2016-08-01

During the 20th century, seawater temperatures have significantly increased, leading to profound alterations in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem processes. Elevated temperatures have also caused massive bleaching (symbiont/pigment loss) of autotrophic symbioses, such as in coral-dinoflagellate association. As symbionts provide most nutrients to the host, their expulsion during bleaching induces host starvation. However, with the exception of carbon, the nutritional impact of bleaching on corals is still unknown, due to the poorly understood requirements in inorganic nutrients during stress. We therefore assessed the uptake rates of nitrogen and phosphate by five coral species maintained under normal and thermal stress conditions. Our results showed that nitrogen acquisition rates were significantly reduced during thermal stress, while phosphorus uptake rates were significantly increased in most species, suggesting a key role of this nutrient. Additional experiments showed that during thermal stress, phosphorus was required to maintain symbiont density and photosynthetic rates, as well as to enhance the translocation and retention of carbon within the host tissue. These findings shed new light on the interactions existing between corals and inorganic nutrients during thermal stress, and highlight the importance of phosphorus for symbiont health.

Limited phosphorus availability is the Achilles heel of tropical reef corals in a warming ocean.

PubMed

Ezzat, Leïla; Maguer, Jean-François; Grover, Renaud; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine

2016-08-17

During the 20(th) century, seawater temperatures have significantly increased, leading to profound alterations in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem processes. Elevated temperatures have also caused massive bleaching (symbiont/pigment loss) of autotrophic symbioses, such as in coral-dinoflagellate association. As symbionts provide most nutrients to the host, their expulsion during bleaching induces host starvation. However, with the exception of carbon, the nutritional impact of bleaching on corals is still unknown, due to the poorly understood requirements in inorganic nutrients during stress. We therefore assessed the uptake rates of nitrogen and phosphate by five coral species maintained under normal and thermal stress conditions. Our results showed that nitrogen acquisition rates were significantly reduced during thermal stress, while phosphorus uptake rates were significantly increased in most species, suggesting a key role of this nutrient. Additional experiments showed that during thermal stress, phosphorus was required to maintain symbiont density and photosynthetic rates, as well as to enhance the translocation and retention of carbon within the host tissue. These findings shed new light on the interactions existing between corals and inorganic nutrients during thermal stress, and highlight the importance of phosphorus for symbiont health.

Shuttle's 160 hour ground turnaround - A design driver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Widick, F.

1977-01-01

Turnaround analysis added a new dimension to the Space Program with the advent of the Space Shuttle. The requirement to turn the flight hardware around in 160 working hours from landing to launch was a significant design driver and a useful tool in forcing the integration of flight and ground systems design to permit an efficient ground operation. Although there was concern that time constraints might increase program costs, the result of the analysis was to minimize facility requirements and simplify operations with resultant cost savings.

High-rate lithium/manganese dioxide batteries; the double cell concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drews, Jürgen; Wolf, Rüdiger; Fehrmann, Gerd; Staub, Roland

An implantable defibrillator battery has to provide pulse-power capabilities as well as high energy density. Low self-discharge rates are mandatory and an ability to check the state of charge is required. To accomplish these requirements, a lithium/manganese dioxide battery with a modified active cathode mass has been developed. Usage of a double cell design increases significantly the battery performance within an implantable defibrillator. The design features of a high-rate, pulse-power, manganese dioxide double cell are described.

Improving efficiency of polystyrene concrete production with composite binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesovik, R. V.; Ageeva, M. S.; Lesovik, G. A.; Sopin, D. M.; Kazlitina, O. V.; Mitrokhina, A. A.

2018-03-01

According to leading marketing researchers, the construction market in Russia and CIS will continue growing at a rapid rate; this applies not only to a large-scale major construction, but to a construction of single-family houses and small-scale industrial facilities as well. Due to this, there are increased requirements for heat insulation of the building enclosures and a significant demand for efficient walling materials with high thermal performance. All these developments led to higher requirements imposed on the equipment that produces such materials.

Repeated seizures induce long-term increase in hippocampal benzodiazepine receptors.

PubMed Central

McNamara, J O; Peper, A M; Patrone, V

1980-01-01

Repeated seizures, whether induced by kindling or electroshock, caused a long-lasting (at least 24 hr) increase of [3H]diazepam binding in hippocampal membranes of Sprague-Dawley rats. Scatchard analyses demonstrated that increased numbers of binding sites accounted for the increase. Neither repeated hypoxia nor repeated administration of electrical current without inducing seizures caused an increase of [3H]diazepam binding. Regardless of the method used for seizure induction, the response was graded in that large numbers of seizures were required to induce significant increases, whereas fewer seizures induced only slight increases. We suggest that the receptor increases imply a heightened response to benzodiazepines and more powerful hippocampal recurrent inhibition. PMID:6930682

How run-of-river operation affects hydropower generation and value.

PubMed

Jager, Henriette I; Bevelhimer, Mark S

2007-12-01

Regulated rivers in the United States are required to support human water uses while preserving aquatic ecosystems. However, the effectiveness of hydropower license requirements nationwide has not been demonstrated. One requirement that has become more common is "run-of-river" (ROR) operation, which restores a natural flow regime. It is widely believed that ROR requirements (1) are mandated to protect aquatic biota, (2) decrease hydropower generation per unit flow, and (3) decrease energy revenue. We tested these three assumptions by reviewing hydropower projects with license-mandated changes from peaking to ROR operation. We found that ROR operation was often prescribed in states with strong water-quality certification requirements and migratory fish species. Although benefits to aquatic resources were frequently cited, changes were often motivated by other considerations. After controlling for climate, the overall change in annual generation efficiency across projects because of the change in operation was not significant. However, significant decreases were detected at one quarter of individual hydropower projects. As expected, we observed a decrease in flow during peak demand at 7 of 10 projects. At the remaining projects, diurnal fluctuations actually increased because of operation of upstream storage projects. The economic implications of these results, including both producer costs and ecologic benefits, are discussed. We conclude that regional-scale studies of hydropower regulation, such as this one, are long overdue. Public dissemination of flow data, license provisions, and monitoring data by way of on-line access would facilitate regional policy analysis while increasing regulatory transparency and providing feedback to decision makers.

Effects of preoperative aspirin and clopidogrel therapy on perioperative blood loss and blood transfusion requirements in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

PubMed

Shim, Jae Kwang; Choi, Yong Seon; Oh, Young Jun; Bang, Sou Ouk; Yoo, Kyung Jong; Kwak, Young Lan

2007-07-01

Preoperative exposure to clopidogrel and aspirin significantly increases postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Off-pump coronary bypass grafting has been proposed as an alternative technique to attenuate postoperative bleeding associated with clopidogrel. This study aimed to determine the effects of aspirin and clopidogrel therapy on perioperative blood loss and blood transfusion requirements in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. One hundred six patients scheduled for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were divided into three groups: aspirin and clopidogrel discontinued more than 6 days before surgery (group 1, n = 35), aspirin and clopidogrel continued until 3 to 5 days before surgery (group 2, n = 51), and both medications continued within 2 days of surgery (group 3, n = 20). Thromboelastographic tracings were analyzed before induction of anesthesia. Routine coagulation profiles were measured before and after surgery. A cell salvage device was used during surgery and salvaged blood was reinfused. Chest tube drainage and blood transfusion requirement were recorded postoperatively. Patient characteristics, operative data, and thromboelastographic tracings were similar among the groups. There were significant decreases in hematocrit level and platelet count and prolongation in prothrombin time postoperatively in all groups without any intergroup differences. The amounts of perioperative blood loss and blood transfusion required were all similar among the groups. Preoperative clopidogrel and aspirin exposure even within 2 days of surgery does not increase perioperative blood loss and blood transfusion requirements in patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

[Daily living activities and oral condition among care facility residents with severe intellectual disabilities. Comparative analyses between residents receiving tooth-brushing assistance and those not receiving tooth-brushing assistance].

PubMed

Chiwata, Kaoru; Takeda, Fumi

2007-06-01

To clarify 1) differences in daily living activities and oral condition among care facility residents with severe intellectual disabilities and 2) chronological changes in daily living activities and oral condition for residents receiving tooth-brushing assistance and those never receiving tooth-brushing assistance. Subjects were 44 residents at a care facility for individuals with severe intellectual disabilities, who underwent dental screening in July 1994 and October 2003. At each time point, daily living activities, behavior during oral health guidance, behavior during dental health screening and oral condition were compared between residents receiving tooth-brushing assistance (assistance group) and those not receiving tooth-brushing assistance (independent group). Furthermore, chronological changes were analyzed for residents requiring assistance at both screenings, those requiring assistance only at the second screening, and those not requiring assistance at either screening. 1) In the assistance group, 100% and 36.4% of residents were unable to brush their teeth independently in 1994 and 2003, respectively. Significant differences between the assistance and independent groups were observed in all items of behavior during dental health screening in 1994, but not in 2003. No significant intergroup differences in oral condition were observed in 1994, but differences were seen in 2003; when compared to the assistance group, the number of lost teeth was significantly higher in the independent group, while the number of remaining teeth was lower. 2) Regarding changes over the nine-year period, a significantly greater proportion of residents not requiring assistance at either screening and those requiring assistance only at the second screening finally required assistance in bathing. As for oral condition, no significant changes in healthy teeth were observed in residents requiring assistance at both screening time points, while significant increases in dental caries and filled teeth and a significant decrease in the number of healthy teeth were observed in residents requiring assistance only at the second screening and those not requiring assistance at either screening. Over the nine-year period, the subjects of tooth-brushing assistance changed, and assistance was given to those able to brush their teeth independently in addition to those unable to brush their teeth independently. The number of healthy teeth did not change in residents receiving tooth-brushing assistance during this period, but in residents never receiving tooth-brushing assistance, decrease was noted. Therefore, even for individuals able to brush their teeth independently, some form of tooth-brushing assistance is needed to sufficiently prevent oral diseases.

STAMP2 increases oxidative stress and is critical for prostate cancer

PubMed Central

Jin, Yang; Wang, Ling; Qu, Su; Sheng, Xia; Kristian, Alexandr; Mælandsmo, Gunhild M; Pällmann, Nora; Yuca, Erkan; Tekedereli, Ibrahim; Gorgulu, Kivanc; Alpay, Neslihan; Sood, Anil; Lopez-Berestein, Gabriel; Fazli, Ladan; Rennie, Paul; Risberg, Bjørn; Wæhre, Håkon; Danielsen, Håvard E; Ozpolat, Bulent; Saatcioglu, Fahri

2015-01-01

The six transmembrane protein of prostate 2 (STAMP2) is an androgen-regulated gene whose mRNA expression is increased in prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we show that STAMP2 protein expression is increased in human PCa compared with benign prostate that is also correlated with tumor grade and treatment response. We also show that STAMP2 significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PCa cells through its iron reductase activity which also depleted NADPH levels. Knockdown of STAMP2 expression in PCa cells inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and anchorage-independent growth, and significantly increased apoptosis. Furthermore, STAMP2 effects were, at least in part, mediated by activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), whose expression is regulated by ROS. Consistent with in vitro findings, silencing STAMP2 significantly inhibited PCa xenograft growth in mice. Finally, therapeutic silencing of STAMP2 by systemically administered nanoliposomal siRNA profoundly inhibited tumor growth in two established preclinical PCa models in mice. These data suggest that STAMP2 is required for PCa progression and thus may serve as a novel therapeutic target. PMID:25680860

Fgf20b is required for the ectomesenchymal fate establishment of cranial neural crest cells in zebrafish

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

Yamauchi, Hajime; Goto, Mami; Katayama, Mika

2011-06-17

Highlights: {yields} The establishment of the ectomesenchymal lineage within the cranial neural crest is of great significance. {yields} Fgf20b knockdown zebrafish embryos showed dysplasticneurocranial and pharyngeal cartilages. {yields} Fgf20b is required for ectomesenchymal fate establishment via the activation of Fgfr1 in zebrafish. -- Abstract: In cranial skeletal development, the establishment of the ectomesenchymal lineage within the cranial neural crest is of great significance. Fgfs are polypeptide growth factors with diverse functions in development and metabolism. Fgf20b knockdown zebrafish embryos showed dysplastic neurocranial and pharyngeal cartilages. Ectomesenchymal cells from cranial neural crest cells were significantly decreased in Fgf20b knockdown embryos, butmore » cranial neural crest cells with a non-ectomesnchymal fate were increased. However, the proliferation and apoptosis of cranial neural crest cells were essentially unchanged. Fgfr1 knockdown embryos also showed dysplastic neurocranial and pharyngeal cartilages. The present findings indicate that Fgf20b is required for ectomesenchymal fate establishment via the activation of Fgfr1 in zebrafish.« less

The behaviours of nurses that increase student accountability for learning in clinical practice: An integrative review.

PubMed

Perry, Christina; Henderson, Amanda; Grealish, Laurie

2018-06-01

To identify nurses' behaviours that promote student accountability for learning in clinical practice. Health care services are experiencing significant strain in meeting clinical education requirements of increasing numbers of nursing students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs. Internationally, the transition to university based education for nurses has seen the emergence of issues for busy clinicians trying to manage increasing workloads with responsibility for student learning. An understanding of what types of supervisor behaviours promote student accountability for learning, may support clinicians to more effectively manage their dual roles of clinical care and student support. An integrative approach was adopted for this review. A search of the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Pubmed, Scopus and Embase was undertaken, limited to articles published between 2000 and March 2017. Whittemore and Knafls' (2005) framework for conducting integrative reviews was used to ensure a methodological and rigorous approach. Nine studies were considered. Behaviours emerged in relation to four themes including: belongingness associated with a genuine partnership; empowerment and increasing student self-efficacy; trust linked to increasing and staged independence; and balancing clinical and educational requirements. Behaviours of nurses significantly influence students' accountability for learning and accordingly, their ability to be adequately prepared for professional nursing practice. Understanding behaviours that impact on students' approach to clinical placement can guide nurses in their approach to facilitating student learning, in particular, behaviours that increase student responsibility and independence over the continuum of clinical education. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enabling fast charging – Vehicle considerations

DOE PAGES

Meintz, Andrew; Zhang, Jiucai; Vijayagopal, Ram; ...

2017-11-01

To achieve a successful increase in the plug-in battery electric vehicle (BEV) market it is anticipated that a significant improvement in battery performance is required to improve the range that BEVs can travel. While the range that BEVs can travel on a single recharge is improving, the rate at which these vehicles can be recharged is still much slower than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. To achieve comparable recharge times we explore the vehicle considerations of charge rates up to 350 kW. This faster recharge is expected to significantly mitigate the perceived deficiencies for long-distance transportation, to provide alternative chargingmore » in densely populated areas where overnight charging at home may not be possible, and to reduce range anxiety for travel within a city when unplanned charging maybe required. This substantial increase in the charging rate is expected to create technical issues in the design of the battery system and the vehicle electrical architecture that must be resolved. This work will focus on the battery system thermal design and total recharge time to meet the goals of implementing higher charge rates as well as the impacts of the expected increase in system voltage on the components of the vehicle.« less

Enabling fast charging – Vehicle considerations

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

Meintz, Andrew; Zhang, Jiucai; Vijayagopal, Ram

To achieve a successful increase in the plug-in battery electric vehicle (BEV) market it is anticipated that a significant improvement in battery performance is required to improve the range that BEVs can travel. While the range that BEVs can travel on a single recharge is improving, the rate at which these vehicles can be recharged is still much slower than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. To achieve comparable recharge times we explore the vehicle considerations of charge rates up to 350 kW. This faster recharge is expected to significantly mitigate the perceived deficiencies for long-distance transportation, to provide alternative chargingmore » in densely populated areas where overnight charging at home may not be possible, and to reduce range anxiety for travel within a city when unplanned charging maybe required. This substantial increase in the charging rate is expected to create technical issues in the design of the battery system and the vehicle electrical architecture that must be resolved. This work will focus on the battery system thermal design and total recharge time to meet the goals of implementing higher charge rates as well as the impacts of the expected increase in system voltage on the components of the vehicle.« less

Power exhaust scenarios and control for projected high-power NSTX-U operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menard, Jonathan; Gerhardt, S. P.; Myers, C. E.; Reinke, M. L.; Brooks, A.; Mardenfeld, M.; NSTX Upgrade Team

2017-10-01

An important goal of the NSTX Upgrade (NSTX-U) research program is to characterize energy confinement in the low-aspect-ratio spherical tokamak configuration over a significantly expanded range of plasma current, toroidal field, and heating power, while increasing flattop durations up to 5 seconds. However, the narrowing of the scrape-off layer at higher current combined with an improved understanding of expected halo-current loads has motivated a significant re-design of NSTX-U plasma facing components in the high-heat-flux regions of the divertor. In order to reduce the expected divertor heat flux to acceptable levels, a combination of mitigation techniques will be used: increased divertor poloidal flux expansion, increased divertor radiation, and controlled strike-point sweeping. The machine requirements for these various mitigation techniques are studied here using a newly implemented reduced heat-flux model. Systematic equilibrium scans are used to quantify the required divertor coil currents and to verify vertical stability for a range of plasma shapes. Free-boundary control schemes to constrain the strike-point location and field-line angle-of-incidence will also be discussed. Work supported by DOE contract DE-AC02- 09CH11466.

Development of high capacity, high rate lithium ion batteries utilizing metal fiber conductive additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Soonho; Kim, Youngduk; Kim, Kyung Joon; Kim, Tae Hyung; Lee, Hyungkeun; Kim, Myung H.

As lithium ion cells dominate the battery market, the performance improvement is an utmost concern among developers and researchers. Conductive additives are routinely employed to enhance electrode conductivity and capacity. Carbon particulates—graphite or carbon black powders—are conventional and popular choices as conductive fillers. However, percolation requirements of particles demand significant volumetric content of impalpable, and thereby high area conductive fillers. As might be expected, the electrode active surface area escalates unnecessarily, resulting in overall increase in reaction with electrolytes and organic solvents. The increased reactions usually manifest as an irreversible loss of anode capacity, gradual oxidation and consumption of electrolyte on the cathode—which causes capacity decline during cycling—and an increased threat to battery safety by gas evolution and exothermic solvent oxidation. In this work we have utilized high aspect ratio, flexible, micronic metal fibers as low active area and high conductivity additives. The metal fibers appear well dispersed within the electrode and to satisfy percolation requirements very efficiently at very low volumetric content compared to conventional carbon-based conductive additives. Results from 18650-type cells indicate significant enhancements in electrode capacity and high rate capability while the irreversible capacity loss is negligible.

Lipid profile and thyroid hormone concentrations in children with epilepsy treated with oxcarbazepine monotherapy: a prospective long-term study.

PubMed

Garoufi, A; Koemtzidou, E; Katsarou, E; Dinopoulos, A; Kalimeraki, I; Fotinou, A; Drakatos, A; Attilakos, A

2014-01-01

To evaluate prospectively the changes and possible associations in lipid and thyroid profiles in children treated with oxcarbazepine (OXC) monotherapy. Serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TGs), lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin (TSH) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) concentrations were measured in 23 children with epilepsy, before and at 8 and 18 months of OXC monotherapy. Total cholesterol was significantly increased at 8 months (P = 0.033), whereas LDL-C was significantly increased at 8 and 18 months (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively) of treatment. Lp(a) was significantly increased at 8 months (P = 0.042) and borderline significantly increased at 18 months (P = 0.050) of treatment. FT4 was significantly decreased at 8 and 18 months (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively), and TSH levels were significantly increased at 8 and 18 months (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively) of OXC monotherapy. GGT levels were significantly increased at 8 and 18 months (P < 0.001) of treatment. There were no significant alterations in HDL-C, TGs and FT3 levels during the study. Significant positive correlations were found between GGT and LDL-C levels at 8 (r = 0.468, P = 0.024) and 18 months (r = 0.498, P = 0.016), and between TSH and TC at 18 months (r = 0.508, P = 0.013) of treatment. OXC monotherapy may cause significant and persistent alterations in lipid and thyroid profiles in children with epilepsy. The increase in LDL-C and TC levels may be associated with liver enzymes induction and thyroid dysfunction. Further long-term prospective studies are required to confirm these findings and to determine their clinical significance. © 2013 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2013 EFNS.

40 CFR 86.1803-01 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... which are designed primarily for emission control, or whose failure may result in a significant increase... waiver of emission data submission requirements under § 86.1829-01. Element of design means any control... a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine. Emission control system is a unique group of emission...

40 CFR 1068.120 - What requirements must I follow to rebuild engines?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS GENERAL COMPLIANCE PROVISIONS FOR ENGINE PROGRAMS Prohibited Actions and... rebuilding an engine's turbocharger or aftercooler or the engine's systems for fuel metering or electronic control so that it significantly increases the service life of the engine. For these provisions...

Report of CEC Study Committee on Construction Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consulting Engineers Council of the U.S., Washington, DC.

Changing times place new demands on those involved in the implementation of construction projects. Within a relatively few years, the size and complexity of projects has grown substantially. Environmental and other public and social considerations are increasingly significant. With growing complexity, the requirements for effective project…

Enhancing Scientific Literacy by Targeting Specific Scientific Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Sylvia; MacDonald, Shane; Martin, Ela

2017-01-01

The term scientific literacy is increasingly used by governments and teaching bodies, stemming from a growing international concern by scientists and government, who recognize the economic significance of developing scientific skills (McGregor & Kearton, 2010). However, in a society that requires students to be scientifically literate,…

Thermo-hydraulics of the Peruvian accretionary complex at 12°S

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kukowski, Nina; Pecher, Ingo

1999-01-01

The models were constrained by the thermal gradient obtained from the depth of bottomsimulating reflectors (BSRs) at the lower slope and some conventional measurements. We foundthat significant frictional heating is required to explain the observed strong landward increase ofheat flux. This is consistent with results from sandbox modelling which predict strong basalfriction at this margin. A significantly higher heat source is needed to match the observed thermalgradient in the southern line.

Some quality attributes of low fat ice cream substituted with hulless barley flour and barley ß-glucan.

PubMed

Abdel-Haleem, Amal M H; Awad, R A

2015-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate some quality attributes of low fat ice cream (LFIC) substituted with hulless barley flour (HBF) and barley ß-glucan (BBG). The methodology included in this paper is based on adding HBF (1, 2, 3 and 4 %) as a partial substitution of skim milk powder (SMP) and BBG (0.40 %) as a complete substitution of carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC). All mixes and resultant ice cream samples were evaluated for their physicochemical properties as well as the sensory quality attributes.The results indicated that substitution of SMP with HBF significantly increased total solids (TS), fat and crude fiber, while crude protein and ash significantly decreased in ice cream mixes. BBG exhibited the same manner of control. Specific gravity was gradually increased with adding HBFand BBG in the mixes and therefore the overrun percent was significantly changed in the resultant ice cream. Adding HBF in ice cream formula led to significant decrease in acidity with higher freezing point and the product showed higher ability to meltdown. BBG treatment showed the same trend of control. Values of flow time and viscosity significantly increased with increasing HBF in the ice cream mixes, but these values significantly decreased in BBG mix. The time required to freeze ice cream mixes was decreased with increasing the ratio of HBF but, increased in BBG treatment. The substitution of SMP with 1 and 2 % HBF significantly (P ≤ 0.05) enhanced sensory attributes of ice cream samples. While, BBG treatment achieved mild score and acceptability.

The number of 131I therapy courses needed to achieve complete remission is an indicator of prognosis in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Thies, Elena-Daphne; Tanase, Karina; Maeder, Uwe; Luster, Markus; Buck, Andreas K; Hänscheid, Heribert; Reiners, Christoph; Verburg, Frederik A

2014-12-01

To assess the risk of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) recurrence, DTC-related mortality and life expectancy in relation to the number of courses of (131)I therapy (RIT) and cumulative (131)I activities required to achieve complete remission (CR). The study was a database review of 1,229 patients with DTC, 333 without and 896 with CR (negative TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin and negative (131)I diagnostic whole-body scintigraphy) after one or more courses of RIT. The median follow-up was 9.0 years (range 0.1 - 31.8 years) after CR. Recurrence rates at 5 years, 10 years and the end of follow-up were 1.0 ± 0.3%, 4.0 ± 0.7 % and 6.2 ± 1.1 %, and DTC-related mortality was 0.1 ± 0.1%, 0.5 ± 0.3% and 3.4 ± 1.1%, respectively. Recurrence rates also increased with an increasing number of RIT courses required (p = 0.001). DTC-related mortality increased from four RIT courses. In patients with CR after one RIT course, there were no differences in recurrence or DTC-related mortality rates between low-risk and high-risk patients. In patients requiring two RIT courses these rates remain elevated in high-risk patients. Recurrence and DTC-related mortality rates were only significantly elevated in those requiring a cumulative activity over 22.2 GBq (600 mCi) from multiple RIT courses for CR. Regardless of the number of RIT courses or activity needed, life expectancy was not significantly lowered. If more than one RIT course is needed to achieve CR, higher recurrence and DTC-related mortality rates are observed, especially in high-risk patients. Patients requiring >22.2 GBq (131)I for CR should be followed in the same way as patients in whom CR is never reached as long-term mortality rates are similar.

Space Weather affects on Air Transportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, J. B. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Dyer, C.; Shaw, A.

In Europe, legislation requires the airline industry to monitor the occupational exposure of aircrew to cosmic radiation. However, there are other significant impacts of space weather phenomena on the technological systems used for day-to-day operations which need to be considered by the airlines. These were highlighted by the disruption caused to the industry by the period of significant solar activity in late October and early November 2003. Next generation aircraft will utilize increasingly complex avionics as well as expanding the performance envelopes. These and future generation platforms will require the development of a new air-space management infrastructure with improved position accuracy (for route navigation and landing in bad weather) and reduced separation minima in order to cope with the expected growth in air travel. Similarly, greater reliance will be placed upon satellites for command, control, communication and information (C3I) of the operation. However, to maximize effectiveness of this globally interoperable C3I and ensure seamless fusion of all components for a safe operation will require a greater understanding of the space weather affects, their risks with increasing technology, and the inclusion of space weather information into the operation. This paper will review space weather effects on air transport and the increasing risks for future operations cause by them. We will examine how well the effects can be predicted, some of the tools that can be used and the practicalities of using such predictions in an operational scenario. Initial results from the SOARS ESA Space Weather Pilot Project will also be discussed,

Capillary arterialization requires the bone-marrow-derived cell (BMC)-specific expression of chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-2, but BMCs do not transdifferentiate into microvascular smooth muscle.

PubMed

Nickerson, Meghan M; Burke, Caitlin W; Meisner, Joshua K; Shuptrine, Casey W; Song, Ji; Price, Richard J

2009-01-01

Chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-2 (CCR2) regulates arteriogenesis and angiogenesis, facilitating the MCP-1-dependent recruitment of growth factor-secreting bone marrow-derived cells (BMCs). Here, we tested the hypothesis that the BMC-specific expression of CCR2 is also required for new arteriole formation via capillary arterialization. Following non-ischemic saphenous artery occlusion, we measured the following in gracilis muscles: monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6J mice by ELISA, and capillary arterialization in WT-WT and CCR2(-/-)-WT (donor-host) bone marrow chimeric mice, as well as BMC transdifferentiation in EGFP(+)-WT mice, by smooth muscle (SM) alpha-actin immunochemistry. MCP-1 levels were significantly elevated 1 day after occlusion in WT mice. In WT-WT mice at day 7, compared to sham controls, arterial occlusion induced a 34% increase in arteriole length density, a 46% increase in SM alpha-actin(+) vessels, and a 45% increase in the fraction of vessels coated with SM alpha-actin, indicating significant capillary arterialization. However, in CCR2(-/-)-WT mice, no differences were observed between arterial occlusion and sham surgery. In EGFP(+)-WT mice, EGFP and SM alpha-actin never colocalized. We conclude that BMC-specific CCR2 expression is required for skeletal muscle capillary arterialization following arterial occlusion; however, BMCs do not transdifferentiate into smooth muscle.

Dynamic behavior of particles in spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perrine, B. S.

1981-01-01

The behavior of particles relative to a spacecraft frame of reference was examined. Significant spatial excursions of particles in space can occur relative to the spacecraft frame of reference as a result of drag deceleration of the vehicle. These vehicle excursions tend to be large as time increases. Thus, if the particle is required to remain in a specified volume, constraints may be required. Thus, for example, in levitation experiments it may be extremely difficult to turn off the forces of constraint which keep the particles in a specified region. This means experiments which are sensitive to disturbances may be very difficult to perform if perturbation forces are required to be absent.

Thin film resonator technology.

PubMed

Lakin, Kenneth M

2005-05-01

Advances in wireless systems have placed increased demands on high performance frequency control devices for operation into the microwave range. With spectrum crowding, high bandwidth requirements, miniaturization, and low cost requirements as a background, the thin film resonator technology has evolved into the mainstream of applications. This technology has been under development for over 40 years in one form or another, but it required significant advances in integrated circuit processing to reach microwave frequencies and practical manufacturing for high-volume applications. This paper will survey the development of the thin film resonator technology and describe the core elements that give rise to resonators and filters for today's high performance wireless applications.

Advanced On-Board Processor (AOP). [for future spacecraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Advanced On-board Processor the (AOP) uses large scale integration throughout and is the most advanced space qualified computer of its class in existence today. It was designed to satisfy most spacecraft requirements which are anticipated over the next several years. The AOP design utilizes custom metallized multigate arrays (CMMA) which have been designed specifically for this computer. This approach provides the most efficient use of circuits, reduces volume, weight, assembly costs and provides for a significant increase in reliability by the significant reduction in conventional circuit interconnections. The required 69 CMMA packages are assembled on a single multilayer printed circuit board which together with associated connectors constitutes the complete AOP. This approach also reduces conventional interconnections thus further reducing weight, volume and assembly costs.

Performance benefits from pulsed laser heating in heat assisted magnetic recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, B. X.; Cen, Z. H.; Goh, J. H.; Li, J. M.; Toh, Y. T.; Zhang, J.; Ye, K. D.; Quan, C. G.

2014-05-01

Smaller cross track thermal spot size and larger down track thermal gradient are desired for increasing the density of heat assisted magnetic recording. Both parameters are affected significantly by the thermal energy accumulation and diffusion in the recording media. Pulsed laser heating is one of the ways to reduce the thermal diffusion. In this paper, we describe the benefits from the pulsed laser heating such as the dependences of the cross track thermal width, down track thermal gradient, the required laser pulse/average powers, and the transducer temperature rise on the laser pulse width at different media thermal properties. The results indicate that as the pulse width decreases, the thermal width decreases, the thermal gradient increases, the required pulse power increases and the average power decreases. For shorter pulse heating, the effects of the medium thermal properties on the thermal performances become weaker. This can greatly relax the required thermal properties of the media. The results also show that the pulsed laser heating can effectively reduce the transducer temperature rise and allow the transducer to reach its "dynamically" stable temperature more quickly.

Dietary magnesium reduction to 25% of nutrient requirement disrupts bone and mineral metabolism in the rat.

PubMed

Rude, Robert K; Gruber, Helen E; Norton, H James; Wei, Livia Y; Frausto, Angelica; Kilburn, Jeremy

2005-08-01

Low dietary magnesium (Mg) may be a risk factor for osteoporosis. In animals, severe Mg deficiency (0.04% of nutrient requirement [NR]) results in bone loss. We have also found that a more moderate dietary Mg restriction (10% of NR) also resulted in loss of bone. We now report the effect of Mg intake of 25% NR on bone and mineral metabolism in the rat. Serum Mg, Ca, PTH, 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and pyridinoline were measured at 2, 4, and 6 months in control and Mg-deficient animals. Femurs and tibias were collected for mineral content, micro-computerized tomography, histomorphometry, and immunocytochemical localization. Profound Mg deficiency developed as assessed by marked hypomagnesemia and 27% reduction in bone Mg content. Serum calcium was not significantly different between groups. Mg depletion resulted in a significantly lower serum PTH concentrations. Serum 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D was also significantly lower. No difference was noted in markers of bone turnover. Histomorphometry and micro-computerized tomography demonstrated decreased bone volume and trabecular thickness. No difference was observed for osteoclast or osteoblast number. Inflammatory cytokines may contribute to bone loss. We found that immunocytochemical localization of TNFalpha in osteoclasts was increased 138-150%. This increase in TNFalpha may be due to increased substance P as it was found to be elevated from 179% to 432%. These data demonstrate that Mg intake of 25% NR in the rat causes lower bone mass which may be related to increased release of substance P and TNFalpha.

Alternative aircraft fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longwell, J. P.; Grobman, J. S.

1977-01-01

The efficient utilization of fossil fuels by future jet aircraft may necessitate the broadening of current aviation turbine fuel specifications. The most significant changes in specifications would be an increased aromatics content and a higher final boiling point in order to minimize refinery energy consumption and costs. These changes would increase the freezing point and might lower the thermal stability of the fuel, and could cause increased pollutant emissions, increased combustor liner temperatures, and poorer ignition characteristics. The effects that broadened specification fuels may have on present-day jet aircraft and engine components and the technology required to use fuels with broadened specifications are discussed.

Effect of Pregnancy Upon Facial Anthropometrics and Respirator Fit Testing.

PubMed

Roberge, Raymond J; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Palmiero, Andrew; Powell, Jeffrey B

2015-01-01

Workers required to wear respirators must undergo additional respirator fit testing if a significant change in body weight occurs. Approximately 10% of working women of reproductive age will be pregnant and experience a significant change in weight, yet the effect of pregnancy-associated weight gain on respirator fit is unknown. Cephalo-facial anthropometric measurements and quantitative fit testing of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 FFR) of 15 pregnant women and 15 matched, non-pregnant women were undertaken for comparisons between the groups. There were no significant differences between pregnant and non-pregnant women with respect to cephalo-facial anthropometric measurements or N95 FFR quantitative fit tests. Healthy pregnant workers, who adhere to the recommended weight gain limits of pregnancy, are unlikely to experience an increase in cephalo-facial dimensions that would mandate additional N95 FFR fit testing above that which is normally required on an annual basis.

Absence of significant dissent should be sufficient for deceased donor organ procurement in New Zealand.

PubMed

Douglas, Thomas M; Douglas, Nicholas M

2009-10-01

New Zealand's organ donation rates are among the lowest in the OECD. In a bid to increase organ availability, the New Zealand Human Tissue Act 2008 introduces new consent arrangements for deceased donor organ procurement. This article assesses these new arrangements and presents the case for further reform. Our assessment and arguments are based on philosophical analysis informed by empirical data on the effectiveness of alternative consent systems. We: 1) Identify widely held ethical judgments about policies and practices relevant to organ donation (e.g. those relating to coronial post-mortems), 2) Assess the implications of these judgments for the Human Tissue Act and the assumptions that underpin it, and 3) Derive policy recommendations that are consistent with the judgments. The Human Tissue Act 2008 retains a strong consent requirement for organ procurement: organs may not be transplanted unless either the deceased or the family consents. We argue that organ availability could and should be increased by shifting from a model that requires consent to one that requires the absence of significant dissent. We recommend that New Zealand adopt either 1) an organ donation system similar to the existing system for ordering coronial post-mortems, or 2) a variant of the 'opt-out' system already in place in several other countries.

Miniature fuel cells relieve gas pressure in sealed batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H. A.

1971-01-01

Miniature fuel cells within sealed silver zinc batteries consume evolved hydrogen and oxygen rapidly, preventing pressure rupturing. They do not significantly increase battery weight and they operate in all battery life phases. Complete gas pressure control requires two fuel cells during all phases of operation of silver zinc batteries.

A Promising Approach to Addressing America's Biggest Challenges. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul; Seldon, Willa

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges--a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy--that require powerful solutions. In a climate of increasingly constrained resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant,…

Projecting population change in the interior Columbia River Basin.

Treesearch

Stephen F. McCool; Richard W. Haynes

1996-01-01

Management of ecosystems requires projecting the human population for a biologically significant timeframe, because the impacts of potential alternative ecosystem management strategies will differ depending on the size, location, and expectations of the human population. Increases since 1990 in the net migration rates are changing the expectations for projections of...

Skin Temperature Feedback Increases Thermoregulatory Efficiency and Decreases Required Microclimate Cooling Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

and ratings of thermal comfort (TC) were measured at regular intervals. 3.0 RESULTS In study one, all IR1-4 paradigms significantly reduced... Thermal comfort and sensation in men wearing a cooling system controlled by skin temperatrure. Human Factors 49: 1033-1044, 2007. [7] Xu X

Conflict, Militarization, and Their After-Effects: Key Challenges for TESOL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Cynthia D.; Appleby, Roslyn

2015-01-01

Skyrocketing military spending, ongoing military conflicts, and human displacement worldwide have significant consequences for the teaching and learning of English. TESOL increasingly requires a robust research base that can provide informed, critical guidance in preparing English language teachers for work in and near conflict zones, for teaching…

Generic Competency Frameworks: A Brief Historical Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jolee; Chapman, Elaine

2010-01-01

Significant efforts have now been made to identify the generic competencies required to succeed across different workplace contexts. The aims of this paper were to: (i) outline factors that contributed to the increased demand for generic competencies seen over the last three decades; and (ii) review the early generic competency frameworks…

Laboratory Safety in the Biology Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritch, Donna; Rank, Jane

2001-01-01

Reports on a research project to determine if students possess and comprehend basic safety knowledge. Shows a significant increase in the amount of safety knowledge gained when students are exposed to various topics in laboratory safety and are held accountable for learning the information as required in a laboratory safety course. (Author/MM)

10 CFR 1303.111 - Requirements for waiver or reduction of fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the activities of the government; and (2... understanding of government activities? Do records contain information on activities “likely to contribute” to an increased public understanding? If the information or similar information is already in the public...

Improved recovery of ammonia from swine manure using gas-permeable membrane technology and aeration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Significant efforts are required to abate ammonia emissions from livestock operations. In addition, the costs of fertilizers have rapidly increased in recent years, especially nitrogen fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia which is made from natural gas. Thus, new technologies for abatement of ammoni...

The BGR Contingency Model for Leading Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Derek R.; Gordon, Raymond; Rose, Dennis Michael

2012-01-01

The continuing failure rates of change initiatives, combined with an increasingly complex business environment, have created significant challenges for the practice of change management. High failure rates suggest that existing change models are not working, or are being incorrectly used. A different mindset to change is required. The BGR…

Evaluating Infrastructure Development in Complex Home Visiting Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargreaves, Margaret; Cole, Russell; Coffee-Borden, Brandon; Paulsell, Diane; Boller, Kimberly

2013-01-01

In recent years, increased focus on the effectiveness and accountability of prevention and intervention programs has led to greater government funding for the implementation and spread of evidence-based health and human service delivery models. In particular, attention has been paid to programs that require significant infrastructure investment…

Will the U.S. Army Have a Tank in 2020?

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-15

However, new high efficiency propulsion systems are available that significantly reduce the volume required under armor on tanks. A diesel...the increasing electricity demand of modernized tanks. APUs have been mounted on Ml series tanks and an under armor APU will be part of the Ml A2

Project-Based Learning: An Approach to Promote Energy Literacy among Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpudewan, Mageswary; Ponniah, Jamunah; Md. Zain, Ahmad Nurulazam

2016-01-01

Globalization, rapid industrial development, and tremendous population growth have significantly increased the demand for energy. Sustaining the energy supply requires that society be energy literate. Existing studies on secondary school students' energy literacy suggest that effective teaching approaches can enhance energy literacy. This…

Transfer Credit Assessment: A Survey of Institutional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, 2015

2015-01-01

Assessing credits that transfer students bring to an institution may require a significant amount of institutional resources. The increased mobility of students among post-secondary institutions in British Columbia (BC), and the need to ensure efficient admission processes for both the student and the institution, makes transfer credit assessment…

Mindful Strengths Development: Leveraging Students' Strengths for 21st Century Learning and Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanious, Christy M.

2012-01-01

The continuous change characterizing 21st century society has significant implications for higher education. Educators and business leaders increasingly recognize that education within and preparation for a context of change requires learning environments fostering openness, flexibility, and engagement with other ideas and people. Such…

Algorithms for Lightweight Key Exchange †

PubMed Central

Santonja, Juan; Zamora, Antonio

2017-01-01

Public-key cryptography is too slow for general purpose encryption, with most applications limiting its use as much as possible. Some secure protocols, especially those that enable forward secrecy, make a much heavier use of public-key cryptography, increasing the demand for lightweight cryptosystems that can be implemented in low powered or mobile devices. This performance requirements are even more significant in critical infrastructure and emergency scenarios where peer-to-peer networks are deployed for increased availability and resiliency. We benchmark several public-key key-exchange algorithms, determining those that are better for the requirements of critical infrastructure and emergency applications and propose a security framework based on these algorithms and study its application to decentralized node or sensor networks. PMID:28654006

Alternative aviation turbine fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grobman, J.

1977-01-01

The efficient utilization of fossil fuels by future jet aircraft may necessitate the broadening of current aviation turbine fuel specifications. The most significant changes in specifications would be an increased aromatics content and a higher final boiling point in order to minimize refinery energy consumption and costs. These changes would increase the freezing point and might lower the thermal stability of the fuel and could cause increased pollutant emissions, increased smoke and carbon formation, increased combustor liner temperatures, and poorer ignition characteristics. This paper discusses the effects that broadened specification fuels may have on present-day jet aircraft and engine components and the technology required to use fuels with broadened specifications.

Carbon footprint and land requirement for dairy herd rations: impacts of feed production practices and regional climate variations.

PubMed

Henriksson, M; Cederberg, C; Swensson, C

2014-08-01

Feed production is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy production and demands large arable and pasture acreage. This study analysed how regional conditions influence GHG emissions of dairy feed rations in a life cycle perspective, that is the carbon footprint (CF) and the land area required. Factors assessed included regional climate variations, grass/clover silage nutrient quality, feedstuff availability, crop yield and feed losses. Using the Nordic feed evaluation model NorFor, rations were optimised for different phases of lactation, dry and growing periods for older cows, first calvers and heifers by regional feed advisors and combined to annual herd rations. Feed production data at farm level were based on national statistics and studies. CF estimates followed standards for life cycle assessment and used emissions factors provided by IPCC. The functional unit was 'feed consumption to produce 1 kg energy corrected milk (ECM) from a cow with annual milk yield of 9 900 kg ECM including replacement animals and feed losses'. Feed ration CF varied from 417 to 531 g CO2 e/kg ECM. Grass/clover silage contributed more than 50% of total GHG emissions. Use of higher quality silage increased ration CF by up to 5% as a result of an additional cut and increased rates of synthetic N-fertiliser. Domestically produced horse bean (Vicia faba), by-products from the sugar industry and maize silage were included in the rations with the lowest CF, but horse bean significantly increased ration land requirement. Rations required between 1.4 to 2 m2 cropland and 0.1 to 0.2 m2/kg semi-natural grassland per kg ECM and year. Higher yield levels reduced ration total CF. Inclusion of GHG emissions from land use change associated with Brazilian soya feed significantly increased ration CF. Ration CF and land use depended on ration composition, which was highly influenced by the regional availability and production of feedstuffs. The impact of individual feedstuffs on ration CF varies due to, for example, cultivation practices and climate conditions and feedstuffs should therefore be assessed in a ration and regional perspective before being used to decrease milk CF. Land use efficiency should be considered together with ration CF, as these can generate goal conflicts.

Social Experience Is Sufficient to Modulate Sleep Need of Drosophila without Increasing Wakefulness.

PubMed

Lone, Shahnaz Rahman; Potdar, Sheetal; Srivastava, Manishi; Sharma, Vijay Kumar

2016-01-01

Organisms quickly learn about their surroundings and display synaptic plasticity which is thought to be critical for their survival. For example, fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster exposed to highly enriched social environment are found to show increased synaptic connections and a corresponding increase in sleep. Here we asked if social environment comprising a pair of same-sex individuals could enhance sleep in the participating individuals. To study this, we maintained individuals of D. melanogaster in same-sex pairs for a period of 1 to 4 days, and after separation, monitored sleep of the previously socialized and solitary individuals under similar conditions. Males maintained in pairs for 3 or more days were found to sleep significantly more during daytime and showed a tendency to fall asleep sooner as compared to solitary controls (both measures together are henceforth referred to as "sleep-enhancement"). This sleep phenotype is not strain-specific as it is observed in males from three different "wild type" strains of D. melanogaster. Previous studies on social interaction mediated sleep-enhancement presumed 'waking experience' during the interaction to be the primary underlying cause; however, we found sleep-enhancement to occur without any significant increase in wakefulness. Furthermore, while sleep-enhancement due to group-wise social interaction requires Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF) positive neurons; PDF positive and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) positive circadian clock neurons and the core circadian clock genes are not required for sleep-enhancement to occur when males interact in pairs. Pair-wise social interaction mediated sleep-enhancement requires dopamine and olfactory signaling, while visual and gustatory signaling systems seem to be dispensable. These results suggest that socialization alone (without any change in wakefulness) is sufficient to cause sleep-enhancement in fruit fly D. melanogaster males, and that its neuronal control is context-specific.

Effect of power system technology and mission requirements on high altitude long endurance aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.

1994-01-01

An analysis was performed to determine how various power system components and mission requirements affect the sizing of a solar powered long endurance aircraft. The aircraft power system consists of photovoltaic cells and a regenerative fuel cell. Various characteristics of these components, such as PV cell type, PV cell mass, PV cell efficiency, fuel cell efficiency, and fuel cell specific mass, were varied to determine what effect they had on the aircraft sizing for a given mission. Mission parameters, such as time of year, flight altitude, flight latitude, and payload mass and power, were also altered to determine how mission constraints affect the aircraft sizing. An aircraft analysis method which determines the aircraft configuration, aspect ratio, wing area, and total mass, for maximum endurance or minimum required power based on the stated power system and mission parameters is presented. The results indicate that, for the power system, the greatest benefit can be gained by increasing the fuel cell specific energy. Mission requirements also substantially affect the aircraft size. By limiting the time of year the aircraft is required to fly at high northern or southern latitudes, a significant reduction in aircraft size or increase in payload capacity can be achieved.

Food security: increasing yield and improving resource use efficiency.

PubMed

Parry, Martin A J; Hawkesford, Malcolm J

2010-11-01

Food production and security will be a major issue for supplying an increasing world population. The problem will almost certainly be exacerbated by climate change. There is a projected need to double food production by 2050. In recent times, the trend has been for incremental modest yield increases for most crops. There is an urgent need to develop integrated and sustainable approaches that will significantly increase both production per unit land area and the resource use efficiency of crops. This review considers some key processes involved in plant growth and development with some examples of ways in which molecular technology, plant breeding and genetics may increase the yield and resource use efficiency of wheat. The successful application of biotechnology to breeding is essential to provide the major increases in production required. However, each crop and each specific agricultural situation presents specific requirements and targets for optimisation. Some increases in production will come about as new varieties are developed which are able to produce satisfactory crops on marginal land presently not considered appropriate for arable crops. Other new varieties will be developed to increase both yield and resource use efficiency on the best land.

Catecholamine-Independent Heart Rate Increases Require CaMKII

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhan; Singh, Madhu V; Hall, Duane D; Koval, Olha M.; Luczak, Elizabeth D.; Joiner, Mei-ling A.; Chen, Biyi; Wu, Yuejin; Chaudhary, Ashok K; Martins, James B; Hund, Thomas J; Mohler, Peter J; Song, Long-Sheng; Anderson, Mark E.

2011-01-01

Background Catecholamines increase heart rate by augmenting the cAMP responsive HCN4 ‘pacemaker current’ (If) and/or by promoting inward Na+/Ca2+ exchanger current (INCX), by a ‘Ca2+ clock’ mechanism in sinoatrial nodal cells (SANCs). The importance, identity and function of signals that connect If and Ca2+ clock mechanisms are uncertain and controversial, but the multifunctional Ca2+ and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is required for physiological heart rate responses to β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation. The aim of this stuy is to measure the contribution of the Ca2+ clock and CaMKII to cardiac pacing independent of β-AR agonist stimulation. Methods and Results We used the L-type Ca2+ channel agonist BayK 8644 (BayK) to activate the SANC Ca2+ clock. BayK and isoproterenol were similarly effective in increasing rates in SANCs and Langendorff-perfused hearts from WT control mice. In contrast, SANCs and isolated hearts from mice with CaMKII inhibition by transgenic expression of an inhibitory peptide (AC3-I) were resistant to rate increases by BayK. BayK only activated CaMKII in control SANCs, but increased ICa equally in all SANCs, indicating that increasing ICa was insufficient and suggesting CaMKII activation was required for heart rate increases by BayK. BayK did not increase If or protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent phosphorylation of phospholamban (at Ser16), indicating that increased SANC Ca2+ by BayK did not augment cAMP/PKA signaling at these targets. Late diastolic intracellular Ca2+ release and INCX were significantly reduced in AC3-I SANCs and the response to BayK was eliminated by ryanodine in all groups. Conclusions The Ca2+ clock is capable of supporting physiological fight or flight responses, independent of β-AR stimulation or If increases. Complete Ca2+ clock and β-AR stimulation responses require CaMKII. PMID:21406683

Convective Heat Transfer with and without Film Cooling in High Temperature, Fuel Rich and Lean Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, Nathan J.

Modern turbine engines require high turbine inlet temperatures and pressures to maximize thermal efficiency. Increasing the turbine inlet temperature drives higher heat loads on the turbine surfaces. In addition, increasing pressure ratio increases the turbine coolant temperature such that the ability to remove heat decreases. As a result, highly effective external film cooling is required to reduce the heat transfer to turbine surfaces. Testing of film cooling on engine hardware at engine temperatures and pressures can be exceedingly difficult and expensive. Thus, modern studies of film cooling are often performed at near ambient conditions. However, these studies are missing an important aspect in their characterization of film cooling effectiveness. Namely, they do not model effect of thermal property variations that occur within the boundary and film cooling layers at engine conditions. Also, turbine surfaces can experience significant radiative heat transfer that is not trivial to estimate analytically. The present research first computationally examines the effect of large temperature variations on a turbulent boundary layer. Subsequently, a method to model the effect of large temperature variations within a turbulent boundary layer in an environment coupled with significant radiative heat transfer is proposed and experimentally validated. Next, a method to scale turbine cooling from ambient to engine conditions via non-dimensional matching is developed computationally and the experimentally validated at combustion temperatures. Increasing engine efficiency and thrust to weight ratio demands have driven increased combustor fuel-air ratios. Increased fuel-air ratios increase the possibility of unburned fuel species entering the turbine. Alternatively, advanced ultra-compact combustor designs have been proposed to decrease combustor length, increase thrust, or generate power for directed energy weapons. However, the ultra-compact combustor design requires a film cooled vane within the combustor. In both these environments, the unburned fuel in the core flow encounters the oxidizer rich film cooling stream, combusts, and can locally heat the turbine surface rather than the intended cooling of the surface. Accordingly, a method to quantify film cooling performance in a fuel rich environment is prescribed. Finally, a method to film cool in a fuel rich environment is experimentally demonstrated.

Suitability of representative electrochemical energy storage technologies for ramp-rate control of photovoltaic power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yu; Fletcher, John; Burr, Patrick; Hall, Charles; Zheng, Bowen; Wang, Da-Wei; Ouyang, Zi; Lennon, Alison

2018-04-01

Photovoltaic (PV) systems can exhibit rapid variances in their power output due to irradiance changes which can destabilise an electricity grid. This paper presents a quantitative comparison of the suitability of different electrochemical energy storage system (ESS) technologies to provide ramp-rate control of power in PV systems. Our investigations show that, for PV systems ranging from residential rooftop systems to megawatt power systems, lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities (up to 600 Wh L-1) require the smallest power-normalised volumes to achieve the ramp rate limit of 10% min-1 with 100% compliance. As the system size increases, the ESS power-normalised volume requirements are significantly reduced due to aggregated power smoothing, with high power lithium-ion batteries becoming increasingly more favourable with increased PV system size. The possibility of module-level ramp-rate control is also introduced, and results show that achievement of a ramp rate of 10% min-1 with 100% compliance with typical junction box sizes will require ESS energy and power densities of 400 Wh L-1 and 2300 W L-1, respectively. While module-level ramp-rate control can reduce the impact of solar intermittence, the requirement is challenging, especially given the need for low cost and long cycle life.

Internet Interventions for Hearing Loss.

PubMed

Thorén, Elisabet Sundewall; Öberg, Marie; Andersson, Gerhard; Lunner, Thomas

2015-09-01

The purpose of the two studies presented in this research forum article was to develop audiological rehabilitation programs for experienced hearing aid users and evaluate them in online versions. In this research forum article, the differences between the two studies are discussed. Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were performed evaluating the efficacy of online rehabilitation, including professional guidance by an audiologist. In each RCT, the effects of the online programs were compared with the effects measured in a control group. The results from the first RCT showed a significant increase in activity and participation for both groups with participants in the intervention group improving more than those in the control group. At the 6-month follow-up, after the study, the significant increase was maintained; however, amounts of increase in the two groups were no longer significantly different. The results from the second RCT showed significant increase in activity and participation for the intervention group, although the control group did not improve. The results from the RCTs provide evidence that the Internet can be used to deliver rehabilitation to hearing-aid users and that their problems are reduced by the intervention; however, the content of the online rehabilitation program requires further investigation.

YAP-dependent mechanotransduction is required for proliferation and migration on native-like substrate topography.

PubMed

Mascharak, Shamik; Benitez, Patrick L; Proctor, Amy C; Madl, Christopher M; Hu, Kenneth H; Dewi, Ruby E; Butte, Manish J; Heilshorn, Sarah C

2017-01-01

Native vascular extracellular matrices (vECM) consist of elastic fibers that impart varied topographical properties, yet most in vitro models designed to study the effects of topography on cell behavior are not representative of native architecture. Here, we engineer an electrospun elastin-like protein (ELP) system with independently tunable, vECM-mimetic topography and demonstrate that increasing topographical variation causes loss of endothelial cell-cell junction organization. This loss of VE-cadherin signaling and increased cytoskeletal contractility on more topographically varied ELP substrates in turn promote YAP activation and nuclear translocation, resulting in significantly increased endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Our findings identify YAP as a required signaling factor through which fibrous substrate topography influences cell behavior and highlights topography as a key design parameter for engineered biomaterials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Bio based rejuvenator on mix design, Energy consumption and GHG Emission of High RAP Mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullahi Ahmad, Kabiru; Ezree Abdullah, Mohd; Hassan, Norhidayah Abdul; Usman, Nura; Hassan, Mohd Rosli Mohd; Bilema, Munder A. M.; Modibbo Saeed, Saeed; Batari, Ahmad

2018-04-01

Concerns about the cost, availability, and environmental impact of using petroleum-based materials have led to increased usage of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Mean-while, the demand of the road industry to decrease the energy consumptions and reduce the release of greenhouse gases as well as other harmful gases, which cause serious air pollution has increased due to the amount of energy consumed is a major component of pavement construction that significantly contributes to the total cost. This paper evaluates the effects of Biobased rejuvenator known as JCO on the required heat energy and the amount of CO2 produced to increase the temperature of RAP and virgin aggregates and one binder from 25C to the point of mixing. The results showed that incorporating Biobased rejuvenator (JCO) can potentially reduce the required heat energy and amount of greenhouse gas produced by RAP and virgin, respectively.

Supporting Active Living Through Community Plans: The Association of Planning Documents With Design Standards and Features.

PubMed

Peterson, Erin L; Carlson, Susan A; Schmid, Thomas L; Brown, David R; Galuska, Deborah A

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the presence of supportive community planning documents in US municipalities with design standards and requirements supportive of active living. Cross-sectional study using data from the 2014 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living. Nationally representative sample of US municipalities. Respondents are 2005 local officials. Assessed: (1) The presence of design standards and feature requirements and (2) the association between planning documents and design standards and feature requirements supportive of active living in policies for development. Using logistic regression, significant trends were identified in the presence of design standards and feature requirements by plan and number of supportive objectives present. Prevalence of design standards ranged from 19% (developer dedicated right-of-way for bicycle infrastructure development) to 50% (traffic-calming features in areas with high pedestrian and bicycle volume). Features required in policies for development ranged from 14% (short/medium pedestrian-scale block sizes) to 44% (minimum sidewalk widths of 5 feet) of municipalities. As the number of objectives in municipal plans increased, there was a significant and positive trend ( P < .05) in the prevalence of each design standard and requirement. Municipal planning documents containing objectives supportive of physical activity are associated with design standards and feature requirements supportive of activity-friendly communities.

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

Swamy, S.A.; Bhowmick, D.C.; Prager, D.E.

The regulatory requirements for postulated pipe ruptures have changed significantly since the first nuclear plants were designed. The Leak-Before-Break (LBB) methodology is now accepted as a technically justifiable approach for eliminating postulation of double-ended guillotine breaks (DEGB) in high energy piping systems. The previous pipe rupture design requirements for nuclear power plant applications are responsible for all the numerous and massive pipe whip restraints and jet shields installed for each plant. This results in significant plant congestion, increased labor costs and radiation dosage for normal maintenance and inspection. Also the restraints increase the probability of interference between the piping andmore » supporting structures during plant heatup, thereby potentially impacting overall plant reliability. The LBB approach to eliminate postulating ruptures in high energy piping systems is a significant improvement to former regulatory methodologies, and therefore, the LBB approach to design is gaining worldwide acceptance. However, the methods and criteria for LBB evaluation depend upon the policy of individual country and significant effort continues towards accomplishing uniformity on a global basis. In this paper the historical development of the U.S. LBB criteria will be traced and the results of an LBB evaluation for a typical Japanese PWR primary loop applying U.S. NRC approved methods will be presented. In addition, another approach using the Japanese LBB criteria will be shown and compared with the U.S. criteria. The comparison will be highlighted in this paper with detailed discussion.« less

Measurement of the extreme ankle range of motion required by female ballet dancers.

PubMed

Russell, Jeffrey A; Kruse, David W; Nevill, Alan M; Koutedakis, Yiannis; Wyon, Matthew A

2010-12-01

Female ballet dancers require extreme ankle motion, especially plantar flexion, but research about measuring such motion is lacking. The purposes of this study were to determine in a sample of ballet dancers whether non-weight-bearing ankle range of motion is significantly different from the weight-bearing equivalent and whether inclinometric plantar flexion measurement is a suitable substitute for standard plantar flexion goniometry. Fifteen female ballet dancers (5 university, 5 vocational, and 5 professional dancers; age 21 ± 3.0 years) volunteered. Subjects received 5 assessments on 1 ankle: non-weight-bearing goniometry dorsiflexion (NDF) and plantar flexion (NPF), weight-bearing goniometry in the ballet positions demi-plié (WDF) and en pointe (WPF), and non-weight-bearing plantar flexion inclinometry (IPF). Mean NDF was significantly lower than WDF (17° ± 1.3° vs 30° ± 1.8°, P < .001). NPF (77° ± 2.5°) was significantly lower than both WPF (83° ± 2.2°, P = .01) and IPF (89° ± 1.6°, P < .001), and WPF was significantly lower than IPF (P = .013). Dorsiflexion tended to decrease and plantar flexion tended to increase with increasing ballet proficiency. The authors conclude that assessment of extreme ankle motion in female ballet dancers is challenging, and goniometry and inclinometry appear to measure plantar flexion differently.

3-D rigid body tracking using vision and depth sensors.

PubMed

Gedik, O Serdar; Alatan, A Aydn

2013-10-01

In robotics and augmented reality applications, model-based 3-D tracking of rigid objects is generally required. With the help of accurate pose estimates, it is required to increase reliability and decrease jitter in total. Among many solutions of pose estimation in the literature, pure vision-based 3-D trackers require either manual initializations or offline training stages. On the other hand, trackers relying on pure depth sensors are not suitable for AR applications. An automated 3-D tracking algorithm, which is based on fusion of vision and depth sensors via extended Kalman filter, is proposed in this paper. A novel measurement-tracking scheme, which is based on estimation of optical flow using intensity and shape index map data of 3-D point cloud, increases 2-D, as well as 3-D, tracking performance significantly. The proposed method requires neither manual initialization of pose nor offline training, while enabling highly accurate 3-D tracking. The accuracy of the proposed method is tested against a number of conventional techniques, and a superior performance is clearly observed in terms of both objectively via error metrics and subjectively for the rendered scenes.

Climate trends and projections for the Andean Altiplano and strategies for adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdivia, C.; Thibeault, J.; Gilles, J. L.; García, M.; Seth, A.

2013-04-01

Climate variability and change impact production in rainfed agricultural systems of the Bolivian highlands. Maximum temperature trends are increasing for the Altiplano. Minimum temperature increases are significant in the northern region, and decreases are significant in the southern region. Producers' perceptions of climate hazards are high in the central region, while concerns with changing climate and unemployment are high in the north. Similar high-risk perceptions involve pests and diseases in both regions. Altiplano climate projections for end-of-century highlights include increases in temperature, extreme event frequency, change in the timing of rainfall, and reduction of soil humidity. Successful adaptation to these changes will require the development of links between the knowledge systems of producers and scientists. Two-way participatory approaches to develop capacity and information that involve decision makers and scientists are appropriate approaches in this context of increased risk, uncertainty and vulnerability.

Thermoregulatory responses of rats exposed to 9. 3-GHz radio-frequency radiation

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

Frei, M.R.; Jauchem, J.R.; Heinmets, F.

1987-10-15

Ketamine-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in H orientation to far-field 9.3-GHz continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed (2 microseconds 500 pps) radiofrequency radiation (RFR) at average power densities of 30 and 60 mW/sq. cm (whole-body average specific absorption rates of 9.3 and 18.6 W/kg, respectively). Irradiation was conducted to cyclicly increase colonic temperature from 38.5 to 39.5 C. Colonic, tympanic, and subcutaneous temperatures, ECG, blood pressure, and respiratory rate were continuously recorded during experimentation. At both power densities, the subcutaneous and tympanic temperature increases significantly exceeded the colonic temperature increase. At both exposure levels, heart rate increased significantly during irradiation and returnedmore » to baseline when exposure was discontinued. Blood pressure and respiratory rate did not significantly change during irradiation. There were no significant differences between the effects of CW and pulsed RFR exposure. The levels of subcutaneous heating and heart rate change were greater, and the times required to achieve and to recover from a 1 C colonic temperature increase were longer than in previous studies conducted at 2.8 GHz. Results of these studies indicate that the carrier frequency used during irradiation markedly affects the pattern of heat distribution and the physiological responses of RF-irradiated animals.« less

Efficient Bayesian mixed model analysis increases association power in large cohorts

PubMed Central

Loh, Po-Ru; Tucker, George; Bulik-Sullivan, Brendan K; Vilhjálmsson, Bjarni J; Finucane, Hilary K; Salem, Rany M; Chasman, Daniel I; Ridker, Paul M; Neale, Benjamin M; Berger, Bonnie; Patterson, Nick; Price, Alkes L

2014-01-01

Linear mixed models are a powerful statistical tool for identifying genetic associations and avoiding confounding. However, existing methods are computationally intractable in large cohorts, and may not optimize power. All existing methods require time cost O(MN2) (where N = #samples and M = #SNPs) and implicitly assume an infinitesimal genetic architecture in which effect sizes are normally distributed, which can limit power. Here, we present a far more efficient mixed model association method, BOLT-LMM, which requires only a small number of O(MN)-time iterations and increases power by modeling more realistic, non-infinitesimal genetic architectures via a Bayesian mixture prior on marker effect sizes. We applied BOLT-LMM to nine quantitative traits in 23,294 samples from the Women’s Genome Health Study (WGHS) and observed significant increases in power, consistent with simulations. Theory and simulations show that the boost in power increases with cohort size, making BOLT-LMM appealing for GWAS in large cohorts. PMID:25642633

Facing the future: the effects of the impending financial drought on NHS finances and how UK radiology services can contribute to expected efficiency savings

PubMed Central

Grant, L; Appleby, J; Griffin, N; Adam, A; Gishen, P

2012-01-01

The recent turmoil within the banking sector has led to the development of the most significant recession since the “great depression” of the 1930s. Although the coalition government has promised to “guarantee that health spending increases in real terms in each year of Parliament”, this may still not be enough to meet future needs over the coming years due to increasing demand and cost pressures. The expected mismatch between actual National Health Service (NHS) funding post-2011 and that required to satisfy increasing demand has been estimated by the Department of Health to require efficiency savings representing up to one-fifth of the overall NHS budget. This paper explains the reasons behind the anticipated slowdown in the growth of real NHS funding, and how, as a discipline, radiology can increase the efficiency of the services it provides in anticipation of future financial austerity within the NHS. PMID:22167516

Doxycycline Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Microvascular Endothelial Cell Derangements.

PubMed

Wiggins-Dohlvik, Katie; Stagg, Hayden W; Han, Min Suk; Alluri, Himakarnika; Oakley, Ryan P; Anasooya Shaji, Chinchusha; Davis, Matthew L; Tharakan, Binu

2016-06-01

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to induce vascular derangements. The pathophysiology involved therein is unknown, but matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be an important mediator. We hypothesized that in vitro LPS provokes vascular permeability, damages endothelial structural proteins, and increases MMP activity; that in vivo LPS increases permeability and fluid requirements; and that the MMP inhibitor doxycycline mitigates such changes. Rat lung microvascular endothelial cells were divided into four groups: control, LPS, LPS plus doxycycline, and doxycycline. Permeability, structural proteins β-catenin and Filamentous-actin, and MMP-9 activity were examined. Sprauge Dawley rats were divided into sham, IV LPS, and IV LPS plus IV doxycycline groups. Mesenteric postcapillary venules were observed. Blood pressure was measured as animals were resuscitated and fluid requirements were compared. Statistical analysis was conducted using Student's t-test and ANOVA. In vitro LPS increased permeability, damaged adherens junctions, induced actin stress fiber formation, and increased MMP-9 enzyme activity. In vivo, IV LPS administration induced vascular permeability. During resuscitation, significantly more fluid was necessary to maintain normotension in the IV LPS group. Doxycycline mitigated all derangements observed. We conclude that LPS increases permeability, damages structural proteins, and increases MMP-9 activity in endothelial cells. Additionally, endotoxemia induces hyperpermeability and increases the amount of IV fluid required to maintain normotension in vivo. Doxycycline mitigates such changes both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings illuminate the possible role of matrix metalloproteinases in the pathophysiology of lipopolysaccharide-induced microvascular hyperpermeability and pave the way for better understanding and treatment of this process.

The impact of eLearning on health professional educators’ attitudes to information and communication technology

PubMed Central

Neville, Victoria; Lam, Mary; Gordon, Christopher J

2015-01-01

Background The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in health professional education is increasing rapidly. Health professional educators need to be responsive to health professionals’ information and communication technological needs; however, there is a paucity of information about educators’ attitudes to, and capabilities with, ICT. Methods Fifty-two health professional educators, enrolled in health professional education postgraduate studies, participated in an online subject with specific eLearning components requiring the use of ICT. They completed a pre- and postquestionnaire pertaining to ICT attitudes, confidence, and usage. Results Participants reported significant increases in overall ICT confidence during the subject despite it being high at baseline (mean: 7.0 out of 10; P=0.02). Even with increased ICT confidence, there were decreases in the participants’ sense of ICT control when related to health professional education (P=0.002); whereas, the amount of time participants engaged with ICT devices was negatively correlated with the sense of ICT control (P=0.002). The effect of age and health discipline on ICT attitudes and confidence was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion This study reports that health professional educators have perceptual deficits toward ICT. The impact of eLearning increased confidence in ICT but caused a reduction in participants’ sense of control of ICT. Health professional educators require more ICT training and support to facilitate better ICT integration in health professional education settings. PMID:25678796

The impact of eLearning on health professional educators' attitudes to information and communication technology.

PubMed

Neville, Victoria; Lam, Mary; Gordon, Christopher J

2015-01-01

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in health professional education is increasing rapidly. Health professional educators need to be responsive to health professionals' information and communication technological needs; however, there is a paucity of information about educators' attitudes to, and capabilities with, ICT. Fifty-two health professional educators, enrolled in health professional education postgraduate studies, participated in an online subject with specific eLearning components requiring the use of ICT. They completed a pre- and postquestionnaire pertaining to ICT attitudes, confidence, and usage. Participants reported significant increases in overall ICT confidence during the subject despite it being high at baseline (mean: 7.0 out of 10; P=0.02). Even with increased ICT confidence, there were decreases in the participants' sense of ICT control when related to health professional education (P=0.002); whereas, the amount of time participants engaged with ICT devices was negatively correlated with the sense of ICT control (P=0.002). The effect of age and health discipline on ICT attitudes and confidence was not significant (P>0.05). This study reports that health professional educators have perceptual deficits toward ICT. The impact of eLearning increased confidence in ICT but caused a reduction in participants' sense of control of ICT. Health professional educators require more ICT training and support to facilitate better ICT integration in health professional education settings.

Insights for Setting of Nutrient Requirements, Gleaned by Comparison of Selenium Status Biomarkers in Turkeys and Chickens versus Rats, Mice, and Lambs12

PubMed Central

Sunde, Roger A; Li, Jin-Long; Taylor, Rachel M

2016-01-01

To gain insights into nutrient biomarkers and setting of dietary nutrient requirements, selenium biomarker levels and requirements in response to multiple graded levels of dietary selenium were compared between day-old turkeys and chickens versus weanling rats and mice and 2-d-old lambs supplemented with sodium selenite. In rodents, there was no significant effect of dietary selenium on growth, indicating that the minimum selenium requirement was <0.007 μg Se/g diet. In contrast, there was a significant effect in turkeys, chicks, and lambs, which showed selenium requirements for growth of 0.05, 0.025, and 0.05 μg Se/g diet, respectively. Liver glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 1 activity fell in all species to <4% of selenium-adequate levels, plasma GPX3 activity fell to <3% in all species except for mice, and liver GPX4 activity fell to <10% in avians but only to ∼50% of selenium-adequate levels in rodents. Selenium-response curves for these biomarkers reached well-defined plateaus with increasing selenium supplementation in all species, collectively indicating minimum selenium requirements of 0.06–0.10 μg Se/g for rats, mice, and lambs but 0.10–0.13 μg Se/g for chicks and 0.23–0.33 μg Se/g for turkeys. In contrast, increasing dietary selenium did not result in well-defined plateaus for erythrocyte GPX1 activity and liver selenium in most species. Selenium-response curves for GPX1 mRNA for rodents and avians had well-defined plateaus and similar breakpoints. GPX4 mRNA was not significantly regulated by dietary selenium in rodents, but GPX4 mRNA in avians decreased in selenium deficiency to ∼35% of selenium-adequate plateau levels. Notably, no selenoprotein activities or mRNA were effective biomarkers for supernutritional selenium status. Robust biomarkers, such as liver GPX1 and plasma GPX3 activity for selenium, should be specific for the nutrient, fall dramatically in deficiency, and reach well-defined plateaus. Differences in biomarker-response curves may help researchers better understand nutrient metabolism and targeting of tissues in deficiency, thus to better characterize requirements. PMID:28140330

Insights for Setting of Nutrient Requirements, Gleaned by Comparison of Selenium Status Biomarkers in Turkeys and Chickens versus Rats, Mice, and Lambs.

PubMed

Sunde, Roger A; Li, Jin-Long; Taylor, Rachel M

2016-11-01

To gain insights into nutrient biomarkers and setting of dietary nutrient requirements, selenium biomarker levels and requirements in response to multiple graded levels of dietary selenium were compared between day-old turkeys and chickens versus weanling rats and mice and 2-d-old lambs supplemented with sodium selenite. In rodents, there was no significant effect of dietary selenium on growth, indicating that the minimum selenium requirement was <0.007 μg Se/g diet. In contrast, there was a significant effect in turkeys, chicks, and lambs, which showed selenium requirements for growth of 0.05, 0.025, and 0.05 μg Se/g diet, respectively. Liver glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 1 activity fell in all species to <4% of selenium-adequate levels, plasma GPX3 activity fell to <3% in all species except for mice, and liver GPX4 activity fell to <10% in avians but only to ∼50% of selenium-adequate levels in rodents. Selenium-response curves for these biomarkers reached well-defined plateaus with increasing selenium supplementation in all species, collectively indicating minimum selenium requirements of 0.06-0.10 μg Se/g for rats, mice, and lambs but 0.10-0.13 μg Se/g for chicks and 0.23-0.33 μg Se/g for turkeys. In contrast, increasing dietary selenium did not result in well-defined plateaus for erythrocyte GPX1 activity and liver selenium in most species. Selenium-response curves for GPX1 mRNA for rodents and avians had well-defined plateaus and similar breakpoints. GPX4 mRNA was not significantly regulated by dietary selenium in rodents, but GPX4 mRNA in avians decreased in selenium deficiency to ∼35% of selenium-adequate plateau levels. Notably, no selenoprotein activities or mRNA were effective biomarkers for supernutritional selenium status. Robust biomarkers, such as liver GPX1 and plasma GPX3 activity for selenium, should be specific for the nutrient, fall dramatically in deficiency, and reach well-defined plateaus. Differences in biomarker-response curves may help researchers better understand nutrient metabolism and targeting of tissues in deficiency, thus to better characterize requirements. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Soil Solution Phosphorus Status and Mycorrhizal Dependency in Leucaena leucocephala†

PubMed Central

Habte, Mitiku; Manjunath, Aswathanarayan

1987-01-01

A phosphorus sorption isotherm was used to establish concentrations of P in a soil solution ranging from 0.002 to 0.807 μg/ml. The influence of P concentration on the symbiotic interaction between the tropical tree legume Leucaena leucocephala and the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum was evaluated in pot experiments. The level of mycorrhizal infection in Leucaena roots increased as the concentration of P was raised from 0.002 to 0.153 μg/ml. Higher levels of P depressed mycorrhizal infection, but the level of infection never declined below 50%. Periodic monitoring of P contents of Leucaena subleaflets indicated that significant mycorrhizal activity was detected as early as 17 days after planting, with the activity peaking 12 to 16 days thereafter. The highest level of mycorrhizal activity was associated with a soil solution P level of 0.021 μg/ml. Even though the mycorrhizal inoculation effect diminished as the concentration of P in the soil solution was increased, mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased P uptake and dry-matter yield of Leucaena at all levels of soil solution P examined. The concentration of P required by nonmycorrhizal L. leucocephala for maximum yield was 27 to 38 times higher than that required by mycorrhizal L. leucocephala. The results illustrate the very high dependence of L. leucocephala on VAM fungi and the significance of optimizing soil solution phosphorus for enhancing the benefits of the VAM symbiosis. PMID:16347323

Effects of fish farming on phytoplankton community under the thermal stress caused by a power plant in a eutrophic, semi-enclosed bay: induce toxic dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum minimum) blooms in cold seasons.

PubMed

Jiang, Zhibing; Liao, Yibo; Liu, Jingjing; Shou, Lu; Chen, Quanzhen; Yan, Xiaojun; Zhu, Genhai; Zeng, Jiangning

2013-11-15

Six cruises were conducted in a fish farm adjacent to the Ninghai Power Plant in Xiangshan Bay, East China Sea. Fish farming significantly increased NH4(+), DIP, and TOC concentrations, while it significantly decreased the DO level. These increase/decrease trends were more pronounced in warmer seasons. Although culture practices did not significantly increase phytoplankton density, it drastically enhanced dinoflagellate abundance and domination. Significant differences in species diversity and community composition between the cages and the control area were also observed. Temperature elevation caused by thermal discharge associated with eutrophication resulted in a dominant species shift from diatoms alone to dinoflagellates and diatoms. This is the first report of stress-induced toxic dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum minimum) blooms in winter and the winter-spring transition in this bay. Therefore, the effects of aquaculture activity and power plant construction in such a eutrophic, semi-enclosed bay require further attention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of vaccination recommendations versus mandates: Evidence from the hepatitis A vaccine.

PubMed

Lawler, Emily C

2017-03-01

I provide novel evidence on the effectiveness of two vaccination policies - simple non-binding recommendations to vaccinate versus mandates requiring vaccination prior to childcare or kindergarten attendance - in the context of the only disease whose institutional features permit a credible examination of both: hepatitis A. Using provider-verified immunization data I find that recommendations significantly increased hepatitis A vaccination rates among young children by at least 20 percentage points, while mandates increase rates by another 8 percentage points. These policies also significantly reduced population hepatitis A incidence. My results suggest a range of policy options for addressing suboptimally low population vaccination rates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for drainage-requiring ascites after refractory peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients.

PubMed

Lee, Cheng-Chia; Tu, Kun-Hua; Chen, Hsiao-Hui; Chang, Ming-Yang; Hung, Cheng-Chieh

2016-10-01

Refractory peritonitis remains a thorny issue for patients with chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD). Shortly after catheter removal, some patients develop persistent peritoneal inflammation and ascites formation, which require percutaneous drainage for symptom relief. Our study aimed at finding the risk factors for this kind of event. A total of 47 PD patients complicated with refractory peritonitis who underwent catheter removal between January 2009 and December 2011 were enrolled in this study. Data were compared between patients with and without the development of symptomatic ascites requiring drainage during hospitalization. Among the 47 refractory peritonitis patients, 15 patients developed symptomatic ascites that needed further drainage shortly after catheter removal during hospitalization. The following factors were associated with an increased risk: longer dialysis duration, higher peritoneal Kt/V urea, and a significant rise in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level after catheter removal. These patients had a prolonged hospital stay (62 vs 21 days, P < 0.001) and a significantly higher risk of recurrent loculated ascites during subsequent 6 months of follow-up (33.3 vs 6.2 %, P = 0.022) compared with patients who did not develop ascites requiring drainage during hospitalization. A significant portion of patients with refractory PD peritonitis experienced ascites requiring drainage shortly after catheter removal, which led to a prolonged hospitalization. Whether routine drain placement at the time of catheter removal for this high-risk group would be of benefit warrants further prospective studies.

Field orientation effects during 5. 6-GHz radiofrequency irradiation of rats

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

Frei, M.R.; Jauchem, J.R.; Price, D.L.

1990-12-01

Ketamine-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in E and H orientations (long axis parallel to electric and magnetic fields, respectively) to far-field 5.6-GHz continuous-wave radio-frequency radiation (RFR). Power densities were used that resulted in equivalent whole-body average specific absorption rates of 14 W/kg in both orientations (90 mW/cm2 for E and 66 mW/cm2 for H). Irradiation was conducted to increase colonic temperature by 1 degree C (from 38.5 to 39.5 degrees C). During experimentation, arterial blood pressure and respiratory rate and colonic, tympanic, left and right subcutaneous (sides toward and away from RFR source), and tail temperatures were continuously recorded. Resultsmore » showed no significant difference in the times required to cause a 1 degree C increase or to recover to the initial temperature when irradiation was stopped. Significant differences between E- and H-orientation exposure were seen in the patterns of localized heating. The tail and left subcutaneous temperature increases were significantly greater during E-orientation exposure, the tympanic site showed no difference, and the right subcutaneous temperature increase was significantly greater during H-orientation exposure. Under both exposure conditions, heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure significantly increased during irradiation; however, there were no significant differences between E and H orientation responses. These findings at 5.6 GHz are in contrast to the significant cardiovascular response differences between E- and H-orientation exposure noted during a previous study of irradiation at 2.45 GHz.« less

Optimization of β-casein stabilized nanoemulsions using experimental mixture design.

PubMed

Maher, Patrick G; Fenelon, Mark A; Zhou, Yankun; Kamrul Haque, Md; Roos, Yrjö H

2011-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of changing viscosity and glass transition temperature in the continuous phase of nanoemulsion systems on subsequent stability. Formulations comprising of β-casein (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% w/w), lactose (0% to 20% w/w), and trehalose (0% to 20% w/w) were generated from Design of Experiments (DOE) software and tested for glass transition temperature and onset of ice-melting temperature in maximally freeze-concentrated state (T(g) ' & T(m) '), and viscosity (μ). Increasing β-casein content resulted in significant (P < 0.0001) increases in viscosity and T(m) ' (P= 0.0003), and significant (P < 0.0001) decreases in T(g) '. A mixture design was used to predict the optimum levels of lactose and trehalose required to attain the minimum and maximum T(g) ' and viscosity in solution at fixed protein contents. These mixtures were used to form the continuous phase of β-casein stabilized nanoemulsions (10% w/w sunflower oil) prepared by microfluidization at 70 MPa. Nanoemulsions were analyzed for T(g) ' & T(m) ', as well as viscosity, mean particle size, and stability. Increasing levels of β-casein (2.5% to 10% w/w) resulted in a significant (P < 0.0001) increase in viscosity (5 to 156 mPa.s), significant increase in particle size (P= 0.0115) from 186 to 199 nm, and significant decrease (P= 0.0001) in T(g) ' (-45 to -50 °C). Increasing the protein content resulted in a significant (P < 0.0001) increase in nanoemulsion stability. A mixture DOE was successfully used to predict glass transition and rheological properties for development of a continuous phase for use in nanoemulsions. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Influence of calcium carbonate on extraction yield and quality of extra virgin oil from olive (Olea europaea L. cv. Coratina).

PubMed

Squeo, G; Silletti, R; Summo, C; Paradiso, V M; Pasqualone, A; Caponio, F

2016-10-15

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of calcium carbonate (1%, 2%, and 4% of addition) at two different particle sizes (2.7μm and 5.7μm), added at the beginning of the malaxation phase, on both the extraction yield and the quality of oil obtained from Coratina olives at different ripening index. The results showed that calcium carbonate significantly increased the extraction yield of olive oil, more than affecting chemical indices. In particular, for less ripened olives, 1-2% of larger particle size calcium carbonate addiction determined a significant increase of the extraction effectiveness, ranging from 4.0 to 4.9%, while more ripened olives required higher amounts of coadjuvant (2-4% when using the larger particle size and 4% when using the smaller one), with a significant increase of the extraction yield up to 5%. Moreover, an increase of pungent perception was observed in some cases when adding calcium carbonate to more ripened olives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cisplatin Therapy Does Not Worsen Renal Function in Severe Antenatal Bartter Syndrome.

PubMed

Welch, Thomas R; Shaffer, David R; Feldman, Darren R

2017-01-01

A 30-year-old man with severe antenatal Bartter syndrome, diagnosed and treated in infancy, developed testicular carcinoma. Despite the known renal complications of cisplatin, this drug was used for his chemotherapy because of its superior antineoplastic effect. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration was continued during cisplatin therapy. Despite an increase in his oral potassium requirement, renal function was maintained following completion of chemotherapy. In spite of its significant associated nephrotoxicity, cisplatin can be used in patients with severe antenatal Bartter syndrome if required for therapy of malignancy.

Long Range Navigation for Mars Rovers Using Sensor-Based Path Planning and Visual Localisation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laubach, Sharon L.; Olson, Clark F.; Burdick, Joel W.; Hayati, Samad

1999-01-01

The Mars Pathfinder mission illustrated the benefits of including a mobile robotic explorer on a planetary mission. However, for future Mars rover missions, significantly increased autonomy in navigation is required in order to meet demanding mission criteria. To address these requirements, we have developed new path planning and localisation capabilities that allow a rover to navigate robustly to a distant landmark. These algorithms have been implemented on the JPL Rocky 7 prototype microrover and have been tested extensively in the JPL MarsYard, as well as in natural terrain.

Maple syrup urine disease: tailoring a plan for pregnancy.

PubMed

Brown, James; Tchan, Michel; Nayyar, Roshini

2018-06-01

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an autosomal metabolic condition that can cause significant morbidity in pregnant women and their infants. Advances in nutritional management mean more mothers with congenital metabolic disorders are becoming pregnant, and presenting challenges in obstetric care. In particular, the increase in protein requirements during pregnancy and metabolic stress of childbirth require careful planning and caloric titration. We report a case of a second time mother with MSUD and demonstrate a treatment scaffold to help achieve successful pregnancies for women with this and similar conditions.

Anesthetic Challenges in Robotic-assisted Urologic Surgery

PubMed Central

Hsu, Richard L; Kaye, Alan D; Urman, Richard D

2013-01-01

Robotic-assisted surgery has evolved over the past two decades with constantly improving technology, assisting surgeons in multiple subspecialty disciplines. The surgical requirements of lithotomy and steep Trendelenburg positions, along with the creation of a pneumoperitoneum and limited access to the patient, all present anesthetic management challenges in urologic surgery. Patient positioning requirements can cause significant physiologic effects and may result in many complications. Good communication among team members and knowledge of the nuances of robotic surgery have the potential to improve patient outcomes, increase efficiency, and reduce surgical and anesthetic complications. PMID:24659914

Transient Increased Calcium and Calcitriol Requirements After Discontinuation of Human Synthetic Parathyroid Hormone 1-34 (hPTH 1-34) Replacement Therapy in Hypoparathyroidism.

PubMed

Gafni, Rachel I; Guthrie, Lori C; Kelly, Marilyn H; Brillante, Beth A; Christie, C Michele; Reynolds, James C; Yovetich, Nancy A; James, Robert; Collins, Michael T

2015-11-01

Synthetic human PTH 1-34 (hPTH 1-34) replacement therapy in hypoparathyroidism maintains eucalcemia and converts quiescent bone to high-turnover bone. However, the skeletal and metabolic effects of drug discontinuation have not been reported. Nine subjects with hypoparathyroidism received subcutaneous injections of hPTH 1-34 two to three times daily for 19.8 to 61.3 months and then transitioned back to calcium and calcitriol. Biochemistries and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were assessed at baseline, while on treatment, and at follow-up 3 to 12 months after drug discontinuation. Two subjects developed hypocalcemia when hPTH 1-34 was abruptly discontinued. Thus, to avoid hypocalcemia, subjects were slowly weaned from hPTH 1-34 over several weeks. When hPTH 1-34 was stopped, subjects were requiring two to three times pretreatment doses of calcitriol and calcium to maintain blood calcium levels. Doses were gradually reduced over many weeks until calcium levels were stable on doses similar to baseline. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP), N-telopeptide (NTX), and osteocalcin (OC) increased significantly with hPTH 1-34; at follow-up, BSAP and NTX had returned to baseline while OC was still slightly elevated. During treatment, BMD was unchanged at the hip and lateral spine but declined at the anterior-posterior (AP) spine, radius, and total body. During weaning, BMD increased, with the hip and lateral spine exceeding pre-hPTH 1-34 values and the whole body returning to baseline. AP spine was increased non-significantly compared to baseline at follow-up. hPTH 1-34 must be gradually weaned in hypoparathyroid patients with high doses of oral medications given to avoid hypocalcemia. The transient increased requirements accompanied by increased BMD after long-term hPTH 1-34 therapy suggest a reversal of the expanded remodeling space favoring bone formation as the skeleton returns to a low-turnover state, reminiscent of the hungry bone syndrome. Further study and close monitoring is required to ensure safe transition to conventional therapy and to elucidate the physiological mechanism of this phenomenon. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Age-Related Changes in Centripetal Ciliary Body Movement Relative to Centripetal Lens Movement in Monkeys

PubMed Central

Croft, Mary Ann; McDonald, Jared P.; Nadkarni, Nivedita V.; Lin, Ting-Li; Kaufman, Paul L.

2009-01-01

The goal was to determine the age-related changes in accommodative movements of the lens and ciliary body in rhesus monkeys. Varying levels of accommodation were stimulated via the Edinger-Westphal (E-W) nucleus in 26 rhesus monkeys, aged 6-27 years, and the refractive changes were measured by coincidence refractometry. Centripetal ciliary process (CP) and lens movements were measured by computerized image analysis of goniovideographic images. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) at 50 MHz was used to visualize and measure accommodative forward movements of the ciliary body in relation to age, accommodative amplitude, and centripetal CP and lens movements. At ∼3 diopters of accommodation, the amount of centripetal lens movement required did not significantly change with age (p=0.10; n=18 monkeys); however, the amount of centripetal CP movement required significantly increased with age (p=0.01; n=18 monkeys), while the amount of forward ciliary body movement significantly decreased with age (p=0.007; n=11 monkeys). In the middle-aged animals (12-16.5 years), a greater amount of centripetal CP movement was required to induce a given level of lens movement and thereby a given level of accommodation (p=0.01), compared to the young animals (6-10 yrs). Collectively, the data suggests that, with age, the accommodative system may be attempting to compensate for the loss of forward ciliary body movement by increasing the amount of centripetal CP movement. This, in turn, would allow enough zonular relaxation to achieve the magnitude of centripetal lens movement necessary for a given amplitude of accommodation. PMID:19635475

External cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: a reappraisal of the effects of electrode pad position and transthoracic impedance on cardioversion success.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Jen; Guo, G Bih-Fang

2003-11-01

The optimal methods to perform external cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) have yet to be conclusively determined. This study was performed to examine the relative efficacy of different pad positions on cardioversion success and the relationship between the transthoracic impedance (TTI) and energy requirement for AF cardioversion. Seventy patients with persistent AF undergoing elective cardioversion were randomly assigned to an electrode pad position situated either over the ventricular apex-right infraclavicular area (AL group, n = 31 ) or over the right lower sternal border-left infrascapular area close to the spine (AP group, n = 39). Energy was delivered at an initial 100 joules (J) and then increased to 150 J, 200 J, 300 J, and 360 J if needed. Energy and TTI readings were recorded. Mean TTI was significantly lower in the AP group than in the AL group. However, the cumulative success rates at each energy level were similar in the two groups (23% vs 19.4%, 41% vs 45.2%, 66.7% vs 74.2%, 79.5% vs 77.4%, and 84.6% vs 83.9% at 100 J, 150 J, 200 J, 300 J and 360 J, respectively). In the AP group, converters showed slightly lower TTI compared to nonconverters. In the AL group, converters showed significantly lower TTI compared to nonconverters. However, for all patients as a group, TTI was the only predictor for cardioversion success and showed a significant relationship to the energy required for cardioversion, which can be described by a quadratic equation. Rather than pad position. TTI is the single factor that significantly affects cardioversion and correlates with energy requirement. The relationship between energy requirement and TTI further allows estimation of energy requirements to achieve a successfil cardioversion.

Optimize Resources and Help Reduce Cost of Ownership with Dell[TM] Systems Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technology & Learning, 2008

2008-01-01

Maintaining secure, convenient administration of the PC system environment can be a significant drain on resources. Deskside visits can greatly increase the cost of supporting a large number of computers. Even simple tasks, such as tracking inventory or updating software, quickly become expensive when they require physically visiting every…

Educational Leadership and Management: Theory, Policy, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Tony

2007-01-01

There is great interest in educational leadership in the early part of the 21st century because of the widespread belief that the quality of leadership makes a significant difference to school and student outcomes. There is also increasing recognition that schools require effective leaders and managers if they are to provide the best possible…

75 FR 35751 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Tumbling Creek...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... that the species requires adequate water quality, water quantity, water flow, a stable stream channel, minimal sedimentation, and energy input from the guano of bats, particularly gray bats (Myotis grisescens... increased sedimentation or bank erosion from backwater flooding); by significant changes in the existing...

The Dynamic Theory, A New View of Space, Time, and Matter

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-03-01

UQ = 0, system the principle of increasing entropy requires that (dqo)2 > 0 so that f (do)2 > 0. Introducing the quantitization conditions results in...added significance in considering the differential change in entropy or dq° =f do. Thus the only mathematically consistent difinition for is 1 lanf ax

College Choice Factors of Latino Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zayas-DeCouto, Georgina

2016-01-01

In the United States, a postsecondary education is significant for economic success. The future job markets require advanced certifications in order to compete in the global market. The federal government emphasizes this importance with the completion goal to increase the number of college graduates by the year 2020. Community colleges have been…

Effect of Cotton Fiber Cohesion on Energy Use and Fiber Quality During Processing: 2nd Year

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy is a significant expense for cotton gins, and consumers of cotton goods are increasingly concerned with the sustainability of cotton production. Previous research has demonstrated the effect of fiber-seed attachment force on the energy required to gin cotton, which will affect the ginning rat...

The Value of ERP Curriculum Integration: Perspectives from the Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hepner, Michelle; Dickson, Warren

2013-01-01

In the current economic conditions, many institutions face dwindling budgets and an increased focus on proving the value of the education provided. The effort and costs required to integrate Enterprise Resource Planning systems into course curricula are a significant investment of resources for any university. This paper examines the expense of…

THE TRANSPORT AND FATE OF ETHANOL AND BTEX IN GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATED BY GASOHOL. (R821114)

EPA Science Inventory

Ethanol is used a component in all gasoline in Brazil, and its use could increase significantly in the U.S. to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments. Recent problems with ground water contamination by methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) have made policymakers more c...

Unmet Needs of Children with Special Health Care Needs in a Specialized Day School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aruda, Mary M.; Kelly, Mary; Newinsky, Karina

2011-01-01

Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) represent a significant component of the pediatric population. They often present to schools with multiple and increasingly complex health issues, including medical technology dependency. Their daily variation in health status requires close monitoring and communication among caregivers. Limited…

Identification of QTL affecting seed mineral concentrations and content in the model legume Medicago truncatula

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing the amount of bioavailable micronutrients such as iron and zinc in plant foods for human consumption is a challenge, especially in developing countries where plant foods comprise a significant portion of the diet. Legume seeds have the potential to provide the essential nutrients require...

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting seed mineral content in the model legume Medicago truncatula

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing the amount of bioavailable micronutrients such as iron and zinc in plant foods for human consumption is a challenge especially in developing countries where plant foods comprise a significant portion of the diet. Legume seeds have the potential to provide the essential nutrients required...

Career Education and Labour Market Conditions: The Skills Gap Myth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyslop-Margison, Emery J.; Welsh, Benjamin H.

The rhetoric surrounding career education programs was examined by exploring two questions. The first question was which employment sectors anticipate significant job growth and what skill levels and academic competencies were required to work within those sectors. The second question was whether increasing the level of student knowledge and skill…

Predicting total organic carbon load with El Nino southern oscillation phase using hybrid and fuzzy logic approaches

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During drinking water treatment chlorine reacts with total organic carbon (TOC) to form disinfection byproducts (DBP), some of which can be carcinogenic. Additional treatment required to remove TOC before chlorination significantly increases treatment cost. There are two main sources of TOC in a wat...

40 CFR 1068.120 - What requirements must I follow to rebuild engines?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... systems for fuel metering or electronic control so that it significantly increases the service life of the... must have a reasonable technical basis for knowing that the rebuilt engine's emission control system... believe that the engine with those parts will control emissions of all pollutants at least to the same...

40 CFR 1068.120 - What requirements must I follow to rebuild engines?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... systems for fuel metering or electronic control so that it significantly increases the service life of the... must have a reasonable technical basis for knowing that the rebuilt engine's emission control system... believe that the engine with those parts will control emissions of all pollutants at least to the same...

40 CFR 1068.120 - What requirements must I follow to rebuild engines?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... systems for fuel metering or electronic control so that it significantly increases the service life of the... must have a reasonable technical basis for knowing that the rebuilt engine's emission control system... believe that the engine with those parts will control emissions of all pollutants at least to the same...

Effectiveness of a Computer-Assisted Intervention for Young Children with Attention and Reading Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walcott, Christy M.; Marett, Katherine; Hessel, Amanda B.

2014-01-01

Children who are significantly inattentive and poor early readers require intervention, and traditional tutoring approaches may not be effective with this group. Using a single-subject, multiple-baseline-across-participants design, Study 1 examines whether a computer-assisted reading intervention increases performance for three first-grade…

The World at Work: Matching Skills and Jobs in Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobbs, Richard; Madgavkar, Anu

2014-01-01

As a result of changing employer needs, shifts in the labour supply, and demographic forces, there could be increasingly significant mismatches between worker skills and job requirements by 2030, which could raise structural unemployment levels and slow economic growth. These gaps would include shortages of high-skill workers in advanced economies…

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pressure relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

49 CFR 173.412 - Additional design requirements for Type A packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... relief device, is provided with an enclosure to retain any leakage. (h) Any radiation shield that... structural part of the packaging, under both normal and accident conditions, must not impair the ability of... significant increase in the radiation levels recorded or calculated at the external surfaces for the condition...

Erupting with Great Force: Performing Text to Enhance Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullion-Mears, Ann; McCauley, Joyce K.; McWhorter, J. YeVette

2007-01-01

Performing text in the form of choral reading, rap, reader's theatre, and/or simulations offers students a powerful vehicle for understanding and recalling key concepts and significant details culled from textual materials. Creating a script, poem, or lyrics to perform requires repeated readings of a text, a practice that increases participants'…

Orbiting Deep Space Relay Station (ODSRS). Volume 1: Requirement determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, J. A.

1979-01-01

The deep space communications requirements of the post-1985 time frame are described and the orbiting deep space relay station (ODSRS) is presented as an option for meeting these requirements. Under current conditions, the ODSRS is not yet cost competitive with Earth based stations to increase DSN telemetry performance, but has significant advantages over a ground station, and these are sufficient to maintain it as a future option. These advantages include: the ability to track a spacecraft 24 hours per day with ground stations located only in the USA; the ability to operate at higher frequencies that would be attenuated by Earth's atmosphere; and the potential for building very large structures without the constraints of Earth's gravity.

Centaur Test Bed (CTB) for Cryogenic Fluid Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakla, Steven; Kutter, Bernard; Wall, John

2006-01-01

Future missions such as NASA s space exploration vision and DOD satellite servicing will require significant increases in the understanding and knowledge of space based cryogenic fluid management (CFM), including the transfer and storage of cryogenic fluids. Existing CFM capabilities are based on flight of upper stage cryogenic vehicles, scientific dewars, a few dedicated flight demonstrations and ground testing. This current capability is inadequate to support development of the CEV cryogenic propulsion system, other aspects of robust space exploration or the refueling of satellite cryo propulsion systems with reasonable risk. In addition, these technologies can provide significant performance increases for missions beyond low-earth orbit to enable manned missions to the Moon and beyond. The Centaur upper-stage vehicle can provide a low cost test platform for performing numerous flight demonstrations of the full breadth of required CFM technologies to support CEV development. These flight demonstrations can be performed as secondary mission objectives using excess LH2 and/or LO2 from the main vehicle propellant tanks following primary spacecraft separation at minimal cost and risk.

Pharmacy students' attitudes about treating patients with alcohol addiction after attending a required mutual support group.

PubMed

Neville, Michael W

2014-03-12

To implement required attendance at mutual support groups for addiction recovery as a pharmacy skills laboratory exercise, and to evaluate how attendance affected pharmacy students' attitudes about caring for patients with addiction. Third-year (P3) pharmacy students enrolled in a Pharmacy Skills Laboratory course were required to watch an introductory video about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and then attend 2 "open meetings" during the semester. Students submitted a written reflection as proof of attendance. Pharmacy students who agreed to participate in the study completed the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (SAAPPQ) during the course orientation and again at the end of the semester. Mutual support group attendance significantly affected the students' attitudes within the domains of role adequacy, task specific self-esteem, and work satisfaction. Significant changes were not observed within the domains of motivation and role legitimacy. Mutual support group attendance exposed pharmacy students to the negative effects of alcohol abuse and increased their self-confidence to provide care to patients with alcohol addiction.

Defining Medical Capabilities for Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hailey, M.; Antonsen, E.; Blue, R.; Reyes, D.; Mulcahy, R.; Kerstman, E.; Bayuse, T.

2018-01-01

Exploration-class missions to the moon, Mars and beyond will require a significant change in medical capability from today's low earth orbit centric paradigm. Significant increases in autonomy will be required due to differences in duration, distance and orbital mechanics. Aerospace medicine and systems engineering teams are working together within ExMC to meet these challenges. Identifying exploration medical system needs requires accounting for planned and unplanned medical care as defined in the concept of operations. In 2017, the ExMC Clinicians group identified medical capabilities to feed into the Systems Engineering process, including: determining what and how to address planned and preventive medical care; defining an Accepted Medical Condition List (AMCL) of conditions that may occur and a subset of those that can be treated effectively within the exploration environment; and listing the medical capabilities needed to treat those conditions in the AMCL. This presentation will discuss the team's approach to addressing these issues, as well as how the outputs of the clinical process impact the systems engineering effort.

Effects of Nonsphericity on the Behavior of Lorenz-Mie Resonances in Scattering Characteristics of Liquid-Cloud Droplets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dlugach, Janna M.; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2014-01-01

By using the results of highly accurate T-matrix computations for randomly oriented oblate and prolate spheroids and Chebyshev particles with varying degrees of asphericity, we analyze the effects of a deviation of water-droplet shapes from that of a perfect sphere on the behavior of Lorenz-Mie morphology-dependent resonances of various widths. We demonstrate that the positions and profiles of the resonances can change significantly with increasing asphericity. The absolute degree of asphericity required to suppress a Lorenz-Mie resonance is approximately proportional to the resonance width. Our results imply that numerical averaging of scattering characteristics of real cloud droplets over sizes may rely on a significantly coarser size-parameter resolution than that required for ideal, perfectly spherical particles.

Midwives caring for asylum-seeking women: research findings.

PubMed

Bennett, Sarah; Scammell, Janet

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, the numbers of women seeking asylum in the United Kingdom (UK) and requiring midwifery care have increased significantly (Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2012). This article describes findings from a small study that explored the experiences of midwives caring for asylum seeking women. Time and communication emerged as significant factors impacting on quality of care and these are the focus of this article. Caring for these women was emotionally challenging and at times frustrating due to poor access to information and support. In conclusion, whilst considerable knowledge and skills were required to care for this vulnerable group, these appeared to be learned almost solely 'on the job': Implications for service delivery and education are explored and recommendations made to improve experiences for women and midwives.

Three Canted Radiator Panels to Provide Adequate Cooling for Instruments on Slewing Spacecraft in LEO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.

2012-01-01

Certain free-flying spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) or payloads on the International Space Station (ISS) are required to slew to point the telescopes at targets. Instrument detectors and electronics require cooling. Traditionally a planar thermal radiator is used. The temperature of such a radiator varies significantly when the spacecraft slews because its view factors to space vary significantly. Also for payloads on the ISS, solar impingement on the radiator is possible. These thermal adversities could lead to inadequate cooling for the instrument. This paper presents a novel thermal design concept that utilizes three canted radiator panels to mitigate this problem. It increases the overall radiator view factor to cold space and reduces the overall solar or albedo flux absorbed per unit area of the radiator.

Nanofabrication of ultra-low reflectivity black silicon surfaces and devices (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Victor E.; Yee, Karl Y.; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Echternach, Pierre M.; Muller, Richard E.; Dickie, Matthew R.; Cady, Eric; Ryan, Daniel J.; Eastwood, Michael; van Gorp, Byron; Riggs, A. J. Eldorado; Zimmerman, Niel; Kasdin, N. Jeremy

2015-08-01

Optical devices with features exhibiting ultra low reflectivity on the order of 10-7 specular reflectance in the visible spectrum are required for coronagraph instruments and some spectrometers employed in space research. Nanofabrication technologies have been developed to produce such devices with various shapes and feature dimensions to meet these requirements. Infrared reflection is also suppressed significantly with chosen wafers and processes. Particularly, devices with very high (>0.9) and very low reflectivity (<10-7) on adjacent areas have been fabricated and characterized. Significantly increased surface area due to the long needle like nano structures also provides some unique applications in other technology areas. We present some of the approaches, challenges and achieved results in producing and characterizing such devices currently employed in laboratory testbeds and instruments.

Robotic tape library system level testing at NSA: Present and planned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shields, Michael F.

1994-01-01

In the present of declining Defense budgets, increased pressure has been placed on the DOD to utilize Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) solutions to incrementally solve a wide variety of our computer processing requirements. With the rapid growth in processing power, significant expansion of high performance networking, and the increased complexity of applications data sets, the requirement for high performance, large capacity, reliable and secure, and most of all affordable robotic tape storage libraries has greatly increased. Additionally, the migration to a heterogeneous, distributed computing environment has further complicated the problem. With today's open system compute servers approaching yesterday's supercomputer capabilities, the need for affordable, reliable secure Mass Storage Systems (MSS) has taken on an ever increasing importance to our processing center's ability to satisfy operational mission requirements. To that end, NSA has established an in-house capability to acquire, test, and evaluate COTS products. Its goal is to qualify a set of COTS MSS libraries, thereby achieving a modicum of standardization for robotic tape libraries which can satisfy our low, medium, and high performance file and volume serving requirements. In addition, NSA has established relations with other Government Agencies to complete this in-house effort and to maximize our research, testing, and evaluation work. While the preponderance of the effort is focused at the high end of the storage ladder, considerable effort will be extended this year and next at the server class or mid range storage systems.

Risk Assessment and Control through Countermeasure System Iplementation for Long-term Crew Exposure to Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gernand, Jeremy M.

2004-01-01

Experience with the International Space Station (ISS) program demonstrates the degree to which engineering design and operational solutions must protect crewmembers from health risks due to long-term exposure to the microgravity environment. Risks to safety and health due to degradation in the microgravity environment include crew inability to complete emergency or nominal activities, increased risk of injury, and inability to complete safe return to the ground due to reduced strength or embrittled bones. These risks without controls slowly increase in probability for the length of the mission and become more significant for increasing mission durations. Countermeasures to microgravity include hardware systems that place a crewmember s body under elevated stress to produce an effect similar to daily exposure to gravity. The ISS countermeasure system is predominately composed of customized exercise machines. Historical treatment of microgravity countermeasure systems as medical research experiments unintentionally reduced the foreseen importance and therefore the capability of the systems to function in a long-term operational role. Long-term hazardous effects and steadily increasing operational risks due to non-functional countermeasure equipment require a more rigorous design approach and incorporation of redundancy into seemingly non- mission-critical hardware systems. Variations in the rate of health degradation and responsiveness to countermeasures among the crew population drastically increase the challenge for design requirements development and verification of the appropriate risk control strategy. The long-term nature of the hazards and severe limits on logistical re-supply mass, volume and frequency complicates assessment of hardware availability and verification of an adequate maintenance and sparing plan. Design achievement of medically defined performance requirements by microgravity countermeasure systems and incorporation of adequate failure tolerance significantly reduces these risks. Future implementation of on-site monitoring hardware for critical health parameters such as bone mineral density would allow greater responsiveness, efficiency, and optimized design of the countermeasures system.

Voice Function Differences Following Resting Breathing vs. Submaximal Exercise

PubMed Central

Sandage, Mary J.; Connor, Nadine P.; Pascoe, David D.

2013-01-01

Objectives/Hypothesis There is little known about how physical exercise may alter physiological parameters of voice production. In this investigation, vocal function and upper airway temperature were examined following a bout of submaximal exercise and compared with a resting breathing condition. It was hypothesized that phonation threshold pressure and perceived phonatory effort would increase, and pharyngeal temperature would decrease following an exercise bout. Study Design Using a within-participant repeated measures design, 18 consented participants (9 men, 9 women) completed the study. Methods A 20-minute equilibration task was immediately followed by 8 minutes of submaximal exercise on a stationary bike in a thermally neutral environment (25°C/40% RH). At the end of the equilibration trial and the exercise trial measures were taken in the following order: pharyngeal temperature, phonation threshold pressure, and perceived phonatory effort. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests with significance set at α<0.05. Results Significantly increased phonation threshold pressure and perceived phonatory effort and significantly decreased pharyngeal temperature (1.9°C) were found, supporting the initial hypotheses. Conclusions Findings from this investigation support the widely held belief that voice use associated with physical activity requires additional laryngeal effort and closure forces. The effect of the temperature reduction in the upper airway on voice function requires further study. PMID:23849683

Microwave Pasteurization of Cooked Pasta: Effect of Process Parameters on Texture and Quality for Heat-and-Eat and Ready-to-Eat Meals.

PubMed

Joyner Melito, Helen S; Jones, Kari E; Rasco, Barbara A

2016-06-01

Pasta presents a challenge to microwave processing due to its unique cooking requirements. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of microwave processing on pasta physicochemical and mechanical properties. Fettuccine pasta was parboiled for selected times, then pasteurized using a Microwave Assisted Pasteurization System and stored under refrigeration for 1 wk. Samples were analyzed using microscopy, mechanical testing, and chemical analyses after storage. While no significant differences were observed for free amylose among fresh samples, samples parboiled for ≤6 min had significantly higher free amylose, suggesting reduced starch retrogradation. Increased heat treatment increased degree of protein polymerization, observed in microstructures as increased gluten strand thickness and network density. Firmness and extensibility increased with increased parboil time; however, extension data indicated an overall weakening of microwave-treated pasta regardless of total cooking time. Overall, microwave pasteurization was shown to be a viable cooking method for pasta. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Inorganic/organic nanocomposites: Reaching a high filler content without increasing viscosity using core-shell structured nanoparticles

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

Benhadjala, W., E-mail: warda.benhadjala@cea.fr; CEA, LETI, Minatec Campus, 38000 Grenoble; Gravoueille, M.

2015-11-23

Extensive research is being conducted on the development of inorganic/organic nanocomposites for a wide variety of applications in microelectronics, biotechnologies, photonics, adhesives, or optical coatings. High filler contents are usually required to fully optimize the nanocomposites properties. However, numerous studies demonstrated that traditional composite viscosity increases with increasing the filler concentration reducing therefore significantly the material processability. In this work, we synthesized inorganic/organic core-shell nanocomposites with different shell thicknesses. By reducing the shell thickness while maintaining a constant core size, the nanoparticle molecular mass decreases but the nanocomposite filler fraction is correlatively increased. We performed viscosity measurements, which clearly highlightedmore » that intrinsic viscosity of hybrid nanoparticles decreases as the molecular mass decreases, and thus, as the filler fraction increases, as opposed to Einstein predictions about the viscosity of traditional inorganic/polymer two-phase mixtures. This exceptional behavior, modeled by Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation, proves to be a significant breakthrough for the development of industrializable nanocomposites with high filler contents.« less

The impact of citizenship documentation requirements on access to Medicaid for pregnant women in Oregon

PubMed Central

Bauer, Joanna; Angus, Lisa; Fischler, Nurit; Rosenberg, Kenneth D.; Gipson, Teresa F.; DeVoe, Jennifer E.

2012-01-01

Objectives The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 mandated citizenship documentation from all Medicaid applicants as a condition of eligibility and was implemented in Oregon on September 1, 2006. We assessed whether new citizenship documentation requirements were associated with delays in Medicaid authorization for newly pregnant eligible applicants during the first nine months of DRA implementation in Oregon. Methods We conducted a pre-post analysis of administrative records to compare the length of time between Medicaid application and authorization for all newly pregnant, Medicaid-eligible applicants in Oregon (n= 29,284), nine months before and after September 1, 2006. We compared mean days from application to authorization (McNemar’s), and proportion of eligible applicants who waited over 7, 30 and 45 days to be authorized (Peason’s coefficient). Results The mean number of days women waited for authorization increased from 18 days in the nine months before DRA implementation to 22.6 days in the post-implementation nine month period (p=<0.001). The proportion of eligible applicants who waited 7, 30 and 45 days increased significantly following DRA implementation (p=<0.001). The proportion of eligible applicants who were not authorized within the standard 45-day period increased from 6.9% to 12.5% following the DRA. Conclusions Implementation of new citizenship documentation requirements was associated with significant delays in Medicaid authorization for eligible pregnant women in Oregon. Such delays in gaining insurance coverage can detrimentally affect access to early prenatal care initiation among a vulnerable population known to be at higher risk for certain preventable pregnancy-related complications. PMID:20602160

Can motivational signs prompt increases in incidental physical activity in an Australian health-care facility?

PubMed

Marshall, A L; Bauman, A E; Patch, C; Wilson, J; Chen, J

2002-12-01

This study aimed to evaluate whether a stair-promoting signed intervention could increase the use of the stairs over the elevator in a health-care facility. A time-series design was conducted over 12 weeks. Data were collected before, during and after displaying a signed intervention during weeks 4-5 and 8-9. Evaluation included anonymous counts recorded by an objective unobtrusive motion-sensing device of people entering the elevator or the stairs. Self-report data on stair use by hospital staff were also collected. Stair use significantly increased after the first intervention phase (P = 0.02), but after the intervention was removed stair use decreased back towards baseline levels. Moreover, stair use did not significantly change after the re-introduction of the intervention. Lastly, stair use decreased below the initial baseline level during the final weeks of evaluation. Furthermore, there was no significant change in self-reported stair use by hospital staff. Therefore, the signed intervention aimed at promoting an increase in incidental physical activity produced small brief effects, which were not maintained. Further research is required to find more effective 'point of choice' interventions to increase incidental physical activity participation with more sustainable impact.

Toluene diisocyanate increases airway responsiveness to substance P and decreases airway neutral endopeptidase.

PubMed

Sheppard, D; Thompson, J E; Scypinski, L; Dusser, D; Nadel, J A; Borson, D B

1988-04-01

Substance P and related tachykinins contribute to the airway hyperresponsiveness caused by toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in guinea pigs. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an important modulator of substance P-induced responses. To test the hypothesis that exposure to TDI would increase responsiveness to substance P by inhibiting activity of this enzyme, we determined the dose of substance P required to increase pulmonary resistance by 200% above baseline (PD200) before and after administration of the pharmacologic inhibitor phosphoramidon in guinea pigs studied 1 h after a 1-h exposure to air or 3 ppm TDI. TDI exposure increased responsiveness to substance P significantly. However, phosphoramidon caused a significantly greater leftward shift of the substance P dose-response curve in air-exposed animals than it did in TDI-exposed animals, so that after phosphoramidon, mean values of PD200 in animals exposed to air or TDI did not differ. Tracheal NEP activity was significantly less after exposure to TDI than after exposure to air, whereas activity in the esophagus was the same in both groups. These results suggest that TDI exposure increases the bronchoconstrictor responsiveness of guinea pigs to substance P, in large part through inhibition of airway NEP.

Toluene diisocyanate increases airway responsiveness to substance P and decreases airway neutral endopeptidase.

PubMed Central

Sheppard, D; Thompson, J E; Scypinski, L; Dusser, D; Nadel, J A; Borson, D B

1988-01-01

Substance P and related tachykinins contribute to the airway hyperresponsiveness caused by toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in guinea pigs. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is an important modulator of substance P-induced responses. To test the hypothesis that exposure to TDI would increase responsiveness to substance P by inhibiting activity of this enzyme, we determined the dose of substance P required to increase pulmonary resistance by 200% above baseline (PD200) before and after administration of the pharmacologic inhibitor phosphoramidon in guinea pigs studied 1 h after a 1-h exposure to air or 3 ppm TDI. TDI exposure increased responsiveness to substance P significantly. However, phosphoramidon caused a significantly greater leftward shift of the substance P dose-response curve in air-exposed animals than it did in TDI-exposed animals, so that after phosphoramidon, mean values of PD200 in animals exposed to air or TDI did not differ. Tracheal NEP activity was significantly less after exposure to TDI than after exposure to air, whereas activity in the esophagus was the same in both groups. These results suggest that TDI exposure increases the bronchoconstrictor responsiveness of guinea pigs to substance P, in large part through inhibition of airway NEP. PMID:2450892

Characteristics of clinical trials that require participants to be fluent in English

PubMed Central

Egleston, Brian L; Pedraza, Omar; Wong, Yu-Ning; Dunbrack, Roland L; Griffin, Candace L; Ross, Eric A; Beck, J Robert

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Diverse samples in clinical trials can make findings more generalizable. We sought to characterize the prevalence of clinical trials in the United States that required English fluency for participants to enroll in the trial. Methods We randomly chose over 10,000 clinical trial protocols registered with ClinicalTrials.gov and examined the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the trials. We compared the relationship of clinical trial characteristics with English fluency inclusion requirements. We merged the ClinicalTrials.gov data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey data to investigate the association of English language restrictions with ZIP-code level demographic characteristics of participating institutions. We used Chi-squared tests, t-tests, and logistic regression models for analyses. Results English fluency requirements have been increasing over time, from 1.7% of trials having such requirements before 2000 to 9.0% after 2010 (p<0.001 from Chi-squared test). Industry sponsored trials had low rates of English fluency requirements (1.8%) while behavioral trials had high rates (28.4%). Trials opening in the Northeast of the U.S. had the highest regional English requirement rates (10.7%) while trials opening in more than one region had the lowest (3.3%, p<0.001). Since 1995, trials opening in ZIP-codes with larger Hispanic populations were less likely to have English fluency requirements (OR=0.92 for each 10 percent increase in proportion of Hispanics, 95% CI 0.86–0.98, p=0.013). Trials opening in ZIP-codes with more residents self-identifying as Black/African American (OR=1.87, 95% CI 1.36–2.58, p<0.001 for restricted cubic spline term) or Asian (OR=1.16 for linear term, 95% CI 1.07–1.25, p<0.001) were more likely to have English fluency requirements. ZIP-codes with higher poverty rates had trials with more English language restrictions (OR=1.06 for a 10 percent poverty rate increase, 95% CI 1.001–1.11, p=0.045). There was a statistically significant interaction between year and intervention type, such that the increase in English fluency requirements was more common for some interventions than for others. Conclusions The proportion of clinical trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov that have English fluency requirements for study inclusion has been increasing over time. English language restrictions are associated with a number of characteristics, including the demographic characteristics of communities in which the sponsoring institutions are located. PMID:26152834

Characteristics of clinical trials that require participants to be fluent in English.

PubMed

Egleston, Brian L; Pedraza, Omar; Wong, Yu-Ning; Dunbrack, Roland L; Griffin, Candace L; Ross, Eric A; Beck, J Robert

2015-12-01

Diverse samples in clinical trials can make findings more generalizable. We sought to characterize the prevalence of clinical trials in the United States that required English fluency for participants to enroll in the trial. We randomly chose over 10,000 clinical trial protocols registered with ClinicalTrials.gov and examined the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the trials. We compared the relationship of clinical trial characteristics with English fluency inclusion requirements. We merged the ClinicalTrials.gov data with US Census and American Community Survey data to investigate the association of English-language restrictions with ZIP-code-level demographic characteristics of participating institutions. We used Chi-squared tests, t-tests, and logistic regression models for analyses. English fluency requirements have been increasing over time, from 1.7% of trials having such requirements before 2000 to 9.0% after 2010 (p < 0.001 from Chi-squared test). Industry-sponsored trials had low rates of English fluency requirements (1.8%), while behavioral trials had high rates (28.4%). Trials opening in the Northeast of the United States had the highest regional English requirement rates (10.7%), while trials opening in more than one region had the lowest (3.3%, p<0.001). Since 1995, trials opening in ZIP codes with larger Hispanic populations were less likely to have English fluency requirements (odds ratio=0.92 for each 10% increase in proportion of Hispanics, 95% confidence interval=0.86-0.98, p=0.013). Trials opening in ZIP codes with more residents self-identifying as Black/African American (odds ratio=1.87, 95% confidence interval=1.36-2.58, p<0.001 for restricted cubic spline term) or Asian (odds ratio=1.16 for linear term, 95% confidence interval=1.07-1.25, p<0.001) were more likely to have English fluency requirements. ZIP codes with higher poverty rates had trials with more English-language restrictions (odds ratio=1.06 for a 10% poverty rate increase, 95% confidence interval=1.001-1.11, p=0.045). There was a statistically significant interaction between year and intervention type, such that the increase in English fluency requirements was more common for some interventions than for others. The proportion of clinical trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov that have English fluency requirements for study inclusion has been increasing over time. English-language restrictions are associated with a number of characteristics, including the demographic characteristics of communities in which the sponsoring institutions are located. © The Author(s) 2015.

International Health Regulations (2005) facilitate communication for in-flight contacts of a Middle East respiratory syndrome case, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 2014.

PubMed

Kwok-ming, Poon; Miu-ling, Wong; Yiu-hong, Leung; Ka-wai, Sin; Liza, To May-kei; Shuk-kwan, Chuang

2015-01-01

The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) require World Health Organization Member States to notify events fulfilling two of four criteria: (1) serious public health impact; (2) unusual or unexpected event; (3) significant risk of international spread; or (4) significant risk of international travel or trade restrictions. (1) In-flight transmission of infections like severe acute respiratory syndrome is well documented. (2) With the enormous amount of air travel today, the risk of increasing in-flight transmission and subsequent international spread of infections are increasing. Prompt notification and information sharing under the IHR mechanism is critical for effective contact tracing and prompt control measures. We report on a case of in-flight exposure to an infection with significant public health risks that was successfully resolved using IHR (2005) guidelines.

Forest Ecosystem Processes at the Watershed Scale: Ecosystem services, feedback and evolution in developing mountainous catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Band, Larry

2010-05-01

Mountain watersheds provide significant ecosystem services both locally and for surrounding regions, including the provision of freshwater, hydropower, carbon sequestration, habitat, forest products and recreational/aesthetic opportunities. The hydrologic connectivity along hillslopes in sloping terrain provides an upslope subsidy of water and nutrients to downslope ecosystem patches, producing characteristic ecosystem patterns of vegetation density and type, and soil biogeochemical cycling. Recent work suggests that optimal patterns of forest cover evolve along these flowpaths which maximize net primary productivity and carbon sequestration at the hillslope to catchment scale. These watersheds are under significant pressure from potential climate change, changes in forest management, increasing population and development, and increasing demand for water export. As water balance and flowpaths are altered by shifting weather patterns and new development, the spatial distribution and coupling of water, carbon and nutrient cycling will spur the evolution of different ecosystem patterns. These issues have both theoretical and practical implications for the coupling of water, carbon and nutrient cycling at the landscape level, and the potential to manage watersheds for bundled ecosystem services. If the spatial structure of the ecosystem spontaneously adjusts to maximize landscape level use of limiting resources, there may be trade-offs in the level of services provided. The well known carbon-for-water tradeoff reflects the growth of forests to maximize carbon uptake, but also transpiration which limits freshwater availability in many biomes. We provide examples of the response of bundled ecosystem services to climate and land use change in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States. These mountains have very high net primary productivity, biodiversity and water yields, and provide significant freshwater resources to surrounding regions. There has been a significant increase in population in the Southern Appalachians, with new building of second homes in steep headwaters, requiring significant expansion in high altitude roads, in contrast with traditional valley bottom development. With additional increases in hydrologic extremes (heavy precipitation and drought), and progressive changes in forest composition there has been increases in hazard from flash flooding, landslide activity and degraded water quality. The evaluation of integrated watershed impacts of the expected changes in climate and land management requires an interdisciplinary approach including direct feedbacks between ecological, hydrological, geomorphic and atmospheric processes within the framework of an adapting social system. Advances in this type of interdisciplinary research require a network of ecohydrologic observatories generating long term, multi-dimensional data, and a science community working across the interface of multiple fields. Adding individual and institutional behavior as an input or interactive component of watershed ecosystems remains a challenge that spans ecological, hydrological and social science.

Autophagy Protects Against Aminochrome-Induced Cell Death in Substantia Nigra-Derived Cell Line

PubMed Central

Paris, Irmgard; Muñoz, Patricia; Huenchuguala, Sandro; Couve, Eduardo; Sanders, Laurie H.; Greenamyre, John Timothy; Caviedes, Pablo; Segura-Aguilar, Juan

2011-01-01

Aminochrome, the precursor of neuromelanin, has been proposed to be involved in the neurodegeneration neuromelanin-containing dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease. We aimed to study the mechanism of aminochrome-dependent cell death in a cell line derived from rat substantia nigra. We found that aminochrome (50μM), in the presence of NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.2 (DT)-diaphorase inhibitor dicoumarol (DIC) (100μM), induces significant cell death (62 ± 3%; p < 0.01), increase in caspase-3 activation (p < 0.001), release of cytochrome C, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (p < 0.01), damage of mitochondrial DNA, damage of mitochondria determined with transmission electron microscopy, a dramatic morphological change characterized as cell shrinkage, and significant increase in number of autophagic vacuoles. To determine the role of autophagy on aminochrome-induced cell death, we incubated the cells in the presence of vinblastine and rapamycin. Interestingly, 10μM vinblastine induces a 5.9-fold (p < 0.001) and twofold (p < 0.01) significant increase in cell death when the cells were incubated with 30μM aminochrome in the absence and presence of DIC, respectively, whereas 10μM rapamycin preincubated 24 h before addition of 50μM aminochrome in the absence and the presence of 100μM DIC induces a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in cell death. In conclusion, autophagy seems to be an important protective mechanism against two different aminochrome-induced cell deaths that initially showed apoptotic features. The cell death induced by aminochrome when DT-diaphorase is inhibited requires activation of mitochondrial pathway, whereas the cell death induced by aminochrome alone requires inhibition of autophagy-dependent degrading of damaged organelles and recycling through lysosomes. PMID:21427056

Short-term total sleep deprivation alters delay-conditioned memory in the rat.

PubMed

Tripathi, Shweta; Jha, Sushil K

2016-06-01

Short-term sleep deprivation soon after training may impair memory consolidation. Also, a particular sleep stage or its components increase after learning some tasks, such as negative and positive reinforcement tasks, avoidance tasks, and spatial learning tasks, and so forth. It suggests that discrete memory types may require specific sleep stage or its components for their optimal processing. The classical conditioning paradigms are widely used to study learning and memory but the role of sleep in a complex conditioned learning is unclear. Here, we have investigated the effects of short-term sleep deprivation on the consolidation of delay-conditioned memory and the changes in sleep architecture after conditioning. Rats were trained for the delay-conditioned task (for conditioning, house-light [conditioned stimulus] was paired with fruit juice [unconditioned stimulus]). Animals were divided into 3 groups: (a) sleep deprived (SD); (b) nonsleep deprived (NSD); and (c) stress control (SC) groups. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between groups and days (training and testing) during the conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus presentation. Further, Tukey post hoc comparison revealed that the NSD and SC animals exhibited significant increase in performances during testing. The SD animals, however, performed significantly less during testing. Further, we observed that wakefulness and NREM sleep did not change after training and testing. Interestingly, REM sleep increased significantly on both days compared to baseline more specifically during the initial 4-hr time window after conditioning. Our results suggest that the consolidation of delay-conditioned memory is sleep-dependent and requires augmented REM sleep during an explicit time window soon after training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Improvement of sidestream dark field imaging with an image acquisition stabilizer.

PubMed

Balestra, Gianmarco M; Bezemer, Rick; Boerma, E Christiaan; Yong, Ze-Yie; Sjauw, Krishan D; Engstrom, Annemarie E; Koopmans, Matty; Ince, Can

2010-07-13

In the present study we developed, evaluated in volunteers, and clinically validated an image acquisition stabilizer (IAS) for Sidestream Dark Field (SDF) imaging. The IAS is a stainless steel sterilizable ring which fits around the SDF probe tip. The IAS creates adhesion to the imaged tissue by application of negative pressure. The effects of the IAS on the sublingual microcirculatory flow velocities, the force required to induce pressure artifacts (PA), the time to acquire a stable image, and the duration of stable imaging were assessed in healthy volunteers. To demonstrate the clinical applicability of the SDF setup in combination with the IAS, simultaneous bilateral sublingual imaging of the microcirculation were performed during a lung recruitment maneuver (LRM) in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. One SDF device was operated handheld; the second was fitted with the IAS and held in position by a mechanic arm. Lateral drift, number of losses of image stability and duration of stable imaging of the two methods were compared. Five healthy volunteers were studied. The IAS did not affect microcirculatory flow velocities. A significantly greater force had to applied onto the tissue to induced PA with compared to without IAS (0.25 +/- 0.15 N without vs. 0.62 +/- 0.05 N with the IAS, p < 0.001). The IAS ensured an increased duration of a stable image sequence (8 +/- 2 s without vs. 42 +/- 8 s with the IAS, p < 0.001). The time required to obtain a stable image sequence was similar with and without the IAS. In eight mechanically ventilated patients undergoing a LRM the use of the IAS resulted in a significantly reduced image drifting and enabled the acquisition of significantly longer stable image sequences (24 +/- 5 s without vs. 67 +/- 14 s with the IAS, p = 0.006). The present study has validated the use of an IAS for improvement of SDF imaging by demonstrating that the IAS did not affect microcirculatory perfusion in the microscopic field of view. The IAS improved both axial and lateral SDF image stability and thereby increased the critical force required to induce pressure artifacts. The IAS ensured a significantly increased duration of maintaining a stable image sequence.

A pediatric residency research requirement to improve collaborative resident and faculty publication productivity.

PubMed

Kurahara, David K; Kogachi, Kaitlin; Yamane, Maya; Ly, Catherine L; Foster, Jennifer H; Masaki-Tesoro, Traci; Murai, Daniel; Rudoy, Raul

2012-08-01

Involvement in a research project can teach training physicians about the scientific process involved in medicine. For this reason, the University of Hawai'i pediatrics department developed a Residency Research Requirement and Program (RRRP) in 2001. We studied a 14-year time period before and after the RRRP was initiated, and found a greater then ten-fold increase in resident publications and faculty involvement in these projects. Many of these manuscripts were the result of resident collaboration and this also increased significantly. The residents who later went into fellowship training were found to be more likely to publish their work. An RRRP encourages residents and faculty to become involved in research publications and other scholarly activities. Its development may help to motivate training physicians to learn important research skills.

An improved method for cable grip fixation of the greater trochanter after trochanteric slide osteotomy.

PubMed

Thakur, Nikhil A; Crisco, Joseph J; Moore, Douglas C; Froehlich, John A; Limbird, Richard S; Bliss, James M

2010-02-01

This study proposes a novel method for reattachment of the trochanteric slide osteotomy. The strength of this new fixation system was compared to established configurations. Fifteen sawbone femurs were used. Our configuration used cables above and below the lesser trochanter with a third cable around the shaft of the femur while passing the loose ends through the inferior hole of the cable grip. Displacement of the trochanter was measured with increasing load. Force required for catastrophic failure was also measured. The 3-cable construct resulted in significantly less displacement with increasing load and required a larger force to cause failure (1 cm and 2 cm). We theorize that our configuration produces a biomechanically stronger construct than previously used methods. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Improved Method for Cable Grip Fixation of the Greater Trochanter After Trochanteric Slide Osteotomy

PubMed Central

Thakur, Nikhil A.; Crisco, Joseph J.; Moore, Douglas C.; Froehlich, John A.; Limbird, Richard S.; Bliss, James M.

2017-01-01

This study proposes a novel method for reattachment of the trochanteric slide osteotomy. The strength of this new fixation system was compared to established configurations. Fifteen sawbone femurs were used. Our configuration used cables above and below the lesser trochanter with a third cable around the shaft of the femur while passing the loose ends through the inferior hole of the cable grip. Displacement of the trochanter was measured with increasing load. Force required for catastrophic failure was also measured. The 3-cable construct resulted in significantly less displacement with increasing load and required a larger force to cause failure (1 cm and 2 cm). We theorize that our configuration produces a biomechanically stronger construct than previously used methods. PMID:19062247

Reducing the Requirements and Cost of Astronomical Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, W. Scott; Whitakter, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Limits on astronomical telescope apertures are being rapidly approached. These limits result from logistics, increasing complexity, and finally budgetary constraints. In an historical perspective, great strides have been made in the area of aperture, adaptive optics, wavefront sensors, detectors, stellar interferometers and image reconstruction. What will be the next advances? Emerging data analysis techniques based on communication theory holds the promise of yielding more information from observational data based on significant computer post-processing. This paper explores some of the current telescope limitations and ponders the possibilities increasing the yield of scientific data based on the migration computer post-processing techniques to higher dimensions. Some of these processes hold the promise of reducing the requirements on the basic telescope hardware making the next generation of instruments more affordable.

Plastic photochromic eyewear: a status report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crano, John C.; Elias, Richard C.

1991-12-01

An estimated 10 million pairs of photochromic prescription lenses were dispensed in the United States in 1989, essentially all based on a silver halide system suspended in an inorganic glass. A significant trend within the ophthalmic industry has been the growth of light-weight plastic lenses. In the United States market, the percentage of prescription eyewear made of plastic is now greater than 70%. With this increasing market penetration of plastic lenses, the desire for an acceptable plastic photochromic lens has also increased. As with any commercial product, in order to achieve consumer acceptance there exist several technical requirements for a plastic photochromic lens. These include the light transmission and color of the lens in both the unactivated and activated states, the speeds of darkening and fading, and the fatigue resistance or lifetime of the photochromic system. These requirements will be defined along with approaches to achieving them. The properties of the commercially available plastic photochromic lenses will be compared with the defined requirements.

Dynamic visualization techniques for high consequence software

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

Pollock, G.M.

1998-02-01

This report documents a prototype tool developed to investigate the use of visualization and virtual reality technologies for improving software surety confidence. The tool is utilized within the execution phase of the software life cycle. It provides a capability to monitor an executing program against prespecified requirements constraints provided in a program written in the requirements specification language SAGE. The resulting Software Attribute Visual Analysis Tool (SAVAnT) also provides a technique to assess the completeness of a software specification. The prototype tool is described along with the requirements constraint language after a brief literature review is presented. Examples of howmore » the tool can be used are also presented. In conclusion, the most significant advantage of this tool is to provide a first step in evaluating specification completeness, and to provide a more productive method for program comprehension and debugging. The expected payoff is increased software surety confidence, increased program comprehension, and reduced development and debugging time.« less

Endothelial Cell Tetrahydrobiopterin Modulates Sensitivity to Ang (Angiotensin) II-Induced Vascular Remodeling, Blood Pressure, and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

PubMed

Chuaiphichai, Surawee; Rashbrook, Victoria S; Hale, Ashley B; Trelfa, Lucy; Patel, Jyoti; McNeill, Eileen; Lygate, Craig A; Channon, Keith M; Douglas, Gillian

2018-07-01

GTPCH (GTP cyclohydrolase 1, encoded by Gch1 ) is required for the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin; a critical regulator of endothelial NO synthase function. We have previously shown that mice with selective loss of Gch1 in endothelial cells have mild vascular dysfunction, but the consequences of endothelial cell tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency in vascular disease pathogenesis are unknown. We investigated the pathological consequence of Ang (angiotensin) II infusion in endothelial cell Gch1 deficient ( Gch1 fl/fl Tie2cre) mice. Ang II (0.4 mg/kg per day, delivered by osmotic minipump) caused a significant decrease in circulating tetrahydrobiopterin levels in Gch1 fl/fl Tie2cre mice and a significant increase in the Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester inhabitable production of H 2 O 2 in the aorta. Chronic treatment with this subpressor dose of Ang II resulted in a significant increase in blood pressure only in Gch1 fl/fl Tie2cre mice. This finding was mirrored with acute administration of Ang II, where increased sensitivity to Ang II was observed at both pressor and subpressor doses. Chronic Ang II infusion in Gch1 fl/fl Tie2ce mice resulted in vascular dysfunction in resistance mesenteric arteries with an enhanced constrictor and decreased dilator response and medial hypertrophy. Altered vascular remodeling was also observed in the aorta with an increase in the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm formation in Gch1 fl/fl Tie2ce mice. These findings indicate a specific requirement for endothelial cell tetrahydrobiopterin in modulating the hemodynamic and structural changes induced by Ang II, through modulation of blood pressure, structural changes in resistance vessels, and aneurysm formation in the aorta. © 2018 The Authors.

All-Atom Molecular Dynamics-Based Analysis of Membrane-Stabilizing Copolymer Interactions with Lipid Bilayers Probed under Constant Surface Tensions.

PubMed

Houang, Evelyne M; Bates, Frank S; Sham, Yuk Y; Metzger, Joseph M

2017-11-30

An all-atom phospholipid bilayer and triblock copolymer model was developed for molecular dynamics (MD) studies. These were performed to investigate the mechanism of interaction between membrane-stabilizing triblock copolymer P188 and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipid bilayers under applied lateral surface tension (γ) to model membrane mechanical stress. Results showed that P188 insertion is driven by the hydrophobic poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) core and dependent on bilayer area per lipid. Moreover, insertion of P188 increased the bilayer's resistance to mechanical rupture, as observed by a significant increase in the absolute lateral pressure required to disrupt the bilayer. To further investigate the specific chemical features of P188 underlying membrane stabilizer function, a series of MD simulations with triblock copolymers of the same class as P188 but of varying chemical composition and sizes were performed. Results showed that triblock copolymer insertion into the lipid bilayer is dependent on overall copolymer hydrophobicity, with higher copolymer hydrophobicity requiring a reduced bilayer area per lipid ratio for insertion. Further analysis revealed that the effect of copolymer insertion on membrane mechanical integrity was also dependent on hydrophobicity. Here, P188 insertion significantly increased the absolute apparent lateral pressure required to rupture the POPC bilayer, thereby protecting the membrane against mechanical stress. In marked contrast, highly hydrophobic copolymers decreased the lateral pressure necessary for membrane rupture and thus rendering the membrane significantly more susceptible to mechanical stress. These new in silico findings align with recent experimental findings using synthetic lipid bilayers and in muscle cells in vitro and mouse models in vivo. Collectively, these data underscore the importance of PEO-PPO-PEO copolymer chemical composition in copolymer-based muscle membrane stabilization in vitro and in vivo. All-atom modeling with MD simulations holds promise for investigating novel copolymers with enhanced membrane interacting properties.

The changing practice of transurethral resection of the prostate.

PubMed

Young, M J; Elmussareh, M; Morrison, T; Wilson, J R

2018-04-01

Introduction Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is considered the gold standard surgical treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The number of TURPs performed has declined significantly over the last three decades owing to pharmaceutical therapy. TURP data from a single institution for the years 1990, 2000 and 2010 were compared to assess the difference in performance. Methods A retrospective analysis was undertaken of all patients who underwent TURP between January and December 2010. These findings were compared with historical data for the years 1990 and 2000: 100 sets of case notes were selected randomly from each of these years. Results The number of TURPs performed fell from 326 in 1990 to 113 in 2010. The mean age of patients increased from 70.6 years to 74.0 years. There was also a significant increase in the mean ASA grade from 1.9 to 2.3. The most common indication for TURP shifted from LUTS to acute urinary retention. No significant change in operating time was observed. The mean resection weight remained constant (22.95g in 1990, 22.55g in 2000, 20.76g in 2010). A reduction in transfusion rates was observed but there were higher rates of secondary haematuria and bladder neck stenosis. There was an increase from 2% to 11.5% of patients with long-term failure to void following TURP. Conclusions The number of TURPs performed continues to decline, which could lead to potential training issues. Urinary retention is still by far the most common indication. However, there has been a significant rise in the percentage of men presenting for TURP with high pressure chronic retention. The number of patients with bladder dysfunction who either have persistent storage LUTS or eventually require long-term catheterisation or intermittent self-catheterisation has increased markedly, which raises the question of what the long-term real life impact of medical therapy is on men with LUTS secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia who eventually require surgery.

Relating geomorphic change and grazing to avian communities in riparian forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, M.L.; Skagen, S.K.; Merligliano, M.F.

2003-01-01

Avian conservation in riparian or bottomland forests requires an understanding of the physical and biotic factors that sustain the structural complexity of riparian vegetation. Riparian forests of western North America are dependent upon flow-related geomorphic processes necessary for establishment of new cottonwood and willow patches. In June 1995, we examined how fluvial geomorphic processes and long-term grazing influence the structural complexity of riparian vegetation and the abundance and diversity of breeding birds along the upper Missouri River in central Montana, a large, flow-regulated, and geomorphically constrained reach. Use by breeding birds was linked to fluvial geomorphic processes that influence the structure of these patches. Species richness and bird diversity increased with increasing structural complexity of vegetation (F1,32 = 75.49, p < 0.0001; F1,32 = 79.76, p < 0.0001, respectively). Bird species composition was significantly correlated with vegetation strata diversity (rs,33 = 0.98, p < 0.0001). Bird abundance in canopy and tall-shrub foraging guilds increased significantly with increasing tree cover and tall-shrub cover (F1,22 = 34.68, p < 0.0001; F1,20 = 22.22, p < 0.0001, respectively). Seventeen bird species, including five species of concern (e.g., Red-eyed Vireo [Vireo olivaceus]), were significantly associated (p < 0.10) with structurally complex forest patches, whereas only six bird species were significantly associated with structurally simple forest patches. We related the structural complexity of 34 riparian vegetation patches to geomorphic change, woody vegetation establishment, and grazing history over a 35-year post-dam period (1953–1988). The structural complexity of habitat patches was positively related to recent sediment accretion (t33 = 3.31, p = 0.002) and vegetation establishment (t20.7 = −3.63, p = 0.002) and negatively related to grazing activity (t19.6 = 3.75, p = 0.001). Avian conservation along rivers like the upper Missouri requires maintenance of the geomorphic processes responsible for tree establishment and management of land-use activities in riparian forests.

Technology Transfer: Use of Federally Funded Research and Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-19

private sector ; the government’s requirements for products and processes to operate effectively and efficiently; and the demand for increased goods and services at the state and local level. Congress has established a system to facilitate the transfer of technology to the private sector and to state and local governments. Despite this, use of federal R&D results has remained restrained, although there has been a significant increase in private sector interest and activities over the past several years. Critics argue that

Some physiological aspects of sublethal heat stress in the juvenile steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, Gary

1973-01-01

A rapid (3 min) but sublethal temperature increase from 10 to 20 imposed a greater stress on juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) than on juvenile steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). Both species suffered hyperglycemia, hypocholesterolemia, increased blood hemoglobin, and decreased blood sugar regulatory precision, but the steelhead recovered more quickly. Acid–base equilibrium was essentially unaffected, and only the coho suffered any significant interrenal vitamin C depletion. Vitamin C normalization required about 24 hr.

Deaths in New York City Jails, 2001–2009

PubMed Central

Brittain, Joan; Axelrod, George

2013-01-01

Approximately 90 000 inmates are admitted annually to the New York City jail system, many of whom require a high level of medical or mental health services. According to our analysis of deaths in custody from 2001 to 2009, crude death rates have dropped significantly despite the increasing age of the population. Falling HIV-related mortality appears to contribute to this change. Other observations include low rates of suicide across all 9 years and increasing age of the population in recent years. PMID:23409900

Metabolic Energy Costs of USAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal Render Safe Procedures: Field Determinations

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

work requirement in the moderate to hard work category. This level of energy expenditure should be within the capacity of the average EOD technician...Review of the component tasks of the RSP indicates that peak, short-term work expenditure did not approach the estimated maximal work category (1.9 1 min...hazard which would significantly increase the total energy cost of the RSP. The majority of the expected increase in energy expenditure would result from

Health information exchange policies of 11 diverse health systems and the associated impact on volume of exchange.

PubMed

Downing, N Lance; Adler-Milstein, Julia; Palma, Jonathan P; Lane, Steven; Eisenberg, Matthew; Sharp, Christopher; Longhurst, Christopher A

2017-01-01

Provider organizations increasingly have the ability to exchange patient health information electronically. Organizational health information exchange (HIE) policy decisions can impact the extent to which external information is readily available to providers, but this relationship has not been well studied. Our objective was to examine the relationship between electronic exchange of patient health information across organizations and organizational HIE policy decisions. We focused on 2 key decisions: whether to automatically search for information from other organizations and whether to require HIE-specific patient consent. We conducted a retrospective time series analysis of the effect of automatic querying and the patient consent requirement on the monthly volume of clinical summaries exchanged. We could not assess degree of use or usefulness of summaries, organizational decision-making processes, or generalizability to other vendors. Between 2013 and 2015, clinical summary exchange volume increased by 1349% across 11 organizations. Nine of the 11 systems were set up to enable auto-querying, and auto-querying was associated with a significant increase in the monthly rate of exchange (P = .006 for change in trend). Seven of the 11 organizations did not require patient consent specifically for HIE, and these organizations experienced a greater increase in volume of exchange over time compared to organizations that required consent. Automatic querying and limited consent requirements are organizational HIE policy decisions that impact the volume of exchange, and ultimately the information available to providers to support optimal care. Future efforts to ensure effective HIE may need to explicitly address these factors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Stakeholder needs for ground penetrating radar utility location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, A. M.; Rogers, C. D. F.; Chapman, D. N.; Metje, N.; Castle, J.

2009-04-01

In the UK alone there are millions of miles of underground utilities with often inaccurate, incomplete, or non-existent location records that cause significant health and safety problems for maintenance personnel, together with the potential for large, unnecessary, social and financial costs for their upkeep and repair. This has led to increasing use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for utility location, but without detailed consideration of the degree of location accuracy required by stakeholders — i.e. all those directly involved in streetworks ranging from utility owners to contractors and surveyors and government departments. In order to ensure that stakeholder requirements are incorporated into a major new UK study, entitled Mapping the Underworld, a questionnaire has been used to determine the current and future utility location accuracy requirements. The resulting data indicate that stakeholders generally require location tolerances better than 100 mm at depths usually extending down to 3 m, and more occasionally to 5 m, below surface level, providing significant challenges to GPR if their needs are to be met in all ground conditions. As well as providing much useful data on stakeholder needs, these data are also providing a methodology for assessment of GPR utility location in terms of the factor most important to them — the degree to which the equipment provides location within their own accuracy requirements.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Ashrafian, Hutan; Harling, Leanne; Toma, Tania; Athanasiou, Christina; Nikiteas, Nikolaos; Efthimiou, Evangelos; Darzi, Ara; Athanasiou, Thanos

2016-08-01

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has a rising global prevalence. Although it is vastly outnumbered by type 2 diabetes mellitus rates, it remains a persistent worldwide source of morbidity and mortality. Increasingly, its sufferers are afflicted by obesity and its complications. The objective of the study is to quantify the effects of bariatric surgery on T1DM by appraising the primary outcomes of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin requirements and body mass index (BMI). Secondary outcomes included blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol biochemistry. A systematic review of studies reporting pre-operative and post-operative outcomes in T1DM patients undergoing bariatric surgery was done. Data were meta-analysed using random effects modelling. Subgroup analysis and quality scoring were assessed. Bariatric surgery in obese T1DM patients is associated with a significant reduction in insulin requirement (-48.95 units, 95 % CI of -56.27, -41.62), insulin requirement per kilogramme (-0.391, 95 % CI of -0.51, -0.27), HbA1c (-0.933, 95 % CI of -1.604, -0.262) and BMI (-11.04 kg/m(2), 95 % CI of -13.49, -8.59). Surgery is also associated with a statistically significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a significant beneficial rise in HDL. Heterogeneity in these results was high, and study quality was low overall. Bariatric surgery in obese T1DM patients is associated with a significant improvement in insulin requirement and a significant though modest effect on HbA1c. These early results require further substantiation with future studies focusing on higher levels of evidence. This may offer a deeper understanding of diabetogenesis and can contribute to better selection and stratification of diabetic patients for metabolic surgery and future metabolic treatment strategies.

Prognostic significance of blood-brain barrier disruption in patients with severe nonpenetrating traumatic brain injury requiring decompressive craniectomy.

PubMed

Ho, Kwok M; Honeybul, Stephen; Yip, Cheng B; Silbert, Benjamin I

2014-09-01

The authors assessed the risk factors and outcomes associated with blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in patients with severe, nonpenetrating, traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring decompressive craniectomy. At 2 major neurotrauma centers in Western Australia, a retrospective cohort study was conducted among 97 adult neurotrauma patients who required an external ventricular drain (EVD) and decompressive craniectomy during 2004-2012. Glasgow Outcome Scale scores were used to assess neurological outcomes. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with BBB disruption, defined by a ratio of total CSF protein concentrations to total plasma protein concentration > 0.007 in the earliest CSF specimen collected after TBI. Of the 252 patients who required decompressive craniectomy, 97 (39%) required an EVD to control intracranial pressure, and biochemical evidence of BBB disruption was observed in 43 (44%). Presence of disruption was associated with more severe TBI (median predicted risk for unfavorable outcome 75% vs 63%, respectively; p = 0.001) and with worse outcomes at 6, 12, and 18 months than was absence of BBB disruption (72% vs 37% unfavorable outcomes, respectively; p = 0.015). The only risk factor significantly associated with increased risk for BBB disruption was presence of nonevacuated intracerebral hematoma (> 1 cm diameter) (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.23-7.50; p = 0.016). Although BBB disruption was associated with more severe TBI and worse long-term outcomes, when combined with the prognostic information contained in the Corticosteroid Randomization after Significant Head Injury (CRASH) prognostic model, it did not seem to add significant prognostic value (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.855 vs 0.864, respectively; p = 0.453). Biochemical evidence of BBB disruption after severe nonpenetrating TBI was common, especially among patients with large intracerebral hematomas. Disruption of the BBB was associated with more severe TBI and worse long-term outcomes, but when combined with the prognostic information contained in the CRASH prognostic model, this information did not add significant prognostic value.

Does competitive food and beverage legislation hurt meal participation or revenues in high schools?

PubMed

Peart, Tasha; Kao, Janice; Crawford, Patricia B; Samuels, Sarah E; Craypo, Lisa; Woodward-Lopez, Gail

2012-08-01

There is limited evidence to evaluate the influence of competitive food and beverage legislation on school meal program participation and revenues. A representative sample of 56 California high schools was recruited to collect school-level data before (2006–2007) and the year after (2007–2008) policies regarding limiting competitive foods and beverages were required to be implemented. Data were obtained from school records, observations, and questionnaires. Paired t-tests assessed significance of change between the two time points. Average participation in lunch increased from 21.7% to 25.3% (p < 0.001), representing a 17.0% increase, while average participation in breakfast increased from 8.9% to 10.3% (p = 0.02), representing a 16.0% increase. There was a significant (23.0%) increase in average meal revenue, from $0.70 to $0.86 (per student per day) (p < 0.001). There was a nonsignificant decrease (18.0%) in average sales from à la carte foods, from $0.45 to $0.37 (per student per day). Compliance with food and beverage standards also increased significantly. At end point, compliance with beverage standards was higher (71.0%) than compliance with food standards (65.7%). Competitive food and beverage legislation can increase food service revenues when accompanied by increased rates of participation in the meal program. Future studies collecting expense data will be needed to determine impact on net revenues.

Predicting recurrence after chronic subdural haematoma drainage.

PubMed

Jack, Andrew; O'Kelly, Cian; McDougall, Cameron; Findlay, J Max

2015-01-01

Recurrence of chronic subdural haematomas (CSDHs) after surgical drainage is a significant problem with rates up to 20%. This study focuses on determining factors predictive of haematoma recurrence and presents a scoring system stratifying recurrence risk for individual patients. Between the years 2005 and 2009, 331 consecutive patients with CSDHs treated with surgery were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed searching for risk factors of increased post-operative haematoma volume and haematoma recurrence requiring repeat drainage. We found a 12% reoperation rate. CSDH septation (seen on computed tomogram scan) was found to be an independent risk factor for recurrence requiring reoperation (p=0.04). Larger post-operative subdural haematoma volume was also significantly associated with requiring a second drainage procedure (p<0.001). Independent risk factors of larger post-operative haematoma volume included septations within a CSDH (p<0.01), increased pre-operative haematoma volume (p<0.01), and a greater amount of parenchymal atrophy (p=0.04). A simple scoring system for quantifying recurrence risk was created and validated based on patient age (< or ≥ 80 years), haematoma volume (< or ≥ 160 cc), and presence of septations within the subdural collection (yes or no). Septations within CSDHs are associated with larger post-operative residual haematoma collections requiring repeat drainage. When septations are clearly visible within a CSDH, craniotomy might be more suitable as a primary procedure as it allows greater access to a septated subdural collection. Our proposed scoring system combining haematoma volume, age, and presence of septations might be useful in identifying patients at higher risk for recurrence.

Minimization of bovine tuberculosis control costs in US dairy herds

PubMed Central

Smith, Rebecca L.; Tauer, Loren W.; Schukken, Ynte H.; Lu, Zhao; Grohn, Yrjo T.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to minimize the cost of controlling an isolated bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreak in a US dairy herd, using a stochastic simulation model of bTB with economic and biological layers. A model optimizer produced a control program that required 2-month testing intervals (TI) with 2 negative whole-herd tests to leave quarantine. This control program minimized both farm and government costs. In all cases, test-and-removal costs were lower than depopulation costs, although the variability in costs increased for farms with high holding costs or small herd sizes. Increasing herd size significantly increased costs for both the farm and the government, while increasing indemnity payments significantly decreased farm costs and increasing testing costs significantly increased government costs. Based on the results of this model, we recommend 2-month testing intervals for herds after an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis, with 2 negative whole herd tests being sufficient to lift quarantine. A prolonged test and cull program may cause a state to lose its bTB-free status during the testing period. When the cost of losing the bTB-free status is greater than $1.4 million then depopulation of farms could be preferred over a test and cull program. PMID:23953679

Dysfunctional BMPR2 signaling drives an abnormal endothelial requirement for glutamine in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Egnatchik, Robert A; Brittain, Evan L; Shah, Amy T; Fares, Wassim H; Ford, H James; Monahan, Ken; Kang, Christie J; Kocurek, Emily G; Zhu, Shijun; Luong, Thong; Nguyen, Thuy T; Hysinger, Erik; Austin, Eric D; Skala, Melissa C; Young, Jamey D; Roberts, L Jackson; Hemnes, Anna R; West, James; Fessel, Joshua P

2017-03-01

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is increasingly recognized as a systemic disease driven by alteration in the normal functioning of multiple metabolic pathways affecting all of the major carbon substrates, including amino acids. We found that human pulmonary hypertension patients (WHO Group I, PAH) exhibit systemic and pulmonary-specific alterations in glutamine metabolism, with the diseased pulmonary vasculature taking up significantly more glutamine than that of controls. Using cell culture models and transgenic mice expressing PAH-causing BMPR2 mutations, we found that the pulmonary endothelium in PAH shunts significantly more glutamine carbon into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle than wild-type endothelium. Increased glutamine metabolism through the TCA cycle is required by the endothelium in PAH to survive, to sustain normal energetics, and to manifest the hyperproliferative phenotype characteristic of disease. The strict requirement for glutamine is driven by loss of sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) activity through covalent modification by reactive products of lipid peroxidation. Using 2-hydroxybenzylamine, a scavenger of reactive lipid peroxidation products, we were able to preserve SIRT3 function, to normalize glutamine metabolism, and to prevent the development of PAH in BMPR2 mutant mice. In PAH, targeting glutamine metabolism and the mechanisms that underlie glutamine-driven metabolic reprogramming represent a viable novel avenue for the development of potentially disease-modifying therapeutics that could be rapidly translated to human studies.

Evaluation of Bleeding Events Requiring Hospitalization in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Dabigatran, Warfarin, or Antiplatelet Therapy.

PubMed

Riley, Tanya R; Gauthier-Lewis, Mary L; Sanchez, Chelsea K; Riley, Treavor T

2017-04-01

To determine the incidence and severity of bleeding events requiring hospitalization among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving anticoagulants (dabigatran or warfarin) or antiplatelet agents (eg, aspirin and clopidogrel). This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study involving 1494 patients with AF hospitalized from November 1, 2010, to November 1, 2011, with prior warfarin, dabigatran, or antiplatelet therapy. Overall bleeding events in the dabigatran group compared to the warfarin group were 24% and 12%, respectively ( P = .004). Of these events, individually, there were no significant differences in major (56% vs 58%, P = .88), life-threatening (25% vs 36%, P = .38), or minor bleeding (44% vs 42%, P = .06). Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding occurred more in the dabigatran group compared to the warfarin group ( P = .02). Intracranial bleeding occurred in 15% of patients in the warfarin group and did not occur at all in the dabigatran group. Warfarin patients had significantly more overall bleeding events compared to antiplatelet therapy ( P < .001), with an increasing trend seen in major bleeding ( P = .06). GI bleeding, however, favored the warfarin group over the antiplatelet group (48% vs 73%, P = .04). Anticoagulation with dabigatran was associated with an overall increased occurrence of bleeding requiring hospital admission compared to warfarin. GI bleeding was more prevalent with dabigatran and antiplatelets than with warfarin. There were more intracranial hemorrhages seen in the warfarin group.

Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L-1 is essential for the early apoptotic wave of germinal cells and for sperm quality control during spermatogenesis.

PubMed

Kwon, Jungkee; Mochida, Keiji; Wang, Yu-Lai; Sekiguchi, Satoshi; Sankai, Tadashi; Aoki, Shunsuke; Ogura, Atsuo; Yoshikawa, Yasuhiro; Wada, Keiji

2005-07-01

Ubiquitination is required throughout all developmental stages of mammalian spermatogenesis. Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH) L1 is thought to associate with monoubiquitin to control ubiquitin levels. Previously, we found that UCHL1-deficient testes of gad mice have reduced ubiquitin levels and are resistant to cryptorchid stress-related injury. Here, we analyzed the function of UCHL1 during the first round of spermatogenesis and during sperm maturation, both of which are known to require ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Testicular germ cells in the immature testes of gad mice were resistant to the early apoptotic wave that occurs during the first round of spermatogenesis. TUNEL staining and cell quantitation demonstrated decreased germ cell apoptosis and increased numbers of premeiotic germ cells in gad mice between Postnatal Days 7 and 14. Expression of the apoptotic proteins TRP53, Bax, and caspase-3 was also significantly lower in the immature testes of gad mice. In adult gad mice, cauda epididymidis weight, sperm number in the epididymis, and sperm motility were reduced. Moreover, the number of defective spermatozoa was significantly increased; however, complete infertility was not detected. These data indicate that UCHL1 is required for normal spermatogenesis and sperm quality control and demonstrate the importance of UCHL1-dependent apoptosis in spermatogonial cell and sperm maturation.

Computer model for characterizing, screening, and optimizing electrolyte systems

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

Gering, Kevin L.

2015-06-15

Electrolyte systems in contemporary batteries are tasked with operating under increasing performance requirements. All battery operation is in some way tied to the electrolyte and how it interacts with various regions within the cell environment. Seeing the electrolyte plays a crucial role in battery performance and longevity, it is imperative that accurate, physics-based models be developed that will characterize key electrolyte properties while keeping pace with the increasing complexity of these liquid systems. Advanced models are needed since laboratory measurements require significant resources to carry out for even a modest experimental matrix. The Advanced Electrolyte Model (AEM) developed at themore » INL is a proven capability designed to explore molecular-to-macroscale level aspects of electrolyte behavior, and can be used to drastically reduce the time required to characterize and optimize electrolytes. Although it is applied most frequently to lithium-ion battery systems, it is general in its theory and can be used toward numerous other targets and intended applications. This capability is unique, powerful, relevant to present and future electrolyte development, and without peer. It redefines electrolyte modeling for highly-complex contemporary systems, wherein significant steps have been taken to capture the reality of electrolyte behavior in the electrochemical cell environment. This capability can have a very positive impact on accelerating domestic battery development to support aggressive vehicle and energy goals in the 21st century.« less

Reduction of wafer-edge overlay errors using advanced correction models, optimized for minimal metrology requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Min-Suk; Won, Hwa-Yeon; Jeong, Jong-Mun; Böcker, Paul; Vergaij-Huizer, Lydia; Kupers, Michiel; Jovanović, Milenko; Sochal, Inez; Ryan, Kevin; Sun, Kyu-Tae; Lim, Young-Wan; Byun, Jin-Moo; Kim, Gwang-Gon; Suh, Jung-Joon

2016-03-01

In order to optimize yield in DRAM semiconductor manufacturing for 2x nodes and beyond, the (processing induced) overlay fingerprint towards the edge of the wafer needs to be reduced. Traditionally, this is achieved by acquiring denser overlay metrology at the edge of the wafer, to feed field-by-field corrections. Although field-by-field corrections can be effective in reducing localized overlay errors, the requirement for dense metrology to determine the corrections can become a limiting factor due to a significant increase of metrology time and cost. In this study, a more cost-effective solution has been found in extending the regular correction model with an edge-specific component. This new overlay correction model can be driven by an optimized, sparser sampling especially at the wafer edge area, and also allows for a reduction of noise propagation. Lithography correction potential has been maximized, with significantly less metrology needs. Evaluations have been performed, demonstrating the benefit of edge models in terms of on-product overlay performance, as well as cell based overlay performance based on metrology-to-cell matching improvements. Performance can be increased compared to POR modeling and sampling, which can contribute to (overlay based) yield improvement. Based on advanced modeling including edge components, metrology requirements have been optimized, enabling integrated metrology which drives down overall metrology fab footprint and lithography cycle time.

Coexisting infectious diseases on admission as a risk factor for mechanical ventilation in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

PubMed

Kobori, Shinichiro; Kubo, Tatsuhiko; Otani, Makoto; Muramatsu, Keiji; Fujino, Yoshihisa; Adachi, Hiroaki; Horiguchi, Hiromasa; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Matsuda, Shinya

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate patient characteristics on admission to hospital that increase the risk of subsequent mechanical ventilation (MV) use for patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). We extracted data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database for 4132 GBS patients admitted to hospital. Clinical characteristics of GBS patients with and without MV were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of requirement for MV with coexisting infectious diseases, after adjustment for potential confounding variables, age, sex, hospital type, and ambulance transportation. In total, 281 patients required MV, and 493 patients had coexisting respiratory diseases on admission. After adjustment for covariates and stratification by coexisting respiratory diseases, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that coexisting cytomegaloviral (CMV) disease (OR 8.81; 95% CI, 2.34-33.1) and herpes simplex viral (HSV) infections (OR 4.83; 95% CI, 1.16-20.1) were significantly associated with the requirement for MV in the group without coexisting respiratory diseases. Our findings suggest that coexisting CMV and HSV infections on admission might be significantly associated with increased risk of respiratory failure in GBS patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Locomotor Activity Is Required to Exert Dietary Restriction-Dependent Increase of Stress Resistance in Drosophila.

PubMed

Ghimire, Saurav; Kim, Man Su

2015-01-01

Dietary restriction (DR) is known to be one of the most effective interventions to increase stress resistance, yet the mechanisms remain elusive. One of the most obvious DR-induced changes in phenotype is an increase in locomotor activity. Although it is conceptually perceivable that nutritional scarcity should prompt enhanced foraging behavior to garner additional dietary resources, the significance of enhanced movement activity has not been associated with the DR-dependent increase of stress resistance. In this study, we confirmed that flies raised on DR exhibited enhanced locomotive activity and increased stress resistance. Excision of fly wings minimized the DR-induced increase in locomotive activity, which resulted in attenuation of the DR-dependent increase of stress resistance. The possibility that wing clipping counteracts the DR by coercing flies to have more intake was ruled out since it did not induce any weight gain. Rather it was found that elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is enhanced by DR-induced upregulation of expression of antioxidant genes was significantly reduced by wing clipping. Collectively, our data suggests that DR increased stress resistance by increasing the locomotor activity, which upregulated expression of protective genes including, but not limited to, ROS scavenger system.

Dosimetric comparison between conventional and conformal radiotherapy for carcinoma cervix: Are we treating the right volumes?

PubMed Central

Goswami, Jyotirup; Patra, Niladri B.; Sarkar, Biplab; Basu, Ayan; Pal, Santanu

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose: Conventional portals, based on bony anatomy, for external beam radiotherapy for cervical cancer have been repeatedly demonstrated as inadequate. Conversely, with image-based conformal radiotherapy, better target coverage may be offset by the greater toxicities and poorer compliance associated with treating larger volumes. This study was meant to dosimetrically compare conformal and conventional radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Five patients of carcinoma cervix underwent planning CT scan with IV contrast and targets, and organs at risk (OAR) were contoured. Two sets of plans-conventional and conformal were generated for each patient. Field sizes were recorded, and dose volume histograms of both sets of plans were generated and compared on the basis of target coverage and OAR sparing. Results: Target coverage was significantly improved with conformal plans though field sizes required were significantly larger. On the other hand, dose homogeneity was not significantly improved. Doses to the OARs (rectum, urinary bladder, and small bowel) were not significantly different across the 2 arms. Conclusion: Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy gives significantly better target coverage, which may translate into better local control and survival. On the other hand, it also requires significantly larger field sizes though doses to the OARs are not significantly increased. PMID:24455584

Remote Earth Sciences data collection using ACTS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Robert H.

1992-01-01

Given the focus on global change and the attendant scope of such research, we anticipate significant growth of requirements for investigator interaction, processing system capabilities, and availability of data sets. The increased complexity of global processes requires interdisciplinary teams to address them; the investigators will need to interact on a regular basis; however, it is unlikely that a single institution will house sufficient investigators with the required breadth of skills. The complexity of the computations may also require resources beyond those located within a single institution; this lack of sufficient computational resources leads to a distributed system located at geographically dispersed institutions. Finally the combination of long term data sets like the Pathfinder datasets and the data to be gathered by new generations of satellites such as SeaWiFS and MODIS-N yield extra-ordinarily large amounts of data. All of these factors combine to increase demands on the communications facilities available; the demands are generating requirements for highly flexible, high capacity networks. We have been examining the applicability of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) to address the scientific, computational, and, primarily, communications questions resulting from global change research. As part of this effort three scenarios for oceanographic use of ACTS have been developed; a full discussion of this is contained in Appendix B.

Curcumin inhibits amygdaloid kindled seizures in rats.

PubMed

DU, Peng; Li, Xin; Lin, Hao-Jie; Peng, Wei-Feng; Liu, Jian-Ying; Ma, Yu; Fan, Wei; Wang, Xin

2009-06-20

Curcumin can reduce the severity of seizures induced by kainate acid (KA), but the role of curcumin in amygdaloid kindled models is still unknown. This study aimed to explore the effect of curcumin on the development of kindling in amygdaloid kindled rats. With an amygdaloid kindled Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model and an electrophysiological method, different doses of curcumin (10 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 30 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) as low dose groups, 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) as high dose groups) were administrated intraperitoneally during the whole kindling days, by comparison with the course of kindling, afterdischarge (AD) thresholds and the number of ADs to reach the stages of class I to V seizures in the rats between control and experimental groups. One-way or two-way ANOVA and Fisher's least significant difference post hoc test were used for statistical analyses. Curcumin (both 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) significantly inhibited the behavioral seizure development in the (19.80 +/- 2.25) and (21.70 +/- 2.21) stimulations respectively required to reach the kindled state. Rats treated with 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin 30 minutes before kindling stimulation showed an obvious increase in the stimulation current intensity required to evoke AD from (703.3 +/- 85.9) microA to (960.0 +/- 116.5) microA during the progression to class V seizures. Rats treated with 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin showed a significant increase in the stimulation current intensity required to evoke AD from (735.0 +/- 65.2) microA to (867.0 +/- 93.4) microA during the progression to class V seizures. Rats treated with 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin required much more evoked ADs to reach the stage of class both IV (as (199.83 +/- 12.47) seconds) and V seizures (as (210.66 +/- 10.68) seconds). Rats treated with 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin required much more evoked ADs to reach the stage of class V seizures (as (219.56 +/- 18.24) seconds). Our study suggests that curcumin has a potential antiepileptogenic effect on kindling-induced epileptogenesis.

Thermal barrier coatings issues in advanced land-based gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, W. P.; Lee, W. Y.; Wright, I. G.

1995-01-01

The Department of Energy's Advanced Turbine System (ATS) program is aimed at forecasting the development of a new generation of land-based gas turbine systems with overall efficiencies significantly beyond those of current state-of-the-art machines, as well as greatly increased times between inspection and refurbishment, improved environmental impact, and decreased cost. The proposed duty cycle of ATS turbines will require the use of different criteria in the design of the materials for the critical hot gas path components. In particular, thermal barrier coatings will be an essential feature of the hot gas path components in these machines. While such coatings are routinely used in high-performance aircraft engines and are becoming established in land-based turbines, the requirements of the ATS turbine application are sufficiently different that significant improvements in thermal barrier coating technology will be necessary. In particular, it appears that thermal barrier coatings will have to function on all airfoil sections of the first stage vanes and blades to provide the significant temperature reduction required. In contrast, such coatings applied to the blades and vances of advanced aircraft engines are intended primarily to reduce air cooling requirements and extend component lifetime; failure of those coatings can be tolerated without jeopardizing mechanical or corrosion performance. A major difference is that in ATS turbines these components will be totally reliant on thermal barrier coatings which will, therefore, need to be highly reliable even over the leading edges of first stage blades. Obviously, the ATS program provides a very challenging opportunity for TBC's, and involves some significant opportunities to extend this technology.

Online information search behaviour of physicians.

PubMed

Mikalef, Patrick; Kourouthanassis, Panos E; Pateli, Adamantia G

2017-03-01

Although doctors increasingly engage in online information seeking to complement their medical practice, little is known regarding what online information sources are used and how effective they are. Grounded on self-determination and needs theory, this study posits that doctors tend to use online information sources to fulfil their information requirements in three pre-defined areas: patient care, knowledge development and research activities. Fulfilling these information needs is argued to improve doctors' perceived medical practice competence. Performing PLS-SEM analysis on primary survey data from 303 medical doctors practicing in four major Greek hospitals, a conceptual model is empirically tested. Using authoritative online information sources was found to fulfil all types of information needs. Contrarily, using non-authoritative information sources had no significant effect. Satisfying information requirements relating to patient care and research activities enhanced doctors' perceptions about their medical practice competence. In contrast, meeting knowledge development information needs had the opposite result. Consistent with past studies, outcomes indicate that doctors tend to use non-authoritative online information sources; yet their use was found to have no significant value in fulfilling their information requirements. Authoritative online information sources are found to improve perceived medical practice competence by satisfying doctors' diverse information requirements. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

A minimum of 3 months of dietary fish oil supplementation is required to raise amygdaloid afterdischarge seizure thresholds in rats--implications for treating complex partial seizures.

PubMed

Taha, Ameer Y; Trepanier, Marc-Olivier; Ciobanu, Flaviu A; Taha, Nadeen M; Ahmed, Muaz; Zeng, Qiudi; Cheuk, Waiyin I; Ip, Bryan; Filo, Elvis; Scott, Brian W; Burnham, W M; Bazinet, Richard P

2013-04-01

Complex partial seizures, which typically originate in limbic structures such as the amygdala, are often resistant to antiseizure medications. Our goal was to investigate the effects of chronic dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) derived from fish oil on seizure thresholds in the amygdala, as well as on blood and brain PUFA levels. The acute effects of injected n-3 PUFAs--eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)--were also tested in the maximal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure model. In amygdala-implanted subjects, fish oil supplementation significantly increased amygdaloid afterdischarge thresholds, as compared with controls at 3, 5, and 7 months after the start of supplementation. Fish oil supplementation also increased serum EPA and DHA concentrations. DHA concentration in the pyriform-amygdala area increased in the fish-oil treated group by 17-34%, but this effect did not reach statistical significance (P=0.065). DHA significantly increased the latency to seizure onset in the PTZ seizure model, whereas EPA had no significant effect. These observations suggest that chronic dietary fish oil supplementation can raise focal amygdaloid seizure thresholds and that this effect is likely mediated by DHA rather than by EPA. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adult Reconstructive Surgery: A High-Risk Profession for Work-Related Injuries.

PubMed

Alqahtani, Saad M; Alzahrani, Mohammad M; Tanzer, Michael

2016-06-01

Adult reconstructive surgery is an orthopedic subspecialty characterized by surgical tasks that are physical, repetitive, and require some degree of stamina from the surgeon. This can result strain and/or injury of the surgeon's musculoskeletal system. This study investigates the prevalence of work-related injuries among arthroplasty surgeons. A modified version of the physical discomfort survey was sent to surgeon members of the Hip Society, the International Hip Society, and the Canadian Orthopedic Arthroplasty via email. One hundred and eighty-three surgeons completed the survey. Overall, 66.1% of the arthroplasty surgeons reported that they had experienced a work-related injury. The most common injuries that occurred were low back pain (28%), lateral epicondylitis of the elbow (14%), shoulder tendonitis (14%), lumbar disc herniation (13%), and wrist arthritis (12%). Overall, 27% of surgeons took time off from work because of the injury. As the number of disorders diagnosed increased, there was a significant increase in the incidence of requiring time off work because of the disorder (P < .001) and also exacerbation of a previously diagnosed disorder (P < .01). Factors that significantly increased the risk of the surgeon requiring time off because of the disorder were age >55 years, practicing for more than >20 years, and performing >100 total hip arthroplasty procedures per year (P < .05). In addition, 31% of the orthopedic surgeons surveyed required surgery for their injury. Although most studies concentrate on the importance of patient safety and thus the quality of the health care system, the surgeon's safety is also considered an integral part of this system's quality. This study highlights a high prevalence of musculoskeletal work-related injuries among arthroplasty surgeons and indicates the need for the identification of preventive measures directed toward improving the operative surgical environment and work ergonomics for the surgeons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Cost of Public Primary Education in Indonesia: Do Schools Need More Money?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Blane D.; Pattinasarany, Daan; Sahn, David E.

2011-01-01

In the international context, the quality of public primary education in Indonesia is sub-standard. The assumption of officials at all levels of government is that a significant increase in funding will be required to improve education performance. The analysis in this paper shows that money does indeed matter for the attainment of primary…

On the Money: High School Mathematics Activities to Build Financial Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Susan A.; Bay-Williams, Jennifer M.; Martinie, Sherri L.

2016-01-01

As high school students make more and more important decisions, their need for financial literacy increases significantly. To succeed in life, they need both an understanding of financial issues and the math skills to make financially sound choices. With all the requirements and standards to be met in high schools today, how can teachers find room…

Innovating in the Cloud: Exploring Cloud Computing to Solve IT Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheard, Reed

2010-01-01

When the author was brought on as CIO of Westmont College in October 2008, the president, Board of Trustees, and campus environment made it clear that technology needed a major overhaul to meet the college's growing requirements. Also, these changes needed to happen without significantly increasing the IT budget or staff. Marketing Charts…

Reflecting on Western TESOL Training and Communicative Language Teaching: Bangladeshi Teachers' Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Raqib; Ha, Phan Le

2008-01-01

The increasing demand for competent users of English in the era of globalisation has had a significant impact on English Language Teaching (ELT) in Bangladesh. Among a number of changes to improve the quality of ELT, teachers of English have been encouraged, even required, to adopt a communicative language teaching (CLT) approach. To facilitate…

Aspirations of and Realities for Hong Kong Students: Is the "Formal" Transition System Effective?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavlova, Margarita

2017-01-01

School to work transition is an important aspect of lifelong learning that has increased in significance as the knowledge-based economy takes off in developed countries. Rapid structural economic changes, the importance of innovation, and a shorter lifecycle of products require education systems to adjust to the needs of economies and individuals.…

School-Finance Reform: Inspiration and Progress in Colorado

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Juliana

2013-01-01

This report takes a look at Colorado's redesigned school-funding system whose fate was decided by Coloradan voters in Fall 2013. Voters were asked to approve a $1.1 billion tax increase to finance Colorado's schools, an approval required for the funding reforms to kick in. The proposed system represented a significant step forward in the push for…

What Knowledge and Conceptions Do Irish Primary Schoolteachers Hold on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Victoria Ann

2014-01-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis rates have increased significantly in recent times. A teacher's role is crucial in determining if a child will be referred for an ADHD assessment. Teachers' opinions and observations are also required for and play a huge role in the actual assessment process. For this reason, their…

Measuring Efficiency in the Community College Sector. CCRC Working Paper No. 43

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belfield, Clive R.

2012-01-01

Community colleges are increasingly being pressed to demonstrate efficiency and improve productivity even as these concepts are not clearly defined and require a significant set of assumptions to determine. This paper sets out a preferred economic definition of efficiency: fiscal and social cost per degree. It then assesses the validity of using…

Having It All? Transferring Community-Oriented Research Principles to Teaching and Learning to Develop Better University Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adshead, Maura; Quillinan, Bernie

2017-01-01

There are increasing demands on universities to develop more meaningful linkages with local communities--from government, from citizens and taxpayers, and from students. But the incorporation of community-oriented praxis into the university mission is not straightforward and requires a significant re-orientation away from "traditional"…

CreActive Accounting Education: Visioning Future-Oriented Accounting Programs through a Reflective Unlearning of Current Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuigan, Nicholas; Kern, Thomas

2016-01-01

The future employment markets our graduates are likely to face are increasingly complex and unpredictable. Demands are being placed on higher-education providers to become more holistic and integrated in their approach. For business schools across Australia, this requires a significant (re)conceptualisation of how student learning is facilitated,…

Understanding Teacher Effectiveness: Significant State Data Capacity Is Required to Measure and Improve Teacher Effectiveness. Data for Action 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Data Quality Campaign, 2012

2012-01-01

States are increasingly focused on understanding and improving teacher effectiveness. There are several funding opportunities that incentivize states to use data to inform measurements of teacher effectiveness. Local, state, and federal efforts support using data to improve teacher preparation programs. Preparation programs seek "access to data…

Understanding Teacher Effectiveness: Providing Feedback to Teacher Preparation Programs. Data for Action 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Data Quality Campaign, 2014

2014-01-01

State leaders are increasingly focused on improving college and university programs that prepare teachers as a route to a high-quality teacher workforce. This work requires significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth data with the state's teacher preparation programs. This fact sheet…

White Paper Concerning Philosophy of Education and Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphreys, Chloe; Blenkinsop, Sean

2017-01-01

This paper begins with a recognition that questions of climate change, environmental degradation, and our relations to the natural world are increasingly significant and requiring of a response not only as philosophers of education but also as citizens of the planet. As such the paper explores five of the key journals in philosophy of education in…

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

10 CFR 71.51 - Additional requirements for Type B packages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... sensitivity of 10−6 A2 per hour, no significant increase in external surface radiation levels, and no substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the packaging; and (2) Section 71.73 (“Hypothetical accident... radioactive material exceeding a total amount A2 in 1 week, and no external radiation dose rate exceeding 10 m...

Software Requirements Analysis as Fault Predictor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, Dolores

2003-01-01

Waiting until the integration and system test phase to discover errors leads to more costly rework than resolving those same errors earlier in the lifecycle. Costs increase even more significantly once a software system has become operational. WE can assess the quality of system requirements, but do little to correlate this information either to system assurance activities or long-term reliability projections - both of which remain unclear and anecdotal. Extending earlier work on requirements accomplished by the ARM tool, measuring requirements quality information against code complexity and test data for the same system may be used to predict specific software modules containing high impact or deeply embedded faults now escaping in operational systems. Such knowledge would lead to more effective and efficient test programs. It may enable insight into whether a program should be maintained or started over.

Management of venous ulcers: State of the art.

PubMed

Marola, Silvia; Ferrarese, Alessia; Solej, Mario; Enrico, Stefano; Nano, Mario; Martino, Valter

2016-09-01

Venous ulceration is a complex and serious problem that affects 1-2% of the global elderly population (>65 years), and its incidence is constantly increasing. The population group with higher risk of development of venous ulceration is the elderly. These lesions have a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life. Our aim was to analyze the state of the art, starting with the medical literature review. The evidence supports that managing chronic wounds with a multidisciplinary wound care team significantly increases wound healing and reduces the severity of wound-associated pain and the required daily wound treatments compared with persons who are not managed by such a team. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolic demands of law enforcement personal protective equipment during exercise tasks.

PubMed

DiVencenzo, Hannah R; Morgan, Amy L; Laurent, C Matt; Keylock, K Todd

2014-01-01

Many occupations require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) but the added metabolic demands are unknown for certain professions. The purpose of this study was to quantify metabolic and perceptual differences between activity with and without the PPE ensemble required for police officers. Twelve participants were asked to complete experimental and control exercise sessions consisting of three modes of exercise (walking, jogging and stepping). A significant main effect (p < 0.01) for gear was found for heart rate (beats per minute) and VO2 (L/min) between conditions. Dependent t-tests revealed significant differences for perceived effort, discomfort and session rating of perceived exertion between trials. Medium to large effect sizes for all variables with significant main effects between modes (p < 0.01, η2 = 0.51-0.96, 1-β = 0.98-1.0, d = 0.42-2.7) were observed. These findings help to increase awareness of how PPE affects metabolic demands and perception of discomfort during exercise.

Mo100 to Mo99 Target Cooling Enhancements Report

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

Woloshun, Keith Albert; Dale, Gregory E.; Olivas, Eric Richard

2016-02-16

Target design requirements changed significantly over the past year to a much higher beam current on larger diameter disks, and with a beam impingement on both ends of the target. Scaling from the previous design, that required significantly more mass flow rate of helium coolant, and also thinner disks. A new Aerzen GM12.4 blower was selected that can deliver up to 400 g/s at 400 psi, compared to about 100 g/s possible with the Tuthill blower previously selected.Further, to accommodate the 42 MeV, 2.7 mA beam on each side of the target, the disk thickness and the coolant gaps weremore » halved to create the current baseline design: 0.5 mm disk thickness (at 29 mm diameter) and 0.25 mm coolant gap. Thermal-hydraulic analysis of this target, presented below for reference, gave very good results, suggesting that the target could be improved with fewer, thicker disks and with disk thickness increasing toward the target center. The total thickness of Mo100 in the target remaining the same, that reduces the number of coolant gaps. This allows for the gap width to be increased, increasing the mass flow in each gap and consequently increasing heat transfer. A preliminary geometry was selected and analyzed with variable disk thickness and wider coolant gaps. The result of analysis of this target shows that disk thickness increase near the window was too aggressive and further resizing of the disks is necessary, but it does illustrate the potential improvements that are possible. Experimental and analytical study of diffusers on the target exit has been done. This shows modest improvement in requcing pressure drop, as will be summarized below. However, the benefit is not significant, and implementation becomes problematic when disk thickness is varying. A bull nose at the entrance does offer significant benefit and is relatively easy to incorporate. A bull nose on both ends is now a feature of the baseline design, and will be a feature of any redesign or enhanced designs that follow.« less

Dual-functioning peptides discovered by phage display increase the magnitude and specificity of BMSC attachment to mineralized biomaterials.

PubMed

Ramaraju, Harsha; Miller, Sharon J; Kohn, David H

2017-07-01

Design of biomaterials for cell-based therapies requires presentation of specific physical and chemical cues to cells, analogous to cues provided by native extracellular matrices (ECM). We previously identified a peptide sequence with high affinity towards apatite (VTKHLNQISQSY, VTK) using phage display. The aims of this study were to identify a human MSC-specific peptide sequence through phage display, combine it with the apatite-specific sequence, and verify the specificity of the combined dual-functioning peptide to both apatite and human bone marrow stromal cells. In this study, a combinatorial phage display identified the cell binding sequence (DPIYALSWSGMA, DPI) which was combined with the mineral binding sequence to generate the dual peptide DPI-VTK. DPI-VTK demonstrated significantly greater binding affinity (1/K D ) to apatite surfaces compared to VTK, phosphorylated VTK (VTK phos ), DPI-VTK phos , RGD-VTK, and peptide-free apatite surfaces (p < 0.01), while significantly increasing hBMSC adhesion strength (τ 50 , p < 0.01). MSCs demonstrated significantly greater adhesion strength to DPI-VTK compared to other cell types, while attachment of MC3T3 pre-osteoblasts and murine fibroblasts was limited (p < 0.01). MSCs on DPI-VTK coated surfaces also demonstrated increased spreading compared to pre-osteoblasts and fibroblasts. MSCs cultured on DPI-VTK coated apatite films exhibited significantly greater proliferation compared to controls (p < 0.001). Moreover, early and late stage osteogenic differentiation markers were elevated on DPI-VTK coated apatite films compared to controls. Taken together, phage display can identify non-obvious cell and material specific peptides to increase human MSC adhesion strength to specific biomaterial surfaces and subsequently increase cell proliferation and differentiation. These new peptides expand biomaterial design methodology for cell-based regeneration of bone defects. This strategy of combining cell and material binding phage display derived peptides is broadly applicable to a variety of systems requiring targeted adhesion of specific cell populations, and may be generalized to the engineering of any adhesion surface. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work schedules of long-distance truck drivers before and after 2004 hours-of-service rule change.

PubMed

McCartt, Anne T; Hellinga, Laurie A; Solomon, Mark G

2008-01-01

Federal rules regulate work hours of interstate commercial truck drivers. On January 4, 2004, a new work rule was implemented, increasing daily and weekly maximum driving limits and daily off-duty requirements. The present study assessed changes in long-distance truck drivers' reported work schedules and reported fatigued driving after the rule change. Associations between reported rule violations, fatigued driving, and schedule as well as other characteristics were examined. Samples of long-distance truck drivers were interviewed face-to-face in two states immediately before the rule change (November-December 2003) and about 1 year (November-December 2004) and 2 years (November-December 2005) after the change. Drivers reported substantially more hours of driving after the rule change. Most drivers reported regularly using a new restart provision, which permits a substantial increase in weekly driving. Reported daily off-duty and sleep time increased. Reported incidents of falling asleep at the wheel of the truck increased between 2003 (before the rule change) and 2004 and 2005 (after the change); in 2005 about one fifth of drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel in the past month. The frequency of reported rule violations under the old and new rules was similar. The percentage of trucks with electronic on-board recorders increased significantly to almost half the fleet; only a few drivers were using automated recorders to report rule compliance. More than half of drivers said that requiring automated recorders on all large trucks to enforce driving-hour limits would improve compliance with work rules. Based on the 2004-2005 survey data, drivers who reported more frequent rule violations were significantly more likely to report fatigued driving. Predictors of reported violations included having unrealistic delivery schedules, longer wait times to drop off or pick up loads, difficulty finding a legal place to stop or rest, and driving a refrigerated trailer. Reported truck driver fatigue increased after the new rule was implemented, suggesting that the rule change may not have achieved the goal of reducing fatigued driving. Reported violations of the work rules remain common. Because many trucks already have electronic recorders, requiring them as a means of monitoring driving hours appears feasible.

Dietary Micronutrients Promote Neuronal Differentiation by Modulating the Mitochondrial-Nuclear Dialogue.

PubMed

Xie, Kui; Sheppard, Allan

2018-07-01

The metabolic requirements of differentiated neurons are significantly different from that of neuronal precursor and neural stem cells. While a re-programming of metabolism is tightly coupled to the neuronal differentiation process, whether shifts in mitochondrial mass, glycolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation are required (or merely consequential) in differentiation is not yet certain. In addition to providing more energy, enhanced metabolism facilitates differentiation by supporting increased neurotransmitter signaling and underpinning epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Both epidemiological and animal studies demonstrate that micronutrients (MNs) significantly influence many aspects of neonatal brain development, particularly neural migration and survival, neurite outgrowth, and process maturation. Here we review recent insights into the importance of metabolic reprogramming in neuronal differentiation, before considering evidence that micronutrient signaling may be key to regulating these processes. © 2018 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of climate change on water requirements and phenological period of major crops in Heihe River basin, China - Based on the accumulated temperature threshold method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dongmei; Xu, Xinyi; Yan, Denghua

2016-04-01

In recent years, global climate change has significantly caused a serious crisis of water resources throughout the world. However, mainly through variations in temperature, climate change will affect water requirements of crop. It is obvious that the rise of temperature affects growing period and phenological period of crop directly, then changes the water demand quota of crop. Methods including accumulated temperature threshold and climatic tendency rate were adopted, which made up for the weakness of phenological observations, to reveal the response of crop phenological change during the growing period. Then using Penman-Menteith model and crop coefficients from the United Nations Food& Agriculture Organization (FAO), the paper firstly explored crop water requirements in different growth periods, and further forecasted quantitatively crop water requirements in Heihe River Basin, China under different climate change scenarios. Results indicate that: (i) The results of crop phenological change established in the method of accumulated temperature threshold were in agreement with measured results, and (ii) there were many differences in impacts of climate warming on water requirement of different crops. The growth periods of wheat and corn had tendency of shortening as well as the length of growth periods. (ii)Results of crop water requirements under different climate change scenarios showed: when temperature increased by 1°C, the start time of wheat growth period changed, 2 days earlier than before, and the length of total growth period shortened 2 days. Wheat water requirements increased by 1.4mm. However, corn water requirements decreased by almost 0.9mm due to the increasing temperature of 1°C. And the start time of corn growth period become 3 days ahead, and the length of total growth period shortened 4 days. Therefore, the contradiction between water supply and water demands are more obvious under the future climate warming in Heihe River Basin, China.

Understanding Genetic Breast Cancer Risk: Processing Loci of the BRCA Gist Intelligent Tutoring System

PubMed Central

Wolfe, Christopher R.; Reyna, Valerie F.; Widmer, Colin L.; Cedillos-Whynott, Elizabeth M.; Brust-Renck, Priscila G; Weil, Audrey M.; Hu, Xiangen

2016-01-01

The BRCA Gist Intelligent Tutoring System helps women understand and make decisions about genetic testing for breast cancer risk. BRCA Gist is guided by Fuzzy-Trace Theory, (FTT) and built using AutoTutor Lite. It responds differently to participants depending on what they say. Seven tutorial dialogues requiring explanation and argumentation are guided by three FTT concepts: forming gist explanations in one’s own words, emphasizing decision-relevant information, and deliberating the consequences of decision alternatives. Participants were randomly assigned to BRCA Gist, a control, or impoverished BRCA Gist conditions removing gist explanation dialogues, argumentation dialogues, or FTT images. All BRCA Gist conditions performed significantly better than controls on knowledge, comprehension, and risk assessment. Significant differences in knowledge, comprehension, and fine-grained dialogue analyses demonstrate the efficacy of gist explanation dialogues. FTT images significantly increased knowledge. Providing more elements in arguments against testing correlated with increased knowledge and comprehension. PMID:28008216

Understanding Genetic Breast Cancer Risk: Processing Loci of the BRCA Gist Intelligent Tutoring System.

PubMed

Wolfe, Christopher R; Reyna, Valerie F; Widmer, Colin L; Cedillos-Whynott, Elizabeth M; Brust-Renck, Priscila G; Weil, Audrey M; Hu, Xiangen

2016-07-01

The BRCA Gist Intelligent Tutoring System helps women understand and make decisions about genetic testing for breast cancer risk. BRCA Gist is guided by Fuzzy-Trace Theory, (FTT) and built using AutoTutor Lite. It responds differently to participants depending on what they say. Seven tutorial dialogues requiring explanation and argumentation are guided by three FTT concepts: forming gist explanations in one's own words, emphasizing decision-relevant information, and deliberating the consequences of decision alternatives. Participants were randomly assigned to BRCA Gist , a control, or impoverished BRCA Gist conditions removing gist explanation dialogues, argumentation dialogues, or FTT images. All BRCA Gist conditions performed significantly better than controls on knowledge, comprehension, and risk assessment. Significant differences in knowledge, comprehension, and fine-grained dialogue analyses demonstrate the efficacy of gist explanation dialogues. FTT images significantly increased knowledge. Providing more elements in arguments against testing correlated with increased knowledge and comprehension.

Three-Dimensional Images For Robot Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McFarland, William D.

1983-12-01

Robots are attracting increased attention in the industrial productivity crisis. As one significant approach for this nation to maintain technological leadership, the need for robot vision has become critical. The "blind" robot, while occupying an economical niche at present is severely limited and job specific, being only one step up from the numerical controlled machines. To successfully satisfy robot vision requirements a three dimensional representation of a real scene must be provided. Several image acquistion techniques are discussed with more emphasis on the laser radar type instruments. The autonomous vehicle is also discussed as a robot form, and the requirements for these applications are considered. The total computer vision system requirement is reviewed with some discussion of the major techniques in the literature for three dimensional scene analysis.

Microwave-superheated Vics Vapo Rub: an ocular public health danger.

PubMed

Fung, Anne E; Oxford, Karen W

2004-02-01

To report a case of a microwave-oven superheated petroleum-based liquid causing severe chemical and thermal ocular burns treated successfully with amniotic membrane transplantation. Observational case report. Retrospective review of clinical case. A 77-year-old woman sustained a severe combined chemical and thermal burn from microwave-heated Vicks Vapo-Rub requiring amniotic membrane transplant, with subsequent development of phacomorphic glaucoma, requiring cataract extraction, and bullous keratopathy, requiring penetrating keratoplasty. As microwave oven use becomes more commonplace, the risk of superheating liquids becomes an increasingly significant ocular danger. Continued efforts to educate the public about safe microwave use is necessary. Additionally, amniotic membrane transplantation was found to be effective in managing a combined chemical and thermal ocular burn.

Atmospheric rendezvous feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaezler, A. D.

1972-01-01

A study was carried out to determine the feasibility of using atmospheric rendezvous to increase the efficiency of space transportation and to determine the most effective implementation. It is concluded that atmospheric rendezvous is feasible and can be utilized in a space transportation system to reduce size of the orbiter vehicle, provide a powered landing with go-around capability for every mission, and achieve lateral range performance that exceeds requirements. A significantly lighter booster and reduced launch fuel requirements are additional benefits that can be realized with a system that includes a large subsonic airplane for recovery of the orbiter. Additional reduction in booster size is possible if the airplane is designed for recovery of the booster by towing. An airplane about the size of the C-5A is required.

Physiological responses to ocean acidification and warming synergistically reduce condition of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule.

PubMed

Ong, E Z; Briffa, M; Moens, T; Van Colen, C

2017-09-01

The combined effect of ocean acidification and warming on the common cockle Cerastoderma edule was investigated in a fully crossed laboratory experiment. Survival of the examined adult organisms remained high and was not affected by elevated temperature (+3 °C) or lowered pH (-0.3 units). However, the morphometric condition index of the cockles incubated under high pCO 2 conditions (i.e. combined warming and acidification) was significantly reduced after six weeks of incubation. Respiration rates increased significantly under low pH, with highest rates measured under combined warm and low pH conditions. Calcification decreased significantly under low pH while clearance rates increased significantly under warm conditions and were generally lower in low pH treatments. The observed physiological responses suggest that the reduced food intake under hypercapnia is insufficient to support the higher energy requirements to compensate for the higher costs for basal maintenance and growth in future high pCO 2 waters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Biomechanical investigation of the tensile strength of tendon sutures - locking sutures increase stability].

PubMed

Betz, C; Schleicher, P; Winkel, R; Hoffmann, R

2013-02-01

In this study we examined the tensile strength of core sutures of tendons. In particular, we examined the effect of having 2 or 4 stitch strands in the core suture as well as the effect of additional locking sutures on the tensile strength. 60 flexor tendons from the forepaws of freshly slaughtered swines were harvested for biomechanical testing. They were divided into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) of 15 sutures each. Group A: core suture after Zechner with 2 strands; group B: modified core suture with 4 strands; group C: modified core suture with 2 strands and 4 locking sutures; group D: modified core suture with 4 strands and 4 locking sutures. The primary tensile strength of the sutures was measured in Newton using the testing machine with a traction speed of 0.1 mm/s. Simultaneously, the increasing space forming at the suture was filmed against graph paper. Our command variables were force measured in Newton when forming a space of 2 mm as well as the force at which the suture failed. Statistical analysis was carried out with the software SPSS to produce a multivariate analysis with a statistical significance of p<0.05. Results are presented as averages including the 1st and 3rd quartile (1Q/3Q). Under traction to form a 2 mm space, the force measured with group A was 14.2 N (12.9/15.1 N). In group B the force 22.5 N (20.0/24.7 N) was significantly higher (p<0.05). Group C required a traction force of 28.7 N (23.5/35.8 N) which was significantly higher than for groups A and B. Group D required the significantly highest traction force of 42.0 N (39.5/46.0 N) to produce a 2 mm space. The force required for the suture to fail in group A was 19.9 N (17.9/22.8 N), in group B: 26.2 N (24.5/29.7 N), in group C 32.0 N (27.1/40.1 N) and in Group D 46.5 N (41.5/50.0 N); the differences between the gloups were all statistically significant. The primary tensile strength of core sutures after Zechner on flexor tendons from the forepaws of swines was significantly increased by doubling the number of sutures and also by use of 4 additional locking sutures. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Biodiversity conservation in agriculture requires a multi-scale approach.

PubMed

Gonthier, David J; Ennis, Katherine K; Farinas, Serge; Hsieh, Hsun-Yi; Iverson, Aaron L; Batáry, Péter; Rudolphi, Jörgen; Tscharntke, Teja; Cardinale, Bradley J; Perfecto, Ivette

2014-09-22

Biodiversity loss--one of the most prominent forms of modern environmental change--has been heavily driven by terrestrial habitat loss and, in particular, the spread and intensification of agriculture. Expanding agricultural land-use has led to the search for strong conservation strategies, with some suggesting that biodiversity conservation in agriculture is best maximized by reducing local management intensity, such as fertilizer and pesticide application. Others highlight the importance of landscape-level approaches that incorporate natural or semi-natural areas in landscapes surrounding farms. Here, we show that both of these practices are valuable to the conservation of biodiversity, and that either local or landscape factors can be most crucial to conservation planning depending on which types of organisms one wishes to save. We performed a quantitative review of 266 observations taken from 31 studies that compared the impacts of localized (within farm) management strategies and landscape complexity (around farms) on the richness and abundance of plant, invertebrate and vertebrate species in agro-ecosystems. While both factors significantly impacted species richness, the richness of sessile plants increased with less-intensive local management, but did not significantly respond to landscape complexity. By contrast, the richness of mobile vertebrates increased with landscape complexity, but did not significantly increase with less-intensive local management. Invertebrate richness and abundance responded to both factors. Our analyses point to clear differences in how various groups of organisms respond to differing scales of management, and suggest that preservation of multiple taxonomic groups will require multiple scales of conservation. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans

PubMed Central

Stanhope, Kimber L.; Schwarz, Jean Marc; Keim, Nancy L.; Griffen, Steven C.; Bremer, Andrew A.; Graham, James L.; Hatcher, Bonnie; Cox, Chad L.; Dyachenko, Artem; Zhang, Wei; McGahan, John P.; Seibert, Anthony; Krauss, Ronald M.; Chiu, Sally; Schaefer, Ernst J.; Ai, Masumi; Otokozawa, Seiko; Nakajima, Katsuyuki; Nakano, Takamitsu; Beysen, Carine; Hellerstein, Marc K.; Berglund, Lars; Havel, Peter J.

2009-01-01

Studies in animals have documented that, compared with glucose, dietary fructose induces dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To assess the relative effects of these dietary sugars during sustained consumption in humans, overweight and obese subjects consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages providing 25% of energy requirements for 10 weeks. Although both groups exhibited similar weight gain during the intervention, visceral adipose volume was significantly increased only in subjects consuming fructose. Fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations increased by approximately 10% during 10 weeks of glucose consumption but not after fructose consumption. In contrast, hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and the 23-hour postprandial triglyceride AUC were increased specifically during fructose consumption. Similarly, markers of altered lipid metabolism and lipoprotein remodeling, including fasting apoB, LDL, small dense LDL, oxidized LDL, and postprandial concentrations of remnant-like particle–triglyceride and –cholesterol significantly increased during fructose but not glucose consumption. In addition, fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels increased and insulin sensitivity decreased in subjects consuming fructose but not in those consuming glucose. These data suggest that dietary fructose specifically increases DNL, promotes dyslipidemia, decreases insulin sensitivity, and increases visceral adiposity in overweight/obese adults. PMID:19381015

Interactive effects of vitamin D3 and strontium on performance, nutrient retention and bone mineral composition in laying hens.

PubMed

Browning, Linda C; Cowieson, Aaron J

2015-03-30

Strontium is currently prescribed for patients with osteoporosis to increase bone density and reduce bone fractures but its relevance in animal nutrition is obscure. In order to investigate the effect of supplemental strontium and vitamin D3 on performance, egg quality and skeletal integrity in poultry a total of 108 laying hens, 99 weeks of age, were fed three levels of strontium (0, 500, 1000 mg kg(-1) ) and two levels of vitamin D3 (2500, 5,000 iu kg(-1)) over a 12-week period. There was an improvement (P < 0.05) in egg production and feed conversion efficiency with strontium at 500 mg kg(-1) and a significant increase in egg weight in those hens fed additional vitamin D3 . Supplemental strontium increased phosphorus, sodium and strontium retention in birds fed 2500 iu D3 kg(-1) but reduced phosphorus, sodium and strontium retention in birds fed 5000 iu D3 kg(-1), resulting in an interaction (P < 0.01) between strontium and vitamin D3 . Addition of 5000 iu D3 kg(-1) increased egg weight (P < 0.05); predominantly by increased albumen content (P < 0.05), whereas strontium supplementation reduced egg weight (P < 0.001). Similarly, 5000 iu kg(-1) D3 increased apparent metabolizable energy (P < 0.05); in contrast, strontium supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) apparent metabolizable energy. The addition of 500 mg kg(-1) strontium significantly improved egg production and feed efficiency; however, further investigation needs to be undertaken to refine the optimum level of strontium required to maximize hen performance. The interrelationship between strontium and vitamin D3 requires further exploratory study. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Disease control in hatchery fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fish, F.F.

1947-01-01

The method described herein has been extensively tested, both in the laboratory and at the producing hatchery, over a period of several years. Once familiarity with the details of application have been mastered, th8 reduction in effort required to treat fish is amazing. For example, two men have treated 20 large ponds containing several million fish, in one morning with no significant increase in mortality of the fish, whereas a crew of eight men required a full day to treat a single similar pond by hand dipping the fish with a subsequent loss approximating 50 percent of the stock.

Modeling Security Aspects of Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoch, Elmar

With more and more widespread usage of computer systems and networks, dependability becomes a paramount requirement. Dependability typically denotes tolerance or protection against all kinds of failures, errors and faults. Sources of failures can basically be accidental, e.g., in case of hardware errors or software bugs, or intentional due to some kind of malicious behavior. These intentional, malicious actions are subject of security. A more complete overview on the relations between dependability and security can be found in [31]. In parallel to the increased use of technology, misuse also has grown significantly, requiring measures to deal with it.

Determination of $sup 241$Am in soil using an automated nuclear radiation measurement laboratory

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

Engstrom, D.E.; White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The recent completion of REECo's Automated Laboratory and associated software systems has provided a significant increase in capability while reducing manpower requirements. The system is designed to perform gamma spectrum analyses on the large numbers of samples required by the current Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) and Plutonium Distribution Inventory Program (PDIP) soil sampling programs while maintaining sufficient sensitivities as defined by earlier investigations of the same type. The hardware and systems are generally described in this paper, with emphasis being placed on spectrum reduction and the calibration procedures used for soil samples. (auth)

Social Security Contribution to Productivity and Wages in Labour Organization Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriadi, Y. N.

2017-03-01

This research is investigating the discrepancy fulfilment of the right to social security and decent wages to increase labour productivity in the perspective of labour organizations, in which the company provides social security, and wages have not been able to meet the needs of workers, on the other hand, the workers are always required to increase productivity. Therefore, this study aims to identify the social security and wages that affect labour productivity. So this research will provide input to the company to undertake effective measures and efficient for the company’s sustainability. This research was conducted using a survey method approach and quantitative data analysis techniques that are causal comparative sample of 223 respondents from 504 study population includes all labour organization’s District and municipal in Banten Province. The results showed the significant influence of social security and wages to increase labour productivity. Therefore, companies are required to act strategically in maintaining prohibitionists labour through re-design of the work environment, increase workers’ participation, intervention, and satisfy the needs of workers whose impact will be realized understanding between workers and companies in maintaining the company’s business.

Under-sampling in a Multiple-Channel Laser Vibrometry System

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

Corey, Jordan

2007-03-01

Laser vibrometry is a technique used to detect vibrations on objects using the interference of coherent light with itself. Most vibrometry systems process only one target location at a time, but processing multiple locations simultaneously provides improved detection capabilities. Traditional laser vibrometry systems employ oversampling to sample the incoming modulated-light signal, however as the number of channels increases in these systems, certain issues arise such a higher computational cost, excessive heat, increased power requirements, and increased component cost. This thesis describes a novel approach to laser vibrometry that utilizes undersampling to control the undesirable issues associated with over-sampled systems. Undersamplingmore » allows for significantly less samples to represent the modulated-light signals, which offers several advantages in the overall system design. These advantages include an improvement in thermal efficiency, lower processing requirements, and a higher immunity to the relative intensity noise inherent in laser vibrometry applications. A unique feature of this implementation is the use of a parallel architecture to increase the overall system throughput. This parallelism is realized using a hierarchical multi-channel architecture based on off-the-shelf programmable logic devices (PLDs).« less

Identification and status of design improvements to the NASA Shuttle EMU for International Space Station application.

PubMed

Wilde, R C; McBarron, J W; Faszcza, J J

1997-06-01

To meet the significant increase in EVA demand to support assembly and operations of the International Space Station (ISS), NASA and industry have improved the current Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), or "space suit", configuration to meet the unique and specific requirements of an orbital-based system. The current Shuttle EMU was designed to be maintained and serviced on the ground between frequent Shuttle flights. ISS will require the EMUs to meet increased EVAs out of the Shuttle Orbiter and to remain on orbit for up to 180 days without need for regular return to Earth for scheduled maintenance or refurbishment. Ongoing Shuttle EMU improvements have increased reliability, operational life and performance while minimizing ground and on-orbit maintenance cost and expendable inventory. Modifications to both the anthropomorphic mobility elements of the Space Suit Assembly (SSA) as well as to the Primary Life Support System (PLSS) are identified and discussed. This paper also addresses the status of on-going Shuttle EMU improvements and summarizes the approach for increasing interoperability of the U.S. and Russian space suits to be utilized aboard the ISS.

Chefs move to schools. A pilot examination of how chef-created dishes can increase school lunch participation and fruit and vegetable intake.

PubMed

Just, David R; Wansink, Brian; Hanks, Andrew S

2014-12-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of introducing a main dish designed by a professional chef in the National School Lunch Program and to document the impact on child participation, a chef was recruited to design pizza to be served in an upstate New York school district. The pizza was designed to meet both the cost and ingredient requirements of the NSLP. High school students were significantly more likely to select the pizza prepared by the chef. While the chef had no significant impact on main dish consumption given selection, more students took a vegetable and vegetable consumption increased by 16.5%. This pilot study demonstrates the plausibility of using chefs to boost participation in the school lunch program, and potentially increase nutrition through side selection, among high school students. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brown dwarfs as close companions to white dwarfs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stringfellow, Guy S.; Bodenheimer, Peter; Black, David C.

1990-01-01

The influence of the radiation flux emitted by a white dwarf primary on the evolution of a closely orbiting brown dwarf (BD) companion is investigated. Full stellar evolutionary calculations are presented for both isolated and thermal bath cases, including effects of large variations in the atmospheric grain opacities. High grain opacities significantly increase the radii of the BDs, but the thermal bath does not. The major influence of the thermal bath is to increase substantially the surface temperature and luminosity of the BD at a given age. These results are compared with the observational properties of the possible BD companion of the white dwarf G29-38. Inclusion of both physical effects, high grain opacities and thermal bath, increases the mass range (0.034-0.063 solar masses) of viable models significantly, yet the final determination of whether the object is indeed a BD requires improvements in the observations of the system's properties.

Health benefits of dietary fiber.

PubMed

Anderson, James W; Baird, Pat; Davis, Richard H; Ferreri, Stefanie; Knudtson, Mary; Koraym, Ashraf; Waters, Valerie; Williams, Christine L

2009-04-01

Dietary fiber intake provides many health benefits. However, average fiber intakes for US children and adults are less than half of the recommended levels. Individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risk for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increasing fiber intake lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Increased intake of soluble fiber improves glycemia and insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic and diabetic individuals. Fiber supplementation in obese individuals significantly enhances weight loss. Increased fiber intake benefits a number of gastrointestinal disorders including the following: gastroesophageal reflux disease, duodenal ulcer, diverticulitis, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Prebiotic fibers appear to enhance immune function. Dietary fiber intake provides similar benefits for children as for adults. The recommended dietary fiber intakes for children and adults are 14 g/1000 kcal. More effective communication and consumer education is required to enhance fiber consumption from foods or supplements.

Cardiac pacing and aviation.

PubMed

Toff, W D; Edhag, O K; Camm, A J

1992-12-01

Certain applicants with stable disturbances of rhythm or conduction requiring cardiac pacing, in whom no other disqualifying condition is present, may be considered fit for medical certification restricted to multi-crew operations. The reliability of modern pacing systems appears adequate to permit restricted certification even in pacemaker dependent subjects except for certain models of pacemakers and leads known to be at increased risk of failure. These are to be avoided. There is little evidence to suggest that newer devices are any more reliable than their predecessors. Single and dual chamber systems appear to have similar reliability up to 4 years, after which time significant attrition of dual chamber devices occurs, principally due to battery depletion. All devices require increased scrutiny as they approach their end of life as predicted from longevity data and pacing characteristics. Unipolar and bipolar leads are of similar reliability, apart from a number of specific bipolar polyurethane leads which have been identified. Atrial leads, particularly those without active fixation, are less secure than ventricular leads and applicants who are dependent on atrial sensing or pacing should be denied certification. Bipolar leads are to be preferred due to the lower risk of myopotential and exogenous EMI. Sensor-driven adaptive-rate pacing systems using active sensors may have reduced longevity and require close scrutiny. Activity-sensing devices using piezoelectric crystal sensors may be subject to significant rate rises in rotary wing aircraft. The impracticality of restricted certification in helicopters will, in any event, preclude certification. Such devices would best be avoided in hovercraft (air cushioned vehicle) pilots. Only minor rate rises are likely in fixed-wing aircraft which are unlikely to be of significance. Anti-tachycardia devices and implanted defibrillators are inconsistent with any form of certification to fly.

Early postoperative fluoroquinolone use is associated with an increased revision rate after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

PubMed

Cancienne, Jourdan M; Brockmeier, Stephen F; Rodeo, Scott A; Young, Chris; Werner, Brian C

2017-07-01

To evaluate the association of postoperative fluoroquinolone use following arthroscopic primary rotator cuff repair with failure requiring revision rotator cuff repair. An insurance database was queried for patients undergoing rotator cuff repair from 2007 to 2015. These patients were divided into three groups: (1) patients prescribed fluoroquinolones within 6 months postoperatively (divided into 0-2, 2-4, and 4-6 months), (2) a matched negative control cohort of patients not prescribed fluoroquinolones, and (3) a matched positive control cohort of patients prescribed fluoroquinolones between 6 and 18 months following rotator cuff repair. Rates of failure requiring revision rotator cuff repair were compared within 2 years. A total of 1292 patients were prescribed fluoroquinolones within 6 months after rotator cuff repair, including 442 within 2 months, 433 within 2 to 4 months, and 417 within 4 to 6 months, and were compared to 5225 matched negative controls and 1597 matched positive controls. The rate of revision rotator cuff repair was significantly higher in patients prescribed fluoroquinolones within 2 months (6.1 %) compared to matched negative (2.2 %, P = 0.0009) and positive controls (2.4 %, P = 0.0026). There were no significant differences in the rate of revision rotator cuff repair when fluoroquinolones were prescribed >2 months after rotator cuff repair. Early use of fluoroquinolones following rotator cuff repair was independently associated with significantly increased rates of failure requiring revision rotator cuff repair. This is the first clinical study examining the association of postoperative fluoroquinolone use with failure following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. III.

Impact of torrefaction on the grindability and fuel characteristics of forest biomass.

PubMed

Phanphanich, Manunya; Mani, Sudhagar

2011-01-01

Thermal pretreatment or torrefaction of biomass under anoxic condition can produce an energy dense and consistent quality solid biomass fuel for combustion and co-firing applications. This paper investigates the fuel characteristics and grindability of pine chips and logging residues torrefied at temperatures ranging from 225 °C to 300 °C and 30 min residence time. Grinding performance of torrefied biomass evaluated by determining energy required for grinding, particle size distribution and average particle size were compared with raw biomass and coal. Specific energy required for grinding of torrefied biomass decreased significantly with increase in torrefaction temperatures. The grinding energy of torrefied biomass was reduced to as low as 24 kW h/t at 300 °C torrefaction temperature. The gross calorific value of torrefied chips increased with increase in torrefaction temperature. Torrefaction of biomass clearly showed the improved fuel characteristics and grinding properties closer to coal. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Clinical and Occupational Correlates of Work Productivity Loss Among Employed Patients With Depression

PubMed Central

Lerner, Debra; Adler, David A.; Chang, Hong; Berndt, Ernst R.; Irish, Julie T.; Lapitsky, Leueen; Hood, Maggie Y.; Reed, John; Rogers, William H.

2014-01-01

Employers who are developing strategies to reduce health-related productivity loss may benefit from aiming their interventions at the employees who need them most. We determined whether depression’s negative productivity impact varied with the type of work employees performed. Subjects (246 with depression and 143 controls) answered the Work Limitations Questionnaire and additional work questions. Occupational requirements were measured objectively. In multiple regression analyses, productivity was most influenced by depression severity (P < 0.01 in 5/5 models). However, certain occupations also significantly increased employee vulnerability to productivity loss. Losses increased when employees had occupations requiring proficiency in decision-making and communication and/or frequent customer contact (P < 0.05 in 3/5 models). The Work Limitations Questionnaire can help employers to reduce productivity loss by identifying health and productivity improvement priorities. PMID:15194895

Students left behind: the limitations of university-based health insurance for students with mental illnesses.

PubMed

McIntosh, Belinda J; Compton, Michael T; Druss, Benjamin G

2012-01-01

A growing trend in college and university health care is the requirement that students demonstrate proof of health insurance prior to enrollment. An increasing number of schools are contracting with insurance companies to provide students with school-based options for health insurance. Although this is advantageous to students in some ways, tying health insurance coverage to school enrollment can leave students vulnerable when they are most in need of help. Students whose health insurance is contingent upon their enrollment face significant lapses in coverage when they are required to leave school. This is especially challenging for students with mental illnesses whose treatment needs often go unmet in the absence of that coverage. The limitations in this system must be addressed as an increasing number of universities and students opt for university-based health insurance plans.

Radial turbine cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roelke, Richard J.

1992-01-01

Radial turbines have been used extensively in many applications including small ground based electrical power generators, automotive engine turbochargers and aircraft auxiliary power units. In all of these applications the turbine inlet temperature is limited to a value commensurate with the material strength limitations and life requirements of uncooled metal rotors. To take advantage of all the benefits that higher temperatures offer, such as increased turbine specific power output or higher cycle thermal efficiency, requires improved high temperature materials and/or blade cooling. Extensive research is on-going to advance the material properties of high temperature superalloys as well as composite materials including ceramics. The use of ceramics with their high temperature potential and low cost is particularly appealing for radial turbines. However until these programs reach fruition the only way to make significant step increases beyond the present material temperature barriers is to cool the radial blading.

Analysis of strategies to increase external fixator stiffness: is double stacking worth the cost?

PubMed

Strebe, Sara; Kim, Hyunchul; Russell, Joseph P; Hsieh, Adam H; Nascone, Jason; O'Toole, Robert V

2014-07-01

We compared the mechanical benefits and costs of 3 strategies that are commonly used to increase knee-spanning external fixator stiffness (resistance to deformation): double stacking, cross-linking, and use of an oblique pin. At our academic trauma centre and biomechanical testing laboratory, we used ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene bone models and commercially available external fixator components to simulate knee-spanning external fixation. The models were tested in anterior-posterior bending, medial-lateral bending, axial compression, and torsion. We recorded the construct stiffness for each strategy in all loading modes and assessed a secondary outcome of cost per 10% increase in stiffness. Double stacking significantly increased construct stiffness under anterior-posterior bending (109%), medial-lateral bending (22%), axial compression (150%), and torsion (41%) (p<0.05). Use of an oblique pin significantly increased stiffness under torsion (25%) (p<0.006). Cross-linking significantly increased stiffness only under torsion (29%) (p<0.002). Double stacking increased costs by 84%, cross-linking by 28%, and use of an oblique pin by 15% relative to a standard fixator. All 3 strategies increased stiffness under torsion to varying degrees, but only double stacking increased stiffness in all 4 testing modalities (p<0.05). Double stacking is most effective in increasing resistance to bending, particularly under anterior-posterior bending and axial compression, but requires a relatively high cost increase. Clinicians can use these data to help guide the most cost-effective strategy to increase construct stiffness based on the plane in which stiffness is needed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular testing for viral and bacterial enteric pathogens: gold standard for viruses, but don't let culture go just yet?

PubMed

Bloomfield, Maxim G; Balm, Michelle N D; Blackmore, Timothy K

2015-04-01

Contemporary diagnostic microbiology is increasingly adopting molecular methods as front line tests for a variety of samples. This trend holds true for detection of enteric pathogens (EP), where nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for viruses are well established as the gold standard, and an increasing number of commercial multi-target assays are now available for bacteria and parasites. NAAT have significant sensitivity and turnaround time advantages over traditional methods, potentially returning same-day results. Multiplex panels offer an attractive 'one-stop shop' that may provide workflow and cost advantages to laboratories processing large sample volumes. However, there are a number of issues which need consideration. Reflex culture is required for antibiotic susceptibility testing and strain typing when needed for food safety and other epidemiological investigations. Surveillance systems will need to allow for differences in disease incidence due to the enhanced sensitivity of NAAT. Laboratories should be mindful of local epidemiology when selecting which pathogens to include in multiplex panels, and be thoughtful regarding which pathogens will not be detected. Multiplex panels may not be appropriate in certain situations, such as hospital-onset diarrhoea, where Clostridium difficile testing might be all that is required, and laboratories may wish to retain the flexibility to run single tests in such situations. The clinical impact of rapid results is also likely to be relatively minor, as infective diarrhoea is a self-limiting illness in the majority of cases. Laboratories will require strategies to assist users in the interpretation of the results produced by NAAT, particularly where pathogens are detected at low levels with uncertain clinical significance. These caveats aside, faecal NAAT are increasingly being used and introduce a new era of diagnosis of gastrointestinal infection.

How much rainfall sustained a Green Sahara during the mid-Holocene?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopcroft, Peter; Valdes, Paul; Harper, Anna

2016-04-01

The present-day Sahara desert has periodically transformed to an area of lakes and vegetation during the Quaternary in response to orbitally-induced changes in the monsoon circulation. Coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model simulations of the mid-Holocene generally underestimate the required monsoon shift, casting doubt on the fidelity of these models. However, the climatic regime that characterised this period remains unclear. To address this, we applied an ensemble of dynamic vegetation model simulations using two different models: JULES (Joint UK Land Environment Simulator) a comprehensive land surface model, and LPJ (Lund-Potsdam-Jena model) a widely used dynamic vegetation model. The simulations are forced with a number of idealized climate scenarios, in which an observational climatology is progressively altered with imposed anomalies of precipitation and other related variables, including cloud cover and humidity. The applied anomalies are based on an ensemble of general circulation model simulations, and include seasonal variations but are spatially uniform across the region. When perturbing precipitation alone, a significant increase of at least 700mm/year is required to produce model simulations with non-negligible vegetation coverage in the Sahara region. Changes in related variables including cloud cover, surface radiation fluxes and humidity are found to be important in the models, as they modify the water balance and so affect plant growth. Including anomalies in all of these variables together reduces the precipitation change required for a Green Sahara compared to the case of increasing precipitation alone. We assess whether the precipitation changes implied by these vegetation model simulations are consistent with reconstructions for the mid-Holocene from pollen samples. Further, Earth System models predict precipitation increases that are significantly smaller than that inferred from these vegetation model simulations. Understanding this difference presents an ongoing challenge.

The impact and outcomes of establishing an integrated interdisciplinary surgical team to care for the diabetic foot.

PubMed

Armstrong, David G; Bharara, Manish; White, Matthew; Lepow, Brian; Bhatnagar, Sugam; Fisher, Timothy; Kimbriel, Heather R; Walters, Jodi; Goshima, Kaoru R; Hughes, John; Mills, Joseph L

2012-09-01

This study aimed to quantify the impact of an integrated diabetic foot surgical service on outcomes and changes in surgical volume and focus. We abstracted registry data from 48 consecutive months at a single institution, evaluating all patients with diabetic foot complications requiring surgery or vascular intervention, and compared outcomes in the 24 months before and after integrating podiatric surgery with vascular surgical limb-salvage service. The service performed 2923 operations; 790 (27.0%) were related to treatment of diabetic foot complications in 374 patients. Of these, 502 were classified as non-vascular diabetic foot surgery and 288 were vascular interventions. Urgent surgery was significantly reduced after team implementation (77.7% vs 48.5%, p < 0.0001; OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 2.4-5.5). The high/low amputation ratio decreased from 0.35 to 0.27 due to an increase in low-level (midfoot) amputations (8.2% vs 26.1%, p < 0.0001; OR = 4.0, 95% CI: 2.0-83.3). A 45.7% reduction in below-knee amputations was realized with a stable above-knee/below-knee amputation ratio (0.73-0.81). One-third of patients required vascular intervention. Vascular reconstructions increased 44.1% following institution of the team. Initial revascularization was endovascular in 70.6% of patients. Repeat endovascular intervention or conversion to open bypass was required in 37.1% of these patients, almost double the reintervention rate of those receiving open bypass first (18.9%). Interdisciplinary diabetic foot surgery teams may significantly impact surgery type, with greater focus on proactive and preventive, rather than reactive and ablative, procedures. Although endovascular limb-sparing procedures have become increasingly applicable, open bypass remains critical to success. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Palliative sedation at home for terminally ill children with cancer.

PubMed

Korzeniewska-Eksterowicz, Aleksandra; Przysło, Łukasz; Fendler, Wojciech; Stolarska, Małgorzata; Młynarski, Wojciech

2014-11-01

The presence of symptoms that are difficult to control always requires adjustment of treatment, and palliative sedation (PS) should be considered. We analyzed our experience in conducting PS at home for terminally ill children with cancer during a seven-year period. We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of children with cancer treated at home between the years 2005 and 2011. We analyzed the data of 42 cancer patients (18% of all patients); in 21 cases, PS was initiated (solid tumors n = 11, brain tumors [5], bone tumors [4], leukemia [1]). Sedation was introduced because of pain (n = 13), dyspnea (9), anxiety (5), or two of those symptoms (6). The main drug used for sedation was midazolam; all patients received morphine. There were no significant differences in the dose of morphine or midazolam depending on the patient's sex; age was correlated with an increase of midazolam dose (R = 0.68; P = 0.005). Duration of sedation (R = 0.61; P = 0.003) and its later initiation (R = 0.43; P = 0.05) were correlated with an increase of the morphine dose. All patients received adjuvant treatment; in patients who required a morphine dose increase, metoclopramide was used more often (P = 0.0002). Patients did not experience any adverse reactions. Later introduction of sedation was associated with a marginally higher number of intervention visits and a significantly higher number of planned visits (R = 0.53; P = 0.013). Sedation may be safely used at home. It requires close monitoring and full cooperation between the family and hospice team. Because of the limited data on home PS in pediatric populations, further studies are needed. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Case Report of Onyx Pulmonary Arterial Embolism Contributing to Hypoxemia During Awake Craniotomy for Arteriovenous Malformation Resection.

PubMed

Tolly, Brian T; Kosky, Jenna L; Koht, Antoun; Hemmer, Laura B

2017-02-15

A healthy 26-year-old man with cerebral arteriovenous malformation underwent staged endovascular embolization with Onyx followed by awake craniotomy for resection. The perioperative course was complicated by tachycardia and severe intraoperative hypoxemia requiring significant oxygen supplementation. Postoperative chest computed tomography (CT) revealed hyperattenuating Onyx embolization material within the pulmonary vasculature, and an electrocardiogram indicated possible right heart strain, supporting clinically significant embolism. With awake arteriovenous malformation resection following adjunctive Onyx embolization becoming increasingly employed for lesions involving the eloquent cortex, anesthesiologists need to be aware of pulmonary migration of Onyx material as a potential contributor to significant perioperative hypoxemia.

Flight test investigation of certification issues pertaining to general-aviation-type aircraft with natural laminar flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doty, Wayne A.

1990-01-01

Development of Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) technology for application to general aviation-type aircraft has raised some question as to the adequacy of FAR Part 23 for certification of aircraft with significant NLF. A series of flight tests were conducted with a modified Cessna T210R to allow quantitative comparison of the aircraft's ability to meet certification requirements with significant NLF and with boundary layer transition fixed near the leading edge. There were no significant differences between the two conditions except an increasing in drag, which resulted in longer takeoff distances and reduced climb performance.

Histologic and rheologic characterization of vocal fold scarring.

PubMed

Thibeault, Susan L; Gray, Steven D; Bless, Diane M; Chan, Roger W; Ford, Charles N

2002-03-01

Scarring of the vocal fold causes considerable dysphonia and presents significant treatment challenges. A rabbit model was developed to investigate the histologic ultrastructure and rheologic properties of the scarred vocal fold lamina propria. Eleven rabbit larynges were scarred by means of forcep biopsy. Sixty days postoperatively, the rabbits were sacrificed and their vocal folds were harvested. Histological analysis of the scarred and normal lamina propria was completed for collagen, procollagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Linear viscoelastic shear properties of the tissues were also measured, including elastic shear modulus and dynamic viscosity. Compared to normal vocal fold lamina propria, scarred tissues demonstrated significantly less collagen, an increase in procollagen, and a decrease in elastin. Rheologically, both elastic shear modulus and dynamic viscosity were significantly higher for the scarred tissues. Increased stiffness and viscosity do not appear to result from an increase in collagen, but rather appear to be related to the presence of new, disorganized collagen scaffolding. Results are interpreted in terms of the possible role of interstitial proteins in the etiology of increased stiffness and viscosity, which requires further investigation. This animal model should allow for systematic future investigations of vocal fold scarring and its treatment.

Development of an Agent-based Model to Analyze Contemporary Helium Markets

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

Riddle, Matthew E.; Uckun, Canan; Conzelmann, Guenter

Although U.S. helium demand has remained relatively flat since 2009, exports of helium have increased significantly since then, driven primarily by demand for electronic and semiconductor manufacturing in Asia. In the midst of this global demand shift, the Helium Act dictates a new procedure for pricing and distributing the gas through a reserve that historically functioned as a loose “oligarchy.” The new procedure requires prices to be determined by the open market through auctions and a survey of market prices, as opposed to increasing prices according to the consumer price index. Response to these changes has caused temporary shortages, pricemore » increases, and a significant increase in the development of the helium extraction technologies used to produce helium from formerly marginal sources. Technologies are being developed and refined to extract helium from formerly low-yielding natural gas fields containing much lower amounts of helium than the previously considered economic threshold of 0.3%. Combining these transformative policies with the potential for new and significant global supplies from Qatar, Algeria, and Russia could lead to new and unforeseen market behaviors and reactions from global helium markets. The objective of the project is to analyze the global helium markets.« less

The Unintended Consequences of Changes in Beverage Options and the Removal of Bottled Water on a University Campus.

PubMed

Berman, Elizabeth R; Johnson, Rachel K

2015-07-01

We investigated how the removal of bottled water along with a minimum healthy beverage requirement affected the purchasing behavior, healthiness of beverage choices, and consumption of calories and added sugars of university campus consumers. With shipment data as a proxy, we estimated bottled beverage consumption over 3 consecutive semesters: baseline (spring 2012), when a 30% healthy beverage ratio was enacted (fall 2012), and when bottled water was removed (spring 2013) at the University of Vermont. We assessed changes in number and type of beverages and per capita calories, total sugars, and added sugars shipped. Per capita shipments of bottles, calories, sugars, and added sugars increased significantly when bottled water was removed. Shipments of healthy beverages declined significantly, whereas shipments of less healthy beverages increased significantly. As bottled water sales dropped to zero, sales of sugar-free beverages and sugar-sweetened beverages increased. The bottled water ban did not reduce the number of bottles entering the waste stream from the university campus, the ultimate goal of the ban. With the removal of bottled water, consumers increased their consumption of less healthy bottled beverages.

The Unintended Consequences of Changes in Beverage Options and the Removal of Bottled Water on a University Campus

PubMed Central

Berman, Elizabeth R.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We investigated how the removal of bottled water along with a minimum healthy beverage requirement affected the purchasing behavior, healthiness of beverage choices, and consumption of calories and added sugars of university campus consumers. Methods. With shipment data as a proxy, we estimated bottled beverage consumption over 3 consecutive semesters: baseline (spring 2012), when a 30% healthy beverage ratio was enacted (fall 2012), and when bottled water was removed (spring 2013) at the University of Vermont. We assessed changes in number and type of beverages and per capita calories, total sugars, and added sugars shipped. Results. Per capita shipments of bottles, calories, sugars, and added sugars increased significantly when bottled water was removed. Shipments of healthy beverages declined significantly, whereas shipments of less healthy beverages increased significantly. As bottled water sales dropped to zero, sales of sugar-free beverages and sugar-sweetened beverages increased. Conclusions. The bottled water ban did not reduce the number of bottles entering the waste stream from the university campus, the ultimate goal of the ban. With the removal of bottled water, consumers increased their consumption of less healthy bottled beverages. PMID:25973813

A comparison of four methods of analgesia in cats following ovariohysterectomy.

PubMed

Tobias, Karen M; Harvey, Ralph C; Byarlay, Judy M

2006-11-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative administration of oral carprofen, subcutaneous ketoprofen, and local nerve block with bupivacaine in preventing postoperative pain-associated behavior in cats after ovariohysterectomy. Fifty-two female intact cats. Materials and methods Cats received butorphanol (0.44 mg kg(-1) IM), carprofen (2.2 mg kg(-1) PO), ketoprofen (2.2 mg kg(-1) SQ), or bupivacaine infiltration block (1.1 mg kg(-1) SQ) before surgery. Cortisol and drug concentrations and visual analog scale (VAS) and interactive visual analog scale (IVAS) pain-associated behavior scores were measured 2 hours before and 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after ovariohysterectomy. Cats receiving butorphanol had significantly increased IVAS scores 2 hours after surgery compared with baseline measurements. Cats receiving carprofen, ketoprofen, and bupivacaine had significant increases from baseline in VAS and IVAS scores 1 and 2 hours after surgery. VAS and IVAS scores for cats receiving bupivacaine were significantly greater 1 and 2 hours after surgery than for cats that received butorphanol. Cats receiving carprofen had significant increases in cortisol 1 hour after surgery and significant decreases 24 hours after surgery compared with baseline measurements. Preoperative carprofen and ketoprofen have effects on pain-associated behavior similar to butorphanol in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Cats receiving bupivacaine blocks may require additional analgesics immediately after surgery.

Copy Number Variation Affecting the Photoperiod-B1 and Vernalization-A1 Genes Is Associated with Altered Flowering Time in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

PubMed Central

Isaac, Peter; Laurie, David A.

2012-01-01

The timing of flowering during the year is an important adaptive character affecting reproductive success in plants and is critical to crop yield. Flowering time has been extensively manipulated in crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during domestication, and this enables them to grow productively in a wide range of environments. Several major genes controlling flowering time have been identified in wheat with mutant alleles having sequence changes such as insertions, deletions or point mutations. We investigated genetic variants in commercial varieties of wheat that regulate flowering by altering photoperiod response (Ppd-B1 alleles) or vernalization requirement (Vrn-A1 alleles) and for which no candidate mutation was found within the gene sequence. Genetic and genomic approaches showed that in both cases alleles conferring altered flowering time had an increased copy number of the gene and altered gene expression. Alleles with an increased copy number of Ppd-B1 confer an early flowering day neutral phenotype and have arisen independently at least twice. Plants with an increased copy number of Vrn-A1 have an increased requirement for vernalization so that longer periods of cold are required to potentiate flowering. The results suggest that copy number variation (CNV) plays a significant role in wheat adaptation. PMID:22457747

Important drug-nutrient interactions.

PubMed

Mason, Pamela

2010-11-01

Drugs have the potential to interact with nutrients potentially leading to reduced therapeutic efficacy of the drug, nutritional risk or increased adverse effects of the drug. Despite significant interest in such interactions going back to over more than 40 years, the occurrence and clinical significance of many drug-nutrient interactions remains unclear. However, interactions involving drugs with a narrow therapeutic margin such as theophylline and digoxin and those that require careful blood monitoring such as warfarin are likely to be those of clinical significance. Drugs can affect nutrition as a result of changes in appetite and taste as well as having an influence on absorption or metabolism of nutrients. Moreover, foods and supplements can also interact with drugs, of which grapefruit juice and St John's wort are key examples. Significant numbers of people take both supplements and medication and are potentially at risk from interactions. Professionals, such as pharmacists, dietitians, nurses and doctors, responsible for the care of patients should therefore check whether supplements are being taken, while for researchers this is an area worthy of significant further study, particularly in the context of increasingly complex drug regimens and the plethora of new drugs.

The Future of the Deep Space Network: Technology Development for K2-Band Deep Space Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhanji, Alaudin M.

1999-01-01

Projections indicate that in the future the number of NASA's robotic deep space missions is likely to increase significantly. A launch rate of up to 4-6 launches per year is projected with up to 25 simultaneous missions active [I]. Future high resolution mapping missions to other planetary bodies as well as other experiments are likely to require increased downlink capacity. These future deep space communications requirements will, according to baseline loading analysis, exceed the capacity of NASA's Deep Space Network in its present form. There are essentially two approaches for increasing the channel capacity of the Deep Space Network. Given the near-optimum performance of the network at the two deep space communications bands, S-Band (uplink 2.025-2.120 GHz, downlink 2.2-2.3 GHz), and X-Band (uplink 7.145-7.19 GHz, downlink 8.48.5 GHz), additional improvements bring only marginal return for the investment. Thus the only way to increase channel capacity is simply to construct more antennas, receivers, transmitters and other hardware. This approach is relatively low-risk but involves increasing both the number of assets in the network and operational costs.

Effects of temperature, loading rate and nanowire length on torsional deformation and mechanical properties of aluminium nanowires investigated using molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Po-Hsien; Wu, Cheng-Da; Fang, Te-Hua

2012-05-01

Single-crystal aluminium nanowires under torsion are studied using molecular dynamics simulations based on the many-body tight-binding potential. The effects of temperature, loading rate and nanowire length are evaluated in terms of atomic trajectories, potential energy, von Mises stress, a centrosymmetry parameter, torque, shear modulus and radial distribution function. Simulation results clearly show that torsional deformation begins at the surface, extends close to the two ends and finally diffuses to the middle part. The critical torsional angle which represents the beginning of plastic deformation varies with different conditions. Before the critical torsional angle is reached, the potential energy and the torque required for the deformation of a nanowire significantly increase with the torsional angle. The critical torsional angle increases with increasing nanowire length and loading rate and decreasing temperature. The torque required for the deformation decreases and the shear modulus increases with increasing nanowire length. For higher temperatures and higher loading rates, torsional buckling more easily occurs at the two ends of a nanowire, whereas it occurs towards the middle part at or below room temperature with lower loading rates. Geometry instability occurs before material instability (buckling) for a long nanowire.

Assessing healthcare market trends and capital needs: 1996-2000.

PubMed

Coile, R C

1995-08-01

An analysis of recent data suggests several significant trends for the next five years, including a continuation of market-based reform, increases in managed care penetration, growth of Medicare and Medicaid health maintenance organizations, and erosion of hospital profits. A common response to these trends is to create integrated delivery systems, which can require significant capital investment. The wisest capital investment strategy may be to avoid asset-based integration in favor of "virtual integration," which emphasizes coordination through patient-management agreements, provider incentives, and information systems, rather than investment in large number of facilities.

Structure-guided systems-level engineering of oxidation-prone methionine residues in catalytic domain of an alkaline α-amylase from Alkalimonas amylolytica for significant improvement of both oxidative stability and catalytic efficiency.

PubMed

Yang, Haiquan; Liu, Long; Shin, Hyun-dong; Li, Jianghua; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

2013-01-01

High oxidative stability and catalytic efficiency are required for the alkaline α-amylases to keep the enzymatic performance under the harsh conditions in detergent industries. In this work, we attempted to significantly improve both the oxidative stability and catalytic efficiency of an alkaline α-amylase from Alkalimonas amylolytica by engineering the five oxidation-prone methionine residues around the catalytic domain via a systematic approach. Specifically, based on the tertiary structure analysis, five methionines (Met 145, Met 214, Met 229, Met 247 and Met 317) were individually substituted with oxidation-resistant threonine, isoleucine and alaline, respectively. Among the created 15 mutants, 7 mutants M145A, M145I, M214A, M229A, M229T, M247T and M317I showed significantly enhanced oxidative stability or catalytic efficiency. In previous work, we found that the replacement of M247 with leucine could significantly improve the oxidative stability. Thus, these 8 positive mutants (M145A, M145I, M214A, M229A, M229T, M247T, M247L and M317I) were used to conduct the second round of combinational mutations. Among the constructed 85 mutants (25 two-point mutants, 36 three-point mutants, 16 four-point mutants and 8 five-point mutants), the mutant M145I-214A-229T-247T-317I showed a 5.4-fold increase in oxidative stability and a 3.0-fold increase in catalytic efficiency. Interestingly, the specific activity, alkaline stability and thermal stability of this mutant were also increased. The increase of salt bridge and hydrogen bonds around the catalytic domain contributed to the significantly improved catalytic efficiency and stability, as revealed by the three-dimensional structure model of wild-type alkaline α-amylase and its mutant M145I-214A-229T-247T-317I. With the significantly improved oxidative stability and catalytic efficiency, the mutant M145I-214A-229T-247T-317I has a great potential as a detergent additive, and this structure-guided systems engineering strategy may be useful for the protein engineering of the other microbial enzymes to fulfill industrial requirements.

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

PubMed

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

2012-05-01

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

[Effects of sanguisorba tannins and saponins compatibility on pharmacokinetic parameters of catechin, epicatechin and ziyuglycoside Ⅰ in rats].

PubMed

Xiong, Yong-Ai; Yang, Ming

2016-10-01

To study the effects of sanguisorba tannins and saponins compatibility at different proportions [tannins-saponins (1∶1) and tannins-saponins(8∶1)] after intragastric administration (50 mg•kg⁻¹) on pharmacokinetic parameters of catechin, epicatechin and ziyuglycoside Ⅰ in rats by using pharmacokinetic techniques and methods. Kinetica 5.0 software was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The results showed that the specificity, linearity, recovery rate, precision and stability of the established detection method were in line with the test requirements. When the sanguisorba tannins and eaponins were combined at the rate of 1∶1, Vd and CL of catechin and epicatechin were increased significantly（P<0.05); MRT was significantly shortened(P<0.05); Cmax and AUC were significantly reduced(P<0.05). When the sanguisorba tannins and saponins were combined at the rate of 8∶1, Vd and CL of catechin and epicatechin were significantly reduced(P<0.05); MRT was significantly prolonged(P<0.05); Cmax and AUC were increased significantly(P<0.05). In addition, with the increase in proportion of sanguisorba tannins in the compatibility, Cmax and AUC of ziyuglycoside Ⅰ were increased significantly(P<0.05); Vd and CL were significantly reduced(P<0.05), Tmax was obviously lagging behind, and MRT was also significantly prolonged(P<0.05). In our present study, catechin, epicatechin and ziyuglycoside Ⅰ showed good pharmacokinetic behavior in rats when sanguisorba tannins and saponins were combined at the rate of 8∶1 in compatibility, which could be used as a reference for the proportion in sanguisorba tannins and saponins compatibility. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Increased risk for complications following removal of hardware in patients with liver disease, pilon or pelvic fractures: A regression analysis.

PubMed

Brown, Bryan D; Steinert, Justin N; Stelzer, John W; Yoon, Richard S; Langford, Joshua R; Koval, Kenneth J

2017-12-01

Indications for removing orthopedic hardware on an elective basis varies widely. Although viewed as a relatively benign procedure, there is a lack of data regarding overall complication rates after fracture fixation. The purpose of this study is to determine the overall short-term complication rate for elective removal of orthopedic hardware after fracture fixation and to identify associated risk factors. Adult patients indicated for elective hardware removal after fracture fixation between July 2012 and July 2016 were screened for inclusion. Inclusion criteria included patients with hardware related pain and/or impaired cosmesis with complete medical and radiographic records and at least 3-month follow-up. Exclusion criteria were those patients indicated for hardware removal for a diagnosis of malunion, non-union, and/or infection. Data collected included patient age, gender, anatomic location of hardware removed, body mass index, ASA score, and comorbidities. Overall complications, as well as complications requiring revision surgery were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0, and included univariate and multivariate regression analysis. 391 patients (418 procedures) were included for analysis. Overall complication rates were 8.4%, with a 3.6% revision surgery rate. Univariate regression analysis revealed that patients who had liver disease were at significant risk for complication (p=0.001) and revision surgery (p=0.036). Multivariate regression analysis showed that: 1) patients who had liver disease were at significant risk of overall complication (p=0.001) and revision surgery (p=0.039); 2) Removal of hardware following fixation for a pilon had significantly increased risk for complication (p=0.012), but not revision surgery (p=0.43); and 3) Removal of hardware for pelvic fixation had a significantly increased risk for revision surgery (p=0.017). Removal of hardware following fracture fixation is not a risk-free procedure. Patients with liver disease are at increased risk for complications, including increased risk for needing revision surgery following hardware removal. Patients having hardware removed following fixation for pilon fractures also are at increased risk for complication, although they may not require a return trip to the operating room. Finally, removal of pelvic hardware is associated with a higher return to the operating room. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective influence of the menstrual cycle on perception of stimuli with reproductive significance: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Krug, R; Plihal, W; Fehm, H L; Born, J

2000-01-01

In this study, we examined changes in the event-related potential (ERP) to stimuli with and without reproductive significance occurring during the menstrual cycle. Eleven spontaneously cycling women were tested during three menstrual phases (menses, ovulatory phase, luteal phase) differing in plasma concentrations of gonadal hormones. ERPs were recorded while subjects were presented with slides showing pictures from four different stimulus categories (sexual stimuli, babies, people occupied with body care, ordinary people). Slides were presented randomly in the context of two tasks, requiring either affective processing (i.e., to judge the emotional content of a slide as positive, neutral, or negative) or structural processing (i.e., to estimate the number of parallel thin lines inserted in each picture). Menstrual phase primarily affected a late positive component (LPC) peaking 550-600 ms poststimulus. The effects were as follows: (i) During the ovulatory phase, amplitude of the LPC to sexual stimuli was larger than that evoked by the other stimulus categories. (ii) This relationship was not apparent during the other menstrual phases or (iii) during the ovulatory phase when the task required structural processing. The ovulatory increase in LPC positivity to sexual stimuli suggests a greater valence of these stimuli during a phase of increased sexual desire. The data indicate a specific effect of the menstrual cycle on the processing of sexual stimuli that increases with deeper emotional processing.

Pathogen and Particle Associations in Wastewater: Significance and Implications for Treatment and Disinfection Processes.

PubMed

Chahal, C; van den Akker, B; Young, F; Franco, C; Blackbeard, J; Monis, P

2016-01-01

Disinfection guidelines exist for pathogen inactivation in potable water and recycled water, but wastewater with high numbers of particles can be more difficult to disinfect, making compliance with the guidelines problematic. Disinfection guidelines specify that drinking water with turbidity ≥1 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) is not suitable for disinfection and therefore not fit for purpose. Treated wastewater typically has higher concentrations of particles (1-10NTU for secondary treated effluent). Two processes widely used for disinfecting wastewater are chlorination and ultraviolet radiation. In both cases, particles in wastewater can interfere with disinfection and can significantly increase treatment costs by increasing operational expenditure (chemical demand, power consumption) or infrastructure costs by requiring additional treatment processes to achieve the required levels of pathogen inactivation. Many microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoans) associate with particles, which can allow them to survive disinfection processes and cause a health hazard. Improved understanding of this association will enable development of cost-effective treatment, which will become increasingly important as indirect and direct potable reuse of wastewater becomes more widespread in both developed and developing countries. This review provides an overview of wastewater and associated treatment processes, the pathogens in wastewater, the nature of particles in wastewater and how they interact with pathogens, and how particles can impact disinfection processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Endogenous Calcium Ions of Horseradish Peroxidase C Are Required to Maintain the Functional Nonplanarity of the Heme

PubMed Central

Laberge, Monique; Huang, Qing; Schweitzer-Stenner, Reinhard; Fidy, Judit

2003-01-01

Horseradish peroxidase C (HRPC) binds 2 mol calcium per mol of enzyme with binding sites located distal and proximal to the heme group. The effect of calcium depletion on the conformation of the heme was investigated by combining polarized resonance Raman dispersion spectroscopy with normal coordinate structural decomposition analysis of the hemes extracted from models of Ca2+-bound and Ca2+-depleted HRPC generated and equilibrated using molecular dynamics simulations. Results show that calcium removal causes reorientation of heme pocket residues. We propose that these rearrangements significantly affect both the in-plane and out-of-plane deformations of the heme. Analysis of the experimental depolarization ratios are clearly consistent with increased B1g- and B2g-type distortions in the Ca2+-depleted species while the normal coordinate structural decomposition results are indicative of increased planarity for the heme of Ca2+-depleted HRPC and of significant changes in the relative contributions of three of the six lowest frequency deformations. Most noteworthy is the decrease of the strong saddling deformation that is typical of all peroxidases, and an increase in ruffling. Our results confirm previous work proposing that calcium is required to maintain the structural integrity of the heme in that we show that the preferred geometry for catalysis is lost upon calcium depletion. PMID:12668462

Plasma volume, osmolality, vasopressin, and renin activity during graded exercise in man

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Convertino, V. A.; Keil, L. C.; Bernauer, E. M.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1981-01-01

The influence of work intensity on plasma volume, osmolality, vasopressin and renin activity and the interrelationships between these responses are investigated. Plasma volume, renin activity and osmotic, sodium and arginine vasopressin concentrations were measured in venous blood samples taken from 15 healthy male subjects before and after six minutes of bicycle ergometer exercise at 100, 175 and 225 W. Plasma volume is found to decrease significantly with increasing work intensity, while increases in Na(+) concentration, osmolality and vasopressin are only observed to be significant when the work intensity exceeds 40% maximal aerobic capacity and plasma resin activity increased linearly at all work levels. In addition, significant correlations are observed between plasma volume and osmolality and sodium changes, and between vasopressin and osmolality and sodium content changes. Data thus support the hypotheses that (1) vasopressin may be the primary controlling endocrine for fluid and electrolyte levels following exercise; (2) an exercise intensity greater than 40% maximal aerobic capacity is required to stimulate vasopressin release through changes in plasma osmolality; and (3) the stimulation of the renin-angiotensin system is a more general stress response.

Can Online Peer Review Assignments Replace Essays in Third Year University Courses? And If So, What Are the Challenges?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Martin

2012-01-01

Essays are a traditional component of the course requirements in many post-secondary courses. However, the practical and pedagogical disadvantages of essays are significant. These include the increasing ease with which essays can be plagiarized, the lack of peer involvement in the traditional essay submission and feedback process, the usual lack…

Minute by Minute: School Strategies for Optimizing Time. Case Studies of Promising Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corwin, Elise; Dunn, Lillian; Warco, Amanda; Lauria, Verna; Mulgrew-Daretany, Kathleen; Anzalone, Lisa

2014-01-01

In the last decade, there have been significant increases in the New York City high school graduation rates. Nevertheless, far too many students are graduating high school without the knowledge and skills they will need for college and career, and far too many continue to require remediation once they arrive at college. A central priority of the…

Benchmarking First-Year English: An Analysis of the Language Proficiencies Required for Entry into First-Year English Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostler, Catherine; Sheldrake, Charlotte; Vogel, Vicki; West, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

Increasing numbers of ESL (English as a Second Language) students are entering college and university programs, and educators in these programs are concerned about student preparedness. ESL students enter the post-secondary system from a variety of places, resulting in a lack of uniformity in entry level academic skills. A significant associated…

Role of polyamines in DNA synthesis of Catharanthus roseus cells grown in suspension culture

Treesearch

Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha; Atsushi Komamine; Walter C. Shortle

1990-01-01

The requirement for polyamines in the proliferation of cells was first demonstrated in bacteria (3). While significant progress has been made in this field using animal cell cultures, only preliminary studies have been reported with plant tissues. Serafini-Fracassini et al. (9) showed a marked increase in polyamine synthesis early during the G 1 phase, concomitant with...

Excerpts from inside the Black Box School District Spending on Professional Development in Education: Lessons from Five Urban Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Karen Hawley; Odden, Allan; Fermanich, Mark; Archibald, Sarah

2005-01-01

As districts struggle to meet the demands of standards-based reform and requirements for "highly qualified" teachers in the face of increasing fiscal constraints, professional development has the potential to be a significant part of a district's improvement strategy. To use dollars effectively, districts need to think about how to best integrate…

A Needs Assessment for Health Care Professionals in the Detection, Intervention and Interdisciplinary Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa Using Focus Group Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hague, Anne; Kovacich, Joann

2007-01-01

The incidence of bulimia nervosa has increased significantly in the second half of the twentieth century and its occurrence is more than twice that of anorexia nervosa. Due to its complex nature, successful treatment requires an interdisciplinary approach with nutritional, psychological, medical, pharmacological and dental therapies. Despite…

Effect of gibberellic acid and cold treatments on the germination of bitterbrush seed.

Treesearch

Burt R. McConnell

1960-01-01

A number of investigations have shown that treatment with gibberellic acid can replace the cold period required to break dormancy in certain seeds. In several instances, acid treatment has also caused significant increases in the root and top growth of seedlings. This combination of abilities suggests that the use of gibberellic acid in reseeding bitterbrush merits...

The Finnish multisource national forest inventory: small-area estimation and map production

Treesearch

Erkki Tomppo

2009-01-01

A driving force motivating development of the multisource national forest inventory (MS-NFI) in connection with the Finnish national forest inventory (NFI) was the desire to obtain forest resource information for smaller areas than is possible using field data only without significantly increasing the cost of the inventory. A basic requirement for the method was that...

LLNL Mercury Project Trinity Open Science Final Report

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

Dawson, Shawn A.

The Mercury Monte Carlo particle transport code is used to simulate the transport of radiation through urban environments. These challenging calculations include complicated geometries and require significant computational resources to complete. In the proposed Trinity Open Science calculations, I will investigate computer science aspects of the code which are relevant to convergence of the simulation quantities with increasing Monte Carlo particle counts.

Rodent repellent studies. IV. Preparation and properties of trinitrobenzene-aryl amine complexes

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeWitt, J.B.; Bellack, E.; Welch, J.F.

1953-01-01

Data are presented on methods of preparation, chemical arid physical characteristics, toxicity, and repellency to rodents of complexes of symmetrical trinitrohenzene with various aromatic amines: When applied in suitable carriers or incorporated in plastic .films, members of this series ofmaterials were shown to offer significant increases in time required by wild rodents to damage common packaging materials.

A Polio Immunization Pamphlet with Increased Appeal and Simplified Language Does Not Improve Comprehension to an Acceptable Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Terry C.; Fredrickson, Doren D.; Arnold, Connie; Murphy, Peggy W.; Herbst, Melissa; Bocchini, Joseph A.

1998-01-01

Two polio-vaccine pamphlets written on a sixth-grade level were compared for readability, comprehension, and preference among a broad range of parents. The easy-to-read version was widely preferred, and comprehension was significantly higher. However, the use of instructional graphics was required to achieve an acceptable level of comprehension.…

Classical Concepts of Social Solidarity as the Basis of Theoretical Studies on the Institutions of Modern Civil Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naletova, Irina Vladimirovna; Okatov, Alexander Vladimirovich; Zhulikova, Olga Valentinovna

2016-01-01

Current importance of this investigation has been stipulated by the modern trends in the development of civil society. Differentiated processes of its development, increased significance of certain institutions of the civil society often require not just empirical description of the principal trends of the functions of civil society, but also need…

Cyber Insurance - Managing Cyber Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

license under the clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 (a)(16) [Jun 2013]. Cyber Insurance – Managing Cyber Risk Data breaches involving...significant personal information losses and financial impact are becoming increasingly common. Whether the data breach has financial implications for...hundreds of millions of dollars depending on the type and size of the breach. Most states have some type of data breach law requiring notification

Erbium Laser Technology vs Traditional Drilling for Caries Removal: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Tao, Siying; Li, Lan; Yuan, He; Tao, Sibei; Cheng, Yiming; He, Libang; Li, Jiyao

2017-12-01

The study aimed to assess the efficacy of erbium laser technology compared with traditional drilling for caries removal. A systematic search was conducted through Medline via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane databases, CNKI till December 2016. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, or controlled clinical trials with data comparing the efficacy of erbium laser technology versus traditional drilling for caries removal were included. Fourteen studies were selected in our meta-analysis. Erbium laser technology showed an increased time when removing caries compared with drilling (mean difference: 3.48, 95% confidence interval: 1.90-5.06, P < .0001). However, erbium laser technology reduced the requirement for local anesthesia (risk ratio: 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.13-0.62, P = .002). Erbium laser technology was also not significantly different to traditional drilling with regard to restoration loss, pulpal vitality, and postoperative sensitivity. Erbium laser technology showed an increased time for cavity preparation compared with traditional drilling. However, erbium laser technology reduced the requirement for local anesthesia. There was no significant difference between erbium laser technology and traditional drilling regarding restoration loss, pulpal vitality, and postoperative sensitivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phytoscreening with SPME: Variability Analysis.

PubMed

Limmer, Matt A; Burken, Joel G

2015-01-01

Phytoscreening has been demonstrated at a variety of sites over the past 15 years as a low-impact, sustainable tool in delineation of shallow groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents. Collection of tree cores is rapid and straightforward, but low concentrations in tree tissues requires sensitive analytics. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is amenable to the complex matrix while allowing for solvent-less extraction. Accurate quantification requires the absence of competitive sorption, examined here both in laboratory experiments and through comprehensive examination of field data. Analysis of approximately 2,000 trees at numerous field sites also allowed testing of the tree genus and diameter effects on measured tree contaminant concentrations. Collectively, while these variables were found to significantly affect site-adjusted perchloroethylene (PCE) concentrations, the explanatory power of these effects was small (adjusted R(2) = 0.031). 90th quantile chemical concentrations in trees were significantly reduced by increasing Henry's constant and increasing hydrophobicity. Analysis of replicate tree core data showed no correlation between replicate relative standard deviation (RSD) and wood type or tree diameter, with an overall median RSD of 30%. Collectively, these findings indicate SPME is an appropriate technique for sampling and analyzing chlorinated solvents in wood and that phytoscreening is robust against changes in tree type and diameter.

Acute alcohol intoxication impairs segmental body alignment in upright standing.

PubMed

Hafstrom, A; Patel, M; Modig, F; Magnusson, M; Fransson, P A

2014-01-01

Balance control when standing upright is a complex process requiring input from several partly independent mechanisms such as coordination, feedback and feedforward control, and adaptation. Acute alcohol intoxication from ethanol is recognized as a major contributor to accidental falls requiring medical care. This study aimed to investigate if intoxication at 0.06 and 0.10% blood alcohol concentration affected body alignment. Mean angular positions of the head, shoulder, hip, and knee were measured with 3D-motion analysis and compared with the ankle position in 25 healthy adults during standing with or without perturbations, and with eyes open or closed. Alcohol intoxication had significant effects on body alignment during perturbed and unperturbed stance, and on adaptation to perturbations. It induced a significantly more posterior alignment of the knees and shoulders, and a tendency for a more posterior and left deviated head alignment in perturbed stance than when sober. The impact of alcohol intoxication was most apparent on the knee alignment, where availability of visual information deteriorated the adaptation to perturbations. Thus, acute alcohol intoxication resulted in inadequate balance control strategies with increased postural rigidity and impaired adaptation to perturbations. These factors probably contribute to the increased risk of falling when intoxicated with alcohol.

Health Insurance Mandates, Mammography, and Breast Cancer Diagnoses

PubMed Central

Bitler, Marianne P.

2016-01-01

We examine the effects of state health insurance mandates requiring coverage of screening mammograms. We find evidence that mammography mandates significantly increased mammography screenings by 4.5–25 percent. Effects are larger for women with less than a high school degree in states that ban deductibles, a policy similar to a provision of federal health reform that eliminates cost-sharing for preventive care. We also find that mandates increased detection of early stage in-situ pre-cancers. Finally, we find a substantial proportion of the increased screenings were attributable to mandates that are not consistent with current recommendations of the American Cancer Society. PMID:29527253

Acute transfusion reactions: an update.

PubMed

Scorer, T; Doughty, H

2014-01-01

Over the last decade the use of blood products by the United Kingdom (UK) military has increased significantly; with the increase in transfusion comes an increased incidence of transfusion-related incidents. Acute transfusion reactions (ATRs) are a common consequence of transfusion, which vary widely in their severity and are likely to be under-reported, although reporting is a regulatory requirement. This paper discusses the importance of identifying ATRs and managing them appropriately. It introduces a flowchart (due to be incorporated in the next version of Joint Service Publication (JSP) 999, Clinical Guidelines for Operations (CGOs)), which is designed to assist the military multi-disciplinary team caring for patients in the operational environment.

Stimulation of erythrocyte death by phloretin.

PubMed

Bissinger, Rosi; Fischer, Salome; Jilani, Kashif; Lang, Florian

2014-01-01

Phloretin, a natural component of apples, pears and strawberries, has previously been shown to stimulate apoptosis of nucleated cells. Erythrocytes may similarly enter suicidal death or eryptosis, which is characterized by cell shrinkage and phospholipid scrambling of the erythrocyte cell membrane with phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Stimulators of eryptosis include increase of cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity ([Ca(2+)]i), ceramide, ATP depletion, and activation of protein kinase C (PKC) as well as p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 kinase). Phosphatidylserine exposure at the cell surface was estimated from annexin V binding, cell volume from forward scatter, [Ca(2+)]i from Fluo3-fluorescence, and ceramide abundance from binding of specific antibodies. A 48 h exposure of human erythrocytes to phloretin significantly increased the percentage of annexin-V-binding cells (≥100 µM) without significantly influencing forward scatter. Phloretin did not significantly modify [Ca(2+)]i and the stimulation of annexin-V-binding by phloretin (300 µM) did not require presence of extracellular Ca(2+). Phloretin did not significantly modify erythrocyte ATP levels, and the effect of phloretin on annexin-V-binding was not significantly altered by PKC inhibitor staurosporine (1 µM) or p38 kinase inhibitor SB2203580 (2 µM). However, phloretin significantly increased the ceramide abundance at the cell surface. Phloretin stimulates phospholipid scrambling of the erythrocyte cell membrane, an effect at least partially due to up-regulation of ceramide abundance.

Evaluation of STAT medication ordering process in a community hospital.

PubMed

Abdelaziz, Hani; Richardson, Sandra; Walsh, Kim; Nodzon, Jessica; Schwartz, Barbara

2016-01-01

In most health care facilities, problems related to delays in STAT medication order processing time are of common concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate processing time for STAT orders at Kimball Medical Center. All STAT orders were reviewed to determine processing time; order processing time was also stratified by physician order entry (physician entered (PE) orders vs. non-physician entered (NPE) orders). Collected data included medication ordered, indication, time ordered, time verified by pharmacist, time sent from pharmacy, and time charted as given to the patient. A total of 502 STAT orders were reviewed and 389 orders were included for analysis. Overall, median time was 29 minutes, IQR 16-63; p<0.0001.). The time needed to process NPE orders was significantly less than that needed for PE orders (median 27 vs. 34 minutes; p=0.026). In terms of NPE orders, the median total time required to process STAT orders for medications available in the Automated Dispensing Devices (ADM) was within 30 minutes, while that required to process orders for medications not available in the ADM was significantly greater than 30 minutes. For PE orders, the median total time required to process orders for medications available in the ADM (i.e., not requiring pharmacy involvement) was significantly greater than 30 minutes. [Median time = 34 minutes (p<0.001)]. We conclude that STAT order processing time may be improved by increasing the availability of medications in ADM, and pharmacy involvement in the verification process.

Effects of safety belt laws on safety belt use by American High School Seniors, 1986-2000.

PubMed

O'Malley, Patrick M; Wagenaar, Alexander C

2004-01-01

This manuscript evaluates the effects of enactment of state laws that required safety belt use in various U.S. states between 1986 and 2000. Safety belt use was assessed using nationally representative cross-sectional samples of high school seniors; evaluation of the effects of laws used data from over 2,000 high school seniors before and about 3,300 after the laws took effect in 20 states. Belt use was found to increase significantly between 1986 and 2000, and the laws contributed significantly to that increase. Increases were similar for students differing by gender, race/ethnicity, parent education, grades, truancy, evenings out per week, miles driven per week, and an index of illicit drug use. The data show that although the laws have increased belt use, use is not universal and continued efforts are needed. This study shows that many teenagers fail to use belts when there is a secondary use law; an implication is that primary laws would be more efficacious in increasing use among this vulnerable population.

The effects of cuing in time-shared tasks. [for aircraft flight route-way-point information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chechile, R. A.; Sadoski, D. M.

1983-01-01

The results of two divided-attention experiments involving the editing of route-way-point displays on an avionics computer unit are reported. Two side tasks were required of the subjects, and either no cue, verbal cues appearing on the CRT, or symbolic cues (lights on the keyboard adjacent to keys to be used) were given to facilitate the primary editing task. Forty female and 30 male undergraduates were trained in the separate and combined tasks and divided randomly into groups of 25 for the cuing tests. A second test with three 10-subject groups was conducted at least one month later to investigate the efficacy of cuing for infrequently used procedures. It is found that only symbolic cuing significantly improved primary-task performance, increasing editing accuracy in the repetitive tests and reducing editing time in the delayed tests. Verbal cuing, probably because it requires additional cognitive effort, has no significant beneficial effect. These results are considered important for designing instruments for work environments requiring the performance of concurrent tasks, and as aircraft cockpits.

75 FR 31513 - Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-03

...EPA is tailoring the applicability criteria that determine which stationary sources and modification projects become subject to permitting requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and title V programs of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). This rulemaking is necessary because without it PSD and title V requirements would apply, as of January 2, 2011, at the 100 or 250 tons per year (tpy) levels provided under the CAA, greatly increasing the number of required permits, imposing undue costs on small sources, overwhelming the resources of permitting authorities, and severely impairing the functioning of the programs. EPA is relieving these resource burdens by phasing in the applicability of these programs to GHG sources, starting with the largest GHG emitters. This rule establishes two initial steps of the phase-in. The rule also commits the agency to take certain actions on future steps addressing smaller sources, but excludes certain smaller sources from PSD and title V permitting for GHG emissions until at least April 30, 2016.

Recognising and understanding Lyme disease.

PubMed

Pearson, Sandra

2014-09-09

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere and its incidence is rising, leading to increased public health concerns. It is important to understand the nature of the disease because this defines the limitations of current understanding and knowledge. Significant uncertainties in diagnostics and treatment remain. There is an important role for the nurse in raising awareness, giving advice on prevention and correct tick removal, and in recognising signs of Lyme disease to assist access to prompt medical attention. Increased awareness, further research, improved diagnostics and advances in therapeutics are urgently required.

Learning reliable manipulation strategies without initial physical models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christiansen, Alan D.; Mason, Matthew T.; Mitchell, Tom M.

1990-01-01

A description is given of a robot, possessing limited sensory and effectory capabilities but no initial model of the effects of its actions on the world, that acquires such a model through exploration, practice, and observation. By acquiring an increasingly correct model of its actions, it generates increasingly successful plans to achieve its goals. In an apparently nondeterministic world, achieving reliability requires the identification of reliable actions and a preference for using such actions. Furthermore, by selecting its training actions carefully, the robot can significantly improve its learning rate.

[Justifying measures to correct functional state of operators varying in personal anxiety].

PubMed

2012-01-01

Workers of operating and dispatching occupations are exposed to high nervous and emotional exertion that result in increased personal anxiety, working stress and overstrain. That requires physiologically justified correction of hazardous psycho-physiologic states via various prophylactic measures (stay in schungite room, autogenous training, central electric analgesia, electric acupuncture). Attempted relaxation sessions in schungite room revealed in highly anxious individuals an increased velocity of visual signals perception, of attention concentration and shifting. Autogenous training sessions improve memory and have significant hypotensive effect in highly anxious individuals.

Recommendations on Model Fidelity for Wind Turbine Gearbox Simulations; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

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

Keller, J.; Lacava, W.; Austin, J.

2015-02-01

This work investigates the minimum level of fidelity required to accurately simulate wind turbine gearboxes using state-of-the-art design tools. Excessive model fidelity including drivetrain complexity, gearbox complexity, excitation sources, and imperfections, significantly increases computational time, but may not provide a commensurate increase in the value of the results. Essential designparameters are evaluated, including the planetary load-sharing factor, gear tooth load distribution, and sun orbit motion. Based on the sensitivity study results, recommendations for the minimum model fidelities are provided.

Extreme Scale Computing to Secure the Nation

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

Brown, D L; McGraw, J R; Johnson, J R

2009-11-10

Since the dawn of modern electronic computing in the mid 1940's, U.S. national security programs have been dominant users of every new generation of high-performance computer. Indeed, the first general-purpose electronic computer, ENIAC (the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), was used to calculate the expected explosive yield of early thermonuclear weapons designs. Even the U. S. numerical weather prediction program, another early application for high-performance computing, was initially funded jointly by sponsors that included the U.S. Air Force and Navy, agencies interested in accurate weather predictions to support U.S. military operations. For the decades of the cold war, national securitymore » requirements continued to drive the development of high performance computing (HPC), including advancement of the computing hardware and development of sophisticated simulation codes to support weapons and military aircraft design, numerical weather prediction as well as data-intensive applications such as cryptography and cybersecurity U.S. national security concerns continue to drive the development of high-performance computers and software in the U.S. and in fact, events following the end of the cold war have driven an increase in the growth rate of computer performance at the high-end of the market. This mainly derives from our nation's observance of a moratorium on underground nuclear testing beginning in 1992, followed by our voluntary adherence to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) beginning in 1995. The CTBT prohibits further underground nuclear tests, which in the past had been a key component of the nation's science-based program for assuring the reliability, performance and safety of U.S. nuclear weapons. In response to this change, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated the Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship (SBSS) program in response to the Fiscal Year 1994 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires, 'in the absence of nuclear testing, a progam to: (1) Support a focused, multifaceted program to increase the understanding of the enduring stockpile; (2) Predict, detect, and evaluate potential problems of the aging of the stockpile; (3) Refurbish and re-manufacture weapons and components, as required; and (4) Maintain the science and engineering institutions needed to support the nation's nuclear deterrent, now and in the future'. This program continues to fulfill its national security mission by adding significant new capabilities for producing scientific results through large-scale computational simulation coupled with careful experimentation, including sub-critical nuclear experiments permitted under the CTBT. To develop the computational science and the computational horsepower needed to support its mission, SBSS initiated the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative, later renamed the Advanced Simulation & Computing (ASC) program (sidebar: 'History of ASC Computing Program Computing Capability'). The modern 3D computational simulation capability of the ASC program supports the assessment and certification of the current nuclear stockpile through calibration with past underground test (UGT) data. While an impressive accomplishment, continued evolution of national security mission requirements will demand computing resources at a significantly greater scale than we have today. In particular, continued observance and potential Senate confirmation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) together with the U.S administration's promise for a significant reduction in the size of the stockpile and the inexorable aging and consequent refurbishment of the stockpile all demand increasing refinement of our computational simulation capabilities. Assessment of the present and future stockpile with increased confidence of the safety and reliability without reliance upon calibration with past or future test data is a long-term goal of the ASC program. This will be accomplished through significant increases in the scientific bases that underlie the computational tools. Computer codes must be developed that replace phenomenology with increased levels of scientific understanding together with an accompanying quantification of uncertainty. These advanced codes will place significantly higher demands on the computing infrastructure than do the current 3D ASC codes. This article discusses not only the need for a future computing capability at the exascale for the SBSS program, but also considers high performance computing requirements for broader national security questions. For example, the increasing concern over potential nuclear terrorist threats demands a capability to assess threats and potential disablement technologies as well as a rapid forensic capability for determining a nuclear weapons design from post-detonation evidence (nuclear counterterrorism).« less

Autonomous Assembly of Modular Structures in Space and on Extraterrestrial Locations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alhorn, Dean C.

2005-02-01

The new U.S. National Vision for Space Exploration requires many new enabling technologies to accomplish the goals of space commercialization and returning humans to the moon and extraterrestrial environments. Traditionally, flight elements are complete sub-systems requiring humans to complete the integration and assembly. These bulky structures also require the use of heavy launch vehicles to send the units to a desired location. This philosophy necessitates a high degree of safety, numerous space walks at a significant cost. Future space mission costs must be reduced and safety increased to reasonably achieve exploration goals. One proposed concept is the autonomous assembly of space structures. This concept is an affordable, reliable solution to in-space and extraterrestrial assembly. Assembly is autonomously performed when two components join after determining that specifications are correct. Local sensors continue monitor joint integrity post assembly, which is critical for safety and structural reliability. Achieving this concept requires a change in space structure design philosophy and the development of innovative technologies to perform autonomous assembly. Assembly of large space structures will require significant numbers of integrity sensors. Thus simple, low-cost sensors are integral to the success of this concept. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a novel concept for assembling space structures autonomously. Core technologies required to achieve in space assembly are presented. These core technologies are critical to the goal of utilizing space in a cost efficient and safe manner. Additionally, these novel technologies can be applied to other systems both on earth and extraterrestrial environments.

Autonomous Assembly of Modular Structures in Space and on Extraterrestrial Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.

2005-01-01

The new U.S. National Vision for Space Exploration requires many new enabling technologies to accomplish the goals of space commercialization and returning humans to the moon and extraterrestrial environments. Traditionally, flight elements are complete subsystems requiring humans to complete the integration and assembly. These bulky structures also require the use of heavy launch vehicles to send the units to a desired location. This philosophy necessitates a high degree of safety, numerous space walks at a significant cost. Future space mission costs must be reduced and safety increased to reasonably achieve exploration goals. One proposed concept is the autonomous assembly of space structures. This concept is an affordable, reliable solution to in-space and extraterrestrial assembly. Assembly is autonomously performed when two components join after determining that specifications are correct. Local sensors continue monitor joint integrity post assembly, which is critical for safety and structural reliability. Achieving this concept requires a change in space structure design philosophy and the development of innovative technologies to perform autonomous assembly. Assembly of large space structures will require significant numbers of integrity sensors. Thus simple, low-cost sensors are integral to the success of this concept. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a novel concept for assembling space structures autonomously. Core technologies required to achieve in space assembly are presented. These core technologies are critical to the goal of utilizing space in a cost efficient and safe manner. Additionally, these novel technologies can be applied to other systems both on earth and extraterrestrial environments.

Why does walking economy improve after weight loss in obese adolescents?

PubMed

Peyrot, Nicolas; Thivel, David; Isacco, Laurie; Morin, Jean-Benoît; Belli, Alain; Duche, Pascale

2012-04-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the increase in walking economy (i.e., decrease in net metabolic rate per kilogram) after weight loss in obese adolescents is induced by a lower metabolic rate required to support the lower body weight and maintain balance during walking. Sixteen obese adolescent boys and girls were tested before and after a weight reduction program. Body composition and oxygen uptake while standing and walking at four preset speeds (0.75, 1, 1.25, and 1.5 m·s⁻¹) and at the preferred speed were quantified. Net metabolic rate and gross metabolic cost of walking-versus-speed relationships were determined. A three-compartment model was used to distinguish the respective parts of the metabolic rate associated with standing (compartment 1), maintaining balance and supporting body weight during walking (compartment 2), and muscle contractions required to move the center of mass and limbs (compartment 3). Standing metabolic rate per kilogram (compartment 1) significantly increased after weight loss, whereas net metabolic rate per kilogram during walking decreased by 9% on average across speeds. Consequently, the gross metabolic cost of walking per unit of distance-versus-speed relationship and hence preferred walking speeds did not change with weight loss. Compartment 2 of the model was significantly lower after weight loss, whereas compartment 3 did not change. The model showed that the improvement in walking economy after weight loss in obese adolescents was likely related to the lower metabolic rate of the isometric muscular contractions required to support the lower body weight and maintain balance during walking. Contrastingly, the part of the total metabolic rate associated with muscle contractions required to move the center of mass and limbs did not seem to be related to the improvement in walking economy in weight-reduced individuals.

A large high vacuum, high pumping speed space simulation chamber for electric propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grisnik, Stanley P.; Parkes, James E.

1994-01-01

Testing high power electric propulsion devices poses unique requirements on space simulation facilities. Very high pumping speeds are required to maintain high vacuum levels while handling large volumes of exhaust products. These pumping speeds are significantly higher than those available in most existing vacuum facilities. There is also a requirement for relatively large vacuum chamber dimensions to minimize facility wall/thruster plume interactions and to accommodate far field plume diagnostic measurements. A 4.57 m (15 ft) diameter by 19.2 m (63 ft) long vacuum chamber at NASA Lewis Research Center is described. The chamber utilizes oil diffusion pumps in combination with cryopanels to achieve high vacuum pumping speeds at high vacuum levels. The facility is computer controlled for all phases of operation from start-up, through testing, to shutdown. The computer control system increases the utilization of the facility and reduces the manpower requirements needed for facility operations.

Design and Development of a Regenerative Blower for EVA Suit Ventilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Izenson, Michael G.; Chen, Weibo; Hill, Roger W.; Phillips, Scott D.; Paul, Heather L.

2011-01-01

Ventilation subsystems in future space suits require a dedicated ventilation fan. The unique requirements for the ventilation fan - including stringent safety requirements and the ability to increase output to operate in buddy mode - combine to make a regenerative blower an attractive choice. This paper describes progress in the design, development, and testing of a regenerative blower designed to meet requirements for ventilation subsystems in future space suits. We have developed analysis methods for the blower s complex, internal flows and identified impeller geometries that enable significant improvements in blower efficiency. We verified these predictions by test, measuring aerodynamic efficiencies of 45% at operating conditions that correspond to the ventilation fan s design point. We have developed a compact motor/controller to drive the blower efficiently at low rotating speed (4500 rpm). Finally, we have assembled a low-pressure oxygen test loop to demonstrate the blower s reliability under prototypical conditions.

Climate specific thermomechanical fatigue of flat plate photovoltaic module solder joints

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

Bosco, Nick; Silverman, Timothy J.; Kurtz, Sarah

FEM simulations of PbSn solder fatigue damage are used to evaluate seven cities that represent a variety of climatic zones. It is shown that the rate of solder fatigue damage is not ranked with the cities' climate designations. For an accurate ranking, the mean maximum daily temperature, daily temperature change and a characteristic of clouding events are all required. A physics-based empirical equation is presented that accurately calculates solder fatigue damage according to these three factors. An FEM comparison of solder damage accumulated through service and thermal cycling demonstrates the number of cycles required for an equivalent exposure. For anmore » equivalent 25-year exposure, the number of thermal cycles (-40 degrees C to 85 degrees C) required ranged from roughly 100 to 630 for the cities examined. It is demonstrated that increasing the maximum cycle temperature may significantly reduce the number of thermal cycles required for an equivalent exposure.« less

Light requirements of seagrasses determined from historical records of light attenuation along the Gulf coast of peninsular Florida.

PubMed

Choice, Zanethia D; Frazer, Thomas K; Jacoby, Charles A

2014-04-15

Seagrasses around the world are threatened by human activities that degrade water quality and reduce light availability. In this study, light requirements were determined for four common and abundant seagrasses along the Gulf coast of peninsular Florida using a threshold detecting algorithm. Light requirements ranged from 8% to 10% of surface irradiance for Halophila engelmannii to 25-27% of surface irradiance for Halodule wrightii. Requirements for all species differed from previous reports generated at other locations. Variations were attributed to morphological and physiological differences, as well as adaptation to light histories at specific locations. In addition, seagrasses were absent from stations with significantly higher concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a and color. These results confirm the need to address links between increased anthropogenic nutrient loads, eutrophication, reduced light penetration, and loss of seagrasses and the services they provide. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Mechanical Performance of Subscale Candidate Elastomer Docking Seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bastrzyk, Marta B.; Daniels, Christopher C.

2010-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is developing a Low Impact Docking System (LIDS) for future exploration missions. The mechanism is a new state-of-the-art device for in-space assembly of structures and rendezvous of vehicles. At the interface between two pressurized modules, each with a version of the LIDS attached, a composite elastomer-metal seal assembly prevents the breathable air from escaping into the vacuum of space. Attached to the active LIDS, this seal mates against the passive LIDS during docking operation. The main interface seal assembly must exhibit low leak and outgas values, must be able to withstand various harsh space environments, must remain operational over a range of temperatures from -50 C to 75 C, and perform after numerous docking cycles. This paper presents results from a comprehensive study of the mechanical performance of four candidate subscale seal assembly designs at -50, 23, 50, and 75 C test temperatures. In particular, the force required to fully compress the seal during docking, and that which is required for separation during the undocking operation were measured. The height of subscale main interface seal bulbs, as well as the test temperature, were shown to have a significant effect on the forces the main interface seal of the LIDS may experience during docking and undocking operations. The average force values required to fully compress each of the seal assemblies were shown to increase with test temperature by approximately 50% from -50 to 75 C. Also, the required compression forces were shown to increase as the height of the seal bulb was increased. The seal design with the tallest elastomer seal bulb, which was 31% taller than that with the shortest bulb, required force values approximately 45% higher than those for the shortest bulb, independent of the test temperature. The force required to separate the seal was shown to increase with decreasing temperature after 15 hours of simulated docking. No adhesion force was observed at 75 C, while magnitudes of up to 235 lbf were recorded at the refrigerated temperature. In addition, the adhesion force was observed to increase with bulb height. When compared with the LIDS program requirements, the measured compression force values were found to be below the maximum allowable load allotted to the main interface seal. However, the measured adhesion force values at the refrigerated test temperature were found to exceed the program limits.

Effects of Warming on CO2 Fluxes in an Alpine Meadow Ecosystem on the Central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

PubMed

Ganjurjav, Hasbagan; Gao, Qingzhu; Zhang, Weina; Liang, Yan; Li, Yawei; Cao, Xujuan; Wan, Yunfan; Li, Yue; Danjiu, Luobu

2015-01-01

To analyze CO2 fluxes under conditions of climate change in an alpine meadow on the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we simulated the effect of warming using open top chambers (OTCs) from 2012 to 2014. The OTCs increased soil temperature by 1.62°C (P < 0.05), but decreased soil moisture (1.38%, P < 0.05) during the experiments. The response of ecosystem CO2 fluxes to warming was variable, and dependent on the year. Under conditions of warming, mean gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) during the growing season increased significantly in 2012 and 2014 (P < 0.05); however, ecosystem respiration (ER) increased substantially only in 2012 (P < 0.05). The net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) increased marginally in 2012 (P = 0.056), did not change in 2013(P > 0.05), and increased significantly in 2014 (P = 0.034) under conditions of warming. The GEP was more sensitive to climate variations than was the ER, resulting in a large increase in net carbon uptake under warming in the alpine meadow. Under warming, the 3-year averages of GEP, ER, and NEE increased by 19.6%, 15.1%, and 21.1%, respectively. The seasonal dynamic patterns of GEP and NEE, but not ER, were significantly impacted by warming. Aboveground biomass, particularly the graminoid biomass increased significantly under conditions of warming. Soil moisture, soil temperature, and aboveground biomass were the main factors that affected the variation of the ecosystem CO2 fluxes. The effect of warming on inter- and intra-annual patterns of ecosystem CO2 fluxes and the mechanism of different sensitivities in GEP and ER to warming, require further researched.

Effects of Warming on CO2 Fluxes in an Alpine Meadow Ecosystem on the Central Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Ganjurjav, Hasbagan; Gao, Qingzhu; Zhang, Weina; Liang, Yan; Li, Yawei; Cao, Xujuan; Wan, Yunfan; Li, Yue; Danjiu, Luobu

2015-01-01

To analyze CO2 fluxes under conditions of climate change in an alpine meadow on the central Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, we simulated the effect of warming using open top chambers (OTCs) from 2012 to 2014. The OTCs increased soil temperature by 1.62°C (P < 0.05), but decreased soil moisture (1.38%, P < 0.05) during the experiments. The response of ecosystem CO2 fluxes to warming was variable, and dependent on the year. Under conditions of warming, mean gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) during the growing season increased significantly in 2012 and 2014 (P < 0.05); however, ecosystem respiration (ER) increased substantially only in 2012 (P < 0.05). The net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) increased marginally in 2012 (P = 0.056), did not change in 2013(P > 0.05), and increased significantly in 2014 (P = 0.034) under conditions of warming. The GEP was more sensitive to climate variations than was the ER, resulting in a large increase in net carbon uptake under warming in the alpine meadow. Under warming, the 3-year averages of GEP, ER, and NEE increased by 19.6%, 15.1%, and 21.1%, respectively. The seasonal dynamic patterns of GEP and NEE, but not ER, were significantly impacted by warming. Aboveground biomass, particularly the graminoid biomass increased significantly under conditions of warming. Soil moisture, soil temperature, and aboveground biomass were the main factors that affected the variation of the ecosystem CO2 fluxes. The effect of warming on inter- and intra-annual patterns of ecosystem CO2 fluxes and the mechanism of different sensitivities in GEP and ER to warming, require further researched. PMID:26147223

Colonoscopy Screening in the US Astronaut Corps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masterova, K.; Van Baalen, M.; Wear, M. L.; Murray, J.; Schaefer, C.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Historically, colonoscopy screenings for astronauts have been conducted to ensure that astronauts are in good health for space missions. Recently this historical data has been identified as being useful for developing an occupational surveillance requirement. It can be used to assess overall colon health and to have a point of reference for future tests in current and former astronauts, as well as to follow-up and track rates of colorectal cancer and polyps. These rates can be compared to military and other terrestrial populations. In 2003, the active astronaut colonoscopy requirements changed to require less frequent colonoscopies. Since polyp removal during a colonoscopy is an intervention that prevents the polyp from potentially developing into cancer, the procedure decreases the individual's risk for colon cancer. The objective of this study is to evaluate the possible effect of increased follow-up times between colonoscopies on the number and severity of polyps identified during the procedures among both current and former NASA astronauts. Initial results and forward work regarding astronaut colonoscopy screenings will be presented. METHODS: A retrospective study of all colonoscopy procedures performed on NASA astronauts between 1962 and 2015 (both during active career and retirement) was conducted by review of the JSC Clinic Electronic Medical Record and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) database for colonoscopy screening procedures and pathology reports. The timeframe of interest was from the time of selection into the Astronaut Corps through May 2015 or death. For each colonoscopy report, the following data were captured: date of procedure, age at time of procedure, reason for procedure, quality of bowel prep, completion of procedure and/or reason for termination of procedure, findings of procedure, subsequent treatment (if any), recommended follow-up interval, actual follow up interval, family history of polyps or colon cancer, and other significant items or discrepancies. The population consisted of 338 astronauts: 52 females, 286 males. Of these, 56 were deceased, and 11 astronauts had no record of any colonoscopies. Because of a screening requirement change in 2003, analyses were conducted to determine if there were differences between the two time periods. One-sided Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to identify statistically significant differences between the two time periods. RESULTS: There was a combined total of 1,964 colonoscopy screenings identified. The average follow-up intervals between colonoscopies were indeed longer after the screening requirement change than before the change. The mean follow-up interval pre -2003 was 3.59 years, while post-2003 it increased to 4.35 years. The statistical significance of this difference was confirmed using a one sided Wilcoxon rank sum test which yielded p<.001. Colonoscopies performed after the requirement change tended to have a higher incidence and greater severity of polyps. From pre-2003 to post-2003 the percentage of colonoscopy procedures yielding no polyps decreased from 83.77% to 74.70%. Not only did post-2003 procedures yield more polyp findings, but the polyps recorded were more often of severe pathology. Before 2003 3.62% of colonoscopy findings were polyps of the hyperplastic type (the least severe polyp type) and only 3.35% were of greater severity. Post-2003, 4.21% of findings were hyperplastic polyps while 11.44% were of greater severity. Upon the investigation of other possible contributing factors to these results, we also found that mean age post-2003 was 54.55 years which was significantly higher than during the pre-2003 timeframe (47.32 years). This was observed with a one-sided Wilcoxon rank sum test, resulting in a p<0.001. The increased average age of astronauts could also be a contributing factor to the greater number of polyps found since the risk of developing polyps increases with age. Further work is needed to better understand the increased incidence and greater severity of polyps found in astronaut colonoscopy outcomes.

The role of mental rotation and memory scanning on the performance of laparoscopic skills: a study on the effect of camera rotational angle.

PubMed

Conrad, J; Shah, A H; Divino, C M; Schluender, S; Gurland, B; Shlasko, E; Szold, A

2006-03-01

The rotational angle of the laparoscopic image relative to the true horizon has an unknown influence on performance in laparoscopic procedures. This study evaluates the effect of increasing rotational angle on surgical performance. Surgical residents (group 1) (n = 6) and attending surgeons (group 2) (n = 4) were tested on two laparoscopic skills. The tasks consisted of passing a suture through an aperture, and laparoscopic knot tying. These tasks were assessed at 15 degrees intervals between 0 degrees and 90 degrees , on three consecutive repetitions. The participant's performance was evaluated based on the time required to complete the tasks and number of errors incurred. There was an increasing deterioration in suturing performance as the degree of image rotation was increased. Participants showed a statistically significant 20-120% progressive increase in time to completion of the tasks (p = 0.004), with error rates increasing from 10% to 30% (p = 0.04) as the angle increased from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Knot-tying performance similarly showed a decrease in performance that was evident in the less experienced surgeons (p = 0.02) but with no obvious effect on the advanced laparoscopic surgeons. When evaluated independently and as a group, both novice and experienced laparoscopic surgeons showed significant prolongation to completion of suturing tasks with increased errors as the rotational angle increased. The knot-tying task shows that experienced surgeons may be able to overcome rotational effects to some extent. This is consistent with results from cognitive neuroscience research evaluating the processing of directional information in spatial motor tasks. It appears that these tasks utilize the time-consuming processes of mental rotation and memory scanning. Optimal performance during laparoscopic procedures requires that the rotation of the camera, and thus the image, be kept to a minimum to maintain a stable horizon. New technology that corrects the rotational angle may benefit the surgeon, decrease operating time, and help to prevent adverse outcomes.

Optical cylinder designs to increase the field of vision in the osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis.

PubMed

Hull, C C; Liu, C S; Sciscio, A; Eleftheriadis, H; Herold, J

2000-12-01

The single optical cylinders used in the osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) are known to produce very small visual fields. Values of 40 degrees are typically quoted. The purpose of this paper is to present designs for new optical cylinders that significantly increase the field of view and therefore improve the visual rehabilitation of patients having an OOKP. Computer ray-tracing techniques were used to design and analyse improved one- and two-piece optical cylinders made from polymethyl methacrylate. All designs were required to have a potential visual acuity of 6/6 before consideration was given to the visual field and optimising off-axis image quality. Aspheric surfaces were used where this significantly improved off-axis image quality. Single optical cylinders, with increased posterior cylinder (intraocular) diameters, gave an increase in the theoretical visual field of 18% (from 76 degrees to 90 degrees) over current designs. Two-piece designs based on an inverted telephoto principle gave theoretical field angles over 120 degrees. Aspheric surfaces were shown to improve the off-axis image quality while maintaining a potential visual acuity of at least 6/6. This may well increase the measured visual field by improving the retinal illuminance off-axis. Results demonstrate that it is possible to significantly increase the theoretical maximum visual field through OOKP optical cylinders. Such designs will improve the visual rehabilitation of patients undergoing this procedure.

Neutrophil oxidative burst activation and the pattern of respiratory physiologic abnormalities in the fulminant post-traumatic adult respiratory distress syndrome.

PubMed

Rivkind, A I; Siegel, J H; Littleton, M; De Gaetano, A; Mamantov, T; Laghi, F; Stoklosa, J C

1991-01-01

The role of neutrophil oxidative burst activation (OBA) in the development of fulminant post-trauma adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was studied in 30 patients. Neutrophil (PMN) chemiluminescence (LE) was used as the index of OBA. Serially, for 8 days post-trauma, patient neutrophils (Pc) were studied in their own serum (Ps) normal serum (Ns), or Gey's solution (G). Ps was checked against normal neutrophils (Nc) for inhibition. LE was initiated by the addition of preopsonized zymosan to 1 x 10(6) PMN, the LE response monitored by luminometer, and the peak of the integral of LE recorded. Seven developed ARDS within the first 4 days; 12 patients developed sepsis (TS) but no ARDS, and 11 patients had uncomplicated trauma (TR). All ARDS showed increased LE (P less than 0.0001), at 48-96 hr. Patients without ARDS showed no significant increase in LE, although their mean injury severity (ISS) was the same. The ARDS LE response was mediated by activation of Pc [74%] with only a small but significant additional effect (6%) by ARDS serum (Ps): LE = 0.672 (Pc) + 0.24 [ARDS(Ps)] + 1343; N = 146, r2 0.733, P less than 0.0001. However, sera (Ps or Ns) was required, as incubation in G inhibited LE; [cells + s] greater than [cells + G], P less than 0.0001. LE is a biologic marker of ARDS, and the delay between injury and the LE indicated that initiation of ARDS may have therapeutic importance. Neutrophil activation in ARDS requires sera, but the ARDS effect appears mainly due to cells with only a small ARDS-specific serum-mediated role. The physiologic response to ARDS was evaluated by serial 8-hr studies of blood gases and pH; the respiratory index (RI) to pulmonary shunt (QS/QT) relationship, compliance (COMPL), and net fluid balance (DFLUID) PMN and platelet (PLAT) counts were also measured. Compared with TR and TS, the ARDS patients at 48-96 hr, showed increased RI, QS/QT, and DFluid requiring increased FiO2 and PEEP as COMPL and PLAT fell and LE rose. These changes were all simultaneously significant (P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.0001) by Bonferroni t-statistic applied to ANOVA. The clinical importance of these physiologic and biochemical responses was emphasized by the significantly (P less than 0.005) increased mortality in the ARDS patients. These data suggest that PMN LE and simple measures of respiratory function are early biologic markers of the development of fulminant post-traumatic ARDS and can be used to predict ARDS severity.

Comparison of the performance of rapid prescreening, 10% random review, and clinical risk criteria as methods of internal quality control in cervical cytopathology.

PubMed

Tavares, Suelene B N; Alves de Sousa, Nadja L; Manrique, Edna J C; Pinheiro de Albuquerque, Zair B; Zeferino, Luiz C; Amaral, Rita G

2008-06-25

Rapid prescreening (RPS) is an internal quality-control (IQC) method that is used both to reduce errors in the laboratory and to measure the sensitivity of routine screening (RS). Little direct comparison data are available comparing RPS with other more widely used IQC methods. The authors compared the performance of RPS, 10% random review of negative smears (R-10%), and directed rescreening of negative smears based on clinical risk criteria (RCRC) over 1 year in a community clinic setting. In total, 6,135 smears were evaluated. The sensitivity of RS alone was 71.3%. RPS detected significantly more (132 cases) false-negative (FN) cases than either R-10% (7 cases) or RCRC (32 cases). RPS significantly improved the overall sensitivity of the laboratory (71.3-92.2%; P = .001); neither R-10% nor RCRC significantly changed the sensitivity of RS. RPS was not as specific as the other methods, although nearly 68% of all abnormalities detected by RPS were verified as real. RPS of 100% of smears required the same amount of time as RCRC but required twice as much time as R-10%. The current results demonstrated that RPS is a much more effective IQC method than either R-10% or RCRC. RPS detects significantly more errors and can improve the overall sensitivity of a laboratory with either a modest increase or no increase in overall time spent on IQC. R-10% is an insensitive IQC method, and neither R-10% nor RCRC can significantly improve the overall sensitivity of a laboratory. (c) 2008 American Cancer Society.

Cycle training induces muscle hypertrophy and strength gain: strategies and mechanisms.

PubMed

Ozaki, Hayao; Loenneke, J P; Thiebaud, R S; Abe, T

2015-03-01

Cycle training is widely performed as a major part of any exercise program seeking to improve aerobic capacity and cardiovascular health. However, the effect of cycle training on muscle size and strength gain still requires further insight, even though it is known that professional cyclists display larger muscle size compared to controls. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the effects of cycle training on muscle size and strength of the lower extremity and the possible mechanisms for increasing muscle size with cycle training. It is plausible that cycle training requires a longer period to significantly increase muscle size compared to typical resistance training due to a much slower hypertrophy rate. Cycle training induces muscle hypertrophy similarly between young and older age groups, while strength gain seems to favor older adults, which suggests that the probability for improving in muscle quality appears to be higher in older adults compared to young adults. For young adults, higher-intensity intermittent cycling may be required to achieve strength gains. It also appears that muscle hypertrophy induced by cycle training results from the positive changes in muscle protein net balance.