Preparation of a Burkholderia Mallei Vaccine

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

Glanders , caused by Burkholderia mallei , is a significant disease for humans due to the serious nature of the infection. It is recognized that B... Mallei is an organism with tremendous infectivity that poses a significant hazard to humans exposed to aerosols containing this organism. Our knowledge...of the pathogenesis of disease due to B Mallei is lacking. At present, no effective vaccines are available against this organism, and information on

Genetic and Dynamic Analyses of Murine Peak Bone Density

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-01

DAMD17-96-1-6309 differences, the location of bone regulatory genes with strong and modifier effects , the mode of inheritance for each gene, the...estimate the cortical cross-sectional area, most likely due to partial volume effects . Thus, the high density bone area was consistently estimated to be...significant or highly significant linkage with BMD; b) 9 Beamer, WG DAMD17-96-1-6309 none of the loci exhibited significant interaction effects by ANOVA

On thermal edge effects in composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herakovich, C. T.

1976-01-01

Results are presented for a finite-element investigation of the combined influence of edge effects due to mechanical and thermal mismatch in composite laminates with free edges. Laminates of unidirectional boron/epoxy symmetrically bonded to sheets of aluminum and titanium were studied. It is shown that interlaminar thermal stresses may be more significant than the interlaminar stresses due to loading only. In addition, the stresses due to thermal mismatch may be of the same sign as those due to Poisson's mismatch or they may be of opposite sign depending upon material properties, stacking sequence, and direction of loading. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of thermal stresses in all-composite laminates.

Thin-plate spline analysis of treatment effects of rapid maxillary expansion and face mask therapy in early Class III malocclusions.

PubMed

Baccetti, T; Franchi, L; McNamara, J A

1999-06-01

An effective morphometric method (thin-plate spline analysis) was applied to evaluate shape changes in the craniofacial configuration of a sample of 23 children with Class III malocclusions in the early mixed dentition treated with rapid maxillary expansion and face mask therapy, and compared with a sample of 17 children with untreated Class III malocclusions. Significant treatment-induced changes involved both the maxilla and the mandible. Major deformations consisted of forward displacement of the maxillary complex from the pterygoid region and of anterior morphogenetic rotation of the mandible, due to a significant upward and forward direction of growth of the mandibular condyle. Significant differences in size changes due to reduced increments in mandibular dimensions were associated with significant shape changes in the treated group.

Unconsidered sporadic sources of carbon dioxide emission from soils in taiga forests.

PubMed

Karelin, D V; Zamolodchikov, D G; Isaev, A S

2017-07-01

Long-term monitoring in the Russian taiga zone has shown that all known extreme destructive effects resulting in the weakening and death of tree stands (windfalls, pest attacks, drought events, etc.) can be sporadic, but significant sources of CO 2 soil emission. Among them are (i) a recently found effect of the multiyear CO 2 emission from soil at the bottom of deadwood of spruce trees that died due to climate warming and subsequent pest outbreaks, (ii) increased soil CO 2 emissions due to to the fall of tree trunks during massive windfalls, and (iii) pulse CO 2 emission as a result of the so-called Birch effect after drought events in the taiga zone. According to the modeling, while depending on the spatial and temporal scales of their manifestation, the impact of these sporadic effects on the regional and global soil respiration fluxes could be significant and should be taken into consideration. This is due to continuing Climate Change, and further increase of local, regional and Global human impacts on the atmospheric greenhouse gases balance, and land use, as well.

Climatic effects due to halogenated compounds in the earth's atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, W.-C.; Pinto, J. P.; Yung, Y. L.

1980-01-01

Using a one-dimensional radiative-convective model, a sensitivity study is performed of the effect of ozone depletion in the stratosphere on the surface temperature. There could be a cooling of the surface temperature by approximately 0.2 K due to chlorofluoromethane-induced ozone depletion at steady state (assuming 1973 release rates). This cooling reduces significantly the greenhouse effect due to the presence of chlorofluoromethanes. Carbon tetrafluoride has a strong nu sub 3 band at 7.8 microns, and the atmospheric greenhouse effect is shown to be 0.07 and 0.12 K/ppbv with and without taking into account overlap with CH4 and N2O bands. At concentrations higher than 1 ppbv, absorption by the nu sub 3 band starts to saturate and the greenhouse effect becomes less efficient.

Pump instability phenomena generated by fluid forces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalakrishnan, S.

1985-01-01

Rotor dynamic behavior of high energy centrifugal pumps is significantly affected by two types of fluid forces; one due to the hydraulic interaction of the impeller with the surrounding volute or diffuser and the other due to the effect of the wear rings. The available data on these forces is first reviewed. A simple one degree-of-freedom system containing these forces is analytically solved to exhibit the rotor dynamic effects. To illustrate the relative magnitude of these phenomena, an example of a multistage boiler feed pump is worked out. It is shown that the wear ring effects tend to suppress critical speed and postpone instability onset. But the volute-impeller forces tend to lower the critical speed and the instability onset speed. However, for typical boiler feed pumps under normal running clearances, the wear ring effects are much more significant than the destabilizing hydraulic interaction effects.

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

PubMed

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

2009-01-01

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

BRAC and Crime: Examining the Effects of an Installation’s Closure on Local Crime

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

BRAC. Third, demographic and economic variables also have significant effects on particular types of property and violent crime. 14. SUBJECT...crimes due to a BRAC. Third, demographic and economic variables also have significant effects on particular types of property and violent crime. vi...Bureau of Economic Research NCVS National Crime Victimization Survey NSA National Sherriff’s Association OEA Office of Economic Adjustment OLS

In vitro/in vivo effect of Citrus limon (L. Burm. f.) juice on blood parameters, coagulation and anticoagulation factors in rabbits.

PubMed

Riaz, Azra; Khan, Rafeeq Alam; Mirza, Talat; Mustansir, Tazeen; Ahmed, Mansoor

2014-07-01

The genus Citrus of the family Rutaceae includes many species e.g. Citrus indica, Citrus aurantifolia and Citrus limon, among which Citrus limon L. Burm. f. has been reported to have highest antimicrobial activity. It is used as antidote against certain venom, due to its platelet inhibitory effect and also reported to have hypocholesterolemic effect. However its anticoagulant and thrombolytic effect were not been investigated, hence a prospective in-vitro/in-vivo study was designed to determine the effect of Citrus limon on blood parameters, coagulation and anticoagulation factors. In-vitro tests revealed highly significant increase in thrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time by Citrus limon, whereas fibrinogen concentration was significantly reduced in comparison to control, however prothrombin time was not affected significantly. In-vivo testing of Citrus limon was done at three different doses i.e. 0.2ml/kg, 0.4ml/kg and 0.6ml/kg in healthy rabbits. Significant changes were observed in hematological parameters such as erythrocytes, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Bleeding time and thrombin time was significantly prolonged and there was increase in protein C and thrombin antithrombin complex levels. These results may be due to inactivation of thrombin because it significantly decreases fibrinogen concentration and inhibit platelet aggregation. Citrus limon showed maximal anticoagulant effect at 0.4ml/kg, which suggest that Citrus limon possesses an anti-thrombin component and could prevent thrombosis playing a cardio protective role.

Metabolic rates of benthic deep-sea decapod crustaceans decline with increasing depth primarily due to the decline in temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childress, J. J.; Cowles, D. L.; Favuzzi, J. A.; Mickel, T. J.

1990-06-01

The oxygen consumption rates of 11 species of benthic deep-sea decapod crustaceans were measured at a variety of temperatures to test the hypothesis that the metabolic rates of benthic crustaceans decline with increasing depth of occurrence only to the extent explained by the decline in temperature with depth. The species were captured at depths between 150 and 2000m off Southern California using an epibenthic beam trawl equipped with a thermally protecting cod-end to bring the animals to the surface uncontaminated by sediment and at the depth temperature. The data, combined with those for six species of shallower-living crustaceans from California waters, showed a significant decline in oxygen consumption rate with increased species' depths of occurrence, when the measurements were made at temperatures appropriate to each species' depth range. There was no significant relation between wet weight and depth of occurrence in these species. When the data were adjusted to 10°C using a moderate temperature effect factor (corresponding to Q10 values of 2-2.3 depending on the species and temperature range), the significant relationship between oxygen consumption rate and depth was lost, indicating that the observed decline with depth was due to the decline in temperature with depth. When the relationship between metabolic rate and depth of occurrence for the most active (carideans and penaeid) species were compared (ANCOVA) with that for the rest of the species, the active species had significantly higher rates. By combining this data set with data from the literature for a wide variety of shallow-living benthic decapod crustaceans, it was possible to create a data set of 35 species in which the effects of temperature, minimum depth of occurrence and body mass could be separated by multiple linear regression. This demonstrated highly significant effects of size and temperature, but no significant effect of depth for the entire data set and for the data set excluding penaeids and carideans. In contrast, the carideans showed a significant effect of depth on metabolic rate. This is discussed in terms of the adaptive and selective factors responsible for the well-known decline in metabolic rates of midwater crustaceans and fishes, an effect which does exceed the effect of temperature. It is suggested that the typical pattern for deeper living animals may be that metabolic rates on average vary as a function of depth due primarily to variation in temperature, except for the visually orienting pelagic groups (cephalopods, crustaceans and fishes). For those benthic forms which are particularly visually oriented and/or partially pelagic some significant depth-related decline in metabolism beyond that due to the decline in temperature is expected.

Effect of scandium on the microstructure and ageing behaviour of cast Al-6Mg alloy

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

Kaiser, M.S.; Datta, S.; Roychowdhury, A.

2008-11-15

Microstructural modification and grain refinement due to addition of scandium in Al-6Mg alloy has been studied. Transmission electron microscopy is used to understand the microstructure and precipitation behaviour in Al-6Mg alloy doped with scandium. It is seen from the microstructure that the dendrites of the cast Al-6Mg alloy have been refined significantly due to addition of scandium. Increasing amount of scandium leads to a greater dendrite refinement. The age hardening effect in scandium added Al-6Mg alloys has been studied by subjecting the alloys containing varying amount of scandium ranging from 0.2 wt.% to 0.6 wt.% to isochronal and isothermal ageingmore » at various temperatures for different times. It is observed that significant hardening takes place in the aged alloys due to the precipitation of scandium aluminides.« less

Surface changes of poly-L-lactic acid due to annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juřík, P.; Michaljaničová, I.; Slepička, P.; Kolskáa, Z.; Švorčík, V.

2017-11-01

Surface modifications are very important part of both current cutting-edge research and modern manufacturing. Our research is focused on poly-L-lactic acid, which is biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that offers applications in modern medicine. We observed morphological changes of the surface of metalized samples due to annealing and studied effect of modifications on total surface area and pore surface and volume. We observed that annealing of non-metalized samples had most pronounced effect up to the 70°C, after which all observed parameters dropped significantly. Metallization has changed behaviour of the samples significantly and resulted in generally lower surface area and porosity when compared to non-metalized samples.

Analysis of determinations of the distance between the sun and the galactic center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malkin, Z. M.

2013-02-01

The paper investigates the question of whether or not determinations of the distance between the Sun and the Galactic center R 0 are affected by the so-called "bandwagon effect", leading to selection effects in published data that tend to be close to expected values, as was suggested by some authors. It is difficult to estimate numerically a systematic uncertainty in R 0 due to the bandwagon effect; however, it is highly probable that, even if widely accepted values differ appreciably from the true value, the published results should eventually approach the true value despite the bandwagon effect. This should be manifest as a trend in the published R 0 data: if this trend is statistically significant, the presence of the bandwagon effect can be suspected in the data. Fifty two determinations of R 0 published over the last 20 years were analyzed. These data reveal no statistically significant trend, suggesting they are unlikely to involve any systematic uncertainty due to the bandwagon effect. At the same time, the published data show a gradual and statistically significant decrease in the uncertainties in the R 0 determinations with time.

Final Environmental Assessment For Proposed Family Campground Expansion Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery County, Alabama

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-27

water resources, it would likely cause no significant effect on water resources. The details of the construction of the boardwalk, fishing pier and...includes constructing a new boat dock, fishing pier and aeration fountains to the existing ponds. Constructing a fishing pier and boat dock would...air emissions due to construction related activities. These temporary emissions would not cause a significant effect . No Effect . There would be

The importance of early treatment with tranexamic acid in bleeding trauma patients: an exploratory analysis of the CRASH-2 randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Roberts, Ian; Shakur, Haleema; Afolabi, Adefemi; Brohi, Karim; Coats, Tim; Dewan, Yashbir; Gando, Satoshi; Guyatt, Gordon; Hunt, B J; Morales, Carlos; Perel, Pablo; Prieto-Merino, David; Woolley, Tom

2011-03-26

The aim of the CRASH-2 trial was to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, vascular occlusive events, and blood transfusion in trauma patients with significant haemorrhage. Tranexamic acid significantly reduced all-cause mortality. Because tranexamic acid is thought to exert its effect through inhibition of fibrinolysis, we undertook exploratory analyses of its effect on death due to bleeding. The CRASH-2 trial was undertaken in 274 hospitals in 40 countries. 20,211 adult trauma patients with, or at risk of, significant bleeding were randomly assigned within 8 h of injury to either tranexamic acid (loading dose 1 g over 10 min followed by infusion of 1 g over 8 h) or placebo. Patients were randomly assigned by selection of the lowest numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Both participants and study staff (site investigators and trial coordinating centre staff ) were masked to treatment allocation. We examined the effect of tranexamic acid on death due to bleeding according to time to treatment, severity of haemorrhage as assessed by systolic blood pressure, Glasgow coma score (GCS), and type of injury. All analyses were by intention to treat. The trial is registered as ISRCTN86750102, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00375258, and South African Clinical Trial Register/Department of Health DOH-27-0607-1919. 10,096 patients were allocated to tranexamic acid and 10,115 to placebo, of whom 10,060 and 10,067, respectively, were analysed. 1063 deaths (35%) were due to bleeding. We recorded strong evidence that the effect of tranexamic acid on death due to bleeding varied according to the time from injury to treatment (test for interaction p<0.0001). Early treatment (≤1 h from injury) significantly reduced the risk of death due to bleeding (198/3747 [5.3%] events in tranexamic acid group vs 286/3704 [7.7%] in placebo group; relative risk [RR] 0.68, 95% CI 0.57-0.82; p<0.0001). Treatment given between 1 and 3 h also reduced the risk of death due to bleeding (147/3037 [4.8%] vs 184/2996 [6.1%]; RR 0.79, 0.64-0.97; p=0.03). Treatment given after 3 h seemed to increase the risk of death due to bleeding (144/3272 [4.4%] vs 103/3362 [3.1%]; RR 1.44, 1.12-1.84; p=0.004). We recorded no evidence that the effect of tranexamic acid on death due to bleeding varied by systolic blood pressure, Glasgow coma score, or type of injury. Tranexamic acid should be given as early as possible to bleeding trauma patients. For trauma patients admitted late after injury, tranexamic acid is less effective and could be harmful. UK NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme, Pfizer, BUPA Foundation, and J P Moulton Charitable Foundation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective measures to restrict vehicle turning movements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

This study evaluated alternatives to raised/non-traversable medians on driveways and approaches. : Raised medians are often considered as an effective technique to limit direct left-turns that may be due : to a significant number of conflict points. ...

Early Workplace Communication and Problem Solving to Prevent Back Disability: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial Among High-Risk Workers and Their Supervisors.

PubMed

Linton, Steven J; Boersma, Katja; Traczyk, Michal; Shaw, William; Nicholas, Michael

2016-06-01

Purpose There is a clear need for interventions that successfully prevent the development of disability due to back pain. We hypothesized that an intervention aimed at both the worker and the workplace could be effective. Hence, we tested the effects of a new early intervention, based on the misdirected problem solving model, aimed at both workers at risk of long-term impairments and their workplace. Methods Supervisors of volunteers with back pain, no red flags, and a high score on a screen (Örebro Musculoskeletal Screening Questionnaire) were randomized to either an evidence based treatment as usual (TAU) or to a worker and workplace package (WWP). The WWP intervention included communication and problem solving skills for the patient and their immediate supervisor. The key outcome variables of work absence due to pain, health-care utilization, perceived health, and pain intensity were collected before, after and at a 6 month follow up. Results The WWP showed significantly larger improvements relative to the TAU for work absence due to pain, perceived health, and health-care utilization. Both groups improved on pain ratings but there was no significant difference between the groups. The WWP not only had significantly fewer participants utilizing health care and work absence due to pain, but the number of health care visits and days absent were also significantly lower than the TAU. Conclusions The WWP with problem solving and communication skills resulted in fewer days off work, fewer health care visits and better perceived health. This supports the misdirected problem solving model and indicates that screening combined with an active intervention to enhance skills is quite successful and likely cost-effective. Future research should replicate and extend these findings with health-economic analyses.

Solar Sail Topology Variations Due to On-Orbit Thermal Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banik, Jeremy A.; Lively, Peter S.; Taleghani, Barmac K.; Jenkins, Chrostopher H.

2006-01-01

The objective of this research was to predict the influence of non-uniform temperature distribution on solar sail topology and the effect of such topology variations on sail performance (thrust, torque). Specifically considered were the thermal effects due to on orbit attitude control maneuvers. Such maneuvers are expected to advance the sail to a position off-normal to the sun by as much as 35 degrees; a solar sail initially deformed by typical pre-tension and solar pressure loads may suffer significant thermally induced strains due to the non-uniform heating caused by these maneuvers. This on-orbit scenario was investigated through development of an automated analytical shape model that iterates many times between sail shape and sail temperature distribution before converging on a final coupled thermal structural affected sail topology. This model utilizes a validated geometrically non-linear finite element model and a thermal radiation subroutine. It was discovered that temperature gradients were deterministic for the off-normal solar angle cases as were thermally induced strains. Performance effects were found to be moderately significant but not as large as initially suspected. A roll torque was detected, and the sail center of pressure shifted by a distance that may influence on-orbit sail control stability.

Climate impact of idealized winter polar mesospheric and stratospheric ozone losses as caused by energetic particle precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meraner, Katharina; Schmidt, Hauke

2018-01-01

Energetic particles enter the polar atmosphere and enhance the production of nitrogen oxides and hydrogen oxides in the winter stratosphere and mesosphere. Both components are powerful ozone destroyers. Recently, it has been inferred from observations that the direct effect of energetic particle precipitation (EPP) causes significant long-term mesospheric ozone variability. Satellites observe a decrease in mesospheric ozone up to 34 % between EPP maximum and EPP minimum. Stratospheric ozone decreases due to the indirect effect of EPP by about 10-15 % observed by satellite instruments. Here, we analyze the climate impact of winter boreal idealized polar mesospheric and polar stratospheric ozone losses as caused by EPP in the coupled Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). Using radiative transfer modeling, we find that the radiative forcing of mesospheric ozone loss during polar night is small. Hence, climate effects of mesospheric ozone loss due to energetic particles seem unlikely. Stratospheric ozone loss due to energetic particles warms the winter polar stratosphere and subsequently weakens the polar vortex. However, those changes are small, and few statistically significant changes in surface climate are found.

Secondary Moments due to Prestressing with Different Bond at the Ultimate Limit State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halvoník, Jaroslav; Pažma, Peter; Vida, Radoslav

2018-03-01

Secondary effects of prestressing develop in statically indeterminate structures (e.g., continuous beams) due to the restraint of deformations imposed by hyperstatic restraints. These effects may significantly influence internal forces and stresses in prestressed structures. Secondary effects are influenced by the redundancy of a structural system, which raises the question of whether they will remain constant after a change in the structural system, e.g., due to the development of plastic hinge(s) in a critical cross-section(s) or after the development of a kinematic mechanism, or if they will disappear when the structure changes into a sequence of simply supported beams. The paper deals with an investigation of the behavior of continuous post-tensioned beams subjected to an ultimate load with significant secondary effects from prestressing. A total of 6 two-span beams prestressed by tendons with different bonds were tested in a laboratory with a load that changed their structural system into a kinematic mechanism. The internal forces and secondary effects of the prestressing were controlled through measurements of the reactions in all the supports. The results revealed that the secondary effects remained as a permanent part of the action on the experimental beams, even after the development of the kinematic mechanism. The results obtained confirmed that secondary effects should be included in all combinations of actions for verifications of ultimate limit states (ULS).

Graphene-Based Transparent Electrodes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Rawashdeh, Nathir A. F.; Albiss, Borhan A.; Yousef, Mo'ath H. I.

2018-02-01

Several Zinc Oxide (ZnO) photo-anodes were prepared with different morphologies. For each morphology, two composites containing graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. ZnO sheet-flowers attained the highest efficiency among control samples, owing to the light diffraction that may be caused by such morphology. On the other hand, ZnO rods achieved lower performance than ZnO sheet-flowers, but higher than ZnO flowers, due to their porosity and structure, which may scatter light effectively. The effect of including GO in the photoanode matrix was studied and the results demonstrate a significant increase in short circuit current density (JSC). The addition of GO suggested an overall positive effect on cell performance, where samples of ZnO rods and Flowers had the most significant increase in their performance, due to the inhibition of charge recombination by GO.

Effects of Restricted Launch Conditions for the Enhancement of Bandwidth-Distance Product of Multimode Fiber Links

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrawis, Alfred S.

2000-01-01

Several techniques had been proposed to enhance multimode fiber bandwidth-distance product. Single mode-to-multimode offset launch condition technique had been experimented with at Kennedy Space Center. Significant enhancement in multimode fiber link bandwidth is achieved using this technique. It is found that close to three-fold bandwidth enhancement can be achieved compared to standard zero offset launch technique. Moreover, significant reduction in modal noise has been observed as a function of offset launch displacement. However, significant reduction in the overall signal-to-noise ratio is also observed due to signal attenuation due to mode radiation from fiber core to its cladding.

Cold-induced vasoconstriction at forearm and hand skin sites: the effect of age.

PubMed

Kingma, B R M; Frijns, A J H; Saris, W H M; van Steenhoven, A A; van Marken Lichtenbelt, W D

2010-07-01

During mild cold exposure, elderly are at risk of hypothermia. In humans, glabrous skin at the hands is well adapted as a heat exchanger. Evidence exists that elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling at the ventral forearm, yet no age effects on vasoconstriction at hand skin have been studied. Here, we tested the hypotheses that at hand sites (a) elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling and (b) elderly show reduced response to noradrenergic stimuli. Skin perfusion and mean arterial pressure were measured in 16 young adults (Y: 18-28 years) and 16 elderly (E: 68-78 years). To study the effect of local vasoconstriction mechanisms local sympathetic nerve terminals were blocked by bretylium (BR). Baseline local skin temperature was clamped at 33 degrees C. Next, local temperature was reduced to 24 degrees C. After 15 min of local cooling, noradrenaline (NA) was administered to study the effect of neural vasoconstriction mechanisms. No significant age effect was observed in vasoconstriction due to local cooling at BR sites. After NA, vasoconstriction at the forearm showed a significant age effect; however, no significant age effect was found at the hand sites. [Change in CVC (% from baseline): Forearm Y: -76 +/- 3 vs. E: -60 +/- 5 (P < 0.01), dorsal hand Y: -74 +/- 4 vs. E: -72 +/- 4 (n.s.), ventral hand Y: -80 +/- 7 vs. E: -70 +/- 11 (n.s.)]. In conclusion, in contrast to results from the ventral forearm, elderly did not show a blunted response to local cooling and noradrenaline at hand skin sites. This indicates that at hand skin the noradrenergic mechanism of vasoconstriction is maintained with age.

Nonlinear effects in propagation of radiation of X-ray free-electron lasers

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

Nosik, V. L., E-mail: v-nosik@yandex.ru, E-mail: nosik@ns.crys.ras.ru

2016-05-15

Nonlinear effects accompanying the propagation of high-intensity beams of X-ray free-electron lasers are considered. It is shown that the X-ray wave field in the crystal significantly changes due to the formation of “hollow” atomic shells as a result of the photoelectric effect.

Life Cycle Assessment of Diesel and Electric Public Transportation Buses

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Air Act identifies diesel powered motor vehicles, including transit buses, as significant sources of several criteria pollutants which contribute to ground level ozone formation or smog. The effects of air pollution in urban areas are often more significant due to con...

Characterization of paramagnetic effects of molecular oxygen on blood oxygenation level-dependent-modulated hyperoxic contrast studies of the human brain.

PubMed

Pilkinton, David T; Gaddam, Santosh R; Reddy, Ravinder

2011-09-01

In hyperoxic contrast studies modulated by the blood oxygenation level-dependent effect, it is often assumed that hyperoxia is a purely intravascular, positive contrast agent in T 2*-weighted images, and the effects that are not due to blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast are small enough to be ignored. In this study, this assumption is re-evaluated and non-blood oxygenation level-dependent effects in T 2*-weighted hyperoxic contrast studies of the human brain were characterized. We observed significant negative signal changes in T 2*-weighted images in the frontal lobes; B(0) maps suggest that this effect was primarily due to increased intravoxel dephasing from increased static field inhomogeneity due to susceptibility changes from oxygen in and around the upper airway. These static field effects were shown to scale with magnetic field strength. Signal changes observed around the brain periphery and in the ventricles suggest the effect of image distortions from oxygen-induced bulk B(0) shifts, along with a possible contribution from decreased T 2* due to oxygen dissolved in the cerebrospinal fluid. Reducing the concentration of inhaled oxygen was shown to mitigate negative contrast of molecular oxygen due to these effects, while still maintaining sufficient blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast to produce accurate measurements of cerebral blood volume. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Assessment of the risk of failure of high voltage substations due to environmental conditions and pollution on insulators.

PubMed

Castillo Sierra, Rafael; Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Candelo, John E; Soto, Jose D

2015-07-01

Pollution on electrical insulators is one of the greatest causes of failure of substations subjected to high levels of salinity and environmental pollution. Considering leakage current as the main indicator of pollution on insulators, this paper focuses on establishing the effect of the environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators and determining the significant change in the magnitude of the pollution on the insulators during dry and humid periods. Hierarchical segmentation analysis was used to establish the effect of environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators. The Kruskal-Wallis test was utilized to determine the significant changes in the magnitude of the pollution due to climate periods. An important result was the discovery that leakage current was more common on insulators during dry periods than humid ones. There was also a higher risk of failure due to pollution during dry periods. During the humid period, various temperatures and wind directions produced a small change in the risk of failure. As a technical result, operators of electrical substations can now identify the cause of an increase in risk of failure due to pollution in the area. The research provides a contribution towards the behaviour of the leakage current under conditions similar to those of the Colombian Caribbean coast and how they affect the risk of failure of the substation due to pollution.

Sound transmission through the walls of light aircraft: An investigation of structure-borne noise in a Handley Page 137 Jetstream 3 aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernhard, R. J.; Wohlever, C.

1988-01-01

This study indicates that the structureborne noise due to wing/vortex interation for the Handley Page-137 Jetstream may be significant at frequencies above 500 Hz. It was found that by preventing such interaction, noise reductions between 1 to 3 dB were attainable. However, this study did not show any significant contribution due to this phenomena at the first blade passage tone. It is suspected that the wing/vortex interaction effect varies from plane to plane.

Review of clinical and laboratory experiences with molindone hydrochloride.

PubMed

Claghorn, J L

1985-08-01

The literature concerning the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, receptor physiology, and clinical use of molindone is reviewed. Unanswered questions about the drug are addressed. Although molindone is reputed to have a short half-life (1.5 hours), clinical observations report a prolonged effect from a once-daily dose. Early in treatment, some patients show intolerance due to akathisia or extrapyramidal symptoms. This may be withdrawal dyskinesia due to discontinuation of another drug or an early adverse effect of molindone. Different effects on dopamine receptors have been described, but the significance of these properties for the development of tardive dyskinesia remains unclear.

Longitudinal relationships between antiretroviral treatment adherence and discrimination due to HIV-serostatus, race, and sexual orientation among African-American men with HIV.

PubMed

Bogart, Laura M; Wagner, Glenn J; Galvan, Frank H; Klein, David J

2010-10-01

African-Americans show worse HIV disease outcomes compared to Whites. Health disparities may be aggravated by discrimination, which is associated with worse health and maladaptive health behaviors. We examined longitudinal effects of discrimination on antiretroviral treatment adherence among 152 HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men. We measured adherence and discrimination due to HIV-serostatus, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation at baseline and monthly for 6 months. Hierarchical repeated-measures models tested longitudinal effects of each discrimination type on adherence. Over 6 months, participants took 60% of prescribed medications on average; substantial percentages experienced discrimination (HIV-serostatus, 38%; race/ethnicity, 40%; and sexual orientation, 33%). Greater discrimination due to all three characteristics was significantly bivariately associated with lower adherence (all p's < 0.05). In the multivariate model, only racial discrimination was significant (p < 0.05). Efforts to improve HIV treatment adherence should consider the context of multiple stigmas, especially racism.

Propagation effects on satellite systems at frequencies below 10 GHz, a handbook for satellite systems design, 1st edition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flock, W. L.

1983-01-01

Satellite communications below about 6 GHz may need to contend with ionospheric effects, including Faraday rotation and ionospheric scintillation, which become increasingly significant with decreasing frequency. Scintillation is most serious in equatorial, auroral, and polar latitudes; even the 4 to 6 GHz frequency range turns out to be subject to scintillation to a significant degree of equatorial latitudes. Faraday rotation, excess range or time delay, phase advance, Doppler frequency fluctuations, and dispersion are proportional to total electron content (TEC) or its variation along the path. Tropospheric refraction and fading affects low angle satellite transmissions as well as terrestrial paths. Attenuation and depolarization due to rain become less important with decreasing frequency but need consideration for frequencies of about 4 GHz and higher. Empirically derived relations are useful for estimating the attenuation expected due to rain for particular percentages of time. Aeronautical, maritime, and land mobile satellite services are subject to fading due to multipath propagation.

Variation of mechanical properties due to hygrothermal ageing and permanent changes upon redrying in clay/epoxy nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamim, Salah Uddin Ahmed

2011-12-01

Epoxy polymers are an important class of material for use in various applications. Due to their hydrophilic nature, epoxy resins tend to absorb moisture. Absorption of moisture degrades the functional, structural and mechanical properties. For polymers, moisture absorption can lead to both reversible and irreversible changes. In this study, the combined effect of moisture and elevated temperature on the mechanical properties of Epon 862 and its nanocomposites were investigated. The extent of permanent damage on fracture toughness and flexural properties of epoxy, due to the aggressive degradation provided by hygrothermal ageing, was determined by drying the epoxy and their clay/epoxy nanocomposites after moisture absorption. From the investigation it was found out that, clay can help in reducing the negative effect of hygrothermal ageing. Significant permanent damage was observed for fracture toughness and modulus, while the extent of permanent damage was less significant for flexural strength. Failure mechanism of this nanocomposites were studied by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Stimulation of suicidal erythrocyte death by sulforaphane.

PubMed

Alzoubi, Kousi; Calabrò, Salvatrice; Faggio, Caterina; Lang, Florian

2015-03-01

Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate from cruciferous vegetable, counteracts malignancy. The effect is at least in part due to the stimulation of suicidal death or apoptosis of tumour cells. Mechanisms invoked in sulforaphane-induced apoptosis include mitochondrial depolarization and altered gene expression. Despite the lack of mitochondria and nuclei, erythrocytes may, similar to apoptosis of nucleated cells, enter eryptosis, a suicidal cell death characterized by cell shrinkage and phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Stimulators of eryptosis include increase of cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity ([Ca(2+)]i). This study explored whether sulforaphane stimulates eryptosis. Cell volume was estimated from forward scatter, phosphatidylserine exposure at the cell surface from annexin V binding and [Ca(2+)]i from Fluo-3 fluorescence. A 48-hr treatment of human erythrocytes with sulforaphane (50-100 μM) significantly decreased forward scatter, significantly increased the percentage of annexin V binding cells and significantly increased [Ca(2+)]i. The effect of sulforaphane (100 μM) on annexin V binding was significantly blunted but not abrogated by the removal of extracellular Ca(2+). Sulforaphane (100 μM) significantly increased ceramide formation. In conclusion, sulforaphane stimulates suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis, an effect at least partially, but not exclusively, due to the stimulation of Ca(2+) entry and ceramide formation. © 2014 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

NUMERICAL SIMULATION TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF INCIDENT WIND SHEAR AND TURBULENCE LEVEL ON THE FLOW AROUND A BUILDING

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of incident shear and turbulence on flow around a cubical building are being investigated by a turbulent kinetic energy dissipation (k-e) model (TEMPEST). he numerical simulations demonstrate significant effects due to the differences in the incident flow. he addition...

Effects of sampling techniques on physical parameters and concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants in suspended matter.

PubMed

Pohlert, Thorsten; Hillebrand, Gudrun; Breitung, Vera

2011-06-01

This study focusses on the effect of sampling techniques for suspended matter in stream water on subsequent particle-size distribution and concentrations of total organic carbon and selected persistent organic pollutants. The key questions are whether differences between the sampling techniques are due to the separation principle of the devices or due to the difference between time-proportional versus integral sampling. Several multivariate homogeneity tests were conducted on an extensive set of field-data that covers the period from 2002 to 2007, when up to three different sampling techniques were deployed in parallel at four monitoring stations of the River Rhine. The results indicate homogeneity for polychlorinated biphenyls, but significant effects due to the sampling techniques on particle-size, organic carbon and hexachlorobenzene. The effects can be amplified depending on the site characteristics of the monitoring stations.

Effects of Various Passivation Layers on Electrical Properties of Multilayer MoS₂ Transistors.

PubMed

Ma, Jiyeon; Yoo, Geonwook

2018-09-01

So far many of research on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are based on a bottomgate device structure due to difficulty with depositing a dielectric film on top of TMDs channel layer. In this work, we study different effects of various passivation layers on electrical properties of multilayer MoS2 transistors: spin-coated CYTOP, SU-8, and thermal evaporated MoOX. The SU-8 passivation layer alters device performance least significantly, and MoOX induces positive threshold voltage shift of ~8.0 V due to charge depletion at the interface, and the device with CYTOP layer exhibits decreased field-effect mobility by ~50% due to electric dipole field effect of C-F bonds in the end groups. Our results imply that electrical properties of the multilayer MoS2 transistors can be modulated using a passivation layer, and therefore a proper passivation layer should be considered for MoS2 device structures.

Quantifying the role of fire in the Earth system - Part 2: Impact on the net carbon balance of global terrestrial ecosystems for the 20th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, F.; Bond-Lamberty, B.; Levis, S.

2014-03-01

Fire is the primary form of terrestrial ecosystem disturbance on a global scale. It affects the net carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems by emitting carbon directly and immediately into the atmosphere from biomass burning (the fire direct effect), and by changing net ecosystem productivity and land-use carbon loss in post-fire regions due to biomass burning and fire-induced vegetation mortality (the fire indirect effect). Here, we provide the first quantitative assessment of the impact of fire on the net carbon balance of global terrestrial ecosystems during the 20th century, and investigate the roles of fire's direct and indirect effects. This is done by quantifying the difference between the 20th century fire-on and fire-off simulations with the NCAR Community Land Model CLM4.5 (prescribed vegetation cover and uncoupled from the atmospheric model) as a model platform. Results show that fire decreases the net carbon gain of global terrestrial ecosystems by 1.0 Pg C yr-1 averaged across the 20th century, as a result of the fire direct effect (1.9 Pg C yr-1) partly offset by the indirect effect (-0.9 Pg C yr-1). Post-fire regions generally experience decreased carbon gains, which is significant over tropical savannas and some North American and East Asian forests. This decrease is due to the direct effect usually exceeding the indirect effect, while they have similar spatial patterns and opposite sign. The effect of fire on the net carbon balance significantly declines until ∼1970 with a trend of 8 Tg C yr-1 due to an increasing indirect effect, and increases subsequently with a trend of 18 Tg C yr-1 due to an increasing direct effect. These results help constrain the global-scale dynamics of fire and the terrestrial carbon cycle.

A Study of Permeability Changes Due to Cold Fluid Circulation in Fractured Geothermal Reservoirs.

PubMed

Gholizadeh Doonechaly, Nima; Abdel Azim, Reda R; Rahman, Sheik S

2016-05-01

Reservoir behavior due to injection and circulation of cold fluid is studied with a shear displacement model based on the distributed dislocation technique, in a poro-thermoelastic environment. The approach is applied to a selected volume of Soultz geothermal reservoir at a depth range of 3600 to 3700 m. Permeability enhancement and geothermal potential of Soultz geothermal reservoir are assessed over a stimulation period of 3 months and a fluid circulation period of 14 years. This study-by shedding light onto another source of uncertainty-points toward a special role for the fracture surface asperities in predicting the shear dilation of fractures. It was also observed that thermal stress has a significant impact on changing the reservoir stress field. The effect of thermal stresses on reservoir behavior is more evident over longer circulation term as the rock matrix temperature is significantly lowered. Change in the fracture permeability due to the thermal stresses can also lead to the short circuiting between the injection and production wells which in turn decreases the produced fluid temperature significantly. The effect of thermal stress persists during the whole circulation period as it has significant impact on the continuous increase in the flow rate due to improved permeability over the circulation period. In the current study, taking into account the thermal stress resulted in a decrease of about 7 °C in predicted produced fluid temperature after 14 years of cold fluid circulation; a difference which notably influences the potential prediction of an enhanced geothermal system. © 2015, National Ground Water Association.

Glycinol Enhances Osteogenic Differentiation and Attenuates the Effects of Aging on Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mineral density and increased risk of fractures. It is most prevalent in the elderly population, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Recently, phytoestrogens have gained significant attention as an alternative therapy due to their structura...

The impact of emotion on perception: bias or enhanced processing?

PubMed

Zeelenberg, René; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan; Rotteveel, Mark

2006-04-01

Recent studies have shown that emotionally significant stimuli are often better identified than neutral stimuli. It is not clear, however, whether these results are due to enhanced perceptual processing or to a bias favoring the identification of emotionally significant stimuli over neutral stimuli. The present study used a two-alternative forced-choice perceptual identification task to disentangle the effects of bias and enhanced processing. We found that emotionally significant targets were better identified than neutral targets. In contrast, the emotional significance of the foil alternative had no effect on performance. The present results support the hypothesis that perceptual encoding of emotionally significant stimuli is enhanced.

Celecoxib for the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression due to acute brucellosis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

PubMed

Jafari, S; Ashrafizadeh, S-G; Zeinoddini, A; Rasoulinejad, M; Entezari, P; Seddighi, S; Akhondzadeh, S

2015-08-01

Depression is a debilitating complication of brucellosis and how best to treat this is a matter of debate. Inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of both brucellosis and depression. Therefore, we hypothesized that celecoxib could be beneficial for the treatment of depression due to brucellosis. Forty outpatients with depression due to brucellosis with a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (HDRS) <19 participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and underwent 8 weeks of treatment with either celecoxib (200 mg bid) or placebo as an adjunctive to antibiotic therapy. Patients were evaluated using HDRS at baseline and weeks 4 and 8. Repeated-measures analysis demonstrated significant effect for time × treatment interaction on the HDRS score [F (1·43, 57·41) = 37·22, P < 0·001]. Significantly greater response to treatment occurred in the celecoxib group than in the placebo group at the study end [10 patients (50%) vs. no patient (0%), respectively, P < 0·001]. No serious adverse event was observed. Celecoxib is a safe and effective treatment for depression due to brucellosis when compared with placebo. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Climate Change Impacts and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Effects on U.S. Hydropower Generation

EPA Science Inventory

Climate change will have potentially significant effects on hydropower generation due to changes in the magnitude and seasonality of river runoff and increases in reservoir evaporation. These physical impacts will in turn have economic consequences through both producer revenues ...

Global earthquake casualties due to secondary effects: A quantitative analysis for improving rapid loss analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marano, K.D.; Wald, D.J.; Allen, T.I.

2010-01-01

This study presents a quantitative and geospatial description of global losses due to earthquake-induced secondary effects, including landslide, liquefaction, tsunami, and fire for events during the past 40 years. These processes are of great importance to the US Geological Survey's (USGS) Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system, which is currently being developed to deliver rapid earthquake impact and loss assessments following large/significant global earthquakes. An important question is how dominant are losses due to secondary effects (and under what conditions, and in which regions)? Thus, which of these effects should receive higher priority research efforts in order to enhance PAGER's overall assessment of earthquakes losses and alerting for the likelihood of secondary impacts? We find that while 21.5% of fatal earthquakes have deaths due to secondary (non-shaking) causes, only rarely are secondary effects the main cause of fatalities. The recent 2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman Islands earthquake is a notable exception, with extraordinary losses due to tsunami. The potential for secondary hazards varies greatly, and systematically, due to regional geologic and geomorphic conditions. Based on our findings, we have built country-specific disclaimers for PAGER that address potential for each hazard (Earle et al., Proceedings of the 14th World Conference of the Earthquake Engineering, Beijing, China, 2008). We will now focus on ways to model casualties from secondary effects based on their relative importance as well as their general predictability. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Effect of Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT) on death due to ascites in broilers.

PubMed

Terzich, M; Quarles, C; Goodwin, M A; Brown, J

1998-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the effect of Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT) on levels of litter moisture, litter nitrogen, atmospheric ammonia, and death due to ascites. Data were collected from chicks raised in containment conditions that resembled commercial settings. The ascites death rate (5.9%) in broiler chicks on PLT-treated litter was significantly (chi 2 = 15.5, df = 1, P = 0.0001) lower than that (31.5%) in broiler chicks raised on untreated litter. Likewise, atmospheric ammonia levels in pens that had been treated with PLT were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in pens that received no treatment. Under the conditions of the present study, litter moisture and litter nitrogen levels were not different (P > 0.05) among treatments at any sample interval.

Lack of thyroid hormone effect on activation energy of NaK-ATPase.

PubMed

Rahimifar, M; Ismail-Beigi

1977-02-01

In order to differentiate whether activation of NaK-ATPase in thyroid thermogenesis is due to increased numbers of active 'sodium pump' units or due to a change in the kinetics of the enzyme, the effect of T3 on activation energy (Ea) of NaK-ATPase was determined in rat liver, kidney and brain. Injection of T3 produced significant increases in the specific activity of NaK-ATPase in liver and kidney but not in brain homogenates. T3 injections produced no significant change in the Ea of NaK-ATPase in any of the three tissues. The data are compatible with the hypothesis that thyroid stimulation of the sodium pump is brought about by an increase in the number of active pump units.

Multiple intelligences and alternative teaching strategies: The effects on student academic achievement, conceptual understanding, and attitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baragona, Michelle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions between multiple intelligence strengths and alternative teaching methods on student academic achievement, conceptual understanding and attitudes. The design was a quasi-experimental study, in which students enrolled in Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, a developmental biology course, received lecture only, problem-based learning with lecture, or peer teaching with lecture. These students completed the Multiple Intelligence Inventory to determine their intelligence strengths, the Students' Motivation Toward Science Learning questionnaire to determine student attitudes towards learning in science, multiple choice tests to determine academic achievement, and open-ended questions to determine conceptual understanding. Effects of intelligence types and teaching methods on academic achievement and conceptual understanding were determined statistically by repeated measures ANOVAs. No significance occurred in academic achievement scores due to lab group or due to teaching method used; however, significant interactions between group and teaching method did occur in students with strengths in logical-mathematical, interpersonal, kinesthetic, and intrapersonal intelligences. Post-hoc analysis using Tukey HSD tests revealed students with strengths in logical-mathematical intelligence and enrolled in Group Three scored significantly higher when taught by problem-based learning (PBL) as compared to peer teaching (PT). No significance occurred in conceptual understanding scores due to lab group or due to teaching method used; however, significant interactions between group and teaching method did occur in students with strengths in musical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and spatial intelligences. Post-hoc analysis using Tukey HSD tests revealed students with strengths in logical-mathematical intelligence and enrolled in Group Three scored significantly higher when taught by lecture as compared to PBL. Students with strengths in intrapersonal intelligence and enrolled in Group One scored significantly lower when taught by lecture as compared to PBL. Results of a repeated measures ANOVA for student attitudes showed significant increases in positive student attitudes toward science learning for all three types of teaching method between pretest and posttest; but there were no significant differences in posttest attitude scores by type of teaching method.

Anomalous transport of charged dust grains in a magnetized collisional plasma: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezbaruah, Pratikshya; Das, Nilakshi

2018-05-01

Anomalous diffusion of charged dust grains immersed in a plasma in the presence of strong ion-neutral collision, flowing ions, and a magnetic field has been observed. Molecular Dynamics simulation confirms the deviation from normal diffusion in an ensemble of dust grains probed in laboratory plasma chambers. Collisional effects are significant in governing the nature of diffusion. In order to have a clear idea on the transport of particles in a real experimental situation, the contribution of streaming ions and the magnetic field along with collision is considered through the relevant interaction potential. The nonlinear evolution of Mean Square Displacement is an indication of the modification in particle trajectories due to several effects as mentioned above. It is found that strong collision and ion flow significantly affect the interparticle interaction potential in the presence of the magnetic field and lead to the appearance of the asymmetric type of Debye Hückel (D H) potential. Due to the combined effect of the magnetic field, ion flow, and collision, dusty plasma exhibits a completely novel behavior. The coupling parameter Γ enhances the asymmetric D H type potential arising due to ion flow, and this may drive the system to a disordered state.

Evaluation of a pneumatic boot deicing system on a general aviation wing model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albright, A. E.; Kohlman, D. L.; Schweikhard, W. G.; Evanich, P.

1981-01-01

The aerodynamic characteristics of a typical modern general aviation airfoil were investigated with and without a pneumatic boot ice protection system. The ice protection effectiveness of the boot was studied. This includes the change in drag on the airfoil with the boot inflated and deflated, the change in drag due to primary and residual ice formation, drag change due to cumulative residual ice formation, and parameters affecting boot effectiveness. Boot performance was not affected by tunnel total temperature or velocity. Marginal effect in performance was associated with angle of attack. Significant effects on performance were caused by variations in droplet size, LWC, ice cap thickness inflation pressure, and surface treatment.

How Do Earthworms, Soil Texture and Plant Composition Affect Infiltration along an Experimental Plant Diversity Gradient in Grassland?

PubMed Central

Fischer, Christine; Roscher, Christiane; Jensen, Britta; Eisenhauer, Nico; Baade, Jussi; Attinger, Sabine; Scheu, Stefan; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Schumacher, Jens; Hildebrandt, Anke

2014-01-01

Background Infiltration is a key process in determining the water balance, but so far effects of earthworms, soil texture, plant species diversity and their interaction on infiltration capacity have not been studied. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured infiltration capacity in subplots with ambient and reduced earthworm density nested in plots of different plant species (1, 4, and 16 species) and plant functional group richness and composition (1 to 4 groups; legumes, grasses, small herbs, tall herbs). In summer, earthworm presence significantly increased infiltration, whereas in fall effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration were due to plant-mediated changes in earthworm biomass. Effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration even reversed effects of texture. We propose two pathways: (i) direct, probably by modifying the pore spectrum and (ii) indirect, by enhancing or suppressing earthworm biomass, which in turn influenced infiltration capacity due to change in burrowing activity of earthworms. Conclusions/Significance Overall, the results suggest that spatial and temporal variations in soil hydraulic properties can be explained by biotic processes, especially the presence of certain plant functional groups affecting earthworm biomass, while soil texture had no significant effect. Therefore biotic parameters should be taken into account in hydrological applications. PMID:24918943

Effects of iodine deficiency in pregnancy.

PubMed

Pearce, Elizabeth N

2012-06-01

Dietary iodine requirements are increased in pregnancy due to increased thyroid hormone production, increased renal iodine losses, and fetal iodine requirements. Adverse effects of iodine deficiency in pregnancy include maternal and fetal goiter, cretinism, intellectual impairments, neonatal hypothyroidism, and increased pregnancy loss and infant. Dietary iodine requirements remain increased in lactation due to the concentration of iodine in breast milk. Iodine deficiency remains a significant global public health problem. Excess iodine ingestion in pregnancy, while a relatively uncommon problem, may also have adverse fetal effects. However, the safe upper limit for chronic iodine ingestion in pregnancy and lactation is not currently well defined. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Stopping powers and cross sections due to two-photon processes in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheung, Wang K.; Norbury, John W.

1994-01-01

The effects of electromagnetic-production processes due to two-photon exchange in nucleus-nucleus collisions are discussed. Feynman diagrams for two-photon exchange are evaluated using quantum electrodynamics. The total cross section and stopping power for projectile and target nuclei of identical charge are found to be significant for heavy nuclei above a few GeV per nucleon-incident energy.

Effects of particle drifts on the solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jokipii, J. R.; Levy, E. H.

1977-01-01

Gradient and curvature drifts in an Archimedean-spiral magnetic field are shown to produce a significant effect on the modulation of galactic cosmic rays by the solar wind. The net modulation, heliocentric radial gradient, and average energy change of particles which reach the inner solar system are significantly reduced. The effects of drifts are due to the fact that cosmic rays for which the drift velocity is comparable to the wind velocity or larger, have more rapid access to the inner solar system than in the absence of drifts.

Significant Returns in Engagement and Performance with a Free Teaching App

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Alan

2016-01-01

Pedagogical research shows that teaching methods other than traditional lectures may result in better outcomes. However, lecture remains the dominant method in economics, likely due to high implementation costs of methods shown to be effective in the literature. In this article, the author shows significant benefits of using a teaching app for…

Effects of game-based virtual reality on health-related quality of life in chronic stroke patients: A randomized, controlled study.

PubMed

Shin, Joon-Ho; Bog Park, Si; Ho Jang, Seong

2015-08-01

In the present study, we aimed to determine whether game-based virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation, combined with occupational therapy (OT), could improve health-related quality of life, depression, and upper extremity function. We recruited 35 patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke, and these participants were randomized into groups that underwent VR rehabilitation plus conventional OT, or the same amount of conventional OT alone, for 20 sessions over 4 weeks. Compared to baseline, the VR rehabilitation plus OT group exhibited significantly improved role limitation due to emotional problems (p=0.047). Compared to baseline, both groups also exhibited significantly improved depression (p=0.017) and upper extremity function (p=0.001), although the inter-group differences were not significant. However, a significant inter-group difference was observed for role limitation due to physical problems (p=0.031). Our results indicate that game-based VR rehabilitation has specific effects on health-related quality of life, depression, and upper extremity function among patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contrasting actions of pressor agents in severe autonomic failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, J.; Shannon, J. R.; Biaggioni, I.; Norman, R.; Black, B. K.; Robertson, D.

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND: Orthostatic hypotension is the most disabling symptom of autonomic failure. The choice of a pressor agent is largely empiric, and it would be of great value to define predictors of a response. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 35 patients with severe orthostatic hypotension due to multiple system atrophy or pure autonomic failure, we determined the effect on seated systolic blood pressure (SBP) of placebo, phenylpropanolamine (12.5 mg and 25 mg), yohimbine (5.4 mg), indomethacin (50 mg), ibuprofen (600 mg), caffeine (250 mg), and methylphenidate (5 mg). In a subgroup of patients, we compared the pressor effect of midodrine (5 mg) with the effect of phenylpropanolamine (12.5 mg). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the pressor responses between patients with multiple system atrophy or pure autonomic failure. When compared with placebo, the pressor response was significant for phenylpropanolamine, yohimbine, and indomethacin. In a subgroup of patients, we confirmed that this pressor effect of phenylpropanolamine, yohimbine, and indomethacin corresponded to a significant increase in standing SBP. The pressor responses to ibuprofen, caffeine, and methylphenidate were not significantly different from placebo. Phenylpropanolamine and midodrine elicited similar pressor responses. There were no significant associations between drug response and autonomic function testing, postprandial hypotension, or plasma catecholamine levels. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that significant increases in systolic blood pressure can be obtained in patients with orthostatic hypotension due to primary autonomic failure with phenylpropanolamine in low doses or yohimbine or indomethacin in moderate doses. The response to a pressor agent cannot be predicted by autonomic function testing or plasma catecholamines. Therefore, empiric testing with a sequence of medications, based on the risk of side effects in the individual patient and the probability of a response, is a useful approach.

Factors influencing the hypertensive effect of eserine in the rat

PubMed Central

Lešić, R.; Varagić, V.

1961-01-01

Several factors influencing the hypertensive effect of eserine in the rat were investigated. Pretreatment with reserpine regularly depressed or abolished the hypertensive response to eserine. The slow intravenous infusion of either noradrenaline, dihydroxyphenylalanine or 5-hydroxytryptamine only occasionally restored the hypertensive effect of eserine in reserpine-treated rats. Bretylium and choline 2,6-xylyl ether bromide significantly depressed or even abolished the hypertensive effect of eserine. The effect of bretylium was stronger than that of choline 2,6-xylyl ether bromide. Cocaine was found to antagonize the action of bretylium on the response to eserine. In doses which significantly depressed the action of eserine bretylium did not inhibit the hypertension due to excitation of medullary centres induced by clamping the common carotid arteries. Lowering of body temperature abolished the hypertensive effect of eserine. Pretreatment with isopropylisoniazid did not antagonize the inhibitory action of reserpine on the hypertensive response to eserine. It is concluded that the present experiments indicate that the hypertensive effect of eserine in the rat is due to central activation of adrenergic nervous elements. Liberation of noradrenaline (and adrenaline) from the adrenals and from the blood vessels by eserine is an insignificant factor in producing the hypertensive response to eserine. PMID:13761140

Effects of environmental factors on child survival in Bangladesh: a case control study.

PubMed

Hoque, B A; Chakraborty, J; Chowdhury, J T; Chowdhury, U K; Ali, M; el Arifeen, S; Sack, R B

1999-03-01

The need for further studies on relationships between deaths and environmental variables has been reported in the literature. This case-control study was, therefore, carried out to find out the associations between several social and environmental variables and deaths of children due to infectious diseases such as those leading to diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection, measles and other diseases. Six hundred and twenty-five deaths (cases) and an equal number of matched living children (controls) aged 1-59 months, were studied in rural Matlab. An analysis of crude and adjusted odds ratio showed differential associations. Sources of drinking water, amount of stored water, conditions of latrines, number of persons sleeping with the child and the type of cooking site were statistically significantly associated with deaths due to infectious diseases after controlling for breast feeding, immunization, and the family size. Significant associations were also observed between: (i) the sources of drinking water and deaths due to ARI, and (ii) conditions of latrines and deaths due to diarrhoeal diseases, after controlling for the confounding variables. Several other environmental factors also showed associations with these various death groups, but they were not statistically significant. The size of the samples in death groups (small) and the prevalence of more or less homogeneous environmental health conditions probably diminished the magnitude of the effects. The results of the study reconfirm the importance of environmental health intervention in child survival, irrespective of breast-feeding, immunization, and selected social variables.

Work-focused cognitive behavioral intervention for psychological complaints in patients on sick leave due to work-related stress: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dalgaard, Vita Ligaya; Andersen, Lars Peter Sønderbo; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Willert, Morten Vejs; Carstensen, Ole; Glasscock, David John

2017-08-22

Work-related stress is a global problem with negative implications for individuals and society. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a stress management intervention for patients on sick leave due to work-related stress complaints using a three-armed randomized controlled design. Participants were patients referred from three municipalities to the regional Department of Occupational Medicine. Inclusion criteria were: 1) sick leave due to work-related stress complaints, 2) a diagnosis of adjustment disorder or reactions to severe stress (ICD 10 code: F43,2 - F 43,9 not PTSD) or mild depressive episode (F 32.0). Through a double randomization procedure patients (n = 163) were randomized to either an intervention group (n = 58), a 'control group A' receiving a clinical examination (n = 56), or 'control group B' (n = 49) receiving no offers at the department. The intervention comprised six sessions of individual cognitive behavioral therapy and the offer of a small workplace intervention. Questionnaire data were analyzed with multivariate repeated measurements analysis. Primary outcomes assessed were perceived stress and general mental health. Secondary outcomes were sleep quality and cognitive failures. Follow-up was at four and 10 months after baseline. Complaints were significantly reduced in all groups over time. No group effects were observed between the intervention group and control group A that was clinically assessed. Significant group effects were found for perceived stress and memory when comparing the intervention group to group B, but most likely not due to an intervention effect. Psychological complaints improved substantially over time in all groups, but there was no significant treatment effect on any outcomes when the intervention group was compared to control group A that received a clinical assessment. ISRCTN ISRCTN91404229. Registered 03 August 2012 (retrospectively registered).

Occupational fatalities due to electrocutions in the construction industry.

PubMed

Janicak, Christopher A

2008-01-01

Occupational fatalities due to contact with electricity account for approximately 9% of all deaths in the construction industry and is the fourth leading cause of death in this industry. Differences in the proportions of electrocutions in the construction industry are significantly different from other industries based upon the age of the worker and the source of the electricity. This study found that, in the construction industry, the proportion of occupational fatalities due to contact with electric current is significantly higher for workers in the 16 to 19 years old age group. Contact with overhead power lines occurred more frequently with younger workers, while contact with electric wiring, transformers, and related equipment was found to occur more frequently with older workers. The proportion of fatalities due to this event was also found to account for a significantly greater proportion of fatalities in the construction industry overall. The proportions of electrocution fatalities in the construction industry were found to be significantly higher for younger workers when compared to all other industries. Focusing prevention measures toward younger workers who work near overhead power lines could have a significant impact upon death rates. For older workers, the focus should be on those who work on or near transformers, electrical wiring, and components. Across the construction industry, implementation of effective lockout-tagout programs, and verification of energy isolation, can prevent approximately 125 fatalities per year in the construction industry.

Men's status and reproductive success in 33 nonindustrial societies: Effects of subsistence, marriage system, and reproductive strategy.

PubMed

von Rueden, Christopher R; Jaeggi, Adrian V

2016-09-27

Social status motivates much of human behavior. However, status may have been a relatively weak target of selection for much of human evolution if ancestral foragers tended to be more egalitarian. We test the "egalitarianism hypothesis" that status has a significantly smaller effect on reproductive success (RS) in foragers compared with nonforagers. We also test between alternative male reproductive strategies, in particular whether reproductive benefits of status are due to lower offspring mortality (parental investment) or increased fertility (mating effort). We performed a phylogenetic multilevel metaanalysis of 288 statistical associations between measures of male status (physical formidability, hunting ability, material wealth, political influence) and RS (mating success, wife quality, fertility, offspring mortality, and number of surviving offspring) from 46 studies in 33 nonindustrial societies. We found a significant overall effect of status on RS (r = 0.19), though this effect was significantly lower than for nonhuman primates (r = 0.80). There was substantial variation due to marriage system and measure of RS, in particular status associated with offspring mortality only in polygynous societies (r = -0.08), and with wife quality only in monogamous societies (r = 0.15). However, the effects of status on RS did not differ significantly by status measure or subsistence type: foraging, horticulture, pastoralism, and agriculture. These results suggest that traits that facilitate status acquisition were not subject to substantially greater selection with domestication of plants and animals, and are part of reproductive strategies that enhance fertility more than offspring well-being.

Cytoprotective effects of chalcones from Zuccagnia punctata and melatonin on the gastroduodenal tract in rats.

PubMed

de la Rocha, N; María, A O M; Gianello, J C; Pelzer, L

2003-07-01

The effects of 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone and 2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxychalcone from Zuccagnia punctata Cav. (Fabaceae) and melatonin administration on ethanol-induced gastroduodenal injury were investigated in rats. Both chalcones showed significant preventive effects in treatment with melatonin previous to the necrotising agent. These effects could be due, in part, to the radical scavenging activity of the melatonin.

Impact of desmopressin on nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH).

PubMed

Berges, Richard; Höfner, Klaus; Gedamke, Michael; Oelke, Matthias

2014-10-01

To evaluate the efficacy of desmopressin on nocturia, quality of sleep (QoS), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) and nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria (NP) as the predominant symptom. A German observational, multicenter, post-marketing surveillance study including men with LUTS/BPH and nocturia due to NP starting 3 months of desmopressin treatment. In total, 137 patients with a mean of 3.8 nocturnal voids (range 2-7) were included. Desmopressin significantly reduced the mean number of nocturnal voids by 53 %, mean IPSS nocturia question by 50 %, and the mean ratio of night/24-h urine volume by 39 % from baseline to endpoint. The hours of undisturbed sleep significantly increased by 74 %; 71 % of men reported about undisturbed sleep of ≥4 h at study end. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire score, indicating a clinically relevant QoS improvement. This was associated with an improved HRQoL, as shown by a significant improvement in both the mean IPSS-QoL question by 43 % and mean ICIQ-N nocturia problem question by 53 %. Concomitant alpha-blocker use had no effect on the efficacy of desmopressin. The incidence of adverse events was low (2.2 %). Hyponatremia was not observed in any patient. The majority of patients and physicians rated the efficacy and tolerability of desmopressin as good/very good. Desmopressin is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for nocturia due to NP in patients with LUTS/BPH in daily practice under routine conditions.

Mechanisms for naphthalene removal during electrolytic aeration.

PubMed

Goel, Ramesh K; Flora, Joseph R V; Ferry, John

2003-02-01

Batch tests were performed to investigate chemical and physical processes that may result during electrolytic aeration of a contaminated aquifer using naphthalene as a model contaminant. Naphthalene degradation of 58-66% took place electrolytically and occurred at the same rates at a pH of 4 and 7. 1,4-naphthoquinone was identified as a product of the electrolysis. Stripping due to gases produced at the electrodes did not result in any naphthalene loss. Hydrogen peroxide (which may be produced at the cathode) did not have any effect on naphthalene, but the addition of ferrous iron (which may be present in aquifers) resulted in 67-99% disappearance of naphthalene. Chlorine (which may be produced from the anodic oxidation of chloride) can effectively degrade naphthalene at pH of 4, but not at a pH of 7. Mono-, di- and poly chloronaphthalenes were identified as oxidation products. Ferric iron coagulation (due to the oxidation of ferrous iron) did not significantly contribute to naphthalene loss. Overall, electrolytic oxidation and chemical oxidation due to the electrolytic by-products formed are significant abiotic processes that could occur and should be accounted for if bioremediation of PAH-contaminated sites via electrolytic aeration is considered. Possible undesirable products such as chlorinated compounds may be formed when significant amounts of chlorides are present.

Infusing Writing Activities into College Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cate, L. C.; Heerman, C. E.

1987-01-01

Measures the effects of infusing writing components into a university reading laboratory. Reports that reading improvement was significant with writing infusions but that results are inconclusive due to lack of true experimental design. (AEW)

Competition Between Resonant Plasmonic Coupling and Electrostatic Interaction in Reduced Graphene Oxide Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Karna, Sanjay; Mahat, Meg; Choi, Tae-Youl; Shimada, Ryoko; Wang, Zhiming; Neogi, Arup

2016-11-22

The light emission from reduced graphene oxide quantum dots (rGO-QDs) exhibit a significant enhancement in photoluminescence (PL) due to localized surface plasmon (LSP) interactions. Silver and gold nanoparticles (NPs) coupled to rGO nanoparticles exhibit the effect of resonant LSP coupling on the emission processes. Enhancement of the radiative recombination rate in the presence of Ag-NPs induced LSP tuned to the emission energy results in a four-fold increase in PL intensity. The localized field due to the resonantly coupled LSP modes induces n-π* transitions that are not observed in the absence of the resonant interaction of the plasmons with the excitons. An increase in the density of the Ag-NPs result in a detuning of the LSP energy from the emission energy of the nanoparticles. The detuning is due to the cumulative effect of the red-shift in the LSP energy and the electrostatic field induced blue shift in the PL energy of the rGO-QDs. The detuning quenches the PL emission from rGO-QDs at higher concentration of Ag NPs due to non-dissipative effects unlike plasmon induced Joule heating that occurs under resonance conditions. An increase in Au nanoparticles concentration results in an enhancement of PL emission due to electrostatic image charge effect.

Cold-induced vasoconstriction at forearm and hand skin sites: the effect of age

PubMed Central

Frijns, A. J. H.; Saris, W. H. M.; van Steenhoven, A. A.; van Marken Lichtenbelt, W. D.

2010-01-01

During mild cold exposure, elderly are at risk of hypothermia. In humans, glabrous skin at the hands is well adapted as a heat exchanger. Evidence exists that elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling at the ventral forearm, yet no age effects on vasoconstriction at hand skin have been studied. Here, we tested the hypotheses that at hand sites (a) elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling and (b) elderly show reduced response to noradrenergic stimuli. Skin perfusion and mean arterial pressure were measured in 16 young adults (Y: 18–28 years) and 16 elderly (E: 68–78 years). To study the effect of local vasoconstriction mechanisms local sympathetic nerve terminals were blocked by bretylium (BR). Baseline local skin temperature was clamped at 33°C. Next, local temperature was reduced to 24°C. After 15 min of local cooling, noradrenalin (NA) was administered to study the effect of neural vasoconstriction mechanisms. No significant age effect was observed in vasoconstriction due to local cooling at BR sites. After NA, vasoconstriction at the forearm showed a significant age effect; however, no significant age effect was found at the hand sites. [Change in CVC (% from baseline): Forearm Y: −76 ± 3 vs. E: −60 ± 5 (P < 0.01), dorsal hand Y: −74 ± 4 vs. E: −72 ± 4 (n.s.), ventral hand Y: −80 ± 7 vs. E: −70 ± 11 (n.s.)]. In conclusion, in contrast to results from the ventral forearm, elderly did not show a blunted response to local cooling and noradrenalin at hand skin sites. This indicates that at hand skin the noradrenergic mechanism of vasoconstriction is maintained with age. PMID:20300768

Nerolidol effects on mitochondrial and cellular energetics.

PubMed

Ferreira, Fernanda M; Palmeira, Carlos M; Oliveira, Maria M; Santos, Dario; Simões, Anabela M; Rocha, Sílvia M; Coimbra, Manuel A; Peixoto, Francisco

2012-03-01

In the present work, we evaluated the potential toxic effects of nerolidol, a sesquiterpenoid common in plants essential oils, both on mitochondrial and cellular energetics. Samples of enriched natural extracts of nerolidol (a racemic mixture of cis and trans isomers) were tested on rat liver mitochondria and a decrease in phosphorylative system was observed but not in the mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, which reflects a direct effect on F1-ATPase. Hence, respiratory control ratio was also decreased. Cellular ATP/ADP levels were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, possibly due to the direct effect of nerolidol on F(0)F(1)-ATPsynthase. Nerolidol stimulates respiratory activity probably due to an unspecific effect, since it does not show any protonophoric effect. Furthermore, we observed that mitochondrial permeability transition was delayed in the presence of nerolidol, possibly due to its antioxidant activity and because this compound decreases mitochondrial transmembrane electric potential. Our results also show that, in human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2), nerolidol both induces cell death and arrests cell growth, probably related with the observed lower bioenergetic efficiency. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of annoyance due to urban road traffic noise combined with tramway noise.

PubMed

Klein, A; Marquis-Favre, C; Champelovier, P

2017-01-01

Due to the expansion of urban areas, an increasing number of residents are exposed to combined community noise sources. Studies show that the exposure to transportation noise significantly affects health and well-being. Noise annoyance is one of these adverse health effects. Up to now, annoyance due to transportation noise is mostly assessed considering single noise exposure situations neglecting the effects of potential interactions between noise sources. In this study, perceptual phenomena involved in noise annoyance due to combined urban road traffic and tramway noises are assessed in laboratory conditions with imaginary and simulated contexts. The urban road traffic was composed of light vehicles, heavy vehicles, buses, and powered-two-wheelers in different driving conditions. The tramway traffic corresponded to tramways in in-curve operating configurations. It could be shown that the road traffic and tramway traffic partial annoyance responses were influenced by each other. Throughout the experiments the strongest component effect prevailed but secondary phenomena could also be observed. Considering the perceptual phenomena highlighted in the analysis, it is shown that total noise annoyance due to the combined noises can be most adequately predicted by the strongest component model. This result was obtained by calculating partial annoyance responses due to urban road and tramway traffic.

Climate change impact on fire probability and severity in Mediterranean areas

Treesearch

Bachisio Arca; Grazia Pellizzaro; Pierpaolo Duce; Michele Salis; Valentina Bacciu; Donatella Spano; Alan Ager; Mark Finney

2010-01-01

Fire is one of the most significant threats for the Mediterranean forested areas. Global change may increase the wildland fire risk due to the combined effect of air temperature and humidity on fuel status, and the effect of wind speed on fire behaviour. This paper investigated the potential effect of the climate changes predicted for the Mediterranean basin by a...

Metric Selection for Evaluation of Human Supervisory Control Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

finding a significant effect when there is none becomes more likely. The inflation of type I error due to multiple dependent variables can be handled...with multivariate analysis techniques, such as Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) (Johnson & Wichern, 2002). However, it should be noted that...the few significant differences among many insignificant ones. The best way to avoid failure to identify significant differences is to design an

Change in frozen soils and its effect on regional hydrology, upper Heihe basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Bing; Yang, Dawen; Qin, Yue; Wang, Yuhan; Li, Hongyi; Zhang, Yanlin; Zhang, Tingjun

2018-02-01

Frozen ground has an important role in regional hydrological cycles and ecosystems, particularly on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which is characterized by high elevations and a dry climate. This study modified a distributed, physically based hydrological model and applied it to simulate long-term (1971-2013) changes in frozen ground its the effects on hydrology in the upper Heihe basin, northeastern QTP. The model was validated against data obtained from multiple ground-based observations. Based on model simulations, we analyzed spatio-temporal changes in frozen soils and their effects on hydrology. Our results show that the area with permafrost shrank by 8.8 % (approximately 500 km2), predominantly in areas with elevations between 3500 and 3900 m. The maximum depth of seasonally frozen ground decreased at a rate of approximately 0.032 m decade-1, and the active layer thickness over the permafrost increased by approximately 0.043 m decade-1. Runoff increased significantly during the cold season (November-March) due to an increase in liquid soil moisture caused by rising soil temperatures. Areas in which permafrost changed into seasonally frozen ground at high elevations showed especially large increases in runoff. Annual runoff increased due to increased precipitation, the base flow increased due to changes in frozen soils, and the actual evapotranspiration increased significantly due to increased precipitation and soil warming. The groundwater storage showed an increasing trend, indicating that a reduction in permafrost extent enhanced the groundwater recharge.

Anaesthesiological considerations on tocolytic and uterotonic therapy in obstetrics.

PubMed

Vercauteren, M; Palit, S; Soetens, F; Jacquemyn, Y; Alahuhta, S

2009-07-01

Significant side effects of tocolytic and uterotonic substances may be of concern to the anaesthesiologist. Recently, new drugs have been introduced having less side effects for both the mother and the neonate. A literature search was undertaken mainly focusing on meta-analyses, to review the possible side effects that might affect the course of anaesthesia and to suggest which precautions should be considered to prevent the occurrence of significant interactions with anaesthetic manipulations and drugs. Magnesium sulphate has a proven benefit in lowering systolic blood pressure and preventing the occurrence of eclampsia, but not as a tocolytic. beta-adrenergic agonists are being abandoned due to the availability of tocolytic agents causing less side effects. Calcium channel blockers (CCB) are frequently used but can cause major maternal cardiovascular complications. Nitroglycerin seems to be appreciated as an acute tocolytic rather than a routine substance during pre-term labour. Cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors are still under investigation but their tocolytic benefit is questionable mainly due to foetal side effects. Atosiban is considered the first-choice tocolytic. With respect to oxytocic drugs, oxytocine, prostaglandines and methylergometrine may all cause serious side effects especially when combined. The cardiovascular side effects of prostaglandins and methylergometrine can be life-threatening. Both oxytocin and carbetocin have a rather low risk for maternal complications. Atosiban and CCB are at least as effective tocolytic agents as beta-mimetics but have significantly less side effects. Magnesium sulphate can cause neuromuscular blockade, especially when combined with CCB. Concerning oxytocic agents, short-acting oxyctocin and long-acting carbetocin have the least side effects as compared with prostaglandins and methylergometrine.

Global simulation of the induction heating TSSG process of SiC for the effects of Marangoni convection, free surface deformation and seed rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Takuya; Okano, Yasunori; Ujihara, Toru; Dost, Sadik

2017-07-01

A global numerical simulation was performed for the induction heating Top-Seeded Solution Growth (TSSG) process of SiC. Analysis included the furnace and growth melt. The effects of interfacial force due to free surface tension gradient, the RF coil-induced electromagnetic body force, buoyancy, melt free surface deformation, and seed rotation were examined. The simulation results showed that the contributions of free surface tension gradient and the electromagnetic body force to the melt flow are significant. Marangoni convection affects the growth process adversely by making the melt flow downward in the region under the seed crystal. This downward flow reduces carbon flux into the seed and consequently lowers growth rate. The effects of free surface deformation and seed rotation, although positive, are not so significant compared with those of free surface tension gradient and the electromagnetic body force. Due to the small size of the melt the contribution of buoyancy is also small.

Evidence of significant down-conversion in a Si-based solar cell using CuInS2/ZnS core shell quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardelis, Spiros; Nassiopoulou, Androula G.

2014-05-01

We report on the increase of up to 37.5% in conversion efficiency of a Si-based solar cell after deposition of light-emitting Cd-free, CuInS2/ZnS core shell quantum dots on the active area of the cell due to the combined effect of down-conversion and the anti- reflecting property of the dots. We clearly distinguished the effect of down-conversion from anti-reflection and estimated an enhancement of up to 10.5% in the conversion efficiency due to down-conversion.

Piezoelectric effect on the thermal conductivity of monolayer gallium nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jin

2018-01-01

Using molecular dynamics and density functional theory simulations, in this work, we find that the heat transport property of the monolayer gallium nitride (GaN) can be efficiently tailored by external electric field due to its unique piezoelectric characteristic. As the monolayer GaN possesses different piezoelectric properties in armchair and zigzag directions, different effects of the external electric field on thermal conductivity are observed when it is applied in the armchair and zigzag directions. Our further study reveals that due to the elastoelectric effect in the monolayer GaN, the external electric field changes the Young's modulus and therefore changes the phonon group velocity. Also, due to the inverse piezoelectric effect, the applied electric field induces in-plane stress in the monolayer GaN subject to a length constraint, which results in the change in the lattice anharmonicity and therefore affects the phonon mean free path. Furthermore, for relatively long GaN monolayers, the in-plane stress may trigger the buckling instability, which can significantly reduce the phonon mean free path.

Summarizing the Effect of a Wide Array of Amenity Measures into Simple Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunderson, Ronald J.; Ng, Pin T.

2006-01-01

A significant issue existing within the rural economic development literature revolves around the difficulty with sorting out the controversy of the effects of amenity activities on rural economic growth. This problem is due to the different ways amenity attributes are linked to regional economic performance. Numerous researchers utilize principal…

Robot-Assisted Task-Specific Training in Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krebs, Hermano I.; Ladenheim, Barbara; Hippolyte, Christopher; Monterroso, Linda; Mast, Joelle

2009-01-01

Our goal was to examine the feasibility of applying therapeutic robotics to children and adults with severe to moderate impairment due to cerebral palsy (CP). Pilot results demonstrated significant gains for both groups. These results suggest that robot-mediated therapy may be an effective tool to ameliorate the debilitating effects of CP and…

Anatomic changes due to interspecific grafting in cassava (Manihot esculenta).

PubMed

Bomfim, N; Ribeiro, D G; Nassar, N M A

2011-05-31

Cassava rootstocks of varieties UnB 201 and UnB 122 grafted with scions of Manihot fortalezensis were prepared for anatomic study. The roots were cut, stained with safranin and alcian blue, and examined microscopically, comparing them with sections taken from ungrafted roots. There was a significant decrease in number of pericyclic fibers, vascular vessels and tyloses in rootstocks. They exhibited significant larger vessels. These changes in anatomic structure are a consequence of genetic effects caused by transference of genetic material from scion to rootstock. The same ungrafted species was compared. This is the first report on anatomic changes due to grafting in cassava.

The mechanical properties and morphology of a graphite oxide nanoplatelet/polyurethane composite.

PubMed

Cai, Dongyu; Yusoh, Kamal; Song, Mo

2009-02-25

Significant reinforcement of polyurethane (PU) using graphite oxide nanoplatelets (GONPs) is reported. Morphologic study shows that, due to the formation of chemical bonding, there is a strong interaction between the GONPs and the hard segment of the PU, which allows effective load transfer. The GONPs can prevent the formation of crystalline hard segments due to their two-dimensional structure. With the incorporation of 4.4 wt% of GONPs, the Young's modulus and hardness of the PU are significantly increased by approximately 900% and approximately 327%, respectively. The resultant high resistance to scratching indicates promise for application of these composite materials in surface coating.

Effects of Climate Change, Urban Development, and Threatened and Endangered Species Management on Army Training Capabilities: Firing Ranges

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Climate Assessment for Army Enterprise Planning Effects of Climate Change , Urban Development, and... Climate Assessment for Army Enterprise Planning ERDC/CERL TR-16-29 January 2016 Effects of Climate Change , Urban Development, and Threatened and...due to climate change factors. The effects of climate change on DoD in- stallations is increasing in significance and has the potential to impact

Influence of ethanol vapor addition on the surface modification of polyethylene in a dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Deynse, Annick; Morent, Rino; Leys, Christophe; De Geyter, Nathalie

2017-10-01

In this paper, ethanol vapor up to 50% is added to an argon, air or nitrogen dielectric barrier discharge at medium pressure to profoundly investigate the effect of ethanol addition on the surface modification of low density polyethylene (LDPE). Water contact angle (WCA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements show that the ethanol vapor addition effect on the LDPE surface depends on the used carrier gas. Adding ethanol to an argon plasma has no significant effect on the wettability nor on the chemical composition of LDPE compared to a pure argon plasma treatment. Ethanol addition does however slightly increase the LDPE surface roughness. Addition of small amounts of ethanol vapor to an air plasma makes it possible to incorporate additional nitrogen and oxygen groups on the LDPE surface, resulting in an extra decrease of 11% in WCA value. Moreover, the LDPE surface roughness is slightly increased due to the ethanol vapor addition. The most significant effect of ethanol addition is however observed when nitrogen is used as carrier gas. After an N2/2% ethanol plasma treatment, an 85% reduction in WCA value to 8.5° is found compared to a pure N2 plasma treatment. This very hydrophilic LDPE surface is obtained due to a significantly high incorporation of oxygen and nitrogen groups on the surface with an O/C and N/C ratio reaching 32% and 53% respectively. FTIR measurements also reveal that the observed extremely high wettability of LDPE is not the result of plasma activation but is due to plasma polymerization effects occurring on the surface resulting into the deposition of a plasma polymer containing ketones, amides as well as Cdbnd N groups. In addition, ageing studies have also been conducted and these studies reveal that for all carrier gases, ethanol addition to the discharge gas significantly suppresses the ageing effect. All the above mentioned conclusions therefore indicate that ethanol vapor based plasmas can be an excellent tool to increase the surface energy of polymers.

Thermal analysis of heat storage canisters for a solar dynamic, space power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wichner, R. P.; Solomon, A. D.; Drake, J. B.; Williams, P. T.

1988-01-01

A thermal analysis was performed of a thermal energy storage canister of a type suggested for use in a solar receiver for an orbiting Brayton cycle power system. Energy storage for the eclipse portion of the cycle is provided by the latent heat of a eutectic mixture of LiF and CaF2 contained in the canister. The chief motivation for the study is the prediction of vapor void effects on temperature profiles and the identification of possible differences between ground test data and projected behavior in microgravity. The first phase of this study is based on a two-dimensional, cylindrical coordinates model using an interim procedure for describing void behavor in 1-g and microgravity. The thermal analysis includes the effects of solidification front behavior, conduction in liquid/solid salt and canister materials, void growth and shrinkage, radiant heat transfer across the void, and convection in the melt due to Marangoni-induced flow and, in 1-g, flow due to density gradients. A number of significant differences between 1-g and o-g behavior were found. This resulted from differences in void location relative to the maximum heat flux and a significantly smaller effective conductance in 0-g due to the absence of gravity-induced convection.

Essential Oils from Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Chemical Composition and Biological Effects in Mouse Model.

PubMed

Vetvicka, Vaclav; Vetvickova, Jana

2016-12-01

Thymus species are popular spices and contain volatile oils as main chemical constituents. Recently, plant-derived essential oils are gaining significant attention due to their significant biological activities. Seven different thymus-derived essential oils were compared in our study. First, we focused on their chemical composition, which was followed up by testing their effects on phagocytosis, cytokine production, chemotaxis, edema inhibition, and liver protection. We found limited biological activities among tested oils, with no correlation between composition and biological effects. Similarly, no oils were effective in every reaction. Based on our data, the tested biological use of these essential oils is questionable.

Estimating the average length of hospitalization due to pneumonia: a fuzzy approach.

PubMed

Nascimento, L F C; Rizol, P M S R; Peneluppi, A P

2014-08-29

Exposure to air pollutants is associated with hospitalizations due to pneumonia in children. We hypothesized the length of hospitalization due to pneumonia may be dependent on air pollutant concentrations. Therefore, we built a computational model using fuzzy logic tools to predict the mean time of hospitalization due to pneumonia in children living in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. The model was built with four inputs related to pollutant concentrations and effective temperature, and the output was related to the mean length of hospitalization. Each input had two membership functions and the output had four membership functions, generating 16 rules. The model was validated against real data, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate model performance. The values predicted by the model were significantly correlated with real data. Sulfur dioxide and particulate matter significantly predicted the mean length of hospitalization in lags 0, 1, and 2. This model can contribute to the care provided to children with pneumonia.

Estimating the average length of hospitalization due to pneumonia: a fuzzy approach.

PubMed

Nascimento, L F C; Rizol, P M S R; Peneluppi, A P

2014-11-01

Exposure to air pollutants is associated with hospitalizations due to pneumonia in children. We hypothesized the length of hospitalization due to pneumonia may be dependent on air pollutant concentrations. Therefore, we built a computational model using fuzzy logic tools to predict the mean time of hospitalization due to pneumonia in children living in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. The model was built with four inputs related to pollutant concentrations and effective temperature, and the output was related to the mean length of hospitalization. Each input had two membership functions and the output had four membership functions, generating 16 rules. The model was validated against real data, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate model performance. The values predicted by the model were significantly correlated with real data. Sulfur dioxide and particulate matter significantly predicted the mean length of hospitalization in lags 0, 1, and 2. This model can contribute to the care provided to children with pneumonia.

GENO PROTECTIVE AND ANTI-APOPTOTIC EFFECT OF GREEN TEA AGAINST PERINATAL LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-EXPOSURE INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY IN RAT NEWBORNS

PubMed Central

Allam, Ahmed A.; Gabr, Sami A.; Ajarem, Jamaan; Alghadir, Ahmad H.; Sekar, Revathi; Chow, Billy KC

2017-01-01

Background: This study aims to examine the protective effect of green tea on the disturbances in oxidative stress and apoptosis related factors, mostly produced due to perinatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure, that subsequently induces liver cell damage. Materials and Methods: Anti-free radical, Antioxidant, scavenging, geno-protective, and antiapoptotic activity of aqueous green tea extract (AGTE) were assessed against LPS-induced hepatic dysfunction in newborn-rats. AGTE at doses of 100 & 200 mg/kg was orally administered daily to rat dams, during gestation and lactation. Results: AGTE was observed to exhibit protective effects by significantly attenuating LPS-induced alterations in serum AST, ALT, bilirubin, and albumin levels. Significant increase in the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), DNA contents, and reduction in nitric oxide (NO) levels were observed in AGTE treated rats comparing LPS-toxicated ones. Additionally, AGTE treatment significantly down-regulated apoptotic markers and this effect was directly correlated to the degree of hepatic fibrosis. The possible mechanisms of the potential therapeutic-liver protective effect of AGTE could be due to free radical scavenging potential and antiapoptotic properties caused by the presence of antioxidant polyphenolic components in AGTE. Conclusion: We thereby propose, based on our findings, that the anti-free radical and anti-apoptotic inducing properties of AGTE active constituents attribute to its functional efficacy as anti-fibrotic agent. PMID:28573233

Mathematical modeling of influence of ion size effects in an electrolyte in a nanoslit with overlapped EDL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajni, Kumar, Prashant

2017-10-01

Many nanofluidic systems are being used in a wide range of applications due to advances in nanotechnology. Due to nanoscale size of the system, the physics involved in the electric double layer and consequently the different phenomena related to it are different than those at microscale. The Poisson-Boltzmann equation governing the electric double layer in the system has many shortcomings such as point sized ions. The inclusion of finite size of ions give rise to various electrokinetic phenomena. Electrocapillarity is one such phenomena where the size effect plays an important role. Theeffect of asymmetric finite ion sizes in nano-confinement in the view of osmotic pressure and electrocapillarity is analyzed. As the confinement width of the system becomes comparable with the Debye length, the overlapped electric double layer (EDL) is influenced and significantly deformed by the steric effects. The osmotic pressure from the modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation in nanoslit is obtained. Due to nonlinear nature of the modified PB equation, the solution is obtained through numerical method. Afterwards, the electrocapillarity due to the steric effect is analyzed under constant surface potential condition at the walls of the nanoslit along with the flat interface assumption.

Enhancement of ohmic and stochastic heating by resonance effects in capacitive radio frequency discharges: a theoretical approach.

PubMed

Mussenbrock, T; Brinkmann, R P; Lieberman, M A; Lichtenberg, A J; Kawamura, E

2008-08-22

In low-pressure capacitive radio frequency discharges, two mechanisms of electron heating are dominant: (i) Ohmic heating due to collisions of electrons with neutrals of the background gas and (ii) stochastic heating due to momentum transfer from the oscillating boundary sheath. In this work we show by means of a nonlinear global model that the self-excitation of the plasma series resonance which arises in asymmetric capacitive discharges due to nonlinear interaction of plasma bulk and sheath significantly affects both Ohmic heating and stochastic heating. We observe that the series resonance effect increases the dissipation by factors of 2-5. We conclude that the nonlinear plasma dynamics should be taken into account in order to describe quantitatively correct electron heating in asymmetric capacitive radio frequency discharges.

Investigating evaporation of melting ice particles within a bin melting layer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Andrea J.

Single column models have been used to help develop algorithms for remote sensing retrievals. Assumptions in the single-column models may affect the assumptions of the remote sensing retrievals. Studies of the melting layer that use single column models often assume environments that are near or at water saturation. This study investigates the effects of evaporation upon melting particles to determine whether the assumption of negligible mass loss still holds within subsaturated melting layers. A single column, melting layer model is modified to include the effects of sublimation and evaporation upon the particles. Other changes to the model include switching the order in which the model loops over particle sizes and model layers; including a particle sedimentation scheme; adding aggregation, accretion, and collision and coalescence processes; allowing environmental variables such as the water vapor diffusivity and the Schmidt number to vary with the changes in the environment; adding explicitly calculated particle temperature, changing the particle terminal velocity parameterization; and using a newly-derived effective density-dimensional relationship for use in particle mass calculations. Simulations of idealized melting layer environments show that significant mass loss due to evaporation during melting is possible within subsaturated environments. Short melting distances, accelerating particle fall speeds, and short melting times help constrain the amount of mass lost due to evaporation while melting is occurring, even in subsaturated profiles. Sublimation prior to melting can also be a significant source of mass loss. The trends shown on the particle scale also appear in the bulk distribution parameters such as rainfall rate and ice water content. Simulations incorporating observed melting layer environments show that significant mass loss due to evaporation during the melting process is possible under certain environmental conditions. A profile such as the first melting layer profile on 10 May 2011 from the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) that is neither too saturated nor too subsaturated is possible and shows considerable mass loss for all particle sizes. Most melting layer profiles sampled during MC3E were too saturated for more than a dozen or two of the smallest particle sizes to experience significant mass loss. The aggregation, accretion, and collision and coalescence processes also countered significant mass loss at the largest particles sizes because these particles are efficient at collecting smaller particles due to their relative large sweep-out area. From these results, it appears that the assumption of negligible mass loss due to evaporation while melting is occurring is not always valid. Studies that use large, low-density snowflakes and high RH environments can safely use the assumption of negligible mass loss. Studies that use small ice particles or low RH environments (RH less than about 80%) cannot use the assumption of negligible mass loss due to evaporation. Retrieval algorithms may be overestimating surface precipitation rates and intensities in subsaturated environments due to the assumptions of negligible mass loss while melting and near-saturated melting layer environments.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial with short-term beta-glucuronidase therapy in children with chronic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma due to dust mite allergy.

PubMed

Galli, E; Bassi, M S; Mora, E; Martelli, M; Gianni, S; Auricchio, G; Arabito, E; Rossi, P

2006-01-01

Enzyme potentiated desensitization, in which beta-glucuronidase (BG) is administered with low doses of mixed allergens, was proposed in the 1970s for specific immunotherapy. The BG currently commercially available in a purified and standardized preparation devoid of any allergen has been suggested as a regulator in the allergic immune response, acting on the cytokine-network of type 2 helper T cells. A double-blind trial with a single-dose of BG proved effective in preventing symptoms in adult patients with rhinoconjunctivitis due to grass pollens. The aim of this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was to confirm the safety and effectiveness of double-dose intradermal BG immunotherapy in preventing symptoms in children suffering from chronic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma due to dust mite. We randomized 125 children with dust-mite related chronic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma to the BG treated group (67) or the placebo group (58). All patients were screened before treatment (TO), at BG or placebo administration (T1 and T3), and at 3 and 9 months after T1 (T2 and T4). Drug intake and bronchial, nasal and ocular symptoms were recorded in a diary. Patients in both groups completed the study and BG treatment was well tolerated without side effects. Significant differences in symptoms were observed, in particular for conjunctivitis (P= .008). The total drug intake for allergic symptoms was significantly lower in the treated group than in the placebo group (P<. 01). BG immunotherapy is efficacious, safe, and well tolerated in allergic children. Moreover, good compliance with the administration of 2 doses per year and the lack of significant side effects makes the benefit/risk ratio of this treatment particularly favorable.

The influence of anthropogenic edge effects on primate populations and their habitat in a fragmented rainforest in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Bolt, Laura M; Schreier, Amy L; Voss, Kristofor A; Sheehan, Elizabeth A; Barrickman, Nancy L; Pryor, Nathaniel P; Barton, Matthew C

2018-05-01

When a forest is fragmented, this increases the amount of forest edge relative to the interior. Edge effects can lead to loss of animal and plant species and decreased plant biomass near forest edges. We examined the influence of an anthropogenic forest edge comprising cattle pasture, coconut plantations, and human settlement on the mantled howler (Alouatta palliata), white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus), Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), and plant populations at La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted that there would be lower monkey encounter rate, mean tree species richness, and diameter at breast height (DBH) in forest edge versus interior, and that monkeys would show species-specific responses to edge based on diet, body size, and canopy height preferences. Specifically, we predicted that howler monkeys would show positive or neutral edge effects due to their flexible folivorous diet, large body size, and preference for high canopy, capuchins would show positive edge effects due to their diverse diet, small body size, and preference for low to middle canopy, and spider monkeys would show negative edge effects due their reliance on ripe fruit, large body size, and preference for high upper canopy. We conducted population and vegetation surveys along edge and interior transects at LSBRS. Contrary to predictions, total monkey encounter rate did not vary between the forest edge and forest interior. Furthermore, all three species showed neutral edge effects with no significant differences in encounter rate between forest edge and interior. Interior transects had significantly higher mean tree species richness than edge transects, and interior trees had greater DBH than edge trees, although this difference was not significant. These results suggest that forest edges negatively impact plant populations at La Suerte but that the monkeys are able to withstand these differences in vegetation.

Modeling of surface tension effects in venturi scrubbing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Robert M.; Wu, Tatsu K. L.; Crowder, Jerry W.

A modified model of venturi scrubber performance has been developed that addresses two effects of liquid surface tension: its effect on droplet size and its effect on particle penetration into the droplet. The predictions of the model indicate that, in general, collection efficiency increases with a decrease in liquid surface tension, but the range over which this increase is significant depends on the particle size and on the scrubber operating parameters. The predictions further indicate that the increases in collection efficiency are almost totally due to the effect of liquid surface tension on the mean droplet size, and that the collection efficiency is not significantly affected by the ability of the particle to penetrate the droplet.

Optical effects related to Keplerian discs orbiting Kehagias-Sfetsos naked singularities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuchlík, Zdeněk; Schee, Jan

2014-10-01

We demonstrate possible optical signatures of the Kehagias-Sfetsos (KS) naked singularity spacetimes representing a spherically symmetric vacuum solution of the modified Hořava gravity. In such spacetimes, accretion structures significantly different from those present in standard black hole spacetimes occur due to the ‘antigravity’ effect, which causes an internal static sphere surrounded by Keplerian discs. We focus our attention on the optical effects related to the Keplerian accretion discs, constructing the optical appearance of the Keplerian discs, the spectral continuum due to their thermal radiation, and the spectral profiled lines generated in the innermost parts of such discs. The KS naked singularity signature is strongly encoded in the characteristics of predicted optical effects, especially in cases where the spectral continuum and spectral lines are profiled by the strong gravity of the spacetimes due to the vanishing region of the angular velocity gradient influencing the effectiveness of the viscosity mechanism. We can conclude that optical signatures of KS naked singularities can be well distinguished from the signatures of standard black holes.

Radiative transfer dynamo effect

DOE PAGES

Munirov, Vadim R.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2017-01-17

Here, magnetic fields in rotating and radiating astrophysical plasma can be produced due to a radiative interaction between plasma layers moving relative to each other. The efficiency of current drive, and with it the associated dynamo effect, is considered in a number of limits. It is shown here, however, that predictions for these generated magnetic fields can be significantly higher when kinetic effects, previously neglected, are taken into account.

Sensor Fault Diagnosis in Quadrotors Using Nonlinear Adaptive Estimators

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-02

Mahony, & Gre- sham, 2004; Bangura & Mahony, 2012) have aimed for higher modeling accuracy by including drag force, Coriolis effects , blade flapping... effectiveness of the pro- posed method. 1. INTRODUCTION Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have attracted significant attentions in recent years due to... effects etc. Accurate modeling plays an impor- tant role in quadrotor control, especially in the case of aggres- sive maneuvers, tight group formations

Radiative transfer dynamo effect.

PubMed

Munirov, Vadim R; Fisch, Nathaniel J

2017-01-01

Magnetic fields in rotating and radiating astrophysical plasma can be produced due to a radiative interaction between plasma layers moving relative to each other. The efficiency of current drive, and with it the associated dynamo effect, is considered in a number of limits. It is shown here, however, that predictions for these generated magnetic fields can be significantly higher when kinetic effects, previously neglected, are taken into account.

Effect of Asian dust storms on mortality in three Asian cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyewon; Honda, Yasushi; Lim, Youn-Hee; Guo, Yue Leon; Hashizume, Masahiro; Kim, Ho

2014-06-01

Asian dust storms (ADS) have affected several Asian countries and have been a major concern due to adverse effects on public health. The occurrence of ADS differs in each country based on geographical features and distance from the storms' origin. Many studies have reported significant associations between ADS and morbidity. However, regarding the association between ADS and mortality, only a few studies have found statistically significant ADS effects in Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the effects of ADS on daily mortality in three Asian cities (Seoul, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; and Kitakyushu, Japan) and to explore the differences in the extent of effects in each city. We performed time-series analyses using a generalized additive model (GAM) with Quasi-Poisson regressions. Deaths due to accidents or external causes were excluded. We used a dummy variable as an indicator of ADS and considered lag effects of ADS. Stratified analyses by disease and age and sensitivity analyses controlling for NO2, SO2, and PM10 were also conducted respectively. Additionally, influenza epidemics were adjusted for considering seasonal patterns, and a meta-analysis was performed. We reported results as excess mortality by percentage due to Asian dust storms. We found significant excess mortality in Seoul and Kitakyushu as follows. In Seoul, ADS showed adverse effects on mortality under 65 years old (lag 2: 4.44%, lag 3: 5%, lag 4: 4.39%). In Kitakyushu, ADS had adverse effects on respiratory mortality (lag 2: 18.82%). Contradictory to results in Seoul and Kitakyushu, ADS seemed to have a protective effect in Taipei: total non-accidental mortality (lag 0: -2.77%, lag 1: -3.24%), mortality over 65 years old (lag 0: -3.35%, lag 1: -3.29%) and respiratory mortality (lag 0: -10.62%, lag 1: -9.67%). Sensitivity analyses showed similar findings as the main results. Our findings suggest that ADS may affect mortality in several Asian cities, and that a dust storm warning system could help protect people from dust storms.

Determination of Nitrate Carry-Over on Bytac(registered) Strips Via Capillary Electrophoresis

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-19

Beckman Coulter P/ ACE MDQ capillary electrophoresis instrument. A 60 cm long (10 cm effective length), 75 µm i.d. bare fused-silica capillary was used...the separation. Due to the high concentration of the BGE, electroosmotic flow (EOF) is significantly reduced allowing for the application of a...bromide) are not seen in the electropherogram due to the reversed polarity; electroosmotic flow suppression is sufficient to cause the ammonium and

Bioelimination of /sup 51/Cr and /sup 85/Sr by cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Orthoptera: Blaberidae), as affected by mites, Gromphadorholaelaps schaeferi (parasitiformes: laelapidae)

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

Schowalter, T.D.; Crossley, D.A. Jr.

1982-03-01

This paper describes rates of Chromium-51 and Strontium-85 assimilation and bioelimination by the hissing cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Schaum), when the symbiotic mite, Gromphadorholaelaps schaeferi Till, was present or removed. Mite-infested cockroaches had significantly higher rates of /sup 51/Cr elimination relative to mite-free cockroaches, implying more rapid gut clearance times. We did not find a significant mite effect on /sup 85/Sr elimination by the host, but mite effects could have been masked by the apparently unique process of nutrient assimilation and elimination by G. portentosa. Conventional models of radioactive tracer bioelimination predict a rapid initial loss of tracer due to gutmore » clearance, followed by a slower loss due to excretion of assimilated tracer. Our results indicated that assimilated /sup 85/Sr was eliminated earlier than unassimilated /sup 85/Sr was lost by defecation.« less

Sonic-boom-induced building structure responses including damage.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarkson, B. L.; Mayes, W. H.

1972-01-01

Concepts of sonic-boom pressure loading of building structures and the associated responses are reviewed, and results of pertinent theoretical and experimental research programs are summarized. The significance of sonic-boom load time histories, including waveshape effects, are illustrated with the aid of simple structural elements such as beams and plates. Also included are discussions of the significance of such other phenomena as three-dimensional loading effects, air cavity coupling, multimodal responses, and structural nonlinearities. Measured deflection, acceleration, and strain data from laboratory models and full-scale building tests are summarized, and these data are compared, where possible, with predicted values. Damage complaint and claim experience due both to controlled and uncontrolled supersonic flights over communities are summarized with particular reference to residential, commercial, and historic buildings. Sonic-boom-induced building responses are compared with those from other impulsive loadings due to natural and cultural events and from laboratory simulation tests.

Effect of Kangaroo mother care in reducing pain due to heel prick among preterm neonates: a crossover trial.

PubMed

Chidambaram, Ambika Gnanam; Manjula, S; Adhisivam, B; Bhat, B Vishnu

2014-03-01

Preterm neonates undergo several painful procedures in NICU including heel prick for blood sugar monitoring. Nonpharmacological interventions have been tried to decrease this procedural pain. There are only few studies on Kangaroo mother care (KMC) in reducing pain among preterm neonates. This crossover trial was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in south India. Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) related to heel prick was assessed in 50 preterm neonates undergoing KMC and compared with 50 preterm babies without KMC. PIPP scores at 15 minutes and 30 minutes after heel prick were significantly less in KMC group compared to control group. Mean PIPP difference between baseline and 30 minutes after heel prick was also significantly low in KMC group compared to control group. KMC is effective in reducing pain due to heel prick among preterm babies.

How do earthworms, soil texture and plant composition affect infiltration along an experimental plant diversity gradient in grassland?

PubMed

Fischer, Christine; Roscher, Christiane; Jensen, Britta; Eisenhauer, Nico; Baade, Jussi; Attinger, Sabine; Scheu, Stefan; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Schumacher, Jens; Hildebrandt, Anke

2014-01-01

Infiltration is a key process in determining the water balance, but so far effects of earthworms, soil texture, plant species diversity and their interaction on infiltration capacity have not been studied. We measured infiltration capacity in subplots with ambient and reduced earthworm density nested in plots of different plant species (1, 4, and 16 species) and plant functional group richness and composition (1 to 4 groups; legumes, grasses, small herbs, tall herbs). In summer, earthworm presence significantly increased infiltration, whereas in fall effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration were due to plant-mediated changes in earthworm biomass. Effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration even reversed effects of texture. We propose two pathways: (i) direct, probably by modifying the pore spectrum and (ii) indirect, by enhancing or suppressing earthworm biomass, which in turn influenced infiltration capacity due to change in burrowing activity of earthworms. Overall, the results suggest that spatial and temporal variations in soil hydraulic properties can be explained by biotic processes, especially the presence of certain plant functional groups affecting earthworm biomass, while soil texture had no significant effect. Therefore biotic parameters should be taken into account in hydrological applications.

Carotenoid distribution in wild Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica) exposed to ionizing radiation in Fukushima.

PubMed

Giraudeau, Mathieu; Bonzom, Jean-Marc; Ducatez, Simon; Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Deviche, Pierre; Lengagne, Thierry; Cavalie, Isabelle; Camilleri, Virginie; Adam-Guillermin, Christelle; McGraw, Kevin J

2018-05-09

The nuclear accident in the Fukushima prefecture released a large amount of artificial radionuclides that might have short- and long-term biological effects on wildlife. Ionizing radiation can be a harmful source of reactive oxygen species, and previous studies have already shown reduced fitness effects in exposed animals in Chernobyl. Due to their potential health benefits, carotenoid pigments might be used by animals to limit detrimental effects of ionizing radiation exposure. Here, we examined concentrations of carotenoids in blood (i.e. a snapshot of levels in circulation), liver (endogenous carotenoid reserves), and the vocal sac skin (sexual signal) in relation to the total radiation dose rates absorbed by individual (TDR from 0.2 to 34 µGy/h) Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica). We found high within-site variability of TDRs, but no significant effects of the TDR on tissue carotenoid levels, suggesting that carotenoid distribution in amphibians might be less sensitive to ionizing radiation exposure than in other organisms or that the potential deleterious effects of radiation exposure might be less significant or more difficult to detect in Fukushima than in Chernobyl due to, among other things, differences in the abundance and mixture of each radionuclide.

Effects of flavor-symmetry violation from staggered fermion lattice simulations of graphene

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

Giedt, Joel; Nayak, Saroj; Skinner, Andrew

2011-01-15

We analyze the effects of flavor splitting from staggered fermion lattice simulations of a low-energy effective theory for graphene. Both the unimproved action and the tadpole-improved action with a Naik term show significant flavor-symmetry breaking in the spectrum of the Dirac operator. Note that this is true even in the vicinity of the second-order phase transition point where it has been argued that the flavor-symmetry breaking should be small due to the continuum limit being approached. We show that at weaker couplings the flavor splitting is drastically reduced by stout link smearing, while this mechanism is ineffective at the strongermore » couplings relevant to suspended graphene. We also measure the average plaquette and describe how it calls for a reinterpretation of previous lattice Monte Carlo simulation results, due to tadpole improvement. After taking into account these effects, we conclude that previous lattice simulations are possibly indicative of an insulating phase, although the effective number of light flavors could be effectively less than two due to the flavor-splitting effects. If that is true, then simulations with truly chiral fermions (such as overlap fermions) are needed in order to settle the question.« less

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

Elliott, Stephen J.; Ni, Guangjian

The pressure distribution in each of the fluid chambers of the cochlea can be decomposed into a 1D, or plane wave, component and a near field component, which decays rapidly away from the excitation point. The transverse motion of the basilar membrane, BM, for example, generates both a 1D pressure field, which couples into the slow wave, and a local near field pressure, proportional to the BM acceleration, that generates an added mass on the BM due to the fluid motion. When the organ of Corti, OC, undergoes internal motion, due for example to outer hair cell activity, this motionmore » will not itself generate any 1D pressure if the OC is incompressible and the BM is constrained not to move volumetrically, and so will not directly couple into the slow wave. This motion will, however, generate a near field pressure, proportional to the OC acceleration, which will act on the OC and thus increases its effective mass. The near field pressure due to this OC motion will also act on the BM, generating a force on the BM proportional to the acceleration of the OC, and thus create a “coupling mass” effect. By reciprocity, this coupling mass is the same as that acting on the OC due to the motion of the BM. This near field fluid coupling is initially observed in a finite element model of a slice of the cochlea. These simulations suggest a simple analytical formulation for the fluid coupling, using higher order beam modes across the width of the cochlear partition. It is well known that the added mass due to the near field pressure dominates the overall mass of the BM, and thus significantly affects the micromechanical dynamics. This work not only quantifies the added mass of the OC due its own motion in the fluid, and shows that this is important, but also demonstrates that the coupling mass effect between the BM and OC significantly affects the dynamics of simple micromechanical models.« less

Productivity of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) exposed to PCBs at the Kalamazoo River superfund site.

PubMed

Neigh, Arianne M; Zwiernik, Matthew J; MacCarroll, Monica A; Newsted, John L; Blankenship, Alan L; Jones, Paul D; Kay, Denise P; Giesy, John P

2006-03-01

A 123-km stretch of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, was designated a Superfund site in 1990 due to historical releases of effluent containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated paper waste. Risk to bird species in the river ecosystem was evaluated using the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) as a monitor for possible effects due to PCB exposure at two nesting locations, one in the Superfund site and one in an upstream reference location that is less contaminated with PCBs. In 2 of the 3 years of the study, clutch size at the contaminated location was 3.7 +/- 1.4 and 4.8 +/- 0.73 eggs per nest (mean +/- SD), which was significantly less than the clutch size at the reference location (5.0 +/- 1.1 and 5.3 +/- 1.1 eggs per nest). However, there were no statistically significant differences in fledging success, predicted brood size, predicted number of fledglings, or growth of nestlings between the Kalamazoo River Superfund site and an upstream reference location with lesser concentrations of PCBs in the sediments and riparian soils. Productivity and hatching success comparisons between these same sites were also not significantly different; however, the power of these conclusions was less (p < .10). The reduction in clutch size at the co-contaminated location could not be attributed to PCBs due to a number of confounding factors, including Co-cocontaminants, habitat structure, and food availability. Other reproductive parameters were not significantly impaired, and the size of the newly established colony at the Kalamazoo River Superfund site continued to grow over the period of the study. These site-specific observations, combined with multiple lines of evidence approach that considered results reported for the effects of both total PCBs and 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQ) on tree swallows at other locations, suggest that there were no significant population-level effects of PCBs on tree swallows at the Kalamazoo River Superfund site.

Climate change and vector-borne diseases of public health significance.

PubMed

Ogden, Nicholas H

2017-10-16

There has been much debate as to whether or not climate change will have, or has had, any significant effect on risk from vector-borne diseases. The debate on the former has focused on the degree to which occurrence and levels of risk of vector-borne diseases are determined by climate-dependent or independent factors, while the debate on the latter has focused on whether changes in disease incidence are due to climate at all, and/or are attributable to recent climate change. Here I review possible effects of climate change on vector-borne diseases, methods used to predict these effects and the evidence to date of changes in vector-borne disease risks that can be attributed to recent climate change. Predictions have both over- and underestimated the effects of climate change. Mostly under-estimations of effects are due to a focus only on direct effects of climate on disease ecology while more distal effects on society's capacity to control and prevent vector-borne disease are ignored. There is increasing evidence for possible impacts of recent climate change on some vector-borne diseases but for the most part, observed data series are too short (or non-existent), and impacts of climate-independent factors too great, to confidently attribute changing risk to climate change. © Crown copyright 2017.

Effects of gender and game type on autonomic nervous system physiological parameters in long-hour online game players.

PubMed

Lin, Tung-Cheng

2013-11-01

Online game playing may induce physiological effects. However, the physical mechanisms that cause these effects remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological effects of long-hour online gaming from an autonomic nervous system (ANS) perspective. Heart rate variability (HRV), a valid and noninvasive electrocardiographic method widely used to investigate ANS balance, was used to measure physiological effect parameters. This study used a five-time, repeated measures, mixed factorial design. Results found that playing violent games causes significantly higher sympathetic activity and diastolic blood pressure than playing nonviolent games. Long-hour online game playing resulted in the gradual dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system due to physical exhaustion. Gaming workload was found to modulate the gender effects, with males registering significantly higher sympathetic activity and females significantly higher parasympathetic activity in the higher gaming workload group.

Men’s status and reproductive success in 33 nonindustrial societies: Effects of subsistence, marriage system, and reproductive strategy

PubMed Central

von Rueden, Christopher R.; Jaeggi, Adrian V.

2016-01-01

Social status motivates much of human behavior. However, status may have been a relatively weak target of selection for much of human evolution if ancestral foragers tended to be more egalitarian. We test the “egalitarianism hypothesis” that status has a significantly smaller effect on reproductive success (RS) in foragers compared with nonforagers. We also test between alternative male reproductive strategies, in particular whether reproductive benefits of status are due to lower offspring mortality (parental investment) or increased fertility (mating effort). We performed a phylogenetic multilevel metaanalysis of 288 statistical associations between measures of male status (physical formidability, hunting ability, material wealth, political influence) and RS (mating success, wife quality, fertility, offspring mortality, and number of surviving offspring) from 46 studies in 33 nonindustrial societies. We found a significant overall effect of status on RS (r = 0.19), though this effect was significantly lower than for nonhuman primates (r = 0.80). There was substantial variation due to marriage system and measure of RS, in particular status associated with offspring mortality only in polygynous societies (r = −0.08), and with wife quality only in monogamous societies (r = 0.15). However, the effects of status on RS did not differ significantly by status measure or subsistence type: foraging, horticulture, pastoralism, and agriculture. These results suggest that traits that facilitate status acquisition were not subject to substantially greater selection with domestication of plants and animals, and are part of reproductive strategies that enhance fertility more than offspring well-being. PMID:27601650

Training and orthotic effects related to functional electrical stimulation of the peroneal nerve in stroke.

PubMed

Street, Tamsyn; Swain, Ian; Taylor, Paul

2017-01-31

To examine the evidence for a training effect on the lower limb of functional electrical stimulation. Cohort study. A total of 133 patients >6 months post-stroke. Training and orthotic effects were determined from walking speed over 10 m, associated minimal and substantial clinically important differences (i.e. >0.05 and >0.10 m/s), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), ranging from household walking to independent walking in the community. An overall significant (p < 0.01) training effect was found that was not a clinically important difference (0.02 m/s); however, "community" FAC (≥ 0.8 m/s) and "most limited community walkers" FAC (0.4-0.58 m/s), but not "household walkers" (< 0.4 m/s), benefitted from a clinically important difference. A highly significant (p< 0.001), substantial clinically important orthotic effect (0.10 m/s) was found. In terms of overall improvement of one or more FACs, 23% achieved this due to a training effect, compared with 43% due to an orthotic effect. The findings suggest that functional electrical stimulation provides a training effect in those who are less impaired. Further work, which optimizes the use of the device for restoration of function, rather than as an orthotic device, will provide greater clarity on the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation for eliciting a training effect.

Predation, Competition, and Abiotic Disturbance: Population Dynamics of Small Mammals

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

Yunger, John A.; /Northern Illinois U. /Northern Illinois U.

Predation and food availability have been implicated in annual non-cyclic fluctuations of vertebrate prey at mid-latitudes. The timing and magnitude of these factors are unclear due to a lack of large-scale field experiments, little attention to interactions, and a failure to closely link vertebrate predators with their prey. From October 1992 to January 1996, small mammal populations were censused on eight 0.6 ha plots at monthly intervals in a 32-ha prairie restoration at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Illinois. Terrestrial vertebrate predators were excluded after July 1993 from four of the eight plots and canid diets monitored. Both terrestrial and avianmore » vertebrate predators were excluded in March 1994. During 1993 small mammal densities (i.e., Microtus Pennsylvanicus, Peromyscus leucopus, and P. maniculatus) were relatively high. Following peak densities in late summer, Microtus numbers wer 2-3x greater on exclusion plots relative to controls due to preferential selection of Microtus by canids, as reflected in dits. Following an ice-storm and crash in small mammal numbers (particularly Microtus), vertebrate predator exclusion had no detectable effect on P. leucopus numbers, probably due to an abundance of alternative prey (i.e., Sylvilagus floridanus). Meadow vole numbers began to increase in Fall 1995, and a numerical effect of predator exclusion, similar to that in 1993, was observed. Predator exclusion had no detectable effect on the movements and spatial patterns of Microtus during 1993. There was a significant decrease in home range and a significant increase in home range overlap for P. leucopus on the predator exclusion plots. The change in spatial behavior may be due to interspecific competition with Microtus resulting from increased densities on exclusion plots. Thus, predators had an indirect effect on P. leucopus spatial patterns mediated through M. Pennsylvanicus. The role of food limitation was studied using natural and manipulative experiments. Unusually high acorn production in Fall 1994 resulted in increased P. leucopus numbers at one Fermilab site due to immigration since survivorship or reproduction were unaffected. A food supplementation experiment during October 1994-March 1995 induced a strong increase in P. leucopus numbers, due again to immigration, although reproduction also was advanced by two months.« less

Predation, Competition, and Abiotic Disturbance: Population Dynamics of Small Mammals

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

Yunger, John A.

Predation and food availability have been implicated in annual non-cyclic fluctuations of vertebrate prey at mid-latitudes. The timing and magnitude of these factors are unclear due to a lack of large-scale field experiments, little attention to interactions, and a failure to closely link vertebrate predators with their prey. From October 1992 to January 1996, small mammal populations were censused on eight 0.6 ha plots at monthly intervals in a 32-ha prairie restoration at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Illinois. Terrestrial vertebrate predators were excluded after July 1993 from four of the eight plots and canid diets monitored. Both terrestrial and avianmore » vertebrate predators were excluded in March 1994. During 1993 small mammal densities (i.e., Microtus pennsylvanicus, Peromyscus leucopus, and P. maniculatus) were relatively high. Following peak densities in late summer, Microtus numbers were 2-3x greater on exclusion plots relative to controls due to preferential selection of Microtus by canids, as reflected in diets. Following an ice-storm and crash in small mammal numbers (particularly Microtus), vertebrate predator exclusion had no detectable effect on P. leucopus numbers, probably due to an abundance of alternative prey (i.e., Sylvilagus floridanus). Meadow vole numbers began to increase in Fall 1995, and a numerical effect of predator exclusion, similar to that in 1993, was observed. Predator exclusion had no detectable effect on the movements and spatial patterns of Microtus during 1993. There was a significant decrease in home range and a significant increase in home range overlap for £.. leucopus on the predator exclusion plots. The change in spatial behavior may be due to interspecific competition with Microtus resulting from increased densities on exclusion plots. Thus, predators had an indirect effect on .f.. leucopus spatial patterns mediated through M. pennsylvanicus. The role of food limitation was studied using natural and manipulative experiments. Unusually high acorn production in Fall 1994 resulted in increased f. leucopus numbers at one Fermilab site due to immigration since survivorship or reproduction were unaffected. A food supplementation experiment during October 1994-March 1995 induced a strong increase in f. leucopus numbers, due again to immigration, although reproduction also was advanced by two months.« less

Significantly enhanced high-frequency permeability for composites with amorphous-membrane-fillers prepared using an infiltration method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. W.; Yang, Z. H.

2016-03-01

Amorphous-membrane-filler composites have been fabricated using an infiltration method. The composites are able to significantly increase the permeability by 200%, as compared to general amorphous flake composites. SEM and magnetic measurement show that the amorphous flakes in membrane are in-plane arrangement. A model, which considers the effect of flake arrangement on demagnetizing factor Nd and permeability, is proposed. The effect of the arrangement of flakes is equivalent to an effective Nd, which is equal to 1/3 and zero for random and complete in-plane arrangements, respectively. Due to in-plane arrangement of amorphous flakes, the decreased Nd leads to significantly enhanced permeability for the amorphous-membrane-filler composites, based on the Maxwell-Garret mixing law.

76 FR 44877 - Special Local Regulations for Marine Events; Temporary Change of Dates for Recurring Marine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-27

...-9329. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. See the ``Public Participation... the event, the effect of this regulation will not be significant due to the limited duration that the regulated area will be in effect. Extensive advance notification will be made to the maritime community via...

Does Long Term Use of Piracetam Improve Speech Disturbances Due to Ischemic Cerebrovascular Diseases?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gungor, Levent; Terzi, Murat; Onar, Musa Kazim

2011-01-01

Aphasia causes significant disability and handicap among stroke survivors. Language therapy is recommended for aphasic patients, but not always available. Piracetam, an old drug with novel properties, has been shown to have mild beneficial effects on post-stroke aphasia. In the current study, we investigated the effects of 6 months treatment with…

Recombinant Newcastle disease virus expressing IL15 demonstrates promising antitumor efficiency in melanoma model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus (rNDV) has shown oncolytic therapeutic effect in preclinical studies. Previous data indicate that rNDV carrying IL2 has shown promise in cancer therapy. Due to the significant side effects of IL2, IL15 has been introduced into cancer therapy. A number of studies h...

Antenatal Maternal Stress and Long-Term Effects on Child Neurodevelopment: How and Why?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talge, Nicole M.; Neal, Charles; Glover, Vivette

2007-01-01

We review a significant body of evidence from independent prospective studies that if a mother is stressed while pregnant, her child is substantially more likely to have emotional or cognitive problems, including an increased risk of attentional deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety, and language delay. These findings are independent of effects due to…

Evaluation of the effects of skeletal anchoraged Forsus FRD using miniplates inserted on mandibular symphysis: A new approach for the treatment of Class II malocclusion.

PubMed

Unal, Tuba; Celikoglu, Mevlut; Candirli, Celal

2015-05-01

To evaluate the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue effects of the Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FRD) appliance with miniplate anchorage for the treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion. The prospective clinical study group included 17 patients (11 girls and 6 boys; mean age 12.96 ± 1.23 years) with Class II malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion and treated with skeletal anchoraged Forsus FRD. After 0.019 × 0.025-inch stainless steel archwire was inserted and cinched back in the maxillary arch, two miniplates were placed bilaterally on the mandibular symphysis. Then, the Forsus FRD EZ2 appliance was adjusted to the miniplates without leveling the mandibular arch. The changes in the leveling and skeletal anchoraged Forsus FRD phases were evaluated by means of the Paired and Student's t-tests using the cephalometric lateral films. The success rate of the miniplates was found to be 91.5% (38 of 42 miniplates). The mandible significantly moved forward (P < .001) and caused a significant restraint in the sagittal position of the maxilla (P < .001). The overjet correction (-5.11 mm) was found to be mainly by skeletal changes (A-VRL, -1.16 mm and Pog-VRL, 2.62 mm; approximately 74%); the remaining changes were due to the dentoalveolar contributions. The maxillary and mandibular incisors were significantly retruded (P < .001). This new approach was an effective method for treating skeletal Class II malocclusion due to the mandibular retrusion via a combination of skeletal and dentoalveolar changes.

Effectiveness of a return-to-work program for workers without an employment contract, sick-listed due to common mental disorders.

PubMed

Lammerts, Lieke; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Bonefaas-Groenewoud, Karin; van Mechelen, Willem; Anema, Johannes

2016-06-01

Both the presence of mental health problems and the absence of an employment contract have been related to long-term sickness absence and unemployment, indicating a need for return-to-work (RTW) interventions. Our aim was to study the effectiveness of a new participatory, supportive RTW program for workers without an employment contract, sick-listed 2-14 weeks due to a common mental disorder, in comparison with usual care. A participatory approach, integrated care and direct placement in a competitive job were part of the new program. The primary outcome measure was duration until first sustainable RTW in competitive employment. Cox regression analysis was applied to study this outcome. Secondary outcome measures were average working hours, duration until any type of employment, sickness benefit duration, and perceived health and functioning. In total, 186 participants were included in the study and randomly allocated to an intervention group (N=94), or control group (N= 92). A hazard ratio (HR) of 1.15 (95% CI 0.61-2.16) for duration until first sustainable RTW indicated no significant effect of allocation to the new program, compared to usual care. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in favor of the intervention group on any secondary outcome. Compared to usual care, the new program did not result in a significant shorter duration until first sustainable RTW. However, due to low protocol adherence, it remains unclear what the results would have been if the program had been executed according to protocol.

Effect of medical institution change on gestational duration after the Great East Japan Earthquake: The Fukushima Health Management Survey.

PubMed

Suzuki, Kohta; Goto, Aya; Fujimori, Keiya

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between medical institution change for perinatal care and gestational duration after the Great East Japan Earthquake using data from the Fukushima Health Management Survey. The data of pregnant women who experienced the earthquake in Fukushima prefecture and participated in the Pregnancy and Birth Survey as part of the Fukushima Health Management Survey were analyzed. The primary and secondary outcomes of this study were gestational duration and preterm birth, respectively. The main study factor was prenatal checkup institution (only one institution, changed institution due to self-referral, changed institution due to medical indication, and went to parents' home for childbirth). Self-referral was considered as indicative of relocation after the disaster. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of earthquake on each outcome. A total of 5593 (60.2%) participants experienced the earthquake between the 4th and 37th weeks of their gestational period. After controlling for variables, pregnant women who changed their perinatal checkup institution due to medical indication were significantly associated with shorter gestational duration (β = -10.6, P < 0.001) and preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 8.5; 95% confidence interval, 5.8-12.5) compared with women who visited only one institution. Self-referral, however, was not significantly associated with the outcomes. According to prenatal checkup status, our results suggest that the effect on gestational duration of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster was not significant. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Bronchial Artery Embolization for Hemoptysis Due to Benign Diseases: Immediate and Long-Term Results

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

Kato, Akira; Kudo, Sho; Matsumoto, Koichi

Purpose: To clarify the immediate effect and long-term results of bronchial artery embolization (BAE) for hemoptysis due to benign diseases and the factors influencing the outcomes.Methods: One hundred and one patients (aged 34-89 years) received bronchial artery embolization with polyvinyl alcohol particles and gelatin sponge for massive or continuing moderate hemoptysis caused by benign pulmonary diseases and resistant to medical treatment.Results: After BAE, bleeding stopped in 94 patients (94%). The immediate effect was unfavorable in cases where feeder vessels were overlooked or the embolization of the intercostal arteries was insufficient. Long-term cumulative hemoptysis non recurrence rates after the initial embolizationmore » were 77.7% for 1 year and 62.5% for 5 years. In bronchitis (n 9) and active tuberculosis (n = 4) groups, an excellent (100%) 5-year cumulative non recurrence rate was obtained. The rate was lower in groups with pneumonia/abscess/pyothorax (n = 8) or with pulmonary aspergillosis (n = 9) (53.3%, 1-year cumulative non recurrence). There were higher incidences of early recurrence among patients with massive hemorrhage or more marked vascularity and systemic artery-pulmonary artery shunt in angiography: however, these trends were not statistically significant. Conclusions: BAE can yield long-term benefit in patients with hemoptysis due to benign diseases. Technical problems in the procedure had an impact on the short-term effect. The degree of hemorrhage or the severity of angiographical findings were not significant factors affecting the outcome. The most significant factor affecting long-term results was whether the inflammation caused by the underlying disease was medically well controlled.« less

The Differential Effect of Sustained Operations on Psychomotor Skills of Helicopter Pilots.

PubMed

McMahon, Terry W; Newman, David G

2018-06-01

Flying a helicopter is a complex psychomotor skill requiring constant control inputs from pilots. A deterioration in psychomotor performance of a helicopter pilot may be detrimental to operational safety. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that psychomotor performance deteriorates over time during sustained operations and that the effect is more pronounced in the feet than the hands. The subjects were helicopter pilots conducting sustained multicrew offshore flight operations in a demanding environment. The remote flight operations involved constant workload in hot environmental conditions with complex operational tasking. Over a period of 6 d 10 helicopter pilots were tested. At the completion of daily flying duties, a helicopter-specific screen-based compensatory tracking task measuring tracking accuracy (over a 5-min period) tested both hands and feet. Data were compared over time and tested for statistical significance for both deterioration and differential effect. A statistically significant deterioration of psychomotor performance was evident in the pilots over time for both hands and feet. There was also a statistically significant differential effect between the hands and the feet in terms of tracking accuracy. The hands recorded a 22.6% decrease in tracking accuracy, while the feet recorded a 39.9% decrease in tracking accuracy. The differential effect may be due to prioritization of limb movement by the motor cortex due to factors such as workload-induced cognitive fatigue. This may result in a greater reduction in performance in the feet than the hands, posing a significant risk to operational safety.McMahon TW, Newman DG. The differential effect of sustained operations on psychomotor skills of helicopter pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(6):496-502.

Beneficial effects of garlic on learning and memory deficits and brain tissue damages induced by lead exposure during juvenile rat growth is comparable to the effect of ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Ghasemi, Simagol; Hosseini, Mahmoud; Feizpour, Azadeh; Alipour, Fatemeh; Sadeghi, Akram; Vafaee, Farzaneh; Mohammadpour, Toktam; Soukhtanloo, Mohammad; Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan, Alireza; Beheshti, Farimah

2017-04-01

The neuroprotective effects of both garlic and ascorbic acid (AA) have been documented. In this study the effects of garlic and ascorbic acid on memory deficits and brain tissue oxidative damages induced by lead exposure was investigated. The juvenile rats were divided and treated: (1) Control, (2) Lead (lead acetate in drinking water, 8 weeks), (3) Lead - Ascorbic Acid (Lead-AA), (4)  Lead - Garlic (100 mg/kg, daily, gavage) (Lead-Gar). In Morris water maze (MWM), the escape latency and traveled path in the Lead group were significantly higher while, the time spent in the target quadrant (Q1) was lower than Control. Both Lead-Gar and Lead-AA groups spent more times in Q1than to lead group. There were no significant differences in swimming speed between the groups. In passive avoidance (PA) test, the time latency for entering the dark compartment by Lead group was lower than Control. Treatment of the animals by AA and garlic significantly increased the time latency. In Lead group, the total thiol concentration in brain tissues was significantly lower while, MDA was higher than Control. Treatment by both garlic and AA increased total thiol concentrations and decreased MDA. Both garlic and AA decreased the lead content of brain tissues. It is suggested that treatment with garlic attenuates the learning and memory impairments due to lead exposure during juvenile rat growth which is comparable to AA. The possible mechanism may be due to its protective effects against brain tissues oxidative damage as well the lowering effects of brain lead content.

Permeability Evolution of Slowly Slipping Faults in Shale Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei; Reece, Julia S.; Gensterblum, Yves; Zoback, Mark D.

2017-11-01

Slow slip on preexisting faults during hydraulic fracturing is a process that significantly influences shale gas production in extremely low permeability "shale" (unconventional) reservoirs. We experimentally examined the impacts of mineralogy, surface roughness, and effective stress on permeability evolution of slowly slipping faults in Eagle Ford shale samples. Our results show that fault permeability decreases with slip at higher effective stress but increases with slip at lower effective stress. The permeabilities of saw cut faults fully recover after cycling effective stress from 2.5 to 17.5 to 2.5 MPa and increase with slip at constant effective stress due to asperity damage and dilation associated with slip. However, the permeabilities of natural faults only partially recover after cycling effective stress returns to 2.5 MPa and decrease with slip due to produced gouge blocking fluid flow pathways. Our results suggest that slowly slipping faults have the potential to enhance reservoir stimulation in extremely low permeability reservoirs.

Effects of long-range transported air pollution from vegetation fires on daily mortality and hospital admissions in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland.

PubMed

Kollanus, Virpi; Tiittanen, Pekka; Niemi, Jarkko V; Lanki, Timo

2016-11-01

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) emissions from vegetation fires can be transported over long distances and may cause significant air pollution episodes far from the fires. However, epidemiological evidence on health effects of vegetation-fire originated air pollution is limited, particularly for mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. We examined association between short-term exposure to long-range transported PM 2.5 from vegetation fires and daily mortality due to non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory causes and daily hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland. Days significantly affected by smoke from vegetation fires between 2001 and 2010 were identified using air quality measurements at an urban background and a regional background monitoring station, and modelled data on surface concentrations of vegetation-fire smoke. Associations between daily PM 2.5 concentration and health outcomes on i) smoke-affected days and ii) all other days (i.e. non-smoke days) were analysed using Poisson time series regression. All statistical models were adjusted for daily temperature and relative humidity, influenza, pollen, and public holidays. On smoke-affected days, 10µg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 was associated with a borderline statistically significant increase in cardiovascular mortality among total population at a lag of three days (12.4%, 95% CI -0.2% to 26.5%), and among the elderly (≥65 years) following same-day exposure (13.8%, 95% CI -0.6% to 30.4%) and at a lag of three days (11.8%, 95% CI -2.2% to 27.7%). Smoke day PM 2.5 was not associated with non-accidental mortality or hospital admissions due to cardiovascular causes. However, there was an indication of a positive association with hospital admissions due to respiratory causes among the elderly, and admissions due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma among the total population. In contrast, on non-smoke days PM 2.5 was generally not associated with the health outcomes, apart from suggestive small positive effects on non-accidental mortality at a lag of one day among the elderly and hospital admissions due to all respiratory causes following same-day exposure among the total population. Our research provides suggestive evidence for an association of exposure to long-range transported PM 2.5 from vegetation fires with increased cardiovascular mortality, and to a lesser extent with increased hospital admissions due to respiratory causes. Hence, vegetation-fire originated air pollution may have adverse effects on public health over a distance of hundreds to thousands of kilometres from the fires. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A colourimetric evaluation of the effect of bacterial contamination on teeth stained with blood in vitro: Evaluation of the efficacy of two different bleaching regimes.

PubMed

Wang, S; Cathro, P; Heithersay, G; Briggs, N; Ratnayake, J; Zilm, P

2018-02-27

Tooth discolouration could occur due to bacterial contamination in traumatized teeth. Hydrogen peroxide is the commonly used bleaching agent. However, due to concerns over safety, alternative bleaching regimes such as sodium perborate (S) and thiourea-hydrogen peroxide (T) have been investigated. Apices resected and pulp extirpated 99 premolars were divided into two groups. Group 1 and 2 was injected with blood and blood/bacteria, stored anaerobically for 35 days. The two groups were treated by bleaching with water, S or T. Teeth were rebleached after 7 days. Colourimetric evaluation was assessed using digital imaging, CasMatch standardization and CIE L*a*b colour system preoperatively, 35 days of staining and 7 and 14 of bleaching. A linear mixed model with fixed effects of time, group and bleach was used to examine colour difference. Blood-stained teeth were significantly redder and darker on day 35 compared with blood/bacteria-stained teeth. After bleaching, blood-stained teeth retained significant redness compared with blood/bacteria-stained teeth using either S or T. T produced a significantly whiter shade in both the groups after 14 days. Blood-stained teeth were significantly darker and red compared with blood/bacteria-stained teeth. T bleaching regime was more effective than S. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

Long-term post-tensioned beam exposure test specimens : final evaluation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-08-01

In the last few years, the effectiveness of cement grout in galvanized or polyethylene ducts, the most widely used corrosion protection system for : multistrand bonded post-tensioned concrete tendons, has been under debate, due to significant tendon ...

Improved performance of a digital phase-locked loop combined with a frequency/frequency-rate estimator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mileant, A.; Simon, M.

1986-01-01

When a digital phase-locked loop with a long loop update time tracks a signal with high Doppler, the demodualtion losses due to frequency mismatch can become very significant. One way of reducing these Doppler-related losses is to compensate for the Doppler effect using some kind of frequency-rate estimator. The performance of the fixed-window least-squares estimator and the Kalman filter is investigated; several Doppler compensating techniques are proposed. It is shown that the variance of the frequency estimator can be made as small as desired, and with this, the Doppler effect can be effectively compensated. The remaining demodulation losses due to phase jitter in the loop can be less than 0.1 dB.

Stopping power: Effect of the projectile deceleration

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

Kompaneets, Roman, E-mail: kompaneets@mpe.mpg.de; Ivlev, Alexei V.; Morfill, Gregor E.

2014-11-15

The stopping force is the force exerted on the projectile by its wake. Since the wake does not instantly adjust to the projectile velocity, the stopping force should be affected by the projectile deceleration caused by the stopping force itself. We address this effect by deriving the corresponding correction to the stopping force in the cold plasma approximation. By using the derived expression, we estimate that if the projectile is an ion passing through an electron-proton plasma, the correction is small when the stopping force is due to the plasma electrons, but can be significant when the stopping force ismore » due to the protons.« less

Effect of dehydration on erythropoiesis in mice - Relevance to the 'anemia' of space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, C. D. R.

1978-01-01

Mice deprived of water for 24 h showed an increase in hematocrit and loss of body weight comparable to that seen in men during space flight. The increase in hematocrit was entirely due to a decrease in plasma volume and was associated with suppression of erythropoiesis, but with no significant change in the serum titer of a presumptive humoral regulator of erythropoiesis, Erythroid Stimulating Activity (ESA). Mice deprived of water for 24 h may be a useful model for the study of the early hematological effects of space flight. The suppression of erythropoiesis due to a relative erythrocytosis appears to be independent of ESA.

Hypertrichosis in Becker's nevus: effective low-fluence laser hair removal.

PubMed

Lapidoth, M; Adatto, M; Cohen, S; Ben-Amitai, D; Halachmi, S

2014-01-01

Becker's nevus is cosmetically bothersome both due to the hyperpigmentation and due to the hypertrichosis which can accompany it, particularly in males. Laser hair removal can be considered, but the pigmented background of the Becker's nevus makes the treatment more challenging. Fifteen patients with Becker's nevus underwent eight sessions of hair removal with low-fluence high-repetition-rate diode lasers (808-810 nm). All participants experienced significant hair reduction at 6 and 12 months. No adverse events were reported. The study supports the use of low fluence with high-repetition-rate diode laser hair removal as a safe and effective method for the management of hypertrichosis in Becker's nevus.

Acute bacterial meningitis in infants and children: epidemiology and management.

PubMed

Agrawal, Shruti; Nadel, Simon

2011-12-01

Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) continues to be associated with high mortality and morbidity, despite advances in antimicrobial therapy. The causative organism varies with age, immune function, immunization status, and geographic region, and empiric therapy for meningitis is based on these factors. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Neisseria meningitidis cause the majority of cases of ABM. Disease epidemiology is changing rapidly due to immunization practices and changing bacterial resistance patterns. Hib was the leading cause of meningitis in children prior to the introduction of an effective vaccination. In those countries where Hib vaccine is a part of the routine infant immunization schedule, Hib has now been virtually eradicated as a cause of childhood meningitis. Vaccines have also been introduced for pneumococcal and meningococcal diseases, which have significantly changed the disease profile. Where routine pneumococcal immunization has been introduced there has been a reported increase in invasive pneumococcal disease due to non-vaccine serotypes. In those parts of the world that have introduced conjugate meningococcal vaccines, there has been a significant change in the epidemiology of meningococcal meningitis. As a part of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4, the WHO has introduced a new vaccine policy to improve vaccine availability in resource poor countries. In addition, antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem, especially with pneumococcal infection. Effective treatment focuses on early recognition and use of effective antibiotics. This review will attempt to focus on the changing epidemiology of ABM in pediatric patients due to vaccination, the changing patterns of infecting bacterial serotypes due to vaccination, and on antibiotic resistance and its impact on current management strategies.

Effect of vitamin B supplementation on cancer incidence, death due to cancer, and total mortality: A PRISMA-compliant cumulative meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Zhang, Sui-Liang; Chen, Ting-Song; Ma, Chen-Yun; Meng, Yong-Bin; Zhang, Yu-Fei; Chen, Yi-Wei; Zhou, Yu-Hao

2016-08-01

Observational studies have suggested that vitamin B supplementation is associated with cancer risk, but this association remains controversial. A pooled data-based meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of vitamin B supplementation on cancer incidence, death due to cancer, and total mortality. PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify trials to fit our analysis through August 2015. Relative risk (RR) was used to measure the effect of vitamin B supplementation on the risk of cancer incidence, death due to cancer, and total mortality using a random-effect model. Cumulative meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, heterogeneity tests, and tests for publication bias were also conducted. Eighteen RCTs reporting the data on 74,498 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. Sixteen of these trials included 4103 cases of cancer; in 6 trials, 731 cancer-related deaths occurred; and in 15 trials, 7046 deaths occurred. Vitamin B supplementation had little or no effect on the incidence of cancer (RR: 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98-1.10; P = 0.216), death due to cancer (RR, 1.05; 95% CI: 0.90-1.22; P = 0.521), and total mortality (RR, 1.00; 95% CI: 0.94-1.06; P = 0.952). Upon performing a cumulative meta-analysis for cancer incidence, death due to cancer, and total mortality, the nonsignificance of the effect of vitamin B persisted. With respect to specific types of cancer, vitamin B supplementation significantly reduced the risk of skin melanoma (RR, 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23-0.94; P = 0.032). Vitamin B supplementation does not have an effect on cancer incidence, death due to cancer, or total mortality. It is associated with a lower risk of skin melanoma, but has no effect on other cancers.

Brief intervention, physical exercise and cognitive behavioural group therapy for patients with chronic low back pain (The CINS trial).

PubMed

Harris, A; Moe, T F; Eriksen, H R; Tangen, T; Lie, S A; Tveito, T H; Reme, S E

2017-09-01

Cognitive-behavioural treatments (CBT) and physical group exercise (PE) have both shown promising effects in reducing disability and increasing work participation among chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. A brief cognitive intervention (BI) has previously been demonstrated to reduce work disability in CLBP. The aim of this study was to test if the effect of BI could be further increased by adding either group CBT or group PE. A total of 214 patients, all sick listed 2-10 months due to CLBP, were randomized to BI (n = 99), BI + group CBT (n = 55) or BI + group PE (n = 60). Primary outcome was increased work participation at 12 months, whereas secondary outcomes included pain-related disability, subjective health complaints, anxiety, depression, coping and fear avoidance. There were no significant differences between the groups in work participation at 12 months follow-up (χ 2  = 1.15, p = 0.56). No significant differences were found on the secondary outcomes either, except for a statistically significant reduction (time by group) in pseudoneurology one domain of subjective health complaints (sleep problems, tiredness, dizziness, anxiety, depression, palpitation, heat flushes) (F 2,136  = 3.109, p = 0.048) and anxiety (F 2,143  = 4.899, p = 0.009) for the groups BI + group CBT and BI + group PE, compared to BI alone. However, these differences were not significant in post hoc analyses (Scheffé adjusted). There was no support for an effect of the added group CBT or group PE treatments to a brief cognitive intervention in this study of patients on sick leave due to low back pain. Our study demonstrates that treatments that previously were found to be effective and are included in most treatment guidelines, such as group cognitive-behavior therapy and exercise, were not effective in this given context compared to a brief, cognitive intervention. This implies that an optimized brief intervention is difficult to outperform in patients on sick leave due to low back pain. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

The effect of disease site (knee, hip, hand, foot, lower back or neck) on employment reduction due to osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Sayre, Eric C; Li, Linda C; Kopec, Jacek A; Esdaile, John M; Bar, Sherry; Cibere, Jolanda

2010-05-03

Osteoarthritis (OA) has a significant impact on individuals' ability to work. Our goal was to investigate the effects of the site of OA (knee, hip, hand, foot, lower back or neck) on employment reduction due to OA (EROA). This study involved a random sample of 6,000 patients with OA selected from the Medical Service Plan database in British Columbia, Canada. A total of 5,491 were alive and had valid addresses, and of these, 2,259 responded (response rate = 41%), from which 2,134 provided usable data. Eligible participants were 19 or older with physician diagnosed OA based on administrative data between 1992 and 2006. Data of 688 residents were used (mean age 62.1 years (27 to 86); 60% women). EROA had three levels: no reduction; reduced hours; and total cessation due to OA. The (log) odds of EROA was regressed on OA sites, adjusting for age, sex, education and comorbidity. Odds ratios (ORs) represented the effect predicting total cessation and reduced hours/total cessation. The strongest effect was found in lower back OA, with OR = 2.08 (95% CI: 1.47, 2.94), followed by neck (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.11, 2.27) and knee (OR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.01). We found an interaction between sex and foot OA (men: OR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.59; women: OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.57, 1.39). No significant effect was found for hip OA (OR = 1.33) or hand OA (OR = 1.11). Limitations of this study included a modest response rate, the lack of an OA negative group, the use of administrative databases to identify eligible participants, and the use of patient self-reported data. After adjusting for socio-demographic variables, comorbidity, and other OA disease sites, we find that OA of the lower back, neck and knee are significant predictors for EROA. Foot OA is only significantly associated with EROA in males. For multi-site combinations, ORs are multiplicative. These findings may be used to guide resource allocation for future development/improvement of vocational rehabilitation programs for site-specific OA.

Effect of an education program on knowledge, self-care behavior and handwashing competence on prevention of febrile neutropenia among breast cancer patients receiving Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide in Chemotherapy Day Centre

PubMed Central

Mak, Wai Chi; Yin Ching, Shirley Siu

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of an education program on the prevention of febrile neutropenia (FN) among breast cancer patients receiving AC regimen. Methods: Randomized controlled trial with the repeated-measures design was conducted in a Chemotherapy Day Centre of an acute hospital in Hong Kong. Twenty-five subjects in the intervention group received an individual education session followed by three follow-up sessions and routine care. Twenty-four subjects in the control group received routine care. Primary outcomes included the incidence of admission due to FN, the self-care behavior adherence, the knowledge level on prevention of FN and the self-efficacy in self-management, handwashing competence were assessed by self-designed questionnaires, Chinese version of patient activation measure, and handwashing competence checklist. Results: No statistically significant difference between the intervention group and the control group on the incidence of admission due to FN, the self-efficacy in self-management, and the knowledge on prevention of FN. The self-care behavior adherence was significant at cycle 4 of AC regimen in favor of the intervention group (P = 0.036). Handwashing competence improved more significantly among subjects in the intervention group than the control group (P = 0.009). Conclusions: The education program on the prevention of FN had significantly favorable effects on self-care behavior adherence and handwashing competence across time. However, the intervention did not lead to statistically significant improvement on the incidence of admission due to FN, the self-efficacy in self-management and the knowledge level on prevention of FN. PMID:27981125

Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas: impact on health and environment.

PubMed

Carpenter, David O

2016-03-01

Shale deposits exist in many parts of the world and contain relatively large amounts of natural gas and oil. Recent technological developments in the process of horizontal hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracturing or fracking) have suddenly made it economically feasible to extract natural gas from shale. While natural gas is a much cleaner burning fuel than coal, there are a number of significant threats to human health from the extraction process as currently practiced. There are immediate threats to health resulting from air pollution from volatile organic compounds, which contain carcinogens such as benzene and ethyl-benzene, and which have adverse neurologic and respiratory effects. Hydrogen sulfide, a component of natural gas, is a potent neuro- and respiratory toxin. In addition, levels of formaldehyde are elevated around fracking sites due to truck traffic and conversion of methane to formaldehyde by sunlight. There are major concerns about water contamination because the chemicals used can get into both ground and surface water. Much of the produced water (up to 40% of what is injected) comes back out of the gas well with significant radioactivity because radium in subsurface rock is relatively water soluble. There are significant long-term threats beyond cancer, including exacerbation of climate change due to the release of methane into the atmosphere, and increased earthquake activity due to disruption of subsurface tectonic plates. While fracking for natural gas has significant economic benefits, and while natural gas is theoretically a better fossil fuel as compared to coal and oil, current fracking practices pose significant adverse health effects to workers and near-by residents. The health of the public should not be compromized simply for the economic benefits to the industry.

Health-related quality of life two years after injury due to terrorism.

PubMed

Tuchner, Maya; Meiner, Zeev; Parush, Shula; Hartman-Maeir, Adina

2010-01-01

During the past few decades, terrorist acts have been an unfortunate reality worldwide. There is a striking paucity of research investigating the multitude of long-term outcomes after severe physical injury due to terrorist attacks, a unique subgroup of trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to provide a profile of the long-term health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) after injury due to terrorist attacks and to explore the relationships between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), occupational status and injury severity with HR-QOL. We included 35 survivors of terrorist attacks living in the community, two years on average after the injury, mean age at follow-up = 32.1 (±13.8), mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) = 27 (±14.2). The subjects were recruited from consecutive admissions to a rehabilitation department in a tertiary care center between September 2000 - June 2004. Most of the subjects suffered multiple trauma. The main outcome measures were the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Post Traumatic Diagnostic Scale and return to work rates. The mean scores on 6/8 of the SF-36 subscales were significantly lower among the survivors compared to normative population norms. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was found in 39% of the sample and 43% did not resume their main occupation two years after the injury. Multivariate analysis of variance of PTSD and occupational status (returned vs. did not return to work) on quality of life scores revealed significant main effects for both PTSD (p=. 000) and occupational status (p=. 005) with no interaction effect (p=. 476). No significant correlations were found between injury severity and the SF-36 scores. This study demonstrated the long-term impact of injury due to terrorism. Results showed independent effects of PTSD and occupational status on health related quality of life, two years after injury. These findings suggest that this group may benefit from intervention focusing on their emotional and occupational status in order to improve their quality of life.

Attenuation of sound in sand sediments due to porosity fluctuations.

PubMed

Hefner, Brian T; Jackson, Darrell R

2014-08-01

At high frequencies, the attenuation measured in sand sediments is larger than that predicted by Biot theory. To account for this discrepancy, perturbation theory is used to incorporate losses due to scattering by porosity variations into both Biot's poroelastic equations and the effective density fluid model. While previous results showed that fluctuations in the bulk frame modulus were insufficient to produce significant attenuation in a sand sediment, modest levels of fluctuations in the porosity produce significant scattering loss. By using the sediment parameters and the heterogeneity power spectrum measured during the Sediment Acoustics Experiment in 2004, the perturbation theory result shows good agreement with the sound speed and attenuation data without any free parameters.

The effect of partial portal decompression on portal blood flow and effective hepatic blood flow in man: a prospective study.

PubMed

Rosemurgy, A S; McAllister, E W; Godellas, C V; Goode, S E; Albrink, M H; Fabri, P J

1995-12-01

With the advent of transjugular intrahepatic porta-systemic stent shunt and the wider application of the surgically placed small diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt (HGPCS), partial portal decompression in the treatment of portal hypertension has received increased attention. The clinical results supporting the use of partial portal decompression are its low incidence of variceal rehemorrhage due to decreased portal pressures and its low rate of hepatic failure, possibly due to maintenance of blood flow to the liver. Surprisingly, nothing is known about changes in portal hemodynamics and effective hepatic blood flow following partial portal decompression. To prospectively evaluate changes in portal hemodynamics and effective hepatic blood flow brought about by partial portal decompression, the following were determined in seven patients undergoing HGPCS: intraoperative pre- and postshunt portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients, intraoperative pre- and postshunt portal vein flow, and pre- and postoperative effective hepatic blood flow. With HGPCS, portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients decreased significantly, although portal pressures remained above normal. In contrast to the significant decreases in portal pressures, portal vein blood flow and effective hepatic blood flow do not decrease significantly. Changes in portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients are great when compared to changes in portal vein flow and effective hepatic blood flow. Reduction of portal hypertension with concomitant maintenance of hepatic blood flow may explain why hepatic dysfunction is avoided following partial portal decompression.

Improved anticoagulant effect of fucosylated chondroitin sulfate orally administered as gastro-resistant tablets.

PubMed

Fonseca, Roberto J C; Sucupira, Isabela D; Oliveira, Stephan Nicollas M C G; Santos, Gustavo R C; Mourão, Paulo A S

2017-04-03

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FucCS) is a potent anticoagulant polysaccharide extracted from sea cucumber. Its anticoagulant activity is attributed to the presence of unique branches of sulfated fucose. Although this glycosaminoglycan exerts an antithrombotic effect following oral administration, high doses are necessary to achieve the maximum effect. The diminished activity of FucCS following oral administration is likely due to its degradation in the gastrointestinal tract and its limited ability to cross the intestinal cell membranes. The latter aspect is particularly difficult to overcome. However, gastro-resistant tablet formulation may help limit the degradation of FucCS in the gastrointestinal tract. In the present work, we found that the oral administration of FucCS as gastro-resistant tablets produces a more potent and prolonged anticoagulant effect compared with its administration as an aqueous solution, with no significant changes in the bleeding tendency or arterial blood pressure. Experiments using animal models of arterial thrombosis initiated by endothelial injury demonstrated that FucCS delivered as gastro-protective tablets produced a potent antithrombotic effect, whereas its aqueous solution was ineffective. However, there was no significant difference between the effects of FucCS delivered as gastro-resistant tablets or as aqueous solution in a venous thrombosis model, likely due to the high dose of thromboplastin used. New oral anticoagulants tested in these experimental models for comparison showed significantly increased bleeding tendencies. Our study provides a framework for developing effective oral anticoagulants based on sulfated polysaccharides from marine organisms. The present results suggest that FucCS is a promising oral anticoagulant.

Sleep-enhancing effects of far-infrared radiation in rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honda, K.; Inoué, S.

1988-06-01

Unrestrained male rats continuously exposed to far-infrared radiation exhibited a significant increase in slow wave sleep (SWS) during the light period but not in the dark period. The change was largely due to the elevated occurrence of SWS episodes but not to the prolongation of their duration. Paradoxical sleep was not affected throughout the observation period except for a significant decrease at the end of the dark period. Thus the far-infrared radiation exerted a sleep modulatory effect closely related to the circadian activity-rest cycle.

Measuring Hair Cortisol Concentrations to Assess the Effect of Anthropogenic Impacts on Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

PubMed

Carlitz, Esther H D; Miller, Robert; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Gao, Wei; Hänni, Daniel C; van Schaik, Carel P

2016-01-01

Non-human primates face major environmental changes due to increased human impacts all over the world. Although some species are able to survive in certain landscapes with anthropogenic impact, their long-term viability and fitness may be decreased due to chronic stress. Here we assessed long-term stress levels through cortisol analysis in chimpanzee hair obtained from sleeping nests in northwestern Uganda, in order to estimate welfare in the context of ecotourism, forest fragmentation with human-wildlife conflicts, and illegal logging with hunting activity (albeit not of primates), compared with a control without human contact or conflict. Concerning methodological issues, season [F(2,129) = 37.4, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.18] and the age of nests [F(2,178) = 20.3, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.11] significantly predicted hair cortisol concentrations (HCC). With regard to effects of anthropogenic impacts, our results neither showed elevation of HCC due to ecotourism, nor due to illegal logging compared to their control groups. We did, however, find significantly increased HCC in the fragment group compared to chimpanzees living in a nearby intact forest [F(1,88) = 5.0, p = 0.03, r2 = 0.20]. In conclusion, our results suggest that hair cortisol analysis is a powerful tool that can help understanding the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on chimpanzee well-being and could be applied to other great ape species.

Slip-Effect Functional Air Filter for Efficient Purification of PM2.5

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xinglei; Wang, Shan; Yin, Xia; Yu, Jianyong; Ding, Bin

2016-01-01

Fabrication of air filtration materials (AFM) that allow air to easily flow through while retaining particles is a significant and urgent need due to the harmful airborne particulate matter pollution; however, this is still a challenging research area. Herein, we report novel slip-effect functional nanofibrous membranes with decreased air resistance (reduction rate of 40%) due to the slip flow of air molecules on the periphery of nanofibers. This was achieved through careful control over the diameters of electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibers and aperture size of fiber assembly. Fiber assembly with 86% of fiber diameters between 60–100 nm was found to be most effective for slip flow, as these diameters are close to the mean free path of air molecules (65.3 nm). Significantly, an equilibrium factor τ = df/d2 has been introduced to elucidate the effect of distance of adjacent fibers on the drag force of airflow. Furthermore, the most effective aperture size (>3.5 μm) for slip-effect has been determined. Ultimately, the new material displayed low air resistance of 29.5 Pa, high purification efficiency of 99.09%, good transmittance of 77%, and long service life. The successful fabrication of such materials can facilitate the development of high-performance AFMs for various applications. PMID:27748419

4-Hydroxytamoxifen induces slight uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system in relation to the deleterious effects of tamoxifen.

PubMed

Cardoso, Carla M P; Moreno, António J M; Almeida, Leonor M; Custódio, José B A

2002-10-15

The use of tamoxifen (TAM) has been questioned on the chemotherapy and chemoprevention of breast cancer due to several estrogen receptor-independent cytotoxic effects. As an alternative, its more active metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHTAM) has been proposed with presumed lower side effects. In this work, the potential OHTAM toxicity on rat liver mitochondrial bioenergetics in relation to the multiple deleterious effects of TAM was evaluated. OHTAM, at concentrations lower than those putatively reached in tissues following the administration of TAM, does not induce significant perturbations on the respiratory control ratio (RCR), ADP/O, transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi), phosphorylative capacity and membrane integrity of mitochondria. However, at high concentrations, OHTAM depresses the DeltaPsi, RCR and ADP/O, affecting the phosphorylation efficiency, as also inferred from the DeltaPsi fluctuations and pH changes associated with ADP phosphorylation. Moreover, OHTAM, at concentrations that stimulate the rate of state 4 respiration in parallel to the decrease in the DeltaPsi and phosphorylation rate, causes mitochondrial swelling and stimulates both ATPase and citrate synthase activities. However, the OHTAM-observed effects, at high concentrations, are not significant relatively to the damaging effects promoted by TAM and suggest alterations to mitochondrial functions due to proton leak across the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Slip-Effect Functional Air Filter for Efficient Purification of PM2.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xinglei; Wang, Shan; Yin, Xia; Yu, Jianyong; Ding, Bin

2016-10-01

Fabrication of air filtration materials (AFM) that allow air to easily flow through while retaining particles is a significant and urgent need due to the harmful airborne particulate matter pollution; however, this is still a challenging research area. Herein, we report novel slip-effect functional nanofibrous membranes with decreased air resistance (reduction rate of 40%) due to the slip flow of air molecules on the periphery of nanofibers. This was achieved through careful control over the diameters of electrospun polyacrylonitrile fibers and aperture size of fiber assembly. Fiber assembly with 86% of fiber diameters between 60-100 nm was found to be most effective for slip flow, as these diameters are close to the mean free path of air molecules (65.3 nm). Significantly, an equilibrium factor τ = df/d2 has been introduced to elucidate the effect of distance of adjacent fibers on the drag force of airflow. Furthermore, the most effective aperture size (>3.5 μm) for slip-effect has been determined. Ultimately, the new material displayed low air resistance of 29.5 Pa, high purification efficiency of 99.09%, good transmittance of 77%, and long service life. The successful fabrication of such materials can facilitate the development of high-performance AFMs for various applications.

Effects of zolpidem and zopiclone on cognitive and attentional function in young healthy volunteers: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Nakajima, T; Takazawa, S; Hayashida, S; Nakagome, K; Sasaki, T; Kanno, O

2000-02-01

The effects of zolpidem and zopiclone, non-benzodiazepine ultra-short-acting hypnotics, on cognitive function and vigilance level were investigated in the morning following nocturnal administration using event-related potentials (ERP) and a sleep latency test (SLT). Zopiclone significantly shortened the sleep latency the following morning, whereas zolpidem did not, perhaps due to the difference in the elimination half-lives between the compounds. No significant effect was observed for either drug on the ERP indices, including the P3, mismatch negativity and negative difference components. At a clinically prescribed dosage these sleep inducers have no remarkable effect on cognitive or attentional functions but increase sleepiness of the subjects.

Hand Hygiene Program Decreases School Absenteeism Due to Upper Respiratory Infections.

PubMed

Azor-Martinez, Ernestina; Cobos-Carrascosa, Elena; Seijas-Vazquez, Maria Luisa; Fernández-Sánchez, Carmen; Strizzi, Jenna M; Torres-Alegre, Pilar; Santisteban-Martínez, Joaquin; Gimenez-Sanchez, Francisco

2016-12-01

We assessed the effectiveness of a handwashing program using hand sanitizer to prevent school absenteeism due to upper respiratory infections (URIs). This was a randomized, controlled, and open study on a sample of 1341 children 4-12 years old, attending 5 state schools in Almería (Spain), with an 8-month follow-up. The experimental group (EG) washed their hands with soap and water, together with using hand sanitizer, and the control group followed their usual handwashing procedures. Absenteeism rates due to URIs were compared between the 2 groups through a multivariate Poisson regression analysis. The percent of days missed in both groups were compared with a z test. Overall, 1271 cases of school absenteeism due to URIs were registered. Schoolchildren from the EG had a 38% lower risk of absenteeism due to URIs, incidence rate ratio: 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.70, and a decrease in absenteeism of 0.45 episodes/child/academic year, p < .001. Pupils missed 2734 school days due to URIs and the percentage of days absent was significantly lower in the EG, p < .001. Use of hand sanitizer plus handwashing with soap accompanied by educational support is an effective measure to reduce absenteeism due to URIs. © 2016, American School Health Association.

Mitigating Seabird Bycatch during Hauling by Pelagic Longline Vessels

PubMed Central

Gilman, Eric; Chaloupka, Milani; Wiedoff, Brett; Willson, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Bycatch in longline fisheries threatens the viability of some seabird populations. The Hawaii longline swordfish fishery reduced seabird captures by an order of magnitude primarily through mitigating bycatch during setting. Now, 75% of captures occur during hauling. We fit observer data to a generalized additive regression model with mixed effects to determine the significance of the effect of various factors on the standardized seabird haul catch rate. Density of albatrosses attending vessels during hauling, leader length and year had largest model effects. The standardized haul catch rate significantly increased with increased albatross density during hauling. The standardized catch rate was significantly higher the longer the leader: shorter leaders place weighted swivels closer to hooks, reducing the likelihood of baited hooks becoming available to surface-scavenging albatrosses. There was a significant linear increasing temporal trend in the standardized catch rate, possibly partly due to an observed increasing temporal trend in the local abundance of albatrosses attending vessels during hauling. Swivel weight, Beaufort scale and season were also significant but smaller model effects. Most (81%) haul captures were on branchlines actively being retrieved. Future haul mitigation research should therefore focus on reducing bird access to hooks as crew coil branchlines, including methods identified here of shorter leaders and heavier swivels, and other potentially effective methods, including faster branchline coiling and shielding the area where hooks becomes accessible. The proportion of Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) captures that occurred during hauling was significantly, 1.6 times, higher than for black-footed albatrosses (P. nigripes), perhaps due to differences in the time of day of foraging and in daytime scavenging competitiveness; mitigating haul bycatch would therefore be a larger benefit to Laysans. Locally, findings identify opportunities to nearly eliminate seabird bycatch. Globally, findings fill a gap in knowledge of methods to mitigate seabird bycatch during pelagic longline hauling. PMID:24400096

Effects of long-term preservation on amphibian body conditions: implications for historical morphological research

PubMed Central

Shu, Guocheng; Gong, Yuzhou; Xie, Feng; Wu, Nicholas C.

2017-01-01

Measurements of historical specimens are widely applied in studies of taxonomy, systematics, and ecology, but biologists often assume that the effects of preservative chemicals on the morphology of amphibian specimens are minimal in their analyses. We compared the body length and body mass of 182 samples of 13 live and preserved (up to 10 years) anuran species and found that the body length and body mass of preserved specimens significantly decreased by 6.1% and 24.8%, respectively, compared to those measurements of their live counterparts. The changes in body length and mass also exhibited highly significant variations between species. Similarly, there were significant differences in shrinkage of body length and body mass between sexes, where males showed greater shrinkage in body length and body mass compared to females. Preservation distorted the magnitude of the interspecific differences in body length observed in the fresh specimens. Overall, the reduction in body length or mass was greater in longer or heavier individuals. Due to the effects of preservation on amphibian morphology, we propose two parsimonious conversion equations to back-calculate the original body length and body mass of studied anurans for researchers working with historical data, since morphological data from preserved specimens may lead to incorrect biological interpretations when comparing to fresh specimens. Therefore, researchers should correct for errors due to preservation effects that may lead to the misinterpretation of results. PMID:28929024

[Pharmacological study of nicergoline. (II). Protective effect on ischemic brain damages in animals].

PubMed

Shintomi, K; Itakura, T; Yoshimoto, K; Ogawa, Y; Fukushima, T; Matsuoka, Y

1986-04-01

Effects of nicergoline on ischemic brain damages induced by bilateral carotid arterial ligation (BCAL) in ICR-strain mice and mongolian gerbils and lipid peroxide formation (LPOF) in normal brain homogenate of rats were compared with those of dihydroergotoxine (DHE). In mice, nicergoline (16 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the cumulative mortality rate after BCAL (from 80-83% in the control to 50-55%). In gerbils, nicergoline (32 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly prolonged the mean onset time of ischemic seizure following recirculation after the 30-min BCAL (from 45.8 min in the control to 94.9 min). DHE also showed protective effects in these animals. In the ischemic brain of mice, marked decreases of creatine-P, ATP, glucose and glycogen; a remarkable increase of lactate; and elevation of L/P ratio were observed 1 to 10 min after BCAL. Nicergoline (16 mg/kg, i.p.) slightly prevented these decreases and significantly suppressed the increase of lactate and the elevation of L/P ratio 2 min after BCAL. The inhibitory action of nicergoline (20-100 microM) on LPOF is more potent than those of alpha-tocopherol and DHE. These results suggest that nicergoline may have protective effects against ischemic brain damages due to its ameliorating action on cerebral energy metabolism and partially due to its inhibitory action of LPOF.

Acute changes in serum immune markers due to swimming in a chlorinated pool.

PubMed

Vlaanderen, Jelle; van Veldhoven, Karin; Font-Ribera, Laia; Villanueva, Cristina M; Chadeau-Hyam, Marc; Portengen, Lützen; Grimalt, Joan O; Zwiener, Christian; Heederik, Dick; Zhang, Xiangru; Vineis, Paolo; Kogevinas, Manolis; Vermeulen, Roel

2017-08-01

Exposure to disinfectants and disinfection byproducts (DBPs) due to swimming in chlorinated water has been associated with allergic and respiratory health effects, including asthma. Biological mechanisms contributing to these associations are largely unknown. We hypothesized a potential pathway involving modulation of the immune system. We assessed levels of immune markers (CCL11, CCL22, CXCL10, CRP, EGF, GCSF, IL-8, IL-17, IL-1RA, MPO, VEGF, Periostin) in serum collected from 30 women and 29 men before and after 40min of swimming in a chlorinated pool. Exposure to DBPs was assessed by measuring bromodichloromethane, bromoform, chloroform, and dibromochloromethane in exhaled breath before and after swimming. Covariate data including information on physical activity was available through questionnaires and measurements. We assessed the association between indicators of swimming in a chlorinated pool and changes in serum immune marker concentrations using linear regression with bivariate normal distributions and adjusted for multiple comparisons by applying the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. We observed a significant decrease in serum concentrations of IL-8 (-12.53%; q=2.00e-03), CCL22 (-7.28%; q=4.00e-04), CCL11 (-7.15%; q=9.48e-02), CRP (-7.06%; q=4.68e-05), and CXCL10 (-13.03%; q=6.34e-14) and a significant increase in IL-1RA (20.16%; q=4.18e-06) from before to after swimming. Associations with quantitative measurements of DBPs or physical activity were similar in direction and strength. Most of the observed associations became non-significant when we adjusted the effects of exposure to DBPs for physical activity or vice-versa. Our study indicates that swimming in a chlorinated pool induces perturbations of the immune response through acute alterations of patterns of cytokine and chemokine secretion. The observed effects could not be uniquely attributed to either exposure to DBPs or physical activity. Evidence in the literature suggests that observed decreases in immune markers are possibly due to an immunosuppressive effect of DBPs, while the increase in IL-1RA might be due to physical activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of inclined soil layers on surface vibration from underground railways using a semi-analytical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, S.; Hunt, H.

2009-08-01

Ground vibration due to underground railways is a significant source of disturbance for people living or working near the subways. The numerical models used to predict vibration levels have inherent uncertainty which must be understood to give confidence in the predictions. A semi-analytical approach is developed herein to investigate the effect of soil layering on the surface vibration of a halfspace where both soil properties and layer inclination angles are varied. The study suggests that both material properties and inclination angle of the layers have significant effect (± 10dB) on the surface vibration response.

Virtual Laboratory Environment for High Voltage Radiation Source Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

Dielectric ," Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 103 (1998). 26.A. Valfells, J. P. Verboncoeur and Y. Y. Lau, " Space charge effects on multipactor on a dielec... effects at the edges of the surface, or due to space charge effects if a plasma is formed at the surface. High density multipactor can result in... multipactors , which can cause significant reflection and absorption of microwave power as well as space charge effects . X-rays can also

Calling in Sick: Impacts of Fever on Intra-Urban Human Mobility

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-13

Disease manifestations can significantly alter behavior in human and non-human animal hosts [1], leading to important consequences for the ecology of both...due to illness is a case in point. Such effects have potentially broad significance throughout epidemiology, ecology , and evolution. Hypothesized...goals and the nested relationships among our models [35]. 6 Ethics approval The procedures for enrollment of participants, dengue diagnosis

The Differential Oxidative Properties of Diesel Exhaust Particles

EPA Science Inventory

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) accounts for a significant percentage of particulate matter (PM) released into the atmosphere and are associated with adverse pulmonary effects. Due to their extremely small size and high surface area, DEP can adsorb toxic substances, thus potentia...

The Effects of Yoga on Positive Mental Health Among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Hendriks, Tom; de Jong, Joop; Cramer, Holger

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to present an overview of the research on the effects of yoga on positive mental health (PMH) among non-clinical adult populations. This was a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, including a risk of bias assessment. The electronic databases PubMed/Medline, Scopus, IndMED, and the Cochrane Library were searched from 1975 to 2015. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of yoga interventions on PMH among a healthy adult population were selected. A total of 17 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Four indicators of PMH were found: psychological well-being, life satisfaction, social relationships, and mindfulness. A significant increase in psychological well-being in favor of yoga over no active control was found. Overall risk of bias was unclear due to incomplete reporting. The current body of research offers weak evidence that the practice of yoga contributes to an increase in PMH among adults from non-clinical populations in general. Yoga was found to contribute to a significant increase in psychological well-being when compared to no intervention but not compared to physical activity. For life satisfaction (emotional well-being), social relationships (social well-being), and mindfulness no significant effects for yoga were found over active or non-active controls. Due to the limited amount of studies, the heterogeneity of the intervention, and perhaps the way PMH is being measured, any definite conclusions on the effects of yoga on PMH cannot be drawn.

Effect of different levels of rice bran processed by various techniques on performance of broiler chicks.

PubMed

Mujahid, A; Ul Haq, I; Asif, M; Hussain Gilani, A

2004-06-01

1. Rice bran processed by extrusion cooking, roasting or pelleting and treated with antioxidant was used in broiler starter and finisher diets at various concentrations up to 500 g/kg. 2. Extrusion cooking gave the best performance, followed by roasting, while non-significant differences were observed between raw and pelleted bran. 3. Increasing the amount of rice bran in broiler diets resulted in significantly negative effects on growth performance. Non-significant differences were observed in mortality and dressing percentage due to different processes and concentrations of rice bran in the diet. Organ weights were significantly higher on raw and pelleted rice bran as compared to extruded and roasted bran. Liver and heart weights significantly increased with increasing contents of rice bran above 200g/kg, while pancreas weight increased with an addition of rice bran. 4. Treating the rice bran with antioxidant up to 250ppm had non-significant effects on broiler performance.

Antiobesity Effect of Exopolysaccharides Isolated from Kefir Grains.

PubMed

Lim, Juha; Kale, Madhuvanti; Kim, Dong-Hyeon; Kim, Hong-Seok; Chon, Jung-Whan; Seo, Kun-Ho; Lee, Hyeon Gyu; Yokoyama, Wallace; Kim, Hyunsook

2017-11-22

Physiological properties of water-soluble exopolysaccharides (EPS) and residues after EPS removal (Res) from the probiotic kefir were determined in high-fat (HF) diet-fed C57BL/6J mice. EPS solutions showed rheological properties and lower viscosity compared to those of β-glucan (BG). EPS significantly suppressed the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Mice were fed HF diets containing 5% EPS, 5% BG, 8% Res, or 5% microcrystalline cellulose (control) for 4 weeks. Compared with the control, EPS supplementation significantly reduced HF diet-induced body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, and plasma very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration (P < 0.05). Res and BG significantly reduced body weight gain; however, reduction in adipose tissue weight was not statistically significant, suggesting that the antiobesity effect of EPS occurs due to viscosity and an additional factor. EPS supplementation significantly enhanced abundance of Akkermansia spp. in feces. These data indicate that EPS shows significant antiobesity effects possibly via intestinal microbiota alterations.

Effects on the reproductive system of young male rats of subcutaneous exposure to n-butylparaben.

PubMed

Garcia, Tania; Schreiber, Elga; Kumar, Vikas; Prasad, Raju; Sirvent, Juan J; Domingo, Jose L; Gómez, Mercedes

2017-08-01

This study was aimed at determining whether an in vivo subcutaneous exposure to n-butylparaben (n-ButP) during one complete spermatogenic cycle could be harmful to the reproductive system of young male rats. Animals were subcutaneously given 0, 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg/day of n-ButP with vehicle (peanut oil). Body and organ weights, n-ButP excretion, biochemical parameters, sperm and spermatid count, sperm motility, viability, maturity and morphology were examined. Results showed that after a completed spermatogenic cycle, although n-ButP did not induce dose-related changes in the different biochemical parameters, a significant decrease of triacylglicerides (TAG) -due to the vehicle-was found. Furthermore, no effects of n-ButP on body weight gain and relative organ weight changes were noted. Regarding sexual organs, prostate relative weight was significantly increased at the high dose of n-ButP. On the other hand, a significant increase of abnormal sperm morphology due to n-ButP exposure, accompanied by different alterations in sexual organs histopathology, was found. The current results indicate that subcutaneous exposure of n-ButP in young male rats induced toxic effects on the reproductive system, which could affect the capacity of fertilization of animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of matrix type mucoadhesive tablets containing indomethacin for buccal application.

PubMed

Ikeuchi-Takahashi, Yuri; Sasatsu, Masanaho; Onishi, Hiraku

2013-09-10

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are administered for pain relief from oral mucositis. However, the systemic administration of NSAIDs is limited due to systemic side effects. To avoid these side effects and treat local lesions effectively, a matrix type mucoadhesive tablet was developed. A mixture of hard fat, ethylcellulose (EC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as a matrix base, and indomethacin (IMC) was used as the principal agent. In tablets consisting of hard fat, EC and IMC, the drug release was sustained. In tablets consisting of hard fat, EC, considerable amounts of PEG and IMC, the drug release was relatively increased and IMC existed as the molecular phase or in an amorphous state. The in vitro adhesive force of the tablets consisting of hard fat, EC, considerable amounts of PEG and IMC was significantly increased as compared with the tablets consisting of hard fat and IMC. A significantly high tissue concentration and significantly low plasma concentration were observed after buccal administration of this matrix type mucoadhesive tablet as compared with that after oral administration of IMC. Thus, the matrix type mucoadhesive tablet has good potential as a preparation for the treatment of pain due to oral aphtha. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conduction at a ferroelectric interface

DOE PAGES

Marshall, Matthew S. J.; Malashevich, Andrei; Disa, Ankit S.; ...

2014-11-05

Typical logic elements utilizing the field effect rely on the change in carrier concentration due to the field in the channel region of the device. Ferroelectric-field-effect devices provide a nonvolatile version of this effect due to the stable polarization order parameter in the ferroelectric. In this study, we describe an oxide/oxide ferroelectric heterostructure device based on (001)-oriented PbZr₀̣.₂Ti₀.₈O₃-LaNiO₃ where the dominant change in conductivity is a result of a significant mobility change in the interfacial channel region. The effect is confined to a few atomic layers at the interface and is reversible by switching the ferroelectric polarization. More interestingly, inmore » one polarization state, the field effect induces a 1.7 eV shift of the interfacial bands to create a new conducting channel in the interfacial PbO layer of the ferroelectric.« less

Stochastic interactions of two Brownian hard spheres in the presence of depletants

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

Karzar-Jeddi, Mehdi; Fan, Tai-Hsi, E-mail: thfan@engr.uconn.edu; Tuinier, Remco

2014-06-07

A quantitative analysis is presented for the stochastic interactions of a pair of Brownian hard spheres in non-adsorbing polymer solutions. The hard spheres are hypothetically trapped by optical tweezers and allowed for random motion near the trapped positions. The investigation focuses on the long-time correlated Brownian motion. The mobility tensor altered by the polymer depletion effect is computed by the boundary integral method, and the corresponding random displacement is determined by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. From our computations it follows that the presence of depletion layers around the hard spheres has a significant effect on the hydrodynamic interactions and particle dynamicsmore » as compared to pure solvent and uniform polymer solution cases. The probability distribution functions of random walks of the two interacting hard spheres that are trapped clearly shift due to the polymer depletion effect. The results show that the reduction of the viscosity in the depletion layers around the spheres and the entropic force due to the overlapping of depletion zones have a significant influence on the correlated Brownian interactions.« less

Inositol uptake in rat aorta

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

Rapoport, R.M.; Van Gorp, C.; Chang, Ki-Churl

1990-01-01

{sup 3}H-inositol uptake into deendothelialized aorta was linear for at least 2 h and was composed of both a saturable, Na{sup +}-dependent, and a nonsaturable, Na{sup +}-independent component. The Na{sup +}-dependent component of inositol uptake had a K{sub m} of 50 {mu}M and a V{sub max} of 289 pmol/mg prot/h. Exposure to LiCl, ouabain, or Ca{sup 2+} - free Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution inhibited uptake. Metabolic poisoning with dinitrophenol, as well as incubation with phloretin, an inhibitor of carrier-mediated hexose transport, also inhibited uptake. Exposure to norepinephrine decreased inositol uptake, while phorbol myristate acetate was without effect. Isobutylmethylxanthine significantly increased inositolmore » uptake, while the increased uptake due to dibutyryl cyclic AMP and forskolin were not statistically significant. Sodium nitroprusside, and activator of guanylate cyclase, and 8-bromo cyclic GMP, were without effect on uptake, as was methylene blue, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. Inositol uptake into the aorta was increased when the endothelium was allowed to remain intact, although this effect was likely due to uptake in both the endothelial and smooth muscle cells.« less

Immunotoxicological effects of JP-8 jet fuel exposure.

PubMed

Harris, D T; Sakiestewa, D; Robledo, R F; Witten, M

1997-01-01

Chronic exposure to jet fuel has been shown to have adverse effects on human liver function, to cause emotional dysfunction, to cause abnormal electroencephalograms, to cause shortened attention spans, and to decrease sensorimotor speed (3-5). Due to the decision by the United States Air Force to implement the widespread use of JP-8 jet fuel in its operations, a thorough understanding of its potential effects upon exposed personnel is both critical and necessary. Exposure to potential environmental toxicants such as JP-8 may have significant effects on host systems beyond those readily visible (e.g., physiology, cardiology, respiratory, etc.); e.g., the immune system. Significant changes in immune consequences, even if short-lived, may have serious consequences for the exposed host that may impinge affect susceptibility to infectious agents. Major alterations in immune function that are long-lasting may result in an increased likelihood of development and/or progression of cancer, as well as autoimmune diseases. In the current study mice were exposed for 1h/day for 7 days to varying concentrations of aerosolized JP-8 jet fuel to simulate occupational exposures. Twenty-four hours after the last exposure the mice were analyzed for effects on their immune systems. It was observed that even at exposure concentrations as low as 100 mg/m3 detrimental effects on the immune system occurred. Decreases in viable immune cell numbers and immune organ weights were found. Jet fuel exposure resulted in losses of different immune cell subpopulations depending upon the immune organ being examined. Further, JP-8 exposure resulted in significantly decreased immune function, as analyzed by mitogenesis assays. Suppressed immune function could not be overcome by the addition of exogenous growth factors known to stimulate immune function. Thus, short-term, low concentration exposure of mice to JP-8 jet fuel caused significant toxicological effects on the immune system. It appears that the immune system may be the most sensitive indicator of toxicological damage due to JP-8 exposure, as effects were seen at concentrations of jet fuel that did not evidence change in other biological systems. Such changes may have significant effects on the health of the exposed individual.

Teaching Effectiveness of Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers in Business Disciplines: Intercultural Communication Apprehension and Ethnocentrism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abayadeera, Nadana; Mihret, Dessalegn Getie; Hewa Dulige, Jayasinghe

2018-01-01

Teaching effectiveness of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNEST) in accounting, economics and finance has become a significant issue due to the increasing trend of hiring NNEST in business schools. However, the literature has focused on the English language competence of NNEST, which is only one element of the factors that influence teaching…

Improved image quality during abdominal ultrasonography by clebopride + simethicone.

PubMed

Varas, M J; López, A

1991-01-01

The use of clebopride + simethicone (Flatoril) was assessed as a possible solution to the problem of ultrasound imaging of the pancreas area. A statistically significant improvement was found in head and body imaging of the pancreas (76%). This is due to simethicone's antiflatulence effect and the movement of gas towards the intestine and colon as a result of clebopride's gastrointestinal emptying effect.

Investigation of nanosecond pulse dielectric barrier discharges in still air and in transonic flow by optical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peschke, P.; Goekce, S.; Leyland, P.; Ott, P.

2016-01-01

In the present study the interaction of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (ns-DBD) actuators with aerodynamic flow up to transonic velocities was investigated. The primary focus was on the influence of the flow on the discharge and the effects of the discharge itself. In addition, the influence of the ns-DBD on a shock-wave was studied. The aim was to improve the understanding of the plasma-flow interaction, a topic that is not yet fully understood, in particular for ns-DBD. The actuator was integrated in two different models, a NACA 3506 compressor blade profile and a bump geometry at the bottom of the wind tunnel. The effect of the rapid energy deposition close to the discharge was examined with the phase-locked schlieren visualisation technique. Images of the plasma acquired with short exposure times revealed information on the discharge evolution. The results show a significant effect of the flow on the discharge characteristics, in particular due to the drop of static pressure. On the other hand, no significant effect of the ns-DBD on the flow was observed due to unfavourable flow conditions, which underlines the importance of the actuator’s placement.

Effects of sodium salicylate on the determination of Lead-210/Bismuth-210 by Cerenkov counting.

PubMed

Wang, Yadong; Yang, Yonggang; Song, Lijuan; Ma, Yan; Luo, Maoyi; Dai, Xiongxin

2018-05-21

Due to the nature of Cerenkov radiation and instrumental limitations, detection efficiencies of 210 Bi by Cerenkov counting are generally quite low (~15%). Sodium salicylate, acting as a wavelength shifter, has been used to improve the detection efficiency of Cerenkov photons. In this study, we found that the addition of sodium salicylate could significantly increase the counting efficiencies of 210 Pb/ 210 Bi in aqueous samples. Meanwhile, a sharp increase of the counting efficiency for the alphas from 210 Po was also observed with the addition of high concentration of sodium salicylate, implying that scintillation light rather than Cerenkov photons from the alphas has been produced. Detailed studies about the effects of sodium salicylate on the counting of 210 Pb, 210 Bi and 210 Po were conducted. At low concentration (< 0.5 mg g -1 ) of sodium salicylate, only a small increase in Cerenkov counting efficiency for 210 Bi by the wavelength-shifting effect could be observed. Meanwhile, the counting efficiency for 210 Bi at high concentration (> 1 mg g -1 ) of sodium salicylate would significantly increase due to the scintillation effect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prostate Artery Embolization for Complete Urinary Outflow Obstruction Due to Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

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

Yu, Simon Chun Ho, E-mail: simonyu@cuhk.edu.hk; Cho, Carmen Chi Min; Hung, Esther Hiu Yee

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PAE in weaning of catheter and relieving obstructive urinary symptoms in patients with acute urinary retention (AUR) due to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and failed trial without catheter (TWOC).Materials and MethodsIn this prospective study approved by the institutional review board, a signed informed consent was obtained. Eighteen consecutive patients with AUR due to BPH and failed TWOC were recruited. Nineteen consecutive patients with BPH but without AUR were recruited as a control. Patients with CTA evidence of arterial occlusion or significant stenosis along the prostate artery access path were excluded. PAE was performedmore » using microspheres (100–300 μm diameter). Outcome assessment included successful weaning of catheter in 2 weeks, procedure-related complications, change of symptomatology and urodynamic findings at 1 month as compared to baseline, percent non-perfused prostate volume, and prostate volume reduction on MRI at 2 weeks.ResultsTwo patients in the study group and four in the control group were excluded due to arterial pathology. Embolization of bilateral prostate arteries was achieved in all patients in both the groups (100%). There was no complication. The catheter was successfully weaned in 87.5% (14/16) of patients within 14 days in the treatment group. There was no significant difference in patient demographics, prostate characteristics, and all outcome assessment parameters between both the groups.ConclusionsPAE was probably safe and effective in weaning of catheter and relieving obstructive urinary symptoms in patients due to BPH, with treatment outcomes comparable to those without AUR.« less

Socio-Economic Differentials in Impoverishment Effects of Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure in China and India: Evidence from WHO SAGE

PubMed Central

Kumar, Kaushalendra; Singh, Ashish; Kumar, Santosh; Ram, Faujdar; Singh, Abhishek; Ram, Usha; Negin, Joel; Kowal, Paul R.

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives The provision of affordable health care is generally considered a fundamental goal of a welfare state. In addition to its role in maintaining and improving the health status of individuals and households, it impacts the economic prosperity of a society through its positive effects on labor productivity. Given this context, this paper assesses socioeconomic-differentials in the impact of out-of-pocket-health-expenditure (OOPHE) on impoverishment in China and India, two of the fastest growing economies of the world. Data and Methods The paper uses data from the World Health Organisation’s Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (WHO SAGE), and Bivariate as well as Multivariate analyses for investigating the socioeconomic-differentials in the impact of out-of-pocket-health-expenditure (OOPHE) on impoverishment in China and India. Results and Conclusions Annually, about 7% and 8% of the population in China and India, respectively, fall in poverty due to OOPHE. Also, the percentage shortfall in income for the population from poverty line due to OOPHE is 2% in China and 1.3% in India. Further, findings from the multivariate analysis indicate that lower wealth status and inpatient as well as outpatient care increase the odds of falling below poverty line significantly (with the extent much higher in the case of in-patient care) due to OOPHE in both China and India. In addition, having at least an under-5 child in the household, living in rural areas and having a household head with no formal education increases the odds of falling below poverty line significantly (compared to a head with college level education) due to OOPHE in China; whereas having at least an under-5 child, not having health insurance and residing in rural areas increases the odds of becoming poor significantly due to OOPHE in India. PMID:26270049

Socio-Economic Differentials in Impoverishment Effects of Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure in China and India: Evidence from WHO SAGE.

PubMed

Kumar, Kaushalendra; Singh, Ashish; Kumar, Santosh; Ram, Faujdar; Singh, Abhishek; Ram, Usha; Negin, Joel; Kowal, Paul R

2015-01-01

The provision of affordable health care is generally considered a fundamental goal of a welfare state. In addition to its role in maintaining and improving the health status of individuals and households, it impacts the economic prosperity of a society through its positive effects on labor productivity. Given this context, this paper assesses socioeconomic-differentials in the impact of out-of-pocket-health-expenditure (OOPHE) on impoverishment in China and India, two of the fastest growing economies of the world. The paper uses data from the World Health Organisation's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (WHO SAGE), and Bivariate as well as Multivariate analyses for investigating the socioeconomic-differentials in the impact of out-of-pocket-health-expenditure (OOPHE) on impoverishment in China and India. Annually, about 7% and 8% of the population in China and India, respectively, fall in poverty due to OOPHE. Also, the percentage shortfall in income for the population from poverty line due to OOPHE is 2% in China and 1.3% in India. Further, findings from the multivariate analysis indicate that lower wealth status and inpatient as well as outpatient care increase the odds of falling below poverty line significantly (with the extent much higher in the case of in-patient care) due to OOPHE in both China and India. In addition, having at least an under-5 child in the household, living in rural areas and having a household head with no formal education increases the odds of falling below poverty line significantly (compared to a head with college level education) due to OOPHE in China; whereas having at least an under-5 child, not having health insurance and residing in rural areas increases the odds of becoming poor significantly due to OOPHE in India.

Tricuspid valve chordal rupture due to airbag injury and review of pathophysiological mechanisms.

PubMed

Thekkudan, Joyce; Luckraz, Heyman; Ng, Alex; Norell, Mike

2012-09-01

Blunt trauma to the chest is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The latter is usually due to an aortic transection, whereas the former is related to myocardial contusion, cardiac valve injury, coronary artery disruption and intracardiac shunts due to the formation of septal defects. The main mechanisms causing these injuries are due to the sudden deceleration force and compression within the chest cavity. Moreover, there is also the sudden increase in intravascular pressure due to a mechanical compression effect and a hormonal adrenergic surge during the event. We report a case of a tricuspid valve injury caused by the deployment of the airbag during a high-speed impact car accident and the subsequent damage to the tricuspid valve chordal mechanism. The patient's management and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the injury are reviewed.

Analysis of Aeroheating Augmentation due to Reaction Control System Jets on Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyakonov, Artem A.; Buck, Gregory M.; Decaro, Anthony D.

2009-01-01

The analysis of effects of the reaction control system jet plumes on aftbody heating of Orion entry capsule is presented. The analysis covered hypersonic continuum part of the entry trajectory. Aerothermal environments at flight conditions were evaluated using Langley Aerothermal Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA) code and Data Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) algorithm code. Results show a marked augmentation of aftbody heating due to roll, yaw and aft pitch thrusters. No significant augmentation is expected due to forward pitch thrusters. Of the conditions surveyed the maximum heat rate on the aftshell is expected when firing a pair of roll thrusters at a maximum deceleration condition.

Risetime distortion of Shuttle Ku-band payload 50 MBPS data due to coaxial cable skin effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schadelbauer, S.; Vang, H. A.

1980-01-01

This paper discusses distortion of digital signals generated in the Space Shuttle Ku-band communications systems. Specifically, the degradation considered is due to coaxial cables which interface data and clock from a source located in the payload bay to the KuSPA (Ku-Band Signal Processor Assembly) located in the avionics bay of the Shuttle. Due to the length (nearly 100 feet) and relatively narrow bandwidth of the cable, the clock and data waveforms are significantly affected by this transmission medium. This paper presents a closed form model that closely approximates the distortion of the waveforms measured in laboratory tests.

Antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans and inhibition of bacterial induced enamel demineralization of propolis, miswak, and chitosan nanoparticles based dental varnishes.

PubMed

Wassel, Mariem O; Khattab, Mona A

2017-07-01

Using natural products can be a cost-effective approach for caries prevention especially in low income countries where dental caries is highly prevalent and the resources are limited. Specially prepared dental varnishes containing propolis, miswak, and chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) with or without sodium fluoride (NaF) were assessed for antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans ) using disk diffusion test. In addition, the protective effect of a single pretreatment of primary teeth enamel specimens against in vitro bacterial induced enamel demineralization was assessed for 3 days. All natural products containing varnishes inhibited bacterial growth significantly better than 5% NaF varnish, with NaF loaded CS-NPs (CSF-NPs) showing the highest antibacterial effect, though it didn't significantly differ than those of other varnishes except miswak ethanolic extract (M) varnish. Greater inhibitory effect was noted with varnish containing freeze dried aqueous miswak extract compared to that containing ethanolic miswak extract, possibly due to concentration of antimicrobial substances by freeze drying. Adding natural products to NaF in a dental varnish showed an additive effect especially compared to fluoride containing varnish. 5% NaF varnish showed the best inhibition of demineralization effect. Fluoride containing miswak varnish (MF) and CSF-NPs varnish inhibited demineralization significantly better than all experimental varnishes, especially during the first 2 days, though CSF-NPs varnish had a low fluoride concentration, probably due to better availability of fluoride ions and the smaller size of nanoparticles. Incorporating natural products with fluoride into dental varnishes can be an effective approach for caries prevention, especially miswak and propolis when financial resources are limited.

Long-term effects of early parental loss due to divorce on the HPA axis.

PubMed

Bloch, Miki; Peleg, Ido; Koren, Danny; Aner, Hamotal; Klein, Ehud

2007-04-01

We investigated the long-term effects of divorce and early separation from one parent on HPA axis reactivity, in young adults without psychopathology. Participants were 44 young subjects, 22 whose parents divorced before they reached age 10, and 22 controls. Psychiatric symptomatology was measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), family perceived stress by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and bonding by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Assessment of HPA axis function included baseline morning cortisol and ACTH and cortisol response to a CRH stimulation test. No baseline or stimulated group differences were observed for ACTH. Cortisol levels were consistently but insignificantly lower in the divorce group throughout the CRH stimulation reaching statistical significance only at 5 min (p<0.03). Group by time effect reached a trend level (p<0.06). A correlation was found between psychiatric symptomatology and PBI scores; however, both parameters did not correlate with HPA axis activity. A significant correlation was found between DAS scores and ACTH. A regression model revealed a contributing effect for both family stress and child-parent bonding to stimulated ACTH levels. These preliminary findings suggest that even in the absence of adult psychopathology, a history of childhood separation from one parent due to divorce may lead to detectable, albeit mild, long-term alterations in HPA axis activity. Furthermore, they suggest that level of stress at home and parental bonding are important determinants of this effect. It is likely that divorce has significant and sustained effects on children's HPA axis only in the context of a traumatic separation.

An unusual case of lung abscess caused by Acremonium species treated with itraconazole.

PubMed

Qazi, M S; Bowalekar, S S; Wanjare, V S; Shankar, A

2015-01-01

We present a report of a 37-year-old female with lung abscess due to Acremonium species that responded to oral itraconazole. There was a marked clinical as well as radiological improvement in patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of lung abscess due to Acremonium species which was treated by oral itraconazole. This cost-effective treatment modality proved to be significant in improving symptoms as well as morbidity in this patient.

Nonlinear whistler waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasko, I.; Agapitov, O. V.; Mozer, F.; Bonnell, J. W.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Artemyev, A.; Drake, J. F.

2017-12-01

Chorus waves observed in the Earth inner magnetosphere sometimes exhibit significantly distorted (nonharmonic) parallel electric field waveform. In spectrograms these waveform features show up as overtones of chorus wave. In this work we show that the chorus wave parallel electric field is distorted due to finite temperature of electrons. The distortion of the parallel electric field is described analytically and reproduced in the numerical fluid simulations. Due to this effect the chorus energy is transferred to higher frequencies making possible efficient scattering of low ( a few keV) energy electrons.

Effect of thiram on chicken growth plate cartilage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thiram is a general use dithiocarbamate pesticide. It causes tibial dyschondroplasia, a growth plate cartilage defect in poultry characterized by growth plate broadening due to the accumulation of nonviable chondrocytes which lead to lameness. Since proteins play significant roles in all aspects cel...

Porosity and permeability studies of Virginia aggregates : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-01-01

It is generally recognized that the volume and geometry of included pores within a mineral aggregate have a significant effect on the physical and chemical behavior of the aggregate when used as a structural material. However due to the technical dif...

Social Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckingham Shum, Simon; Ferguson, Rebecca

2012-01-01

We propose that the design and implementation of effective "Social Learning Analytics (SLA)" present significant challenges and opportunities for both research and enterprise, in three important respects. The first is that the learning landscape is extraordinarily turbulent at present, in no small part due to technological drivers.…

Statistical analysis of effective singular values in matrix rank determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konstantinides, Konstantinos; Yao, Kung

1988-01-01

A major problem in using SVD (singular-value decomposition) as a tool in determining the effective rank of a perturbed matrix is that of distinguishing between significantly small and significantly large singular values to the end, conference regions are derived for the perturbed singular values of matrices with noisy observation data. The analysis is based on the theories of perturbations of singular values and statistical significance test. Threshold bounds for perturbation due to finite-precision and i.i.d. random models are evaluated. In random models, the threshold bounds depend on the dimension of the matrix, the noisy variance, and predefined statistical level of significance. Results applied to the problem of determining the effective order of a linear autoregressive system from the approximate rank of a sample autocorrelation matrix are considered. Various numerical examples illustrating the usefulness of these bounds and comparisons to other previously known approaches are given.

Simulating the effects of upstream turbulence on dispersion around a building

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

Zhang, Y.Q.; Arya, S.P.S.; Huber, A.H.

The effects of high turbulence versus no turbulence in a sheared boundary-layer flow approaching a building are being investigated by a turbulent kinetic energy/dissipation model (TEMPEST). The effects on both the mean flow and the concentration field around a cubical building are presented. The numerical simulations demonstrate significant effects due to the differences in the incident flow. The addition of upstream turbulence results in a reduced size of the cavity directly behind the building. The velocity deficits in the wake strongly depend on the upstream turbulence intensities. The accuracy of numerical simulations is verified by comparing the predicted mean flowmore » and concentration fields with the wind tunnel measurements of Castro and Robins (1977) and Robins and Castro (1977, 1975). Comparing the results with experimental data, the authors show that the TEMPEST model can reasonably simulate the mean flow. The numerical simulations of the concentration fields due to a source on the roof-top of the building are presented. Both the value and the position of the maximum ground-level concentration are changed dramatically due to the effects of the upstream level of turblence.« less

Direction-dependent Corrections in Polarimetric Radio Imaging. I. Characterizing the Effects of the Primary Beam on Full-Stokes Imaging

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

Jagannathan, P.; Bhatnagar, S.; Rau, U.

Next generation radio telescope arrays are being designed and commissioned to accurately measure polarized intensity and rotation measures (RMs) across the entire sky through deep, wide-field radio interferometric surveys. Radio interferometer dish antenna arrays are affected by direction-dependent (DD) gains due to both instrumental and atmospheric effects. In this paper, we demonstrate the effect of DD errors of the parabolic dish antenna array on the measured polarized intensities of radio sources in interferometric images. We characterize the extent of polarimetric image degradation due to the DD gains through wide-band VLA simulations of representative point-source simulations of the radio sky atmore » L band (1–2 GHz). We show that at the 0.5 gain level of the primary beam there is significant flux leakage from Stokes I to Q , U amounting to 10% of the total intensity. We further demonstrate that while the instrumental response averages down for observations over large parallactic angle intervals, full-polarization DD correction is required to remove the effects of DD leakage. We also explore the effect of the DD beam on the RM signals and show that while the instrumental effect is primarily centered around 0 rad-m{sup −2}, the effect is significant over a broad range of RM requiring full polarization DD correction to accurately reconstruct the RM synthesis signal.« less

Secondary pool boiling effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, C.; Tsubaki, A.; Zuhlke, C.; Anderson, T.; Alexander, D.; Gogos, G.; Ndao, S.

2016-02-01

A pool boiling phenomenon referred to as secondary boiling effects is discussed. Based on the experimental trends, a mechanism is proposed that identifies the parameters that lead to this phenomenon. Secondary boiling effects refer to a distinct decrease in the wall superheat temperature near the critical heat flux due to a significant increase in the heat transfer coefficient. Recent pool boiling heat transfer experiments using femtosecond laser processed Inconel, stainless steel, and copper multiscale surfaces consistently displayed secondary boiling effects, which were found to be a result of both temperature drop along the microstructures and nucleation characteristic length scales. The temperature drop is a function of microstructure height and thermal conductivity. An increased microstructure height and a decreased thermal conductivity result in a significant temperature drop along the microstructures. This temperature drop becomes more pronounced at higher heat fluxes and along with the right nucleation characteristic length scales results in a change of the boiling dynamics. Nucleation spreads from the bottom of the microstructure valleys to the top of the microstructures, resulting in a decreased surface superheat with an increasing heat flux. This decrease in the wall superheat at higher heat fluxes is reflected by a "hook back" of the traditional boiling curve and is thus referred to as secondary boiling effects. In addition, a boiling hysteresis during increasing and decreasing heat flux develops due to the secondary boiling effects. This hysteresis further validates the existence of secondary boiling effects.

Quantifying the role of fire in the Earth system - Part 2: Impact on the net carbon balance of global terrestrial ecosystems for the 20th century

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

Li, Fang; Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin; Levis, Samuel

Fire is the primary terrestrial ecosystem disturbance agent on a global scale. It affects carbon balance of global terrestrial ecosystems by emitting carbon to atmosphere directly and immediately from biomass burning (i.e., fire direct effect), and by changing net ecosystem productivity and land-use carbon loss in post-fire regions due to biomass burning and fire-induced vegetation mortality (i.e., fire indirect effect). Here, we provide the first quantitative assessment about the impact of fire on the net carbon balance of global terrestrial ecosystems for the 20th century, and investigate the roles of fire direct and indirect effects. This study is done bymore » quantifying the difference between the 20th century fire-on and fire-off simulations with NCAR community land model CLM4.5 as the model platform. Results show that fire decreases net carbon gain of the global terrestrial ecosystems by 1.0 Pg C yr-1 average across the 20th century, as a results of fire direct effect (1.9 Pg C yr-1) partly offset by indirect effect (-0.9 Pg C yr-1). Fire generally decreases the average carbon gains of terrestrial ecosystems in post-fire regions, which are significant over tropical savannas and part of forests in North America and the east of Asia. The general decrease of carbon gains in post-fire regions is because fire direct and indirect effects have similar spatial patterns and the former (to decrease carbon gain) is generally stronger. Moreover, the effect of fire on net carbon balance significantly declines prior to ~1970 with trend of 8 Tg C yr-1 due to increasing fire indirect effect and increases afterward with trend of 18 Tg C yr-1 due to increasing fire direct effect.« less

Evaluation of Approaches to Deal with Low-Frequency Nuisance Covariates in Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses.

PubMed

Lagishetty, Chakradhar V; Duffull, Stephen B

2015-11-01

Clinical studies include occurrences of rare variables, like genotypes, which due to their frequency and strength render their effects difficult to estimate from a dataset. Variables that influence the estimated value of a model-based parameter are termed covariates. It is often difficult to determine if such an effect is significant, since type I error can be inflated when the covariate is rare. Their presence may have either an insubstantial effect on the parameters of interest, hence are ignorable, or conversely they may be influential and therefore non-ignorable. In the case that these covariate effects cannot be estimated due to power and are non-ignorable, then these are considered nuisance, in that they have to be considered but due to type 1 error are of limited interest. This study assesses methods of handling nuisance covariate effects. The specific objectives include (1) calibrating the frequency of a covariate that is associated with type 1 error inflation, (2) calibrating its strength that renders it non-ignorable and (3) evaluating methods for handling these non-ignorable covariates in a nonlinear mixed effects model setting. Type 1 error was determined for the Wald test. Methods considered for handling the nuisance covariate effects were case deletion, Box-Cox transformation and inclusion of a specific fixed effects parameter. Non-ignorable nuisance covariates were found to be effectively handled through addition of a fixed effect parameter.

Bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration in freshly isolated sheep lungs.

PubMed

Wong, William D; Wang, Lu; Paré, Peter D; Seow, Chun Y

2017-02-01

Taking a big breath is known to reverse bronchoconstriction induced by bronchochallenge in healthy subjects; this bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration (DI) is diminished in asthmatics. The mechanism underlying the DI effect is not clear. Observations from experiments using isolated airway smooth muscle (ASM) preparations and airway segments suggest that straining of ASM due to DI could lead to bronchodilation, possibly due to strain-induced reduction in ASM contractility. However, factors external to the lung cannot be excluded as potential causes for the DI effect. Neural reflex initiated by stretch receptors in the lung are known to inhibit the broncho-motor tone and enhance vasodilatation; the former directly reduces airway resistance, and the latter facilitates removal of contractile agonists through the bronchial circulation. If the DI effect is solely mediated by factors extrinsic to the lung, the DI effect would be absent in isolated, nonperfused lungs. Here we examined the DI effect in freshly isolated, nonperfused sheep lungs. We found that imposition of DI on isolated lungs resulted in significant bronchodilation, that this DI effect was present only after the lungs were challenged with a contractile agonist (acetylcholine or histamine), and that the effect was independent of the difference in lung volume observed pre- and post-DI. We conclude that a significant portion of the bronchodilatory DI effect stems from factors internal to the lung related to the activation of ASM. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Investigating the effects of nanoparticles on reproduction and development in Drosophila melanogaster and CD-1 mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philbrook, Nicola Anne

Manufactured nanoparticles (NPs) are a class of small (≤ 100 nm) materials that are being used for a variety of purposes, including industrial lubricants, food additives, antibacterial agents, as well as delivery systems for drug and gene therapies. Their unique characteristics due to their small size as well as their parent materials allow them to be exploited in convenience applications; however, some of these properties also allow them to interact with and invade biological systems. Few studies have been performed to determine the potential harm that NPs can inflict on reproductive and developmental processes in organisms. In this study, Drosophila melanogaster and CD-1 mice were orally exposed to varying doses of titanium dioxide (TiO 2) NPs, silver (Ag) NPs, or hydroxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) and Drosophila were also exposed to microparticles (MPs) as a control for particle size. The subsequent effect of these materials on reproduction and development were evaluated. Strikingly, each type of NP studied negatively affected either reproduction or development in one or both of the two model systems. TiO2 NPs significantly negative effected both CD-1 mouse development (100 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg) as well as Drosophila female fecundity (0.005%-0.5% w/v). Ag NPs significantly reduced mouse fetus viability after prenatal exposure to10 mg/kg. Ag NPs also significantly decreased the developmental success of Drosophila when they were directly exposed to these NPs (0.05% - 0.5% w/v) compared to both the vehicle and MP controls. fCNTs significantly increased the presence of morphological defects, resorptions and skeletal abnormalities in CD-1 mice, but had little effect on Drosophila. We speculate that the differences seen in the effects of NP types may be partially due to differences in reproductive physiology as well as each organism's ability to internalize these NPs. Whereas the differing response of each organism to a NP type was likely due in part to varying durations of exposure. Since NPs are a popular commodity in today's consumer world, the research presented here accentuates the need for further studies on the detrimental effects that these particles may have on a variety of developing organisms and on female reproductive health.

Uptake of CeO2 nanoparticles and its effect on growth of Medicago arborea In vitro plantlets.

PubMed

Gomez-Garay, Aranzazu; Pintos, Beatriz; Manzanera, Jose Antonio; Lobo, Carmen; Villalobos, Nieves; Martín, Luisa

2014-10-01

The present study analyzes some effects of nano-CeO2 particles on the growth of in vitro plantlets of Medicago arborea when the nanoceria was added to the culture medium. Various concentrations of nano-CeO2 and bulk ceric oxide particles in suspension form were introduced to the agar culture medium to compare the effects of nanoceria versus ceric oxide bulk material. Germination rate and shoot dry weight were not affected by the addition of ceric oxide to the culture media. Furthermore, no effects were observed on chlorophyll content (single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) measurements) due to the presence of either nano- or micro-CeO2 in the culture medium. When low concentrations of nanoceria were added to the medium, the number of trifoliate leaves and the root length increased but the root dry weight decreased. Also the values of maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (F(v)/F m) showed a significant decrease. Dark-adapted minimum fluorescence (F 0) significantly increased in the presence of 200 mg L(-1) nanoceria and 400 mg L(-1) bulk material. Root tissues were more sensitive to nanoceria than were the shoots at lower concentrations of nanoceria. A stress effect was observed on M. arborea plantlets due to cerium uptake.

Modeling Strain Rate Effect of Heterogeneous Materials Using SPH Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, G. W.; Wang, X. J.; Li, Q. M.

2010-11-01

The strain rate effect on the dynamic compressive failure of heterogeneous material based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is studied. The SPH method employs a rate-insensitive elasto-plastic damage model incorporated with a Weibull distribution law to reflect the mechanical behavior of heterogeneous rock-like materials. A series of simulations are performed for heterogeneous specimens by applying axial velocity conditions, which induce different strain-rate loadings to the specimen. A detailed failure process of the specimens in terms of microscopic crack-activities and the macro-mechanical response are discussed. Failure mechanisms between the low and high strain rate cases are compared. The result shows that the strain-rate effects on the rock strength are mainly caused by the changing internal pressure due to the inertial effects as well as the material heterogeneity. It also demonstrates that the inertial effect becomes significant only when the induced strain rate exceeds a threshold, below which, the dynamic strength enhancement can be explained due to the heterogeneities in the material. It also shows that the dynamic strength is affected more significantly for a relatively more heterogeneous specimen, which coincides with the experimental results showing that the poor quality specimen had a relatively larger increase in the dynamic strength.

The Effect of Memantine on Functional Recovery of the Sciatic Nerve Crush Injury in Rats.

PubMed

Ghayour, Mohammad-Bagher; Abdolmaleki, Arash; Behnam-Rassouli, Morteza

2017-01-01

Following severe peripheral nerve injury (PNI), regeneration is often insufficient and functional recovery is incomplete. In this regard, glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist such as Memantine have been shown to have neuroprotective effects. We evaluated the effects of Memantine against sciatic nerve crush injury in male Wistar Rats. Memantine or vehicle was given parenteraly to rats for 7 days postoperative. In Memantine treatment groups, a single dose of agent (5 and 10 mg/kg) was administered daily. The control group was given vehicle in the same manner. The rats were subjected to crush injury in the left sciatic nerve with non-serrated clamp for 30 seconds. Behavioural, electrophysiological and morphological alterations were evaluated during the experimental period. Results showed that Memantine has no significant effect on regeneration process rate and functional recovery quality. In the sciatic functional index (SFI) test no significant difference was observed between Memantine treatment groups (5 and 10 mg/ kg) at any week. Since the major neuroprotective effect of Memantine is due to its protective activity against NMDA receptormediated excitotoxicity, it seems that glutamate excitotoxicity is less important in motor impairment due to sciatic nerve crush injury. It is clear that more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Interleukin 13– and interleukin 17A–induced pulmonary hypertension phenotype due to inhalation of antigen and fine particles from air pollution

PubMed Central

Park, Sung-Hyun; Chen, Wen-Chi; Esmaeil, Nafiseh; Lucas, Benjamin; Marsh, Leigh M.; Reibman, Joan

2014-01-01

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension has a marked detrimental effect on quality of life and life expectancy. In a mouse model of antigen-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling, we have recently shown that coexposure to urban ambient particulate matter (PM) significantly increased the thickening of the pulmonary arteries and also resulted in significantly increased right ventricular systolic pressures. Here we interrogate the mechanism and show that combined neutralization of interleukin 13 (IL-13) and IL-17A significantly ameliorated the increase in right ventricular systolic pressure, the circumferential muscularization of pulmonary arteries, and the molecular change in the right ventricle. Surprisingly, our data revealed a protective role of IL-17A for the antigen- and PM-induced severe thickening of pulmonary arteries. This protection was due to the inhibition of the effects of IL-13, which drove this response, and the expression of metalloelastase and resistin-like molecule α. However, the latter was redundant for the arterial thickening response. Anti-IL-13 exacerbated airway neutrophilia, which was due to a resulting excess effect of IL-17A, confirming concurrent cross inhibition of IL-13- and IL-17A-dependent responses in the lungs of animals exposed to antigen and PM. Our experiments also identified IL-13/IL-17A-independent molecular reprogramming in the lungs induced by exposure to antigen and PM, which indicates a risk for arterial remodeling and protection from arterial constriction. Our study points to IL-13- and IL-17A-coinduced inflammation as a new template for biomarkers and therapeutic targeting for the management of immune response–induced pulmonary hypertension. PMID:25610601

Comparison of recycling outcomes in three types of recycling collection units.

PubMed

Andrews, Ashley; Gregoire, Mary; Rasmussen, Heather; Witowich, Gretchen

2013-03-01

Commercial institutions have many factors to consider when implementing an effective recycling program. This study examined the effectiveness of three different types of recycling bins on recycling accuracy by determining the percent weight of recyclable material placed in the recycling bins, comparing the percent weight of recyclable material by type of container used, and examining whether a change in signage increased recycling accuracy. Data were collected over 6 weeks totaling 30 days from 3 different recycling bin types at a Midwest University medical center. Five bin locations for each bin type were used. Bags from these bins were collected, sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable material, and weighed. The percent recyclable material was calculated using these weights. Common contaminates found in the bins were napkins and paper towels, plastic food wrapping, plastic bags, and coffee cups. The results showed a significant difference in percent recyclable material between bin types and bin locations. Bin type 2 was found to have one bin location to be statistically different (p=0.048), which may have been due to lack of a trash bin next to the recycling bin in that location. Bin type 3 had significantly lower percent recyclable material (p<0.001), which may have been due to lack of a trash bin next to the recycling bin and increased contamination due to the combination of commingled and paper into one bag. There was no significant change in percent recyclable material in recycling bins post signage change. These results suggest a signage change may not be an effective way, when used alone, to increase recycling compliance and accuracy. This study showed two or three-compartment bins located next to a trash bin may be the best bin type for recycling accuracy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Curcuma longa rhizome and curcumin on total and differential WBC and serum oxidant, antioxidant biomarkers in rat model of asthma.

PubMed

Shakeri, Farzaneh; Soukhtanloo, Mohammad; Boskabady, Mohammad Hossein

2017-02-01

The effects of Curcuma longa ( C. longa ) and curcumin on total and differential WBC count and oxidant, antioxidant biomarkers, in rat model of asthma were evaluated. Total and differential WBC count in the blood, NO 2 , NO 3 , MDA, SOD, CAT and thiol levels in serum were examined in control, asthma, Asthmatic rats treated with C. longa (0.75, 1.50, and 3.00 mg/ml), curcumin (0.15, 0.30, and 0.60 mg/ml), and dexamethasone (1.25 μg/ml) rats. Total and most differential WBC count, NO 2 , NO 3 and MDA were increased but lymphocytes, SOD, CAT and thiol were decreased in asthmatic animals compared to controls ( P <0.001). Total WBC, NO 2 and NO 3 were significantly reduced in treated groups with dexamethasone and all concentrations of C. longa and curcumin compared to asthmatic group ( P <0.001 for all cases). MDA was significantly decreased, but SOD, CAT and thiol increased in treated asthma animals with dexamethasone and two higher concentrations of C. longa and curcumin ( P <0.01 to P<0.001). There were significant improvement in eosinophil percentage due to treatment of highest concentration of the extract and curcumin, neutrophil and monocyte due to highest concentration of curcumin and lymphocyte due to highest concentration of the extract and two higher concentrations of curcumin compared to asthmatic group ( P <0.01 to P<0.001). Dexamethasone treatment improved monocyte ( P <0.001) and lymphocyte ( P <0.01) percentages. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of C. longa extract and its constituent curcumin in animal model of asthma was observed which suggest a therapeutic potential for the plant and its constituent on asthma.

Isoflurane: An Ideal Anesthetic for Rodent Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Surgery?

PubMed

Cao, D; Liu, Y; Li, J; Gong, J

2016-10-01

Because the choice of anesthetic affects the rodent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) model, we compared the effects of isoflurane, ketamine, chloral hydrate, and pentobarbital on the OLT model. OLT was performed using the two-cuff technique. Two hundred male rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, isoflurane, ketamine, chloral hydrate, and pentobarbital groups. Rectal temperatures, respiratory rates, arterial blood values (pH, PaCO 2 , PaO 2 , and SatO 2 ), liver function tests and histopathology, recovery times, and anhepatic stage mortality rates were assessed. Compared with controls, respiratory rates decreased by 20% in the isoflurane group, and decreased by 40%-50% in the ketamine, chloral hydrate, and pentobarbital groups. The PaO 2 , SatO 2 , and pH levels in the ketamine, chloral hydrate, and pentobarbital groups were significantly lower than those in the isoflurane and control groups (P < .05). Only the pentobarbital group displayed significant liver histopathologic changes along with significantly higher levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin, but a significantly lower level of serum albumin, compared with the control group (P < .05). The isoflurane group had a 0% anhepatic stage mortality rate compared with rates of 30%-40% in the other anesthetic groups. Isoflurane should be the preferred anesthetic for rodent OLT surgery due to its minimal respiratory and hepatic physiological effects as well as its low anhepatic phase mortality rate. Secondary to isoflurane, ketamine and chloral hydrate may be administered as donor anesthetics. Pentobarbital use should be avoided entirely in rodent OLT surgery due to its significant hepatotoxic effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Advances in studies on bear bile powder].

PubMed

Zhou, Chao-fan; Gao, Guo-jian; Liu, Ying

2015-04-01

In this paper, a detailed analysis was made on relevant literatures about bear bile powder in terms of chemical component, pharmacological effect and clinical efficacy, indicating bear bile powder's significant pharmacological effects and clinical application in treating various diseases. Due to the complex composition, bear bile powder is relatively toxic. Therefore, efforts shall be made to study bear bile powder's pharmacological effects, clinical application, chemical composition and toxic side-effects, with the aim to provide a scientific basis for widespread reasonable clinical application of bear bile powder.

Impact on Employee Productivity From Presenteeism and Absenteeism: Evidence From a Multinational Firm in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Fernando, Mario; Caputi, Peter; Ashbury, Fred

2017-07-01

This study examines the effects of 13 psychological and physical health conditions on work productivity. One hundred fifty-two staff at the headquarters of a Sri Lankan multinational firm completed a questionnaire asking whether they experienced 13 health conditions common in workplaces, and about their related absenteeism and presenteeism. Most respondents (85.5%) reported absenteeism, presenteeism, or both. Among those reporting a health condition, 57.6% reported losing days due to absenteeism, and 69.5% reported losing additional days to presenteeism. Among those caring for a sick adult or child, 57.3% reported losing days due to absenteeism, and 36.5% reported losing additional days due to presenteeism. Overall productivity loss was 10.43 days each year, 3.95% of employee capacity, equating to about Sri Lanka Rupees 8 million (US$54,421) for all headquarters employees. The health conditions' effects on productivity significantly increased employee costs.

Propagation characteristics of two-color laser pulses in homogeneous plasma

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

Hemlata,; Saroch, Akanksha; Jha, Pallavi

2015-11-15

An analytical and numerical study of the evolution of two-color, sinusoidal laser pulses in cold, underdense, and homogeneous plasma has been presented. The wave equations for the radiation fields driven by linear as well as nonlinear contributions due to the two-color laser pulses have been set up. A variational technique is used to obtain the simultaneous equations describing the evolution of the laser spot size, pulse length, and chirp parameter. Numerical methods are used to graphically analyze the simultaneous evolution of these parameters due to the combined effect of the two-color laser pulses. Further, the pulse parameters are compared withmore » those obtained for a single laser pulse. Significant focusing, compression, and enhanced positive chirp is obtained due to the combined effect of simultaneously propagating two-color pulses as compared to a single pulse propagating in plasma.« less

Topical adenosine increases the proportion of thick hair in Caucasian men with androgenetic alopecia.

PubMed

Iwabuchi, Tokuro; Ideta, Ritsuro; Ehama, Ritsuko; Yamanishi, Haruyo; Iino, Masato; Nakazawa, Yosuke; Kobayashi, Takashi; Ohyama, Manabu; Kishimoto, Jiro

2016-05-01

Adenosine is an effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in Japanese men and women. Adenosine exerts its effects by significantly increasing the proportion of thick hair. In this study, we assessed the clinical outcome of adenosine treatment for 6 months in 38 Caucasian men. The change in proportion of thick hair (≥60 μm) compared with baseline in the adenosine group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). The change in vellus hair proportion (<40 μm) was significantly lower in the adenosine group than that in the placebo group (P = 0.0154). The change in hair density compared with baseline of the adenosine group was also significantly higher compared with that of the placebo group (P = 0.0470). No adverse effects due to treatment were noted during this study by dermatological evaluation. Adenosine is effective in increasing the proportion of thick hair in Caucasian men with AGA as well as in Japanese men and women. © 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Role of Molecular Interactions for Synergistic Precipitation Inhibition of Poorly Soluble Drug in Supersaturated Drug-Polymer-Polymer Ternary Solution.

PubMed

Prasad, Dev; Chauhan, Harsh; Atef, Eman

2016-03-07

We are reporting a synergistic effect of combined Eudragit E100 and PVP K90 in precipitation inhibition of indomethacin (IND) in solutions at low polymer concentration, a phenomenon that has significant implications on the usefulness of developing novel ternary solid dispersion of poorly soluble drugs. The IND supersaturation was created by cosolvent technique, and the precipitation studies were performed in the absence and the presence of individual and combined PVP K90 and Eudragit E100. The studies were also done with PEG 8000 as a noninteracting control polymer. A continuous UV recording of the IND absorption was used to observe changes in the drug concentration over time. The polymorphic form and morphology of precipitated IND were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The change in the chemical shift in solution (1)H NMR was used as novel approach to probe IND-polymer interactions. Molecular modeling was used for calculating binding energy between IND-polymer as another indication of IND-polymer interaction. Spontaneous IND precipitation was observed in the absence of polymers. Eudragit E100 showed significant inhibitory effect on nuclei formation due to stronger interaction as reflected in higher binding energy and greater change in chemical shift by NMR. PVP K90 led to significant crystal growth inhibition due to adsorption on growing IND crystals as confirmed by modified crystal habit of precipitate in the presence of PVP K90. Combination of polymers resulted in a synergistic precipitation inhibition and extended supersaturation. The NMR confirmed interaction between IND-Eudragit E100 and IND-PVP K90 in solution. The combination of polymers showed similar peak shift albeit using lower polymer concentration indicating stronger interactions. The results established the significant synergistic precipitation inhibition effect upon combining Eudragit E100 and PVP K90 due to drug-polymer interaction.

Effect of intravenous amino acids on interdigestive antroduodenal motility and small bowel transit time.

PubMed

Gielkens, H A; van den Biggelaar, A; Vecht, J; Onkenhout, W; Lamers, C B; Masclee, A A

1999-02-01

Patients on total parenteral nutrition have an increased risk of developing gallstones because of gall bladder hypomotility. High dose amino acids may prevent biliary stasis by stimulating gall bladder emptying. To investigate whether intravenous amino acids also influence antroduodenal motility. Eight healthy volunteers received, on three separate occasions, intravenous saline (control), low dose amino acids (LDA), or high dose amino acids (HDA). Antroduodenal motility was recorded by perfusion manometry and duodenocaecal transit time (DCTT) using the lactulose breath hydrogen test. DCTT was significantly prolonged during LDA and HDA treatment compared with control. The interdigestive motor pattern was maintained and migrating motor complex (MMC) cycle length was significantly reduced during HDA compared with control and LDA due to a significant reduction in phase II duration. Significantly fewer phase IIIs originated in the gastric antrum during LDA and HDA compared with control. Duodenal phase II motility index was significantly reduced during HDA, but not during LDA, compared with control. Separate intravenous infusion of high doses of amino acids in healthy volunteers: (1) modulates interdigestive antroduodenal motility; (2) shortens MMC cycle length due to a reduced duration of phase II with a lower contractile incidence both in the antrum and duodenum (phase I remains unchanged whereas the effect on phase III is diverse: in the antrum phase III is suppressed and in the duodenum the frequency is increased); and (3) prolongs interdigestive DCTT.

Alteration in Memory and Electroencephalogram Waves with Sub-acute Noise Stress in Albino Rats and Safeguarded by Scoparia dulcis.

PubMed

Loganathan, Sundareswaran; Rathinasamy, Sheeladevi

2016-01-01

Noise stress has different effects on memory and novelty and the link between them with an electroencephalogram (EEG) has not yet been reported. To find the effect of sub-acute noise stress on the memory and novelty along with EEG and neurotransmitter changes. Eight-arm maze (EAM) and Y-maze to analyze the memory and novelty by novel object test. Four groups of rats were used: Control, control treated with Scoparia dulcis extract, noise exposed, and noise exposed which received Scoparia extract. The results showed no marked difference observed between control and control treated with Scoparia extract on EAM, Y-maze, novel object test, and EEG in both prefrontal and occipital region, however, noise stress exposed rats showed significant increase in the reference memory and working memory error in EAM and latency delay, triad errors in Y-maze, and prefrontal and occipital EEG frequency rate with the corresponding increase in plasma corticosterone and epinephrine, and significant reduction in the novelty test, and significant reduction in the novelty test, amplitude of prefrontal, occipital EEG, and acetylcholine. These noise stress induced changes in EAM, Y-maze, novel object test, and neurotransmitters were significantly prevented when treated with Scoparia extract and these changes may be due to the normalizing action of Scoparia extract on the brain, which altered due to noise stress. Noise stress exposure causes EEG, behavior, and neurotransmitter alteration in the frontoparietal and occipital regions mainly involved in planning and recognition memoryOnly the noise stress exposed animals showed the significant alteration in the EEG, behavior, and neurotransmittersHowever, these noise stress induced changes in EEG behavior and neurotransmitters were significantly prevented when treated with Scoparia extractThese changes may be due to the normalizing action of Scoparia dulcis (adoptogen) on the brain which altered by noise stress. Abbreviations used: EEG: Electroencephalogram, dB: Decibel, EPI: Epinephrine, ACH: Acetylcholine, EAM: Eight-arm maze.

Alteration in Memory and Electroencephalogram Waves with Sub-acute Noise Stress in Albino Rats and Safeguarded by Scoparia dulcis

PubMed Central

Loganathan, Sundareswaran; Rathinasamy, Sheeladevi

2016-01-01

Background: Noise stress has different effects on memory and novelty and the link between them with an electroencephalogram (EEG) has not yet been reported. Objective: To find the effect of sub-acute noise stress on the memory and novelty along with EEG and neurotransmitter changes. Materials and Methods: Eight-arm maze (EAM) and Y-maze to analyze the memory and novelty by novel object test. Four groups of rats were used: Control, control treated with Scoparia dulcis extract, noise exposed, and noise exposed which received Scoparia extract. Results: The results showed no marked difference observed between control and control treated with Scoparia extract on EAM, Y-maze, novel object test, and EEG in both prefrontal and occipital region, however, noise stress exposed rats showed significant increase in the reference memory and working memory error in EAM and latency delay, triad errors in Y-maze, and prefrontal and occipital EEG frequency rate with the corresponding increase in plasma corticosterone and epinephrine, and significant reduction in the novelty test, and significant reduction in the novelty test, amplitude of prefrontal, occipital EEG, and acetylcholine. Conclusion: These noise stress induced changes in EAM, Y-maze, novel object test, and neurotransmitters were significantly prevented when treated with Scoparia extract and these changes may be due to the normalizing action of Scoparia extract on the brain, which altered due to noise stress. SUMMARY Noise stress exposure causes EEG, behavior, and neurotransmitter alteration in the frontoparietal and occipital regions mainly involved in planning and recognition memoryOnly the noise stress exposed animals showed the significant alteration in the EEG, behavior, and neurotransmittersHowever, these noise stress induced changes in EEG behavior and neurotransmitters were significantly prevented when treated with Scoparia extractThese changes may be due to the normalizing action of Scoparia dulcis (adoptogen) on the brain which altered by noise stress. Abbreviations used: EEG: Electroencephalogram, dB: Decibel, EPI: Epinephrine, ACH: Acetylcholine, EAM: Eight-arm maze PMID:27041862

Observed strengthening of interbasin exchange via the Indonesian seas due to rainfall intensification

PubMed Central

Sprintall, Janet

2017-01-01

Abstract A proxy of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) transport, developed using in situ hydrographic measurements along with assimilations, shows a significant strengthening trend during the past decade. This trend is due to a freshening and subsequent increase in the halosteric component of the ITF transport associated with enhanced rainfall over the Maritime Continent over the same period. The strengthening of the ITF transport leads to a significant change in heat and freshwater exchange between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and contributes to the warming and freshening of the eastern Indian Ocean. The combined effect of the ITF transport of mass and freshwater along with tropical rainfall plays a very important role in the climate system. PMID:28405053

Twisted waves and instabilities in a permeating dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukhari, S.; Ali, S.; Khan, S. A.; Mendonca, J. T.

2018-04-01

New features of the twisted dusty plasma modes and associated instabilities are investigated in permeating plasmas. Using the Vlasov-Poisson model equations, a generalized dispersion relation is obtained for a Maxwellian distributed plasma to analyse the dust-acoustic and dust-ion-acoustic waves with finite orbital angular momentum (OAM) states. Existence conditions for damping/growth rates are discussed and showed significant modifications in twisted dusty modes as compared to straight propagating dusty modes. Numerically, the instability growth rate, which depends on particle streaming and twist effects in the wave potential, is significantly modified due to the Laguerre-Gaussian profiles. Relevance of the study to wave excitations due to penetration of solar wind into cometary clouds or interstellar dusty plasmas is discussed.

Superior local conductivity in self-organized nanodots on indium-tin-oxide films induced by femtosecond laser pulses.

PubMed

Wang, Chih; Wang, Hsuan-I; Tang, Wei-Tsung; Luo, Chih-Wei; Kobayashi, Takayoshi; Leu, Jihperng

2011-11-21

Large-area surface ripple structures of indium-tin-oxide films, composed of self-organized nanodots, were induced by femtosecond laser pulses, without scanning. The multi-periodic spacing (~800 nm, ~400 nm and ~200 nm) was observed in the laser-induced ripple of ITO films. The local conductivity of ITO films is significantly higher, by approximately 30 times, than that of the as-deposited ITO films, due to the formation of these nanodots. Such a significant change can be ascribed to the formation of indium metal-like clusters, which appear as budges of ~5 nm height, due to an effective volume increase after breaking the In-O to form In-In bonding. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Emergent literacy intervention for prekindergarteners at risk for reading failure.

PubMed

Bailet, Laura L; Repper, Karla K; Piasta, Shayne B; Murphy, Suzanne P

2009-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of an assessment and intervention study targeting prekindergarten children at risk for reading failure. Across 38 child care sites, 220 children were identified as "at risk" for reading failure due to their performance on a screening measure of early literacy skills and randomly assigned to receive immediate or delayed intervention. The intervention consisted of eighteen 30-minute lessons delivered twice weekly for 9 weeks and focused on teaching critical emergent literacy skills within small groups. Hierarchical linear models were used to nest children within center and measure treatment and dosage effects for students' residualized gains in rhyming, alliteration, picture naming, and print and letter knowledge skills. Results indicated significant treatment effects on two of four outcome variables (rhyming and alliteration) and significant dosage effects on all four variables. The study demonstrated a significant positive impact of this intervention for prekindergartners at risk for reading failure.

Effects of equivalent series resistance on the noise mitigation performance of piezoelectric shunt damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Szu Cheng; Sharifzadeh Mirshekarloo, Meysam; Yao, Kui

2017-05-01

Piezoelectric shunt damping (PSD) utilizes an electrically-shunted piezoelectric damper attached on a panel structure to suppress the transmission of acoustic noise. The paper develops an understanding on the effects of equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the piezoelectric damper in a PSD system on noise mitigation performance, and demonstrates that an increased ESR leads to a significant rise in the noise transmissibility due to reduction in the system’s mechanical damping. It is further demonstrated with experimental results that ESR effects can be compensated in the shunt circuit to significantly improve the noise mitigation performance. A theoretical electrical equivalent model of the PSD incorporating the ESR is established for quantitative analysis of ESR effects on noise mitigation.

Increased mortality attributed to Chagas disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Cucunubá, Zulma M; Okuwoga, Omolade; Basáñez, María-Gloria; Nouvellet, Pierre

2016-01-27

The clinical outcomes associated with Chagas disease remain poorly understood. In addition to the burden of morbidity, the burden of mortality due to Trypanosoma cruzi infection can be substantial, yet its quantification has eluded rigorous scrutiny. This is partly due to considerable heterogeneity between studies, which can influence the resulting estimates. There is a pressing need for accurate estimates of mortality due to Chagas disease that can be used to improve mathematical modelling, burden of disease evaluations, and cost-effectiveness studies. A systematic literature review was conducted to select observational studies comparing mortality in populations with and without a diagnosis of Chagas disease using the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and LILACS databases, without restrictions on language or date of publication. The primary outcome of interest was mortality (as all-cause mortality, sudden cardiac death, heart transplant or cardiovascular deaths). Data were analysed using a random-effects model to obtain the relative risk (RR) of mortality, the attributable risk percent (ARP), and the annual mortality rates (AMR). The statistic I(2) (proportion of variance in the meta-analysis due to study heterogeneity) was calculated. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias test were also conducted. Twenty five studies were selected for quantitative analysis, providing data on 10,638 patients, 53,346 patient-years of follow-up, and 2739 events. Pooled estimates revealed that Chagas disease patients have significantly higher AMR compared with non-Chagas disease patients (0.18 versus 0.10; RR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.49-2.03). Substantial heterogeneity was found among studies (I(2) = 67.3%). The ARP above background mortality was 42.5%. Through a sub-analysis patients were classified by clinical group (severe, moderate, asymptomatic). While RR did not differ significantly between clinical groups, important differences in AMR were found: AMR = 0.43 in Chagas vs. 0.29 in non-Chagas patients (RR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.21-1.62) in the severe group; AMR = 0.16 (Chagas) vs. 0.08 (non-Chagas) (RR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.52-2.91) in the moderate group, and AMR = 0.02 vs. 0.01 (RR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.77) in the asymptomatic group. Meta-regression showed no evidence of study-level covariates on the effect size. Publication bias was not statistically significant (Egger's test p=0.08). The results indicate a statistically significant excess of mortality due to Chagas disease that is shared among both symptomatic and asymptomatic populations.

Effect of medium-pressure UV-lamp treatment on disinfection by-products in chlorinated seawater swimming pool waters.

PubMed

Cheema, Waqas A; Manasfi, Tarek; Kaarsholm, Kamilla M S; Andersen, Henrik R; Boudenne, Jean-Luc

2017-12-01

Several brominated disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed in chlorinated seawater pools, due to the high concentration of bromide in seawater. UV irradiation is increasingly employed in freshwater pools, because UV treatment photodegrades harmful chloramines. However, in freshwater pools it has been reported that post-UV chlorination promotes the formation of other DBPs. To date, UV-based processes have not been investigated for DBPs in seawater pools. In this study, the effects of UV, followed by chlorination, on the concentration of three groups of DBPs were investigated in laboratory batch experiments using a medium-pressure UV lamp. Chlorine consumption increased following post-UV chlorination, most likely because UV irradiation degraded organic matter in the pool samples to more chlorine-reactive organic matter. Haloacetic acid (HAA) concentrations decreased significantly, due to photo-degradation, but the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetonitriles (HANs) increased with post-UV chlorination. Bromine incorporation in HAAs was significantly higher in the control samples chlorinated without UV irradiation but decreased significantly with UV treatment. Bromine incorporation was promoted in THM and HAN after UV and chlorine treatment. Overall, the accumulated bromine incorporation level in DBPs remained essentially unchanged in comparison with the control samples. Toxicity estimates increased with single-dose UV and chlorination, mainly due to increased HAN concentrations. However, brominated HANs are known in the literature to degrade following further UV treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Qualitative Effects of Monovalent Vaccination Against Rotavirus: A Comparison of North America and South America.

PubMed

Young, Glenn; Shim, Eunha; Ermentrout, G Bard

2015-10-01

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. The introduction of vaccination programs has led to a significant reduction in number of hospitalizations due to rotavirus in North and South American countries. Little work has been done, however, to examine the differential impact of vaccination as a function of strain distribution and strain-specific vaccine efficacy. We developed a two-strain epidemiological model of rotavirus transmission, and used it to examine the effects of a monovalent vaccine (Rotarix) on the qualitative behaviors of infection levels in a population. For contrast, we parameterized our model with strain distribution data from North America and from South America. In all cases, the introduction of the vaccine led to significant decreases in the prevalence of primary infection due to both strains for a decade or more, after which the overall prevalence recovers to near pre-vaccination levels. The prevalence of G1P[8] is significantly higher in North America (73 % of all rotavirus infections) compared to that in South America (34 %). Our model predicts that the introduction of Rotarix might result in major strain replacement in regions such as North America where the prevalence of G1P[8] is relatively high, due to higher efficacy of Rotarix against infection caused by G1P[8], while regions with lower prevalence of G1P[8], such as South America, are not susceptible to major strain replacement.

Selexipag in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Most Updated Evidence From Recent Preclinical and Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Ghosh, Raktim K; Ball, Somedeb; Das, Avash; Bandyopadhyay, Dhrubajyoti; Mondal, Samhati; Saha, Debjit; Gupta, Anjan

2017-05-01

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a relatively rare disease that, due to its chronic nature, has always been difficult to treat effectively. Selexipag is an oral prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) agonist that was approved by US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) in December 2015 for the treatment of PAH. After its success in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials regarding the convenient oral twice-daily dosing and low side-effect profile, selexipag raised the hope of controlling the disease progression in PAH patients. In the recently completed multicentered phase 3 study (GRIPHON), selexipag has been shown to reduce death and hospitalization due to PAH significantly, an effect that was consistent across different ranges of maintenance dose. In the same study selexipag use was also associated with an increase in 6-minute walk distance (a measure of symptom severity) from baseline, but no significant improvement in all-cause mortality could be observed. The results of the ongoing phase 3 studies (TRITON and TRANSIT-1) are expected to throw some more light on the safety and efficacy of this novel molecule across various treatment scenarios. Hence, our article aims to summarize all the available information from preclinical and clinical studies published to date on the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety (in general and in scenarios such as hepatic and renal function impairment), significant drug interactions (with warfarin and antiretroviral drugs), and clinical significance of oral selexipag in patients with PAH. © 2016, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Microfluidic-Based Measurement Method of Red Blood Cell Aggregation under Hematocrit Variations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are considered to be promising biomarkers for effectively monitoring blood rheology at extremely low shear rates. In this study, a microfluidic-based measurement technique is suggested to evaluate RBC aggregation under hematocrit variations due to the continuous ESR. After the pipette tip is tightly fitted into an inlet port, a disposable suction pump is connected to the outlet port through a polyethylene tube. After dropping blood (approximately 0.2 mL) into the pipette tip, the blood flow can be started and stopped by periodically operating a pinch valve. To evaluate variations in RBC aggregation due to the continuous ESR, an EAI (Erythrocyte-sedimentation-rate Aggregation Index) is newly suggested, which uses temporal variations of image intensity. To demonstrate the proposed method, the dynamic characterization of the disposable suction pump is first quantitatively measured by varying the hematocrit levels and cavity volume of the suction pump. Next, variations in RBC aggregation and ESR are quantified by varying the hematocrit levels. The conventional aggregation index (AI) is maintained constant, unrelated to the hematocrit values. However, the EAI significantly decreased with respect to the hematocrit values. Thus, the EAI is more effective than the AI for monitoring variations in RBC aggregation due to the ESR. Lastly, the proposed method is employed to detect aggregated blood and thermally-induced blood. The EAI gradually increased as the concentration of a dextran solution increased. In addition, the EAI significantly decreased for thermally-induced blood. From this experimental demonstration, the proposed method is able to effectively measure variations in RBC aggregation due to continuous hematocrit variations, especially by quantifying the EAI. PMID:28878199

Using within-day hive weight changes to measure environmental effects on honey bee colonies

PubMed Central

Holst, Niels; Weiss, Milagra; Carroll, Mark J.; McFrederick, Quinn S.; Barron, Andrew B.

2018-01-01

Patterns in within-day hive weight data from two independent datasets in Arizona and California were modeled using piecewise regression, and analyzed with respect to honey bee colony behavior and landscape effects. The regression analysis yielded information on the start and finish of a colony’s daily activity cycle, hive weight change at night, hive weight loss due to departing foragers and weight gain due to returning foragers. Assumptions about the meaning of the timing and size of the morning weight changes were tested in a third study by delaying the forager departure times from one to three hours using screen entrance gates. A regression of planned vs. observed departure delays showed that the initial hive weight loss around dawn was largely due to foragers. In a similar experiment in Australia, hive weight loss due to departing foragers in the morning was correlated with net bee traffic (difference between the number of departing bees and the number of arriving bees) and from those data the payload of the arriving bees was estimated to be 0.02 g. The piecewise regression approach was then used to analyze a fifth study involving hives with and without access to natural forage. The analysis showed that, during a commercial pollination event, hives with previous access to forage had a significantly higher rate of weight gain as the foragers returned in the afternoon, and, in the weeks after the pollination event, a significantly higher rate of weight loss in the morning, as foragers departed. This combination of continuous weight data and piecewise regression proved effective in detecting treatment differences in foraging activity that other methods failed to detect. PMID:29791462

Using within-day hive weight changes to measure environmental effects on honey bee colonies.

PubMed

Meikle, William G; Holst, Niels; Colin, Théotime; Weiss, Milagra; Carroll, Mark J; McFrederick, Quinn S; Barron, Andrew B

2018-01-01

Patterns in within-day hive weight data from two independent datasets in Arizona and California were modeled using piecewise regression, and analyzed with respect to honey bee colony behavior and landscape effects. The regression analysis yielded information on the start and finish of a colony's daily activity cycle, hive weight change at night, hive weight loss due to departing foragers and weight gain due to returning foragers. Assumptions about the meaning of the timing and size of the morning weight changes were tested in a third study by delaying the forager departure times from one to three hours using screen entrance gates. A regression of planned vs. observed departure delays showed that the initial hive weight loss around dawn was largely due to foragers. In a similar experiment in Australia, hive weight loss due to departing foragers in the morning was correlated with net bee traffic (difference between the number of departing bees and the number of arriving bees) and from those data the payload of the arriving bees was estimated to be 0.02 g. The piecewise regression approach was then used to analyze a fifth study involving hives with and without access to natural forage. The analysis showed that, during a commercial pollination event, hives with previous access to forage had a significantly higher rate of weight gain as the foragers returned in the afternoon, and, in the weeks after the pollination event, a significantly higher rate of weight loss in the morning, as foragers departed. This combination of continuous weight data and piecewise regression proved effective in detecting treatment differences in foraging activity that other methods failed to detect.

[Drooling therapy in children with neurological disorders].

PubMed

Táboas-Pereira, M Andrea; Paredes-Mercado, Cecilia; Alonso-Curcó, Xènia; Badosa-Pagès, Joaquim; Muchart, Jordi; Póo, Pilar

2015-07-16

Drooling is the inability to retain saliva in the mouth and its progression to the digestive tract, being a common problem in pediatric patients with neurological disorders. Three different treatment options are available. To assess the effectiveness and safety of trihexyphenidyl, scopolamine and botulinum toxin infiltration in the treatment of drooling in children with neurological disorders. This is an open and prospective type study. We include patients treated in the Neurology Service that present excessive drooling, affecting their quality of life, between 2009 and 2013. We enrolled 46 patients in the study. The treatment with oral trihexyphenidyl was indicated in 46, obtaining good result in 15 (32.6%), three with temporary effect and the rest with lasting effect. Three patients presented side effects (6.5%). Four out of 11 (36.36%) patients treated with scopolamine patch had beneficial effects. One was withdrawn due to lack of efficacy and six due to side effects. Twenty-five patients were infiltrated with botulinum toxin, with a significant decrease of drooling in 16 patients (64%) after the first injection. We observed no significant changes in nine patients. Only one out of 25 showed side effects (mild dysphagia). Currently there is not a fully effective therapeutic option for drooling. We recommend starting treatment with trihexyphenidyl. A second option could be the scopolamine patch and botulinum toxin as a third option. Botulinum toxin infiltration in salivary glands is shown as an effective and safe alternative in our study.

Finding missing heritability in less significant Loci and allelic heterogeneity: genetic variation in human height.

PubMed

Zhang, Ge; Karns, Rebekah; Sun, Guangyun; Indugula, Subba Rao; Cheng, Hong; Havas-Augustin, Dubravka; Novokmet, Natalija; Durakovic, Zijad; Missoni, Sasa; Chakraborty, Ranajit; Rudan, Pavao; Deka, Ranjan

2012-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many common variants associated with complex traits in human populations. Thus far, most reported variants have relatively small effects and explain only a small proportion of phenotypic variance, leading to the issues of 'missing' heritability and its explanation. Using height as an example, we examined two possible sources of missing heritability: first, variants with smaller effects whose associations with height failed to reach genome-wide significance and second, allelic heterogeneity due to the effects of multiple variants at a single locus. Using a novel analytical approach we examined allelic heterogeneity of height-associated loci selected from SNPs of different significance levels based on the summary data of the GIANT (stage 1) studies. In a sample of 1,304 individuals collected from an island population of the Adriatic coast of Croatia, we assessed the extent of height variance explained by incorporating the effects of less significant height loci and multiple effective SNPs at the same loci. Our results indicate that approximately half of the 118 loci that achieved stringent genome-wide significance (p-value<5×10(-8)) showed evidence of allelic heterogeneity. Additionally, including less significant loci (i.e., p-value<5×10(-4)) and accounting for effects of allelic heterogeneity substantially improved the variance explained in height.

On the Road to Development of an in Vitro Permeation Test (IVPT) Model to Compare Heat Effects on Transdermal Delivery Systems: Exploratory Studies with Nicotine and Fentanyl.

PubMed

Shin, Soo Hyeon; Ghosh, Priyanka; Newman, Bryan; Hammell, Dana C; Raney, Sam G; Hassan, Hazem E; Stinchcomb, Audra L

2017-09-01

At elevated temperatures, the rate of drug release and skin permeation from transdermal delivery systems (TDS) may be higher than at a normal skin temperature. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of heat on the transdermal delivery of two model drugs, nicotine and fentanyl, from matrix-type TDSs with different formulations, using in vitro permeation tests (IVPT). IVPT experiments using pig skin were performed on two nicotine and three fentanyl TDSs. Both continuous and transient heat exposures were investigated by applying heat either for the maximum recommended TDS wear duration or for short duration. Continuous heat exposure for the two nicotine TDSs resulted in different effects, showing a prolonged heat effect for one product but not the other. The J max enhancement ratio due to the continuous heat effect was comparable between the two nicotine TDS, but significantly different (p < 0.05) among the three fentanyl TDSs. The J max enhancement ratios due to transient heat exposure were significantly different for the two nicotine TDSs, but not for the three fentanyl TDSs. Furthermore, the transient heat exposure affected the clearance of drug from the skin depot after TDS removal differently for two drugs, with fentanyl exhibiting a longer heat effect. This exploratory work suggests that an IVPT study may be able to discriminate differences in transdermal drug delivery when different TDS are exposed to elevated temperatures. However, the clinical significance of IVPT heat effects studies should be further explored by conducting in vivo clinical studies with similar study designs.

Energy Challenges: Isolating Results Due to Behavior Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boulton, Kelly; Pallant, Eric; Bradshaw-Wilson, Casey; Choate, Beth; Carbone, Ian

2017-01-01

Purpose: Approximately 700 colleges and universities have committed to climate neutrality, which will require significant reductions in energy consumption. This paper aims to explore the effectiveness of an Annual Energy Challenge in curtailing electricity use by changing consumption behaviors at one liberal arts college.…

Verbal Rehearsal and Visual Imagery: Mnemonic Aids for Learning-Disabled Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Michael C.; And Others

1983-01-01

Studies involving 30 learning-disabled elementary students support the contention that reading comprehension difficulties among learning-disabled children are partly due to inefficient memorization strategies, and demonstrate the efficacy of practical, cost-effective mnemonic training procedures which significantly increase reading comprehension…

A Reference Method for Measuring Emissions of SVOCs in Small Chambers

EPA Science Inventory

Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are indoor air pollutants that may may have significant adverse effects on human health, and emission of SVOCs from building materials and consumer products is of growing concern. Few chamber studies have been conducted due to the challenge...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume II [Technical Summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

Steel bridges are occasionally subjected to fire events : due to accidents or explosions of vehicles containing : flammable materials. Significant bridge fire events have : occurred in the recent past. In order to assist with the investigation : of d...

Effect of age, gender and body mass index on visual and auditory reaction times in Indian population.

PubMed

Nikam, Lalita H; Gadkari, Jayshree V

2012-01-01

The effect of Age. Gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) on the Visual (VRT) and Auditory reaction time (ART) was studied in 30 males and 30 females in the age group of 18-20 years along with 30 males and 30 females in the age group of 65-75 years. Statistical analysis of the data by one-way ANOVA and post-hoc by Tukey-HSD test showed that BMI, VRT and ART were significantly higher in old than young individuals. Females had higher BMI and longer reaction times than males. There was significant positive correlation between BMI and reaction times (VRT and ART) in both males and females by Pearson correlation analysis. Older individuals should be more careful and vigilant about the injuries and falls due to increased reaction time. Longer reaction times and higher BMI in females could be attributed to fluid and salt retention due to female sex hormones affecting sensorimotor co-ordination.

Litmus Test for Cosmic Hemispherical Asymmetry in the Cosmic Microwave Background B -Mode Polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Suvodip; Souradeep, Tarun

2016-06-01

Recent measurements of the temperature field of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide tantalizing evidence for violation of statistical isotropy (SI) that constitutes a fundamental tenet of contemporary cosmology. CMB space based missions, WMAP, and Planck have observed a 7% departure in the SI temperature field at large angular scales. However, due to higher cosmic variance at low multipoles, the significance of this measurement is not expected to improve from any future CMB temperature measurements. We demonstrate that weak lensing of the CMB due to scalar perturbations produces a corresponding SI violation in B modes of CMB polarization at smaller angular scales. The measurability of this phenomenon depends upon the scales (l range) over which power asymmetry is present. Power asymmetry, which is restricted only to l <64 in the temperature field, cannot lead to any significant observable effect from this new window. However, this effect can put an independent bound on the spatial range of scales of hemispherical asymmetry present in the scalar sector.

Bioelimination of /sup 51/Cr and /sup 85/Sr by cockroaches, Gromphadorhina portentosa (orthoptera: blaberidae), as affected by mites, Gromphadorholaelaps schaeferi (parasitiformes: laelapidae)

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

Schowalter, T.D.; Crossley, D.A. Jr.

1982-03-01

The rates of Chromium-51 and Strontium-85 assimilation and bioelimination by the hissing cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Schaum) are described when the symbiotic mite, Gromphadorholaelaps schaeferi Till, was present or removed. Mite-infested cockroaches had significantly higher rates of /sup 51/Cr elimination relative to mite-free cockroaches, implying more rapid gut clearance times. The authors did not find a significant mite effect on /sup 85/Sr elimination by the host, but mite effects could have been masked by the apparently unique process of nutrient assimilation and elimination by G. portentosa. Conventional models of radioactive tracer bioelimination predict a rapid initial loss of tracer due tomore » gut clearance, followed by a slower loss due to excretion of assimilated tracer. The results indicated that assimilated /sup 85/Sr was eliminated earlier than unassimilated /sup 85/Sr, which was lost by defecation.« less

Litmus Test for Cosmic Hemispherical Asymmetry in the Cosmic Microwave Background B-Mode Polarization.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Suvodip; Souradeep, Tarun

2016-06-03

Recent measurements of the temperature field of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide tantalizing evidence for violation of statistical isotropy (SI) that constitutes a fundamental tenet of contemporary cosmology. CMB space based missions, WMAP, and Planck have observed a 7% departure in the SI temperature field at large angular scales. However, due to higher cosmic variance at low multipoles, the significance of this measurement is not expected to improve from any future CMB temperature measurements. We demonstrate that weak lensing of the CMB due to scalar perturbations produces a corresponding SI violation in B modes of CMB polarization at smaller angular scales. The measurability of this phenomenon depends upon the scales (l range) over which power asymmetry is present. Power asymmetry, which is restricted only to l<64 in the temperature field, cannot lead to any significant observable effect from this new window. However, this effect can put an independent bound on the spatial range of scales of hemispherical asymmetry present in the scalar sector.

Tundra fire disturbance homogonizes belowground food web structure, function and dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, J. C.; Pressler, Y.; Koltz, A.; Asmus, A.; Simpson, R.

2016-12-01

Tundra fires on Alaska's North Slope are on the rise due to increased lightning strikes since 2000. On July 16, 2007 lightning ignited the Anaktuvuk River fire, burning a 40-by-10 mile swath of tundra about 24 miles north of Toolik Field Station. The fire burned 401 square miles, was visible from space, and released more than 2.3 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere. A large amount of the organic layer of the soil was burned, changing the over all composition of the site and exposing deeper soil horizons. Due to fundamental transitions in soil characteristics and vegetation we hypothesized that the belowground food web community would be affected both in terms of biomass and location within the soil profile. Microbial biomass was reduced with burn severity. In the lower organic horizon there was a significant reduction in fungal biomass but we did not observe this effect in the upper organic soil. We did not observe a significant effect of burn severity on individual group biomass within higher trophic levels. Canonical Discriminant Analysis using the biomass estimates of the functional groups in the food webs found that the webs are becoming increasingly homogenized in the severely burned site compared to the moderately burned and unburned sites. The unburned soils differed significantly from soil at both burn sites; the greatest effects on food web structure were at the lower organic depth, whereas. We modeled the effects of the fire on soil organic matter processing rates and energy flow through the three food webs. The model estimated a decrease in C and N mineralization with fire severity, due in large part to the loss of organic material. While the organic horizon at the unburned site had 12 times greater C and N mineralization than the mineral soils, we observed little to no difference in C and N mineralization between the organic and mineral soil horizons in the moderately and severely burned sites. Our results show that the fire significantly altered the trophic structure of the soil food web, with loss of trophic complexity with increasing fire severity, which correlated strongly with C and N processing and food web stability.

Differential response of two Mediterranean cold-water coral species to ocean acidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Movilla, Juancho; Orejas, Covadonga; Calvo, Eva; Gori, Andrea; López-Sanz, Àngel; Grinyó, Jordi; Domínguez-Carrió, Carlos; Pelejero, Carles

2014-09-01

Cold-water coral (CWC) reefs constitute one of the most complex deep-sea habitats harboring a vast diversity of associated species. Like other tropical or temperate framework builders, these systems are facing an uncertain future due to several threats, such as global warming and ocean acidification. In the case of Mediterranean CWC communities, the effect may be exacerbated due to the greater capacity of these waters to absorb atmospheric CO2 compared to the global ocean. Calcification in these organisms is an energy-demanding process, and it is expected that energy requirements will be greater as seawater pH and the availability of carbonate ions decrease. Therefore, studies assessing the effect of a pH decrease in skeletal growth, and metabolic balance are critical to fully understand the potential responses of these organisms under a changing scenario. In this context, the present work aims to investigate the medium- to long-term effect of a low pH scenario on calcification and the biochemical composition of two CWCs from the Mediterranean, Dendrophyllia cornigera and Desmophyllum dianthus. After 314 d of exposure to acidified conditions, a significant decrease of 70 % was observed in Desmophyllum dianthus skeletal growth rate, while Dendrophyllia cornigera showed no differences between treatments. Instead, only subtle differences between treatments were observed in the organic matter amount, lipid content, skeletal microdensity, or porosity in both species, although due to the high variability of the results, these differences were not statistically significant. Our results also confirmed a heterogeneous effect of low pH on the skeletal growth rate of the organisms depending on their initial weight, suggesting that those specimens with high calcification rates may be the most susceptible to the negative effects of acidification.

Effect of proinflammatory interleukins on jejunal nutrient transport

PubMed Central

Hardin, J; Kroeker, K; Chung, B; Gall, D

2000-01-01

AIM—We examined the effect of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory interleukins on jejunal nutrient transport and expression of the sodium-glucose linked cotransporter (SGLT-1).
METHODS—3-O-methyl glucose and L-proline transport rates were examined in New Zealand White rabbit stripped, short circuited jejunal tissue. The effects of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, and IL-8, IL-1α plus the specific IL-1 antagonist, IL-1ra, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were investigated. In separate experiments, passive tissue permeability was assessed and brush border SGLT-1 expression was measured by western blot in tissues exposed to proinflammatory interleukins.
RESULTS—The proinflammatory interleukins IL-6, IL-1α, and IL-8 significantly increased glucose absorption compared with control levels. This increase in glucose absorption was due to an increase in mucosal to serosal flux. IL-1α and IL-8 also significantly increased L-proline absorption due to an increase in absorptive flux. The anti-inflammatory IL-10 had no effect on glucose transport. The receptor antagonist IL-1ra blocked the ability of IL-1α to stimulate glucose transport. IL-8 had no effect on passive tissue permeability. SGLT-1 content did not differ in brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from control or interleukin treated tissue.
CONCLUSIONS—These findings suggest that intestinal inflammation and release of inflammatory mediators such as interleukins increase nutrient absorption in the gut. The increase in glucose transport does not appear to be due to changes in BBMV SGLT-1 content.


Keywords: glucose transport; small intestine; intestinal inflammation; inflammation PMID:10896908

Long shadow of fear in an epidemic: fearonomic effects of Ebola on the private sector in Nigeria.

PubMed

Bali, Sulzhan; Stewart, Kearsley A; Pate, Muhammad Ali

2016-01-01

The already significant impact of the Ebola epidemic on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, was worsened by a fear of contagion that aggravated the health crisis. However, in contrast to other Ebola-affected countries, Nigeria fared significantly better due to its swift containment of the disease. The objective of our study was to describe the impact of Ebola on the Nigerian private sector. This paper introduces and defines the term fearonomic effect as the direct and indirect economic effects of both misinformation as well as fear-induced aversion behaviour, exhibited by individuals, organisations or countries during an outbreak or an epidemic. This study was designed as a cross-sectional mixed-methods study that used semistructured in-depth interviews and a supporting survey to capture the impact of Ebola on the Nigerian private sector after the outbreak. Themes were generated from the interviews on the direct and indirect impact of Ebola on the private sector; the impact of misinformation and fear-based aversion behaviour in the private sector. Our findings reveal that the fearonomic effects of Ebola included health service outages and reduced healthcare usage as a result of misinformation and aversion behaviour by both patients and providers. Although certain sectors (eg, health sector, aviation sector, hospitality sector) in Nigeria were affected more than others, no business was immune to Ebola's fearonomic effects. We describe how sectors expected to prosper during the outbreak (eg, pharmaceuticals), actually suffered due to the changes in consumption patterns and demand shocks. In a high-stressor epidemic-like setting, altered consumption behaviour due to distorted disease perception, misinformation and fear can trigger short-term economic cascades that can disproportionately affect businesses and lead to financial insecurity of the poorest and the most vulnerable in a society.

Controlling competing orders via nonequilibrium acoustic phonons: Emergence of anisotropic effective electronic temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schütt, Michael; Orth, Peter P.; Levchenko, Alex; Fernandes, Rafael M.

2018-01-01

Ultrafast perturbations offer a unique tool to manipulate correlated systems due to their ability to promote transient behaviors with no equilibrium counterpart. A widely employed strategy is the excitation of coherent optical phonons, as they can cause significant changes in the electronic structure and interactions on short time scales. One of the issues, however, is the inevitable heating that accompanies these resonant excitations. Here, we explore a promising alternative route: the nonequilibrium excitation of acoustic phonons, which, due to their low excitation energies, generally lead to less heating. We demonstrate that driving acoustic phonons leads to the remarkable phenomenon of a momentum-dependent effective temperature, by which electronic states at different regions of the Fermi surface are subject to distinct local temperatures. Such an anisotropic effective electronic temperature can have a profound effect on the delicate balance between competing ordered states in unconventional superconductors, opening a so far unexplored avenue to control correlated phases.

[Repercussions of chromium picolinate in the protein metabolism based on the age].

PubMed

González Muñoz, M J; Meseguer, I; Martínez Para, M C; Aguilar, M V; Bernao, A

2006-01-01

Commercialized like dietetic supplement, chromium picolinate has been promoted to favour the increase of muscle mass and the loss of weight, due to its' effect on the action of insulin. To evaluate the effect of supplementation of the diet with chromium (500 microg/kg) in the form of chromium picolinate (CrPic) (12 days) on growth and protein turnover in rats at different growth stages (infantile and puberal). No significant effect of CrPic on bodyweight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate was observed at any of the stages of development studied. CrPic seems to increase the muscle mass, either by stimulating protein anabolism due to the involution of the insulin by chromium, or by reducing protein catabolism. Since the use of chromium picolinate could jeopardize the correct renal function and its' beneficial effects are not evident, it should always be consumed with caution.

The gravitational Schwinger effect and attenuation of gravitational waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDougall, Patrick Guarneri

This paper will discuss the possible production of photons from gravitational waves. This process is shown to be possible by examining Feynman diagrams, the Schwinger Effect, and Hawking Radiation. The end goal of this project is to find the decay length of a gravitational wave and assert that this decay is due to photons being created at the expense of the gravitational wave. To do this, we first find the state function using the Klein Gordon equation, then find the current due to this state function. We then take the current to be directly proportional to the production rate per volume. This is then used to find the decay length that this kind of production would produce, gives a prediction of how this effect will change the distance an event creating a gravitational wave will be located, and shows that this effect is small but can be significant near the source of a gravitational wave.

Is There an Economic Case for Training Intervention in the Manual Material Handling Sector of Developing Countries?

PubMed

Lahiri, Supriya; Tempesti, Tommaso; Gangopadhyay, Somnath

2016-02-01

To estimate cost-effectiveness ratios and net costs of a training intervention to reduce morbidity among porters who carry loads without mechanical assistance in a developing country informal sector setting. Pre- and post-intervention survey data (n = 100) were collected in a prospective study: differences in physical/mental composite scores and pain scale scores were computed. Costs and economic benefits of the intervention were monetized with a net-cost model. Significant changes in physical composite scores (2.5), mental composite scores (3.2), and pain scale scores (-1.0) led to cost-effectiveness ratios of $6.97, $5.41, and $17.91, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that program adherence enhanced effectiveness. The net cost of the intervention was -$5979.00 due to a reduction in absenteeism. Workplace ergonomic training is cost-effective and should be implemented wherein other engineering-control interventions are precluded due to infrastructural constraints.

The role of Gouy phase on the mechanical effects of Laguerre-Gaussian light interacting with atoms

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

Lembessis, V. E., E-mail: vlempesis@ksu.edu.sa; Babiker, M.; Ellinas, D.

2016-06-10

We consider the case of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) light with high values of radial index, p, and/or winding number l, focussing on the effects of the Gouy phase together with other phase contributions due to the curvature in a Laguerre Gaussian beam when it interacts with atoms at near resonance. We show here that these phase anomalies amount to a significant reduction of the axial wavevector and thus lead to additional contributions to the phase gradient in the vicinity of the focus plane. In consequence, the axial recoil effects due to the stimulated emission and absorption of light by the atommore » become smaller. This has important effects on the dissipative axial forces acting on the atom, on the momentum fluctuations associated with the photon absorption and stimulated emission and on diffraction of atoms through light masks created by LG beams.« less

Spatiotemporal analysis for the effect of ambient particulate matter on cause-specific respiratory mortality in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Wang, Xuying; Guo, Yuming; Li, Guoxing; Zhang, Yajuan; Westerdahl, Dane; Jin, Xiaobin; Pan, Xiaochuan; Chen, Liangfu

2016-06-01

This study explored the association between particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm (PM10) and the cause-specific respiratory mortality. We used the ordinary kriging method to estimate the spatial characteristics of ambient PM10 at 1-km × 1-km resolution across Beijing during 2008-2009 and subsequently fit the exposure-response relationship between the estimated PM10 and the mortality due to total respiratory disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia at the street or township area levels using the generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). We also examined the effects of age, gender, and season in the stratified analysis. The effects of ambient PM10 on the cause-specific respiratory mortality were the strongest at lag0-5 except for pneumonia, and an inter-quantile range increase in PM10 was associated with an 8.04 % (95 % CI 4.00, 12.63) increase in mortality for total respiratory disease, a 6.63 % (95 % CI 1.65, 11.86) increase for chronic lower respiratory disease, and a 5.68 % (95 % CI 0.54, 11.09) increase for COPD, respectively. Higher risks due to the PM10 exposure were observed for females and elderly individuals. Seasonal stratification analysis showed that the effects of PM10 on mortality due to pneumonia were stronger during spring and autumn. While for COPD, the effect of PM10 in winter was statistically significant (15.54 %, 95 % CI 5.64, 26.35) and the greatest among the seasons. The GAMM model evaluated stronger associations between concentration of PM10. There were significant associations between PM10 and mortality due to respiratory disease at the street or township area levels. The GAMM model using high-resolution PM10 could better capture the association between PM10 and respiratory mortality. Gender, age, and season also acted as effect modifiers for the relationship between PM10 and respiratory mortality.

[Comorbidities as risk factors of chronic kidney disease in HIV-infected persons].

PubMed

Marchewka, Zofia; Szymczak, Aleksandra; Knysz, Brygida

2015-12-16

Significant survival prolongation in HIV-infected patients due to effective antiretroviral therapy is connected with increasing prevalence of chronic non-infective diseases in this population, among them chronic kidney disease. The pathogenesis of kidney disease in the setting of HIV includes conditions specific for HIV infection: direct effect of the virus, stage of immunodeficiency and drug toxicity. Chronic comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, are additional significant risk factors of kidney disease. In HIV-infected individuals some distinct features of these conditions are observed, which are partly related to the virus and antiretroviral therapy. The article summarizes the effect of comorbidities on kidney function in HIV-infected persons.

Measuring Hair Cortisol Concentrations to Assess the Effect of Anthropogenic Impacts on Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

PubMed Central

Carlitz, Esther H. D.; Miller, Robert; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Gao, Wei; Hänni, Daniel C.; van Schaik, Carel P.

2016-01-01

Non-human primates face major environmental changes due to increased human impacts all over the world. Although some species are able to survive in certain landscapes with anthropogenic impact, their long-term viability and fitness may be decreased due to chronic stress. Here we assessed long-term stress levels through cortisol analysis in chimpanzee hair obtained from sleeping nests in northwestern Uganda, in order to estimate welfare in the context of ecotourism, forest fragmentation with human-wildlife conflicts, and illegal logging with hunting activity (albeit not of primates), compared with a control without human contact or conflict. Concerning methodological issues, season [F(2,129) = 37.4, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.18] and the age of nests [F(2,178) = 20.3, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.11] significantly predicted hair cortisol concentrations (HCC). With regard to effects of anthropogenic impacts, our results neither showed elevation of HCC due to ecotourism, nor due to illegal logging compared to their control groups. We did, however, find significantly increased HCC in the fragment group compared to chimpanzees living in a nearby intact forest [F(1,88) = 5.0, p = 0.03, r2 = 0.20]. In conclusion, our results suggest that hair cortisol analysis is a powerful tool that can help understanding the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on chimpanzee well-being and could be applied to other great ape species. PMID:27050418

Skin aging and menopause : implications for treatment.

PubMed

Raine-Fenning, Nicholas J; Brincat, Mark P; Muscat-Baron, Yves

2003-01-01

The skin is one of the largest organs of the body, which is significantly affected by the aging process and menopause. The significant changes sustained by the skin during the menopause are due to the effect sustained on the skin's individual components. The estrogen receptor has been detected on the cellular components of the skin. Accordingly, dermal cellular metabolism is influenced by the hypoestrogenoemic state of menopause leading to changes in the collagen content, alterations in the concentration of glycoaminoglycans and most importantly the water content. Consequently changes in these basic components leads to an alteration in function compatible with skin aging. Changes in the skin collagen leads to diminished elasticity and skin strength. Collagen content may be measured by various methods such as direct skin biopsy, skin blister assessment for collagen markers and skin thickness measurement. All these variables indicate a reduction in collagen content following menopause. This may be reversed with the administration of estrogen given both topically and systemically.A reduction in hydrophilic glycoaminglycans leads to a direct reduction in water content, which influences the skin turgor. These effects on glycoaminoglycans, due to the hypoestrogenia, have been clearly shown in animal studies and appeared to be rapidly reversed with the application of estrogens. The sum total of these basic effects on the skin leads to wrinkles, the skin condition typifying skin aging.Structures resident in the skin are likewise influenced by menopause. Changes to the cutaneous vascular reactivity are noted following menopause. Capillary blood flow velocity decreases significantly in postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal flushing is due to profound vasodilatation in the dermal papillae. Hair growth is also influenced by the hormonal milieu and consequently hair loss has been associated with the beginning of menopause. Treatments administered for menopause, in particular hormone replacement therapy, appear to alter its effects on the basic components of the skin as well as the more complex structures residing in the skin, consequently retarding the skin aging process.

Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide, helodermin and galanin on responses of guinea-pig lung parenchyma to histamine, acetylcholine and leukotriene D4.

PubMed Central

Conroy, D. M.; Samhoun, M. N.; Piper, P. J.

1991-01-01

1. The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was studied on the contractile response of guinea-pig lung parenchymal strips (GPP) induced by bronchoconstrictor agonists, such as leukotriene D4 (LTD4), histamine and acetylcholine (ACh). This effect of VIP was compared with helodermin, a peptide that is structurally related to VIP, and galanin, another neuropeptide that is thought to co-exist with VIP. 2. VIP (10 nM) induced a potent and reversible inhibition of the contractions of GPP induced by LTD4 (1-30 pmol) but did not affect those due to ACh (1-100 nmol) or histamine (1-30 nmol). A ten fold higher concentration of VIP (100 nM) did not further inhibit LTD4-induced responses or reduce those induced by histamine or ACh. 3. Helodermin (10 nM) had a similar inhibitory effect on contractions of GPP induced by LTD4 (3-30 pmol) but did not affect contractions induced by histamine (1-10 nmol). 4. Indomethacin (2.8 microM) and salbutamol (10 nM) significantly reduced responses elicited by LTD4 and histamine but not those due to ACh. A ten fold higher concentration of salbutamol (100 nM) further inhibited the contractions due to LTD4 and histamine and at this concentration responses induced by ACh were inhibited. 5. VIP (10 nM) and helodermin (10 nM) significantly reduced the LTD4-induced release of thromboxane A2 (TXA2), measured as TxB2 by radioimmunoassay, from GPP. The smaller release of TxA2 induced by histamine was not significantly reduced in the presence of VIP. 6. In comparative studies, galanin (10-100 nM) did not affect contractions of GPP induced by either LTD4, histamine or ACh.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1725762

Radiation effects control: Eyes, skin. [space environment simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hightower, D.; Smathers, J. B.

1974-01-01

Adverse effects on the lens of the eye and the skin due to exposure to proton radiation during manned space flight were evaluated. Actual proton irradiation which might be encountered in space was simulated. Irradiation regimes included single acute exposures, daily fractionated exposures, and weekly fractionated exposures. Animals were exposed and then maintained and examined periodically until data sufficient to meet the objective were obtained. No significant skin effects were noted and no serious sight impairment was exhibited.

Mullins effect in a filled elastomer under uniaxial tension

DOE PAGES

Maiti, A.; Small, W.; Gee, R. H.; ...

2014-01-16

Modulus softening and permanent set in filled polymeric materials due to cyclic loading and unloading, commonly known as the Mullins effect, can have a significant impact on their use as support cushions. The quantitative analysis of such behavior is essential to ensure the effectiveness of such materials in long-term deployment. In this work we combine existing ideas of filler-induced modulus enhancement, strain amplification, and irreversible deformation within a simple non-Gaussian constitutive model to quantitatively interpret recent measurements on a relevant PDMS-based elastomeric cushion. Also, we find that the experimental stress-strain data is consistent with the picture that during stretching (loading)more » two effects take place simultaneously: (1) the physical constraints (entanglements) initially present in the polymer network get disentangled, thus leading to a gradual decrease in the effective cross-link density, and (2) the effective filler volume fraction gradually decreases with increasing strain due to the irreversible pulling out of an initially occluded volume of the soft polymer domain.« less

Endophyte-mediated interactions between cauliflower, the herbivore Spodoptera litura, and the ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor.

PubMed

Kaur, Tamanreet; Singh, Bahaderjeet; Kaur, Amarjeet; Kaur, Sanehdeep

2015-10-01

Fungal endosymbionts in plants may influence interactions among plants, herbivores and their parasitoids through the production of secondary metabolites. We used a lepidopteran pest and its generalist parasitoid to test the effect of endophyte-infected plants on a third trophic level. Endophytic fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger, isolated from Acacia arabica, were used to infect cauliflower plants. We found that the presence of the endophyte in the plants significantly extended the development period of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) larvae. Feeding of the host on endophyte-infected plants further adversely affected the development and performance of its parasitoid, Bracon hebetor (Say). A negative impact was also recorded for longevity and fecundity of endophyte-naive parasitoid females due to the parasitization of host larvae fed on endophyte-infected plants. The presence of endophytes in the diet of the host larvae significantly prolonged the development of the parasitoid. A strong detrimental effect was also recorded for larval survival and emergence of parasitoid adults. The longevity and parasitism rate of female wasps were reduced significantly due to the ingestion of endophyte-infected cauliflower plants by S. litura larvae. Overall, we found that both endophytic fungi had a negative impact on the parasitoid.

Percutaneous Soft Tissue Release for Treating Chronic Recurrent Myofascial Pain Associated with Lateral Epicondylitis: 6 Case Studies

PubMed Central

Lin, Ming-Ta; Chou, Li-Wei; Chen, Hsin-Shui; Kao, Mu-Jung

2012-01-01

Objective. The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the effectiveness of the percutaneous soft tissue release for the treatment of recurrent myofascial pain in the forearm due to recurrent lateral epicondylitis. Methods. Six patients with chronic recurrent pain in the forearm with myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) due to chronic lateral epicondylitis were treated with percutaneous soft tissue release of Lin's technique. Pain intensity (measured with a numerical pain rating scale), pressure pain threshold (measured with a pressure algometer), and grasping strength (measured with a hand dynamometer) were assessed before, immediately after, and 3 months and 12 months after the treatment. Results. For every individual case, the pain intensity was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) and the pressure pain threshold and the grasping strength were significantly increased (P < 0.01) immediately after the treatment. This significant effectiveness lasts for at least one year. Conclusions. It is suggested that percutaneous soft tissue release can be used for treating chronic recurrent lateral epicondylitis to avoid recurrence, if other treatment, such as oral anti-inflammatory medicine, physical therapy, or local steroid injection, cannot control the recurrent pain. PMID:23243428

Long-Term Variability of UV Irradiance in the Moscow Region according to Measurement and Modeling Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubarova, N. E.; Pastukhova, A. S.; Galin, V. Ya.; Smyshlyaev, S. P.

2018-03-01

We have found distinct long-period changes in erythemal UV radiation ( Q er) characterized by a pronounced decrease at the end of the 1970s and a statistically significant positive trend of more than 5%/10 years since 1979 over the territory of the Moscow region according to the measurements and reconstruction model. The positive Q er trend is shown to be associated mainly with a decrease in the effective cloud amount and total ozone content (TOC). Due to these variations, UV resources have significantly changed in spring for the population with the most vulnerable skin type I, which means a transition from the UV optimum to UV moderate excess conditions. The simulation experiments using the INM-RSHU chemistry climate model (CCM) for several scenarios with and without anthropogenic factors have revealed that the variations in the anthropogenic emissions of halogens have the most significant impact on the variability of TOC and Q er. Among natural factors, noticeable effects are observed due to volcanic aerosol. The calculations of the cloud transmittance of Q er are generally consistent with the measurements; however, they do not reproduce the observed value of the positive trend.

The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Sensitized Corrosion of the 5383-H116 Al-Mg Alloy

PubMed Central

Lin, Ying-Kai; Wang, Shing-Hai; Chen, Ren-Yu; Hsieh, Tso-Sheng; Tsai, Liren; Chiang, Chia-Chin

2017-01-01

In this study, the effects of heat treatment and sensitized corrosion on the 5383-H116 Al-Mg alloy were investigated for temperatures ranging from 100 to 450 °C. The results show that the heat treatment temperature is the main factor that causes changes to the microstructure and mechanical strength of the 5383-H116 Al-Mg alloy, inducing β-phase (Al3Mg2) precipitation in the form of a continuous layer along the grain boundaries. Intergranular corrosion was caused by the β-phase of the grain boundary precipitation, and the corrosion susceptibility of the recrystallized structure was significantly higher than the corrosion susceptibility of the recovered structure. According to the conductivity values detected, β-phase precipitation can enhance the 5383-H116 Al-Mg alloy conductivity, with the response due to structural dislocation density being higher than that due to the recrystallized structure. As such, the β-phase precipitation after sensitization is more significant than the β-phase precipitation prior to the sensitization, such that after sensitization, the conductivity rises to a significantly higher level than that exhibited by the recrystallization structure. PMID:28772635

Asian aerosols: current and year 2030 distributions and implications to human health and regional climate change.

PubMed

Carmichael, Gregory R; Adhikary, Bhupesh; Kulkarni, Sarika; D'Allura, Alessio; Tang, Youhua; Streets, David; Zhang, Qiang; Bond, Tami C; Ramanathan, Veerabhadran; Jamroensan, Aditsuda; Marrapu, Pallavi

2009-08-01

Aerosol distributions in Asia calculated over a 4-year period and constrained by satellite observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) are presented. Vast regions in Asia that include > 80% of the population have PM2.5 concentrations that exceed on an annual basis the WHO guideline of 10 microg/m3, often by factors of 2 to 4. These high aerosol loadings also have important radiative effects, causing a significant dimming at the surface, and mask approximately 45% of the warming by greenhouse gases. Black carbon (BC) concentrations are high throughout Asia, representing 5-10% of the total AOD, and contributing significantly to atmospheric warming (its warming potential is approximately 55% of that due to CO2). PM levels and AODs in year 2030, estimated based on simulations that consider future changes in emissions, are used to explore opportunities for win-win strategies built upon addressing air quality and climate change together. It is found that in 2030 the PM2.5 levels in significant parts of Asia will increase and exacerbate health impacts; but the aerosols will have a larger masking effect on radiative forcing, due to a decrease in BC and an increase in SO2 emissions.

[New-generation proton pump inhibitors: progress in the treatment of peptic acid diseases?].

PubMed

de Korwin, Jean-Dominique; Ducrotté, Philippe; Vallot, Thierry

2004-06-19

EFFECTS AND INCONVENIENCIES OF THE OLDER PRODUCTS: The proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are now universally considered the treatment of choice for management of gastric-acid-related diseases, mainly gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These drugs share similar properties: general structure, acid-activation step, covalent binding to the proton pump of the gastric parietal cell via the production of covalent disulphide bonds, relatively stable inhibition of H+,K+-ATPase. However, the older PPIs (omeprazole, lansoprazole et pantoprazole) have notable limitations. These drugs exhibit substantial interpatient variability and may have significant interactions with other drugs. These first-generation PPIs also do not achieve a rapid and sustained suppression of gastric acid, leading to the development of new acid-pump antagonists. The new-generation PPIs, esomeprazole and rabeprazole, offer several pharmacokinetic advantages: lower oxidative hepatic metabolism rate via the CYP 2C19 reducing the activity variations due to genetic polymorphisms and decreasing the risk of significant drug-drug interactions (advantages mainly for rabeprazole), lower metabolic clearance of esomeprazole (S-enantiomer of omeprazole) increasing plasma concentrations and acid suppression of this new PPI, higher accumulation of rabeprazole in the parietal cell due to its higher pKa. Gastric pH studies and therapeutic trials have demonstrated significant advantages of esomeprazole and rabeprazole compared with the older PPIs, which omeprazole is the prototype: a greater inhibition of acid secretion, a more rapid onset of action to provide reflux symptoms relief over 24 hours with lower GERD-related cost for rabeprazole, a sustained acid suppression, cost-effectiveness advantages for esomeprazole in the healing and maintenance of erosive esophagitis compared with lansoprazole, reduced potential for clinically significant drug-drug interactions with rabeprazole compared with omeprazole and esomeprazole. Due to their properties, esomeprazole and rabeprazole are the best candidates for "on demand" treatment of GERD.

The Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on Exercise Metabolism and Physical Performance in Off-Road Cyclists

PubMed Central

Zajac, Adam; Poprzecki, Stanisław; Maszczyk, Adam; Czuba, Miłosz; Michalczyk, Małgorzata; Zydek, Grzegorz

2014-01-01

The main objective of this research was to determine the effects of a long-term ketogenic diet, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, on aerobic performance and exercise metabolism in off-road cyclists. Additionally, the effects of this diet on body mass and body composition were evaluated, as well as those that occurred in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles due to the dietary intervention. The research material included eight male subjects, aged 28.3 ± 3.9 years, with at least five years of training experience that competed in off-road cycling. Each cyclist performed a continuous exercise protocol on a cycloergometer with varied intensity, after a mixed and ketogenic diet in a crossover design. The ketogenic diet stimulated favorable changes in body mass and body composition, as well as in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles. Important findings of the present study include a significant increase in the relative values of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at lactate threshold (VO2 LT) after the ketogenic diet, which can be explained by reductions in body mass and fat mass and/or the greater oxygen uptake necessary to obtain the same energy yield as on a mixed diet, due to increased fat oxidation or by enhanced sympathetic activation. The max work load and the work load at lactate threshold were significantly higher after the mixed diet. The values of the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the exercise protocol following the ketogenic diet. The heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake were significantly higher at rest and during the first three stages of exercise after the ketogenic diet, while the reverse was true during the last stage of the exercise protocol conducted with maximal intensity. Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the 105-min exercise protocol following the low carbohydrate ketogenic diet. The alterations in insulin and cortisol concentrations due to the dietary intervention confirm the concept that the glucostatic mechanism controls the hormonal and metabolic responses to exercise. PMID:24979615

The effects of a ketogenic diet on exercise metabolism and physical performance in off-road cyclists.

PubMed

Zajac, Adam; Poprzecki, Stanisław; Maszczyk, Adam; Czuba, Miłosz; Michalczyk, Małgorzata; Zydek, Grzegorz

2014-06-27

The main objective of this research was to determine the effects of a long-term ketogenic diet, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, on aerobic performance and exercise metabolism in off-road cyclists. Additionally, the effects of this diet on body mass and body composition were evaluated, as well as those that occurred in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles due to the dietary intervention. The research material included eight male subjects, aged 28.3 ± 3.9 years, with at least five years of training experience that competed in off-road cycling. Each cyclist performed a continuous exercise protocol on a cycloergometer with varied intensity, after a mixed and ketogenic diet in a crossover design. The ketogenic diet stimulated favorable changes in body mass and body composition, as well as in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles. Important findings of the present study include a significant increase in the relative values of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at lactate threshold (VO2 LT) after the ketogenic diet, which can be explained by reductions in body mass and fat mass and/or the greater oxygen uptake necessary to obtain the same energy yield as on a mixed diet, due to increased fat oxidation or by enhanced sympathetic activation. The max work load and the work load at lactate threshold were significantly higher after the mixed diet. The values of the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the exercise protocol following the ketogenic diet. The heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake were significantly higher at rest and during the first three stages of exercise after the ketogenic diet, while the reverse was true during the last stage of the exercise protocol conducted with maximal intensity. Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the 105-min exercise protocol following the low carbohydrate ketogenic diet. The alterations in insulin and cortisol concentrations due to the dietary intervention confirm the concept that the glucostatic mechanism controls the hormonal and metabolic responses to exercise.

Application of remotely sensed land-use information to improve estimates of streamflow characteristics, volume 8. [Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pluhowski, E. J. (Principal Investigator)

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Land use data derived from high altitude photography and satellite imagery were studied for 49 basins in Delaware, and eastern Maryland and Virginia. Applying multiple regression techniques to a network of gaging stations monitoring runoff from 39 of the basins, demonstrated that land use data from high altitude photography provided an effective means of significantly improving estimates of stream flow. Forty stream flow characteristic equations for incorporating remotely sensed land use information, were compared with a control set of equations using map derived land cover. Significant improvement was detected in six equations where level 1 data was added and in five equations where level 2 information was utilized. Only four equations were improved significantly using land use data derived from LANDSAT imagery. Significant losses in accuracy due to the use of remotely sensed land use information were detected only in estimates of flood peaks. Losses in accuracy for flood peaks were probably due to land cover changes associated with temporal differences among the primary land use data sources.

Gastrin producing G-cells after chronic ethanol and low protein nutrition.

PubMed

Koko, V; Todorović, V; Varagić, J; Micev, M; Korać, A; Bajcetić, M; Cakić-Milosević, M; Nedeljković, M; Drndarević, N

1998-11-01

Male Wistar rats, (2 months old), randomly divided according to the diet offered to four groups (C-control; A- alcoholized, PD-protein-deprived, A-PD- alcoholized protein-deprived). In group A and A-PD rats, the number of gastrin producing G-cells was significantly lower. The volume density of G-cells was significantly decreased in alcoholic rats. Fasting serum gastrin level (FSGL) significantly raised due to combined effect of alcohol consumption and protein malnutrition. In group A rats, the profile area of G-cells and their nuclei increased. In PD rats, the profile area of G cells also increased. There were no differences in nucleus/cell ratio due to alcohol ingestion alone, but it decreased significantly in PD and A-PD rats. Pale and lucent types of granules were predominantly seen in G-cells of animals of group A and A-PD. Mean diameter of granules increased in A, PD and A-PD rats. Other endocrine cells (ECL, D, EC) also decreased in number in A rats. Somatostatin producing D-cells decreased significantly in A-PD rats, both in fundic and pyloric mucosa.

Effect of Powder-Suspended Dielectric on the EDM Characteristics of Inconel 625

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talla, Gangadharudu; Gangopadhyay, S.; Biswas, C. K.

2016-02-01

The current work attempts to establish the criteria for powder material selection by investigating the influence of various powder-suspended dielectrics and machining parameters on various EDM characteristics of Inconel 625 (a nickel-based super alloy) which is nowadays regularly used in aerospace, chemical, and marine industries. The powders include aluminum (Al), graphite, and silicon (Si) that have significant variation in their thermo-physical characteristics. Results showed that powder properties like electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, density, and hardness play a significant role in changing the machining performance and the quality of the machined surface. Among the three powders, highest material removal rate was observed for graphite powder due to its high electrical and thermal conductivities. Best surface finish and least radial overcut (ROC) were attained using Si powder. Maximum microhardness was found for Si due to its low thermal conductivity and high hardness. It is followed by graphite and aluminum powders. Addition of powder to the dielectric has increased the crater diameter due to expansion of plasma channel. Powder-mixed EDM (PMEDM) was also effective in lowering the density of surface cracks with least number of cracks obtained with graphite powder. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated possible formation of metal carbides along with grain growth phenomenon of Inconel 625 after PMEDM.

Effects of in situ dual ion beam (He+ and D+) irradiation with simultaneous pulsed heat loading on surface morphology evolution of tungsten-tantalum alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonderman, S.; Tripathi, J. K.; Sinclair, G.; Novakowski, T. J.; Sizyuk, T.; Hassanein, A.

2018-02-01

The strong thermal and mechanical properties of tungsten (W) are well suited for the harsh fusion environment. However, increasing interest in using tungsten as plasma-facing components (PFCs) has revealed several key issues. These potential roadblocks necessitate more investigation of W and other alternative W based materials exposed to realistic fusion conditions. In this work, W and tungsten-tantalum (W-Ta) alloys were exposed to single (He+) and dual (He+  +  D+) ion irradiations with simultaneous pulsed heat loading to elucidate PFCs response under more realistic conditions. Laser only exposer revealed significantly more damage in W-Ta samples as compared to pure W samples. This was due to the difference in the mechanical properties of the two different materials. Further erosion studies were conducted to evaluate the material degradation due to transient heat loading in both the presence and absence of He+ and/or D+ ions. We concluded that erosion of PFC materials was significantly enhanced due to the presence of ion irradiation. This is important as it demonstrates that there are key synergistic effects resulting from more realistic fusion loading conditions that need to be considered when evaluating the response of plasma facing materials.

Short-term exposure to JP-8 jet fuel results in long-term immunotoxicity.

PubMed

Harris, D T; Sakiestewa, D; Robledo, R F; Witten, M

1997-01-01

Chronic exposure to jet fuel has been shown to have adverse effects on human liver function, to cause emotional dysfunction, to cause abnormal electroencephalograms, to cause shortened attention spans, and to decrease sensorimotor speed. Due to the decision by the United States Air Force to implement the widespread use of JP-8 jet fuel in its operations, a thorough understanding of its potential effects upon exposed personnel is both critical and necessary. Exposure to potential environmental toxicants such as JP-8 may have significant effects on host systems beyond those readily visible (i.e., physiology, cardiology, respiratory, etc.); e.g., the immune system. Previous studies have shown that short-term, low concentration JP-8 exposure had significant effects on the immune system, which should have serious consequences for the exposed host in terms of susceptibility to infectious agents. If these alterations in immune function were long-lasting, it might also result in an increased likelihood of development and/or progression of cancer, as well as autoimmune disease. In the current study, mice were exposed for 1 h/day for 7 days to a moderate (1000 mg/m3) and a high (2500 mg/m3) concentration of aerosolized JP-8 jet fuel to stimulate occupational exposures. One to 28 days after the last exposure the mice were analyzed for effects of the exposure on their immune systems. It was observed that decrease in viable immune cell numbers and immune organ weights found at 24 h after exposure persisted for extended periods of time. Further, JP-8 exposure resulted in significantly decreased immune infection, as analyzed by mitogenesis assays, which persisted for up to 4 weeks post-exposure. Thus, short-term exposure of mice to JP-8 jet fuel caused significant toxicological effects on the immune system, which were long-lasting and persistent. It appears that the immune system may be the most sensitive indicator of toxicological damage due to JP-8 exposure. Such long-term changes in immune status may have significant effects on the health of the exposed individual.

Effects of inbreeding on potential and realized immune responses in Tenebrio molitor.

PubMed

Rantala, Markus J; Viitaniemi, Heidi; Roff, Derek A

2011-06-01

Although numerous studies on vertebrates suggest that inbreeding reduces their resistance against parasites and pathogens, studies in insects have found contradictory evidence. In this study we tested the effect of 1 generation of brother-sister mating (inbreeding) on potential and realized immune responses and other life-history traits in Tenebrio molitor. We found that inbreeding reduced adult mass, pre-adult survival and increased development time, suggesting that inbreeding reduced the condition of the adults and thus potentially made them more susceptible to physiological stress. However, we found no significant effect of inbreeding on the potential immune response (encapsulation response), but inbreeding reduced the realized immune response (resistance against the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana). There was a significant family effect on encapsulation response, but no family effect on the resistance against the entomopathogenic fungi. Given that this latter trait showed significant inbreeding depression and that the sample size for the family-effect analysis was small it is likely that the lack of a significant family effect is due to reduced statistical power, rather than the lack of a heritable basis to the trait. Our study highlights the importance of using pathogens and parasites in immunoecological studies.

The effectiveness of low-level diode laser therapy on orthodontic pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ren, Chong; McGrath, Colman; Yang, Yanqi

2015-09-01

To assess the effectiveness of diode low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for orthodontic pain control, a systematic and extensive electronic search for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of diode LLLT on orthodontic pain prior to November 2014 was performed using the Cochrane Library (Issue 9, 2014), PubMed (1997), EMBASE (1947) and Web of Science (1956). The Cochrane tool for risk of bias evaluation was used to assess the bias risk in the chosen data. A meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3. Of the 186 results, 14 RCTs, with a total of 659 participants from 11 countries, were included. Except for three studies assessed as having a 'moderate risk of bias', the RCTs were rated as having a 'high risk of bias'. The methodological weaknesses were mainly due to 'blinding' and 'allocation concealment'. The meta-analysis showed that diode LLLT significantly reduced orthodontic pain by 39 % in comparison with placebo groups (P = 0.02). Diode LLLT was shown to significantly reduce the maximum pain intensity among parallel-design studies (P = 0.003 versus placebo groups; P = 0.000 versus control groups). However, no significant effects were shown for split-mouth-design studies (P = 0.38 versus placebo groups). It was concluded that the use of diode LLLT for orthodontic pain appears promising. However, due to methodological weaknesses, there was insufficient evidence to support or refute LLLT's effectiveness. RCTs with better designs and appropriate sample power are required to provide stronger evidence for diode LLLT's clinical applications.

Sediment pollution impacts sensory ability and performance of settling coral-reef fish.

PubMed

O'Connor, J Jack; Lecchini, David; Beck, Hayden J; Cadiou, Gwenael; Lecellier, Gael; Booth, David J; Nakamura, Yohei

2016-01-01

Marine organisms are under threat globally from a suite of anthropogenic sources, but the current emphasis on global climate change has deflected the focus from local impacts. While the effect of increased sedimentation on the settlement of coral species is well studied, little is known about the impact on larval fish. Here, the effect of a laterite "red soil" sediment pollutant on settlement behaviour and post-settlement performance of reef fish was tested. In aquarium tests that isolated sensory cues, we found significant olfaction-based avoidance behaviour and disruption of visual cue use in settlement-stage larval fish at 50 mg L(-1), a concentration regularly exceeded in situ during rain events. In situ light trap catches showed lower abundance and species richness in the presence of red soil, but were not significantly different due to high variance in the data. Prolonged exposure to red soil produced altered olfactory cue responses, whereby fish in red soil made a likely maladaptive choice for dead coral compared to controls where fish chose live coral. Other significant effects of prolonged exposure included decreased feeding rates and body condition. These effects on fish larvae reared over 5 days occurred in the presence of a minor drop in pH and may be due to the chemical influence of the sediment. Our results show that sediment pollution of coral reefs may have more complex effects on the ability of larval fish to successfully locate suitable habitat than previously thought, as well as impacting on their post-settlement performance and, ultimately, recruitment success.

Nitrogen (N) Deposition Impacts Seedling Growth of Pinus massoniana via N:P Ratio Effects and the Modulation of Adaptive Responses to Low P (Phosphorus)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi; Zhou, Zhichun; Yang, Qing

2013-01-01

Background In forest ecosystems with phosphorus (P) deficiency, the impact of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on nutritional traits related to P uptake and P use potentially determines plant growth and vegetation productivity. Methodology/Principal Findings Two N deposition simulations were combined with three soil P conditions (homogeneous P deficiency with evenly low P; heterogeneous P deficiency with low subsoil P and high topsoil P; high P) using four full-sib families of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana). Under homogeneous P deficiency, N had a low effect on growth due to higher N:P ratios, whereas N-sensitive genotypes had lower N:P ratios and greater N sensitivity. The N effect increased under higher P conditions due to increased P concentration and balanced N:P ratios. An N:P threshold of 12.0–15.0 was detected, and growth was increased by N with an N:P ratio ≤ 12.0 and increased by P with an N:P ratio ≥ 15.0. Under homogeneous P deficiency, increased P use efficiency by N deposition improved growth. Under heterogeneous P deficiency, a greater P deficiency under N deposition due to increased N:P ratios induced greater adaptive responses to low P (root acid phosphatase secretion and topsoil root proliferation) and improved P acquisition and growth. Conclusions/Significance N deposition diversely affected seedling growth across different P conditions and genotypes via N:P ratio effects and the modulation of adaptive responses to low P. The positive impact of N on growth was genotype-specific and increased by soil P addition due to balanced N:P ratios. These results indicate the significance of breeding N-sensitive tree genotypes and improving forest soil P status to compensate for increasing N deposition. PMID:24205376

Heterogeneous Effects of Birth Spacing on Neonatal Mortality Risks in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Molitoris, Joseph

2018-01-01

Abstract The negative relationship between birth interval length and neonatal mortality risks is well documented, but heterogeneity in this relationship has been largely ignored. Using the Bangladesh Maternal Mortality and Health Care Survey 2010, this study investigates how the effect of birth interval length on neonatal mortality risks varies by maternal age at birth and maternal education. There is significant variation in the effect of interval length on neonatal mortality along these dimensions. Young mothers and those with little education, both of which make up a large share of the Bangladeshi population, can disproportionately benefit from longer intervals. Because these results were obtained from within‐family models, they are not due to unobservable heterogeneity between mothers. Targeting women with these characteristics may lead to significant improvements in neonatal mortality rates, but there are significant challenges in reaching them. PMID:29508949

The mediating effect of parental neglect on adolescent and young adult anti-sociality: a longitudinal study of twins and their parents.

PubMed

Eaves, Lindon J; Prom, Elizabeth C; Silberg, Judy L

2010-07-01

The causes of correlation between parental treatment and offspring behavior are ambiguous since genetic and social factors are correlated in typical family studies. The problem is complicated by the need to characterize the effects of genes and environment on both juvenile and adult behavioral outcomes. A model is developed for the resemblance between juvenile and adult twins and their parents that allows some of these effects to be resolved. Data on childhood adversity, parental anti-social behavior, and longitudinal adult and juvenile anti-social behavior were obtained from 1,412 families of adolescent and young adult twins. A structural model is fitted that allows for the effects of genetic and social transmission of information from parents to children. Environmental effects of parents may be mediated through measured features of the home environment. Parameters were estimated by diagonal weighted least squares applied to the 33 distinct polychoric correlations between relatives and between variables within and between ages. Sub-hypotheses were tested. Results confirmed that effects of genes and environment were both highly significant. Genetic effects were large in juveniles and largely age and sex-specific. Approximately 30% of the variation due to the shared environment was due to the effect of childhood adversity. The remaining shared environmental effects are unexplained. Adversity is affected significantly by maternal anti-social behavior. The correlation between paternal ASP and adversity may be explained by antisocial fathers selecting (or creating) antisocial mothers. All significant environmental effects of parental ASP are mediated through the measure of adversity. Though transmission of ASP is both genetic and social, passive genotype-environment correlation is very small. Assortative mating for ASP has barely detectable consequence for the genetic correlation between siblings. The longitudinal study of twins and their parents makes it possible to demonstrate there is a direct causal effect of childhood adversity on child conduct disorder over and above any indirect genetic correlation.

FRAMEWORK TO EVALUATE CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS TO THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES

EPA Science Inventory

Wildlife species listed as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (T&E species) suffer a significant risk of extinction in North America due to the adverse effects of current natural or anthropogenic stressors. Climate change, either acting alone or by ...

Non-scaling behavior of electroosmotic flow in voltage-gated nanopores

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

Lian, Cheng; Gallegos, Alejandro; Liu, Honglai

2017-01-01

Ionic size effects and electrostatic correlations result in the non-monotonic dependence of the electrical conductivity on the pore size. For ion transport at a high gating voltage, the conductivity oscillates with the pore size due to a significant overlap of the electric double layers.

Behavior-Focused Alternative Schools: Impact on Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkerson, Kimber; Afacan, Kemal; Perzigian, Aaron; Justin, Whitney; Lequia, Jenna

2016-01-01

Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who have been unsuccessful in other school settings due to low academic achievement coupled with significant behavior challenges. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of secondary behavior-focused alternative schools on four different student outcome variables: (a) school attendance,…

Apical root resorption due to orthodontic treatment detected by cone beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Castro, Iury O; Alencar, Ana H G; Valladares-Neto, José; Estrela, Carlos

2013-03-01

To determine the frequency of apical root resorption (ARR) due to orthodontic treatment using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a sample of 1256 roots from 30 patients. All patients had Class I malocclusion with crowding. Of the 30 patients evaluated, 11 were boys and 19 were girls; their mean age was 13 years (11 to 16 years). Orthodontic treatment followed the nonextraction treatment. CBCT images were obtained before and after orthodontic treatment, and ARR was determined using Axial Guided Navigation of CBCT images. All patients had ARR. No statistically significant association was found between resorption frequency, gender, and age. ARR was detected using CBCT in 46% of all roots that underwent orthodontic treatment. CBCT was effective for detecting in vivo even minimal degrees of ARR due to orthodontic treatment and allowed three-dimensional evaluation of dental roots and visualization of palatine roots of maxillary molars. The highest frequencies and the most significant ARR occurred in incisors and distal roots of first maxillary and mandibular molars.

Mortality from all cancers of asbestos factory workers in east London 1933-80

PubMed Central

Berry, G; Newhouse, M; Wagner, J

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To give the observed and expected deaths due to cancer at all separate sites in asbestos workers in east London, and to analyse these for overall effect and exposure-response trend.
METHODS—The mortality experience of a cohort of over 5000 men and women followed up for over 30 years since first exposure to asbestos has been extracted.
RESULTS—There was a large excess of deaths due to cancer (537 observed, 222 expected). Most of these were due to cancer of the lung (232 observed, 77 expected) and pleural (52) and peritoneal (48) mesothelioma. The exposure-response trend for all these three causes was highly significant. There was also an excess of cancer of the colon (27 observed, 15 expected) which was significantly related to exposure. There were significant excesses of cancer of the ovary, of the liver, and of the oesophagus but with no consistent relation to exposure.
CONCLUSIONS—The excess risk of cancer after exposure to asbestos was mainly due to cancer of the lung and mesothelioma. An exposure related excess of cancer of the colon was also detected but the possibility that some of these deaths may have been peritoneal mesotheliomas could not be excluded. There was no consistent evidence of exposure related excesses at any other site.


Keywords: asbestos; cancer; exposure-response PMID:11024203

[Personality Change due to Brain Trauma Caused by Traffic Accidents and Its Assessment of Psychiatric Impairment].

PubMed

Fan, Hui-yu; Zhang, Qin-ting; Tang, Tao; Cai, Wei-xiong

2016-04-01

To explore the main performance of personality change in people with mild psychiatric impairments which due to the brain trauma caused by traffic accidents and its value in assessment of psychiatric impairment. The condition of personality change of patients with traumatic brain injury caused by traffic accident was evaluated by the Scale of Personality Change Post-traumatic Brain Injury (SPCPTBI). Furthermore, the correlation between the personality change and the degrees of traumatic brain injury and psychiatric impairment were explored. Results In 271 samples, 239 (88.2%) with personality changes. Among these 239 samples, 178 (65.7%), 46 (17.0%), 15 (5.5%) with mild, moderate and severe personality changes, respectively. The ratio based on the extent of personality changes to the degree of brain trauma was not significant (P > 0.05), but the total score difference between the groups was significant (P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance between the medium and high severity brain trauma groups. The higher degree of personality changes, the higher rank of mental disabilities. The total score difference of the scale of personality change among the different mild psychiatric impairment group was significant (P<0.05). The difference between other psychiatric impairment levels had statistical significance (P < 0.05) except level 7 and 8. The occurrence of personality change due to traumatic brain injury caused by traffic accident was high. Correlations exist between the personality change and the degree of psychiatric impairment. Personality change due to brain trauma caused by traffic accident can be assessed effectively by means of SPCPTBI, and the correlation between the total score and the extent of traumatic brain injury can be found.

Effects of Extended Hypoxia on Night Vision

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

Continue on reverse aide it necessary and identify by block number) hypoxia, anoxia , night vision, dark adaptation, extended hypoxia /y虦 SABDST’RACT M=t...and his colleagues, who not only quantified significant aspects of the dark adaptation function due to anoxia (hypoxia) (12,13,14,16), but also...and his co-workers (7) conducted related and very significant research on bright- ness discrimination, and concluded that anoxia acts mainly on the

Dronedarone: a promising alternative for the management of atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Yalta, Kenan; Turgut, Okan Onur; Yilmaz, Mehmet Birhan; Yilmaz, Ahmet; Tandogan, Izzet

2009-10-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered chronic arrhythmia associated with significant morbidity. It is generally encountered in the elderly, and will presumably become more prevalent in the future due to the increasing proportion of the elderly in the population. Major studies on AF have demonstrated no significant difference between rhythm and rate control in terms of mortality. However, young population with new-onset or lone AF, or patients in whom the maintenance of sinus rhythm is a must (due to recurrent thromboembolic events etc.) still gives rise to significant concerns related to the obligatory long-term prophylaxis. The long-term administration of the currently available conventional agents (amiodarone, dofetilide, sotalol, propafenone,flecainide etc.) is considered as a 'double edged sword' due to the presence of life-threatening adverse effects including pro-arrhythmia and organ toxicity associated with these agents. Several molecules are being developed for the management of AF. However, only a few novel agents confer promising results with respect to safety and efficacy issues in the major studies. Dronedarone is an amiodarone analogue without iodine moiety in its structure, and is similar to amiodarone with regard to its structural and electrophysiological properties. Dronedarone is largely denuded of the potentially life-threatening adverse effects of anti-arrhythmics. Major clinical studies have demonstrated both rhythm and rate-controlling efficacy of dronedarone compared to placebo without any serious adverse effects in patients with AF. However, the ANDROMEDA trial, a large scale study including patients hospitalized for symptomatic congestive heart failure (with severely depressed left ventricular systolic functions) was prematurely terminated due to the increased mortality in the dronedarone arm compared to placebo indicating a lack of safety in this group of patients. Conversely, the recently published ATHENA study (including more than 4,600 high risk patients, but excluding those with severe heart failure) demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular hospitalizations and cardiovascular mortality with dronedarone compared to placebo. In contrast, the DIONYSOS study, comparing dronedarone with amiodarone, demonstrated better safety, but lower efficacy of dronedarone for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with AF. Further clinical trials (including head to head comparison with other conventional anti-arrhythmics) are still required to determine the place of dronedarone in the management of AF. The present review focuses on basic and clinical aspects of dronedarone, a novel agent for the management of AF.

Olanzapine and haloperidol for the treatment of acute symptoms of mental disorders induced by amphetamine-type stimulants: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Xue, Xiaobin; Song, Yun; Yu, Xiaojie; Fan, Qiang; Tang, Jiyou; Chen, Xu

2018-02-01

This study aimed to compare olanzapine and haloperidol efficacies in the treatment of acute psychiatric symptoms due to amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs). The Zelen II design method was used; 124 patients with acute mental disorders due to amphetamine were randomly divided into olanzapine group (n = 63) and haloperidol group (n = 61). Then, a 4-week open-label medical therapy was performed. Clinical Global Impression Scale Item 2 was employed to evaluate the onset time; meanwhile, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was used at baseline and at posttreatment weeks 1, 2, and 4. Moreover, adverse reactions during the treatment were recorded. Onset time in the olanzapine group was significantly earlier than in the haloperidol group; BPRS scores in the olanzapine group were significantly lower than haloperidol group values at 1 and 2 weeks of treatment. The overall effective rates had no statistically significant difference. Short-term olanzapine and haloperidol treatments had equivalent efficacies in the treatment of acute symptoms of mental disorders due to ATSs; however, olanzapine administration resulted in relatively earlier disease onset, with less adverse reactions.

The Bone Building Blues: Self-hardening copper-doped calcium phosphate cement and its in vitro assessment against mammalian cells and bacteria.

PubMed

Rau, Julietta V; Wu, Victoria M; Graziani, Valerio; Fadeeva, Inna V; Fomin, Alexander S; Fosca, Marco; Uskoković, Vuk

2017-10-01

A blue calcium phosphate cement with optimal self-hardening properties was synthesized by doping whitlockite (β-TCP) with copper ions. The mechanism and the kinetics of the cement solidification process were studied using energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and it was found out that hardening was accompanied by the phase transition from TCP to brushite. Reduced lattice parameters in all crystallographic directions resulting from the rather low (1:180) substitution rate of copper for calcium was consistent with the higher ionic radius of the latter. The lower cationic hydration resulting from the partial Ca→Cu substitution facilitated the release of constitutive hydroxyls and lowered the energy of formation of TCP from the apatite precursor at elevated temperatures. Addition of copper thus effectively inhibited the formation of apatite as the secondary phase. The copper-doped cement exhibited an antibacterial effect, though exclusively against Gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. enteritidis. This antibacterial effect was due to copper ions, as demonstrated by an almost negligible antibacterial effect of the pure, copper-free cement. Also, the antibacterial activity of the copper-containing cement was significantly higher than that of its precursor powder. Since there was no significant difference between the kinetics of the release of copper from the precursor TCP powder and from the final, brushite phase of the hardened cement, this has suggested that the antibacterial effect was not solely due to copper ions, but due to the synergy between cationic copper and a particular phase and aggregation state of calcium phosphate. Though inhibitory to bacteria, the copper-doped cement increased the viability of human glial E297 cells, murine osteoblastic K7M2 cells and especially human primary lung fibroblasts. That this effect was also due to copper ions was evidenced by the null effect on viability increase exhibited by the copper-free cements. The difference in the mechanism of protection of dehydratases in prokaryotes and eukaryotes was used as a rationale for explaining the hereby evidenced selectivity in biological response. It presents the basis for the consideration of copper as a dually effective ion when synergized with calcium phosphates: toxic for bacteria and beneficial for the healthy cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preventing homicide: an evaluation of the efficacy of a Detroit gun ordinance.

PubMed Central

O'Carroll, P W; Loftin, C; Waller, J B; McDowall, D; Bukoff, A; Scott, R O; Mercy, J A; Wiersema, B

1991-01-01

BACKGROUND: In November 1986, a Detroit, Michigan city ordinance requiring mandatory jail sentences for illegally carrying a firearm in public was passed to preserve "the public peace, health, safety, and welfare of the people." METHODS: We conducted a set of interrupted time-series analyses to evaluate the impact of the law on the incidence of homicides, hypothesizing that the ordinance, by its nature, would affect only firearm homicides and homicides committed outside (e.g., on the street). RESULTS: The incidence of homicide in general increased after the law was passed, but the increases in non-firearm homicides and homicides committed inside (e.g., in a home) were either statistically significant or approached statistical significance (p = .006 and p = .070, respectively), whereas changes in the incidence of firearm homicides and homicides committed outside were not statistically significant (p = .238 and p = .418, respectively). We also determined that the ordinance was essentially unenforced, apparently because of a critical shortage of jail space. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with a model in which the ordinance had a dampening effect on firearm homicides occurring in public in Detroit. The apparent preventive effect evident in the time series analyses may have been due to publicity about the ordinance, whereas the small nature of the effect may have been due to the lack of enforcement. PMID:2014857

The effectiveness of physical models in teaching anatomy: a meta-analysis of comparative studies.

PubMed

Yammine, Kaissar; Violato, Claudio

2016-10-01

There are various educational methods used in anatomy teaching. While three dimensional (3D) visualization technologies are gaining ground due to their ever-increasing realism, reports investigating physical models as a low-cost 3D traditional method are still the subject of considerable interest. The aim of this meta-analysis is to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of such models based on comparative studies. Eight studies (7 randomized trials; 1 quasi-experimental) including 16 comparison arms and 820 learners met the inclusion criteria. Primary outcomes were defined as factual, spatial and overall percentage scores. The meta-analytical results are: educational methods using physical models yielded significantly better results when compared to all other educational methods for the overall knowledge outcome (p < 0.001) and for spatial knowledge acquisition (p < 0.001). Significantly better results were also found with regard to the long-retention knowledge outcome (p < 0.01). No significance was found for the factual knowledge acquisition outcome. The evidence in the present systematic review was found to have high internal validity and at least an acceptable strength. In conclusion, physical anatomical models offer a promising tool for teaching gross anatomy in 3D representation due to their easy accessibility and educational effectiveness. Such models could be a practical tool to bring up the learners' level of gross anatomy knowledge at low cost.

Exploring the Relationship between Negative Urgency and Dysregulated Eating: Etiologic Associations and the Role of Negative Affect

PubMed Central

Racine, Sarah E.; Keel, Pamela K.; Burt, S. Alexandra; Sisk, Cheryl L.; Neale, Michael; Boker, Steven; Klump, Kelly L.

2013-01-01

Negative urgency (i.e., the tendency to engage in rash action in response to negative affect) has emerged as a critical personality trait contributing to individual differences in binge eating. However, studies investigating the extent to which genetic and/or environmental influences underlie the effects of negative urgency on binge eating are lacking. Moreover, it remains unclear whether negative urgency-binge eating associations are simply due to the well-established role of negative affect in the development/maintenance of binge eating. The current study addresses these gaps by examining phenotypic and etiologic associations between negative urgency, negative affect, and dysregulated eating (i.e., binge eating, emotional eating) in a sample of 222 same-sex female twin pairs from the Michigan State Twin Registry. Negative urgency was significantly associated with both dysregulated eating symptoms, even after controlling for the effects of negative affect. Genetic factors accounted for the majority (62–77%) of this phenotypic association, although a significant proportion of this genetic covariation was due to genetic influences in common with negative affect. Non-shared environmental factors accounted for a relatively smaller (23–38%) proportion of the association, but these non-shared environmental effects were independent of negative affect. Findings suggest that the presence of emotion-based rash action, combined with high levels of negative affect, may significantly increase genetic risk for dysregulated eating. PMID:23356217

Dynamic dielectrophoresis model of multi-phase ionic fluids.

PubMed

Yan, Ying; Luo, Jing; Guo, Dan; Wen, Shizhu

2015-01-01

Ionic-based dielectrophoretic microchips have attracted significant attention due to their wide-ranging applications in electro kinetic and biological experiments. In this work, a numerical method is used to simulate the dynamic behaviors of ionic droplets in a microchannel under the effect of dielectrophoresis. When a discrete liquid dielectric is encompassed within a continuous fluid dielectric placed in an electric field, an electric force is produced due to the dielectrophoresis effect. If either or both of the fluids are ionic liquids, the magnitude and even the direction of the force will be changed because the net ionic charge induced by an electric field can affect the polarization degree of the dielectrics. However, using a dielectrophoresis model, assuming ideal dielectrics, results in significant errors. To avoid the inaccuracy caused by the model, this work incorporates the electrode kinetic equation and defines a relationship between the polarization charge and the net ionic charge. According to the simulation conditions presented herein, the electric force obtained in this work has an error exceeding 70% of the actual value if the false effect of net ionic charge is not accounted for, which would result in significant issues in the design and optimization of experimental parameters. Therefore, there is a clear motivation for developing a model adapted to ionic liquids to provide precise control for the dielectrophoresis of multi-phase ionic liquids.

The effect of a Cr addition and transformation temperature on the mechanical properties of cold drawn hyper-eutectoid steel wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyung Rak; Kang, Eui Goo; Bae, Chul Min; Lee, Choong Yeol; Lee, Duk Lak; Nam, Won Jong

2006-06-01

The effects of a Cr addition and transformation temperature on the strength and work hardening behavior of cold drawn hyper-eutectoid steel wires are investigated in this study. The Cr addition was found to be effective for increasing the tensile strength and work hardening rate, k/(2 λ°)1/2, due to the refinement of the initial interlamellar spacing and the increment of the Hall-Petch parameter. While the work hardening rate, k/(2 λ°)1/2, was significantly influenced by the magnitude of the interlamellar spacing, the Hall-Petch parameter, k, was not affected by the interlamellar spacing. Additionally, the refinement of the interlamellar spacing due to the low transformation temperature and the Cr addition caused an increase of the RA in drawn pearlitic steels.

Nutraceuticals in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Hang, Liting; Basil, Adeline Henry; Lim, Kah-Leong

2016-09-01

Current pharmacological strategies for Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common neurological movement disorder worldwide, are predominantly symptom relieving and are often plagued with undesirable side effects after prolonged treatment. Despite this, they remain as the mainstay treatment for PD due to the lack of better alternatives. Nutraceuticals are compounds derived from natural food sources that have certain therapeutic value and the advent of which has opened doors to the use of alternative strategies to tackle neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. Notably, nutraceuticals are able to position themselves as a "safer" strategy due to the fact that they are naturally derived compounds, therefore possibly having less side effects. Significant efforts have been put into better comprehending the role of nutraceuticals in PD, and we will look at some of them in this review. Broadly speaking, these compounds execute their positive effects via modulating signalling pathways, inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as regulating mitochondrial homoeostasis. Importantly, we will highlight how a component of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), confers neuroprotection in PD via its ability to activate AMP kinase and articulate how its beneficial effects in PD are possibly due to enhancing mitochondrial quality control.

Effect of glucose on the biomechanical function of arterial elastin

PubMed Central

Wang, Yunjie; Zeinali-Davarani, Shahrokh; Davis, Elaine C.; Zhang, Yanhang

2015-01-01

Elastin is essential to provide elastic support for blood vessels. As a remarkably long-lived protein, elastin can suffer from cumulative effects of exposure to biochemical damages, which can greatly compromise its biomechanical properties. Non-enzymatic glycation is one of the main mechanisms of aging and its effect is magnified in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of glucose on mechanical properties of isolated porcine aortic elastin. Elastin samples were incubated in 2 M glucose solution and were allowed to equilibrate for 4, 7, 14, 21 or 28 days at 37°C. Equibiaxial tensile tests were performed to study the changes of elastic properties of elastin due to glycation. Significant decreases in tissue dimension were observed after 7 days glucose incubation. Elastin samples treated for 14, 21 or 28 days demonstrate a significant increase in hysteresis in the stress-stretch curves, indicating a greater energy loss due to glucose treatment. Both the longitudinal and the circumferential directions show significant increases in tangent modulus with glucose treatment, however only significant increases are observed after 7 days for the circumferential direction. An eight-chain statistical mechanics based microstructural model was used to study the hyperelastic and orthotropic behavior of the glucose-treated elastin and the material parameters were estimated using a nonlinear least squares method. Material parameters in the model were related to elastin density and fiber orientation, and, hence, the possible microstructural changes in glucose-treated elastin. Estimated material parameters show a general increasing trend in elastin density per unit volume with glucose incubation. The simulation results also indicate that more elastic fibers are aligned in the longitudinal and circumferential directions, rather than in the radial direction. PMID:26042769

Effect of glucose on the biomechanical function of arterial elastin.

PubMed

Wang, Yunjie; Zeinali-Davarani, Shahrokh; Davis, Elaine C; Zhang, Yanhang

2015-09-01

Elastin is essential to provide elastic support for blood vessels. As a remarkably long-lived protein, elastin can suffer from cumulative effects of exposure to biochemical damages, which can greatly compromise its biomechanical properties. Non-enzymatic glycation is one of the main mechanisms of aging and its effect is magnified in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of glucose on mechanical properties of isolated porcine aortic elastin. Elastin samples were incubated in 2 M glucose solution and were allowed to equilibrate for 4, 7, 14, 21 or 28 days at 37 °C. Equibiaxial tensile tests were performed to study the changes of elastic properties of elastin due to glycation. Significant decreases in tissue dimension were observed after 7 days glucose incubation. Elastin samples treated for 14, 21 or 28 days demonstrate a significant increase in hysteresis in the stress-stretch curves, indicating a greater energy loss due to glucose treatment. Both the longitudinal and the circumferential directions show significant increases in tangent modulus with glucose treatment, however only significant increases are observed after 7 days for the circumferential direction. An eight-chain statistical mechanics based microstructural model was used to study the hyperelastic and orthotropic behavior of the glucose-treated elastin and the material parameters were estimated using a nonlinear least squares method. Material parameters in the model were related to elastin density and fiber orientation, and, hence, the possible microstructural changes in glucose-treated elastin. Estimated material parameters show a general increasing trend in elastin density per unit volume with glucose incubation. The simulation results also indicate that more elastic fibers are aligned in the longitudinal and circumferential directions, rather than in the radial direction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in functional traits between invasive and native Amaranthus species under simulated acid deposition with a gradient of pH levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Congyan; Wu, Bingde; Jiang, Kun; Zhou, Jiawei

2018-05-01

Co-occurring invasive plant species (invaders hereafter) and natives receive similar or even the same environmental selection pressures. Thus, the differences in functional traits between natives and invaders have become widely recognized as a major driving force of the success of plant invasion. Meanwhile, increasing amounts of acid are deposited into ecosystems. Thus, it is important to elucidate the potential effects of acid deposition on the functional traits of invaders in order to better understand the potential mechanisms for the successful invasion. This study aims to address the differences in functional traits between native red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.; amaranth hereafter) and invasive redroot pigweed (A. retroflexus L.; pigweed hereafter) under simulated acid deposition with a gradient of pH levels. Pigweed was significantly taller than amaranth under most treatments. The greater height of pigweed can lead to greater competitive ability for resource acquisition, particularly for sunlight. Leaf shape index of pigweed was also significantly greater than that of amaranth under all treatments. The greater leaf shape index of pigweed can enhance the efficiency of resource capture (especially sunlight capture) via adjustments to leaf shape and size. Thus, the greater height and leaf shape index of pigweed can significantly enhance its competitive ability, especially under acid deposition. Acid deposition of pH 5.6 significantly increased amaranth leaf width in the co-cultivation due to added nutrients. The pH 4.5 acid deposition treatment significantly increased the specific leaf area of amaranth in the monoculture compared with the pH 5.6 acid deposition treatment and the control. The main mechanism explaining this pattern may be due to acid deposition mediating a hormesis effect on plants, promoting plant growth. The values of the relative competition intensity between amaranth and pigweed for most functional traits were lower than zero under most treatments. Thus, competitive performance arose in most treatments when the two species were grown together. This may be due to the enhanced competitive intensity under interspecific coexistence. However, the values of the relative competition intensity of the leaf functional traits between amaranth and pigweed were all higher than zero under the pH 5.6 simulated acid deposition treatment. Thus, interspecific facilitation occurs when the two species are co-cultivated under the pH 5.6 simulated acid deposition treatment. This may be due the positive nutritional effects induced in the pH 5.6 simulated acid deposition treatment.

Investigation of a direct effect of nanosecond pulse electric fields on mitochondria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estlack, Larry E.; Roth, Caleb C.; Cerna, Cesario Z.; Wilmink, Gerald J.; Ibey, Bennett L.

2014-03-01

The unique cellular response to nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) exposure, as compared to longer pulse exposure, has been theorized to be due to permeabilization of intracellular organelles including the mitochondria. In this investigation, we utilized a high-throughput oxygen and pH sensing system (Seahorse® XF24 extracellular flux analyzer) to assess the mitochondrial activity of Jurkat and U937 cells after nsPEF. The XF Analyzer uses a transient micro-chamber of only a few μL in specialized cell culture micro-plates to enable oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) to be monitored in real-time. We found that for nsPEF exposures of 10 pulses at 10-ns pulse width and at 50 kV/cm e-field, we were able to cause an increase in OCR in both U937 and Jurkat cells. We also found that high pulse numbers (>100) caused a significant decrease in OCR. Higher amplitude 150 kV/cm exposures had no effect on U937 cells and yet they had a deleterious effect on Jurkat cells, matching previously published 24 hour survival data. These results suggest that the exposures were modulating metabolic activity in cells possibly due to direct effects on the mitochondria themselves. To validate this hypothesis, we isolated mitochondria from U937 cells and exposed them similarly and found no significant change in metabolic activity for any pulse number. In a final experiment, we removed calcium from the buffer solution that the cells were exposed in and found that no significant enhancement in metabolic activity was observed. These results suggest that direct permeabilization of the mitochondria is unlikely a primary effect of nsPEF exposure and calcium-mediated intracellular pathway activation is likely responsible for observed pulse-induced mitochondrial effects.

N-Acetylcysteine as an antioxidant and disulphide breaking agent: the reasons why.

PubMed

Aldini, Giancarlo; Altomare, Alessandra; Baron, Giovanna; Vistoli, Giulio; Carini, Marina; Borsani, Luisa; Sergio, Francesco

2018-05-09

The main molecular mechanisms explaining the well-established antioxidant and reducing activity of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the N-acetyl derivative of the natural amino acid l-cysteine, are summarised and critically reviewed. The antioxidant effect is due to the ability of NAC to act as a reduced glutathione (GSH) precursor; GSH is a well-known direct antioxidant and a substrate of several antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, in some conditions where a significant depletion of endogenous Cys and GSH occurs, NAC can act as a direct antioxidant for some oxidant species such as NO 2 and HOX. The antioxidant activity of NAC could also be due to its effect in breaking thiolated proteins, thus releasing free thiols as well as reduced proteins, which in some cases, such as for mercaptoalbumin, have important direct antioxidant activity. As well as being involved in the antioxidant mechanism, the disulphide breaking activity of NAC also explains its mucolytic activity which is due to its effect in reducing heavily cross-linked mucus glycoproteins. Chemical features explaining the efficient disulphide breaking activity of NAC are also explained.

Modulated Transport Behavior of Two-Dimensional Electron Gas at Ni-Doped LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterointerfaces.

PubMed

Yan, Hong; Zhang, Zhaoting; Wang, Shuanhu; Zhang, Hongrui; Chen, Changle; Jin, Kexin

2017-11-08

Modulating transport behaviors of two-dimensional electron gases are of critical importance for applications of the next-generation multifunctional oxide electronics. In this study, transport behaviors of LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterointerfaces modified through the Ni dopant and the light irradiation have been investigated. Through the Ni dopant, the resistances increase significantly and a resistance upturn phenomenon due to the Kondo effect is observed at T < 40 K. Under a 360 nm light irradiation, the interfaces exhibit a persistent photoconductivity and a suppressed Kondo effect at low temperature due to the increased mobility measured through the photo-Hall method. Moreover, the relative changes in resistance of interfaces induced by light are increased from 800 to 6600% at T = 12 K with increasing the substitution of Ni, which is discussed by the band bending and the lattice effect due to the Ni dopant. This work paves the way for better controlling the emerging properties of complex oxide heterointerfaces and would be helpful for photoelectric device applications based on all-oxides.

Contamination Examples and Lessons from Low Earth Orbit Experiments and Operational Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, Gary; Finckenor, Miria M.

2009-01-01

Flight experiments flown on the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, Mir, Skylab, and free flyers such as the Long Duration Exposure Facility, the European Retrievable Carrier, and the EFFU, provide multiple opportunities for the investigation of molecular contamination effects. Retrieved hardware from the Solar Maximum Mission satellite, Mir, and the Hubble Space Telescope has also provided the means gaining insight into contamination processes. Images from the above mentioned hardware show contamination effects due to materials processing, hardware storage, pre-flight cleaning, as well as on-orbit events such as outgassing, mechanical failure of hardware in close proximity, impacts from man-made debris, and changes due to natural environment factors.. Contamination effects include significant changes to thermal and electrical properties of thermal control surfaces, optics, and power systems. Data from several flights has been used to develop a rudimentary estimate of asymptotic values for absorptance changes due to long-term solar exposure (4000-6000 Equivalent Sun Hours) of silicone-based molecular contamination deposits of varying thickness. Recommendations and suggestions for processing changes and constraints based on the on-orbit observed results will be presented.

Dual effects of 5-HT(1a) receptor activation on breathing in neonatal mice.

PubMed

Corcoran, Andrea E; Commons, Kathryn G; Wu, Yuanming; Smith, Jeffrey C; Harris, Michael B; Richerson, George B

2014-01-01

Inhibitory 5-HT(1a) receptors are located on serotonin (5-HT) neurons (autoreceptors) as well as neurons of the respiratory network (heteroreceptors). Thus, effects on breathing of 5-HT(1a) agonists, such as (R)-(+)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), could either be due to decreased firing of 5-HT neurons or direct effects on the respiratory network. Mice in which the transcription factor LMX1B is genetically deleted selectively in Pet1-1-expressing cells (Lmx1b(f/f/p)) essentially have complete absence of central 5-HT neurons, providing a unique opportunity to separate the effect of activation of downstream 5-HT(1a) heteroreceptors from that of autoreceptors. We used rhythmically active medullary slices from wild-type (WT) and Lmx1b(f/f/p) neonatal mice to differentiate autoreceptor versus heteroreceptor effects of 8-OH-DPAT on hypoglossal nerve respiratory output. 8-OH-DPAT transiently increased respiratory burst frequency in Lmx1b(f/f/p) preparations, but not in WT slices. This excitation was abolished when synaptic inhibition was blocked by GABAergic/glycinergic receptor antagonists. Conversely, after 10 min of application, frequency in Lmx1b(f/f/p) slices was not different from baseline, whereas it was significantly depressed in WT slices. In WT mice in vivo, subcutaneous injection of 8-OH-DPAT produced similar biphasic respiratory effects as in Lmx1b(f/f/p) mice. We conclude that 5-HT1a receptor agonists have two competing effects: rapid stimulation of breathing due to excitation of the respiratory network, and delayed inhibition of breathing due to autoreceptor inhibition of 5-HT neurons. The former effect is presumably due to inhibition of inhibitory interneurons embedded in the respiratory network.

Dual Effects of 5-HT1a Receptor Activation on Breathing in Neonatal Mice

PubMed Central

Commons, Kathryn G.; Wu, Yuanming; Smith, Jeffrey C.; Harris, Michael B.; Richerson, George B.

2014-01-01

Inhibitory 5-HT1a receptors are located on serotonin (5-HT) neurons (autoreceptors) as well as neurons of the respiratory network (heteroreceptors). Thus, effects on breathing of 5-HT1a agonists, such as (R)-(+)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), could either be due to decreased firing of 5-HT neurons or direct effects on the respiratory network. Mice in which the transcription factor LMX1B is genetically deleted selectively in Pet1-1-expressing cells (Lmx1bf/f/p) essentially have complete absence of central 5-HT neurons, providing a unique opportunity to separate the effect of activation of downstream 5-HT1a heteroreceptors from that of autoreceptors. We used rhythmically active medullary slices from wild-type (WT) and Lmx1bf/f/p neonatal mice to differentiate autoreceptor versus heteroreceptor effects of 8-OH-DPAT on hypoglossal nerve respiratory output. 8-OH-DPAT transiently increased respiratory burst frequency in Lmx1bf/f/p preparations, but not in WT slices. This excitation was abolished when synaptic inhibition was blocked by GABAergic/glycinergic receptor antagonists. Conversely, after 10 min of application, frequency in Lmx1bf/f/p slices was not different from baseline, whereas it was significantly depressed in WT slices. In WT mice in vivo, subcutaneous injection of 8-OH-DPAT produced similar biphasic respiratory effects as in Lmx1bf/f/p mice. We conclude that 5-HT1a receptor agonists have two competing effects: rapid stimulation of breathing due to excitation of the respiratory network, and delayed inhibition of breathing due to autoreceptor inhibition of 5-HT neurons. The former effect is presumably due to inhibition of inhibitory interneurons embedded in the respiratory network. PMID:24381267

Human occupants in low-speed frontal sled tests: effects of pre-impact bracing on chest compression, reaction forces, and subject acceleration.

PubMed

Kemper, Andrew R; Beeman, Stephanie M; Madigan, Michael L; Duma, Stefan M

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pre-impact bracing on the chest compression, reaction forces, and accelerations experienced by human occupants during low-speed frontal sled tests. A total of twenty low-speed frontal sled tests, ten low severity (∼2.5g, Δv=5 kph) and ten medium severity (∼5g, Δv=10 kph), were performed on five 50th-percentile male human volunteers. Each volunteer was exposed to two impulses at each severity, one relaxed and the other braced prior to the impulse. A 59-channel chestband, aligned at the nipple line, was used to quantify the chest contour and anterior-posterior sternum deflection. Three-axis accelerometer cubes were attached to the sternum, 7th cervical vertebra, and sacrum of each subject. In addition, three linear accelerometers and a three-axis angular rate sensor were mounted to a metal mouthpiece worn by each subject. Seatbelt tension load cells were attached to the retractor, shoulder, and lap portions of the standard three-point driver-side seatbelt. In addition, multi-axis load cells were mounted to each interface between the subject and the test buck to quantify reaction forces. For relaxed tests, the higher test severity resulted in significantly larger peak values for all resultant accelerations, all belt forces, and three resultant reaction forces (right foot, seatpan, and seatback). For braced tests, the higher test severity resulted in significantly larger peak values for all resultant accelerations, and two resultant reaction forces (right foot and seatpan). Bracing did not have a significant effect on the occupant accelerations during the low severity tests, but did result in a significant decrease in peak resultant sacrum linear acceleration during the medium severity tests. Bracing was also found to significantly reduce peak shoulder and retractor belt forces for both test severities, and peak lap belt force for the medium test severity. In contrast, bracing resulted in a significant increase in the peak resultant reaction force for the right foot and steering column at both test severities. Chest compression due to belt loading was observed for all relaxed subjects at both test severities, and was found to increase significantly with increasing severity. Conversely, chest compression due to belt loading was essentially eliminated during the braced tests for all but one subject, who sustained minor chest compression due to belt loading during the medium severity braced test. Overall, the data from this study illustrate that muscle activation has a significant effect on the biomechanical response of human occupants in low-speed frontal impacts.

The Effects of Cold Weather on Tactical Operations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-01-01

However there is no significant difference in effectiveness between the 7-inch and 14-inch levels . This study examined only one factor, mobility... levels . This study examined only one factor, mobility due to snow conditions. Further research should be directed towards assessing the synergistic...Section 2.4). Also, research has been conducted into how cold weather affects individual aspects of equipment as part of the test and evaluation process

Kinetic Super-Resolution Long-Wave Infrared (KSR LWIR) Thermography Diagnostic for Building Envelopes: Camp Lejeune, NC

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-18

of Defense (DoD) to achieve cost-effective energy efficiency at much greater scale than other commercially available techniques of measuring energy...recommends specific energy conservation measures (ECMs), and quantifies significant potential return on investment. ERDC/CERL TR-15-18 iii...effective energy efficiency at much greater scale than other commercially available techniques of measuring energy loss due to envelope inefficien- cies

Adverse outcome pathway and risks of anticoagulant rodenticides to predatory wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rattner, Barnett A.; Lazarus, Rebecca S.; Elliott, John E.; Shore, Richard F.; van den Brink, Nico

2014-01-01

Despite a long history of successful use, routine application of some anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) may be at a crossroad due to new regulatory guidelines intended to mitigate risk. An adverse outcome pathway for ARs was developed to identify information gaps and end points to assess the effectiveness of regulations. This framework describes chemical properties of ARs, established macromolecular interactions by inhibition of vitamin K epoxide reductase, cellular responses including altered clotting factor processing and coagulopathy, organ level effects such as hemorrhage, organism responses with linkages to reduced fitness and mortality, and potential consequences to predator populations. Risk assessments have led to restrictions affecting use of some second-generation ARs (SGARs) in North America. While the European regulatory community highlighted significant or unacceptable risk of ARs to nontarget wildlife, use of SGARs in most EU member states remains authorized due to public health concerns and the absence of safe alternatives. For purposes of conservation and restoration of island habitats, SGARs remain a mainstay for eradication of invasive species. There are significant data gaps related to exposure pathways, comparative species sensitivity, consequences of sublethal effects, potential hazards of greater AR residues in genetically resistant prey, effects of low-level exposure to multiple rodenticides, and quantitative data on the magnitude of nontarget wildlife mortality.

Impact of biochar and root-induced changes on metal dynamics in the rhizosphere of Agrostis capillaris and Lupinus albus.

PubMed

Houben, David; Sonnet, Philippe

2015-11-01

Rhizosphere interactions are deemed to play a key role in the success of phytoremediation technologies. Here, the effects of biochar and root-induced changes in the rhizosphere of Agrostis capillaris L. and Lupinus albus L. on metal (Cd, Pb and Zn) dynamics were investigated using a biotest on a 2mm soil layer and a sequential extraction procedure (Tessier's scheme). In the bulk soil, the application of 5% biochar significantly reduced the exchangeable pool of metals primarily due to a liming effect which subsequently promoted the metal shift into the carbonate-bound pool. However, metals were re-mobilized in the rhizosphere of both A. capillaris and L. albus due to root-induced acidification which counteracted the liming effect of biochar. As a result, the concentrations of metals in roots and shoots of both plants were not significantly reduced by the application of biochar. Although the study should be considered a worst-case scenario because experimental conditions induced the intensification of rhizosphere processes, the results highlight that changes in rhizosphere pH can impact the effectiveness of biochar to immobilize metals in soil. Biochar has thus a potential as amendment for reducing metal uptake by plants, provided the acidification of the rhizosphere is minimized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of starch digestion by the green tea polyphenol, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate

PubMed Central

Forester, Sarah C.; Gu, Yeyi; Lambert, Joshua D.

2013-01-01

Scope Green tea has been shown to ameliorate symptoms of metabolic syndrome in vivo. The effects could be due, in part, to modulation of postprandial blood glucose levels. Methods and results We examined the effect of coadministration of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG, 100 mg/kg, i.g.) on blood glucose levels following oral administration of common corn starch (CCS), maltose, sucrose, or glucose to fasted CF-1 mice. We found that cotreatment with EGCG significantly reduced postprandial blood glucose levels after administration of CCS compared to control mice (50 and 20% reduction in peak blood glucose levels and blood glucose area under the curve, respectively). EGCG had no effect on postprandial blood glucose following administration of maltose or glucose, suggesting that EGCG may modulate amylase-mediated starch digestion. In vitro, EGCG noncompetitively inhibited pancreatic amylase activity by 34% at 20 μM. No significant change was induced in the expression of two small intestinal glucose transporters (GLUT2 and SGLT1). Conclusions Our results suggest that EGCG acutely reduces postprandial blood glucose levels in mice when coadministered with CCS and this may be due in part to inhibition of α-amylase. The relatively low effective dose of EGCG makes a compelling case for studies in human subjects. PMID:23038646

Annoyance and Worry in a Petrochemical Industrial Area—Prevalence, Time Trends and Risk Indicators

PubMed Central

Axelsson, Gösta; Stockfelt, Leo; Andersson, Eva; Gidlof-Gunnarsson, Anita; Sallsten, Gerd; Barregard, Lars

2013-01-01

In 1992, 1998, and 2006, questionnaires were sent to stratified samples of residents aged 18–75 years living near petrochemical industries (n = 600–800 people on each occasion) and in a control area (n = 200–1,000). The aims were to estimate the long-term prevalence and change over time of annoyance caused by industrial odour, industrial noise, and worries about possible health effects, and to identify risk indicators. In 2006, 20% were annoyed by industrial odour, 27% by industrial noise (1–4% in the control area), and 40–50% were worried about health effects or industrial accidents (10–20% in the control area). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed significantly lower prevalence of odour annoyance in 1998 and 2006 than in 1992, while industrial noise annoyance increased significantly over time. The prevalence of worry remained constant. Risk of odour annoyance increased with female sex, worry of health effects, annoyance by motor vehicle exhausts and industrial noise. Industrial noise annoyance was associated with traffic noise annoyance and worry of health effects of traffic. Health-risk worry due to industrial air pollution was associated with female sex, having children, annoyance due to dust/soot in the air, and worry of traffic air pollution. PMID:23552810

Inactivation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in fresh soft cheese by gamma radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badr, Hesham M.

2011-11-01

The effectiveness of gamma irradiation on the inactivation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in fresh soft cheese that prepared from artificially inoculated milk samples was studied. Irradiation at dose of 2 kGy was sufficient for the complete inactivation of these mycobacteria as they were not detected in the treated samples during storage at 4±1 °C for 15 days. Moreover, irradiation of cheese samples, that were prepared from un-inoculated milk, at this effective dose had no significant effects on their gross composition and contents from riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, while significant decreases in vitamin A and thiamin were observed. In addition, irradiation of cheese samples had no significant effects on their pH and nitrogen fractions contents, except for the contents of ammonia, which showed a slight, but significant, increases due to irradiation. The analysis of cheese fats indicated that irradiation treatment induced significant increase in their oxidation parameters and contents from free fatty acids; however, the observed increases were relatively low. On the other hand, irradiation of cheese samples induced no significant alterations on their sensory properties. Thus, irradiation dose of 2 kGy can be effectively applied to ensure the safety of soft cheese with regards to these harmful mycobacteria.

Development of SiC Large Tapered Crystal Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Phil

2010-01-01

Majority of very large potential benefits of wide band gap semiconductor power electronics have NOT been realized due in large part to high cost and high defect density of commercial wafers. Despite 20 years of development, present SiC wafer growth approach is yet to deliver majority of SiC's inherent performance and cost benefits to power systems. Commercial SiC power devices are significantly de-rated in order to function reliably due to the adverse effects of SiC crystal dislocation defects (thousands per sq cm) in the SiC wafer.

Payload dose rate from direct beam radiation and exhaust gas fission products. [for nuclear engine for rocket vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capo, M. A.; Mickle, R.

1975-01-01

A study was made to determine the dose rate at the payload position in the NERVA System (1) due to direct beam radiation and (2) due to the possible effect of fission products contained in the exhaust gases for various amounts of hydrogen propellant in the tank. Results indicate that the gamma radiation is more significant than the neutron flux. Under different assumptions the gamma contribution from the exhaust gases was 10 to 25 percent of total gamma flux.

Analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering data in the presence of significant instrumental smearing

PubMed Central

Bergenholtz, Johan; Ulama, Jeanette; Zackrisson Oskolkova, Malin

2016-01-01

A laboratory-scale small-angle X-ray scattering instrument with pinhole collimation has been used to assess smearing effects due to instrumental resolution. A new, numerically efficient method to smear ideal model intensities is developed and presented. It allows for directly using measured profiles of isotropic but otherwise arbitrary beams in smearing calculations. Samples of low-polydispersity polymer spheres have been used to show that scattering data can in this way be quantitatively modeled even when there is substantial distortion due to instrumental resolution. PMID:26937235

Mechanisms of poliovirus inactivation by the direct and indirect effects of ionizing radiation

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

Ward, R.L.

1980-08-01

This study was designed to measure the effects of ionizing radiation on poliovirus particles when given under conditions where either direct (in broth) or indirect (in water) effects were predominant. Under direct conditions, inactivation of poliovirus was found to be due primarily to RNA damage, although capsid damage could account for about one-third of the viral inactivation. RNA damage did not appear to be due to strand breakage and therefore was probably caused primarily by base damage or crosslink formation. Capsid damage under direct irradiation conditions did not result in significant alterations of either the sedimentation coefficients or the isoelectricmore » points of the poliovirus particles or detectable modification of the sizes of the viral proteins. It did, however, cause loss of availability to bind to host cells. Under indirect conditions no more than 25% of viral inactivation appeared to be due to RNA damage. However, the sedimentation coefficients and isoelectric points of the viral particles were greatly altered, and their abilities to bind to cells were lost at about three-fourths the rate of loss of infectivity. Capsid damage in this case did result in changes in the sizes of capsid proteins. Therefore, the majority of the radiation inactivation under indirect conditions appeared to be due to protein damage.« less

Latitudinal Dependence of the Radial IMF Component - Interplanetary Imprint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suess, S. T.; Smith, E. J.; Phillips, J.; Goldstein, B. E.; Nerney, S.

1996-01-01

Ulysses measurements have confirmed that there is no significant gradient with respect to heliomagnetic latitude in the radial component, B(sub r,), of the interplanetary magnetic field. There are two processes responsible for this observation. In the corona, the plasma beta is much less than 1, except directly above streamers, so both longitudinal and latitudinal (meridional) gradients in field strength will relax, due to the transverse magnetic pressure gradient force, as the solar wind carries magnetic flux away from the Sun. This happens so quickly that the field is essentially uniform by 5 solar radius. Beyond 10 solar radius, beta is greater than 1 and it is possible for a meridional thermal pressure gradient to redistribute magnetic flux - an effect apparently absent in Ulysses and earlier ICE and Interplanetary Magnetic Physics (IMP) data. We discuss this second effect here, showing that its absence is mainly due to the perpendicular part of the anisotropic thermal pressure gradient in the interplanetary medium being too small to drive significant meridional transport between the Sun and approx. 4 AU. This is done using a linear analytic estimate of meridional transport. The first effect was discussed in an earlier paper.

Underwater sound from vessel traffic reduces the effective communication range in Atlantic cod and haddock.

PubMed

Stanley, Jenni A; Van Parijs, Sofie M; Hatch, Leila T

2017-11-07

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is located in Massachusetts Bay off the densely populated northeast coast of the United States; subsequently, the marine inhabitants of the area are exposed to elevated levels of anthropogenic underwater sound, particularly due to commercial shipping. The current study investigated the alteration of estimated effective communication spaces at three spawning locations for populations of the commercially and ecologically important fishes, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus). Both the ambient sound pressure levels and the estimated effective vocalization radii, estimated through spherical spreading models, fluctuated dramatically during the three-month recording periods. Increases in sound pressure level appeared to be largely driven by large vessel activity, and accordingly exhibited a significant positive correlation with the number of Automatic Identification System tracked vessels at the two of the three sites. The near constant high levels of low frequency sound and consequential reduction in the communication space observed at these recording sites during times of high vocalization activity raises significant concerns that communication between conspecifics may be compromised during critical biological periods. This study takes the first steps in evaluating these animals' communication spaces and alteration of these spaces due to anthropogenic underwater sound.

Associations between extreme precipitation and acute gastro-intestinal illness due to cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in an urban Canadian drinking water system (1997-2009).

PubMed

Chhetri, Bimal K; Takaro, Tim K; Balshaw, Robert; Otterstatter, Michael; Mak, Sunny; Lem, Marcus; Zubel, Marc; Lysyshyn, Mark; Clarkson, Len; Edwards, Joanne; Fleury, Manon D; Henderson, Sarah B; Galanis, Eleni

2017-10-01

Drinking water related infections are expected to increase in the future due to climate change. Understanding the current links between these infections and environmental factors is vital to understand and reduce the future burden of illness. We investigated the relationship between weekly reported cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis (n = 7,422), extreme precipitation (>90th percentile), drinking water turbidity, and preceding dry periods in a drinking water system located in greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1997-2009) using distributed lag non-linear Poisson regression models adjusted for seasonality, secular trend, and the effect of holidays on reporting. We found a significant increase in cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis 4-6 weeks after extreme precipitation. The effect was greater following a dry period. Similarly, extreme precipitation led to significantly increased turbidity only after prolonged dry periods. Our results suggest that the risk of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis increases with extreme precipitation, and that the effects are more pronounced after a prolonged dry period. Given that extreme precipitation events are expected to increase with climate change, it is important to further understand the risks from these events, develop planning tools, and build resilience to these future risks.

Thermal Mechanisms of Millimeter Wave Stimulation of Excitable Cells

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Mikhail G.; Priest, Michael F.; Siegel, Peter H.; Bezanilla, Francisco

2013-01-01

Interactions between millimeter waves (MMWs) and biological systems have received increasing attention due to the growing use of MMW radiation in technologies ranging from experimental medical devices to telecommunications and airport security. Studies have shown that MMW exposure alters cellular function, especially in neurons and muscles. However, the biophysical mechanisms underlying such effects are still poorly understood. Due to the high aqueous absorbance of MMW, thermal mechanisms are likely. However, nonthermal mechanisms based on resonance effects have also been postulated. We studied MMW stimulation in a simplified preparation comprising Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing proteins that underlie membrane excitability. Using electrophysiological recordings simultaneously with 60 GHz stimulation, we observed changes in the kinetics and activity levels of voltage-gated potassium and sodium channels and a sodium-potassium pump that are consistent with a thermal mechanism. Furthermore, we showed that MMW stimulation significantly increased the action potential firing rate in oocytes coexpressing voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, as predicted by thermal terms in the Hodgkin-Huxley model of neurons. Our results suggest that MMW stimulation produces significant thermally mediated effects on excitable cells via basic thermodynamic mechanisms that must be taken into account in the study and use of MMW radiation in biological systems. PMID:23790370

Biodiesel versus diesel exposure: Enhanced pulmonary inflammation, oxidative stress, and differential morphological changes in the mouse lung

PubMed Central

Yanamala, Naveena; Hatfield, Meghan K.; Farcas, Mariana T.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Hummer, Jon A.; Shurin, Michael R.; Birch, M. Eileen; Gutkin, Dmitriy W.; Kisin, Elena; Kagan, Valerian E.; Bugarski, Aleksandar D.; Shvedova, Anna A.

2015-01-01

The use of biodiesel (BD) or its blends with petroleum diesel (D) is considered to be a viable approach to reduce occupational and environmental exposures to particulate matter (PM). Due to its lower particulate mass emissions compared to D, use of BD is thought to alleviate adverse health effects. Considering BD fuel is mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids, we hypothesize that BD exhaust particles could induce pronounced adverse outcomes, due to their ability to readily oxidize. The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of particles generated by engine fueled with neat BD and neat petroleum-based D. Biomarkers of tissue damage and inflammation were significantly elevated in lungs of mice exposed to BD particulates. Additionally, BD particulates caused a significant accumulation of oxidatively modified proteins and an increase in 4-hydroxynonenal. The up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines/growth factors was higher in lungs upon BD particulate exposure. Histological evaluation of lung sections indicated presence of lymphocytic infiltrate and impaired clearance with prolonged retention of BD particulate in pigment laden macrophages. Taken together, these results clearly indicate that BD exhaust particles could exert more toxic effects compared to D. PMID:23886933

Zinc impregnated cellulose nanocomposites: Synthesis, characterization and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Attarad; Ambreen, Sidra; Maqbool, Qaisar; Naz, Sania; Shams, Muhammad Fahad; Ahmad, Madiha; Phull, Abdul Rehman; Zia, Muhammad

2016-11-01

Nanocomposite materials have broad applicability due to synergistic effect of combined components. In present investigation, cellulose isolated from citrus peel waste is used as a supporting material; impregnation of zinc oxide nanoparticles via co-precipitation method. The characterization of nano composite is carried out through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) resulting less than 10 μm cellulose fiber and approx. 50 nm ZnO NPs. Zinc oxide impregnated cellulose (ZnO-Cel) exhibited significant bacterial devastation property when compared to ZnO NPs or Cellulose via disc diffusion and colony forming unit methods. In addition, the ZnO-Cel exhibited significant total antioxidant, and minor DPPH free radical scavenging and total reducing power activities. The nano composite also showed time dependent increase in photocatalytic by effectively degrading methylene blue dye up to 69.5% under sunlight irradiation within 90 min. The results suggest effective utilization of cellulose obtained from citrus waste and synthesis of pharmacologically important nano-composites that can be exploited in wound dressing; defence against microbial attack and healing due to antioxidative property, furthermore can also be used for waste water treatment.

The Effects of HMO Penetration on Preventable Hospitalizations

PubMed Central

Zhan, Chunliu; Miller, Marlene R; Wong, Herbert; Meyer, Gregg S

2004-01-01

Objective To examine the effects of health maintenance organization (HMO) penetration on preventable hospitalizations. Data Source Hospital inpatient discharge abstracts for 932 urban counties in 22 states from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID), hospital data from American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey, and population characteristics and health care capacity data from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Area Resource File (ARF) for 1998. Methods Preventable hospitalizations due to 14 ambulatory care sensitive conditions were identified using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Prevention Quality Indicators. Multiple regressions were used to determine the association between preventable hospitalizations and HMO penetration while controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and health care capacity of the counties. Principal Findings A 10 percent increase in HMO penetration was associated with a 3.8 percent decrease in preventable hospitalizations (95 percent confidence interval, 2.0 percent–5.6 percent). Advanced age, female gender, poor health, poverty, more hospital beds, and fewer primary care physicians per capita were significantly associated with more preventable hospitalizations. Conclusions Our study suggests that HMO penetration has significant effects in reducing preventable hospitalizations due to some ambulatory care sensitive conditions. PMID:15032958

Impact of Entomophaga maimaiga (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) on outbreak gypsy moth populations (Lepidoptera: Erebidae): the role of weather.

PubMed

Reilly, James R; Hajek, Ann E; Liebhold, Andrew M; Plymale, Ruth

2014-06-01

The fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga Humber, Shimazu, and Soper is prevalent in gypsy moth [Lymantria dispar (L.)] populations throughout North America. To understand how weather-related variables influence gypsy moth-E. maimaiga interactions in the field, we measured fungal infection rates at 12 sites in central Pennsylvania over 3 yr, concurrently measuring rainfall, soil moisture, humidity, and temperature. Fungal mortality was assessed using both field-collected larvae and laboratory-reared larvae caged on the forest floor. We found significant positive effects of moisture-related variables (rainfall, soil moisture, and relative humidity) on mortality due to fungal infection in both data sets, and significant negative effects of temperature on the mortality of field-collected larvae. Lack of a clear temperature relationship with the mortality of caged larvae may be attributable to differential initiation of infection by resting spores and conidia or to microclimate effects. These relationships may be helpful in understanding how gypsy moth dynamics vary across space and time, and in forecasting how the gypsy moth and fungus will interact as they move into warmer or drier areas, or new weather conditions occur due to climate change.

Neutral dynamics and ion energy transport in MST plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Zichuan; Nornberg, Mark; den Hartog, Daniel; Kumar, Santosh; Anderson, Jay

2015-11-01

Neutral dynamics can have a significant effect on ion energy transport through charge exchange collisions. Whereas previously charge exchange was considered a direct loss mechanism in MST plasmas, new analysis indicates that significant thermal charge exchange neutrals are reionized. Further, the temperatures of the neutral species in the core of the plasma are suspected to be much higher than room temperature, which has a large effect on ion energy losses due to charge exchange. The DEGAS2 Monte Carlo simulation code is applied to the MST reversed field pinch experiment to estimate the density and temperature profile of the neutral species. The result is then used to further examine the effect of the neutral species on ion energy transport in improved confinement plasmas. This enables the development of a model that accounts for collisional equilibration between species, classical convective and conductive energy transport, and energy loss due to charge exchange collisions. The goal is to quantify classical, stochastic, and anomalous ion heating and transport in RFP plasmas. Work supported by the US DOE. DEGAS2 is provided by PPPL and STRAHL is provided by Ralph Dux of the Max-Planck-Institut fur Plasmaphysik.

Effect of Bulk Viscosity on the Oscillating Screen Viscometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Robert F.; Moldover, Michael R.

1993-01-01

Close to the critical temperature, the bulk viscosity of the xenon sample will exceed the shear viscosity by more than a factor of a billion. Nevertheless, the viscometer's low operating frequency ensures that the only significant force on the oscillating screen will be due to the shear viscosity.

A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF UPTAKE OF DIESEL EXHAUST PARTICLES BY LUNG CELLS

EPA Science Inventory

While airborne particulates like diesel exhaust particulates (DEP) exert significant toxicological effects on lungs, quantitative estimation of accumulation of DEP inside lung cells has not been reported due to a lack of an accurate and quantitative technique for this purpose. I...

EEG Correlates of Fluctuation in Cognitive Performance in an Air Traffic Control Task

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

using non-parametric statistical analysis to identify neurophysiological patterns due to the time-on-task effect. Significant changes in EEG power...EEG, Cognitive Performance, Power Spectral Analysis , Non-Parametric Analysis Document is available to the public through the Internet...3 Performance Data Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 EEG

Sex-role ideology among self-identified psychotherapists.

PubMed

Harper, D W; Leichner, P P; McCrimmon, E

1985-10-01

Analysis of the sex-role ideology of 1,258 self-identified psychotherapists from nine occupations indicated that: the sample was representative; as a group, self-identified psychotherapists were moderately feminist; there were significant differences among occupations; and results were not due solely to the effects of age or sex distributions among occupations.

Effects of Pyriproxyfen and Buprofezin on Immature Development and Reproduction in the Stable Fly

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the most significant biting flies affecting cattle. Use of traditional insecticides for stable fly control has only limited success due to the insect’s unique feeding behaviors and immature development sites. A laboratory study...

Making a Significant Difference with Institutional Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Craig A.; Huntington, Robin B.

Focusing on the changing roles of institutional researchers (IRs) due to the widespread distribution of computer technology, this monograph explores the effective application of IR skills to maximize the impact of research on campus policy making. The discussion is centered around three major principles guiding institutional research: know the…

75 FR 12688 - Safety Zone; Gallants Channel, Beaufort, NC

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-17

... immediate action is needed to ensure the safety of human life and property from the hazards of falling... life and property on navigable waters and due to the hazards associated with potential falling debris... which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This rule...

Analysis of mobile source air toxics (MSATs)–Near-Road VOC and carbonyl concentrations

EPA Science Inventory

Exposures to mobile source air toxics (MSATs) have been associated with numerous adverse health effects. While thousands of air toxic compounds are emitted from mobile sources, a subset of compounds are considered high priority due to their significant contribution to cancer and...

Feeding a hungry world: the challenge of developing safe and effective methods of food preservation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Preventing the loss of harvested commodities due to either postharvest diseases or physiological breakdown (uncontrolled ripening) offers a significant approach to providing the increased yields of food that will be needed to feed the world population in the 21st century (Wilson 2013). Activities ...

Effects of an experimental water-level drawdown on methane emissions from a eutrophic reservoir

EPA Science Inventory

Reservoirs are a globally significant source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, emission rate estimates may be biased low due to inadequate monitoring during brief periods of elevated emission rates (i.e. hot-moments). Here we investigate CH4 bubbling (i.e. ebullition...

On the use of mulching to mitigate permafrost thaw due to linear disturbances in sub-arctic peatlands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The presence or absence of permafrost significantly influences the hydrology and ecology of northern watersheds. Resource exploration activities are currently having noticeable effects on hydrological and ecological processes in sub-arctic peatlands. Disturbances such as seismic cutlines can result ...

A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation on Pest Suppression and Yield of Horticultural Crops

PubMed Central

Shrestha, Utsala; Augé, Robert M.; Butler, David M.

2016-01-01

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a proven but relatively new strategy to control soil borne pests of horticultural crops through anaerobic decomposition of organic soil amendments. The ASD technique has primarily been used to control soil borne pathogens; however, this technique has also shown potential to control plant parasitic nematodes and weeds. ASD can utilize a broad range of carbon (C) amendments and optimization may improve efficacy across environments. In this context, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was conducted to determine effect sizes of the ASD effect on soil borne pathogens (533 studies), plant parasitic nematodes (91 studies), and weeds (88 studies) compared with unamended controls. Yield response to ASD was evaluated (123 studies) compared to unamended and fumigated controls. We also examined moderator variables for environmental conditions and amendments to explore the impact of these moderators on ASD effectiveness on pests and yield. Across all pathogen types with the exception of Sclerotinia spp., ASD studies show suppression of bacterial, oomycete and fungal pathogens (59 to 94%). Pathogen suppression was effective under all environmental conditions (50 to 94%) and amendment types (53 to 97%), except when amendments were applied at rates less than 0.3 kg m-2. The ASD effect ranged from 15 to 56% for nematode suppression and 32 to 81% for weed suppression, but these differences were not significant. Significant nematode moderators included study type, soil type, sampling depth, incubation period, and use of mixed amendments. Weed suppression due to ASD showed significant heterogeneity for all environmental conditions, confirming that these studies do not share a common effect size. Total crop yield was not reduced by ASD when compared to a fumigant control and yield was significantly higher (30%) compared to an unamended control, suggesting ASD as a feasible option to maintain yield without chemical soil fumigants. We conclude ASD is effective against soil borne pathogens and while not conclusive due to a limited number of studies, we expect the same for nematodes and weeds given observed effect sizes. Findings should assist researchers in exploring ASD efficacy in particular environmental conditions and allow for development of standard treatment protocols. PMID:27617017

Aero-optics overview. [laser applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilbert, K. G.

1980-01-01

Various aero-optical phenomena are discussed with reference to their effect on airborne high energy lasers. Major emphasis is placed on: compressibility effects induced in the surrounding flow field; viscous effects which manifests themselves as aircraft boundary layers or shear layers; inviscid flow fields surrounding the aircraft due to airflow around protuberance such as laser turret assemblies; and shocks, established whenever local flow exceeds Mach one. The significant physical parameters affecting the interaction of a laser beam with a turbulent boundary layer are also described.

Beta-thalassemia major and female fertility: the role of iron and iron-induced oxidative stress.

PubMed

Roussou, Paraskevi; Tsagarakis, Nikolaos J; Kountouras, Dimitrios; Livadas, Sarantis; Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia

2013-01-01

Endocrine complications due to haemosiderosis are present in a significant number of patients with beta-thalassemia major (BTM) worldwide and often become barriers in their desire for parenthood. Thus, although spontaneous fertility can occur, the majority of females with BTM is infertile due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) and need assisted reproductive techniques. Infertility in these women seems to be attributed to iron deposition and iron-induced oxidative stress (OS) in various endocrine organs, such as hypothalamus, pituitary, and female reproductive system, but also through the iron effect on other organs, such as liver and pancreas, contributing to the impaired metabolism of hormones and serum antioxidants. Nevertheless, the gonadal function of these patients is usually intact and fertility is usually retrievable. Meanwhile, a significant prooxidants/antioxidants imbalance with subsequent increased (OS) exists in patients with BTM, which is mainly caused by tissue injury due to overproduction of free radicals by secondary iron overload, but also due to alteration in serum trace elements and antioxidant enzymes. Not only using the appropriate antioxidants, essential trace elements, and minerals, but also regulating the advanced glycation end products, could probably reduce the extent of oxidative damage and related complications and retrieve BTM women's infertility.

Identifying student mental models from their response pattern to a physics multiple-choice test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montenegro Maggio, Maximiliano Jose

Previous work has shown that students present different misconceptions across different but similar physical situations, but the cause of these differences is still not clear. In this study, a novel analysis method was introduced to help to gain a better understanding of how different physical situations affect students' responses and learning. This novel analysis groups students into mental model groups (MMG) by similarities in their responses to multiple-choice test items, under the assumption that they have similar mental models. The Mass and Energy Conservation test was developed to probe the common misconception that objects with greater mass fall faster than objects with lesser mass across four physical situations and four knowledge sub-domains: information, dynamics, work, and energy. The test was applied before and after energy instruction to 144 college students in a large Midwestern university attending a calculus-based introductory physics course. Test time along with instruction and physical situation were the two factors. It was found that physical situation did not have a significant effect on mental models: The number of MMGs identified and the fraction of students belonging to the same MMG were not significantly different (p > .05) across physical situations. However, there was a significant effect of test time on mental models (p < .05): the fraction of students belonging to the same MMG changed from the pretest to the posttest, in that the MMG representing higher performance became predominant than the MMG with lower performance for the posttest results. A MANOVA for the average scores for each sub-domain and physical situation combination was applied to validate the previous results. It was found that a significant effect (p < .01) by physical situation resulted due to a lower average dynamics sub-domain score for the friction physical-situation attribute when compared to the no-friction physical-situation attribute. A significant effect (p < .01) was found for test time. This was due to an increase of the average energy sub-domain score from the pretest to the posttest. No significant interaction effect ( p > .05) was found. The MANOVA results obtained can be explained through the change in proportion of the MMGs present in the sample.

Microgeographic and temporal genetic variation in populations of the bluetongue virus vector Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

PubMed

Tabachnick, W J

1992-05-01

Seven Colorado populations of the bluetongue virus vector Culicoides varipennis (Coquillett) were analyzed for genetic variation at 19-21 isozyme loci. Permanent populations, which overwinter as larvae, showed little temporal genetic change at 19 loci. PGD and MDH showed seasonal changes in gene frequencies, attributable to selection at two permanent populations. Two temporary populations showed low heterozygosity compared with permanent populations. Independent estimates of gene flow, calculated using FST and the private allele method, were Nm* = 2.15 and 6.95, respectively. Colorado C. variipennis permanent populations showed high levels of gene flow which prevented significant genetic differentiation due to genetic drift. Temporary populations showed significant gene frequency differences from nearby permanent populations due to the "founder effect" associated with chance colonization.

Hemodynamic (fNIRS) and EEG (N200) correlates of emotional inter-species interactions modulated by visual and auditory stimulation

PubMed Central

Balconi, Michela; Vanutelli, Maria Elide

2016-01-01

The brain activity, considered in its hemodynamic (optical imaging: functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, fNIRS) and electrophysiological components (event-related potentials, ERPs, N200) was monitored when subjects observed (visual stimulation, V) or observed and heard (visual + auditory stimulation, VU) situations which represented inter-species (human-animal) interactions, with an emotional positive (cooperative) or negative (uncooperative) content. In addition, the cortical lateralization effect (more left or right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, DLPFC) was explored. Both ERP and fNIRS showed significant effects due to emotional interactions which were discussed at light of cross-modal integration effects. The significance of inter-species effect for the emotional behavior was considered. In addition, hemodynamic and EEG consonant results and their value as integrated measures were discussed at light of valence effect. PMID:26976052

CO2 forcing induces semi-direct effects with consequences for climate feedback interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, Timothy; Forster, Piers M.

2008-02-01

Climate forcing and feedbacks are diagnosed from seven slab-ocean GCMs for 2 × CO2 using a regression method. Results are compared to those using conventional methodologies to derive a semi-direct forcing due to tropospheric adjustment, analogous to the semi-direct effect of absorbing aerosols. All models show a cloud semi-direct effect, indicating a rapid cloud response to CO2; cloud typically decreases, enhancing the warming. Similarly there is evidence of semi-direct effects from water-vapour, lapse-rate, ice and snow. Previous estimates of climate feedbacks are unlikely to have taken these semi-direct effects into account and so misinterpret processes as feedbacks that depend only on the forcing, but not the global surface temperature. We show that the actual cloud feedback is smaller than what previous methods suggest and that a significant part of the cloud response and the large spread between previous model estimates of cloud feedback is due to the semi-direct forcing.

Risk perception of heat waves and its spatial variation in Nanjing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lei; Yang, Qianqi; Li, Jie; Chen, Jin; He, Ruoying; Zhang, Can; Chen, Kai; Dong, Steven Guanpeng; Liu, Yang

2018-05-01

The intensity, frequency, and duration of heat waves are expected to increase with climate change. In this study, we found a significant difference of public perceived effects of heat waves and trust in government among urban, suburban, and rural districts. Rural residents had a significant higher effect perception than urbanites and also showed stronger willingness to have medical insurance or regular physical examinations. Meanwhile, suburban residents had the lowest trust perception in government among these three districts, which may be due to suburban districts' unique social structure and complex social issues. Besides, we assessed the relationship between the factor effect and demographic variables. The results showed that urban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to heat wave experiences. Suburban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to age, income, and heat wave experiences. And rural respondents' effect perception was significantly related to income and chronic diseases. Based on our results, much more attention needs to be paid to rural districts. The government should strengthen infrastructure construction such as cooling centers, improve emergency response plans and mechanisms, and increase reserves of emergency supplies in rural districts. Also, targeted risk communication is of the equal importance to aid the policy-makers improving the relationship with the public and regaining the public's trust and support.

Risk perception of heat waves and its spatial variation in Nanjing, China.

PubMed

Huang, Lei; Yang, Qianqi; Li, Jie; Chen, Jin; He, Ruoying; Zhang, Can; Chen, Kai; Dong, Steven Guanpeng; Liu, Yang

2018-05-01

The intensity, frequency, and duration of heat waves are expected to increase with climate change. In this study, we found a significant difference of public perceived effects of heat waves and trust in government among urban, suburban, and rural districts. Rural residents had a significant higher effect perception than urbanites and also showed stronger willingness to have medical insurance or regular physical examinations. Meanwhile, suburban residents had the lowest trust perception in government among these three districts, which may be due to suburban districts' unique social structure and complex social issues. Besides, we assessed the relationship between the factor effect and demographic variables. The results showed that urban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to heat wave experiences. Suburban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to age, income, and heat wave experiences. And rural respondents' effect perception was significantly related to income and chronic diseases. Based on our results, much more attention needs to be paid to rural districts. The government should strengthen infrastructure construction such as cooling centers, improve emergency response plans and mechanisms, and increase reserves of emergency supplies in rural districts. Also, targeted risk communication is of the equal importance to aid the policy-makers improving the relationship with the public and regaining the public's trust and support.

Risk perception of heat waves and its spatial variation in Nanjing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lei; Yang, Qianqi; Li, Jie; Chen, Jin; He, Ruoying; Zhang, Can; Chen, Kai; Dong, Steven Guanpeng; Liu, Yang

2017-12-01

The intensity, frequency, and duration of heat waves are expected to increase with climate change. In this study, we found a significant difference of public perceived effects of heat waves and trust in government among urban, suburban, and rural districts. Rural residents had a significant higher effect perception than urbanites and also showed stronger willingness to have medical insurance or regular physical examinations. Meanwhile, suburban residents had the lowest trust perception in government among these three districts, which may be due to suburban districts' unique social structure and complex social issues. Besides, we assessed the relationship between the factor effect and demographic variables. The results showed that urban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to heat wave experiences. Suburban respondents' effect perception was significantly related to age, income, and heat wave experiences. And rural respondents' effect perception was significantly related to income and chronic diseases. Based on our results, much more attention needs to be paid to rural districts. The government should strengthen infrastructure construction such as cooling centers, improve emergency response plans and mechanisms, and increase reserves of emergency supplies in rural districts. Also, targeted risk communication is of the equal importance to aid the policy-makers improving the relationship with the public and regaining the public's trust and support.

Free vibration of arches flexible in shear.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austin, W. J.; Veletsos, A. S.

1973-01-01

An analysis reported by Veletsos et al. (1972) concerning the free vibrational characteristics of circular arches vibrating in their own planes is considered. The analysis was based on a theory which neglects the effects of rotatory inertia and shearing deformation. A supplementary investigation is conducted to assess the effects of the previously neglected factors and to identify the conditions under which these effects are of practical significance or may be neglected. A simple approximate procedure is developed for estimating the natural frequencies of arches, giving due consideration to the effects of the previously neglected factors.

How a GNSS Receiver Is Held May Affect Static Horizontal Position Accuracy

PubMed Central

Weaver, Steven A.; Ucar, Zennure; Bettinger, Pete; Merry, Krista

2015-01-01

The static horizontal position accuracy of a mapping-grade GNSS receiver was tested in two forest types over two seasons, and subsequently was tested in one forest type against open sky conditions in the winter season. The main objective was to determine whether the holding position during data collection would result in significantly different static horizontal position accuracy. Additionally, we wanted to determine whether the time of year (season), forest type, or environmental variables had an influence on accuracy. In general, the F4Devices Flint GNSS receiver was found to have mean static horizontal position accuracy levels within the ranges typically expected for this general type of receiver (3 to 5 m) when differential correction was not employed. When used under forest cover, in some cases the GNSS receiver provided a higher level of static horizontal position accuracy when held vertically, as opposed to held at an angle or horizontally (the more natural positions), perhaps due to the orientation of the antenna within the receiver, or in part due to multipath or the inability to use certain satellite signals. Therefore, due to the fact that numerous variables may affect static horizontal position accuracy, we only conclude that there is weak to moderate evidence that the results of holding position are significant. Statistical test results also suggest that the season of data collection had no significant effect on static horizontal position accuracy, and results suggest that atmospheric variables had weak correlation with horizontal position accuracy. Forest type was found to have a significant effect on static horizontal position accuracy in one aspect of one test, yet otherwise there was little evidence that forest type affected horizontal position accuracy. Since the holding position was found in some cases to be significant with regard to the static horizontal position accuracy of positions collected in forests, it may be beneficial to have an understanding of antenna positioning within the receiver to achieve the greatest accuracy during data collection. PMID:25923667

How a GNSS Receiver Is Held May Affect Static Horizontal Position Accuracy.

PubMed

Weaver, Steven A; Ucar, Zennure; Bettinger, Pete; Merry, Krista

2015-01-01

The static horizontal position accuracy of a mapping-grade GNSS receiver was tested in two forest types over two seasons, and subsequently was tested in one forest type against open sky conditions in the winter season. The main objective was to determine whether the holding position during data collection would result in significantly different static horizontal position accuracy. Additionally, we wanted to determine whether the time of year (season), forest type, or environmental variables had an influence on accuracy. In general, the F4Devices Flint GNSS receiver was found to have mean static horizontal position accuracy levels within the ranges typically expected for this general type of receiver (3 to 5 m) when differential correction was not employed. When used under forest cover, in some cases the GNSS receiver provided a higher level of static horizontal position accuracy when held vertically, as opposed to held at an angle or horizontally (the more natural positions), perhaps due to the orientation of the antenna within the receiver, or in part due to multipath or the inability to use certain satellite signals. Therefore, due to the fact that numerous variables may affect static horizontal position accuracy, we only conclude that there is weak to moderate evidence that the results of holding position are significant. Statistical test results also suggest that the season of data collection had no significant effect on static horizontal position accuracy, and results suggest that atmospheric variables had weak correlation with horizontal position accuracy. Forest type was found to have a significant effect on static horizontal position accuracy in one aspect of one test, yet otherwise there was little evidence that forest type affected horizontal position accuracy. Since the holding position was found in some cases to be significant with regard to the static horizontal position accuracy of positions collected in forests, it may be beneficial to have an understanding of antenna positioning within the receiver to achieve the greatest accuracy during data collection.

Oscillatory Excitation of Unsteady Compressible Flows over Airfoils at Flight Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seifert, Avi; Pack, LaTunia G.

1999-01-01

An experimental investigation, aimed at delaying flow separation due to the occurrence of a shock-wave-boundary-layer interaction, is reported. The experiment was performed using a NACA 0012 airfoil and a NACA 0015 airfoil at high Reynolds number incompressible and compressible flow conditions. The effects of Mach and Reynolds numbers were identified, using the capabilities of the cryogenic-pressurized facility to maintain one parameter fixed and change the other. Significant Reynolds number effects were identified in the baseline compressible flow conditions even at Reynolds number of 10 and 20 million. The main objectives of the experiment were to study the effects of periodic excitation on airfoil drag-divergence and to alleviate the severe unsteadiness associated with shock-induced separation (known as "buffeting"). Zero-mass-flux oscillatory blowing was introduced through a downstream directed slot located at 10% chord on the upper surface of the NACA 0015 airfoil. The effective frequencies generated 2-4 vortices over the separated region, regardless of the Mach number. Even though the excitation was introduced upstream of the shock-wave, due to experimental limitations, it had pronounced effects downstream of it. Wake deficit (associated with drag) and unsteadiness (associated with buffeting) were significantly reduced. The spectral content of the wake pressure fluctuations indicates of steadier flow throughout the frequency range when excitation was applied. This is especially important at low frequencies which are more likely to interact with the airframe.

Pollen limitation and Allee effect related to population size and sex ratio in the endangered Ottelia acuminata (Hydrocharitaceae): implications for conservation and reintroduction.

PubMed

Xia, J; Lu, J; Wang, Z X; Hao, B B; Wang, H B; Liu, G H

2013-03-01

Small populations may suffer more severe pollen limitation and result in Allee effects. Sex ratio may also affect pollination and reproduction success in dioecious species, which is always overlooked when performing conservation and reintroduction tasks. In this study, we investigated whether and how population size and sex ratio affected pollen limitation and reproduction in the endangered Ottelia acuminata, a dioecious submerged species. We established experimental plots with increasing population size and male sex ratio. We observed insect visitation, estimated pollen limitation by hand-pollinations and counted fruit set and seed production per fruit. Fruit set and seed production decreased significantly in small populations due to pollinator scarcity and thus suffered more severe pollen limitation. Although frequently visited, female-biased larger populations also suffered severe pollen limitation due to few effective visits and insufficient pollen availability. Rising male ratio enhanced pollination service and hence reproduction. Unexpectedly, pollinator preferences did not cause reduced reproduction in male-biased populations because of high pollen availability. However, reproductive outputs showed more variability in severe male-biased populations. Our results revealed two component Allee effects in fruit set and seed production, mediated by pollen limitation in O. acuminata. Moreover, reproduction decreased significantly in larger female-biased populations, increasing the risk of an Allee effect. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Testing enhances both encoding and retrieval for both tested and untested items.

PubMed

Cho, Kit W; Neely, James H; Crocco, Stephanie; Vitrano, Deana

2017-07-01

In forward testing effects, taking a test enhances memory for subsequently studied material. These effects have been observed for previously studied and tested items, a potentially item-specific testing effect, and newly studied untested items, a purely generalized testing effect. We directly compared item-specific and generalized forward testing effects using procedures to separate testing benefits due to encoding versus retrieval. Participants studied two lists of Swahili-English word pairs, with the second study list containing "new" pairs intermixed with the previously studied "old" pairs. Participants completed a review phase in which they took a cued-recall test on only the "old" pairs or restudied them. In Experiments 1a, 1b, and 2, the review phase was given either before or after the second study list. Testing benefited memory to the same degree for both "new" and "old" pairs, suggesting that there were no pair-specific benefits of testing. The larger benefit from testing when review was given before rather than after the second study list suggests that the memory enhancement was due to both testing-enhanced encoding and testing-enhanced retrieval. To better equate generalized testing effects for "new" and "old" pairs, Experiment 3 intermixed them in the review phase. A statistically significant pair-specific testing effect for "old" items was now observed. Overall, these results show that forward testing effects are due to both testing-enhanced encoding and retrieval effects and that direct, pair-specific forward testing benefits are considerably smaller than indirect, generalized forward testing benefits.

Effects of yttrium, aluminum, and chromium concentrations in bond coatings on the performance of zirconia-yttria thermal barriers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecura, S.

1979-01-01

A cyclic furnace study was conducted between 990 - 280 C and 1095 - 280 C to evaluate the effects of yttrium, chromium, and aluminum concentrations in nickel base alloy bond coatings and also the effect of the bond coating thickness on the performance of yttria-stabilized zirconia thermal barrier coatings. The presence and the concentration of yttrium is very critical. Without yttrium, rapid oxidation of Ni-Al, Ni-Cr, and Ni-Cr-Al bond coatings causes zirconia thermal barrier coatings to fail very rapidly. Concentrations of chrominum and aluminum in Ni-Cr-Al-Y bond coating have a very significant effect on the thermal barrier coating life. This effect, however, is not as great as that due to yttrium. Furthermore, the thickness and the thickness uniformity also have a very significant effect on the life of the thermal barrier system.

Diurnal Variations in Global Joule Heating Morphology and Magnitude Due To Neutral Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billett, D. D.; Grocott, A.; Wild, J. A.; Walach, M.-T.; Kosch, M. J.

2018-03-01

In the polar ionosphere, variations in Joule heating are significantly controlled by changes in plasma convection, such as that brought about by changes in the interplanetary magnetic field. However, another important consideration when calculating Joule heating is the velocity difference between this plasma and the neutral thermosphere colocated with the ionosphere. Neutral wind data are often difficult to obtain on a global scale; thus, Joule heating has often previously been calculated assuming that neutral velocities are small and can therefore be neglected. Previous work has shown the effect of neutral winds on Joule heating estimations to be more significant than originally thought; however, the diurnal variations of the neutrals due to changes in solar pressure gradients and Coriolis forces have yet to have their impact on Joule heating assessed. We show this universal time effect to be significant in calculating Joule heating and thus can differ significantly from that calculated by neglecting the neutrals. In this study, we use empirical models for the neutral wind, conductivities, and magnetic field to create Northern Hemispheric patterns of Joule heating for approximately 800,000 individual plasma convection patterns generated using data from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network. From this, a statistical analysis of how Joule heating varies in morphology and magnitude with universal time is shown for differing seasons and levels of geomagnetic activity. We find that neutral winds do play a significant role in the morphology and total energy output of Joule heating.

Heritability of Lumbar Trabecular Bone Mechanical Properties in Baboons

PubMed Central

Havill, L.M.; Allen, M.R.; Bredbenner, T.L.; Burr, D.B.; Nicolella, D.P.; Turner, C.H.; Warren, D.M.; Mahaney, M.C.

2010-01-01

Genetic effects on mechanical properties have been demonstrated in rodents, but not confirmed in primates. Our aim was to quantify the proportion of variation in vertebral trabecular bone mechanical properties that is due to the effects of genes. L3 vertebrae were collected from 110 females and 46 male baboons (6–32 years old) from a single extended pedigree. Cranio-caudally oriented trabecular bone cores were scanned with microCT then tested in monotonic compression to determine apparent ultimate stress, modulus, and toughness. Age and sex effects and heritability (h2) were assessed using maximum likelihood-based variance components methods. Additive effects of genes on residual trait variance were significant for ultimate stress (h2=0.58), toughness (h2=0.64), and BV/TV (h2=0.55). When BV/TV was accounted for, the residual variance in ultimate stress accounted for by the additive effects of genes was no longer significant. Toughness, however, showed evidence of a non-BV/TV-related genetic effect. Overall, maximum stress and modulus show strong genetic effects that are nearly entirely due to bone volume. Toughness shows strong genetic effects related to bone volume and shows additional genetic effects (accounting for 10% of the total trait variance) that are independent of bone volume. These results support continued use of bone volume as a focal trait to identify genes related to skeletal fragility, but also show that other focal traits related to toughness and variation in the organic component of bone matrix will enhance our ability to find additional genes that are particularly relevant to fatigue-related fractures. PMID:19900599

Interferential and horizontal therapies in chronic low back pain due to multiple vertebral fractures: a randomized, double blind, clinical study.

PubMed

Zambito, A; Bianchini, D; Gatti, D; Rossini, M; Adami, S; Viapiana, O

2007-11-01

Chronic low back pain due to multiple vertebral fractures is of difficult management. Electrical nerve stimulation is frequently used, but its efficacy has never been properly evaluated. In a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, we have shown that both interferential currents and horizontal therapy are more effective than placebo for functional. Multiple vertebral fractures almost invariably ensue in chronic low back pain that remains of difficult management. Electrical nerve stimulation is frequently used but its efficacy has never been properly evaluated. One hundred and fifteen women with chronic back pain due to previous multiple vertebral osteoporotic fractures (CBPMF) were randomly assigned to either interferential currents (IFT), horizontal therapy (HT) or sham HT administered for 30 minutes daily for 5 days per week for two weeks together with a standard exercise program. Efficacy assessment was obtained at baseline and at week 2, 6 and 14 and included a functional questionnaire (Backill), the standard visual analog scale (VAS) and the mean analgesic consumption. At week 2 a significant and similar improvement in both the VAS and Backill score was observed in the three groups. The two scores continued to improve in the two active groups with changes significantly (p < 0.001) greater than those observed in control patients at week 6 and 14. The use of analgesic medications improved only in the HT group. This randomized double-blind controlled study provides the first evidence that IFT and HT therapy are significantly effective in alleviating both pain and disability in patients with CBPMF.

Effect of estrogens on skin aging and the potential role of SERMs

PubMed Central

Stevenson, Susan; Thornton, Julie

2007-01-01

In humans, structural and functional changes attributable to aging are more visibly evident in the skin than in any other organ. Estrogens have significant effects on skin physiology and modulate epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts and melanocytes, in addition to skin appendages including the hair follicle and the sebaceous gland. Importantly, skin aging can be significantly delayed by the administration of estrogen. This paper reviews the effects of estrogens on skin and the mechanisms by which estrogens can alleviate the changes due to aging that occur in human skin. The relevance of estrogen replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women and the potential value of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) as a therapy for diminishing skin aging are also highlighted. PMID:18044179

The effects of hydroxychloroquine on endothelial dysfunction.

PubMed

Rahman, Rahana; Murthi, Padma; Singh, Harmeet; Gurusinghe, Seshini; Mockler, Joanne C; Lim, Rebecca; Wallace, Euan M

2016-10-01

Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug which, due to its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, is widely used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In a model of systemic lupus erythematosus hydroxychloroquine has been shown to exert protective endothelial effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether hydroxychloroquine was endothelial protective in an in vitro model of TNF-α and preeclamptic serum induced dysfunction. We showed that hydroxychloroquine significantly reduced the production of TNF-α and preeclamptic serum induced endothelin-1 (ET-1). Hydroxychloroquine also significantly mitigated TNF-α induced impairment of angiogenesis. These findings support the further assessment of hydroxychloroquine as an adjuvant therapy in preeclampsia. Copyright © 2016 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Fumigant Nematicides on Yield and Quality of Paste Tomatoes Grown in Southwestern Ontario

PubMed Central

Reynolds, L. B.; Olthof, Th. H. A.; Potter, J. W.

1992-01-01

Field trials were conducted at the Delhi Research Station, Ontario, Canada, on a Fox loamy sand soil during 1987 and 1988 to evaluate the effects of row application of the fumigants Telone II, Telone C-17, Vorlex Plus, and Vorlex Plus CP on the yield and quality of paste tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Ferry Morse 6203). The four fumigants were equally effective in controlling the natural field populations of root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans Cobb). A significant reduction in marketable red fruit yield due to different nematode densities at time of transplanting was observed in 1988. Fumigation did not significantly affect the yield of nonmarketable fruit, the relative maturation rate, or the processing quality in either year. PMID:19283042

Contact integrity testing of stress-tested silicon terrestrial solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prince, J. L.; Lathrop, J. W.; Witter, G. W.

1980-01-01

A test procedure was developed and applied to terrestrial silicon solar cells in order to determine the effect of accelerated environmental and time-temperature aging on metal contact integrity. Quantities of cells of four different manufacturers were given the contact integrity test after being subjected to accelerated stress tests that included forward bias-temperature, thermal cycle and thermal shock, power cycle, and bias-temperature humidity tests at two temperature-humidity levels. Significant effects due to certain stress tests were found for some cell types. It is concluded that cells fabricated using plated nickel/solder metallization showed significantly more serious contact integrity degradation than silver-metallized cells.

Choking under the pressure of a positive stereotype: gender identification and self-consciousness moderate men's math test performance.

PubMed

Tagler, Michael J

2012-01-01

Choking under pressure occurs when an individual underperforms due to situational pressure. The present study examined whether being the target of a positive social stereotype regarding math ability causes choking among men. Gender identification and self-consciousness were hypothesized to moderate the effect of math-gender stereotypes on men's math test performance. Men high in self-consciousness but low in gender identification significantly underperformed when exposed to gender-relevant test instructions. No significant effects were found under a gender-irrelevant condition. These findings are discussed in the contexts of research on stereotype threat, stereotype lift, and choking under pressure.

Effects of Optical Blur Reduction on Equivalent Intrinsic Blur

PubMed Central

Valeshabad, Ali Kord; Wanek, Justin; McAnany, J. Jason; Shahidi, Mahnaz

2015-01-01

Purpose To determine the effect of optical blur reduction on equivalent intrinsic blur, an estimate of the blur within the visual system, by comparing optical and equivalent intrinsic blur before and after adaptive optics (AO) correction of wavefront error. Methods Twelve visually normal individuals (age; 31 ± 12 years) participated in this study. Equivalent intrinsic blur (σint) was derived using a previously described model. Optical blur (σopt) due to high-order aberrations was quantified by Shack-Hartmann aberrometry and minimized using AO correction of wavefront error. Results σopt and σint were significantly reduced and visual acuity (VA) was significantly improved after AO correction (P ≤ 0.004). Reductions in σopt and σint were linearly dependent on the values before AO correction (r ≥ 0.94, P ≤ 0.002). The reduction in σint was greater than the reduction in σopt, although it was marginally significant (P = 0.05). σint after AO correlated significantly with σint before AO (r = 0.92, P < 0.001) and the two parameters were related linearly with a slope of 0.46. Conclusions Reduction in equivalent intrinsic blur was greater than the reduction in optical blur due to AO correction of wavefront error. This finding implies that VA in subjects with high equivalent intrinsic blur can be improved beyond that expected from the reduction in optical blur alone. PMID:25785538

Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Diltiazem by the Influence of Gallic Acid and Ellagic Acid in Male Wistar Rats: Involvement of CYP3A and P-gp Inhibition.

PubMed

Athukuri, Bhargavi Latha; Neerati, Prasad

2017-09-01

The oral bioavailability of diltiazem is very low due to rapid first pass metabolism in liver and intestine. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of gallic acid and ellagic acid on intestinal transport and oral bioavailability of diltiazem in rats. The intestinal transport and permeability of diltiazem was evaluated by in vitro non-everted sac method and in situ single pass intestinal perfusion study. The oral pharmacokinetics was evaluated by conducting oral bioavailability study. The intestinal transport and apparent permeability of diltiazem were significantly enhanced in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of gallic and ellagic acid-treated groups. The effective permeability of diltiazem was significantly enhanced in ileum part of gallic and ellagic acid-treated groups. When compared with control group, the presence of these two phytochemicals significantly enhanced the area under plasma concentration-time curve and the peak plasma concentration of diltiazem (C max ). Gallic acid and ellagic acid significantly increased the bioavailability of diltiazem due to the inhibition of both CYP3A-mediated metabolism and P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux in the intestine and/or liver. Based on these results, the clinical experiments are warranted for the confirmation to reduce the dose of diltiazem when concomitantly administered with these phytochemicals. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of Sodium Butyrate Treatment on Histone Modifications and the Expression of Genes Related to Epigenetic Regulatory Mechanisms and Immune Response in European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax) Fed a Plant-Based Diet.

PubMed

Terova, Genciana; Díaz, Noelia; Rimoldi, Simona; Ceccotti, Chiara; Gliozheni, Emi; Piferrer, Francesc

2016-01-01

Bacteria that inhabit the epithelium of the animals' digestive tract provide the essential biochemical pathways for fermenting otherwise indigestible dietary fibers, leading to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Of the major SCFAs, butyrate has received particular attention due to its numerous positive effects on the health of the intestinal tract and peripheral tissues. The mechanisms of action of this four-carbon chain organic acid are different; many of these are related to its potent regulatory effect on gene expression since butyrate is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that play a predominant role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and cell function. In the present work, we investigated in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) the effects of butyrate used as a feed additive on fish epigenetics as well as its regulatory role in mucosal protection and immune homeostasis through impact on gene expression. Seven target genes related to inflammatory response and reinforcement of the epithelial defense barrier [tnfα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) il1β, (interleukin 1beta), il-6, il-8, il-10, and muc2 (mucin 2)] and five target genes related to epigenetic modifications [dicer1(double-stranded RNA-specific endoribonuclease), ehmt2 (euchromatic histone-lysine-N-methyltransferase 2), pcgf2 (polycomb group ring finger 2), hdac11 (histone deacetylase-11), and jarid2a (jumonji)] were analyzed in fish intestine and liver. We also investigated the effect of dietary butyrate supplementation on histone acetylation, by performing an immunoblotting analysis on liver core histone extracts. Results of the eight-week-long feeding trial showed no significant differences in weight gain or SGR (specific growth rate) of sea bass that received 0.2% sodium butyrate supplementation in the diet in comparison to control fish that received a diet without Na-butyrate. Dietary butyrate led to a twofold increase in the acetylation level of histone H4 at lysine 8, but showed no effect on the histone H3 at Lys9. Moreover, two different isoforms of histone H3 that might correspond to the H3.1 and H3.2 isoforms previously found in terrestrial animals were separated on the immunoblots. The expression of four (il1 β, il8, irf1, and tnfα) out of seven analyzed genes related to mucosal protection and inflammatory response was significantly different between the two analyzed tissues but only il10 showed differences in expression due to the interaction between tissue and butyrate treatment. In addition, butyrate caused significant changes in vivo in the expression of genes related to epigenetic regulatory mechanisms such as hdac11, ehmt2, and dicer1. Statistical analysis by two-way ANOVA for these genes showed not only significant differences due to the butyrate treatment, but also due to the interaction between tissue and treatment.

Effects of Resveratrol on Ovarian Morphology, Plasma Anti-Mullerian Hormone, IGF-1 Levels, and Oxidative Stress Parameters in a Rat Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

PubMed

Ergenoglu, Mete; Yildirim, Nuri; Yildirim, Alkim Gulsah Sahingoz; Yeniel, Ozgur; Erbas, Oytun; Yavasoglu, Altug; Taskiran, Dilek; Karadadas, Nedim

2015-08-01

To evaluate the effects of resveratrol in a rat model of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). After PCOS model was formed by subcutaneous dihydrotestosterone pellets, rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. The first group (n = 7) was treated with 1 mL/kg/d isotonic saline and the second group (n = 7) was treated with 10 mg/kg/d resveratrol. Seven rats were taken as controls without any medication. Our results showed (1) significant reduction in the number of antral follicle counts (P < .01); (2) significantly decreased plasma anti-Mullerian hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels (P < .01 and P < .05, respectively); (3) significantly lower superoxide dismutase activity (P < .05); and (4) significantly increased glutathione peroxidase content (P < .01) following resveratrol treatment. Resveratrol appears to be effective in the treatment of PCOS due to its antioxidant properties. Future clinical studies with different dosages might provide useful implementations to our practice. © The Author(s) 2015.

Feasibility of CO/sub 2/ monitoring to assess air quality in mines using diesel equipment

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

Daniel, J.H. Jr.

1987-01-01

The methodology includes: (1) establishing pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios for in-service equipment, (2) estimating pollutant concentrations from the ratios and in-mine CO/sub 2/ measurements, and (3) using an air quality index to combine the pollutants into a single number, which indicates the health hazard associated with the pollutants. For the methodology to be valid, the pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios must remain constant if engine operating conditions do not significantly change. However, due to the complex dynamics of the fuel injection system, the fuel-air combustion process, and the engine speed-load governing system, the pollutant to CO/sub 2/ ratios maymore » vary during repetitive, but transient engine speed-and-load operation. These transient effects were investigated. In addition, the influence of changing engine conditions due to engine maladjustment, and a practical means to evaluate engine condition were investigated to advance the methodology. The laboratory investigation determined that CO/sub 2/ is an effective indicator of engine exhaust pollutants. It was shown that the exhaust concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter do not significantly vary among repetitive, but transient engine speed-and-load duty cycles typical of in-service equipment. Based on an air quality index and threshold limit values, particulate matter exhibited the greatest adverse effect on air quality. Particulate mass was separated into volatile (organic soluble fraction) and nonvolatile (insoluble carbon fraction) components. Due to particulate concentrations, the engine operating conditions of overfueling and advanced injector timing had greater adverse effects on air quality than the conditions of retarded injector timing, intake air restriction, and Federal certification specifications.« less

Once-daily, controlled-release tramadol and sustained-release diclofenac relieve chronic pain due to osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Beaulieu, André D; Peloso, Paul M; Haraoui, Boulos; Bensen, William; Thomson, Glen; Wade, John; Quigley, Patricia; Eisenhoffer, John; Harsanyi, Zoltan; Darke, Andrew C

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The present study was a randomized, parallel, double-blind comparison between controlled-release (CR) tramadol and sustained-release (SR) diclofenac in patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of the hips and/or knees. METHODS: Patients with at least moderate pain intensity, and having received analgesics over the past three months, underwent a two-to seven-day washout of current analgesics before initiation of 200 mg CR tramadol or 75 mg SR diclofenac. During the eight-week study, patients returned to the clinic biweekly. CR tramadol doses were titrated to a maximum of 200 mg, 300 mg or 400 mg per day. SR diclofenac doses were titrated to 75 mg or 100 mg once daily, or 75 mg twice a day based on pain relief and the presence of side effects. For rescue analgesic, patients took acetaminophen as needed, up to 650 mg three times a day. RESULTS: Forty-five patients on CR tramadol and 52 patients on SR diclofenac were evaluable. Significant improvements from prestudy treatment were shown for visual analogue scale pain (P=0.0001), stiffness (P<0.0005) and physical function (P=0.0001) scores for both treatments. There were no significant differences between the two treatments in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities subscales, overall pain, pain and sleep, or the clinical effectiveness evaluation. Overall incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups, with more opioid-related adverse events with CR tramadol, and two serious adverse events occurring with the use of SR diclofenac. CONCLUSIONS: CR tramadol is as effective as SR diclofenac in the treatment of pain due to knee or hip osteoarthritis, with the potential for fewer of the serious side effects that characterize nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration. PMID:18443672

A longitudinal study of mortality and air pollution for São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Botter, Denise A; Jørgensen, Bent; Peres, Antonieta A Q

2002-09-01

We study the effects of various air-pollution variables on the daily death counts for people over 65 years in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1991 to 1993, controlling for meteorological variables. We use a state space model where the air-pollution variables enter via the latent process, and the meteorological variables via the observation equation. The latent process represents the potential mortality due to air pollution, and is estimated by Kalman filter techniques. The effect of air pollution on mortality is found to be a function of the variation in the sulphur dioxide level for the previous 3 days, whereas the other air-pollution variables (total suspended particulates, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone) are not significant when sulphur dioxide is in the equation. There are significant effects of humidity and up to lag 3 of temperature, and a significant seasonal variation.

The promotive effects of peer support and active coping on the relationship between bullying victimization and depression among chinese boarding students.

PubMed

Yin, Xue-Qin; Wang, Li-Hui; Zhang, Guo-Dong; Liang, Xiao-Bing; Li, Jason; Zimmerman, Marc A; Wang, Jin-Liang

2017-10-01

We examined the relationship between bully victimization experience and depression in rural adolescents and analyzed the moderating roles of peer support and active coping in male and female students. The sample comprised N=755 adolescents (376 females) with a mean age of 13.52 years. Through structural model and multi-group analysis, the results indicated: (1) a significant gender difference on the positive association between bullying victimization and depression; (2) peer support had a directly negative effect on depression among all boarding adolescents; and (3) significant moderating effect of active coping on the association between victimization and depression, without significant gender difference. We discuss enhancing active coping and peer support as a prevention strategy to reduce adverse mental health outcomes in adolescents due to bullying victimization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heritability and molecular genetic basis of acoustic startle eye blink and affectively modulated startle response: A genome-wide association study

PubMed Central

VAIDYANATHAN, UMA; MALONE, STEPHEN M.; MILLER, MICHAEL B.; McGUE, MATT; IACONO, WILLIAM G.

2014-01-01

Acoustic startle responses have been studied extensively in relation to individual differences and psychopathology. We examined three indices of the blink response in a picture-viewing paradigm—overall startle magnitude across all picture types, and aversive and pleasant modulation scores—in 3,323 twins and parents. Biometric models and molecular genetic analyses showed that half the variance in overall startle was due to additive genetic effects. No single nucleotide polymorphism was genome-wide significant, but GRIK3 did produce a significant effect when examined as part of a candidate gene set. In contrast, emotion modulation scores showed little evidence of heritability in either biometric or molecular genetic analyses. However, in a genome-wide scan, PARP14 did produce a significant effect for aversive modulation. We conclude that, although overall startle retains potential as an endophenotype, emotion-modulated startle does not. PMID:25387708

Contrasting effects of warming and increased snowfall on Arctic tundra plant phenology over the past two decades.

PubMed

Bjorkman, Anne D; Elmendorf, Sarah C; Beamish, Alison L; Vellend, Mark; Henry, Gregory H R

2015-12-01

Recent changes in climate have led to significant shifts in phenology, with many studies demonstrating advanced phenology in response to warming temperatures. The rate of temperature change is especially high in the Arctic, but this is also where we have relatively little data on phenological changes and the processes driving these changes. In order to understand how Arctic plant species are likely to respond to future changes in climate, we monitored flowering phenology in response to both experimental and ambient warming for four widespread species in two habitat types over 21 years. We additionally used long-term environmental records to disentangle the effects of temperature increase and changes in snowmelt date on phenological patterns. While flowering occurred earlier in response to experimental warming, plants in unmanipulated plots showed no change or a delay in flowering over the 21-year period, despite more than 1 °C of ambient warming during that time. This counterintuitive result was likely due to significantly delayed snowmelt over the study period (0.05-0.2 days/yr) due to increased winter snowfall. The timing of snowmelt was a strong driver of flowering phenology for all species - especially for early-flowering species - while spring temperature was significantly related to flowering time only for later-flowering species. Despite significantly delayed flowering phenology, the timing of seed maturation showed no significant change over time, suggesting that warmer temperatures may promote more rapid seed development. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the specific environmental cues that drive species' phenological responses as well as the complex interactions between temperature and precipitation when forecasting phenology over the coming decades. As demonstrated here, the effects of altered snowmelt patterns can counter the effects of warmer temperatures, even to the point of generating phenological responses opposite to those predicted by warming alone. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Peripheral Dose Heterogeneity Due to the Thread Effect in Total Marrow Irradiation With Helical Tomotherapy

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

Takahashi, Yutaka; Verneris, Michael R.; Dusenbery, Kathryn E.

Purpose: To report potential dose heterogeneity leading to underdosing at different skeletal sites in total marrow irradiation (TMI) with helical tomotherapy due to the thread effect and provide possible solutions to reduce this effect. Methods and Materials: Nine cases were divided into 2 groups based on patient size, defined as maximum left-to-right arm distance (mLRD): small mLRD (≤47 cm) and large mLRD (>47 cm). TMI treatment planning was conducted by varying the pitch and modulation factor while a jaw size (5 cm) was kept fixed. Ripple amplitude, defined as the peak-to-trough dose relative to the average dose due to themore » thread effect, and the dose–volume histogram (DVH) parameters for 9 cases with various mLRD was analyzed in different skeletal regions at off-axis (eg, bones of the arm or femur), at the central axis (eg, vertebrae), and planning target volume (PTV), defined as the entire skeleton plus 1-cm margin. Results: Average ripple amplitude for a pitch of 0.430, known as one of the magic pitches that reduce thread effect, was 9.2% at 20 cm off-axis. No significant differences in DVH parameters of PTV, vertebrae, or femur were observed between small and large mLRD groups for a pitch of ≤0.287. Conversely, in the bones of the arm, average differences in the volume receiving 95% and 107% dose (V95 and V107, respectively) between large and small mLRD groups were 4.2% (P=.016) and 16% (P=.016), respectively. Strong correlations were found between mLRD and ripple amplitude (rs=.965), mLRD and V95 (rs=−.742), and mLRD and V107 (rs=.870) of bones of the arm. Conclusions: Thread effect significantly influences DVH parameters in the bones of the arm for large mLRD patients. By implementing a favorable pitch value and adjusting arm position, peripheral dose heterogeneity could be reduced.« less

Maintenance therapy with sucralfate in duodenal ulcer: genuine prevention or accelerated healing of ulcer recurrence?

PubMed

Bynum, T E; Koch, G G

1991-08-08

We sought to compare the efficacy of sucralfate to placebo for the prevention of duodenal ulcer recurrence and to determine that the efficacy of sucralfate was due to a true reduction in ulcer prevalence and not due to secondary effects such as analgesic activity or accelerated healing. This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel groups, multicenter clinical study with 254 patients. All patients had a past history of at least two duodenal ulcers with at least one ulcer diagnosed by endoscopic examination 3 months or less before the start of the study. Complete ulcer healing without erosions was required to enter the study. Sucralfate or placebo were dosed as a 1-g tablet twice a day for 4 months, or until ulcer recurrence. Endoscopic examinations once a month and when symptoms developed determined the presence or absence of duodenal ulcers. If a patient developed an ulcer between monthly scheduled visits, the patient was dosed with a 1-g sucralfate tablet twice a day until the next scheduled visit. Statistical analyses of the results determined the efficacy of sucralfate compared with placebo for preventing duodenal ulcer recurrence. Comparisons of therapeutic agents for preventing duodenal ulcers have usually been made by testing for statistical differences in the cumulative rates for all ulcers developed during a follow-up period, regardless of the time of detection. Statistical experts at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and on the FDA Advisory Panel expressed doubts about clinical study results based on this type of analysis. They suggested three possible mechanisms for reducing the number of observed ulcers: (a) analgesic effects, (b) accelerated healing, and (c) true ulcer prevention. Traditional ulcer analysis could miss recurring ulcers due to an analgesic effect or accelerated healing. Point-prevalence analysis could miss recurring ulcers due to accelerated healing between endoscopic examinations. Maximum ulcer analyses, a novel statistical method, eliminated analgesic effects by regularly scheduled endoscopies and accelerated healing of recurring ulcers by frequent endoscopies and an open-label phase. Maximum ulcer analysis reflects true ulcer recurrence and prevention. Sucralfate was significantly superior to placebo in reducing ulcer prevalence by all analyses. Significance (p less than 0.05) was found at months 3 and 4 for all analyses. All months were significant in the traditional analysis, months 2-4 in point-prevalence analysis, and months 3-4 in the maximal ulcer prevalence analysis. Sucralfate was shown to be effective for the prevention of duodenal ulcer recurrence by a true reduction in new ulcer development.

Effects of prefrontal tDCS on executive function: Methodological considerations revealed by meta-analysis.

PubMed

Imburgio, Michael J; Orr, Joseph M

2018-05-01

A meta-analysis of studies using single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to target the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was undertaken to examine the effect of stimulation on executive function (EF) in healthy samples. 27 studies were included in analyses, yielding 71 effect sizes. The most relevant measure for each task was determined a priori and used to calculate Hedge's g. Methodological characteristics of each study were examined individually as potential moderators of effect size. Stimulation effects on three domains of EF (inhibition of prepotent responses, mental set shifting, and information updating and monitoring) were analyzed separately. In line with previous work, the current study found no significant effect of anodal unilateral tDCS, cathodal unilateral tDCS, or bilateral tDCS on EF. Further moderator and subgroup analyses were only carried out for anodal unilateral montages due to the small number of studies using other montages. Subgroup analyses revealed a significant effect of anodal unilateral tDCS on updating tasks, but not on inhibition or set-shifting tasks. Cathode location significantly moderated the effect of anodal unilateral tDCS. Extracranial cathodes yielded a significant effect on EF while cranial cathodes yielded no effect. Anode size also significantly moderated effect of anodal unilateral tDCS, with smaller anodes being more effective than larger anodes. In summary, anodal DLPFC stimulation is more effective at improving updating ability than inhibition and set-shifting ability, but anodal stimulation can significantly improve general executive function when extracranial cathodes or small anodes are used. Future meta-analyses may examine how stimulation's effects on specific behavioral tasks, rather than broader domains, might be affected by methodological moderators. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies of Real Roughness Effects for Improved Modeling and Control of Practical Wall-Bounded Turbulent Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-22

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The present effort investigates the effects of practical roughness replicated from a turbine blade damaged by deposition of...Motivation Most practical wall-bounded turbulent flows of interest, like flows over turbine blades , through heat exchangers, and over aircraft and ship...significantly roughened over time due to harsh operating conditions. Examples of such conditions include cumulative damage to turbine blades (Bons, 2002

Heterogenous Material Integration and Band Engineering With Type II Superlattice

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-26

tunneling or surface effects. A careful variable area diode study is needed to investigate the effect of surfaces in this low temperature regime. In the mid...theoretically predicted advantages of T2SL over bulk MCT detectors, including lower tunneling currents [1] and suppressed Auger recombination rates [2...The tunneling currents are also reduced due to significant reduction in field drop. Thus the device can be made diffusion limited over wide range of

Density Effects on Post-shock Turbulence Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yifeng; Jaberi, Farhad; Livescu, Daniel; Li, Zhaorui; Michigan State University Collaboration; Los Alamos National Laboratory Collaboration; Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Collaboration

2017-11-01

The effects of density variations due to mixture composition on post-shock turbulence structure are studied using turbulence-resolving shock-capturing simulations. This work extends the canonical Shock-Turbulence Interaction (STI) problem to involve significant variable density effects. The numerical method has been verified using a series of grid and LIA convergence tests, and is used to generate accurate post-shock turbulence data for a detailed flow study. Density effects on post-shock turbulent statistics are shown to be significant, leading to an increased amplification of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Eulerian and Lagrangian analyses show that the increase in the post-shock correlation between rotation and strain is weakened in the case with significant density variations (referred to as the ``multi-fluid'' case). Similar to previous single-fluid results and LIA predictions, the shock wave significantly changes the topology of the turbulent structures, exhibiting a symmetrization of the joint PDF of second and third invariant of the deviatoric part of velocity gradient tensor. In the multi-fluid case, this trend is more significant and mainly manifested in the heavy fluid regions. Lagrangian data are also used to study the evolution of turbulence structure away from the shock wave and assess the accuracy of Lagrangian dynamical models.

Simulation the Effect of Internal Wave on the Acoustic Propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, D. S.

2005-05-01

An acoustic radiation transport model with the Monte Carlo solution has been developed and applied to study the effect of internal wave induced random oceanic fluctuations on the deep ocean acoustic propagation. Refraction in the ocean sound channel is performed by means of bi-cubic spline interpolation of discrete deterministic ray paths in the angle(energy)-range-depth coordinates. Scattering by random internal wave fluctuations is accomplished by sampling a power law scattering kernel applying the rejection method. Results from numerical experiments show that the mean positions of acoustic rays are significantly displaced tending toward the sound channel axis due to the asymmetry of the scattering kernel. The spreading of ray depths and angles about the means depends strongly on frequency. The envelope of the ray displacement spreading is found to be proportional to the square root of range which is different from "3/2 law" found in the non-channel case. Suppression of the spreading is due to the anisotropy of fluctuations and especially due to the presence of sound channel itself.

Overlay of multiframe SEM images including nonlinear field distortions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babin, S.; Borisov, S.; Ivonin, I.; Nakazawa, S.; Yamazaki, Y.

2018-03-01

To reduce charging and shrinkage, CD-SEMs utilize low electron energies and multiframe imaging. This results in every next frame being altered due to stage and beam instability, as well as due to charging. Regular averaging of the frames blurs the edges; this directly effects the extracted values of critical dimensions. A technique was developed to overlay multiframe images without the loss of quality. This method takes into account drift, rotation, and magnification corrections, as well as nonlinear distortions due to wafer charging. A significant improvement in the signal to noise ratio and overall image quality without degradation of the feature's edge quality was achieved. The developed software is capable of working with regular and large size images up to 32K pixels in each direction.

Middle atmosphere NO/x/ production due to ion propulsion induced radiation belt proton precipitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.; Jackman, C. H.

1980-01-01

The suggestion that keV Ar(+) resulting from ion propulsion operations during solar power satellite construction could cause energetic proton precipitation from the inner radiation belt is examined to determine if such precipitation could cause significant increases in middle atmosphere nitric oxide concentrations thereby adversely affecting stratospheric ozone. It is found that the initial production rate of NO (mole/cu cm-sec) at 50 km is 130 times that due to nitrous oxide reacting with excited oxygen. However, since the time required to empty the inner belt of protons is about 1 sec and short compared to the replenishment time due to neutron decay, precipitation of inner radiation belt protons will have no adverse atmospheric environmental effect.

The 1999 Ji-Ji (Taiwan) earthquake as a trigger for acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Tsai, Ching-Hong; Lung, For-Wey; Wang, Shing-Yaw

2004-01-01

The authors evaluated the effect of stress due to the Ji-Ji, Taiwan, earthquake, which occurred at 1:47 a.m. on September 21, 1999, on the onset of acute myocardial infarction in six counties near the earthquake epicenter. The rate of hospitalization due to acute myocardial infarction increased during the 6 weeks after the earthquake, and a significantly higher number of patients were hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction during that period, compared with the same 6-week period in the previous year (99 and 65 patients, respectively). The findings suggest that extreme emotional stress due to the natural disaster, superimposed on the stress of awakening, increased the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in this population.

Effects of discharge chamber length on the negative ion generation in volume-produced negative hydrogen ion source

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

Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Jung, Bong-Ki; An, YoungHwa

2014-02-15

In a volume-produced negative hydrogen ion source, control of electron temperature is essential due to its close correlation with the generation of highly vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules in the heating region as well as the generation of negative hydrogen ions by dissociative attachment in the extraction region. In this study, geometric effects of the cylindrical discharge chamber on negative ion generation via electron temperature changes are investigated in two discharge chambers with different lengths of 7.5 cm and 11 cm. Measurements with a radio-frequency-compensated Langmuir probe show that the electron temperature in the heating region is significantly increased by reducingmore » the length of the discharge chamber due to the reduced effective plasma size. A particle balance model which is modified to consider the effects of discharge chamber configuration on the plasma parameters explains the variation of the electron temperature with the chamber geometry and gas pressure quite well. Accordingly, H{sup −} ion density measurement with laser photo-detachment in the short chamber shows a few times increase compared to the longer one at the same heating power depending on gas pressure. However, the increase drops significantly as operating gas pressure decreases, indicating increased electron temperatures in the extraction region degrade dissociative attachment significantly especially in the low pressure regime. It is concluded that the increase of electron temperature by adjusting the discharge chamber geometry is efficient to increase H{sup −} ion production as long as low electron temperatures are maintained in the extraction region in volume-produced negative hydrogen ion sources.« less

Solution-focused intervention for sick listed employees with psychological problems or muscle skeletal pain: a randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN39140363

PubMed Central

Nystuen, Pal; Hagen, Kare B

2006-01-01

Background Long-term sick leave has been of concern to politicians and decision-makers in Norway for several years. In the current study we assess the efficacy of a solution-focused follow-up for sick-listed employees. Methods Employees on long-term sick leave due to psychological problems or muscle skeletal pain (n = 703) were invited to participate in the project. Following self-recruitment, 103 were randomly allocated to receive solution-focused follow-up (n = 53) or "treatment as usual" (n = 50). The intervention was integrated within the regular follow up of six social security offices and organised as eight weekly solution focused work sessions. Effectiveness was measured by rate of return to work and health related quality of life (SF-36). Results Intention to treat analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups for any of the outcome measures. Secondary analysis, comparing those who attended at least 50% of the sessions with the control group revealed a significant difference in favour of the active intervention group in the SF-36 subscale of mental health (Effect Size 0.56, p = 0.05). When comparing the subgroup of participants with psychological problems there was a significant difference in mental health in favour of the intervention group (Effect Size 0.71, p = 0.041). Conclusion A voluntary solution-focused intervention offered by social-security offices is no more effective than regular follow up for employees on long-term sick leave due to psychological problems or muscle skeletal pain. PMID:16542443

Prediction of the noise from a propeller at angle of attack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krejsa, Eugene A.

1990-01-01

An analysis is presented to predict the noise of a propeller at angle of attack. The analysis is an extension of that reported by Mani (1990) which predicted the change in noise due to angle of attack due to both unsteady loading and to azimuthal variation of the radiation efficiency of steady noise sources. Mani's analysis, however, was limited to small angles of attack. The analysis reported herein removes this small angle limitation. Results from the analysis are compared with the data of Woodward (1987, 1988), for a single rotation propeller and for a counter rotating propeller. The comparison shows that including the effect of angle of attack on the steady noise sources significantly improves the agreement with data. Including higher order effects of angle of attack, while changing the predicted noise at far forward and aft angles, has little effect near the propeller plane.

Vegetarian diet and blood pressure levels: incidental or causal association?

PubMed

Beilin, L J; Rouse, I L; Armstrong, B K; Margetts, B M; Vandongen, R

1988-09-01

Evidence that nutrients other than the major cations may influence blood pressure levels stems from studies of acculturated vegetarians and from randomized controlled dietary trials. Earlier studies of vegetarians focused on religious groups and on vegans, making it difficult to know whether their lower blood pressures were due to diet per se or to other aspects of lifestyle. Seventh-day Adventist vegetarians showed significantly less hypertension and lower blood pressures compared with Mormon omnivores, effects which were independent of differences in obesity and not due to altered sodium intake. Subsequently, controlled dietary intervention studies in healthy normotensive omnivores provided more direct evidence for a blood pressure-lowering effect of a lactoovovegetarian diet with reversible changes of 5-6 mm Hg systolic and 2-3 mm Hg diastolic occurring over 6-wk periods. Similar dietary effects in mild hypertensive subjects provides impetus for identifying the responsible nutrients.

A note on image degradation, disability glare, and binocular vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajaram, Vandana; Lakshminarayanan, Vasudevan

2013-08-01

Disability glare due to scattering of light causes a reduction in visual performance due to a luminous veil over the scene. This causes problem such as contrast detection. In this note, we report a study of the effect of this veiling luminance on human stereoscopic vision. We measured the effect of glare on the horopter measured using the apparent fronto-parallel plane (AFPP) criterion. The empirical longitudinal horopter measured using the AFPP criterion was analyzed using the so-called analytic plot. The analytic plot parameters were used for quantitative measurement of binocular vision. Image degradation plays a major effect on binocular vision as measured by the horopter. Under the conditions tested, it appears that if vision is sufficiently degraded then the addition of disability glare does not seem to significantly cause any further compromise in depth perception as measured by the horopter.

Ivermectin treatment of free-ranging endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups: effect on hookworm and lice infection status, haematological parameters, growth, and survival.

PubMed

Marcus, Alan D; Higgins, Damien P; Gray, Rachael

2015-07-01

A placebo-controlled study was used to investigate the effectiveness of ivermectin to treat hookworm (Uncinaria sanguinis) and lice (Antarctophthirus microchir) infections in free-ranging Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) pups and to test the hypotheses that these parasitic infections cause anaemia, systemic inflammatory responses, and reduced growth, and contribute towards decreased pup survival. Ivermectin was identified as an effective and safe anthelmintic in this species. Pups administered ivermectin had significantly higher erythrocyte counts and significantly lower eosinophil counts compared to controls at 1-2 months post-treatment, confirming that U. sanguinis and/or A. microchir are causatively associated with disease and demonstrating the positive effect of ivermectin treatment on clinical health parameters. Higher growth rates were not seen in ivermectin-treated pups and, unexpectedly, relatively older pups treated with ivermectin demonstrated significantly reduced growth rates when compared to matched saline-control pups. Differences in survival were not identified between treatment groups; however, this was attributed to the unexpectedly low mortality rate of recruited pups, likely due to the unintended recruitment bias towards pups >1-2 months of age for which mortality due to hookworm infection is less likely. This finding highlights the logistical and practical challenges associated with treating pups of this species shortly after birth at a remote colony. This study informs the assessment of the use of anthelmintics as a tool for the conservation management of free-ranging wildlife and outlines essential steps to further the development of strategies to ensure the effective conservation of the Australian sea lion and its parasitic fauna.

GPs as citizens' agents: prescription behavior and altruism.

PubMed

Olsen, Kim Rose; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte; Boegh, Andreas; Hansen, Sofie Hartung

2009-10-01

To curb the heavily increasing drug budgets some Danish counties have introduced voluntary agreements between general practitioners (GPs) and health authorities. We extend the models of generic prescription by Hellerstein (Rand J Econ 29(1):108-136, 1998) and Lundin (J Health Econ 19:639-662, 2000) to allow for substitution between analogues and use difference-in-difference models to assess the effect on two drug groups (lipid-lowering and rheumatism drugs). For both drug groups we find evidence of a significant effect of the intervention. In the case of lipid-lowering drugs, we found a significant larger impact on GPs with low loyalty to the insurer and with indication of low prescription quality. In contrast we found that the intervention had a significantly lower impact on this group of GPs in the case of rheumatism drugs. We conclude that the effectiveness of the voluntary approach may partly be due to its indirect effect on GPs' altruistic motivation, which makes the GPs and the authorities collide in a common agency role.

Cognitive fatigue effects on physical performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

McMorris, Terry; Barwood, Martin; Hale, Beverley J; Dicks, Matt; Corbett, Jo

2018-05-01

Recent research has examined the effect that undertaking a cognitively fatiguing task for ≤90 min has on subsequent physical performance. Cognitive fatigue is claimed to affect subsequent physical performance by inducing energy depletion in the brain, depletion of brain catecholamine neurotransmitters or changes in motivation. Observation of the psychophysiology and neurochemistry literature questions the ability of 90 min' cognitive activity to deplete energy or catecholamine resources. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the evidence for cognitive fatigue having an effect on subsequent physical performance. A systematic, meta-analytic review was undertaken. We found a small but significant pooled effect size based on comparison between physical performance post-cognitive fatigue compared to post-control (g = -0.27, SE = -0.12, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.04, Z(10) = -2.283, p < 0.05). However, the results were not heterogenous (Q(10) = 2.789, p > 0.10, Τ 2  < 0.001), suggesting that the pooled effect size does not amount to a real effect and differences are due to random error. No publication bias was evident (Kendall's τ = -0.07, p > 0.05). Thus, the results are somewhat contradictory. The pooled effect size shows a small but significant negative effect of cognitive fatigue, however tests of heterogeneity show that the results are due to random error. Future research should use neuroscientific tests to ensure that cognitive fatigue has been achieved. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Circulatory failure during severe hyperthermia in dog.

PubMed

Miki, K; Morimoto, T; Nose, H; Itoh, T; Yamada, S

1983-01-01

The effect of acute hyperthermia on circulatory function was studied in 6 mongrel dogs. At a core temperature of about 40 degrees C, central venous pressure and stroke volume were maintained at almost normal level. Cardiac output significantly increased (26 ml/(kg . min)) while systemic vascular resistance significantly decreased (1.2 mmHg . sec/ml). In addition, significant decrease in vascular compliance by 40% was observed. When body temperature was raised further (severe hyperthermia), an abrupt fall of arterial pressure was observed at the rectal temperature of about 41-42 degrees C. Concomitant decreases in central venous pressure (3 mmHg), stroke volume (2.1 ml/beat) and cardiac output (29 ml/(kg . min)) were observed while heart rate increased (48 beats/min). These results suggest that the decrease in cardiac output during severe hyperthermia is due to the fall of central venous pressure, and the fall was attributed to the increase in unstressed vascular volume of systemic circulation due to the heat-induced cutaneous vasodilation. The observed decrease in systemic vascular compliance is considered to have a significant role in the maintenance of central venous pressure under hyperthermia.

Influence of post hatch dietary supplementation of fat on performance, carcass cuts and biochemical profile in Ven Cobb broiler.

PubMed

Rai, Komal Prasad; Gendley, M K; Tiwari, S P; Sahu, Tarini; Naik, Surendra Kumar

2015-02-01

The present experiment was conducted to study the effect of post hatch dietary fat supplementation on performance of broiler chicken. A total of 120 day-old Ven Cobb broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups of 30 chicks in each (three replicates of 10 birds/treatment). The trial lasted for 35 days. The experimental design was a completely randomized design. Four types of diet were formulated for 1(st) week: T1, T2, T3 and T4 contained control diet with no added fat, 2.5, 5 and 7.5% fat, respectively. After 1(st) week post-hatch period chicks were fed ad libitum with the normal basal diet as per Bureau of Indian Standard recommendations till completion of the experiment (8-35 days). Significantly higher (p<0.05) body weight and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) was recorded in birds fed 5% dietary fat at the end of the experiment whereas, feed intake was not significantly affected. Significantly (p<0.05) higher dressed weight was observed due to 5% fat supplementation than other groups whereas, it was not significant for other carcass cuts. No significant differences were observed in moisture, protein and lipid content of breast and thigh muscle of broiler due to supplemented fat whereas, 2.5% dietary fat significantly (p<0.05) increase the serum HI titer on day 28(th). In biochemical profile, higher serum albumin (g/dl) was recorded due to 5% fat supplementation whereas other biochemical components did not show any significance difference among treatments. It may be concluded that supplementation of fat in broilers diet improves the overall FCR, dressing percentage and gain more body weight.

Sedatives for opiate withdrawal in newborn infants.

PubMed

Osborn, David A; Jeffery, Heather E; Cole, Michael J

2010-10-06

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to opiate withdrawal may result in disruption of the mother-infant relationship, sleep-wake abnormalities, feeding difficulties, weight loss and seizures. Treatments used to ameliorate symptoms and reduce morbidity include opiates, sedatives and non-pharmacological treatments. To assess the effectiveness and safety of using a sedative compared to a non-opiate control for NAS due to withdrawal from opiates, and to determine which type of sedative is most effective and safe. This update included searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 1, 2010), MEDLINE 1966 to April 2010 and abstracts of conference proceedings. Trials enrolling infants with NAS born to mothers with an opiate dependence with > 80% follow-up and using random or quasi-random allocation to sedative or control. Control could include another sedative or non-pharmacological treatment. Each author assessed study quality and extracted data independently. Seven studies enrolling 385 patients were included. There were substantial methodological concerns for most studies including the use of quasi-random allocation methods and sizeable, largely unexplained differences in reported numbers allocated to each group.One study reported phenobarbitone compared to supportive care alone did not reduce treatment failure or time to regain birthweight, but resulted in a significant reduction in duration of supportive care (MD -162.1 min/day, 95% CI -249.2, -75.1). Comparing phenobarbitone to diazepam, meta-analysis of two studies found phenobarbitone resulted in a significant reduction in treatment failure (typical RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.24, 0.62). Comparing phenobarbitone with chlorpromazine, one study reported no significant difference in treatment failure.In infants treated with an opiate, one study reported addition of clonidine resulted in no significant difference in treatment failure, seizures or mortality. In infants treated with an opiate, one study reported addition of phenobarbitone significantly reduced the proportion of time infants had a high abstinence severity score, duration of hospitalisation and maximal daily dose of opiate. Infants with NAS due to opiate withdrawal should receive initial treatment with an opiate. Where a sedative is used, phenobarbitone should be used in preference to diazepam. In infants treated with an opiate, the addition of phenobarbitone or clonidine may reduce withdrawal severity. Further studies are needed to determine the role of sedatives in infants with NAS due to opiate withdrawal and the safety and efficacy of adding phenobarbitone or clonidine in infants treated with an opiate for NAS.

Distinguishing between MSSM and NMSSM through Δ F = 2 processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Jacky; Paraskevas, Michael

2016-10-01

We study deviations between MSSM and Z 3-invariant NMSSM, with respect to their predictions in Δ F = 2 processes. We find that potentially significant effects arise either from the well known double-penguin diagrams, due to the extra scalar NMSSM states, or from neutralino-gluino box contributions, due to the extended neutralino sector. Both are discussed to be effective in the large tan β regime. Enhanced genuine-NMSSM contributions in double penguins are expected for a light singlet spectrum (CP-even, CP-odd), while the magnitude of box effects is primarily controlled through singlino mixing. The latter is found to be typically subleading (but non-negligible) for λ ≲ 0 .5, however it can become dominant for λ ˜ O(1) . We also study the low tan β regime, where a distinction between MSSM and NMSSM can come instead due to experimental constraints, acting differently on the allowed parameter space of each model. To this end, we incorporate the LHC Run-I limits from H → Z Z, A → h Z and H ± → τ ν non-observation along with Higgs observables and set (different) upper bounds for new physics contributions in Δ F = 2 processes. We find that a ˜ 25% contribution in Δ M s( d) is still possible for MFV models, however such a large effect is nowadays severely constrained for the case of MSSM, due to stronger bounds on the charged Higgs masses.

Work-Life Conflict among Young Academics: Antecedents and Gender Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorenkamp, Isabelle; Süß, Stefan

2017-01-01

Aligning work and private life is a significant challenge for young academics because of demanding working conditions (e.g. high workload, low job security). It is particularly strong for young female academics due to growing family responsibilities. Our study aims to identify the factors influencing the work-life conflict of young academics and…

Exotic forest insects and residential property values

Treesearch

Thomas P. Holmes; Elizabeth A. Murphy; Kathleen P. Bell

2006-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the economic damages to homeowners in a northern New Jersey community due to an exotic forest insect-the hemlock woolly adelgid. Hedonic property value methods are used to estimate the effect of hemlock health on property values. A statistically significant relationship between hemlock health and residential property values is...

Race, Intelligence and Political Efficacy Among School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmines, Edward G.; Baxter, Donald J.

1986-01-01

Focuses on the difference in political efficacy found between black and white pre-adults. Suggests that the racial difference in feelings of political effectiveness is due to intelligence which, in turn, is basically a function of the social and economic environment. Suggests that intelligence may play a significant role in the political…

Effects of pyriproxyfen and buprofezin on immature development, female oviposition, and egg-hatching in the stable fly

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), is one of the most economically significant biting flies affecting cattle. Use of traditional insecticides have only limited success in control of stable flies largely due to the stable fly’s unique feeding behaviors and immature developm...

Effect of viroid infection on the dynamics of phenolic metabolites in the apoplast of tomato

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plants are capable of producing a wide array of secondary metabolites which serve many functions, due to their bioactive, redox or structural properties. Subtle changes in the external or internal environment can cause significant changes in the array of secondary metabolites presented in the tissu...

Spatial variation related to hydroloigc patterns and vegetation in greenhouse gas fluxes from the Mississippi Delta agricultural region

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes from agricultural landscapes may contribute significantly to regional greenhouse gas budgets due to stimulation of soil microbial activity through fertilizer application and variable soil moisture effects. In this study, measuremen...

Fire-severity effects on plant-fungal interactions after a novel tundra wildfire disturbance: implications for arctic shrub and tree migration

Treesearch

Rebecca E. Hewitt; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; F. Stuart Chapin III; D. Lee Taylor

2016-01-01

Background: Vegetation change in high latitude tundra ecosystems is expected to accelerate due to increased wildfire activity. High-severity fires increase the availability of mineral soil seedbeds, which facilitates recruitment, yet fire also alters soil microbial composition, which could significantly impact seedling establishment.

The Effect of Cooperative Learning: University Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tombak, Busra; Altun, Sertel

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Motivation is a significant component of success in education, and it is best achieved by constructivist learning methods, especially cooperative Learning (CL). CL is a popular method among primary and secondary schools, but it is rarely used in higher education due to the large numbers of students and time restrictions. The…

Mammoth lakes revisited—50 years after a Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreak.

Treesearch

Boyd E. Wickman; G. Lynn Starr

1990-01-01

For five decades after an outbreak of Douglas-fir tussock moth (Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough)), radial growth of defoliated white fir trees (Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl.), was significantly greater than that of nondefoliated host trees nearby. The increased growth probably was due to the thinning effect of...

Glucosamine:chondroitin or ginger root extract have little effect on articular cartilage in swine

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sows are culled at a high rate from breeding herds due to musclo-skeletal problems and lameness. Research in our laboratory has shown that even first-parity sows have significant amounts of osteochondritic lesions of their articular cartilage. Glusoamine chondroitin and ginger root extract have both...

Barnacle geese achieve significant energetic savings by changing posture.

PubMed

Tickle, Peter G; Nudds, Robert L; Codd, Jonathan R

2012-01-01

Here we report the resting metabolic rate in barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) and provide evidence for the significant energetic effect of posture. Under laboratory conditions flow-through respirometry together with synchronous recording of behaviour enabled a calculation of how metabolic rate varies with posture. Our principal finding is that standing bipedally incurs a 25% increase in metabolic rate compared to birds sitting on the ground. In addition to the expected decrease in energy consumption of hindlimb postural muscles when sitting, we hypothesise that a change in breathing mechanics represents one potential mechanism for at least part of the observed difference in energetic cost. Due to the significant effect of posture, future studies of resting metabolic rates need to take into account and/or report differences in posture.

Barnacle Geese Achieve Significant Energetic Savings by Changing Posture

PubMed Central

Tickle, Peter G.; Nudds, Robert L.; Codd, Jonathan R.

2012-01-01

Here we report the resting metabolic rate in barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) and provide evidence for the significant energetic effect of posture. Under laboratory conditions flow-through respirometry together with synchronous recording of behaviour enabled a calculation of how metabolic rate varies with posture. Our principal finding is that standing bipedally incurs a 25% increase in metabolic rate compared to birds sitting on the ground. In addition to the expected decrease in energy consumption of hindlimb postural muscles when sitting, we hypothesise that a change in breathing mechanics represents one potential mechanism for at least part of the observed difference in energetic cost. Due to the significant effect of posture, future studies of resting metabolic rates need to take into account and/or report differences in posture. PMID:23071672

[Low-dose desmopressin (DDAVP) and blood levels of FSH, LH and testosterone in men].

PubMed

García-Pascual, I J; Rozán Flores, M A

1996-03-01

The effect of desmopressin (DDAVP) administration (2.5 micrograms/12 hours) on serum concentrations of FSH, LH and testosterone was studied in six men. No significant changes were observed in serum concentrations of FSH and LH after 9 days with DDAVP therapy. Nevertheless, serum concentrations of testosterone after 12 hours of DDAVP administration were significantly higher than basal concentrations. Three hours after the administration of DDAVP, serum testosterone concentrations decreased significantly. The conclusion reached was that low doses of desmopressin do not change serum concentrations of FSH and LH, but serum concentration of testosterone is decreased within three hours after the administration, although an increase is observed 12 hours later possibly due to a "rebound effect". Desmopressin would therefore directly act upon human testicle.

The Acute Effects of Upper Extremity Stretching on Throwing Velocity in Baseball Throwers

PubMed Central

Melton, Jason; Delobel, Ashley; Puentedura, Emilio J.

2013-01-01

Purpose. To examine the effects of static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching of the shoulder internal rotators on throwing velocity. Subjects. 27 male throwers (mean age = 25.1 years old, SD = 2.4) with adequate knowledge of demonstrable throwing mechanics. Study Design. Randomized crossover trial with repeated measures. Methods. Subjects warmed up, threw 10 pitches at their maximum velocity, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 stretching protocols (static, PNF, or no stretch), and then repeated their 10 pitches. Velocities were recorded after each pitch and average and peak velocities were recorded after each session. Results. Data were analyzed using a 3 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA. No significant interaction between stretching and throwing velocity was observed. Main effects for time were not statistically significant. Main effects for the stretching groups were statistically significant. Discussion. Results suggest that stretching of the shoulder internal rotators did not significantly affect throwing velocity immediately after stretching. This may be due to the complexity of the throwing task. Conclusions. Stretching may be included in a thrower's warm-up without any effects on throwing velocity. Further research should be performed using a population with more throwing experience and skill. PMID:26464880

[Efficacy of iodine-131 in treating hyperthyroid heart disease].

PubMed

Song, Juan-Juan; Lin, Yan-Song; Zhu, Li; Li, Fang

2013-04-01

To investigate the value of iodine-131 therapy for hyperthyroidism complicated hyperthyroid heart disease(HHD) induced by Graves' disease or Plummer disease. Totally 40 HHD cases who were confirmed in our department from 2009 to 2010 were enrolled in this study. All patients received serum thyroid hormones and associated antibodies tests, 12-lead electrocardiogram, and/or thyroid imaging before and after iodine-131 therapy to access the treatment effectiveness. Among 31 patients with HHD due to Graves' disease and 9 due to Plummer disease, iodine-131 treatment resulted in euthyroidism in 15 and 5 patients and hypothyroid in 7 and 2 patients, while 9 and 2 remain hyperthyroid, respectively.Serum free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone were statistically significant(P<0.05) before and after iodine-131 therapy, while no significant difference for serum thyrotrophin receptor antibody, antithyroid peroxidase autoantibody, and anti-thyroglobulin antibody.Atrial fibrillation was the most common cardiac complication of hyperthyroidism(n=25, 62.5%) .The remission rate after iodine-131 treatment was 76.0%. Iodine-131 therapy can effectively and timely control hyperthyroid in HHD patients.

Laboratory investigation of surface processes on airless bodies due to electrostatic dust mobilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Hood, N.; Schwan, J.; Hsu, H. W.; Horanyi, M.

2017-12-01

Electrostatic dust mobilization on the surfaces of airless bodies due to direct exposure to solar wind and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been suggested from a number of unusual planetary observations and supported by our recent laboratory experiments. This electrostatic process may have a significant contribution in the evolution of these surfaces in addition to other surface processes, e.g., thermal fragmentation. The critical questions are how this process changes the surface physical characteristics and how efficient this process can be. We report new laboratory experiments that record dust activities as function of the incoming fluxes of photons or energetic electrons over a long exposure time under Earth gravity. Dust is observed to hop and move on the surface, causing the significant change in surface morphology and becoming smoother over time. Our results indicate that the dynamics of dust mobilization may be complicated by temporal charging effect as dust moves. Various sizes and types of dust are examined, showing large effects on dust mobilization. These laboratory data will help us to predict the electrostatic surface processes and estimate their timescales in space conditions.

Heritability of DUI convictions: a twin study of driving under the influence of alcohol.

PubMed

Anum, Emmanuel A; Silberg, Judy; Retchin, Sheldon M

2014-02-01

The study was undertaken to assess the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences on drunk-driving. Driving records of a cohort of male and female twins (N = 17,360) from the Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry were examined. Structural equation models were used to estimate the magnitude of genetic and environmental effects on male and female phenotypes, and test for gender differences. There were significant gender and age effects. Compared with females, males were five times more likely to engage in driving under the influence. Among persons aged 21-49 years, the risk for drunk-driving was eight times that for those aged 50+ years and five times greater than those ≤20 years. In both males and females, aged 21-49 years, a large proportion (57%) of the variance in drunk-driving was due to genetic factors and the remaining 43% due to individual specific environmental influences. Drunk-driving is under significant genetic influence in both males and females. Our findings suggest that a different set of genes influence DUIs in men and women.

[Effects of a training of power and balance on the use of mechanical restraint among in-patients with dementia].

PubMed

Steinert, Tilman; Bohnet, Ulrich; Flammer, Erich; Lüchtenberg, Dietmar; Eisele, Frank

2009-09-01

Patients with dementia are most frequently affected by mechanical restraint in psychiatric hospitals, most frequently due to falls. There is evidence for beneficial effects of a training of power and balance on the frequency of falls in residential homes. An adapted training of power and balance was developed by specialists of training in sports. In 2007, 159 patients with dementia were trained. The frequency and duration of mechanical restraint was compared with a control group of a different hospital (n = 217) and the patients treated in the year before (n = 164). The percentage of patients with mechanical restraint and the mean duration of restraint per admission were significantly lower than in the control group. However, only a non-significant reduction could be achieved in comparison with the patients treated in the year before without an increase of falls. A considerable reduction of the use of mechanical restraint in patients with dementia is feasible. An unequivocal association with the training could not be confirmed due to other influencing factors.

Implicit Motives and Men’s Perceived Constraint in Fatherhood

PubMed Central

Ruppen, Jessica; Waldvogel, Patricia; Ehlert, Ulrike

2016-01-01

Research shows that implicit motives influence social relationships. However, little is known about their role in fatherhood and, particularly, how men experience their paternal role. Therefore, this study examined the association of implicit motives and fathers’ perceived constraint due to fatherhood. Furthermore, we explored their relation to fathers’ life satisfaction. Participants were fathers with biological children (N = 276). They were asked to write picture stories, which were then coded for implicit affiliation and power motives. Perceived constraint and life satisfaction were assessed on a visual analog scale. A higher implicit need for affiliation was significantly associated with lower perceived constraint, whereas the implicit need for power had the opposite effect. Perceived constraint had a negative influence on life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling revealed significant indirect effects of implicit affiliation and power motives on life satisfaction mediated by perceived constraint. Our findings indicate that men with a higher implicit need for affiliation experience less constraint due to fatherhood, resulting in higher life satisfaction. The implicit need for power, however, results in more perceived constraint and is related to decreased life satisfaction. PMID:27933023

Improvement of Superplasticity in High-Mg Aluminum Alloys by Sacrifice of Some Room Temperature Formability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, H.; Amirkhiz, B. Shalchi; Lloyd, D. J.

2018-03-01

The mechanical properties of fully annealed Al-4.6 wt pct Mg alloys with different levels of Mn and Fe have been characterized at room and superplastic forming (SPF) temperatures. The effects of Mn and Fe on the intermetallic phase, grain structure, and cavitation were investigated and correlated to the formability at different temperatures. Although both Mn and Fe contribute to the formation of Al6(Mn,Fe) phase, which refines the grain structure by particle-stimulated nucleation and Zener pinning, their effects are different. An increasing Mn reduces the room temperature formability due to the increasing number of intermetallic particles, but significantly improves the superplasticity by fine grain size-induced grain boundary sliding. Meanwhile, the Fe makes the constituent particles very coarse, resulting in reduced formability at all temperatures due to extensive cavitation. A combination of high Mn and low Fe is therefore beneficial to SPF, while low levels of both elements are good for cold forming. Consequently, the superplasticity of high-Mg aluminum alloys can be significantly improved by modifying the chemical composition with sacrifice of some room temperature formability.

Risk assessment for cardiovascular and respiratory mortality due to air pollution and synoptic meteorology in 10 Canadian cities.

PubMed

Vanos, Jennifer K; Hebbern, Christopher; Cakmak, Sabit

2014-02-01

Synoptic weather and ambient air quality synergistically influence human health. We report the relative risk of mortality from all non-accidental, respiratory-, and cardiovascular-related causes, associated with exposure to four air pollutants, by weather type and season, in 10 major Canadian cities for 1981 through 1999. We conducted this multi-city time-series study using Poisson generalized linear models stratified by season and each of six distinctive synoptic weather types. Statistically significant relationships of mortality due to short-term exposure to carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and ozone were found, with significant modifications of risk by weather type, season, and mortality cause. In total, 61% of the respiratory-related mortality relative risk estimates were significantly higher than for cardiovascular-related mortality. The combined effect of weather and air pollution is greatest when tropical-type weather is present in the spring or summer. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating Effects of Brazilian Forest Wildfires on the Carbon Monoxide Concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhoi, S.; Qu, J.; Dasgupta, S.

2004-12-01

Forest wildfires have dramatically increased in recent years due to global warming and extreme dry conditions. Forest wildfires spew out a significant amount of atmospheric pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, due to incomplete burning of the biomass. According to United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a high increase of carbon monoxide leads to the formation of carboxyhemoglobin in blood which decreases the oxygen intake capacity of human body and at moderate concentration angina, impaired vision and reduced brain function may occur. As compared to Northern America where significant amount of carbon monoxide released is caused by combustion devices and furnace, the increase of carbon monoxide concentration in Brazilian regions is mainly attributed to the forest fires. In this study, carbon monoxide datasets from the Measurements of pollution in the troposphere (MOPITT) have been analyzed to see the amount of increase in the carbon monoxide concentration after forest wildfires, ire, particularly in summer of 2003. The study reveals that there is a significant increase in the carbon monoxide concentration after forest fires.

Association between erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels and reproduction capacity in Long-Evans rats.

PubMed

Noble, N A; Brewer, G J

1982-03-01

During genetic selection of rats for high and low levels of red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) the decreased fertility in Low-DPG animals was due to significantly (P less than 0.01) fewer offspring born per litter. The rat lines were intercrossed and animals at the tails of the F2 2,3-diphosphoglycerate distribution were mated. Subsequent matings of F3 offspring were monitored. Low-DPG F3 pregnant females killed at 20 days of gestation showed significantly (P less than 0.05) fewer corpora lutea than High-DPG F3 females. There were also significantly (P less than 0.01) fewer corpora lutea in Low-DPG line rats compared to High-DPG rats. It is concluded that the relationship between 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels and fertility is not due to inbreeding but to a possible genetic linkage, a shared biochemical determinant or a relationship through the effect of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels on oxygen delivery to tissue.

An autologous dendritic cell canine mammary tumor hybrid-cell fusion vaccine.

PubMed

Bird, R Curtis; Deinnocentes, Patricia; Church Bird, Allison E; van Ginkel, Frederik W; Lindquist, Joni; Smith, Bruce F

2011-01-01

Mammary cancer is among the most prevalent canine tumors and frequently resulting in death due to metastatic disease that is highly homologous to human breast cancer. Most canine tumors fail to raise effective immune reactions yet, some spontaneous remissions do occur. Hybrid canine dendritic cell-tumor cell fusion vaccines were designed to enhance antigen presentation and tumor immune recognition. Peripheral blood-derived autologous dendritic cell enriched populations were isolated from dogs based on CD11c(+) expression and fused with canine mammary tumor (CMT) cells for vaccination of laboratory Beagles. These hybrid cells were injected into popliteal lymph nodes of normal dogs, guided by ultrasound, and included CpG-oligonucleotide adjuvants. Three rounds of vaccination were delivered. Significant IgG responses were observed in all vaccinated dogs compared to vehicle-injected controls. Canine IgG antibodies recognized shared CMT antigens as was demonstrated by IgG-recognition of three unrelated/independently derived CMT cell lines, and recognition of freshly isolated, unrelated, primary biopsy-derived CMT cells. A bias toward an IgG2 isotype response was observed after two vaccinations in most dogs. Neither significant cytotoxic T cell responses were detected, nor adverse or side-effects due to vaccination or due to the induced immune responses noted. These data provide proof-of-principle for this cancer vaccine strategy and demonstrate the presence of shared CMT antigens that promote immune recognition of mammary cancer.

PLGA nanoparticles loaded with host defense peptide LL37 promote wound healing.

PubMed

Chereddy, Kiran Kumar; Her, Charles-Henry; Comune, Michela; Moia, Claudia; Lopes, Alessandra; Porporato, Paolo E; Vanacker, Julie; Lam, Martin C; Steinstraesser, Lars; Sonveaux, Pierre; Zhu, Huijun; Ferreira, Lino S; Vandermeulen, Gaëlle; Préat, Véronique

2014-11-28

Wound treatment remains one of the most prevalent and economically burdensome healthcare issues in the world. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) supplies lactate that accelerates neovascularization and promotes wound healing. LL37 is an endogenous human host defense peptide that modulates wound healing and angiogenesis and fights infection. Hence, we hypothesized that the administration of LL37 encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles (PLGA-LL37 NP) promotes wound closure due to the sustained release of both LL37 and lactate. In full thickness excisional wounds, the treatment with PLGA-LL37 NP significantly accelerated wound healing compared to PLGA or LL37 administration alone. PLGA-LL37 NP-treated wounds displayed advanced granulation tissue formation by significant higher collagen deposition, re-epithelialized and neovascularized composition. PLGA-LL37 NP improved angiogenesis, significantly up-regulated IL-6 and VEGFa expression, and modulated the inflammatory wound response. In vitro, PLGA-LL37 NP induced enhanced cell migration but had no effect on the metabolism and proliferation of keratinocytes. It displayed antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli. In conclusion, we developed a biodegradable drug delivery system that accelerated healing processes due to the combined effects of lactate and LL37 released from the nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Novel Paclitaxel Microemulsion Containing a Reduced Amount of Cremophor EL: Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution, and In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy and Safety

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Wu, Ke-Chun; Zhao, Bing-Xiang; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Xin; Chen, Su; Nie, Shu-Fang; Pan, Wei-San; Zhang, Xuan; Zhang, Qiang

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to prepare a novel paclitaxel (PTX) microemulsion containing a reduced amount of Cremophor EL (CrEL) which had similar pharmacokinetics and antitumor efficacy as the commercially available PTX injection, but a significantly reduced allergic effect due to the CrEL. The pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, in vivo antitumor activity and safety of PTX microemulsion was evaluated. The results of pharmacokinetic and distribution properties of PTX in the microemulsion were similar to those of the PTX injection. The antitumor efficacy of the PTX microemulsion in OVCRA-3 and A 549 tumor-bearing animals was similar to that of PTX injection. The PTX microemulsion did not cause haemolysis, erythrocyte agglutination or simulative reaction. The incidence and degree of allergic reactions exhibited by the PTX microemulsion group, with or without premedication, were significantly lower than those in the PTX injection group (P < .01). In conclusion, the PTX microemulsion had similar pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor efficacy to the PTX injection, but a significantly reduced allergic effect due to CrEL, indicating that the PTX microemulsion overcomes the disadvantages of the conventional PTX injection and is one way of avoiding the limitations of current injection product while providing suitable therapeutic efficacy. PMID:21331356

Analysis of variance to assess statistical significance of Laplacian estimation accuracy improvement due to novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Joe, Cody; Lee, Colin; Besio, Walter G

2017-07-01

Concentric ring electrodes have shown promise in non-invasive electrophysiological measurement demonstrating their superiority to conventional disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation. Recently, we have proposed novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Analytic and finite element method modeling results for linearly increasing distances electrode configurations suggested they may decrease the truncation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to currently used constant inter-ring distances configurations. This study assesses statistical significance of Laplacian estimation accuracy improvement due to novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Full factorial design of analysis of variance was used with one categorical and two numerical factors: the inter-ring distances, the electrode diameter, and the number of concentric rings in the electrode. The response variables were the Relative Error and the Maximum Error of Laplacian estimation computed using a finite element method model for each of the combinations of levels of three factors. Effects of the main factors and their interactions on Relative Error and Maximum Error were assessed and the obtained results suggest that all three factors have statistically significant effects in the model confirming the potential of using inter-ring distances as a means of improving accuracy of Laplacian estimation.

Chronic lithium treatment elicits its antimanic effects via BDNF-TrkB dependent synaptic downscaling.

PubMed

Gideons, Erinn S; Lin, Pei-Yi; Mahgoub, Melissa; Kavalali, Ege T; Monteggia, Lisa M

2017-06-16

Lithium is widely used as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder although the molecular mechanisms that underlie its therapeutic effects are under debate. In this study, we show brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for the antimanic-like effects of lithium but not the antidepressant-like effects in mice. We performed whole cell patch clamp recordings of hippocampal neurons to determine the impact of lithium on synaptic transmission that may underlie the behavioral effects. Lithium produced a significant decrease in α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitudes due to postsynaptic homeostatic plasticity that was dependent on BDNF and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB). The decrease in AMPAR function was due to reduced surface expression of GluA1 subunits through dynamin-dependent endocytosis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a requirement for BDNF in the antimanic action of lithium and identify enhanced dynamin-dependent endocytosis of AMPARs as a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of lithium.

Chronic lithium treatment elicits its antimanic effects via BDNF-TrkB dependent synaptic downscaling

PubMed Central

Gideons, Erinn S; Lin, Pei-Yi; Mahgoub, Melissa; Kavalali, Ege T; Monteggia, Lisa M

2017-01-01

Lithium is widely used as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder although the molecular mechanisms that underlie its therapeutic effects are under debate. In this study, we show brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for the antimanic-like effects of lithium but not the antidepressant-like effects in mice. We performed whole cell patch clamp recordings of hippocampal neurons to determine the impact of lithium on synaptic transmission that may underlie the behavioral effects. Lithium produced a significant decrease in α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitudes due to postsynaptic homeostatic plasticity that was dependent on BDNF and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB). The decrease in AMPAR function was due to reduced surface expression of GluA1 subunits through dynamin-dependent endocytosis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a requirement for BDNF in the antimanic action of lithium and identify enhanced dynamin-dependent endocytosis of AMPARs as a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of lithium. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25480.001 PMID:28621662

Differences in Expressivity Based on Attractiveness: Target or Perceiver Effects?

PubMed

Rennels, Jennifer L; Kayl, Andrea J

2015-09-01

A significant association exists between adults' expressivity and facial attractiveness, but it is unclear whether the association is linear or significant only at the extremes of attractiveness. It is also unclear whether attractive persons actually display more positive expressivity than unattractive persons (target effects) or whether high and low attractiveness influences expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects). Experiment 1 demonstrated adult ratings of attractiveness were predictive of expressivity valence only for high and low attractive females and medium attractive males. Experiment 2 showed that low attractive females actually display more negative expressivity than medium and high attractive females, but there were no target effects for males. Also, attractiveness influenced expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects) for both females and males. Our findings demonstrate that low attractive females are at a particular disadvantage during social interactions due to their low attractiveness, actual displays of negative expressivity, and perceptions of their negative expressivity.

Superabsorbent polymer-containing wound dressings have a beneficial effect on wound healing by reducing PMN elastase concentration and inhibiting microbial growth.

PubMed

Wiegand, C; Abel, M; Ruth, P; Hipler, U C

2011-11-01

A comprehensive in vitro approach was used to assess the effects of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) containing wound dressings in treatment of non-healing wounds. A slight negative effect on HaCaT cells was noted in vitro which is most likely due to the Ca(2+) deprivation of the medium by binding to the SAP. It could be shown that SAP wound dressings are able to bind considerable amounts of elastase reducing enzyme activity significantly. Furthermore, SAP's inhibit the formation of free radicals. The SAP-containing wound dressings tested also exhibited a significant to strong antimicrobial activity effectively impeding the growth of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as yeasts. In conclusion, in vitro data confirm the positive effect of SAP wound dressings observed in vivo and suggest that they should be specifically useful for wound cleansing.

Differences in Expressivity Based on Attractiveness: Target or Perceiver Effects?

PubMed Central

Rennels, Jennifer L.; Kayl, Andrea J.

2015-01-01

A significant association exists between adults’ expressivity and facial attractiveness, but it is unclear whether the association is linear or significant only at the extremes of attractiveness. It is also unclear whether attractive persons actually display more positive expressivity than unattractive persons (target effects) or whether high and low attractiveness influences expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects). Experiment 1 demonstrated adult ratings of attractiveness were predictive of expressivity valence only for high and low attractive females and medium attractive males. Experiment 2 showed that low attractive females actually display more negative expressivity than medium and high attractive females, but there were no target effects for males. Also, attractiveness influenced expressivity valence judgments (perceiver effects) for both females and males. Our findings demonstrate that low attractive females are at a particular disadvantage during social interactions due to their low attractiveness, actual displays of negative expressivity, and perceptions of their negative expressivity. PMID:26366010

Effects of cognitive training on change in accuracy in inductive reasoning ability.

PubMed

Boron, Julie Blaskewicz; Turiano, Nicholas A; Willis, Sherry L; Schaie, K Warner

2007-05-01

We investigated cognitive training effects on accuracy and number of items attempted in inductive reasoning performance in a sample of 335 older participants (M = 72.78 years) from the Seattle Longitudinal Study. We assessed the impact of individual characteristics, including chronic disease. The reasoning training group showed significantly greater gain in accuracy and number of attempted items than did the comparison group; gain was primarily due to enhanced accuracy. Reasoning training effects involved a complex interaction of gender, prior cognitive status, and chronic disease. Women with prior decline on reasoning but no heart disease showed the greatest accuracy increase. In addition, stable reasoning-trained women with heart disease demonstrated significant accuracy gain. Comorbidity was associated with less change in accuracy. The results support the effectiveness of cognitive training on improving the accuracy of reasoning performance.

Cardiorespiratory hospitalisation and mortality reductions after smoking bans in Switzerland.

PubMed

Vicedo-Cabrera, Ana M; Röösli, Martin; Radovanovic, Dragana; Grize, Leticia; Witassek, Fabienne; Schindler, Christian; Perez, Laura

2017-01-19

Smoking bans are considered one of the most effective policies to reduce population exposure to tobacco smoke and prevent adverse health outcomes. However, evidence on the effect of contextual variables on the effectiveness of smoking bans is still lacking. The patchwork of cantonal smoke-free laws in Switzerland was used as a quasi-experimental setting to assess changes after their introduction in: hospitalisations and mortality due to cardiorespiratory diseases in adults; total hospitalisations and hospitalisations due to respiratory disorders in children; and the modifying effects of contextual factors and the effectiveness of the laws. Using hospital and mortality registry data for residents in Switzerland (2005-2012), we conducted canton-specific interrupted time-series analyses followed by random effects meta-analyses to obtain nationwide smoking ban estimates by subgroups of age, sex and causes of hospitalisation or death. Heterogeneity of the impact caused by strictness of the ban and other smoking-related characteristics of the cantons was explored through meta-regression. Total hospitalisation rates due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases did not significantly change after the introduction of the ban. Post-ban changes were detected in ischaemic heart disease hospitalisations, with a 2.5% reduction (95% confidence interval [CI)] -6.2 to 1.3%) for all ages and 5.5% (95% CI -10.8 to -0.2%) in adults 35-64 years old. Total mortality due to respiratory diseases decreased by 8.2% (95% CI -15.2 to -0.6%) over all ages, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality decreased by 14.0% (95% CI -22.3 to -4.5%) in adults ≥65 years old. Cardiovascular mortality did not change after the introduction of the ban, but there was an indication of post-ban reductions in mortality due to hypertensive disorders (-5.4%, 95% CI -12.6 to 2.3%), and congestive heart failure (-6.0%, 95% CI -14.5 to 3.4%). No benefits were observed for hospitalisations due to respiratory diseases in children or for infant mortality. The type of smoking ban implemented explained the heterogeneity of benefits across cantons for some outcomes. Smoking bans in Switzerland were associated with overall reductions in cardiovascular and respiratory hospitalisation and mortality in adults.

Collaborator Support: Identification of Fundamental Visual, Auditory, and Cognitive Requirements for Command and Control Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

generally involve display design for combat vehicles, such as aircraft or tanks. The strength of such displays is their non-intrusive nature , which...level .05 was used. 7 Table 1: ANOVA Summary Table for Reaction Time Due to a significant violation of the assumption of sphericity (p=.041...the Greenhouse- Geiser test was used to adjust the degrees of freedom. A significant main effect for cue type was found, F(1.693, 15.233) = 9.077

Therapeutic options for diseases due to potential viral agents of bioterrorism.

PubMed

Bronze, Michael S; Greenfield, Ronald A

2003-02-01

The etiologic agents of smallpox and viral hemorrhagic fever have emerged as potential agents of bioterrorism due to their virulence, potential for human to human dissemination and limited strategies for treatment and prevention. Cidofovir has shown significant promise in animal models, and limited case reports in humans are encouraging. Ribavirin is the treatment of choice for certain hemorrhagic fever viral infections, but has no current application to Ebola and Marburg infections. Current vaccine strategies for smallpox are effective, but carry significant risk for complications. Licensed vaccines for hemorrhagic fever viruses are limited to yellow fever, but animal studies are promising. Genomic analysis of the viral pathogen and the animal model response to infection may provide valuable information enabling the development of novel treatment and prevention strategies. Current knowledge of these strategies is reviewed.

Methods for nanoparticle labeling of ricin and effect on toxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wark, Alastair W.; Yu, Jun; Lindsay, Christopher D.; Nativo, Paola; Graham, Duncan

2009-09-01

The unique optical properties associated with nanostructured materials that support the excitation of surface plasmons offer many new opportunities for the enhanced optical investigation of biological materials that pose a security threat. In particular, ricin is considered a significant bioterrorism risk due to its high toxicity combined with its ready availability as a byproduct in castor oil production. Therefore, the development of optical techniques capable of rapid on-site toxin detection with high molecular specificity and sensitivity continues to be of significant importance. Furthermore, understanding of the ricin cell entry and intracellular pathways remains poor due to a lack of suitable bioanalytical techniques. Initial work aimed at simultaneously tackling both these issues is described where different approaches for the nanoparticle labeling of ricin are investigated along with changes in ricin toxicity associated with the labeling process.

Spectral and far-field broadening due to stimulated rotational Raman scattering driven by the Nike krypton fluoride laser.

PubMed

Weaver, James; Lehmberg, Robert; Obenschain, Stephen; Kehne, David; Wolford, Matthew

2017-11-01

Stimulated rotational Raman scattering (SRRS) in the ultraviolet region (λ=248  nm) has been observed at the Nike laser over extended propagation paths in air during high power operation. Although this phenomenon is not significant for standard operating configurations at Nike, broadening of the laser spectrum and far-field focal profiles has been observed once the intensity-path length product exceeds a threshold of approximately 1  TW/cm. This paper presents experimental results and a new theoretical evaluation of these effects. The observations suggest that significantly broader spectra can be achieved with modest degradation of the final focal distribution. These results point to a possible path for enhanced laser-target coupling with the reduction of laser-plasma instabilities due to broad laser bandwidth produced by the SRRS.

Cogging Torque Reduction Techniques for Spoke-type IPMSM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrim, F. S.; Sulaiman, E.; Kumar, R.; Jusoh, L. I.

2017-08-01

A spoke-type interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) is extending its tentacles in industrial arena due to good flux-weakening capability and high power density. In many of the application, high strength of permanent magnet causes the undesirable effects of high cogging torque that can aggravate performance of the motor. High cogging torque is significantly produced by IPMSM due to the similar length and the effectiveness of the magnetic air-gap. The address of this study is to analyze and compare the cogging torque effect and performance of four common techniques for cogging torque reduction such as skewing, notching, pole pairing and rotor pole pairing. With the aid of 3-D finite element analysis (FEA) by JMAG software, a 6S-4P Spoke-type IPMSM with various rotor-PM configurations has been designed. As a result, the cogging torque effect reduced up to 69.5% for skewing technique, followed by 31.96%, 29.6%, and 17.53% by pole pairing, axial pole pairing and notching techniques respectively.

Use of radiotelemetry to evaluate respiratory depression produced by chronic methadone administration.

PubMed

Lewanowitsch, Tanya; White, Jason M; Irvine, Rodney J

2004-01-26

Illicit and therapeutic opioid administration can result in overdose due to opioid-induced respiratory depression. Research investigating the respiratory depressant effects of opioids has been limited due to difficulties associated with acquiring long-term respiratory data. This study examined the novel use of radiotelemetry to measure respiratory rate, heart rate, locomotor activity and blood pressure in rats treated chronically with methadone. Over 4 days of treatment, respiratory rate decreased, but partial tolerance appeared to develop during active (night) periods. Decreased heart rate was observed during the night periods and tolerance appeared to develop to this effect. Activity and blood pressure did not change with treatment. The effects of naloxone hydrochloride and naloxone methiodide administration on the methadone-treated rats were also examined and both antagonists increased respiratory rate and heart rate, with only naloxone hydrochloride producing significant increases in activity. Radiotelemetry offers a means of evaluating drug effects on respiratory rate continually in ambulatory, unstressed animals.

The effects of iris-ciliary complex on the organ cultured rabbit ocular lens.

PubMed

Niyogi, T K; Emanuel, K; Parafina, J; Bagchi, M

1991-01-01

Freshly isolated rabbit lenses were cultured with and without attached iris-ciliary (IC)-complex for 24 hours in TC-199 medium. Subsequent morphological analysis revealed that the IC-complex cannot be maintained in serum-free medium. In addition an observed effect of the IC-complex on the co-cultured lenses could not be due only because of the cellular degeneration of the IC-complex. To test this possibility lenses with attached IC-complexes were incubated in 20% serum-containing TC-199 medium. The IC-complex cultured in 20% serum containing medium retained its normal morphology. However co-cultured lens cells displayed vacuoles and other signs of degeneration. The protein synthetic and Na+/K+ pump activities of these lenses were also significantly depressed. These data indicated that the observed effects of IC-complex on the lens were not due to its cellular degradation. Preliminary experiments showed that the IC-complex contains water soluble factor(s) which could effectively inhibit lens protein synthesis and Na+/K+ pump.

Brain-Eating Amoebae: Silver Nanoparticle Conjugation Enhanced Efficacy of Anti-Amoebic Drugs against Naegleria fowleri.

PubMed

Rajendran, Kavitha; Anwar, Ayaz; Khan, Naveed Ahmed; Siddiqui, Ruqaiyyah

2017-12-20

The overall aim of this study was to determine whether conjugation with silver nanoparticles enhances effects of available drugs against primary amoebic meningoencephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri. Amphotericin B, Nystatin, and Fluconazole were conjugated with silver nanoparticles, and synthesis was confirmed using UV-visible spectrophotometry. Atomic force microscopy determined their size in range of 20-100 nm. To determine amoebicidal effects, N. fowleri were incubated with drugs-conjugated silver nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles alone, and drugs alone. The findings revealed that silver nanoparticles conjugation significantly enhanced antiamoebic effects of Nystatin and Amphotericin B but not Fluconazole at micromolar concentrations, compared with the drugs alone. For the first time, our findings showed that silver nanoparticle conjugation enhances efficacy of antiamoebic drugs against N. fowleri. Given the rarity of the disease and challenges in developing new drugs, it is hoped that modifying existing drugs to enhance their antiamoebic effects is a useful avenue that holds promise in improving the treatment of brain-eating amoebae infection due to N. fowleri.

The Effects of Leucine, Zinc, and Chromium Supplements on Inflammatory Events of the Respiratory System in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

PubMed Central

Kolahian, Saeed; Sadri, Hassan; Shahbazfar, Amir Ali; Amani, Morvarid; Mazadeh, Anis; Mirani, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of serious micro- and macrovascular diseases that affect nearly every system in the body, including the respiratory system. Non-enzymatic protein glycation due to hyperglycaemic stress has fundamental implications due to the large capillary network and amount of connective tissue in the lung. The current study was designed to determine whether leucine, zinc, and chromium supplementations influence the function and histological structure of the respiratory tract in a rat model of type 2 diabetes. Seventy-seven rats were divided into eleven groups, consisting of 7 animals each. One group served as negative control and insulin and glibenclamide were used as positive control drugs. Thus, eight groups received the nutritional supplements alone or in combination with each other. Nutritional supplements and glibenclamide were added to the drinking water and neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin was subcutaneously injected during the 4 weeks of treatment period. The induction of type 2 diabetes in the rats caused an infiltration of mononuclear cells and edema in the submucosa of the trachea and lung, severe fibrosis around the vessels and airways, and perivascular and peribronchial infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrin. In the diabetic group, the total inflammation score and Reid index significantly increased. Diabetes induction significantly reduced the total antioxidant status and elevated the lipid peroxidation products in the serum, lung lavage and lung tissue of the diabetic animals. Treatment with nutritional supplements significantly decreased the histopathological changes and inflammatory indices in the diabetic animals. Supplementation of diabetic rats with leucine, zinc, and chromium, alone and in combination, significantly increased the total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation level in the diabetic animals. The nutritional supplements improved the enzymatic antioxidant activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, myeloperoxidase, and superoxide dismutase in the diabetic rats. The present results demonstrate beneficial effects and amelioration of inflammation in the respiratory system of type 2 diabetic rats by leucine, zinc, and chromium supplements, probably due to their hypoglycaemic and antioxidant properties. Using safe and effective nutritional supplements, such as leucine, chromium and zinc, to replace proven conventional medical treatments may help to control diabetes and/or its complications. PMID:26185997

Effect of green tea and Tai Chi on bone health in postmenopausal osteopenic women: a 6-month randomized placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Shen, C-L; Chyu, M-C; Yeh, J K; Zhang, Y; Pence, B C; Felton, C K; Brismée, J-M; Arjmandi, B H; Doctolero, S; Wang, J-S

2012-05-01

Postmenopausal women with osteopenia received green tea polyphenols (GTP) supplement and/or Tai Chi exercise for 6 months. Bone turnover biomarkers, calcium metabolism, and muscle strength were measured. This study showed that GTP supplementation and Tai Chi exercise increased bone formation biomarkers and improved bone turnover rate. Tai Chi exercise increased serum parathyroid hormone. GTP supplementation, Tai Chi exercise, and the combination of the two all improved muscle strength in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. This study evaluated the effect of GTP supplementation and Tai Chi (TC) exercise on serum markers of bone turnover (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, BAP, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP), calcium metabolism, and muscle strength in postmenopausal osteopenic women. One hundred and seventy-one postmenopausal osteopenic women were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) placebo (500 mg starch/day), (2) GTP (500 mg GTP/day), (3) placebo + TC (placebo plus TC training at 60 min/session, three sessions/week), and (4) GTP + TC (GTP plus TC training). Overnight fasting blood and urine samples were collected at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months for biomarker analyses. Muscle strength was evaluated at baseline, 3, and 6 months. One hundred and fifty subjects completed the 6-month study. Significant increases in BAP level due to GTP intake (at 1 month) and TC (at 3 months) were observed. Significant increases in the change of BAP/TRAP ratio due to GTP (at 3 months) and TC (at 6 months) were also observed. Significant main effect of TC on the elevation in serum parathyroid hormone level was observed at 1 and 3 months. At 6 months, muscle strength significantly improved due to GTP, TC, and GTP + TC interventions. Neither GTP nor TC affected serum TRAP, serum and urinary calcium, and inorganic phosphate. In summary, GTP supplementation and TC exercise increased BAP and improved BAP/TRAP ratio. TC exercise increased serum parathyroid hormone. GTP supplementation, TC exercise, and the combination of the two all improved muscle strength in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

Role of amino acid supplementation in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonates - a review of current evidences.

PubMed

Garg, Bhawan Deep; Kabra, Nandkishor S

2018-09-01

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common acute and fatal gastrointestinal emergency in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm neonates with mortality range from 15 to 30%. NEC is likely due to multifactorial process such as oxidative injury, ischemic necrosis, and over-reactive inflammatory response to intestinal microbes. To evaluate the role of amino acid supplementation for reduction of neonatal NEC in preterm neonates. The literature search was done for various randomized control trial (RCT) by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Index Copernicus, African Index Medicus (AIM), Thomson Reuters (ESCI), Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) and other database. This review included 15 RCTs that fulfilled inclusion criteria. The total neonates enrolled in these different RCT are 3424 (amino acid group 1711 and control 1713). Almost all participating neonates were of VLBW or extremely low birth weight (ELBW). In two trials, birth weight was between 1500-2000 grams. The intervention was started within first few days after birth and continued up to 30th day of postnatal age in most of the trials. In two trials, intervention was continued up to 120th day of postnatal age. Arginine, glutamine and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) were used at the dose of 1.5 mol/kg/day (261 mg/kg/day), 0.3 grams/kg/day and 16-32 mg/kg/day, respectively. Role of amino acid in the prevention of neonatal NEC is not exclusively supported by the current evidence. Only three studies were able to show reduction in the incidence of NEC with amino acid supplementation (arginine, glutamine), and the remaining studies did not report any positive effect. Amino acid supplementation was not associated with significant reduction in mortality due to any causes. However, arginine supplementation was associated with significant reduction in mortality due to NEC. Two studies on glutamine were reported significant reduction in the incidence of invasive infection. Only one study reported significant positive effects on growth parameters and less time to reach full enteral feeds. None of the studies showed any effect on the duration of hospital stay.

Outpatient commitment and procedural due process.

PubMed

Player, Candice Teri-Lowe

2015-01-01

A large empirical literature on Kendra's Law has assessed the impact of court ordered outpatient treatment on outcomes such as treatment adherence, psychiatric hospitalization, quality of life, and treatment costs. Missing from the empirical literature, however, is a better understanding of procedural due process under Kendra's Law. Procedural due process concerns the safeguards that must be in place when governments deprive persons of their liberties, for example--notice, the right to a hearing and the right to appeal. This article reports the findings from a qualitative study of procedural due process and assisted outpatient treatment hearings under Kendra's Law. Attorneys reported significant barriers to effective advocacy on behalf of their clients. Further, despite the shift from a medical model of civil commitment to a judicial model in the 1970s, by and large judges continue to accord great deference to clinical testimony. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Bisphosphonates Significantly Increase the Activity of Doxorubicin or Vincristine Against Canine Malignant Histiocytosis Cells

PubMed Central

Hafeman, S.D.; Varland, D.; Dow, S.W.

2011-01-01

Canine malignant histiocytosis (MH) is an aggressive neoplasm of macrophages and dendritic cells. It carries a poor prognosis due to the development of widespread metastasis and poor sensitivity to chemotherapy. Thus, there is a large need for new treatments for MH. We hypothesized that bisphosphonates might be useful to increase the effectiveness of cytotoxic chemotherapy against MH. To address this question, we conducted in vitro screening studies using MH cell lines and a panel of 6 chemotherapy and 5 bisphosphonate drugs. The combination of clodronate with vincristine was found to elicit synergistic killing which was associated with a significant increase in cell cycle arrest. Second, zoledronate combined with doxorubicin also significantly increased cell killing. Zoledronate significantly increased the uptake of doxorubicin by MH cells. Based on these findings, we conclude that certain bisphosphonate drugs may increase the overall effectiveness of chemotherapy for MH in dogs. PMID:22236140

Medicinal plants and phytochemicals with anti-obesogenic potentials: A review.

PubMed

Mopuri, Ramgopal; Islam, Md Shahidul

2017-05-01

Human mortality has been significantly increased in last few decades due to the increased prevalence of obesity and associated chronic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Apart from genetic and medicine or drug related side effects, nearly 90-95% people became obese due to the imbalanced calorie intake and lack of nutritional knowledge. The anti-obesogenic drugs, Orlistat and Sibutramine, which have been duly approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USA, work very well on diet-induced obesity however they are not getting popular to the people with overweight/obesity due to the higher cost and severe side effects. In contrast, plant based drugs have been considered as a better alternative due to their lower cost and negligible side effects. A number of medicinal plants and their bioactive constituents have received attention from scientists not only for their anti-obesity activity in vitro and in vivo but also in clinical trials. However, there is no systematic review of data available in the scientific domain in order to guide researchers to conduct further in depth research. In our present review, we differentiated the anti-obesogenic effects of various medicinal plant extracts, fractions and their bioactive compounds at in vitro, in vivo and clinical conditions. During our review, we could also identify the most effective plants with strong anti-obesogenic effects at in vitro or in vivo studies with lack of clinical trials when no one tried to isolate pure bioactive compounds from these plants. Hence, scientific community, government agencies/pharmaceutical industries should work together not only to isolate pure bioactive compounds but also to conduct clinical trials including toxicity to develop better alternative anti-obesity drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Study of hole characteristics in Laser Trepan Drilling of ZTA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini, Surendra K.; Dubey, Avanish K.; Upadhyay, B. N.; Choubey, A.

2018-07-01

Zirconia Toughened Alumina ceramic is widely used for aerospace components, combustion chambers, heat exchangers, bearings and pumps mainly due to its improved mechanical and thermal properties. To make holes in thick section Zirconia Toughened Alumina ceramics is a major challenge due to its unfavorable machining characteristics. Recent researches have explored that laser machining can overcome the machining limitations of advanced materials having improved mechanical properties. In present research, authors have analyzed the effect of Laser Trepan Drilling on hole characteristics of 6.0 mm thick Zirconia Toughened Alumina. Effect of significant process parameters on hole characteristics such as hole circularity at top and bottom, hole taper, and spatter size have been studied. The optimum ranges of these parameters have been suggested on the basis of empirical modeling and optimization.

Love-type wave propagation in a pre-stressed viscoelastic medium influenced by smooth moving punch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A. K.; Parween, Z.; Chatterjee, M.; Chattopadhyay, A.

2015-04-01

In the present paper, a mathematical model studying the effect of smooth moving semi-infinite punch on the propagation of Love-type wave in an initially stressed viscoelastic strip is developed. The dynamic stress concentration due to the punch for the force of a constant intensity has been obtained in the closed form. Method based on Weiner-hopf technique which is indicated by Matczynski has been employed. The study manifests the significant effect of various affecting parameters viz. speed of moving punch associated with Love-type wave speed, horizontal compressive/tensile initial stress, vertical compressive/tensile initial stress, frequency parameter, and viscoelastic parameter on dynamic stress concentration due to semi-infinite punch. Moreover, some important peculiarities have been traced out and depicted by means of graphs.

A temperature dependent study on charge dynamics in organic molecular device: Effect of shallow traps on space charge limited behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, A. K.; Kavala, A. K.

2014-04-01

Shallow traps play a significant role in influencing charge dynamics through organic molecular thin films, such as pentacene. Sandwich cells of pentacene capped by gold electrodes are an excellent specimen to study the nature of underlying charge dynamics. In this paper, self-consistent numerical simulation of I-V characteristics is performed at various temperatures. The results have revealed negative value of Poole Frenkel coefficient. The location of trap energy level is found to be located at 0.24 eV above the highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) level of pentacene. Other physical parameters related to trap levels, such as density of states due to traps and effective carrier density due to traps, have also been estimated in this study.

Balancing the edge effects budget: bay scallop settlement and loss along a seagrass edge.

PubMed

Carroll, John M; Furman, Bradley T; Tettelbach, Stephen T; Peterson, Bradley J

2012-07-01

Edge effects are a dominant subject in landscape ecology literature, yet they are highly variable and poorly understood. Often, the literature suggests simple models for edge effects-positive (enhancement at the edge), negative (enhancement at the interior), or no effect (neutral)--on a variety of metrics, including abundance, diversity, and mortality. In the marine realm, much of this work has focused on fragmented seagrass habitats due to their importance for a variety of commercially important species. In this study, the settlement, recruitment, and survival of bay scallops was investigated across a variety of seagrass patch treatments. By simultaneously collecting settlers (those viable larvae available to settle and metamorphose) and recruits (those settlers that survive some period of time, in this case, 6 weeks) on the same collectors, we were able to demonstrate a "balance" between positive and negative edge effects, resulting in a net neutral effect. Scallop settlement was significantly enhanced along seagrass edges, regardless of patch type while survival was elevated within patch interiors. However, recruitment (the net result of settlement and post-settlement loss) did not vary significantly from edge to center, representing a neutral effect. Further, results suggest that post-settlement loss, most likely due to predation, appears to be the dominant mechanism structuring scallop abundance, not patterns in settlement. These data illustrate the complexity of edge effects, and suggest that the metric used to investigate the effect (be it abundance, survival, or other metrics) can often influence the magnitude and direction of the perceived effect. Traditionally, high predation along a habitat edge would have indicated an "ecological trap" for the species in question; however, this study demonstrates that, at the population level, an ecological trap may not exist.

[A clinical analysis of 50 cases of medicament-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene].

PubMed

Xia, Li-hua; Huang, Han-lin; Kuang, Shou-ren; Liu, Hui-fang; Kong, Ling-zhen

2004-06-01

To investigate the clinical manifestations, complications and treatment of medicament-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (TCE), so as to provide basis for studying its etiology and mechanism. Fifty patients with dermatitis due to TCE from 1997 to 2000 were analysed retrospectively. The occurrence of the dermatitis was not parallel to TCE exposure levels, without significant dose-effect relationship. This disease could be caused by both inhalation and skin exposure. The latency period of TCE dermatitis ranged from 5 to 66 days, and the average was 31.5 d (Medium). The major clinical manifestations included skin lesions, fever, superficial lymph node swelling and liver dysfunction. Infection was the major complication. Glucocorticoid was effective for treatment of this disease. The clinical manifestations due to TCE exposure were similar to dermatitis medicamentosa. The major clinical types of TCE dermatitis included exfoliative dermatitis and erythema multiforme. The dermatitis is considered to be mediated by delayed-type (IV) hypersensitivity. The key factors to treat this disease successfully included the use of glucocorticoid in time with sufficient dose and full course, professional skin care, active treatment to protect the liver and to avoid infection.

Effects of virtual reality immersion and audiovisual distraction techniques for patients with pruritus

PubMed Central

Leibovici, Vera; Magora, Florella; Cohen, Sarale; Ingber, Arieh

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality immersion (VRI), an advanced computer-generated technique, decreased subjective reports of pain in experimental and procedural medical therapies. Furthermore, VRI significantly reduced pain-related brain activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Resemblance between anatomical and neuroendocrine pathways of pain and pruritus may prove VRI to be a suitable adjunct for basic and clinical studies of the complex aspects of pruritus. OBJECTIVES: To compare effects of VRI with audiovisual distraction (AVD) techniques for attenuation of pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: Twenty-four patients suffering from chronic pruritus – 16 due to atopic dermatitis and eight due to psoriasis vulgaris – were randomly assigned to play an interactive computer game using a special visor or a computer screen. Pruritus intensity was self-rated before, during and 10 min after exposure using a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 to 10. The interviewer rated observed scratching on a three-point scale during each distraction program. RESULTS: Student’s t tests were significant for reduction of pruritus intensity before and during VRI and AVD (P=0.0002 and P=0.01, respectively) and were significant only between ratings before and after VRI (P=0.017). Scratching was mostly absent or mild during both programs. CONCLUSIONS: VRI and AVD techniques demonstrated the ability to diminish itching sensations temporarily. Further studies on the immediate and late effects of interactive computer distraction techniques to interrupt itching episodes will open potential paths for future pruritus research. PMID:19714267

Quantity and Quality of Vision Using Tinted Filters in Patients with Low Vision Due to Diabetic Retinopathy.

PubMed

Sadeghpour, Naser; Alishiri, Ali Agha; Ajudani, Reza; Khosravi, Mohammad Hossein; Amiri, Mohammad Aghazadeh; Sadeghpour, Omid

2015-01-01

To investigate the effect of tinted filters on visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity and patient satisfaction in diabetic retinopathy associated with low vision. In a prospective study, 51 patients with diabetic retinopathy and low vision were assessed. We chose a simple random sampling method and used the patient's files for data collection. LogMAR notations were applied for assessing VA and a contrast sensitivity chart (CSV-1000) was employed for measuring contrast sensitivity. First, measurements were performed without tinted filters and then using them. Appropriate lenses were given to the patients for 2 days, and they were questioned about their satisfaction using them in different places. A total of 20 male and 31 female patients with mean age of 57.3 years participated in the study. With a 527 ± 10 nm filter, mean VA improved significantly (P ≤ 0.05). Using the 527 ± 10 nm and 511 ± 10 nm filters, mean contrast sensitivity was improved significantly at 3 and 6 cycles/degree frequencies (P < 0.05). The effect of other filters on VA and contrast sensitivity was not significant. Patient satisfaction rate was generally high. Tinted filters are able to rehabilitate low-vision patients due to diabetic retinopathy. The 527 ± 10 and 511 ± 10 nm wavelength filters improved contrast sensitivity and the 527 ± 10 nm filter improved VA to some extent. Further investigations are recommended to assess the effect of these filters in patients with other causes of low-vision.

Role of cytoskeletal mechanics and cell membrane fluidity in the intracellular delivery of molecules mediated by laser-activated carbon nanoparticles.

PubMed

Holguin, Stefany Y; Anderson, Caleb F; Thadhani, Naresh N; Prausnitz, Mark R

2017-10-01

Exposure of cells and nanoparticles to near-infrared nanosecond pulsed laser light can lead to efficient intracellular delivery of molecules while maintaining high cell viability by a photoacoustic phenomenon known as transient nanoparticle energy transduction (TNET). Here, we examined the influence of cytoskeletal mechanics and plasma membrane fluidity on intracellular uptake of molecules and loss of cell viability due to TNET. We found that destabilization of actin filaments using latrunculin A led to greater uptake of molecules and less viability loss caused by TNET. Stabilization of actin filaments using jasplakinolide had no significant effect on uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. To study the role of plasma membrane fluidity, we increased fluidity by depletion of membrane cholesterol using methyl-β-cyclodextrin and decreased fluidity by enrichment of the membrane with cholesterol using water-soluble cholesterol. Neither of these membrane fluidity changes significantly altered cellular uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. We conclude that weakening mechanical integrity of the cytoskeleton can increase intracellular uptake and decrease loss of cell viability, while plasma membrane fluidity does not appear to play a significant role in uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. The positive effects of cytoskeletal weakening may be due to an enhanced ability of the cell to recover from the effects of TNET and maintain viability. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2390-2399. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of antioxidants and hyperbaric oxygen in ameliorating experimental doxorubicin skin toxicity in the rat.

PubMed

Upton, P G; Yamaguchi, K T; Myers, S; Kidwell, T P; Anderson, R J

1986-04-01

Doxorubicin, an antineoplastic drug, can cause severe ulceration if extravasated when iv injected. In this study, the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) and the antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and beta-carotene were tested on such ulcers using female Sprague-Dawley rats. It was found that HBO and vitamin A did not greatly ameliorate the ulcers produced by doxorubicin, but BHT prefed for 1 week before doxorubicin was injected was able to significantly reduce lesion size (P less than 0.05). Doxorubicin with HBO was a lethal combination, with an 87% mortality among the animals by the fourth week after injection. This was probably due to doxorubicin and HBO both promoting the formation of free radicals which are highly destructive to cells. BHT, when prefed (and to a lesser extent, beta-carotene), demonstrated a protective effect by lowering the death rate (P less than 0.05), probably due to their ability to scavenge free radicals. This experiment also tested more conventionally recommended treatments such as sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), hydrocortisone, and ice. NaHCO3 and hydrocortisone decreased lesion size although only at a significance of P less than 0.10. Ice did not aid in the healing of the doxorubicin-induced ulcers and even proved deleterious. Multiple injections of hydrocortisone or NaHCO3 appeared to deepen ulceration. Of all the treatments tested, free radical scavengers appear to most significantly reduce skin toxicity of doxorubicin.

Setting accelerated dissolution test for PLGA microspheres containing peptide, investigation of critical parameters affecting drug release rate and mechanism.

PubMed

Tomic, I; Vidis-Millward, A; Mueller-Zsigmondy, M; Cardot, J-M

2016-05-30

The objective of this study was development of accelerated in vitro release method for peptide loaded PLGA microspheres using flow-through apparatus and assessment of the effect of dissolution parameters (pH, temperature, medium composition) on drug release rate and mechanism. Accelerated release conditions were set as pH 2 and 45°C, in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) 0.02M. When the pH was changed from 2 to 4, diffusion controlled phases (burst and lag) were not affected, while release rate during erosion phase decreased two-fold due to slower ester bonds hydrolyses. Decreasing temperature from 45°C to 40°C, release rate showed three-fold deceleration without significant change in release mechanism. Effect of medium composition on drug release was tested in PBS 0.01M (200 mOsm/kg) and PBS 0.01M with glucose (380 mOsm/kg). Buffer concentration significantly affected drug release rate and mechanism due to the change in osmotic pressure, while ionic strength did not have any effect on peptide release. Furthermore, dialysis sac and sample-and-separate techniques were used, in order to evaluate significance of dissolution technique choice on the release process. After fitting obtained data to different mathematical models, flow-through method was confirmed as the most appropriate for accelerated in vitro dissolution testing for a given formulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hyperthyroidism stimulates mitochondrial proton leak and ATP turnover in rat hepatocytes but does not change the overall kinetics of substrate oxidation reactions.

PubMed

Harper, M E; Brand, M D

1994-08-01

Thyroid hormones have well-known effects on oxidative phosphorylation, but there is little quantitative information on their important sites of action. We have used top-down elasticity analysis, an extension of metabolic control analysis, to identify the sites of action of thyroid hormones on oxidative phosphorylation in rat hepatocytes. We divided the oxidative phosphorylation system into three blocks of reactions: the substrate oxidation subsystem, the phosphorylating subsystem, and the mitochondrial proton leak subsystem and have identified those blocks of reactions whose kinetics are significantly changed by hyperthyroidism. Our results show significant effects on the kinetics of the proton leak and the phosphorylating subsystems. Quantitative analyses revealed that 43% of the increase in resting respiration rate in hyperthyroid hepatocytes compared with euthyroid hepatocytes was due to differences in the proton leak and 59% was due to differences in the activity of the phosphorylating subsystem. There were no significant effects on the substrate oxidation subsystem. Changes in nonmitochondrial oxygen consumption accounted for -2% of the change in respiration rate. Top-down control analysis revealed that the distribution of control over the rates of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, ATP synthesis and consumption, and proton leak and over mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi m) was similar in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid and littermate-paired euthyroid controls. The results of this study include the first complete top-down elasticity and control analyses of oxidative phosphorylation in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid rats.

Metformin and insulin receptors

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

Vigneri, R.; Gullo, D.; Pezzino, V.

The authors evaluated the effect of metformin (N,N-dimethylbiguanide), a biguanide known to be less toxic than phenformin, on insulin binding to its receptors, both in vitro and in vivo. Specific /sup 125/I-insulin binding to cultured IM-9 human lymphocytes and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells was determined after preincubation with metformin. Specific /sup 125/I-insulin binding to circulating monocytes was also evaluated in six controls, eight obese subjects, and six obese type II diabetic patients before and after a short-term treatment with metformin. Plasma insulin levels and blood glucose were also measured on both occasions. Metformin significantly increased insulin binding in vitromore » to both IM-9 lymphocytes and MCF-7 cells; the maximum increment was 47.1% and 38.0%, respectively. Metformin treatment significantly increased insulin binding in vivo to monocytes of obese subjects and diabetic patients. Scatchard analysis indicated that the increased binding was mainly due to an increase in receptor capacity. Insulin binding to monocytes of normal controls was unchanged after metformin as were insulin levels in all groups; blood glucose was significantly reduced after metformin only in diabetic patients. These data indicate that metformin increases insulin binding to its receptors in vitro and in vivo. The effect in vivo is observed in obese subjects and in obese type II diabetic patients, paralleling the clinical effectiveness of this antidiabetic agent, and is not due to receptor regulation by circulating insulin, since no variation in insulin levels was recorded.« less

The effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Curcuma longa rhizome and curcumin on total and differential WBC and serum oxidant, antioxidant biomarkers in rat model of asthma

PubMed Central

Shakeri, Farzaneh; Soukhtanloo, Mohammad; Boskabady, Mohammad Hossein

2017-01-01

Objective(s): The effects of Curcuma longa (C. longa) and curcumin on total and differential WBC count and oxidant, antioxidant biomarkers, in rat model of asthma were evaluated. Materials and Methods: Total and differential WBC count in the blood, NO2, NO3, MDA, SOD, CAT and thiol levels in serum were examined in control, asthma, Asthmatic rats treated with C. longa (0.75, 1.50, and 3.00 mg/ml), curcumin (0.15, 0.30, and 0.60 mg/ml), and dexamethasone (1.25 μg/ml) rats. Results: Total and most differential WBC count, NO2, NO3 and MDA were increased but lymphocytes, SOD, CAT and thiol were decreased in asthmatic animals compared to controls (P<0.001). Total WBC, NO2 and NO3 were significantly reduced in treated groups with dexamethasone and all concentrations of C. longa and curcumin compared to asthmatic group (P<0.001 for all cases). MDA was significantly decreased, but SOD, CAT and thiol increased in treated asthma animals with dexamethasone and two higher concentrations of C. longa and curcumin (P<0.01 to P<0.001). There were significant improvement in eosinophil percentage due to treatment of highest concentration of the extract and curcumin, neutrophil and monocyte due to highest concentration of curcumin and lymphocyte due to highest concentration of the extract and two higher concentrations of curcumin compared to asthmatic group (P<0.01 to P<0.001). Dexamethasone treatment improved monocyte (P<0.001) and lymphocyte (P<0.01) percentages. Conclusion: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of C. longa extract and its constituent curcumin in animal model of asthma was observed which suggest a therapeutic potential for the plant and its constituent on asthma. PMID:28293392

Cyclosporin A inhibits CD11a/CD18 adhesion molecules due to inhibition of TNFα and IL-1β levels in the mouse model of pleurisy induced by carrageenan

PubMed Central

Dalmarco, Eduardo Monguilhott; Medeiros, Yara Santos

2008-01-01

The mouse model of pleurisy induced by carrageenan is characterized by a significant enhancement of cell migration due to neutrophils 4 h after pleurisy induction. Forty-eight hours after pleurisy induction, a significant increase in cell migration due to mononuclear cells occurs. Recently, studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that cyclosporine A (CsA) inhibits leukocyte migration in the pleural cavity and lungs in the mouse model of pleurisy induced by carrageenan. In the present work we evaluated whether CsA was able to downregulate CD11a/CD18 adhesion molecule in the lungs, as well as TNFα and IL-1β levels in the fluid leakage of the pleural cavity in this model. Our results showed that CsA significantly decreased CD11a/CD18 in the lungs, as well as TNFα and IL-1β levels in the fluid leakage of the pleural cavity 4 h and 48 h after pleurisy induction. It is our hypothesis that the inhibitory effect elicited by CsA upon these adhesion molecules may be also be attributed to the downregulation of TNFα and IL-1β cytokines. PMID:19262158

Modeling earthquake magnitudes from injection-induced seismicity on rough faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurer, J.; Dunham, E. M.; Segall, P.

2017-12-01

It is an open question whether perturbations to the in-situ stress field due to fluid injection affect the magnitudes of induced earthquakes. It has been suggested that characteristics such as the total injected fluid volume control the size of induced events (e.g., Baisch et al., 2010; Shapiro et al., 2011). On the other hand, Van der Elst et al. (2016) argue that the size distribution of induced earthquakes follows Gutenberg-Richter, the same as tectonic events. Numerical simulations support the idea that ruptures nucleating inside regions with high shear-to-effective normal stress ratio may not propagate into regions with lower stress (Dieterich et al., 2015; Schmitt et al., 2015), however, these calculations are done on geometrically smooth faults. Fang & Dunham (2013) show that rupture length on geometrically rough faults is variable, but strongly dependent on background shear/effective normal stress. In this study, we use a 2-D elasto-dynamic rupture simulator that includes rough fault geometry and off-fault plasticity (Dunham et al., 2011) to simulate earthquake ruptures under realistic conditions. We consider aggregate results for faults with and without stress perturbations due to fluid injection. We model a uniform far-field background stress (with local perturbations around the fault due to geometry), superimpose a poroelastic stress field in the medium due to injection, and compute the effective stress on the fault as inputs to the rupture simulator. Preliminary results indicate that even minor stress perturbations on the fault due to injection can have a significant impact on the resulting distribution of rupture lengths, but individual results are highly dependent on the details of the local stress perturbations on the fault due to geometric roughness.

Plant structure and the searching efficiency of coccinellid larvae.

PubMed

Carter, M C; Sutherland, D; Dixon, A F G

1984-08-01

| 1. To determine the effect of plant structure on the searching efficiency of Coccinella septempunctata L. larvae, their functional response on pea and bean plants was compared. 2. The attack coefficient a was lower on pea than on bean plants. 3. This was not due to a difference in the coincidence of prey distribution and predator searching effort, but was due to larvae falling off the smooth leaves of pea plants significantly more frequently than off bean plants. 4. It was concluded that plant structure is an important factor in determining the quality of a habitat for coccinellids.

Creep, Fatigue and Environmental Interactions and Their Effect on Crack Growth in Superalloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Telesman, J.; Gabb, T. P.; Ghosn, L. J.; Smith, T.

2017-01-01

Complex interactions of creep/fatigue/environment control dwell fatigue crack growth (DFCG) in superalloys. Crack tip stress relaxation during dwells significantly changes the crack driving force and influence DFCG. Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics, Kmax, parameter unsuitable for correlating DFCG behavior due to extensive visco-plastic deformation. Magnitude of remaining crack tip axial stresses controls DFCG resistance due to the brittle-intergranular nature of the crack growth process. Proposed a new empirical parameter, Ksrf, which incorporates visco-plastic evolution of the magnitude of remaining crack tip stresses. Previous work performed at 704C, extend the work to 760C.

Changes of instability thresholds of rotor due to bearing misalignments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Springer, H.; Ecker, H.; Gunter, E. J.

1985-01-01

The influence of bearing misalignment upon the dynamic characteristics of statistically indeterminant rotor bearing systems is investigated. Both bearing loads and stability speed limits of a rotor may be changed significantly by magnitude and direction of bearing misalignment. The useful theory of short journal bearings is introduced and simple analytical expressions, governing the misalignment problem, are carried out. Polar plots for the bearing load capacities and stability maps, describing the speed limit in terms of misalignment, are presented. These plots can be used by the designer to estimate deviations between calculation and experimental data due to misalignment effects.

Emotional decision-making in autism spectrum disorder: the roles of interoception and alexithymia.

PubMed

Shah, Punit; Catmur, Caroline; Bird, Geoffrey

2016-01-01

The way choices are framed influences decision-making. These "framing effects" emerge through the integration of emotional responses into decision-making under uncertainty. It was previously reported that susceptibility to the framing effect was reduced in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to a reduced tendency to incorporate emotional information into the decision-making process. However, recent research indicates that, where observed, emotional processing impairments in ASD may be due to co-occurring alexithymia. Alexithymia is thought to arise due to impaired interoception (the ability to perceive the internal state of one's body), raising the possibility that emotional signals are not perceived and thus not integrated into decision-making in those with alexithymia and that therefore reduced framing effects in ASD are a product of co-occurring alexithymia rather than ASD per se. Accordingly, the present study compared framing effects in autistic individuals with neurotypical controls matched for alexithymia. Results showed a marked deviation between groups. The framing effect was, in line with previous data, significantly smaller in autistic individuals, and there was no relationship between alexithymia or interoception and decision-making in the ASD group. In the neurotypical group, however, the size of the framing effect was associated with alexithymia and interoception, even after controlling for autistic traits. These results demonstrate that although framing effects are associated with interoception and alexithymia in the neurotypical population, emotional and interoceptive signals have less impact upon the decision-making process in ASD.

Biological effects of {sup 137}CsCl injected in beagle dogs of different dogs

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

Nikula, K.J.; Boecker, B.B.; Griffith, W.C.

The toxicity of {sup 137}Cs in the beagle dog was investigated at the Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute (ITRI) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as part of programs to evaluate the biological effects of both radionuclides in atomic bomb fallout and internally deposited fission-product radionuclides. In the ITRI study, young adult dogs were exposed once by intravenous injection to a range of {sup 137}Cs concentrations; the results have recently been published. The purpose of the present report is to summarize the ANL study and to compare the results of the two studies. At ANL, 63 dogs in three age groups (15more » juveniles, 142-151 days old; 38 young adults, 388-427 days old; and 10 middle-aged dogs, 1387-2060 days old) were given {sup 137}Cs intravenously at levels (61-162f MBq/kg) near those expected to be lethal within 30 days after injection. There were 17 control dogs from the same colony. Twenty-three of the dogs injected with {sup 137}Cs, including all middle-aged dogs, died within 52 days after injection due to hematopoietic cell damage resulting in severe pancytopenia that led to fatal hemorrhage and/or septicemia. The other significant early effect was damage to the germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubules. The design of the ANL study revealed an age- and gender-related differential radiosensitivity for early effects. The middle-aged dogs died significantly earlier due to complications of hematological dyscrasia compared to the juvenile and young adult dogs, and the middle-aged females died significantly earlier than the middle-aged males. The most significant non-neoplastic late effects in the {sup 137}Cs-injected dogs from ANL and ITRI were atrophy of the germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules with azoospermia, and a significant dose-dependent decrease in survival. The survival of the ANL dogs was decreased more than that of the ITRI dogs at similar radiation doses from {sup 137}Cs. 19 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Emotions and false memories: valence or arousal?

PubMed

Corson, Yves; Verrier, Nadège

2007-03-01

The effects of mood on false memories have not been studied systematically until recently. Some results seem to indicate that negative mood may reduce false recall and thus suggest an influence of emotional valence on false memory. The present research tested the effects of both valence and arousal on recall and recognition and indicates that the effect is actually due to arousal. In fact, whether participants' mood is positive, negative, or neutral, false memories are significantly more frequent under conditions of high arousal than under conditions of low arousal.

Effects of Ultrasonic Nanocrystal Surface Modification on the Residual Stress, Microstructure, and Corrosion Resistance of 304 Stainless Steel Welds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Chang; Telang, Abhishek; Gill, Amrinder; Wen, Xingshuo; Mannava, Seetha R.; Qian, Dong; Vasudevan, Vijay K.

2018-03-01

In this study, ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) of 304 stainless steel welds was carried out. UNSM effectively eliminates the tensile stress generated during welding and imparts beneficial compressive residual stresses. In addition, UNSM can effectively refine the grains and increase hardness in the near-surface region. Corrosion tests in boiling MgCl2 solution demonstrate that UNSM can significantly improve the corrosion resistance due to the compressive residual stresses and changes in the near-surface microstructure.

Effect of glucose on the optical properties of arterial blood using Mie theory simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clancy, Neil T.; Leahy, Martin J.

2005-08-01

The glucose concentration in arterial plasma has immediate effects on the optical properties of blood-bearing tissue due primarily to the alteration of refractive index mismatch between the scattering particles (red blood cells) and the medium (plasma). The influence of these effects on pulse oximetry is investigated using a numerical model based on Mie theory. The objective is to determine whether or not physiological fluctuations in blood glucose levels could sufficiently vary the optical properties to shift the calibration curve of a commercial pulse oximeter significantly.

Effects of fade distribution on a mobile satellite downlink and uplink performance in a frequency reuse cellular configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boutin, Karl; Lecours, Michel; Pelletier, Marcel; Delisle, Gilles Y.

1990-01-01

In a mobile satellite system with a frequency reuse cellular configuration, significant co-channel interference can be experienced due to the antenna sidelobe level. The signal will be subjected not only to its own fading, but also to the effect of the varying degree of fading on co-channel interferer, and this interference will behave differently in the up and in the down link. This paper presents a quantitative evaluation of the combined effects of fades and co-channel interference on a mobile satellite link.

A study for bank effect on ship traffic in narrow water channels using cellular automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zhuo; Cong, Shuang; Pan, Junnan; Zheng, Jianfeng

2017-12-01

In narrow water channels, bank might affect nearby ships due to hydrodynamic forces (bank effect). To avoid accidents, different sailing rules (i.e., lane-changing, speed control) are required. In this paper, a two-lane cellular automata model is proposed to evaluate such phenomena. Numerical experiments show that ships will form a “slow-moving chunk” in the bank area, which will significantly block the flux. As further study demonstrated to alleviate bank effect, ship speed and bank length should be controlled.

Simulating the moderating effect of a lake on downwind temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bill, R. G., Jr.; Chen, E.; Sutherland, R. A.; Bartholic, J. F.

1979-01-01

A steady-state, two-dimensional numerical model is used to simulate air temperatures and humidity downwind of a lake at night. Thermal effects of the lake were modelled for the case of moderate and low surface winds under the cold-air advective conditions that occur following the passage of a cold front. Surface temperatures were found to be in good agreement with observations. A comparison of model results with thermal imagery indicated the model successfully predicts the downwind distance for which thermal effects due to the lake are significant.

Errors induced by catalytic effects in premixed flame temperature measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pita, G. P. A.; Nina, M. N. R.

The evaluation of instantaneous temperature in a premixed flame using fine-wire Pt/Pt-(13 pct)Rh thermocouples was found to be subject to significant errors due to catalytic effects. An experimental study was undertaken to assess the influence of local fuel/air ratio, thermocouple wire diameter, and gas velocity on the thermocouple reading errors induced by the catalytic surface reactions. Measurements made with both coated and uncoated thermocouples showed that the catalytic effect imposes severe limitations on the accuracy of mean and fluctuating gas temperature in the radical-rich flame zone.

Ionization of deep quantum wells: Optical trampoline effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perlin, E. Yu.; Levitskiĭ, R. S.

2007-02-01

A new mechanism of transitions of an electronic system from the ground state to states with excitation energies exceeding many times the energy of a light photon initiating the transitions has been considered. This mechanism is based on the so-called optical “trampoline” effect: one of the interacting electrons receives energy from another electron and, simultaneously absorbing a photon ħω, overcomes the energy gap significantly exceeding ħω. Ionization of deep quantum wells by low-frequency light of moderate intensity due to the optical trampoline effect was calculated.

Effect of phosphodiesterase inhibitors in the bladder.

PubMed

Chughtai, Bilal; Ali, Aizaz; Dunphy, Claire; Kaplan, Steven A

2015-01-01

Many aging men will experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors have shown promise in treating LUTS in these patients. PDE5 inhibitors mediate their effects through several pathways including cAMP, NO/cGMP, K-channel modulated pathways, and the l -cysteine/H 2 S pathway. PDE5 inhibitors exert their effect in muscle cells, nerve fibers, and interstitial cells (ICs). The use of PDE5 inhibitors led to improvement in LUTS. This included urodynamic parameters. PDE5 inhibitors may play a significant role in LUTS due to their effect on the bladder rather than the prostate.

Many P-Element Insertions Affect Wing Shape in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Weber, Kenneth; Johnson, Nancy; Champlin, David; Patty, April

2005-01-01

A screen of random, autosomal, homozygous-viable P-element insertions in D. melanogaster found small effects on wing shape in 11 of 50 lines. The effects were due to single insertions and remained stable and significant for over 5 years, in repeated, high-resolution measurements. All 11 insertions were within or near protein-coding transcription units, none of which were previously known to affect wing shape. Many sites in the genome can affect wing shape. PMID:15545659

Many P-element insertions affect wing shape in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Weber, Kenneth; Johnson, Nancy; Champlin, David; Patty, April

2005-03-01

A screen of random, autosomal, homozygous-viable P-element insertions in D. melanogaster found small effects on wing shape in 11 of 50 lines. The effects were due to single insertions and remained stable and significant for over 5 years, in repeated, high-resolution measurements. All 11 insertions were within or near protein-coding transcription units, none of which were previously known to affect wing shape. Many sites in the genome can affect wing shape.

Effect of DEXTRAN-graft-POLYACRYLAMIDE Internal Structure on Flocculation Process Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezugla, T.; Kutsevol, N.; Shyichuk, A.; Ziolkowska, D.

2008-08-01

Dextran-graft-Polyacrylamide copolymers (D-g-PAA) of brush-like architecture were tested as flocculation aids in the model kaolin suspensions. Due to expanded conformation the D-g-PAA copolymers are more effective flocculants than individual PAA with close molecular mass. The internal structure of D-g-PAA copolymers which is determined by number and length of grafted PAA chains, the distance between grafts, etc., has the significant influence on flocculation behavior of such polymers.

The Effects of Ionising Radiation on MEMS Silicon Strain Gauges: Preliminary Background and Methodology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

due to the cosmic radiation background depends not only on altitude, but also on the geomagnetic latitude and on the solar cycle. The Earth’s...angles to the magnetic field, but is less effective at higher latitudes. In addition, solar flare events can have a particularly significant...adhesive can impair the formation and dispensing of a sufficiently small droplet. The solution arrived at was to use the dispenser as a form of

Final Environmental Impact Statement for Oil Refinery, Georgetown, South Carolina. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

o, Ceeld furthler ’nPact. deonoC Illy viable. Minor reduc, effects new considered minor . degradation at Savanna but mould probibly met all OMQS...significantly due to - considered minor ; large spills other developments. Minor u ’ anlikely. but potentially very adverse impact at Savannah. damaging...7o signifi cnt o siqnifIcant Impact. Minor adverse GRct at Unending n c&Wdltins. coud further - inpact. Savannah. reduce effects of weste discharge p

Biomechanical differences of arm swing countermovement jumps on sand and rigid surface performed by elite beach volleyball players.

PubMed

Giatsis, George; Panoutsakopoulos, Vassilios; Kollias, Iraklis A

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible arm swing effect on the biomechanical parameters of vertical counter movement jump due to differences of the compliance of the take-off surface. Fifteen elite male beach-volleyball players (26.2 ± 5.9 years; 1.87 ± 0.05 m; 83.4 ± 6.0 kg; mean ± standard deviation, respectively) performed counter movement jumps on sand and on a rigid surface with and without an arm swing. Results showed significant (p < .05) surface effects on the jump height, the ankle joint angle at the lowest height of the body center of mass and the ankle angular velocity. Also, significant arm swing effects were found on jump height, maximum power output, temporal parameters, range of motion and angular velocity of the hip. These findings could be attributed to the instability of the sand, which resulted in reduced peak power output due to the differences of body configuration at the lowest body position and lower limb joints' range of motion. The combined effect of the backward arm swing and the recoil of the sand that resulted in decreased resistance at ankle plantar flexion should be controlled at the preparation of selected jumping tasks in beach-volleyball.

Are personality traits associated with white-coat and masked hypertension?

PubMed

Terracciano, Antonio; Scuteri, Angelo; Strait, James; Sutin, Angelina R; Meirelles, Osorio; Marongiu, Michele; Orru, Marco; Pilia, Maria Grazia; Ferrucci, Luigi; Cucca, Francesco; Schlessinger, David; Lakatta, Edward

2014-10-01

Anxiety and other psychological dispositions are thought to be associated with blood pressure. This study tests whether personality traits have long-term associations with masked and white-coat effects. A community-based sample of 2838 adults from Sardinia (Italy) completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and 7 years later, blood pressure was assessed in the clinic and with ambulatory monitoring. Logistic regressions were used to test whether anxiety, neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness predicted the white-coat and masked hypertension phenomena. Age, sex, and antihypertensive medication use were tested as moderators. Significant interactions were found between personality traits and antihypertensive medications in predicting masked and white-coat effects. Only among those taking antihypertensive medication, higher anxiety was associated with a higher risk of pseudo-resistant hypertension due to white-coat effect (odds ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.91) and higher conscientiousness was associated with a lower risk of masked uncontrolled hypertension (odds ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.49-0.99). There were no significant interactions with age or sex. Among those on antihypertensive medications, anxious individuals were more likely to have pseudo-resistant hypertension due to white-coat effect and less conscientious individuals were at increased risk of masked uncontrolled hypertension. Particularly among anxious and less conscientious individuals, ambulatory monitoring may improve the tailoring of pharmacological treatments.

The incidence of ototoxicity in child malignancy cases that received carboplatin therapy with otoacoustic emission (OAE) examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, J. K.; Zizlavsky, S.; Suwento, R.; Sjakti, H. A.; Prihartono, J.

2017-08-01

Malignancy is a significant public health problem, both globally and in Indonesia. Chemotherapy is one of the modality in malignancy cases. Carboplatin (cis-diammine-cyclobutanedi-carboxylato platinum) is a second-generation platinum compound that has often been used in the management of cases of malignancies. On the other hand, side effects of cytotoxic drugs need to be considered, especially ototoxic effects. Ototoxicity is dysfunction and damage to the structure of the inner ear that has been caused by drugs or other certain chemicals. The aim of this study is to assess ototoxic effects due to the influence of carboplatin in the cases of children with malignancy. This study uses a serial cross-sectional design to evaluate otoacoustic emission (OAE) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) change as a result of ototoxic effects and risk factors due to the use of ototoxic carboplatin in the Division of Hematology-Oncology of the Department of Pediatrics at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Jakarta, where two of 52 studies’ subjects experienced ototoxicity. In the group were receiving chemotherapy, two (5%) of the 40 subjects has experienced ototoxic events characterized by SNR values less than six, whereas SNR values were not less than six in the group that had not received chemotherapy. Risk factors such as gender, age, carboplatin dose, and cycles of chemotherapy did not have a statistically significant relationship to ototoxity.

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

MIchael A. Pope

Six early cores of the MASURCA R-Z program were modeled using ERANOS 2.1. These cores were designed such that their neutron spectra would be similar to that of an oxide-fueled sodium-cooled fast reactor, some containing enriched uranium and others containing depleted uranium and plutonium. Effects of modeling assumptions and solution methods both in ECCO lattice calculations and in BISTRO Sn flux solutions were evaluated using JEFF-3.1 cross-section libraries. Reactivity effects of differences between JEFF-3.1 and ENDF/B-VI.8 were also quantified using perturbation theory analysis. The most important nuclide with respect to reactivity differences between cross-section libraries was 23Na, primarily a resultmore » of differences in the angular dependence of elastic scattering which is more forward-peaked in ENDF/B-VI.8 than in JEFF-3.1. Differences in 23Na inelastic scattering cross-sections between libraries also generated significant differences in reactivity, more due to the differences in magnitude of the cross-sections than the angular dependence. The nuclide 238U was also found to be important with regard to reactivity differences between the two libraries mostly due to a large effect of inelastic scattering differences and two smaller effects of elastic scattering and fission cross-sections. In the cores which contained plutonium, 239Pu fission cross-section differences contributed significantly to the reactivity differences between libraries.« less

Zeroing in on red blood cell unit expiry.

PubMed

Ayyalil, Fathima; Irwin, Greg; Ross, Bryony; Manolis, Michael; Enjeti, Anoop K

2017-12-01

Expiry of red blood cell (RBC) units is a significant contributor to wastage of precious voluntary donations. Effective strategies aimed at optimal resource utilization are required to minimize wastage. This retrospective study analyzed the strategic measures implemented to reduce expiry of RBC units in an Australian tertiary regional hospital. The measures, which included inventory rearrangement, effective stock rotation, and the number of emergency courier services required during a 24-month period, were evaluated. There was no wastage of RBC units due to expiry over the 12 months after policy changes. Before these changes, approximately half of RBC wastage (261/511) was due to expiry. The total number of transfusions remained constant in this period and there was no increase in the use of emergency couriers. Policy changes implemented were decreasing the RBC inventory level by one-third and effective stock rotation and using a computerized system to link the transfusion services across the area. Effective stock rotation resulted in a reduction in older blood (>28 days) received in the main laboratory rotated from peripheral hospitals, down from 6%-41% to 0%-2.5%. Age-related expiry of blood products is preventable and can be significantly reduced by improving practices in the pathology service. This study provides proof of principle for "zero tolerance for RBC unit expiry" across a large networked blood banking service. © 2017 The Authors Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AABB.

Effectiveness of job rotation for preventing work-related musculoskeletal diseases: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Comper, Maria Luiza Caires; Dennerlein, Jack Tigh; Evangelista, Gabriela Dos Santos; Rodrigues da Silva, Patricia; Padula, Rosimeire Simprini

2017-08-01

Job rotation is an organisational strategy widely used on assembly lines in manufacturing industries to mitigate workers' exposure so as to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of job rotation for reducing working hours lost due to sick leave resulting from musculoskeletal diseases. The design consisted of a 1-year cluster randomised controlled trial with a blinded assessor. Production sectors of the textile industry were randomised to intervention and control groups. Both groups received ergonomic training. The intervention group performed a job rotation programme. The primary outcome measure was number of working hours lost due to sick leave as a result of musculoskeletal disease (ICD-10). The secondary outcome measures were musculoskeletal symptoms (Yes/No), risk factors for musculoskeletal diseases (0-10), psychosocial factors and fatigue (0-100), general health (0-100), and productivity (0-10). All secondary outcomes were measured at baseline and 12-month follow-up. At the 12-month follow-up, both groups showed an increase in the number of working hours lost due to sick leave for musculoskeletal disease. There was no significant difference between the job rotation intervention group (mean deviation -5.6 hours, 95% CI -25.0 to 13.8) at the 12-month follow-up and the control group. There were no significant differences between groups for the secondary outcomes (p>0.05). The job rotation programme was not effective in reducing the number of working hours lost due to sick leave, decreasing the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms, or improving perception of musculoskeletal pain and workplace risk factors, psychosocial risk factors and productivity. NCT01979731. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Effects of Task-oriented Approach on Affected Arm Function in Children with Spastic Hemiplegia Due to Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Song, Chiang-Soon

2014-06-01

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of task-oriented approach on motor function of the affected arm in children with spastic hemiplegia due to cerebral palsy. [Subjects] Twelve children were recruited by convenience sampling from 2 local rehabilitation centers. The present study utilized a one-group pretest-posttest design. All of children received task-oriented training for 6 weeks (40 min/day, 5 days/week) and also underwent regular occupational therapy. Three clinical tests, Box and Block Test (BBT), Manual Ability Measure (MAM-16), and Wee Functional Independence Measure (WeeFIM) were performed 1 day before and after training to evaluate the effects of the training. [Results] Compared with the pretest scores, there was a significant increase in the BBT, MAM-16, and WeeFIM scores of the children after the 6-week practice period. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that a task-oriented approach to treatment of the affected arm improves functional activities, such as manual dexterity and fine motor performance, as well as basic daily activities of patients with spastic hemiplegia due to cerebral palsy.

Use of Cu+1 dopant and it's doping effects on polyaniline conducting system in water and tetrahydrofuran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Vazid; Kaur, Raminder; Kamal, Neel; Singh, Sukhmehar; Jain, S. C.; Kang, H. P. S.; Zulfequar, M.; Husain, M.

2006-04-01

The structural modification and properties of polymeric materials are of utmost importance in deciding their applications. In the present study, the synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) has been carried out via chemical oxidation in acidic medium by potassium-dichromate and the yield of synthesized polyaniline was found to be 75 80%. The copper per chlorate tetrabenzonitrile salt (CuClO4·4BN) used for chemical doping in synthesized polyaniline is stable in organic solvent like acetonitrile (AN) and benzonitrile (BN). The effect of Cu+1 oxidation state (dopant) in polyaniline has been characterized by FTIR. Electrical and dielectric measurements show the decrease in the intensity of the Cu+1 salt signal and the appearance of a radical signal due to the formation of oxidative coupled in polymeric species. Electrical and dielectric properties of doped polyaniline samples show significant changes due to the effect of dopant (CuClO4·4BN). It is observed that the conductivity is contributing both by formation of ionic complex and particularly dominated by electronic due to the mobility of charge carriers along the polyaniline chain.

Effect of soil sieving on respiration induced by low-molecular-weight substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Rahul; Vranová, Valerie; Pavelka, Marian; Rejšek, Klement; Formánek, Pavel

2014-03-01

The mesh size of sieves has a significant impact upon soil disturbance, affecting pore structure, fungal hyphae, proportion of fungi to bacteria, and organic matter fractions. The effects are dependent upon soil type and plant coverage. Sieving through a 2 mm mesh increases mineralization of exogenously supplied carbohydrates and phenolics compared to a 5 mm mesh and the effect is significant (p<0.05), especially in organic horizons, due to increased microbial metabolism and alteration of other soil properties. Finer mesh size particularly increases arabinose, mannose, galactose, ferulic and pthalic acid metabolism, whereas maltose mineralization is less affected. Sieving through a 5 mm mesh size is suggested for all type of experiments where enhanced mineralization of low-molecular-weight organic compounds needs to be minimalized.

Five-year lidar observational results and effects of El Chichon particles on Umkehr ozone data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchino, Osamu; Tabata, Isao; Kai, Kenji; Akita, Iwao

1988-08-01

Based on the values of integrated backscattering coefficient B, obtained from the ruby lidar measurements at the Meteorological Research Institude (MRI, at Tsukuba, Japan), the effect of dust particles due to two volcanic eruptions of Mt. El Chichon in 1982 on the Umkehr ozone data at the Tateno Aerological Observatory was determined. In addition, the effects of the aerosols on the Umkehr ozone data at Arosa, Switzerland were investigated using lidar data collected at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It was found that both stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols induced a significant negative ozone error in the uppermost layers (33-47 km), caused a small and usually negative ozone error in layers between 16 and 33 km, and induced a significant positive ozone error in layers between 6 and 16 km.

Effects of Lightning Injection on Power-MOSFETs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Celaya, Jose; Saha, Sankalita; Wysocki, Phil; Ely, Jay; Nguyen, Truong; Szatkowski, George; Koppen, Sandra; Mielnik, John; Vaughan, Roger; Goebel, Kai

2009-01-01

Lightning induced damage is one of the major concerns in aircraft health monitoring. Such short-duration high voltages can cause significant damage to electronic devices. This paper presents a study on the effects of lightning injection on power metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs). This approach consisted of pin-injecting lightning waveforms into the gate, drain and/or source of MOSFET devices while they were in the OFF-state. Analysis of the characteristic curves of the devices showed that for certain injection modes the devices can accumulate considerable damage rendering them inoperable. Early results demonstrate that a power MOSFET, even in its off-state, can incur considerable damage due to lightning pin injection, leading to significant deviation in its behavior and performance, and to possibly early device failures.

Investigation at low speeds of the effect of aspect ratio and sweep on rolling stability derivatives of untapered wings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodman, Alex; Fisher, Lewis R.

1949-01-01

A low scale wind tunnel investigation was conducted in rolling flow to determine the effects of aspect ratio and sweep (when varied independently) on the rolling stability derivatives for a series of untapered wings. Test results indicate that when the aspect ratio was held constant, an increase in the sweepback angle caused a significant reduction in the damping in roll at low lift coefficients for only the higher aspect ratios that were tested. This result was in agreement with available swept wing theory which indicated no effect of sweep for aspect ratios near zero. The result of the linear theory that the damping in roll is independent of lift coefficient and that the yawing moment and lateral force due to rolling are directly proportional to the lift coefficient was found to be valid for only a very limited lift coefficient range when the wings were highly swept. For such wings, the damping was found to increase in magnitude and the yawing moment due to rolling, to change from negative to positive at moderate lift coefficients. The effect of wing tip suction, not acounted for by present theory, was found to be very important with regard to the yawing moment due to rolling, particularly for low aspect ratio swept wings. An empirical means of correcting present theory for the effect of tip suction is suggested.

Effectiveness and safety of Glucosamine, chondroitin, the two in combination, or celecoxib in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee

PubMed Central

Zeng, Chao; Wei, Jie; Li, Hui; Wang, Yi-lun; Xie, Dong-xing; Yang, Tuo; Gao, Shu-guang; Li, Yu-sheng; Luo, Wei; Lei, Guang-hua

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of glucosamine, chondroitin, the two in combination, or celecoxib in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched through from inception to February 2015. A total of 54 studies covering 16427 patients were included. Glucosamine plus chondroitin, glucosamine alone, and celecoxib were all more effective than placebo in pain relief and function improvement. Specifically, celecoxib is most likely to be the best treatment option, followed by the combination group. All treatment options showed clinically significant improvement from baseline pain, but only glucosamine plus chondroitin showed clinically significant improvement from baseline function. In terms of the structure-modifying effect, both glucosamine alone and chondroitin alone achieved a statistically significant reduction in joint space narrowing. Although no significant difference was observed among the five options with respect to the three major adverse effects (withdrawal due to adverse events, serious adverse events and the number of patients with adverse events), the additional classical meta-analysis showed that celecoxib exhibited a higher rate of gastrointestinal adverse effect comparing with the placebo group. The present study provided evidence for the symptomatic efficacy of glucosamine plus chondroitin in the treatment of knee OA. PMID:26576862

Is the sagittal postural alignment different in normal and dysphonic adult speakers?

PubMed

Franco, Débora; Martins, Fernando; Andrea, Mário; Fragoso, Isabel; Carrão, Luís; Teles, Júlia

2014-07-01

Clinical research in the field of voice disorders, in particular functional dysphonia, has suggested abnormal laryngeal posture due to muscle adaptive changes, although specific evidence regarding body posture has been lacking. The aim of our study was to verify if there were significant differences in sagittal spine alignment between normal (41 subjects) and dysphonic speakers (33 subjects). Cross-sectional study. Seventy-four adults, 35 males and 39 females, were submitted to sagittal plane photographs so that spine alignment could be analyzed through the Digimizer-MedCalc Software Ltd program. Perceptual and acoustic evaluation and nasoendoscopy were used for dysphonic judgments: normal and dysphonic speakers. For thoracic length curvature (TL) and for the kyphosis index (KI), a significant effect of dysphonia was observed with mean TL and KI significantly higher for the dysphonic speakers than for the normal speakers. Concerning the TL variable, a significant effect of sex was found, in which the mean of the TL was higher for males than females. The interaction between dysphonia and sex did not have a significant effect on TL and KI variables. For the lumbar length curvature variable, a significant main effect of sex was demonstrated; there was no significant main effect of dysphonia or significant sex×dysphonia interaction. Findings indicated significant differences in some sagittal spine posture measures between normal and dysphonic speakers. Postural measures can add useful information to voice assessment protocols and should be taken into account when considering particular treatment strategies. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The allelopathic effects of invasive plant Solidago canadensis on seed germination and growth of Lactuca sativa enhanced by different types of acid deposition.

PubMed

Wang, Congyan; Xiao, Hongguang; Zhao, Lulu; Liu, Jun; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Fei; Shi, Yanchun; Du, Daolin

2016-04-01

Invasive species can exhibit allelopathic effects on native species. Meanwhile, the types of acid deposition are gradually changing. Thus, the allelopathic effects of invasive species on seed germination and growth of native species may be altered or even enhanced under conditions with diversified acid deposition. This study aims to assess the allelopathic effects (using leaves extracts) of invasive plant Solidago canadensis on seed germination and growth of native species Lactuca sativa treated with five types of acid deposition with different SO4(2-) to NO3(-) ratios (1:0, sulfuric acid; 5:1, sulfuric-rich acid; 1:1, mixed acid; 1:5, nitric-rich acid; 0:1, nitric acid). Solidago canadensis leaf extracts exhibited significantly allelopathic effects on germination index, vigor index, and germination rate index of L. sativa. High concentration of S. canadensis leaf extracts also similarly exhibited significantly allelopathic effects on root length of L. sativa. This may be due to that S. canadensis could release allelochemicals and then trigger allelopathic effects on seed germination and growth of L. sativa. Acid deposition exhibited significantly negative effects on seedling biomass, root length, seedling height, germination index, vigor index, and germination rate index of L. sativa. This may be ascribed to the decreased soil pH values mediated by acid deposition which could produce toxic effects on seedling growth. Sulfuric acid deposition triggered more toxic effects on seedling biomass and vigor index of L. sativa than nitric acid deposition. This may be attributing to the difference in exchange capacity with hydroxyl groups (OH(-)) between SO4(2-) and NO3(-) as well as the fertilizing effects mediated by nitric deposition. All types of acid deposition significantly enhanced the allelopathic effects of S. canadensis on root length, germination index, vigor index, and germination rate index of L. sativa. This may be due to the negatively synergistic effects of acid deposition and S. canadensis on seed germination and growth of L. sativa. The ratio of SO4(2-) to NO3(-) in acid deposition was an important factor that profoundly affected the allelopathic effects of S. canadensis on the seed germination and growth of L. sativa possibly because the difference in exchange capacity with hydroxyl groups (OH(-)) between SO4(2-) and NO3(-) as well as the fertilizing effects triggered by nitric deposition. Thus, the allelopathic effects of invasive species on seed germination and growth of native plants might be enhanced under increased and diversified acid deposition.

Effects of intrusions on grades and contents of gold and other metals in volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Singer, Donald A.; Berger, Vladimir; Mosier, Dan L.

2011-01-01

The reason some VMS deposits contain more gold or other metals than others might be due to the influence of intrusions. A new approach examining this possibility is based on examining the information about many VMS deposits to test statistically if those with associated intrusions have significantly different grades or amounts of metals. A set of 632 VMS deposits with reported grades, tonnages, and information about the observed presence or absence of subvolcanic or plutonic intrusive bodies emplaced at or after VMS mineralization is statistically analyzed.Deposits with syn-mineralization or post-mineralization intrusions nearby have higher tonnages than deposits without reported intrusions, but the differences are not statistically significant. When both kinds of intrusions are reported, VMS deposit sizes are significantly higher than in the deposits without any intrusions. Gold, silver, zinc, lead, and copper average grades are not significantly different in the VMS deposits with nearby intrusions compared to deposits without regardless of relative age of intrusive. Only zinc and copper contents are significantly higher in VMS deposits with both kinds of intrusive reported. These differences in overall metal content are due to significantly larger deposit sizes of VMS deposits where both intrusive kinds are observed and reported, rather than any difference in metal grades.

The effects of Copper and Zinc on survival, growth and reproduction of the cladoceran Daphnia longispina: introducing new data in an "old" issue.

PubMed

Martins, Celso; Jesus, Fátima T; Nogueira, António J A

2017-11-01

Metal contamination is still a major environmental issue due to their continuous deposition and persistence. In this work we intended to assess the impact that Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) exert in life-history parameters of Daphnia longispina, a common cladoceran in freshwater environments. Thus, we studied the effects of Cu (20-300 µg/L) and Zn (500-4000 µg/L) on the survival, growth, reproduction, feeding rate and population growth rate of D. longispina. Though survival was only reduced for the highest concentration of each metal, other endpoints were strongly affected by lower concentrations. Growth was affected by both metals, especially in the period 0-7 d, being significant for Cu ≥ 40 µg/L and Zn ≥ 500 µg/L. Indeed, growth endpoints at day 7 (body length and growth rate) were equally or more sensitive than the corresponding endpoints at day 21. The size at first reproduction decreased (significant for Cu ≥ 40 µg/L and Zn ≥ 500 µg/L). Reproduction decreased, which was partially explained by the reduced growth, but additional effects were supported by a direct effect of metals on reproduction (based on the relationship body length-brood size). Reduced growth and reproduction are likely a food mediated effect due to feeding inhibition caused by the metals. Globally, the studied endpoints were affected by Cu and Zn differently, supporting a chemical-specificity of the effects, with Zn causing more pronounced effects than Cu. This work presents an innovative approach to the effects of Cu and Zn to D. longispina, giving a general and comprehensive overview of those effects.

Radiative Effects of Aerosols Generated from Biomass Burning, Dust Storms, and Forest Fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christopher Sundar A.; Vulcan, Donna V.; Welch, Ronald M.

1996-01-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles, both natural and anthropogenic, are important to the earth's radiative balance. They scatter the incoming solar radiation and modify the shortwave reflective properties of clouds by acting as Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN). Although it has been recognized that aerosols exert a net cooling influence on climate (Twomey et al. 1984), this effect has received much less attention than the radiative forcings due to clouds and greenhouse gases. The radiative forcing due to aerosols is comparable in magnitude to current anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing but opposite in sign (Houghton et al. 1990). Atmospheric aerosol particles generated from biomass burning, dust storms and forest fires are important regional climatic variables. A recent study by Penner et al. (1992) proposed that smoke particles from biomass burning may have a significant impact on the global radiation balance. They estimate that about 114 Tg of smoke is produced per year in the tropics through biomass burning. The direct and indirect effects of smoke aerosol due to biomass burning could add up globally to a cooling effect as large as 2 W/sq m. Ackerman and Chung (1992) used model calculations and the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data to show that in comparison to clear days, the heavy dust loading over the Saudi Arabian peninsula can change the Top of the Atmosphere (TOA) clear sky shortwave and longwave radiant exitance by 40-90 W/sq m and 5-20 W/sq m, respectively. Large particle concentrations produced from these types of events often are found with optical thicknesses greater than one. These aerosol particles are transported across considerable distances from the source (Fraser et al. 1984). and they could perturb the radiative balance significantly. In this study, the regional radiative effects of aerosols produced from biomass burning, dust storms and forest fires are examined using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Local Area Coverage (LAC) data and the instantaneous scanner ERBE data from the NOAA-9 and NOAA-10 satellites.

Thermal noise due to surface-charge effects within the Debye layer of endogenous structures in dendrites.

PubMed

Poznanski, Roman R

2010-02-01

An assumption commonly used in cable theory is revised by taking into account electrical amplification due to intracellular capacitive effects in passive dendritic cables. A generalized cable equation for a cylindrical volume representation of a dendritic segment is derived from Maxwell's equations under assumptions: (i) the electric-field polarization is restricted longitudinally along the cable length; (ii) extracellular isopotentiality; (iii) quasielectrostatic conditions; and (iv) homogeneous medium with constant conductivity and permittivity. The generalized cable equation is identical to Barenblatt's equation arising in the theory of infiltration in fissured strata with a known analytical solution expressed in terms of a definite integral involving a modified Bessel function and the solution to a linear one-dimensional classical cable equation. Its solution is used to determine the impact of thermal noise on voltage attenuation with distance at any particular time. A regular perturbation expansion for the membrane potential about the linear one-dimensional classical cable equation solution is derived in terms of a Green's function in order to describe the dynamics of free charge within the Debye layer of endogenous structures in passive dendritic cables. The asymptotic value of the first perturbative term is explicitly evaluated for small values of time to predict how the slowly fluctuating (in submillisecond range) electric field attributed to intracellular capacitive effects alters the amplitude of the membrane potential. It was found that capacitive effects are almost negligible for cables with electrotonic lengths L>0.5 , contributes up to 10% of the signal for cables with electrotonic lengths in the range between 0.25

Long shadow of fear in an epidemic: fearonomic effects of Ebola on the private sector in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Bali, Sulzhan; Stewart, Kearsley A

2016-01-01

Background The already significant impact of the Ebola epidemic on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, was worsened by a fear of contagion that aggravated the health crisis. However, in contrast to other Ebola-affected countries, Nigeria fared significantly better due to its swift containment of the disease. The objective of our study was to describe the impact of Ebola on the Nigerian private sector. This paper introduces and defines the term fearonomic effect as the direct and indirect economic effects of both misinformation as well as fear-induced aversion behaviour, exhibited by individuals, organisations or countries during an outbreak or an epidemic. Methods This study was designed as a cross-sectional mixed-methods study that used semistructured in-depth interviews and a supporting survey to capture the impact of Ebola on the Nigerian private sector after the outbreak. Themes were generated from the interviews on the direct and indirect impact of Ebola on the private sector; the impact of misinformation and fear-based aversion behaviour in the private sector. Results Our findings reveal that the fearonomic effects of Ebola included health service outages and reduced healthcare usage as a result of misinformation and aversion behaviour by both patients and providers. Although certain sectors (eg, health sector, aviation sector, hospitality sector) in Nigeria were affected more than others, no business was immune to Ebola's fearonomic effects. We describe how sectors expected to prosper during the outbreak (eg, pharmaceuticals), actually suffered due to the changes in consumption patterns and demand shocks. Conclusion In a high-stressor epidemic-like setting, altered consumption behaviour due to distorted disease perception, misinformation and fear can trigger short-term economic cascades that can disproportionately affect businesses and lead to financial insecurity of the poorest and the most vulnerable in a society. PMID:28588965