The Effects of School-Based Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analysis 1996-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPaul, George J.; Eckert, Tanya L.; Vilardo, Brigid

2012-01-01

A meta-analysis evaluating the effects of school-based interventions for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was conducted by examining 60 outcome studies between 1996 and 2010 that yielded 85 effect sizes. Separate analyses were performed for studies employing between-subjects, within- subjects, and single-subject experimental…

Method for Visually Integrating Multiple Data Acquisition Technologies for Real Time and Retrospective Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogart, Edward H. (Inventor); Pope, Alan T. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A system for display on a single video display terminal of multiple physiological measurements is provided. A subject is monitored by a plurality of instruments which feed data to a computer programmed to receive data, calculate data products such as index of engagement and heart rate, and display the data in a graphical format simultaneously on a single video display terminal. In addition live video representing the view of the subject and the experimental setup may also be integrated into the single data display. The display may be recorded on a standard video tape recorder for retrospective analysis.

Bias Corrections for Standardized Effect Size Estimates Used with Single-Subject Experimental Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugille, Maaike; Moeyaert, Mariola; Beretvas, S. Natasha; Ferron, John M.; Van den Noortgate, Wim

2014-01-01

A multilevel meta-analysis can combine the results of several single-subject experimental design studies. However, the estimated effects are biased if the effect sizes are standardized and the number of measurement occasions is small. In this study, the authors investigated 4 approaches to correct for this bias. First, the standardized effect…

Picture Exchange Communication System with Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Single Subject Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Stephanie L.; Banda, Devender R.

2010-01-01

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a picture-based communication strategy used to teach communication skills to persons with developmental disabilities including autism. This article systematically reviews 13 published single-subject studies to examine the effectiveness of PECS, the effects of PECS on speech and problem behaviors,…

A Field-Tested Task Analysis for Creating Single-Subject Graphs Using Microsoft[R] Office Excel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Ya-yu; Konrad, Moira

2007-01-01

Creating single-subject (SS) graphs is challenging for many researchers and practitioners because it is a complex task with many steps. Although several authors have introduced guidelines for creating SS graphs, many users continue to experience frustration. The purpose of this article is to minimize these frustrations by providing a field-tested…

N-of-1-pathways MixEnrich: advancing precision medicine via single-subject analysis in discovering dynamic changes of transcriptomes.

PubMed

Li, Qike; Schissler, A Grant; Gardeux, Vincent; Achour, Ikbel; Kenost, Colleen; Berghout, Joanne; Li, Haiquan; Zhang, Hao Helen; Lussier, Yves A

2017-05-24

Transcriptome analytic tools are commonly used across patient cohorts to develop drugs and predict clinical outcomes. However, as precision medicine pursues more accurate and individualized treatment decisions, these methods are not designed to address single-patient transcriptome analyses. We previously developed and validated the N-of-1-pathways framework using two methods, Wilcoxon and Mahalanobis Distance (MD), for personal transcriptome analysis derived from a pair of samples of a single patient. Although, both methods uncover concordantly dysregulated pathways, they are not designed to detect dysregulated pathways with up- and down-regulated genes (bidirectional dysregulation) that are ubiquitous in biological systems. We developed N-of-1-pathways MixEnrich, a mixture model followed by a gene set enrichment test, to uncover bidirectional and concordantly dysregulated pathways one patient at a time. We assess its accuracy in a comprehensive simulation study and in a RNA-Seq data analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). In presence of bidirectionally dysregulated genes in the pathway or in presence of high background noise, MixEnrich substantially outperforms previous single-subject transcriptome analysis methods, both in the simulation study and the HNSCCs data analysis (ROC Curves; higher true positive rates; lower false positive rates). Bidirectional and concordant dysregulated pathways uncovered by MixEnrich in each patient largely overlapped with the quasi-gold standard compared to other single-subject and cohort-based transcriptome analyses. The greater performance of MixEnrich presents an advantage over previous methods to meet the promise of providing accurate personal transcriptome analysis to support precision medicine at point of care.

Assessment of drug-drug interaction potential between ceritinib and proton pump inhibitors in healthy subjects and in patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Lau, Yvonne Y; Gu, Wen; Lin, Tiffany; Viraswami-Appanna, Kalyanee; Cai, Can; Scott, Jeffrey W; Shi, Michael

2017-06-01

The impact of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the pharmacokinetics (PK) and efficacy of ceritinib was evaluated. A healthy subject drug-drug interaction (DDI) study was conducted to assess the effect of esomeprazole on the PK of a single 750 mg dose of ceritinib. To further investigate the impact of PPIs on the PK and efficacy of ceritinib in ALK-positive cancer patients, two subgroup analyses were performed. Analysis 1 evaluated ceritinib steady-state trough concentration (C trough,ss ) and overall response rate (ORR) by concomitant use of PPIs in patients from the ASCEND-1, -2, and -3 studies; analysis 2 evaluated ceritinib single-dose and steady-state AUC 0-24h and C max by concomitant PPI use in patients from ASCEND-1 using a definition of PPI usage similar to that used in the healthy subject study. In the healthy subject study, co-administration of a single 750 mg dose of ceritinib with esomeprazole 40 mg for 6 days decreased ceritinib AUC 0-∞ by 76% and C max by 79%. However, based on subgroup analysis 1, patients had similar C trough,ss and ORR regardless of concomitant PPI usage. Based on analysis 2, co-administration of a single 750 mg ceritinib dose with PPIs for 6 days in patients suggested less effect on ceritinib exposure than that observed in healthy subjects as AUC 0-24h decreased by 30% and C max decreased by 25%. No clinically meaningful effect on steady-state exposure was observed after daily dosing. Long-term administration of ceritinib with PPIs does not adversely affect the PK and efficacy of ceritinib in ALK-positive cancer patients.

Group-regularized individual prediction: theory and application to pain.

PubMed

Lindquist, Martin A; Krishnan, Anjali; López-Solà, Marina; Jepma, Marieke; Woo, Choong-Wan; Koban, Leonie; Roy, Mathieu; Atlas, Lauren Y; Schmidt, Liane; Chang, Luke J; Reynolds Losin, Elizabeth A; Eisenbarth, Hedwig; Ashar, Yoni K; Delk, Elizabeth; Wager, Tor D

2017-01-15

Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has become an important tool for identifying brain representations of psychological processes and clinical outcomes using fMRI and related methods. Such methods can be used to predict or 'decode' psychological states in individual subjects. Single-subject MVPA approaches, however, are limited by the amount and quality of individual-subject data. In spite of higher spatial resolution, predictive accuracy from single-subject data often does not exceed what can be accomplished using coarser, group-level maps, because single-subject patterns are trained on limited amounts of often-noisy data. Here, we present a method that combines population-level priors, in the form of biomarker patterns developed on prior samples, with single-subject MVPA maps to improve single-subject prediction. Theoretical results and simulations motivate a weighting based on the relative variances of biomarker-based prediction-based on population-level predictive maps from prior groups-and individual-subject, cross-validated prediction. Empirical results predicting pain using brain activity on a trial-by-trial basis (single-trial prediction) across 6 studies (N=180 participants) confirm the theoretical predictions. Regularization based on a population-level biomarker-in this case, the Neurologic Pain Signature (NPS)-improved single-subject prediction accuracy compared with idiographic maps based on the individuals' data alone. The regularization scheme that we propose, which we term group-regularized individual prediction (GRIP), can be applied broadly to within-person MVPA-based prediction. We also show how GRIP can be used to evaluate data quality and provide benchmarks for the appropriateness of population-level maps like the NPS for a given individual or study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal analysis of single-trial EEG of emotional pictures based on independent component analysis and source location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiangang; Tian, Jie

2007-03-01

The present study combined the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) algorithms to identify the spatial distribution and time course of single-trial EEG record differences between neural responses to emotional stimuli vs. the neutral. Single-trial multichannel (129-sensor) EEG records were collected from 21 healthy, right-handed subjects viewing the emotion emotional (pleasant/unpleasant) and neutral pictures selected from International Affective Picture System (IAPS). For each subject, the single-trial EEG records of each emotional pictures were concatenated with the neutral, and a three-step analysis was applied to each of them in the same way. First, the ICA was performed to decompose each concatenated single-trial EEG records into temporally independent and spatially fixed components, namely independent components (ICs). The IC associated with artifacts were isolated. Second, the clustering analysis classified, across subjects, the temporally and spatially similar ICs into the same clusters, in which nonparametric permutation test for Global Field Power (GFP) of IC projection scalp maps identified significantly different temporal segments of each emotional condition vs. neutral. Third, the brain regions accounted for those significant segments were localized spatially with LORETA analysis. In each cluster, a voxel-by-voxel randomization test identified significantly different brain regions between each emotional condition vs. the neutral. Compared to the neutral, both emotional pictures elicited activation in the visual, temporal, ventromedial and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulated gyrus. In addition, the pleasant pictures activated the left middle prefrontal cortex and the posterior precuneus, while the unpleasant pictures activated the right orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulated gyrus and somatosensory region. Our results were well consistent with other functional imaging studies, while revealed temporal dynamics of emotional processing of specific brain structure with high temporal resolution.

Parametric mapping using spectral analysis for 11C-PBR28 PET reveals neuroinflammation in mild cognitive impairment subjects.

PubMed

Fan, Zhen; Dani, Melanie; Femminella, Grazia D; Wood, Melanie; Calsolaro, Valeria; Veronese, Mattia; Turkheimer, Federico; Gentleman, Steve; Brooks, David J; Hinz, Rainer; Edison, Paul

2018-07-01

Neuroinflammation and microglial activation play an important role in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of neuroinflammation in MCI subjects, using spectral analysis (SA) to generate parametric maps and quantify 11 C-PBR28 PET, and compared these with compartmental and other kinetic models of quantification. Thirteen MCI and nine healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Subjects underwent 11 C-PBR28 PET scans with arterial cannulation. Spectral analysis with an arterial plasma input function was used to generate 11 C-PBR28 parametric maps. These maps were then compared with regional 11 C-PBR28 V T (volume of distribution) using a two-tissue compartment model and Logan graphic analysis. Amyloid load was also assessed with 18 F-Flutemetamol PET. With SA, three component peaks were identified in addition to blood volume. The 11 C-PBR28 impulse response function (IRF) at 90 min produced the lowest coefficient of variation. Single-subject analysis using this IRF demonstrated microglial activation in five out of seven amyloid-positive MCI subjects. IRF parametric maps of 11 C-PBR28 uptake revealed a group-wise significant increase in neuroinflammation in amyloid-positive MCI subjects versus HC in multiple cortical association areas, and particularly in the temporal lobe. Interestingly, compartmental analysis detected group-wise increase in 11 C-PBR28 binding in the thalamus of amyloid-positive MCI subjects, while Logan parametric maps did not perform well. This study demonstrates for the first time that spectral analysis can be used to generate parametric maps of 11 C-PBR28 uptake, and is able to detect microglial activation in amyloid-positive MCI subjects. IRF parametric maps of 11 C-PBR28 uptake allow voxel-wise single-subject analysis and could be used to evaluate microglial activation in individual subjects.

Differences in kinematics of single leg squatting between anterior cruciate ligament-injured patients and healthy controls.

PubMed

Yamazaki, J; Muneta, T; Ju, Y J; Sekiya, I

2010-01-01

Seventy to eighty percent of all anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are due to non-contact injury mechanisms. It has been reported that the majority of injuries due to single leg landing come from valgus positioning of the lower leg. Preventing valgus positioning during single leg landing is expected to help reduce the number of ACL injuries. We found that many ACL-deficient patients cannot perform stable single leg squatting. Therefore, we performed 3D motion analysis of the single-legged half squat for ACL-injured patients to evaluate its significance as a risk factor for ACL injuries. We evaluated the relative angles between the body, thigh, and lower leg using an electromagnetic device during single leg half squatting performed by 63 ACL-injured patients (32 males, 31 females) the day before ACL reconstruction and by 26 healthy control subjects with no knee problems. The uninjured leg of ACL-injured male subjects demonstrated significantly less external knee rotation than that of the dominant leg of the male control. The uninjured leg of ACL-injured female subjects demonstrated significantly more external hip rotation and knee flexion and less hip flexion than that of the dominant leg of the female control. Comparing injured and uninjured legs, the injured leg of male subjects demonstrated significantly less external knee and hip rotation, less knee flexion, and more knee varus than that of the uninjured leg of male subjects. The injured leg of female subjects demonstrated more knee varus than that of the uninjured leg of female subjects. Regarding gender differences, female subjects demonstrated significantly more external hip rotation and knee valgus than male subjects did in both the injured and uninjured legs (P < 0.05). The current kinematic study exhibited biomechanical characteristics of female ACL-injured subjects compared with that of control groups. Kinematic correction during single leg half squat would reduce ACL reinjury in female ACL-injured subjects.

Cerebral activation evoked by the mirror illusion of the hand in stroke patients compared to normal subjects.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Fritzsch, Claire; Bernarding, Johannes; Krause, Thomas; Mauritz, Karl-Heinz; Brunetti, Maddalena; Dohle, Christian

2013-01-01

Mirror therapy (MT) was found to improve motor function after stroke, but its neural mechanisms remain unclear, especially in single stroke patients. The following imaging study was designed to compare brain activation patterns evoked by the mirror illusion in single stroke patients with normal subjects. Fifteen normal volunteers and five stroke patients with severe arm paresis were recruited. Cerebral activations during movement mirroring by means of a video chain were recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Single-subject analysis was performed using SPM 8. For normal subjects, ten and thirteen subjects displayed lateralized cerebral activations evoked by the mirror illusion while moving their right and left hand respectively. The magnitude of this effect in the precuneus contralateral to the seen hand was not dependent on movement speed or subjective experience. Negative correlation of activation strength with age was found for the right hand only. The activation pattern in stroke patients is comparable to that of normal subjects and present in four out of five patients. In summary, the mirror illusion can elicit cerebral activation contralateral to the perceived hand in the majority of single normal subjects, but not in all of them. This is similar even in stroke patients with severe hemiparesis.

Visualizing Hyolaryngeal Mechanics in Swallowing Using Dynamic MRI

PubMed Central

Pearson, William G.; Zumwalt, Ann C.

2013-01-01

Introduction Coordinates of anatomical landmarks are captured using dynamic MRI to explore whether a proposed two-sling mechanism underlies hyolaryngeal elevation in pharyngeal swallowing. A principal components analysis (PCA) is applied to coordinates to determine the covariant function of the proposed mechanism. Methods Dynamic MRI (dMRI) data were acquired from eleven healthy subjects during a repeated swallows task. Coordinates mapping the proposed mechanism are collected from each dynamic (frame) of a dynamic MRI swallowing series of a randomly selected subject in order to demonstrate shape changes in a single subject. Coordinates representing minimum and maximum hyolaryngeal elevation of all 11 subjects were also mapped to demonstrate shape changes of the system among all subjects. MophoJ software was used to perform PCA and determine vectors of shape change (eigenvectors) for elements of the two-sling mechanism of hyolaryngeal elevation. Results For both single subject and group PCAs, hyolaryngeal elevation accounted for the first principal component of variation. For the single subject PCA, the first principal component accounted for 81.5% of the variance. For the between subjects PCA, the first principal component accounted for 58.5% of the variance. Eigenvectors and shape changes associated with this first principal component are reported. Discussion Eigenvectors indicate that two-muscle slings and associated skeletal elements function as components of a covariant mechanism to elevate the hyolaryngeal complex. Morphological analysis is useful to model shape changes in the two-sling mechanism of hyolaryngeal elevation. PMID:25090608

Grouping individual independent BOLD effects: a new way to ICA group analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duann, Jeng-Ren; Jung, Tzyy-Ping; Sejnowski, Terrence J.; Makeig, Scott

2009-04-01

A new group analysis method to summarize the task-related BOLD responses based on independent component analysis (ICA) was presented. As opposite to the previously proposed group ICA (gICA) method, which first combined multi-subject fMRI data in either temporal or spatial domain and applied ICA decomposition only once to the combined fMRI data to extract the task-related BOLD effects, the method presented here applied ICA decomposition to the individual subjects' fMRI data to first find the independent BOLD effects specifically for each individual subject. Then, the task-related independent BOLD component was selected among the resulting independent components from the single-subject ICA decomposition and hence grouped across subjects to derive the group inference. In this new ICA group analysis (ICAga) method, one does not need to assume that the task-related BOLD time courses are identical across brain areas and subjects as used in the grand ICA decomposition on the spatially concatenated fMRI data. Neither does one need to assume that after spatial normalization, the voxels at the same coordinates represent exactly the same functional or structural brain anatomies across different subjects. These two assumptions have been problematic given the recent BOLD activation evidences. Further, since the independent BOLD effects were obtained from each individual subject, the ICAga method can better account for the individual differences in the task-related BOLD effects. Unlike the gICA approach whereby the task-related BOLD effects could only be accounted for by a single unified BOLD model across multiple subjects. As a result, the newly proposed method, ICAga, was able to better fit the task-related BOLD effects at individual level and thus allow grouping more appropriate multisubject BOLD effects in the group analysis.

Improving Treatment Plan Implementation in Schools: A Meta-Analysis of Single Subject Design Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noell, George H.; Gansle, Kristin A.; Mevers, Joanna Lomas; Knox, R. Maria; Mintz, Joslyn Cynkus; Dahir, Amanda

2014-01-01

Twenty-nine peer-reviewed journal articles that analyzed intervention implementation in schools using single-case experimental designs were meta-analyzed. These studies reported 171 separate data paths and provided 3,991 data points. The meta-analysis was accomplished by fitting data extracted from graphs in mixed linear growth models. This…

Sensitivity and specificity of automated analysis of single-field non-mydriatic fundus photographs by Bosch DR Algorithm—Comparison with mydriatic fundus photography (ETDRS) for screening in undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy

PubMed Central

Bawankar, Pritam; Shanbhag, Nita; K., S. Smitha; Dhawan, Bodhraj; Palsule, Aratee; Kumar, Devesh; Chandel, Shailja

2017-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Early diagnosis through effective screening programs is likely to improve vision outcomes. The ETDRS seven-standard-field 35-mm stereoscopic color retinal imaging (ETDRS) of the dilated eye is elaborate and requires mydriasis, and is unsuitable for screening. We evaluated an image analysis application for the automated diagnosis of DR from non-mydriatic single-field images. Patients suffering from diabetes for at least 5 years were included if they were 18 years or older. Patients already diagnosed with DR were excluded. Physiologic mydriasis was achieved by placing the subjects in a dark room. Images were captured using a Bosch Mobile Eye Care fundus camera. The images were analyzed by the Retinal Imaging Bosch DR Algorithm for the diagnosis of DR. All subjects also subsequently underwent pharmacological mydriasis and ETDRS imaging. Non-mydriatic and mydriatic images were read by ophthalmologists. The ETDRS readings were used as the gold standard for calculating the sensitivity and specificity for the software. 564 consecutive subjects (1128 eyes) were recruited from six centers in India. Each subject was evaluated at a single outpatient visit. Forty-four of 1128 images (3.9%) could not be read by the algorithm, and were categorized as inconclusive. In four subjects, neither eye provided an acceptable image: these four subjects were excluded from the analysis. This left 560 subjects for analysis (1084 eyes). The algorithm correctly diagnosed 531 of 560 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 91%, 97%, 94%, and 95% respectively. The Bosch DR Algorithm shows favorable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing DR from non-mydriatic images, and can greatly simplify screening for DR. This also has major implications for telemedicine in the use of screening for retinopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus. PMID:29281690

Sensitivity and specificity of automated analysis of single-field non-mydriatic fundus photographs by Bosch DR Algorithm-Comparison with mydriatic fundus photography (ETDRS) for screening in undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Bawankar, Pritam; Shanbhag, Nita; K, S Smitha; Dhawan, Bodhraj; Palsule, Aratee; Kumar, Devesh; Chandel, Shailja; Sood, Suneet

2017-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Early diagnosis through effective screening programs is likely to improve vision outcomes. The ETDRS seven-standard-field 35-mm stereoscopic color retinal imaging (ETDRS) of the dilated eye is elaborate and requires mydriasis, and is unsuitable for screening. We evaluated an image analysis application for the automated diagnosis of DR from non-mydriatic single-field images. Patients suffering from diabetes for at least 5 years were included if they were 18 years or older. Patients already diagnosed with DR were excluded. Physiologic mydriasis was achieved by placing the subjects in a dark room. Images were captured using a Bosch Mobile Eye Care fundus camera. The images were analyzed by the Retinal Imaging Bosch DR Algorithm for the diagnosis of DR. All subjects also subsequently underwent pharmacological mydriasis and ETDRS imaging. Non-mydriatic and mydriatic images were read by ophthalmologists. The ETDRS readings were used as the gold standard for calculating the sensitivity and specificity for the software. 564 consecutive subjects (1128 eyes) were recruited from six centers in India. Each subject was evaluated at a single outpatient visit. Forty-four of 1128 images (3.9%) could not be read by the algorithm, and were categorized as inconclusive. In four subjects, neither eye provided an acceptable image: these four subjects were excluded from the analysis. This left 560 subjects for analysis (1084 eyes). The algorithm correctly diagnosed 531 of 560 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 91%, 97%, 94%, and 95% respectively. The Bosch DR Algorithm shows favorable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing DR from non-mydriatic images, and can greatly simplify screening for DR. This also has major implications for telemedicine in the use of screening for retinopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Method for exploratory cluster analysis and visualisation of single-trial ERP ensembles.

PubMed

Williams, N J; Nasuto, S J; Saddy, J D

2015-07-30

The validity of ensemble averaging on event-related potential (ERP) data has been questioned, due to its assumption that the ERP is identical across trials. Thus, there is a need for preliminary testing for cluster structure in the data. We propose a complete pipeline for the cluster analysis of ERP data. To increase the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the raw single-trials, we used a denoising method based on Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD). Next, we used a bootstrap-based method to determine the number of clusters, through a measure called the Stability Index (SI). We then used a clustering algorithm based on a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to define initial cluster centroids for subsequent k-means clustering. Finally, we visualised the clustering results through a scheme based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA). After validating the pipeline on simulated data, we tested it on data from two experiments - a P300 speller paradigm on a single subject and a language processing study on 25 subjects. Results revealed evidence for the existence of 6 clusters in one experimental condition from the language processing study. Further, a two-way chi-square test revealed an influence of subject on cluster membership. Our analysis operates on denoised single-trials, the number of clusters are determined in a principled manner and the results are presented through an intuitive visualisation. Given the cluster structure in some experimental conditions, we suggest application of cluster analysis as a preliminary step before ensemble averaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disrupted modular organization of resting-state cortical functional connectivity in U.S. military personnel following concussive ‘mild’ blast-related traumatic brain injury†

PubMed Central

Han, Kihwan; Mac Donald, Christine L.; Johnson, Ann M.; Barnes, Yolanda; Wierzechowski, Linda; Zonies, David; Oh, John; Flaherty, Stephen; Fang, Raymond; Raichle, Marcus E.; Brody, David L.

2013-01-01

Blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been one of the “signature injuries” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, neuroimaging studies in concussive ‘mild’ blast-related TBI have been challenging due to the absence of abnormalities in computed tomography or conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the heterogeneity of the blast-related injury mechanisms. The goal of this study was to address these challenges utilizing single-subject, module-based graph theoretic analysis of resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data. We acquired 20 minutes of resting-state fMRI in 63 U.S. military personnel clinically diagnosed with concussive blast-related TBI and 21 U.S. military controls who had blast exposures but no diagnosis of TBI. All subjects underwent an initial scan within 90 days post-injury and 65 subjects underwent a follow-up scan 6 to 12 months later. A second independent cohort of 40 U.S. military personnel with concussive blast-related TBI patients served as a validation dataset. The second independent cohort underwent an initial scan within 30 days post-injury. 75% of scans were of good quality, with exclusions primarily due to excessive subject motion. Network analysis of the subset of these subjects in the first cohort with good quality scans revealed spatially localized reductions in participation coefficient, a measure of between-module connectivity, in the TBI patients relative to the controls at the time of the initial scan. These group differences were less prominent on the follow-up scans. The 15 brain areas with the most prominent reductions in participation coefficient were next used as regions of interest (ROIs) for single-subject analyses. In the first TBI cohort, more subjects than would be expected by chance (27/47 versus 2/47 expected, p < 0.0001) had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity relative to the controls on the initial scans. On the follow-up scans, more subjects than expected by chance (5/37, p = 0.044) but fewer subjects than on the initial scans had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity. Analysis of the second TBI cohort validation dataset with no free parameters provided a partial replication; again more subjects than expected by chance (8/31, p = 0.006) had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity on the initial scans, but the numbers were not significant (2/27, p = 0.276) on the follow-up scans. A single-subject, multivariate analysis by probabilistic principal component analysis of the between-module connectivity in the 15 identified ROIs, showed that 31/47 subjects in the first TBI cohort were found to be abnormal relative to the controls on the initial scans. In the second TBI cohort, 9/31 patients were found to be abnormal in identical multivariate analysis with no free parameters. Again, there were not substantial differences on the follow-up scans. Taken together, these results indicate that single-subject, module-based graph theoretic analysis of resting-state fMRI provides potentially useful information for concussive blast-related TBI if high quality scans can be obtained. The underlying biological mechanisms and consequences of disrupted between-module connectivity are unknown, thus further studies are required. PMID:23968735

Quantitative analysis of single- vs. multiple-set programs in resistance training.

PubMed

Wolfe, Brian L; LeMura, Linda M; Cole, Phillip J

2004-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the existing research on single-set vs. multiple-set resistance training programs. Using the meta-analytic approach, we included studies that met the following criteria in our analysis: (a) at least 6 subjects per group; (b) subject groups consisting of single-set vs. multiple-set resistance training programs; (c) pretest and posttest strength measures; (d) training programs of 6 weeks or more; (e) apparently "healthy" individuals free from orthopedic limitations; and (f) published studies in English-language journals only. Sixteen studies generated 103 effect sizes (ESs) based on a total of 621 subjects, ranging in age from 15-71 years. Across all designs, intervention strategies, and categories, the pretest to posttest ES in muscular strength was (chi = 1.4 +/- 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-3.8; p < 0.001). The results of 2 x 2 analysis of variance revealed simple main effects for age, training status (trained vs. untrained), and research design (p < 0.001). No significant main effects were found for sex, program duration, and set end point. Significant interactions were found for training status and program duration (6-16 weeks vs. 17-40 weeks) and number of sets performed (single vs. multiple). The data indicated that trained individuals performing multiple sets generated significantly greater increases in strength (p < 0.001). For programs with an extended duration, multiple sets were superior to single sets (p < 0.05). This quantitative review indicates that single-set programs for an initial short training period in untrained individuals result in similar strength gains as multiple-set programs. However, as progression occurs and higher gains are desired, multiple-set programs are more effective.

Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of apixaban in healthy Chinese subjects

PubMed Central

Cui, Yimin; Song, Yan; Wang, Jessie; Yu, Zhigang; Schuster, Alan; Barrett, Yu Chen; Frost, Charles

2013-01-01

Background The pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and safety of apixaban were assessed in healthy Chinese subjects in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, single-sequence, single- and multiple-dose study. Subjects and methods Eighteen subjects 18–45 years of age were randomly assigned (2:1 ratio) to receive apixaban or matched placebo. Subjects received a single 10 mg dose of apixaban or placebo on day 1, followed by 10 mg apixaban or placebo twice daily for 6 days (days 4–9). The PK and PD of apixaban were assessed by collecting plasma samples for 72 hours following the dose on day 1 and the morning dose on day 9, and measuring apixaban concentration and anti-Xa activity. Safety was assessed via physical examinations, vital sign measurements, electrocardiograms, and clinical laboratory evaluations. Results PK analysis showed similar characteristics of apixaban after single and multiple doses, including a median time to maximum concentration of ~3 hours, mean elimination half-life of ~11 hours, and renal clearance of ~1.2 L/hour. The accumulation index was 1.7, consistent with twice-daily dosing and the observed elimination half-life. Single-dose data predict multiple-dose PK, therefore apixaban PK are time-independent. The relationship between anti-Xa activity and plasma apixaban concentrations appears to be linear. Apixaban was safe and well tolerated, with no bleeding-related adverse events reported. Conclusion Apixaban was safe and well tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects. Apixaban PK and PD were predictable and consistent with findings from previous studies in Asian and non-Asian subjects. The administration of apixaban does not require any dose modification based on race. PMID:24353445

Multi-template tensor-based morphometry: Application to analysis of Alzheimer's disease

PubMed Central

Koikkalainen, Juha; Lötjönen, Jyrki; Thurfjell, Lennart; Rueckert, Daniel; Waldemar, Gunhild; Soininen, Hilkka

2012-01-01

In this paper methods for using multiple templates in tensor-based morphometry (TBM) are presented and comparedtothe conventional single-template approach. TBM analysis requires non-rigid registrations which are often subject to registration errors. When using multiple templates and, therefore, multiple registrations, it can be assumed that the registration errors are averaged and eventually compensated. Four different methods are proposed for multi-template TBM. The methods were evaluated using magnetic resonance (MR) images of healthy controls, patients with stable or progressive mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from the ADNI database (N=772). The performance of TBM features in classifying images was evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Classification results show that the multi-template methods are statistically significantly better than the single-template method. The overall classification accuracy was 86.0% for the classification of control and AD subjects, and 72.1%for the classification of stable and progressive MCI subjects. The statistical group-level difference maps produced using multi-template TBM were smoother, formed larger continuous regions, and had larger t-values than the maps obtained with single-template TBM. PMID:21419228

[Statistical analysis of body and lung mass of animals subjected to a single experimental insufflation of soil dust and electro-energetic ashes].

PubMed

Matysiak, W; Królikowska-Prasał, I; Staszyc, J; Kifer, E; Romanowska-Sarlej, J

1989-01-01

The studies were performed on 44 white female Wistar rats which were intratracheally administered the suspension of the soil dust and the electro-energetic ashes. The electro-energetic ashes were collected from 6 different local heat and power generating plants while the soil dust from several random places of our country. The statistical analysis of the body and the lung mass of the animals subjected to the single dust and ash insufflation was performed. The applied variants proved the statistically significant differences between the body and the lung mass. The observed differences are connected with the kinds of dust and ash used in the experiment.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Expanded Clones of Islet Antigen-Reactive CD4+ T Cells in Peripheral Blood of Subjects with Type 1 Diabetes.

PubMed

Cerosaletti, Karen; Barahmand-Pour-Whitman, Fariba; Yang, Junbao; DeBerg, Hannah A; Dufort, Matthew J; Murray, Sara A; Israelsson, Elisabeth; Speake, Cate; Gersuk, Vivian H; Eddy, James A; Reijonen, Helena; Greenbaum, Carla J; Kwok, William W; Wambre, Erik; Prlic, Martin; Gottardo, Raphael; Nepom, Gerald T; Linsley, Peter S

2017-07-01

The significance of islet Ag-reactive T cells found in peripheral blood of type 1 diabetes (T1D) subjects is unclear, partly because similar cells are also found in healthy control (HC) subjects. We hypothesized that key disease-associated cells would show evidence of prior Ag exposure, inferred from expanded TCR clonotypes, and essential phenotypic properties in their transcriptomes. To test this, we developed single-cell RNA sequencing procedures for identifying TCR clonotypes and transcript phenotypes in individual T cells. We applied these procedures to analysis of islet Ag-reactive CD4 + memory T cells from the blood of T1D and HC individuals after activation with pooled immunodominant islet peptides. We found extensive TCR clonotype sharing in Ag-activated cells, especially from individual T1D subjects, consistent with in vivo T cell expansion during disease progression. The expanded clonotype from one T1D subject was detected at repeat visits spanning >15 mo, demonstrating clonotype stability. Notably, we found no clonotype sharing between subjects, indicating a predominance of "private" TCR specificities. Expanded clones from two T1D subjects recognized distinct IGRP peptides, implicating this molecule as a trigger for CD4 + T cell expansion. Although overall transcript profiles of cells from HC and T1D subjects were similar, profiles from the most expanded clones were distinctive. Our findings demonstrate that islet Ag-reactive CD4 + memory T cells with unique Ag specificities and phenotypes are expanded during disease progression and can be detected by single-cell analysis of peripheral blood. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Automatic sleep stage classification using two facial electrodes.

PubMed

Virkkala, Jussi; Velin, Riitta; Himanen, Sari-Leena; Värri, Alpo; Müller, Kiti; Hasan, Joel

2008-01-01

Standard sleep stage classification is based on visual analysis of central EEG, EOG and EMG signals. Automatic analysis with a reduced number of sensors has been studied as an easy alternative to the standard. In this study, a single-channel electro-oculography (EOG) algorithm was developed for separation of wakefulness, SREM, light sleep (S1, S2) and slow wave sleep (S3, S4). The algorithm was developed and tested with 296 subjects. Additional validation was performed on 16 subjects using a low weight single-channel Alive Monitor. In the validation study, subjects attached the disposable EOG electrodes themselves at home. In separating the four stages total agreement (and Cohen's Kappa) in the training data set was 74% (0.59), in the testing data set 73% (0.59) and in the validation data set 74% (0.59). Self-applicable electro-oculography with only two facial electrodes was found to provide reasonable sleep stage information.

Impact of cognitive task on the posture of elderly subjects with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy elderly subjects.

PubMed

Manckoundia, Patrick; Pfitzenmeyer, Pierre; d'Athis, Philippe; Dubost, Véronique; Mourey, France

2006-02-01

The aims of this study were to analyze the effects of cognitive task on static posture in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in healthy elderly (HE) subjects and to evaluate whether those effects were greater in AD subjects than in HE subjects. We performed a posturographic analysis on 13 subjects with mild AD (mean age, 79.7+/-5.1 years, Mini-Mental State Examination scores between 18 and 23) and on 17 HE subjects (mean age, 78.5+/-4.4 years). After watching a video sequence, the subjects were asked to maintain a stable upright posture while standing on a force platform. Then, the postural sway was measured during the following two conditions: (1) quiet standing and (2) both standing and answering questions about the video sequence. We were interested in the center of pressure (CoP) area and path. For each group, the single task was compared to the dual task for the CoP area and path. We also compared the variability of both CoP area (variation of the CoP area between the single and the dual task) and path (variation of the CoP path between the single and the dual task) between the two groups. We showed that there was no significant difference between the single and the dual task in HE subjects concerning the CoP area and path, in contrast to the AD group, and that variability of both the CoP area and path were significantly greater in the AD subjects than in the HE subjects. This finding may contribute to the risk of falls in AD patients. Copyright (c) 2005 Movement Disorder Society.

Insertion of Guest Molecules into a Mixed Ligand Metal-Organic Framework via Single-Crystal-to-Single Crystal Guest Exchange

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimentric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). 15. SUBJECT TERMS Metal organic frame work...the inclusion by using a variety of analytical techniques, such as powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier...Characterizations Analysis of the MOF and the complexes with the MOF and the guest molecules was performed using an Agilent GC-MS (Model 6890N GC and Model 5973N

Analysis and visualization of single-trial event-related potentials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, T. P.; Makeig, S.; Westerfield, M.; Townsend, J.; Courchesne, E.; Sejnowski, T. J.

2001-01-01

In this study, a linear decomposition technique, independent component analysis (ICA), is applied to single-trial multichannel EEG data from event-related potential (ERP) experiments. Spatial filters derived by ICA blindly separate the input data into a sum of temporally independent and spatially fixed components arising from distinct or overlapping brain or extra-brain sources. Both the data and their decomposition are displayed using a new visualization tool, the "ERP image," that can clearly characterize single-trial variations in the amplitudes and latencies of evoked responses, particularly when sorted by a relevant behavioral or physiological variable. These tools were used to analyze data from a visual selective attention experiment on 28 control subjects plus 22 neurological patients whose EEG records were heavily contaminated with blink and other eye-movement artifacts. Results show that ICA can separate artifactual, stimulus-locked, response-locked, and non-event-related background EEG activities into separate components, a taxonomy not obtained from conventional signal averaging approaches. This method allows: (1) removal of pervasive artifacts of all types from single-trial EEG records, (2) identification and segregation of stimulus- and response-locked EEG components, (3) examination of differences in single-trial responses, and (4) separation of temporally distinct but spatially overlapping EEG oscillatory activities with distinct relationships to task events. The proposed methods also allow the interaction between ERPs and the ongoing EEG to be investigated directly. We studied the between-subject component stability of ICA decomposition of single-trial EEG epochs by clustering components with similar scalp maps and activation power spectra. Components accounting for blinks, eye movements, temporal muscle activity, event-related potentials, and event-modulated alpha activities were largely replicated across subjects. Applying ICA and ERP image visualization to the analysis of sets of single trials from event-related EEG (or MEG) experiments can increase the information available from ERP (or ERF) data. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Multi-voxel pattern analysis reveals increased memory targeting and reduced use of retrieved details during single-agenda source monitoring

PubMed Central

McDuff, Susan G. R.; Frankel, Hillary C.; Norman, Kenneth A.

2009-01-01

We used multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI data to gain insight into how subjects’ retrieval agendas influence source memory judgments (was item X studied using source Y?). In Experiment 1, we used a single-agenda test where subjects judged whether items were studied with the targeted source or not. In Experiment 2, we used a multi-agenda test where subjects judged whether items were studied using the targeted source, studied using a different source, or nonstudied. To evaluate the differences between single- and multi-agenda source monitoring, we trained a classifier to detect source-specific fMRI activity at study, and then we applied the classifier to data from the test phase. We focused on trials where the targeted source and the actual source differed, so we could use MVPA to track neural activity associated with both the targeted source and the actual source. Our results indicate that single-agenda monitoring was associated with increased focus on the targeted source (as evidenced by increased targeted-source activity, relative to baseline) and reduced use of information relating to the actual, non-target source. In the multi-agenda experiment, high-levels of actual-source activity were associated with increased correct rejections, suggesting that subjects were using recollection of actual-source information to avoid source memory errors. In the single-agenda experiment, there were comparable levels of actual-source activity (suggesting that recollection was taking place), but the relationship between actual-source activity and behavior was absent (suggesting that subjects were failing to make proper use of this information). PMID:19144851

Rating the methodological quality of single-subject designs and n-of-1 trials: introducing the Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) Scale.

PubMed

Tate, Robyn L; McDonald, Skye; Perdices, Michael; Togher, Leanne; Schultz, Regina; Savage, Sharon

2008-08-01

Rating scales that assess methodological quality of clinical trials provide a means to critically appraise the literature. Scales are currently available to rate randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, but there are none that assess single-subject designs. The Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) Scale was developed for this purpose and evaluated for reliability. Six clinical researchers who were trained and experienced in rating methodological quality of clinical trials developed the scale and participated in reliability studies. The SCED Scale is an 11-item rating scale for single-subject designs, of which 10 items are used to assess methodological quality and use of statistical analysis. The scale was developed and refined over a 3-year period. Content validity was addressed by identifying items to reduce the main sources of bias in single-case methodology as stipulated by authorities in the field, which were empirically tested against 85 published reports. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using a random sample of 20/312 single-subject reports archived in the Psychological Database of Brain Impairment Treatment Efficacy (PsycBITE). Inter-rater reliability for the total score was excellent, both for individual raters (overall ICC = 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.92) and for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (overall ICC = 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.95). Item reliability was fair to excellent for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (range k = 0.48 to 1.00). The results were replicated with two independent novice raters who were trained in the use of the scale (ICC = 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.95). The SCED Scale thus provides a brief and valid evaluation of methodological quality of single-subject designs, with the total score demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability using both individual and consensus ratings. Items from the scale can also be used as a checklist in the design, reporting and critical appraisal of single-subject designs, thereby assisting to improve standards of single-case methodology.

Identification of rs7350481 at chromosome 11q23.3 as a novel susceptibility locus for metabolic syndrome in Japanese individuals by an exome-wide association study.

PubMed

Yamada, Yoshiji; Sakuma, Jun; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Yasukochi, Yoshiki; Kato, Kimihiko; Oguri, Mitsutoshi; Fujimaki, Tetsuo; Horibe, Hideki; Muramatsu, Masaaki; Sawabe, Motoji; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Taniguchi, Yu; Obuchi, Shuichi; Kawai, Hisashi; Shinkai, Shoji; Mori, Seijiro; Arai, Tomio; Tanaka, Masashi

2017-06-13

We have performed exome-wide association studies to identify genetic variants that influence body mass index or confer susceptibility to obesity or metabolic syndrome in Japanese. The exome-wide association study for body mass index included 12,890 subjects, and those for obesity and metabolic syndrome included 12,968 subjects (3954 individuals with obesity, 9014 controls) and 6817 subjects (3998 individuals with MetS, 2819 controls), respectively. Exome-wide association studies were performed with Illumina HumanExome-12 DNA Analysis BeadChip or Infinium Exome-24 BeadChip arrays. The relation of genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms to body mass index was examined by linear regression analysis, and that of allele frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms to obesity or metabolic syndrome was evaluated with Fisher's exact test. The exome-wide association studies identified six, 11, and 40 single nucleotide polymorphisms as being significantly associated with body mass index, obesity (P <1.21 × 10-6), or metabolic syndrome (P <1.20 × 10-6), respectively. Subsequent multivariable logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex revealed that three and five single nucleotide polymorphisms were related (P < 0.05) to obesity or metabolic syndrome, respectively, with one of these latter polymorphisms-rs7350481 (C/T) at chromosome 11q23.3-also being significantly (P < 3.13 × 10-4) associated with metabolic syndrome. The polymorphism rs7350481 may thus be a novel susceptibility locus for metabolic syndrome in Japanese. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphisms in three genes (CROT, TSC1, RIN3) and at four loci (ANKK1, ZNF804B, CSRNP3, 17p11.2) were implicated as candidate determinants of obesity and metabolic syndrome, respectively.

Effect of Lower Extremity Stretching Exercises on Balance in Geriatric Population.

PubMed

Reddy, Ravi Shankar; Alahmari, Khalid A

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to find "Effect of lower extremity stretching exercises on balance in the geriatric population. 60 subjects (30 male and 30 female) participated in the study. The subjects underwent 10 weeks of lower limb stretching exercise program. Pre and post 10 weeks stretching exercise program, the subjects were assessed for balance, using single limb stance time in seconds and berg balance score. These outcome measures were analyzed. Pre and post lower extremity stretching on balance was analyzed using paired t test. Of 60 subjects 50 subjects completed the stretching exercise program. Paired sample t test analysis showed a significant improvement in single limb stance time (eyes open and eyes closed) (p<0.001) and berg balance score (p<0.001). Lower extremity stretching exercises enhances balance in the geriatric population and thereby reduction in the number of falls.

Persistency and flexibility of complex brain networks underlie dual-task interference.

PubMed

Alavash, Mohsen; Hilgetag, Claus C; Thiel, Christiane M; Gießing, Carsten

2015-09-01

Previous studies on multitasking suggest that performance decline during concurrent task processing arises from interfering brain modules. Here, we used graph-theoretical network analysis to define functional brain modules and relate the modular organization of complex brain networks to behavioral dual-task costs. Based on resting-state and task fMRI we explored two organizational aspects potentially associated with behavioral interference when human subjects performed a visuospatial and speech task simultaneously: the topological overlap between persistent single-task modules, and the flexibility of single-task modules in adaptation to the dual-task condition. Participants showed a significant decline in visuospatial accuracy in the dual-task compared with single visuospatial task. Global analysis of topological similarity between modules revealed that the overlap between single-task modules significantly correlated with the decline in visuospatial accuracy. Subjects with larger overlap between single-task modules showed higher behavioral interference. Furthermore, lower flexible reconfiguration of single-task modules in adaptation to the dual-task condition significantly correlated with larger decline in visuospatial accuracy. Subjects with lower modular flexibility showed higher behavioral interference. At the regional level, higher overlap between single-task modules and less modular flexibility in the somatomotor cortex positively correlated with the decline in visuospatial accuracy. Additionally, higher modular flexibility in cingulate and frontal control areas and lower flexibility in right-lateralized nodes comprising the middle occipital and superior temporal gyri supported dual-tasking. Our results suggest that persistency and flexibility of brain modules are important determinants of dual-task costs. We conclude that efficient dual-tasking benefits from a specific balance between flexibility and rigidity of functional brain modules. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Randomized trial of a comparison of the efficacy of TVT-O and single-incision tape TVT SECUR systems in the treatment of stress urinary incontinent women--2-year follow-up.

PubMed

Masata, Jaromir; Svabik, Kamil; Zvara, Karel; Drahoradova, Petra; El Haddad, Rachid; Hubka, Petr; Martan, Alois

2012-10-01

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the use of tension-free vaginal tape obturator (TVT-O) and single-incision TVT SECUR, hammock and U approach (TVT-S, H and U), in the treatment of urodynamic stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This single-center randomized three-arm trial compared the objective and subjective efficacy and early failure rate of the TVT-O and TVT-S H and U approach by objective criteria (cough test) and subjective criteria using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire--Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF). The objective efficacy rate was defined as the number of patients with a negative cough stress test. Subjective cure was defined by no stress leakage of urine after surgery based on the evaluation of ICIQ-UI SH (when patients ticked "Never"/"Urine does not leak" in answer to question 6: When does urine leak?). Objective and subjective efficacy were evaluated using Last Failure Carried Forward analysis, i.e., final analysis also included patients with early failure. To describe outcome at different time points, the Last Observation Carried Forward method was also implemented. One hundred ninety-seven women with proven SUI were randomized into three groups--TVT-O (n = 68), TVT-S H (n = 64), and TVT-S U (n = 65). Each patient allocated to a treatment group received the planned surgery. There were no differences in each group in preoperative characteristics. Median follow-up after surgery was 2 years (SD, 0.8; range, 0.1 to 3.8 years). Of the subjects, 92.6% in the TVT-O group, 68.8% in the TVT-S H group, and 69.2% in the TVT-S U group had negative stress test (p < 0.001). Of the subjects, 85.3 % in the TVT-O group, 68.8% in the TVT-S H group, and 61.5% in the TVT-S U group were subjectively continent (p = 0.02). Our study demonstrated a significantly lower subjective and objective cure rate in the single-incision TVT group compared to the TVT-O group.

Prevalence of Multiply Controlled Problem Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beavers, Gracie A.; Iwata, Brian A.

2011-01-01

We examined articles in the "Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis" in which results of functional analyses indicated that problem behavior was maintained by multiple sources of reinforcement. Data for 88 (16.9%) of 521 subjects reported in 168 studies met the criteria for multiple control. Data for 11 subjects (2.1%) involved a single response…

Safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of S-(-)-pantoprazole sodium injections after single and multiple intravenous doses in healthy Chinese subjects.

PubMed

Jiao, Hui-Wen; Sun, Lu-Ning; Li, Yue-Qi; Yu, Lei; Zhang, Hong-Wen; Wang, Mei-Feng; Yu, Li-Yuan; Yuan, Zi-Qing-Yun; Xie, Li-Jun; Chen, Juan; Meng, Ling; Zhang, Xue-Hui; Wang, Yong-Qing

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of S-(-)-pantoprazole (PPZ) sodium injections following single and multiple intravenous doses in healthy Chinese subjects. The dosage groups were set as followed: 20 mg of single and multiple intravenous administration of S-(-)-PPZ, 40 mg of single and multiple intravenous administration of S-(-)-PPZ or pantoprazole, and 80 mg of single dosage group of S-(-)-PPZ. Subjects were sampled for pharmacokinetic analysis and were monitored for 24-h intragastric pH prior to and 48-h intragastric pH after administration for the pharmacodynamic study. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters were compared between S-(-)-PPZ and PPZ. Safety was evaluated on the basis of adverse events, vital signs, laboratory tests, and physical examination. All adverse events were mild and of limited duration. Maximum plasma concentration and area under the concentration-time curve for S-(-)-PPZ were dose proportional over the range of 20-80 mg following a single intravenous administration. Elimination rate constant and half-life observed statistical difference from a single dose to multiple doses in 40 mg of S-(-)-PPZ groups. After administration of a single dose, the mean 24-h intragastric pH value was observed higher in 80-mg group than in 40- and 20-mg groups. Slightly increase of intragastric pH was found after a single dose of 40 mg S-(-)-PPZ than 40 mg PPZ; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Twice daily of 40 mg S-(-)-PPZ sodium injections is effective in achieving satisfying acid inhibition. Compared with plasma R-(+)-PPZ levels, most subjects presented more potent and prolonged suppression of gastric acid of S-(-)-PPZ, while a few subjects showed faster metabolic rate of S-(-)-PPZ in vivo.

Meta-Analysis of Behavioral Self-Management Interventions in Single-Case Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briesch, Amy M.; Briesch, Jacquelyn M.

2016-01-01

The current study meta-analyzed 47 single-subject studies of behavioral self-management interventions that were published between 1971 and 2011. In addition to obtaining an overall measure of effect across all self-management studies (f = 0.93), analyses were conducted to assess whether treatment effectiveness was moderated by factors such as…

Single-trial classification of motor imagery differing in task complexity: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background For brain computer interfaces (BCIs), which may be valuable in neurorehabilitation, brain signals derived from mental activation can be monitored by non-invasive methods, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Single-trial classification is important for this purpose and this was the aim of the presented study. In particular, we aimed to investigate a combined approach: 1) offline single-trial classification of brain signals derived from a novel wireless fNIRS instrument; 2) to use motor imagery (MI) as mental task thereby discriminating between MI signals in response to different tasks complexities, i.e. simple and complex MI tasks. Methods 12 subjects were asked to imagine either a simple finger-tapping task using their right thumb or a complex sequential finger-tapping task using all fingers of their right hand. fNIRS was recorded over secondary motor areas of the contralateral hemisphere. Using Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (FLDA) and cross validation, we selected for each subject a best-performing feature combination consisting of 1) one out of three channel, 2) an analysis time interval ranging from 5-15 s after stimulation onset and 3) up to four Δ[O2Hb] signal features (Δ[O2Hb] mean signal amplitudes, variance, skewness and kurtosis). Results The results of our single-trial classification showed that using the simple combination set of channels, time intervals and up to four Δ[O2Hb] signal features comprising Δ[O2Hb] mean signal amplitudes, variance, skewness and kurtosis, it was possible to discriminate single-trials of MI tasks differing in complexity, i.e. simple versus complex tasks (inter-task paired t-test p ≤ 0.001), over secondary motor areas with an average classification accuracy of 81%. Conclusions Although the classification accuracies look promising they are nevertheless subject of considerable subject-to-subject variability. In the discussion we address each of these aspects, their limitations for future approaches in single-trial classification and their relevance for neurorehabilitation. PMID:21682906

The risk of umbilical hernia and other complications with laparoendoscopic single-site surgery.

PubMed

Gunderson, Camille C; Knight, Jason; Ybanez-Morano, Jessica; Ritter, Carol; Escobar, Pedro F; Ibeanu, Okechukwu; Grumbine, Francis C; Bedaiwy, Mohamed A; Hurd, William W; Fader, Amanda Nickles

2012-01-01

To estimate the risk of umbilical hernia and other latent complications in women who underwent laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for a gynecologic indication. Retrospective, nonrandomized clinical study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Four tertiary care academic medical centers. Women undergoing LESS for a benign or malignant gynecologic indication from 2009 to 2011. A total of 211 women underwent LESS via a single 1.5- to 2.0-cm umbilical incision. All surgeries were performed by advanced gynecologic laparoscopists. Incisions were repaired with a running, delayed absorbable suture. Subject demographics and clinical variables were collected and surgical outcomes analyzed. Median age and body mass index were 45 years and 30 kg/m(2), respectively. Approximately half of study subjects underwent a hysterectomy with or without salpingo-oophorectomy, and 15% had a diagnosis of cancer. Overall, 0.9% of women were diagnosed with a preoperative umbilical hernia, and 2.4% of women experienced a major perioperative complication. After a median postoperative follow-up time of 16 months, 2.4% had development of an umbilical hernia. However, 4/5 of these women had significant risk factors for fascial weakening independent of LESS, including requirement for a second abdominal surgery in 1 subject and a cancer diagnosis with postoperative chemotherapy administration in 2 subjects. When these subjects deemed "high risk" for incisional disruption were excluded from the analysis, the umbilical hernia rate was 0.5% (1/207). On univariable analysis, obesity was the only factor associated with complications (p = .04). When performed by advanced laparoscopic surgeons, laparoendoscopic single-site gynecologic surgery is associated with a low risk of major adverse events. Additionally, the overall umbilical hernia rate was 2.4% and was lower (0.5%) in subjects without significant comorbidities. Copyright © 2012 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No differences in subjective knee function between surgical techniques of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at 2-year follow-up: a cohort study from the Swedish National Knee Ligament Register.

PubMed

Hamrin Senorski, Eric; Sundemo, David; Murawski, Christopher D; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Musahl, Volker; Fu, Freddie; Desai, Neel; Stålman, Anders; Samuelsson, Kristian

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how different techniques of single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction affect subjective knee function via the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) evaluation 2 years after surgery. It was hypothesized that the surgical techniques of single-bundle ACL reconstruction would result in equivalent results with respect to subjective knee function 2 years after surgery. This cohort study was based on data from the Swedish National Knee Ligament Register during the 10-year period of 1 January 2005 through 31 December 2014. Patients who underwent primary single-bundle ACL reconstruction with hamstrings tendon autograft were included. Details on surgical technique were collected using a web-based questionnaire comprised of essential AARSC items, including utilization of accessory medial portal drilling, anatomic tunnel placement, and visualization of insertion sites and landmarks. A repeated measures ANOVA and an additional linear mixed model analysis were used to investigate the effect of surgical technique on the KOOS 4 from the pre-operative period to 2-year follow-up. A total of 13,636 patients who had undergone single-bundle ACL reconstruction comprised the study group for this analysis. A repeated measures ANOVA determined that mean subjective knee function differed between the pre-operative time period and at 2-year follow-up (p < 0.001). No differences were found with respect to the interaction between KOOS 4 and surgical technique or gender. Additionally, the linear mixed model adjusted for age at reconstruction, gender, and concomitant injuries showed no difference between surgical techniques in KOOS 4 improvement from baseline to 2-year follow-up. However, KOOS 4 improved significantly in patients for all surgical techniques of single-bundle ACL reconstruction (p < 0.001); the largest improvement was seen between the pre-operative time period and at 1-year follow-up. Surgical techniques of primary single-bundle ACL reconstruction did not demonstrate differences in the improvement in baseline subjective knee function as measured with the KOOS 4 during the first 2 years after surgery. However, subjective knee function improved from pre-operative baseline to 2-year follow-up independently of surgical technique.

Solid state parameters, structure elucidation, High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD), phase matching, thermal and impedance analysis on L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) NLO single crystals.

PubMed

Kalaiselvi, P; Raj, S Alfred Cecil; Jagannathan, K; Vijayan, N; Bhagavannarayana, G; Kalainathan, S

2014-11-11

Nonlinear optical single crystal of L-Proline trichloroacetate (L-PTCA) was successfully grown by Slow Evaporation Solution Technique (SEST). The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to confirm the structure. From the single crystal XRD data, solid state parameters were determined for the grown crystal. The crystalline perfection has been evaluated using high resolution X-ray diffractometer. The frequencies of various functional groups were identified from FTIR spectral analysis. The percentage of transmittance was obtained from UV Visible spectral analysis. TGA-DSC measurements indicate the thermal stability of the crystal. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity were measured by the impedance analyzer. The DC conductivity was calculated by the cole-cole plot method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of the most significant electrode positions in electromyographic evaluation of swallowing-related movements in humans.

PubMed

Zaretsky, E; Pluschinski, P; Sader, R; Birkholz, P; Neuschaefer-Rube, C; Hey, Christiane

2017-02-01

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a well-established procedure for recording swallowing-related muscle activities. Because the use of a large number of sEMG channels is time consuming and technically sophisticated, the aim of this study was to identify the most significant electrode positions associated with oropharyngeal swallowing activities. Healthy subjects (N = 16) were tested with a total of 42 channels placed in M. masseter, M. orbicularis oris, submental and paralaryngeal regions. Each test subject swallowed 10 ml of water five times. After having identified 16 optimal electrode positions, that is, positions with the strongest signals quantified by the highest integral values, differences to 26 other ones were determined by a Mann-Whitney U test. Kruskal-Wallis H test was utilized for the analysis of differences between single subjects, subject subgroups, and single electrode positions. Factors associated with sEMG signals were examined in a linear regression. Sixteen electrode positions were chosen by a simple ranking of integral values. These positions delivered significantly higher signals than the other 26 positions. Differences between single electrode positions and between test subjects were also significant. Sixteen most significant positions were identified which represent swallowing-related muscle potentials in healthy subjects.

Component Analyses Using Single-Subject Experimental Designs: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward-Horner, John; Sturmey, Peter

2010-01-01

A component analysis is a systematic assessment of 2 or more independent variables or components that comprise a treatment package. Component analyses are important for the analysis of behavior; however, previous research provides only cursory descriptions of the topic. Therefore, in this review the definition of "component analysis" is discussed,…

A hierarchical model for probabilistic independent component analysis of multi-subject fMRI studies

PubMed Central

Tang, Li

2014-01-01

Summary An important goal in fMRI studies is to decompose the observed series of brain images to identify and characterize underlying brain functional networks. Independent component analysis (ICA) has been shown to be a powerful computational tool for this purpose. Classic ICA has been successfully applied to single-subject fMRI data. The extension of ICA to group inferences in neuroimaging studies, however, is challenging due to the unavailability of a pre-specified group design matrix. Existing group ICA methods generally concatenate observed fMRI data across subjects on the temporal domain and then decompose multi-subject data in a similar manner to single-subject ICA. The major limitation of existing methods is that they ignore between-subject variability in spatial distributions of brain functional networks in group ICA. In this paper, we propose a new hierarchical probabilistic group ICA method to formally model subject-specific effects in both temporal and spatial domains when decomposing multi-subject fMRI data. The proposed method provides model-based estimation of brain functional networks at both the population and subject level. An important advantage of the hierarchical model is that it provides a formal statistical framework to investigate similarities and differences in brain functional networks across subjects, e.g., subjects with mental disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s as compared to normal subjects. We develop an EM algorithm for model estimation where both the E-step and M-step have explicit forms. We compare the performance of the proposed hierarchical model with that of two popular group ICA methods via simulation studies. We illustrate our method with application to an fMRI study of Zen meditation. PMID:24033125

Finite element analysis of the axial stiffness of a ball screw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, L.-X.; Li, P.-Y.

2018-06-01

The ball screw was developed for high speed and high precision operation; therefore, increasingly greater demands have been placed on the stiffness of the ball screw. Firstly, ANSYS software was used to compare the axial stiffness of a single-nut and single-arc ball screw and a single-nut and double-arc ball screw when the spiral angle is not considered. On this basis, the model of a single-nut ball screw was established taking into consideration the spiral lead angle, and then the variations in displacement and stiffness when the ball screw pair was subjected to an axial force were determined. The axial contact stiffness of the double-nut ball screw pair, subject to a pre-tightening force, was analyzed, according to the above-mentioned steps. The simulation results demonstrated that under the same working conditions, the stiffness of the double-arc ball screw was larger by between 5∼100 N/um than that of the single-arc ball screw. The spiral lead angle increased the axial stiffness of the ball screw pair, and the axial stiffness of the double-nut ball screw pair subject to a pre-tightening force was larger by between 790∼1360 N/um than that of the axial stiffness of the single-nut ball screw pair.

Brain Injury Vision Symptom Survey (BIVSS) Questionnaire.

PubMed

Laukkanen, Hannu; Scheiman, Mitchell; Hayes, John R

2017-01-01

Validation of the Brain Injury Vision Symptom Survey (BIVSS), a self-administered survey for vision symptoms related to traumatic brain injury (TBI). A 28-item vision symptom questionnaire was completed by 107 adult subjects (mean age 42.1, 16.2 SD, range 18-75) who self-reported as having sustained mild-to-moderate TBI and two groups of reference adult subjects (first-year optometry students: mean age 23.2, 2.8 SD, range 20-39; and 71 third-year optometry students: mean age 26.0, 2.9 SD, range 22-42) without TBI. Both a Likert-style method of analysis with factor analysis and a Rasch analysis were used. Logistic regression was used to determine sensitivity and specificity. At least 27 of 28 questions were completed by 93.5% of TBI subjects, and all 28 items were completed by all of the 157 reference subjects. BIVSS sensitivity was 82.2% for correctly predicting TBI and 90.4% for correctly predicting the optometry students. Factor analysis identified eight latent variables; six factors were positive in their risk for TBI. Other than dry eye and double vision, the TBI patients were significantly more symptomatic than either cohort of optometry students by at least one standard deviation (p < 0.001). Twenty-five of 28 questions were within limits for creating a single-dimension Rasch scale. Nearly all of the adult TBI subjects were able to self-complete the BIVSS, and there was significant mean score separation between TBI and non-TBI groups. The Rasch analysis revealed a single dimension associated with TBI. Using the Likert method with the BIVSS, it may be possible to identify different vision symptom profiles with TBI patients. The BIVSS seems to be a promising tool for better understanding the complex and diverse nature of vision symptoms that are associated with brain injury.

Pharmacokinetic characteristics of telaprevir in healthy Korean male subjects and comparisons with Japanese.

PubMed

Choi, Yewon; Yoon, Seonghae; Matsumoto, Kyoko; Ohta, Yoshiyasu; Lee, SeungHwan; Yu, Kyung-Sang; Jang, In-Jin

2018-01-01

Telaprevir, a reversible selective inhibitor of viral protease and a potential blocker of viral replication, is indicated for the treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection. In this study, the pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and tolerability of telaprevir and the effect of food on telaprevir exposure were evaluated in healthy Korean subjects, and compared with data from a previous study in Japanese male subjects. The single ascending dose study was conducted in 3 dose-based groups (500, 750, and 1,250 mg, six subjects each) in a fasted state. In the multiple dose study, eight subjects in the fed state received 750 mg of telaprevir once on Day 1 and every 8 hours from Day 2 until the morning of Day 6. Serial blood samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected for up to 24 hours in the single ascending dose study and for 6 days in the multiple dose study. Individual pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental analysis method. Safety and tolerability profiles were evaluated throughout the study. Following multiple administrations of telaprevir, maximum plasma concentrations (C max ), area under the concentration-time curve (AUC 0-8 ), and C trough (concentration at 8 h after drug administration) increased by ~2.41-fold. Compared to fasted state values, mean C max and AUC 0-24 increased by 4.92- and 4.81-fold, respectively, after food intake. The C max and AUC inf of Korean subjects were 26%-34% higher than those of Japanese subjects; however, these differences were not clinically significant. All observed adverse events were mild and there was no discontinuation due to AEs. In conclusion, the telaprevir's pharmacokinetic characteristics were similar in Korean and Japanese subjects. Telaprevir was well tolerated in a single dose of up to 1,250 mg and in multiple doses of 750 mg.

Interventions to Support Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review of Single Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozuna, Jennifer; Mavridis, Alexis; Hott, Brittany L.

2015-01-01

Social interaction is a core deficit in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, parents and teachers need effective interventions to support students with ASD. This synthesis provides a quantitative analysis of single-subject studies that examine interventions to support social interactions in children with ASD. Results suggest…

Fluoroscopy Learning Curve in Hip Arthroscopy-A Single Surgeon's Experience.

PubMed

Smith, Kevin M; Duplantier, Neil L; Crump, Kimbelyn H; Delgado, Domenica A; Sullivan, Stephanie L; McCulloch, Patrick C; Harris, Joshua D

2017-10-01

To determine if (1) absorbed radiation dose and (2) fluoroscopy time decreased with experience over the first 100 cases of a single surgeon's hip arthroscopy practice. Subjects who underwent hip arthroscopy for symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement and labral injury were eligible for analysis. Inclusion criteria included the first 100 subjects who underwent hip arthroscopy by a single surgeon (December 2013 to December 2014). Subject demographics, procedure details, fluoroscopy absorbed dose (milligray [mGy]), and time were recorded. Subjects were categorized by date of surgery to one of 4 possible groups (25 per group). One-way analysis of variance was used to determine if a significant difference in dose (mGy) or time was present between groups. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relation between case number and both radiation dose and fluoroscopy time. Subjects underwent labral repair (n = 93), cam osteoplasty (n = 90), and pincer acetabuloplasty (n = 65). There was a significant (P < .001 for both) linear regression between case number and both radiation dose and fluoroscopy time. A significant difference in mGy was observed between groups, group 1 the highest and group 4 the lowest amounts of radiation (P = .003). Comparing individual groups, group 4 was found to have a significantly lower amount of radiation than group 1 (P = .002), though it was not significantly lower than that of group 2 (P = .09) or group 3 (P = .08). A significant difference in fluoroscopy time was observed between groups, group 1 the highest and group 4 the lowest times (P = .05). Comparing individual groups, group 4 was found to have a significantly lower fluoroscopy time than group 1 (P = .039). Correction for weight, height, and body mass index all revealed the same findings: significant (P < .05) differences in both dose and time across groups. The absorbed dose of radiation and fluoroscopy time decreased significantly over the first 100 cases of a single surgeon's hip arthroscopy practice learning curve. Level IV, therapeutic, retrospective, noncomparative case series. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional finite-element elastic analysis of a thermally cycled single-edge wedge geometry specimen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bizon, P. T.; Hill, R. J.; Guilliams, B. P.; Drake, S. K.; Kladden, J. L.

1979-01-01

An elastic stress analysis was performed on a wedge specimen (prismatic bar with single-wedge cross section) subjected to thermal cycles in fluidized beds. Seven different combinations consisting of three alloys (NASA TAZ-8A, 316 stainless steel, and A-286) and four thermal cycling conditions were analyzed. The analyses were performed as a joint effort of two laboratories using different models and computer programs (NASTRAN and ISO3DQ). Stress, strain, and temperature results are presented.

Within-Subject Correlation Analysis to Detect Functional Areas Associated With Response Inhibition.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Tomoko; Ogawa, Akitoshi; Osada, Takahiro; Jimura, Koji; Konishi, Seiki

2018-01-01

Functional areas in fMRI studies are often detected by brain-behavior correlation, calculating across-subject correlation between the behavioral index and the brain activity related to a function of interest. Within-subject correlation analysis is also employed in a single subject level, which utilizes cognitive fluctuations in a shorter time period by correlating the behavioral index with the brain activity across trials. In the present study, the within-subject analysis was applied to the stop-signal task, a standard task to probe response inhibition, where efficiency of response inhibition can be evaluated by the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). Since the SSRT is estimated, by definition, not in a trial basis but from pooled trials, the correlation across runs was calculated between the SSRT and the brain activity related to response inhibition. The within-subject correlation revealed negative correlations in the anterior cingulate cortex and the cerebellum. Moreover, the dissociation pattern was observed in the within-subject analysis when earlier vs. later parts of the runs were analyzed: negative correlation was dominant in earlier runs, whereas positive correlation was dominant in later runs. Regions of interest analyses revealed that the negative correlation in the anterior cingulate cortex, but not in the cerebellum, was dominant in earlier runs, suggesting multiple mechanisms associated with inhibitory processes that fluctuate on a run-by-run basis. These results indicate that the within-subject analysis compliments the across-subject analysis by highlighting different aspects of cognitive/affective processes related to response inhibition.

Single subject controlled experiments in aphasia: The science and the state of the science

PubMed Central

Thompson, Cynthia K.

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the use of single subject controlled experimental designs for investigating the effect of treatment for aphasia. A brief historical perspective is presented, followed by discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of single subject and group approaches, the basic requirements of single subject experimental research, and crucial considerations in design selection. In the final sections, results of reviews of published single subject controlled experiments are discussed, with emphasis on internal validity issues, the number of participants enrolled in published studies, operational specification of the dependent and independent variables, and reliability of measurement. Learning outcomes As a result of reading this paper, the participant will: (1) understand the mechanisms required for demonstration of internal and external validity using single subject controlled experimental designs, (2) become familiar with the basic requirements of single subject controlled experimental research, (3) understand the types of single subject controlled experimental designs that are the most appropriate for studying the effects of treatment for aphasia, and (4) become familiar with trends in the published aphasia treatment literature in which single subject controlled experimental designs have been used. PMID:16635494

A phase I study to assess the effect of food on the single dose bioavailability of the THC/CBD oromucosal spray.

PubMed

Stott, C G; White, L; Wright, S; Wilbraham, D; Guy, G W

2013-04-01

To assess the effect of food on the single-dose bioavailability of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD) spray, an endocannabinoid system modulator, when administered to healthy male subjects. Twelve subjects took part in this fed-fasted cross-over study and received a single dose of THC/CBD spray (4 sprays = 10.8 mg THC + 10 mg CBD) in the fasted then fed state (or vice versa) with a 3-day wash-out period between treatments. Plasma samples were collected at designated time-points for analysis of CBD, THC, and its active metabolite, 11-hydroxy delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC). Statistically significant increases in the mean area under the curve (AUC) and mean maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax) were observed in subjects during fed conditions. Mean AUC and Cmax were one to three-fold higher for THC and 11-OH-THC, and five and three-fold higher for CBD respectively during fed conditions. A large inter-subject variability in exposure from the same dose was observed, particularly for THC. The Cmax for THC in fed versus fasted subjects was higher in 7 subjects (4.80-14.91 ng/ml) and lower in 5 subjects (2.81-3.51 ng/ml) compared with the mean Cmax of 3.98 ng/ml (range 0.97-9.34 ng/ml) observed in the fasted state. Increases in mean AUC(0-t), AUC(0-inf), and Cmax for THC, CBD, and 11-OH-THC in the fed state were within the range of inter-subject variability, which was considerable. Food also appeared to delay the time to peak concentration (Tmax) of all analytes by approximately 2-2.5 h. Only mild adverse events were reported. The THC/CBD spray was well tolerated in male subjects at a single dose of four sprays. The large inter-subject variability in exposure suggests that the changes observed are unlikely to be clinically relevant.

Anthropometry-corrected exposure modeling as a method to improve trunk posture assessment with a single inclinometer.

PubMed

Van Driel, Robin; Trask, Catherine; Johnson, Peter W; Callaghan, Jack P; Koehoorn, Mieke; Teschke, Kay

2013-01-01

Measuring trunk posture in the workplace commonly involves subjective observation or self-report methods or the use of costly and time-consuming motion analysis systems (current gold standard). This work compared trunk inclination measurements using a simple data-logging inclinometer with trunk flexion measurements using a motion analysis system, and evaluated adding measures of subject anthropometry to exposure prediction models to improve the agreement between the two methods. Simulated lifting tasks (n=36) were performed by eight participants, and trunk postures were simultaneously measured with each method. There were significant differences between the two methods, with the inclinometer initially explaining 47% of the variance in the motion analysis measurements. However, adding one key anthropometric parameter (lower arm length) to the inclinometer-based trunk flexion prediction model reduced the differences between the two systems and accounted for 79% of the motion analysis method's variance. Although caution must be applied when generalizing lower-arm length as a correction factor, the overall strategy of anthropometric modeling is a novel contribution. In this lifting-based study, by accounting for subject anthropometry, a single, simple data-logging inclinometer shows promise for trunk posture measurement and may have utility in larger-scale field studies where similar types of tasks are performed.

The functional organization of trial-related activity in lexical processing after early left hemispheric brain lesions: An event-related fMRI study

PubMed Central

Fair, Damien A.; Choi, Alexander H.; Dosenbach, Yannic B.L.; Coalson, Rebecca S.; Miezin, Francis M.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2009-01-01

Children with congenital left hemisphere damage due to perinatal stroke are capable of acquiring relatively normal language functions despite experiencing a cortical insult that in adults often leads to devastating lifetime disabilities. Although this observed phenomenon accepted, its neurobiological mechanisms are not well characterized. In this paper we examined the functional neuroanatomy of lexical processing in 13 children/adolescents with perinatal left hemispheric damage. In contrast to many previous perinatal infarct fMRI studies, we use an event-related design, which allowed us to isolate trial related activity and examine correct and error trials separately. Using both group and single subject analysis techniques we attempt to address several methodological factors that may contribute to some discrepancies in the perinatal lesion literature. These methodological factors include making direct statistical comparisons, using common stereotactic space, using both single-subject and group analyses, and accounting for performance differences. Our group analysis, investigating correct trial related activity (separately from error trials), showed very few statistical differences in the non-involved right hemisphere between patients and performance matched controls. The single subject analysis revealed atypical regional activation patterns in several patients; however, the location of these regions identified in individual patients often varied across subjects. These results are consistent with the idea that alternative functional organization of trial-related activity after left hemisphere lesions is in large part unique to the individual. In addition, reported differences between results obtained with event-related designs and blocked designs may suggest diverging organizing principles for sustained and trial-related activity after early childhood brain injuries. PMID:19819000

The functional organization of trial-related activity in lexical processing after early left hemispheric brain lesions: An event-related fMRI study.

PubMed

Fair, Damien A; Choi, Alexander H; Dosenbach, Yannic B L; Coalson, Rebecca S; Miezin, Francis M; Petersen, Steven E; Schlaggar, Bradley L

2010-08-01

Children with congenital left hemisphere damage due to perinatal stroke are capable of acquiring relatively normal language functions despite experiencing a cortical insult that in adults often leads to devastating lifetime disabilities. Although this observed phenomenon is accepted, its neurobiological mechanisms are not well characterized. In this paper we examined the functional neuroanatomy of lexical processing in 13 children/adolescents with perinatal left hemispheric damage. In contrast to many previous perinatal infarct fMRI studies, we used an event-related design, which allowed us to isolate trial-related activity and examine correct and error trials separately. Using both group and single subject analysis techniques we attempt to address several methodological factors that may contribute to some discrepancies in the perinatal lesion literature. These methodological factors include making direct statistical comparisons, using common stereotactic space, using both single subject and group analyses, and accounting for performance differences. Our group analysis, investigating correct trial-related activity (separately from error trials), showed very few statistical differences in the non-involved right hemisphere between patients and performance matched controls. The single subject analysis revealed atypical regional activation patterns in several patients; however, the location of these regions identified in individual patients often varied across subjects. These results are consistent with the idea that alternative functional organization of trial-related activity after left hemisphere lesions is in large part unique to the individual. In addition, reported differences between results obtained with event-related designs and blocked designs may suggest diverging organizing principles for sustained and trial-related activity after early childhood brain injuries. 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Faster Horses...An Analysis of Country-Western Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippard, Paula

This paper reports on a study of the content of the lyrics of 100 country-western songs. It presents findings concerning the primary subject matter of the songs, female and male roles portrayed, and the value system implicit in the song lyrics. Among the findings were that the single most-valued subject in country-western music is romantic love;…

Evidence-based practice: a quality indicator analysis of peer-tutoring in adapted physical education.

PubMed

Kalef, Laura; Reid, Greg; Macdonald, Cathy

2013-09-01

The purpose of the research was to conduct a quality indicator analysis of studies investigating peer-tutoring for students with a disability in adapted physical education. An electronic search was conducted among English journals published from 1960 to November 2012. Databases included ERIC, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus. Fifteen research studies employing group-experimental (Gersten et al., 2005) or single-subject designs (Horner et al., 2005) met inclusion criteria. Each study was assessed for the presence and clarity of quality indicators. Group designs met an average of 62.5% essential and 69% desirable indicators. An average of 80% of indicators was present for single-subject designs. Results suggest claims of peer-tutoring being an evidence-based practice are premature. Recommendations for clarifying and applying the quality indicators are offered. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model-free fMRI group analysis using FENICA.

PubMed

Schöpf, V; Windischberger, C; Robinson, S; Kasess, C H; Fischmeister, F PhS; Lanzenberger, R; Albrecht, J; Kleemann, A M; Kopietz, R; Wiesmann, M; Moser, E

2011-03-01

Exploratory analysis of functional MRI data allows activation to be detected even if the time course differs from that which is expected. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) has emerged as a powerful approach, but current extensions to the analysis of group studies suffer from a number of drawbacks: they can be computationally demanding, results are dominated by technical and motion artefacts, and some methods require that time courses be the same for all subjects or that templates be defined to identify common components. We have developed a group ICA (gICA) method which is based on single-subject ICA decompositions and the assumption that the spatial distribution of signal changes in components which reflect activation is similar between subjects. This approach, which we have called Fully Exploratory Network Independent Component Analysis (FENICA), identifies group activation in two stages. ICA is performed on the single-subject level, then consistent components are identified via spatial correlation. Group activation maps are generated in a second-level GLM analysis. FENICA is applied to data from three studies employing a wide range of stimulus and presentation designs. These are an event-related motor task, a block-design cognition task and an event-related chemosensory experiment. In all cases, the group maps identified by FENICA as being the most consistent over subjects correspond to task activation. There is good agreement between FENICA results and regions identified in prior GLM-based studies. In the chemosensory task, additional regions are identified by FENICA and temporal concatenation ICA that we show is related to the stimulus, but exhibit a delayed response. FENICA is a fully exploratory method that allows activation to be identified without assumptions about temporal evolution, and isolates activation from other sources of signal fluctuation in fMRI. It has the advantage over other gICA methods that it is computationally undemanding, spotlights components relating to activation rather than artefacts, allows the use of familiar statistical thresholding through deployment of a higher level GLM analysis and can be applied to studies where the paradigm is different for all subjects. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single Subject Research: Applications to Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cakiroglu, Orhan

2012-01-01

Single subject research is a scientific research methodology that is increasingly used in the field of special education. Therefore, understanding the unique characteristics of single subject research methodology is critical both for educators and practitioners. Certain characteristics make single subject research one of the most preferred…

Retention of the "first-trial effect" in gait-slip among community-living older adults.

PubMed

Liu, Xuan; Bhatt, Tanvi; Wang, Shuaijie; Yang, Feng; Pai, Yi-Chung Clive

2017-02-01

"First-trial effect" characterizes the rapid adaptive behavior that changes the performance outcome (from fall to non-fall) after merely a single exposure to postural disturbance. The purpose of this study was to investigate how long the first-trial effect could last. Seventy-five (≥ 65 years) community-dwelling older adults, who were protected by an overhead full body harness system, were retested for a single slip 6-12 months after their initial exposure to a single gait-slip. Subjects' body kinematics that was used to compute their proactive (feedforward) and reactive (feedback) control of stability was recorded by an eight-camera motion analysis system. We found the laboratory falls of subjects on their retest slip were significantly lower than that on the novel initial slip, and the reactive stability of these subjects was also significantly improved. However, the proactive stability of subjects remains unchanged between their initial slip and retest slip. The fall rates and stability control had no difference among the 6-, 9-, and 12-month retest groups, which indicated a maximum retention on 12 months after a single slip in the laboratory. These results highlighted the importance of the "first-trial effect" and suggested that perturbation training is effective for fall prevention, with lower trial doses for a long period (up to 1 year). Therefore, single slip training might benefit those older adults who could not tolerate larger doses in reality.

An analysis of regional cerebral blood flow in impulsive murderers using single photon emission computed tomography.

PubMed

Amen, Daniel G; Hanks, Chris; Prunella, Jill R; Green, Aisa

2007-01-01

The authors explored differences in regional cerebral blood flow in 11 impulsive murderers and 11 healthy comparison subjects using single photon emission computed tomography. The authors assessed subjects at rest and during a computerized go/no-go concentration task. Using statistical parametric mapping software, the authors performed voxel-by-voxel t tests to assess significant differences, making family-wide error corrections for multiple comparisons. Murderers were found to have significantly lower relative rCBF during concentration, particularly in areas associated with concentration and impulse control. These results indicate that nonemotionally laden stimuli may result in frontotemporal dysregulation in people predisposed to impulsive violence.

Adaptation of Subjective Responses to Alcohol is Affected by an Interaction of GABRA2 Genotype and Recent Drinking.

PubMed

Kosobud, Ann E K; Wetherill, Leah; Plawecki, Martin H; Kareken, David A; Liang, Tiebing; Nurnberger, John L; Windisch, Kyle; Xuei, Xiaoling; Edenberg, Howard J; Foroud, Tatiana M; O'Connor, Sean J

2015-07-01

Subjective perceptions of alcohol intoxication are associated with altered risk for alcohol abuse and dependence. Acute adaptation of these perceptions may influence such risk and may involve genes associated with pleasant perceptions or the relief of anxiety. This study assessed the effect of variation in the GABAA receptor genes GABRG1 and GABRA2 and recent drinking history on the acute adaptation of subjective responses to alcohol. One hundred and thirty-two nondependent moderate to heavy drinkers, aged 21 to 27, participated in 2 single-blind, counterbalanced sessions, approximately 1 week apart. One session was an intravenous alcohol "clamp," during which breath alcohol concentration was held steady at 60 mg/dl (60 mg%) for 3 hours, and the other an identical session using saline infusion. Subjective perceptions of Intoxication, Enjoyment, Stimulation, Relaxation, Anxiety, Tiredness, and Estimated Number of Drinks were acquired before (baseline), and during the first and final 45 minutes of the clamp. A placebo-adjusted index of the subject's acute adaptation to alcohol was calculated for each of the 7 subjective measures and used in a principal component analysis to create a single aggregate estimate for each subject's adaptive response to alcohol. Analysis of covariance tested whether GABRA2 and GABRG1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes, gender, placebo session, family history of alcoholism, recent drinking history, and the genotype × recent drinking history interaction significantly predicted the adaptive response. Recent drinking history (p = 0.01), and recent drinking history × genotype interaction (p = 0.01) were significantly associated with acute adaptation of the subjective responses to alcohol for the GABRA2 SNP rs279858. Higher recent drinking was found to be associated with reduced acute tolerance to positive, stimulating effects of alcohol in carriers of the rs279858 risk allele. We postulate that the GABRA2 effect on alcohol dependence may, in part, be due to its effect on subjective responses to alcohol. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

The influence of an auditory-memory attention-demanding task on postural control in blind persons.

PubMed

Melzer, Itshak; Damry, Elad; Landau, Anat; Yagev, Ronit

2011-05-01

In order to evaluate the effect of an auditory-memory attention-demanding task on balance control, nine blind adults were compared to nine age-gender-matched sighted controls. This issue is particularly relevant for the blind population in which functional assessment of postural control has to be revealed through "real life" motor and cognitive function. The study aimed to explore whether an auditory-memory attention-demanding cognitive task would influence postural control in blind persons and compare this with blindfolded sighted persons. Subjects were instructed to minimize body sway during narrow base upright standing on a single force platform under two conditions: 1) standing still (single task); 2) as in 1) while performing an auditory-memory attention-demanding cognitive task (dual task). Subjects in both groups were required to stand blindfolded with their eyes closed. Center of Pressure displacement data were collected and analyzed using summary statistics and stabilogram-diffusion analysis. Blind and sighted subjects had similar postural sway in eyes closed condition. However, for dual compared to single task, sighted subjects show significant decrease in postural sway while blind subjects did not. The auditory-memory attention-demanding cognitive task had no interference effect on balance control on blind subjects. It seems that sighted individuals used auditory cues to compensate for momentary loss of vision, whereas blind subjects did not. This may suggest that blind and sighted people use different sensorimotor strategies to achieve stability. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-Subject Evaluation: A Tool for Quality Assurance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuehring, Elane M.; Pascone, Anne B.

1986-01-01

The use of single-subject designs in peer review, in utilization review, and in other quality-assurance audits is encouraged. Presents an overview of the methodologies of single-subject designs and quality assurance, and provides examples of cases in which single-subject techniques furnished relevant quality assurance documentation. (Author/ABB)

POLO2: a user's guide to multiple Probit Or LOgit analysis

Treesearch

Robert M. Russell; N. E. Savin; Jacqueline L. Robertson

1981-01-01

This guide provides instructions for the use of POLO2, a computer program for multivariate probit or logic analysis of quantal response data. As many as 3000 test subjects may be included in a single analysis. Including the constant term, up to nine explanatory variables may be used. Examples illustrating input, output, and uses of the program's special features...

Mixed Schools versus Single-Sex Schools: Are There Differences in the Academic Results for Boys and Girls in Catalonia?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia-Gracia, Maribel; Donoso Vázquez, Trinidad

2016-01-01

This study carries out a comparative analysis of achievement according to gender between mixed and single-sex schools in the region of Catalonia, Spain, for the subjects of Spanish, Catalan, English and Mathematics. After a brief contextualisation, a review of the main findings from international studies on differences in results for mixed schools…

A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Social Skills Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellini, Scott; Peters, Jessica K.; Benner, Lauren; Hopf, Andrea

2007-01-01

Social skills deficits are a central feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis of 55 single-subject design studies examined the effectiveness of school-based social skills interventions for children and adolescents with ASD. Intervention, maintenance, and generalization effects were measured by computing the percentage of…

Analysis of the impact of a cognitive task on the posture of elderly subjects with depression compared with healthy elderly subjects.

PubMed

Casteran, Matthieu; Putot, Alain; Pfitzenmeyer, François; Thomas, Elizabeth; Manckoundia, Patrick

2016-11-01

While previous studies have demonstrated that depressive elderly subjects (DES) experience difficulties in the processing of simultaneous cognitive tasks, few have examined the coupling of cognitive tasks with seemingly 'automatic' tasks, such as standing upright. Current patient management focuses on pharmacological treatments and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Healthy elderly (HES) and non-treated DES were included. Postural sway in DES was compared with that in HES while in single-task and dual-task conditions. The single-task consisted of standing upright. For the dual-task, the subjects recalled various items from memory or counted while standing upright. Postural sway was evaluated by computing the center of pressure (CoP) area and path length. DES showed greater postural sway than HES in all conditions. The HES showed a greater CoP area in the dual-task than in the single-task conditions. In DES, the CoP area in the single-task condition was similar to that in the dual-task condition. The greater postural sway observed in DES may be a cause of a greater risk of falls. We showed that even seemingly automatic tasks, such as maintaining an upright posture, are affected by depression. These results are important for the management of DES. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of training programs for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders: single subject contributions.

PubMed

Patterson, Stephanie Y; Smith, Veronica; Mirenda, Pat

2012-09-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine research utilizing single subject research designs (SSRD) to explore the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase parents' ability to support communication and social development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Included studies were systematically assessed for methodological quality (Logan et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2007) and intervention effects. Data examining participant characteristics, study methodology, outcomes, and analysis were systematically extracted. Eleven SSRD parent-training intervention studies examining 44 participants with ASD were included. Overall, the studies were of moderate quality and reported increases in parent skills and child language and communication outcomes. The results supported by improvement rate difference (IRD) analysis indicated several interventions demonstrated positive effects for both parent and child outcomes. However, limited generalization and follow-up data suggested only one intervention demonstrated parents' accurate and ongoing intervention implementation beyond training.

Application of Machine Learning to Arterial Spin Labeling in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Collij, Lyduine E; Heeman, Fiona; Kuijer, Joost P A; Ossenkoppele, Rik; Benedictus, Marije R; Möller, Christiane; Verfaillie, Sander C J; Sanz-Arigita, Ernesto J; van Berckel, Bart N M; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Scheltens, Philip; Barkhof, Frederik; Wink, Alle Meije

2016-12-01

Purpose To investigate whether multivariate pattern recognition analysis of arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion maps can be used for classification and single-subject prediction of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjects with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) after using the W score method to remove confounding effects of sex and age. Materials and Methods Pseudocontinuous 3.0-T ASL images were acquired in 100 patients with probable AD; 60 patients with MCI, of whom 12 remained stable, 12 were converted to a diagnosis of AD, and 36 had no follow-up; 100 subjects with SCD; and 26 healthy control subjects. The AD, MCI, and SCD groups were divided into a sex- and age-matched training set (n = 130) and an independent prediction set (n = 130). Standardized perfusion scores adjusted for age and sex (W scores) were computed per voxel for each participant. Training of a support vector machine classifier was performed with diagnostic status and perfusion maps. Discrimination maps were extracted and used for single-subject classification in the prediction set. Prediction performance was assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to generate an area under the ROC curve (AUC) and sensitivity and specificity distribution. Results Single-subject diagnosis in the prediction set by using the discrimination maps yielded excellent performance for AD versus SCD (AUC, 0.96; P < .01), good performance for AD versus MCI (AUC, 0.89; P < .01), and poor performance for MCI versus SCD (AUC, 0.63; P = .06). Application of the AD versus SCD discrimination map for prediction of MCI subgroups resulted in good performance for patients with MCI diagnosis converted to AD versus subjects with SCD (AUC, 0.84; P < .01) and fair performance for patients with MCI diagnosis converted to AD versus those with stable MCI (AUC, 0.71; P > .05). Conclusion With automated methods, age- and sex-adjusted ASL perfusion maps can be used to classify and predict diagnosis of AD, conversion of MCI to AD, stable MCI, and SCD with good to excellent accuracy and AUC values. © RSNA, 2016.

Controlling for Prior Attainment Reduces the Positive Influence that Single-Gender Classroom Initiatives Exert on High School Students' Scholastic Achievements.

PubMed

Pennington, Charlotte R; Kaye, Linda K; Qureshi, Adam W; Heim, Derek

2018-01-01

Research points to the positive impact that gender-segregated schooling and classroom initiatives exert on academic attainment. An evaluation of these studies which reveal positive effects highlights, however, that students are typically selectively assigned to single- or mixed-gender instructional settings, presenting a methodological confound. The current study controls for students' prior attainment to appraise the efficacy of a single-gender classroom initiative implemented in a co-educational high school in the United Kingdom. Secondary data analysis (using archived data) was performed on 266 middle-ability, 11-12 year-old students' standardized test scores in Languages (English, foreign language), STEM-related (Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology), and Non-STEM subjects (art, music, drama). Ninety-eight students (54, 55% female) were taught in single-gender and 168 (69, 41% female) in mixed-gender classrooms. Students undertook identical tests irrespective of classroom type, which were graded in accordance with U.K national curriculum guidelines. Controlling for students' prior attainment, findings indicate that students do not appear to benefit from being taught in single-gender relative to mixed-gender classrooms in Language and STEM-related subjects. Young women benefitted from being taught in mixed-gender relative to single-gender classes for Non-STEM subjects. However, when prior ability is not controlled for, the intervention appears to be effective for all school subjects, highlighting the confounding influence of selective admissions. These findings suggest that gender-segregated classroom initiatives may not bolster students' grades. It is argued that studies that do not control for selection effects may tell us little about the effectiveness of such interventions on scholastic achievement.

Neural network approach in multichannel auditory event-related potential analysis.

PubMed

Wu, F Y; Slater, J D; Ramsay, R E

1994-04-01

Even though there are presently no clearly defined criteria for the assessment of P300 event-related potential (ERP) abnormality, it is strongly indicated through statistical analysis that such criteria exist for classifying control subjects and patients with diseases resulting in neuropsychological impairment such as multiple sclerosis (MS). We have demonstrated the feasibility of artificial neural network (ANN) methods in classifying ERP waveforms measured at a single channel (Cz) from control subjects and MS patients. In this paper, we report the results of multichannel ERP analysis and a modified network analysis methodology to enhance automation of the classification rule extraction process. The proposed methodology significantly reduces the work of statistical analysis. It also helps to standardize the criteria of P300 ERP assessment and facilitate the computer-aided analysis on neuropsychological functions.

Walking Stroop carpet: an innovative dual-task concept for detecting cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Perrochon, A; Kemoun, G; Watelain, E; Berthoz, A

2013-01-01

Several studies have reported the potential value of the dual-task concept during locomotion in clinical evaluation because cognitive decline is strongly associated with gait abnormalities. However, current dual-task tests appear to be insufficient for early diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Forty-nine subjects (young, old, with or without mild cognitive impairment) underwent cognitive evaluation (Mini-Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, five-word test, Stroop, clock-drawing) and single-task locomotor evaluation on an electronic walkway. They were then dual-task-tested on the Walking Stroop carpet, which is an adaptation of the Stroop color-word task for locomotion. A cluster analysis, followed by an analysis of variance, was performed to assess gait parameters. Cluster analysis of gait parameters on the Walking Stroop carpet revealed an interaction between cognitive and functional abilities because it made it possible to distinguish dysexecutive cognitive fragility or decline with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 94%. Locomotor abilities differed according to the group and dual-task conditions. Healthy subjects performed less well on dual-tasking under reading conditions than when they were asked to distinguish colors, whereas dysexecutive subjects had worse motor performances when they were required to dual task. The Walking Stroop carpet is a dual-task test that enables early detection of cognitive fragility that has not been revealed by traditional neuropsychological tests or single-task walking analysis.

Walking Stroop carpet: an innovative dual-task concept for detecting cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Perrochon, A; Kemoun, G; Watelain, E; Berthoz, A

2013-01-01

Background Several studies have reported the potential value of the dual-task concept during locomotion in clinical evaluation because cognitive decline is strongly associated with gait abnormalities. However, current dual-task tests appear to be insufficient for early diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Methods Forty-nine subjects (young, old, with or without mild cognitive impairment) underwent cognitive evaluation (Mini-Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, five-word test, Stroop, clock-drawing) and single-task locomotor evaluation on an electronic walkway. They were then dual-task-tested on the Walking Stroop carpet, which is an adaptation of the Stroop color–word task for locomotion. A cluster analysis, followed by an analysis of variance, was performed to assess gait parameters. Results Cluster analysis of gait parameters on the Walking Stroop carpet revealed an interaction between cognitive and functional abilities because it made it possible to distinguish dysexecutive cognitive fragility or decline with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 94%. Locomotor abilities differed according to the group and dual-task conditions. Healthy subjects performed less well on dual-tasking under reading conditions than when they were asked to distinguish colors, whereas dysexecutive subjects had worse motor performances when they were required to dual task. Conclusion The Walking Stroop carpet is a dual-task test that enables early detection of cognitive fragility that has not been revealed by traditional neuropsychological tests or single-task walking analysis. PMID:23682211

Genetic polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2 genes, and risk of hypospadias in a multiethnic study population.

PubMed

Choudhry, Shweta; Baskin, Laurence S; Lammer, Edward J; Witte, John S; Dasgupta, Sudeshna; Ma, Chen; Surampalli, Abhilasha; Shen, Joel; Shaw, Gary M; Carmichael, Suzan L

2015-05-01

Estrogenic endocrine disruptors acting via estrogen receptors α (ESR1) and β (ESR2) have been implicated in the etiology of hypospadias, a common congenital malformation of the male external genitalia. We determined the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2 genes with hypospadias in a racially/ethnically diverse study population of California births. We investigated the relationship between hypospadias and 108 ESR1 and 36 ESR2 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 647 cases and 877 population based nonmalformed controls among infants born in selected California counties from 1990 to 2003. Subgroup analyses were performed by race/ethnicity (nonHispanic white and Hispanic subjects) and by hypospadias severity (mild to moderate and severe). Odds ratios for 33 of the 108 ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms had p values less than 0.05 (p = 0.05 to 0.007) for risk of hypospadias. However, none of the 36 ESR2 single nucleotide polymorphisms was significantly associated. In stratified analyses the association results were consistent by disease severity but different sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly associated with hypospadias in nonHispanic white and Hispanic subjects. Due to high linkage disequilibrium across the single nucleotide polymorphisms, haplotype analyses were conducted and identified 6 haplotype blocks in ESR1 gene that had haplotypes significantly associated with an increased risk of hypospadias (OR 1.3 to 1.8, p = 0.04 to 0.00001). Similar to single nucleotide polymorphism analysis, different ESR1 haplotypes were associated with risk of hypospadias in nonHispanic white and Hispanic subjects. No significant haplotype association was observed for ESR2. The data provide evidence that ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes influence the risk of hypospadias in white and Hispanic subjects, and warrant further examination in other study populations. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Articular Cartilage of the Human Knee Joint: In Vivo Multicomponent T2 Analysis at 3.0 T

PubMed Central

Choi, Kwang Won; Samsonov, Alexey; Spencer, Richard G.; Wilson, John J.; Block, Walter F.; Kijowski, Richard

2015-01-01

Purpose To compare multicomponent T2 parameters of the articular cartilage of the knee joint measured by using multicomponent driven equilibrium single-shot observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) in asymptomatic volunteers and patients with osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods This prospective study was performed with institutional review board approval and with written informed consent from all subjects. The mcDESPOT sequence was performed in the knee joint of 13 asymptomatic volunteers and 14 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Single-component T2 (T2Single), T2 of the fast-relaxing water component (T2F) and of the slow-relaxing water component (T2S), and the fraction of the fast-relaxing water component (FF) of cartilage were measured. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and multivariate linear regression models were used to compare mcDESPOT parameters between volunteers and patients with osteoarthritis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess diagnostic performance with mcDESPOT parameters for distinguishing morphologically normal cartilage from morphologically degenerative cartilage identified at magnetic resonance imaging in eight cartilage subsections of the knee joint. Results Higher cartilage T2Single (P < .001), lower cartilage FF (P < .001), and similar cartilage T2F (P = .079) and T2S (P = .124) values were seen in patients with osteoarthritis compared with those in asymptomatic volunteers. Differences in T2Single and FF remained significant (P < .05) after consideration of age differences between groups of subjects. Diagnostic performance was higher with FF than with T2Single for distinguishing between normal and degenerative cartilage (P < .05), with greater areas under the curve at receiver operating characteristic analysis. Conclusion Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee had significantly higher cartilage T2Single and significantly lower cartilage FF than did asymptomatic volunteers, and receiver operating characteristic analysis results suggested that FF may allow greater diagnostic performance than that with T2Single for distinguishing between normal and degenerative cartilage. © RSNA, 2015 Online supplemental material is available for this article. PMID:26024307

An overview of longitudinal data analysis methods for neurological research.

PubMed

Locascio, Joseph J; Atri, Alireza

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a concise, broad and readily accessible overview of longitudinal data analysis methods, aimed to be a practical guide for clinical investigators in neurology. In general, we advise that older, traditional methods, including (1) simple regression of the dependent variable on a time measure, (2) analyzing a single summary subject level number that indexes changes for each subject and (3) a general linear model approach with a fixed-subject effect, should be reserved for quick, simple or preliminary analyses. We advocate the general use of mixed-random and fixed-effect regression models for analyses of most longitudinal clinical studies. Under restrictive situations or to provide validation, we recommend: (1) repeated-measure analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), (2) ANCOVA for two time points, (3) generalized estimating equations and (4) latent growth curve/structural equation models.

Dietary pattern analysis: a comparison between matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects.

PubMed

Clarys, Peter; Deriemaeker, Peter; Huybrechts, Inge; Hebbelinck, Marcel; Mullie, Patrick

2013-06-13

Dietary pattern analysis, based on the concept that foods eaten together are as important as a reductive methodology characterized by a single food or nutrient analysis, has emerged as an alternative approach to study the relation between nutrition and disease. The aim of the present study was to compare nutritional intake and the results of dietary pattern analysis in properly matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects. Vegetarians (n = 69) were recruited via purposeful sampling and matched non-vegetarians (n = 69) with same age, gender, health and lifestyle characteristics were searched for via convenience sampling. Two dietary pattern analysis methods, the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) were calculated and analysed in function of the nutrient intake. Mean total energy intake was comparable between vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (p > 0.05). Macronutrient analysis revealed significant differences between the mean values for vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (absolute and relative protein and total fat intake were significantly lower in vegetarians, while carbohydrate and fibre intakes were significantly higher in vegetarians than in omnivorous subjects). The HEI and MDS were significantly higher for the vegetarians (HEI = 53.8.1 ± 11.2; MDS = 4.3 ± 1.3) compared to the omnivorous subjects (HEI = 46.4 ± 15.3; MDS = 3.8 ± 1.4). Our results indicate a more nutrient dense pattern, closer to the current dietary recommendations for the vegetarians compared to the omnivorous subjects. Both indexing systems were able to discriminate between the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians with higher scores for the vegetarian subjects.

Time Independent Functional task Training: a case study on the effect of inter-joint coordination driven haptic guidance in stroke therapy.

PubMed

Brokaw, Elizabeth B; Murray, Theresa M; Nef, Tobias; Lum, Peter S; Brokaw, Elizabeth B; Nichols, Diane; Holley, Rahsaan J

2011-01-01

After a stroke abnormal joint coordination of the arm may limit functional movement and recovery. To aid in training inter-joint movement coordination a haptic guidance method for functional driven rehabilitation after stroke called Time Independent Functional Training (TIFT) has been developed for the ARMin III robot. The mode helps retraining inter-joint coordination during functional movements, such as putting an object on a shelf, pouring from a pitcher, and sorting objects into bins. A single chronic stroke subject was tested for validation of the modality. The subject was given 1.5 hrs of robotic therapy twice a week for 4 weeks. The therapy and the results of training the single stroke subject are discussed. The subject showed a decrease in training joint error for the sorting task across training sessions and increased self-selected movement time in training. In kinematic reaching analysis the subject showed improvements in range of motion and joint coordination in a reaching task, as well as improvements in supination-pronation range of motion at the wrist. © 2011 IEEE

Reliability of the measures of weight-bearing distribution obtained during quiet stance by digital scales in subjects with and without hemiparesis.

PubMed

de Araujo-Barbosa, Paulo Henrique Ferreira; de Menezes, Lidiane Teles; Costa, Abraão Souza; Couto Paz, Clarissa Cardoso Dos Santos; Fachin-Martins, Emerson

2015-05-01

Described as an alternative way of assessing weight-bearing asymmetries, the measures obtained from digital scales have been used as an index to classify weight-bearing distribution. This study aimed to describe the intra-test and the test/retest reliability of measures in subjects with and without hemiparesis during quiet stance. The percentage of body weight borne by one limb was calculated for a sample of subjects with hemiparesis and for a control group that was matched by gender and age. A two-way analysis of variance was used to verify the intra-test reliability. This analysis was calculated using the differences between the averages of the measures obtained during single, double or triple trials. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was utilized and data plotted using the Bland-Altman method. The intra-test analysis showed significant differences, only observed in the hemiparesis group, between the measures obtained by single and triple trials. Excellent and moderate ICC values (0.69-0.84) between test and retest were observed in the hemiparesis group, while for control groups ICC values (0.41-0.74) were classified as moderate, progressing from almost poor for measures obtained by a single trial to almost excellent for those obtained by triple trials. In conclusion, good reliability ranging from moderate to excellent classifications was found for participants with and without hemiparesis. Moreover, an improvement of the repeatability was observed with fewer trials for participants with hemiparesis, and with more trials for participants without hemiparesis.

A computational framework for estimating statistical power and planning hypothesis-driven experiments involving one-dimensional biomechanical continua.

PubMed

Pataky, Todd C; Robinson, Mark A; Vanrenterghem, Jos

2018-01-03

Statistical power assessment is an important component of hypothesis-driven research but until relatively recently (mid-1990s) no methods were available for assessing power in experiments involving continuum data and in particular those involving one-dimensional (1D) time series. The purpose of this study was to describe how continuum-level power analyses can be used to plan hypothesis-driven biomechanics experiments involving 1D data. In particular, we demonstrate how theory- and pilot-driven 1D effect modeling can be used for sample-size calculations for both single- and multi-subject experiments. For theory-driven power analysis we use the minimum jerk hypothesis and single-subject experiments involving straight-line, planar reaching. For pilot-driven power analysis we use a previously published knee kinematics dataset. Results show that powers on the order of 0.8 can be achieved with relatively small sample sizes, five and ten for within-subject minimum jerk analysis and between-subject knee kinematics, respectively. However, the appropriate sample size depends on a priori justifications of biomechanical meaning and effect size. The main advantage of the proposed technique is that it encourages a priori justification regarding the clinical and/or scientific meaning of particular 1D effects, thereby robustly structuring subsequent experimental inquiry. In short, it shifts focus from a search for significance to a search for non-rejectable hypotheses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SCGICAR: Spatial concatenation based group ICA with reference for fMRI data analysis.

PubMed

Shi, Yuhu; Zeng, Weiming; Wang, Nizhuan

2017-09-01

With the rapid development of big data, the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis of multi-subject is becoming more and more important. As a kind of blind source separation technique, group independent component analysis (GICA) has been widely applied for the multi-subject fMRI data analysis. However, spatial concatenated GICA is rarely used compared with temporal concatenated GICA due to its disadvantages. In this paper, in order to overcome these issues and to consider that the ability of GICA for fMRI data analysis can be improved by adding a priori information, we propose a novel spatial concatenation based GICA with reference (SCGICAR) method to take advantage of the priori information extracted from the group subjects, and then the multi-objective optimization strategy is used to implement this method. Finally, the post-processing means of principal component analysis and anti-reconstruction are used to obtain group spatial component and individual temporal component in the group, respectively. The experimental results show that the proposed SCGICAR method has a better performance on both single-subject and multi-subject fMRI data analysis compared with classical methods. It not only can detect more accurate spatial and temporal component for each subject of the group, but also can obtain a better group component on both temporal and spatial domains. These results demonstrate that the proposed SCGICAR method has its own advantages in comparison with classical methods, and it can better reflect the commonness of subjects in the group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect Size Measure and Analysis of Single Subject Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2013

2013-01-01

One of the vexing problems in the analysis of SSD is in the assessment of the effect of intervention. Serial dependence notwithstanding, the linear model approach that has been advanced involves, in general, the fitting of regression lines (or curves) to the set of observations within each phase of the design and comparing the parameters of these…

A Meta-Analysis of Single Subject Design Writing Intervention Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Leslie Ann; Graham, Steve

2008-01-01

There is considerable concern that students do not develop the writing skills needed for school, occupational, or personal success. A frequent explanation for this is that schools do not do a good job of teaching this complex skill. A recent meta-analysis of true- and quasi-experimental writing intervention research (S. Graham & D. Perin,…

A Meta-Analysis of Peer-Mediated Interventions for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jie; Wheeler, John J.

2011-01-01

This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of peer-mediated interventions for promoting social interactions among children from birth to eight years of age diagnosed with ASD. Forty-five single-subject design studies were analyzed and the effect sizes were calculated by the regression model developed by Allison and Gorman (1993). The overall…

Cognitive Task Analysis for Instruction in Single-Injection Ultrasound Guided-Regional Anesthesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gucev, Gligor V.

2012-01-01

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is methodology for eliciting knowledge from subject matter experts. CTA has been used to capture the cognitive processes, decision-making, and judgments that underlie expert behaviors. A review of the literature revealed that CTA has not yet been used to capture the knowledge required to perform ultrasound guided…

Functional Technology for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Meta-Analysis of Mobile Device-Based Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jemma; Kimm, Christina H.

2017-01-01

This study employs a meta-analysis of single-subject design research to investigate the efficacy of mobile device-based interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and to further examine possible variables that may moderate the intervention outcomes. A total of 23 studies, 78 participants, and 140 observed cases that met the…

The Effects of Describing Antecedent Stimuli and Performance Criteria in Task Analysis Instruction for Graphing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyner, Bryan C.; Fienup, Daniel M.

2016-01-01

Task analyses are ubiquitous to applied behavior analysis interventions, yet little is known about the factors that make them effective. Numerous task analyses have been published in behavior analytic journals for constructing single-subject design graphs; however, learner outcomes using these task analyses may fall short of what could be…

Injectable percutaneous polydimethicone in the treatment of pedal keratomas: a single blind randomized trial.

PubMed

Tollafield, D R; Holdcroft, D J; Singh, R; Haque, M S

2001-01-01

Thirty-one subjects who presented with plantar (metatarsal lesions only 21 out of 31 patients completed the study) completed a single blind injection of 350-centistroke polydimethicone or saline over a 6 to 9-month period. The injectable silicone conformed to European Economic Community standards and was accepted by the Medical Devices Agency (UK). The subjects were equally divided between male and female. Two randomly divided groups received silicone (n = 16) and sterile saline (n = 15). Total volumes used were not identical between the groups of subjects (p = .05), although the maximum volume was no greater than 1.5 ml in any subject. The effectiveness of the injection was reviewed using a Harris-Beath ink mat, visual analogue scale, alteration in frequency of treatment, and subjective analysis of reduction in lesions before and after by color photography. Essential histopathology was undertaken on 11 subjects. Granulomatous reactions were only positively identified in one case. Nine matched pairs showed no statistically significant difference between the two treatments (p = .082) using parametric and nonparametric tests. This study found no evidence to show that small quantities of medically prepared liquid silicone caused adverse reactions, although two cases were more sensitive after injection of silicone.

Performance and brain electrical activity during prolonged confinement.

PubMed

Lorenz, B; Lorenz, J; Manzey, D

1996-01-01

A subset of the AGARD-STRES battery including memory search, unstable tracking, and a combination of both tasks (dual-task), was applied repeatedly to the four chamber crew members before, during, and after the 60-day isolation period of EXEMSI. Five ground control group members served as a control group. A subjective state questionnaire was also included. The results were subjected to a quantitative single-subject analysis. Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded to permit correlation of changes in task performance with changes in the physiological state. Evaluation of the EEG focused on spectral parameters of spontaneous EEG waves. No physiological data were collected from the control group. Significant decrements in tracking ability were observed in the chamber crew. The time course of these effects followed a triphasic pattern with initial deterioration, intermediate recovery to pre-isolation baseline scores after the first half of the isolation period, and a second deterioration towards the end. None of the control group subjects displayed such an effect. Memory search (speed and accuracy) was only occasionally impaired during isolation, but the control group displayed a similar pattern of changes. It is suggested that a state of decreased alertness causes tracking deterioration, which leads to a reduced efficiency of sustained cue utilization. The assumption of low alertness was further substantiated by higher fatigue ratings by the chamber crew compared to those of the control group. Analysis of the continuous EEG recordings revealed that only two subjects produced reliable alpha wave activity (8-12 Hz) over Pz and, to a much smaller extent, Fz-theta wave activity (5-7 Hz) during task performance. In both subjects Pz-alpha power decreased consistently under task conditions involving single-task and dual-task tracking. Fz-theta activity was increased more by single-task and dual-task memory search than by single-task tracking. The alpha attenuation appears to be associated with an increasing demand on perceptual cue utilization required by the tracking performance. In one subject marked attenuation of alpha power occurred during the first half of the confinement period, where he also scored the highest fatigue ratings. A striking increase in fronto-central theta activity was observed in the same subject after six weeks of isolation. The change was associated with an efficient rather than a degraded task performance, and a high rating of the item "concentrated" and a low rating of the item "fatigued." This finding supports the hypothesis that the activation state associated with increased fronto-central theta activity accompanies efficient performance of demanding mental tasks. The usefulness of standardized laboratory tasks as monitoring instruments is demonstrated by the direct comparability with results of studies obtained from other relevant research applications using the same tasks. The feasibility of a self-administered integrated psychophysiological assessment of the individual state was illustrated by the nearly complete collection of data. The large number of individual data collected over the entire period permitted application of quantitative single-subject analysis, allowing reliable determination of changes in the individual state in the course of time. It thus appears that this assessment technique can be adapted for in-flight monitoring of astronauts during prolonged spaceflights. Parallel EEG recording can provide relevant supplementary information for diagnosing the individual activation state associated with task performance. The existence of large individual differences in the generation of task-sensitive EEG rhythms forms an important issue for further studies.

Growth and characterization of organic NLO material: Clobetasol propionate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purusothaman, R.; Rajesh, P.; Ramasamy, P.

2015-06-01

Single crystals of clobetasol propionate (CP) have been grown by slow evaporation solution technique using mixed solvent of methanol-acetone. The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to confirm their lattice parameter and space group. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the grown CP has been indexed. Thermal analysis was performed to study the thermal stability of the grown crystals. Photoluminescence spectrum shows broad emission peak observed at 421 nm. Nonlinear optical studies were carried out for the grown crystal and second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency was found in the crystal.

Pharmacokinetic study of single- and multiple-dosing with metolazone tablets in healthy Chinese population.

PubMed

Li, Xueqing; Wang, Rutao; Liu, Yang; Liu, Yun; Zheng, Heng; Feng, Yabo; Zhao, Na; Geng, Hongbin; Zhang, Wanzhi; Wen, Aidong

2017-11-16

Metolazone is a diuretic, saluretic and antihypertensive chemical compound from the quinazoline category that possesses medicinal features similar to those of other thiazide diuretic drugs. However, the pharmacokinetics of metolazone in the Chinese population has rarely been studied. This study aimed to examine the pharmacokinetic characteristics, safety characteristic, and tolerability of metolazone in healthy Chinese subjects after single and multiple doses taken orally as well as the effects that food and gender have on oral metolazone pharmacokinetic parameters. An open-label, randomized, and single- and multiple-dosing investigation was performed in healthy Chinese subjects. The investigation included 3 study groups: the 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg dose groups were the single-dose study groups in the first stage. Eligible volunteers were randomly and orally administered a single 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg metolazone tablet. The 0.5 mg dose group was also part of the multiple-dose study group, and the 1 mg dose group was the food-effect study group in the second stage. Human plasma samples were gathered pre-dosing and up to 48 h after dosing. The human plasma sample concentration of metolazone was quantified using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. Pharmacokinetic data were calculated by a noncompartmental analysis method using WinNonlin version 6.4. Tolerability was evaluated based on adverse events, medical examination, 12-lead ECG, and other clinical laboratory exams. Thirty eligible subjects (15 men and 15 women) were registered in our investigation and completed all of the study stages. The AUC and C max showed dose proportionality after a single dose based on the linear-regression analysis. A comparison of the pharmacokinetic data revealed that the differences between the male and female groups were not statistically significant. The t max of metolazone was increased by approximately 100% in the fed condition. Metolazone was well tolerated at the tested dose, and no adverse effects were observed. Single dosing with 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg metolazone yielded linear plasma pharmacokinetic properties in healthy Chinese subjects. Multiple oral doses of metolazone did not display significantly different distributions or elimination characteristics from those observed for a single dose. Gender factors did not appear to influence the pharmacokinetic parameter variation of metolazone. The t max of metolazone increased in the fed condition. Metolazone was well tolerated at the tested dose in this study. This investigation is retrospectively registered at chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR-IIR-17012929, October 09 2017).

Using squat repetition maximum testing to determine hamstring resistance training exercise loads.

PubMed

Ebben, William P; Long, Nicholas J; Pawlowski, Zach D; Chmielewski, Lauren M; Clewien, Rustin W; Jensen, Randall L

2010-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a linear relationship between the squat and a variety of hamstring resistance training exercises, and whether this relationship differs on the basis of sex. This study also sought to create prediction equations for the determination of hamstring exercise load based on the squat load. Repetition maximums of the squat, as well as 4 common hamstring resistance training exercises including the seated leg curl, stiff leg dead lift, single leg dead lift, and good morning exercise, were determined for each subject. Subjects included 21 men and 13 women collegiate athletes. Data were evaluated using linear regression analysis to predict hamstring exercise loads from 6 repetition maximum squat data. Results of the analysis of all subjects indicated that squat load was a significant predictor of loads for each of the hamstring exercises. However, separate analysis of women revealed that squat load was not a significant predictor of loads for any of the hamstring exercises. Analysis of the men revealed that squat was a significant predictor of load for the seated leg curl (R = 0.58, p < 0.001), stiff leg dead lift (R = 0.82, p < 0.001), single leg stiff leg dead lift (R = 0.80, p < 0.001), and good morning (R = 0.79, p < 0.001) exercises. On the basis of the analysis of the men, the following prediction equations were devised for each exercise: (1) seated leg curl load = squat load (0.186) + 10.935 kg, (2) stiff leg deadlift load = squat load (1.133) - 86.331 kg, (3) single leg stiff leg deadlift load = squat load (0.443) - 3.425 kg, and (4) good morning load = squat load (0.961) - 105.505 kg. Thus, results from testing core exercises such as the squat can provide useful data for the assignment of loads for assistance exercises.

77 FR 61157 - Final Fair Market Rents for the Housing Choice Voucher Program and Moderate Rehabilitation Single...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-05

... methodological explanations may be addressed to Marie L. Lihn or Peter B. Kahn, Economic and Market Analysis... not statistically significant. Rent reasonableness studies are not subject to the same constraints on...

Structural, mechanical, electrical and optical properties of a new lithium boro phthalate NLO crystal synthesized by a slow evaporation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanraj, K.; Balasubramanian, D.; Jhansi, N.

2017-11-01

A new non-linear optical (NLO) single crystal of lithium boro phthalate (LiBP) was grown by slow solvent evaporation technique. The powder sample was subjected to powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) to find its crystalline nature and the crystal structure of the grown crystal was determined using single crystal X-ray (SXRD) diffraction analysis. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum was recorded for grown crystal to identify the various functional groups present in the compound. The mechanical property of the LiBP single crystal was studied using Vickers microhardness tester. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss measurements were carried out for the grown crystal at various temperatures. The grown crystal was subjected to UV-Visible Spectral Studies to analyze the linear optical behavior of the grown crystal. The Kurtz-Perry Powder technique was employed to measure the Second Harmonic Generation efficiency of the grown crystal.

Clonal architecture of secondary acute myeloid leukemia defined by single-cell sequencing.

PubMed

Hughes, Andrew E O; Magrini, Vincent; Demeter, Ryan; Miller, Christopher A; Fulton, Robert; Fulton, Lucinda L; Eades, William C; Elliott, Kevin; Heath, Sharon; Westervelt, Peter; Ding, Li; Conrad, Donald F; White, Brian S; Shao, Jin; Link, Daniel C; DiPersio, John F; Mardis, Elaine R; Wilson, Richard K; Ley, Timothy J; Walter, Matthew J; Graubert, Timothy A

2014-07-01

Next-generation sequencing has been used to infer the clonality of heterogeneous tumor samples. These analyses yield specific predictions-the population frequency of individual clones, their genetic composition, and their evolutionary relationships-which we set out to test by sequencing individual cells from three subjects diagnosed with secondary acute myeloid leukemia, each of whom had been previously characterized by whole genome sequencing of unfractionated tumor samples. Single-cell mutation profiling strongly supported the clonal architecture implied by the analysis of bulk material. In addition, it resolved the clonal assignment of single nucleotide variants that had been initially ambiguous and identified areas of previously unappreciated complexity. Accordingly, we find that many of the key assumptions underlying the analysis of tumor clonality by deep sequencing of unfractionated material are valid. Furthermore, we illustrate a single-cell sequencing strategy for interrogating the clonal relationships among known variants that is cost-effective, scalable, and adaptable to the analysis of both hematopoietic and solid tumors, or any heterogeneous population of cells.

A single-dose of oral nattokinase potentiates thrombolysis and anti-coagulation profiles.

PubMed

Kurosawa, Yuko; Nirengi, Shinsuke; Homma, Toshiyuki; Esaki, Kazuki; Ohta, Mitsuhiro; Clark, Joseph F; Hamaoka, Takafumi

2015-06-25

Our aim was to determine the quantitative effects of a single-dose of Nattokinase (NK) administration on coagulation/fibrinolysis parameters comprehensively in healthy male subjects. A double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over NK intervention study was carried out in 12 healthy young males. Following the baseline blood draw, each subject was randomized to receive either a single-dose of 2,000 FU NK (NSK-SD, Japan Bio Science Laboratory Co., Ltd) or placebo with subsequent cross-over of the groups. Subjects donated blood samples at 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours following administration for analysis of coagulation/fibrinolysis parameters. As a result, D-dimer concentrations at 6, and 8 hours, and blood fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products at 4 hours after NK administration elevated significantly (p < 0.05, respectively). Factor VIII activity declined at 4 and 6 hours (p < 0.05, respectively), blood antithrombin concentration was higher at 2 and 4 hours (p < 0.05, respectively), and the activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged significantly at 2 and 4 hours following NK administration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). All the changes, however, were within the normal range. In conclusion, thus, a single-dose of NK administration appears enhancing fibrinolysis and anti-coagulation via several different pathways simultaneously.

Alzheimer Disease and Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia: Automatic Classification Based on Cortical Atrophy for Single-Subject Diagnosis.

PubMed

Möller, Christiane; Pijnenburg, Yolande A L; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Versteeg, Adriaan; Tijms, Betty; de Munck, Jan C; Hafkemeijer, Anne; Rombouts, Serge A R B; van der Grond, Jeroen; van Swieten, John; Dopper, Elise; Scheltens, Philip; Barkhof, Frederik; Vrenken, Hugo; Wink, Alle Meije

2016-06-01

Purpose To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of an image-based classifier to distinguish between Alzheimer disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) in individual patients by using gray matter (GM) density maps computed from standard T1-weighted structural images obtained with multiple imagers and with independent training and prediction data. Materials and Methods The local institutional review board approved the study. Eighty-four patients with AD, 51 patients with bvFTD, and 94 control subjects were divided into independent training (n = 115) and prediction (n = 114) sets with identical diagnosis and imager type distributions. Training of a support vector machine (SVM) classifier used diagnostic status and GM density maps and produced voxelwise discrimination maps. Discriminant function analysis was used to estimate suitability of the extracted weights for single-subject classification in the prediction set. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated for image-based classifiers and neuropsychological z scores. Results Training accuracy of the SVM was 85% for patients with AD versus control subjects, 72% for patients with bvFTD versus control subjects, and 79% for patients with AD versus patients with bvFTD (P ≤ .029). Single-subject diagnosis in the prediction set when using the discrimination maps yielded accuracies of 88% for patients with AD versus control subjects, 85% for patients with bvFTD versus control subjects, and 82% for patients with AD versus patients with bvFTD, with a good to excellent AUC (range, 0.81-0.95; P ≤ .001). Machine learning-based categorization of AD versus bvFTD based on GM density maps outperforms classification based on neuropsychological test results. Conclusion The SVM can be used in single-subject discrimination and can help the clinician arrive at a diagnosis. The SVM can be used to distinguish disease-specific GM patterns in patients with AD and those with bvFTD as compared with normal aging by using common T1-weighted structural MR imaging. (©) RSNA, 2015.

Influence of specific muscle training on pain, activity limitation and kinesiophobia in women with back pain post-partum--a 'single-subject research design'.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Johanna; Nilsson-Wikmar, Lena

2008-03-01

Many women suffer from back pain and experience activity limitation post-partum. To our knowledge the physiological factors and physiotherapy related to back pain post-partum have received limited evaluation and the effectiveness of specific physiotherapeutic approaches to exercise should be tested. In addition, there has been limited research on kinesiophobia in women with back pain post-partum. The purpose of the current study was to test the influence of specific trunk muscle training on pain, activity limitation and kinesiophobia in 10 subjects with back pain post-partum. The treatment consisted of specific deep muscle training of the transversus abdominus and multifidus muscles. Pain was rated based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and pain drawings. Activity limitation was recorded using the Disability Rating Index. Kinesiophobia was evaluated using the Swedish version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia. An A-B-A single-subject research design was used and a number of measurements were obtained during each phase. The analysis consisted of a visual inspection and a two standard deviation band test (2-SD). The visual analysis showed a trend towards reduced pain and activity limitation for all 10 subjects. The 2-SD test showed mixed results among all subjects. In addition, all subjects reported kinesiophobia before and after treatment. Individual specific deep muscle training of the transversus abdominus and multifidus muscles reduced pain and activity limitation in women with back pain post-partum. Further research is needed to determine more precisely how kinesiophobia affects women with back pain post-partum.

The application of statistical parametric mapping to 123I-FP-CIT SPECT in dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Colloby, Sean J; O'Brien, John T; Fenwick, John D; Firbank, Michael J; Burn, David J; McKeith, Ian G; Williams, E David

2004-11-01

Dopaminergic loss can be visualised using (123)I-FP-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in several disorders including Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Most previous SPECT studies have adopted region of interest (ROI) methods for analysis, which are subjective and operator-dependent. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in striatal binding of (123)I-FP-CIT SPECT using the automated technique of statistical parametric mapping (SPM99) in subjects with DLB, Alzheimer's disease (AD), PD and healthy age-matched controls. This involved spatial normalisation of each subject's image to a customised template, followed by smoothing and intensity normalisation of each image to its corresponding mean occipital count per voxel. Group differences were assessed using a two-sample t test. Applying a height threshold of P

Single subject design: Use of time series analyses in a small cohort to understand adherence with a prescribed fluid restriction.

PubMed

Reilly, Carolyn Miller; Higgins, Melinda; Smith, Andrew; Culler, Steven D; Dunbar, Sandra B

2015-11-01

This paper presents a secondary in-depth analysis of five persons with heart failure randomized to receive an education and behavioral intervention on fluid restriction as part of a larger study. Using a single subject analysis design, time series analyses models were constructed for each of the five patients for a period of 180 days to determine correlations between daily measures of patient reported fluid intake, thoracic impedance, and weights, and relationships between patient reported outcomes of symptom burden and health related quality of life over time. Negative relationships were observed between fluid intake and thoracic impedance, and between impedance and weight, while positive correlations were observed between daily fluid intake and weight. By constructing time series analyses of daily measures of fluid congestion, trends and patterns of fluid congestion emerged which could be used to guide individualized patient care or future research endeavors. Employment of such a specialized analysis technique allows for the elucidation of clinically relevant findings potentially disguised when only evaluating aggregate outcomes of larger studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiplexed resequencing analysis to identify rare variants in pooled DNA with barcode indexing using next-generation sequencer.

PubMed

Mitsui, Jun; Fukuda, Yoko; Azuma, Kyo; Tozaki, Hirokazu; Ishiura, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Yuji; Goto, Jun; Tsuji, Shoji

2010-07-01

We have recently found that multiple rare variants of the glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) confer a robust risk for Parkinson disease, supporting the 'common disease-multiple rare variants' hypothesis. To develop an efficient method of identifying rare variants in a large number of samples, we applied multiplexed resequencing using a next-generation sequencer to identification of rare variants of GBA. Sixteen sets of pooled DNAs from six pooled DNA samples were prepared. Each set of pooled DNAs was subjected to polymerase chain reaction to amplify the target gene (GBA) covering 6.5 kb, pooled into one tube with barcode indexing, and then subjected to extensive sequence analysis using the SOLiD System. Individual samples were also subjected to direct nucleotide sequence analysis. With the optimization of data processing, we were able to extract all the variants from 96 samples with acceptable rates of false-positive single-nucleotide variants.

An Overview of Longitudinal Data Analysis Methods for Neurological Research

PubMed Central

Locascio, Joseph J.; Atri, Alireza

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a concise, broad and readily accessible overview of longitudinal data analysis methods, aimed to be a practical guide for clinical investigators in neurology. In general, we advise that older, traditional methods, including (1) simple regression of the dependent variable on a time measure, (2) analyzing a single summary subject level number that indexes changes for each subject and (3) a general linear model approach with a fixed-subject effect, should be reserved for quick, simple or preliminary analyses. We advocate the general use of mixed-random and fixed-effect regression models for analyses of most longitudinal clinical studies. Under restrictive situations or to provide validation, we recommend: (1) repeated-measure analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), (2) ANCOVA for two time points, (3) generalized estimating equations and (4) latent growth curve/structural equation models. PMID:22203825

Unpredictability of fighter pilots' g duration tolerance by anthropometric and physiological characteristics.

PubMed

Park, Myunghwan; Yoo, Seunghoon; Seol, Hyeongju; Kim, Cheonyoung; Hong, Youngseok

2015-04-01

While the factors affecting fighter pilots' G level tolerance have been widely accepted, the factors affecting fighter pilots' G duration tolerance have not been well understood. Thirty-eight subjects wearing anti-G suits were exposed to sustained high G forces using a centrifuge. The subjects exerted AGSM and decelerated the centrifuge when they reached the point of loss of peripheral vision. The G profile consisted of a +2.3 G onset rate, +7.3 G single plateau, and -1.6 G offset rate. Each subject's G tolerance time was recorded and the relationship between the tolerance time and the subject's anthropometric and physiological factors were analyzed. The mean tolerance time of the 38 subjects was 31.6 s, and the min and max tolerance times were 20 s and 58 s, respectively. The correlation analysis indicated that none of the factors had statistically significant correlations with the subjects' G duration tolerance. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that G duration tolerance was not dependent on any personal factors of the subjects. After the values of personal factors were simplified into 0 or 1, the t-test analysis showed that subjects' heights were inversely correlated with G duration tolerance at a statistically significant level. However, a logistic regression analysis suggested that the effect of the height factor to a pilot's G duration tolerance was too weak to be used as a predictor of a pilot's G tolerance. Fighter pilots' G duration tolerance could not be predicted by pilots' anthropometric and physiological factors.

Dietary pattern analysis: a comparison between matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Dietary pattern analysis, based on the concept that foods eaten together are as important as a reductive methodology characterized by a single food or nutrient analysis, has emerged as an alternative approach to study the relation between nutrition and disease. The aim of the present study was to compare nutritional intake and the results of dietary pattern analysis in properly matched vegetarian and omnivorous subjects. Methods Vegetarians (n = 69) were recruited via purposeful sampling and matched non-vegetarians (n = 69) with same age, gender, health and lifestyle characteristics were searched for via convenience sampling. Two dietary pattern analysis methods, the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) were calculated and analysed in function of the nutrient intake. Results Mean total energy intake was comparable between vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (p > 0.05). Macronutrient analysis revealed significant differences between the mean values for vegetarians and omnivorous subjects (absolute and relative protein and total fat intake were significantly lower in vegetarians, while carbohydrate and fibre intakes were significantly higher in vegetarians than in omnivorous subjects). The HEI and MDS were significantly higher for the vegetarians (HEI = 53.8.1 ± 11.2; MDS = 4.3 ± 1.3) compared to the omnivorous subjects (HEI = 46.4 ± 15.3; MDS = 3.8 ± 1.4). Conclusions Our results indicate a more nutrient dense pattern, closer to the current dietary recommendations for the vegetarians compared to the omnivorous subjects. Both indexing systems were able to discriminate between the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians with higher scores for the vegetarian subjects. PMID:23758767

Analysis of Formant Frequencies in Patients with Oral or Oropharyngeal Cancers Treated by Glossectomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazi, Rehan; Prasad, Vyas M. N.; Kanagalingam, Jeeve; Georgalas, Christos; Venkitaraman, Ramachandran; Nutting, Christopher M.; Clarke, Peter; Rhys-Evans, Peter; Harrington, Kevin J.

2007-01-01

Aims: To compare voice quality as defined by formant analysis using a sustained vowel in patients who have undergone a partial glossectomy with a group of normal subjects. Methods & Procedures: The design consisted of a single centre, cross-sectional cohort study. The setting was an Adult Tertiary Referral Unit. A total of 26 patients (19…

Impedance analysis of acupuncture points and pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teplan, Michal; Kukučka, Marek; Ondrejkovičová, Alena

2011-12-01

Investigation of impedance characteristics of acupuncture points from acoustic to radio frequency range is addressed. Discernment and localization of acupuncture points in initial single subject study was unsuccessfully attempted by impedance map technique. Vector impedance analyses determined possible resonant zones in MHz region.

Single Dose Versus 3 Doses of Intramuscular Benzathine Penicillin for Early Syphilis in HIV: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Andrade, Roberto; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Yasukawa, Kosuke; Villarreal, Erick; Ross, Michael; Serpa, Jose A

2017-03-15

Patients coinfected with syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have a slower decrease in rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titers. Currently a single dose of 2.4 million units of intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (BPG) is recommended for the treatment of early syphilis. Some observational studies have suggested that this regimen may lead to high failure rates in coinfected patients. We conducted an open-label randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of single-dose and 3-dose regimens of BPG for the treatment of early syphilis in HIV-infected individuals. RPR titers were monitored every 3 months. Treatment success was defined as a decrease in RPR titers of ≥2 dilutions (4-fold) during a 12-month follow-up period. Sixty-four patients were included. In the intention-to-treat analysis, treatment success rates were 80% (28 of 35 subjects) and 93% (27 of 29 subjects) in the single-dose and 3-dose regimens, respectively (absolute difference, 13% [95% confidence interval {CI}, -5% to 30%; P = .17). In the per-protocol analysis, success rates were 93% (27 of 29) and 100% in the single-dose and 3-dose regimens, respectively (absolute difference, 7% [95% CI, -7% to 22%]; P = .49). CD4 T-cell count, RPR titer and syphilis stage did not affect treatment results. When compared with a single dose of BPG, a 3-dose regimen did not improve syphilis serological outcomes. Our results support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation of a single dose of BPG in HIV-infected patients with early syphilis. NCT02611765. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Two Formulations of Venlafaxine are Bioequivalent when Administered as Open Capsule Mixed with Applesauce to Healthy Subjects.

PubMed

Jain, Renu T; Panda, J; Srivastava, A

2011-09-01

Venlafaxine is a unique antidepressant approved for treatment of various depressive disorders. A single dose, cross-over bioequivalence study was performed with two different formulations of venlafaxine 150 mg extended-release capsules in which the contents of capsule were mixed with applesauce and administered to healthy subjects under fed condition. A total of 24 healthy adult male subjects participated in this randomized, single-dose, non-blinded, two-way crossover study conducted at a single centre and 23 subjects completed the study as per the study protocol. After an overnight fast of 10 h, a high-fat and high-calorie breakfast was served 30 min before dosing. The subjects then received a single dose of either formulation administered with apple sauce followed by 240 ml of water as per randomized schedule in each period separated by a washout period of 7 days. A series of blood samples were collected upto 72 h for estimation of venlafaxine and its active metabolite, O-desmethylvenlafaxine. The quantification of venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine was done by LC-MS/MS method and pharmacokinetic and statistical analysis by WinNonlin(®) 5.2 and SAS(®) 9.1.3. The results of the study demonstrated bioequivalence of two formulations as the 90% confidence interval for the intra-individual mean ratio of log-transformed C(max), AUC(0-t) and AUC(0-inf) of the test to the reference formulation were found within the defined bioequivalence range of 80.00%-125.00%. Both the formulations were well tolerated. This alternative mode of administration may provide benefits to patients who have difficulty in swallowing the capsule as a whole.

Two Formulations of Venlafaxine are Bioequivalent when Administered as Open Capsule Mixed with Applesauce to Healthy Subjects

PubMed Central

Jain, Renu T.; Panda, J.; Srivastava, A.

2011-01-01

Venlafaxine is a unique antidepressant approved for treatment of various depressive disorders. A single dose, cross-over bioequivalence study was performed with two different formulations of venlafaxine 150 mg extended-release capsules in which the contents of capsule were mixed with applesauce and administered to healthy subjects under fed condition. A total of 24 healthy adult male subjects participated in this randomized, single-dose, non-blinded, two-way crossover study conducted at a single centre and 23 subjects completed the study as per the study protocol. After an overnight fast of 10 h, a high-fat and high-calorie breakfast was served 30 min before dosing. The subjects then received a single dose of either formulation administered with apple sauce followed by 240 ml of water as per randomized schedule in each period separated by a washout period of 7 days. A series of blood samples were collected upto 72 h for estimation of venlafaxine and its active metabolite, O-desmethylvenlafaxine. The quantification of venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine was done by LC-MS/MS method and pharmacokinetic and statistical analysis by WinNonlin® 5.2 and SAS® 9.1.3. The results of the study demonstrated bioequivalence of two formulations as the 90% confidence interval for the intra-individual mean ratio of log-transformed Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf of the test to the reference formulation were found within the defined bioequivalence range of 80.00%-125.00%. Both the formulations were well tolerated. This alternative mode of administration may provide benefits to patients who have difficulty in swallowing the capsule as a whole. PMID:22923863

Dynamic Analysis of Heavy Vehicle Medium Duty Drive Shaft Using Conventional and Composite Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ashwani; Jain, Rajat; Patil, Pravin P.

2016-09-01

The main highlight of this study is structural and modal analysis of single piece drive shaft for selection of material. Drive shaft is used for torque carrying from vehicle transmission to rear wheel differential system. Heavy vehicle medium duty transmission drive shaft was selected as research object. Conventional materials (Steel SM45 C, Stainless Steel) and composite materials (HS carbon epoxy, E Glass Polyester Resin Composite) were selected for the analysis. Single piece composite material drive shaft has advantage over conventional two-piece steel drive shaft. It has higher specific strength, longer life, less weight, high critical speed and higher torque carrying capacity. The main criteria for drive shaft failure are strength and weight. Maximum modal frequency obtained is 919 Hz. Various harmful vibration modes (lateral vibration and torsional vibration) were identified and maximum deflection region was specified. For single-piece drive shaft the natural bending frequency should be higher because it is subjected to torsion and shear stress. Single piece drive shaft was modelled using Solid Edge and Pro-E. Finite Element Analysis was used for structural and modal analysis with actual running boundary condition like frictional support, torque and moment. FEA simulation results were validated with experimental literature results.

Dynamic changes of RNA-sequencing expression for precision medicine: N-of-1-pathways Mahalanobis distance within pathways of single subjects predicts breast cancer survival

PubMed Central

Piegorsch, Walter W.; Lussier, Yves A.

2015-01-01

Motivation: The conventional approach to personalized medicine relies on molecular data analytics across multiple patients. The path to precision medicine lies with molecular data analytics that can discover interpretable single-subject signals (N-of-1). We developed a global framework, N-of-1-pathways, for a mechanistic-anchored approach to single-subject gene expression data analysis. We previously employed a metric that could prioritize the statistical significance of a deregulated pathway in single subjects, however, it lacked in quantitative interpretability (e.g. the equivalent to a gene expression fold-change). Results: In this study, we extend our previous approach with the application of statistical Mahalanobis distance (MD) to quantify personal pathway-level deregulation. We demonstrate that this approach, N-of-1-pathways Paired Samples MD (N-OF-1-PATHWAYS-MD), detects deregulated pathways (empirical simulations), while not inflating false-positive rate using a study with biological replicates. Finally, we establish that N-OF-1-PATHWAYS-MD scores are, biologically significant, clinically relevant and are predictive of breast cancer survival (P < 0.05, n = 80 invasive carcinoma; TCGA RNA-sequences). Conclusion: N-of-1-pathways MD provides a practical approach towards precision medicine. The method generates the magnitude and the biological significance of personal deregulated pathways results derived solely from the patient’s transcriptome. These pathways offer the opportunities for deriving clinically actionable decisions that have the potential to complement the clinical interpretability of personal polymorphisms obtained from DNA acquired or inherited polymorphisms and mutations. In addition, it offers an opportunity for applicability to diseases in which DNA changes may not be relevant, and thus expand the ‘interpretable ‘omics’ of single subjects (e.g. personalome). Availability and implementation: http://www.lussierlab.net/publications/N-of-1-pathways. Contact: yves@email.arizona.edu or piegorsch@math.arizona.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:26072495

Free-breathing Sparse Sampling Cine MR Imaging with Iterative Reconstruction for the Assessment of Left Ventricular Function and Mass at 3.0 T.

PubMed

Sudarski, Sonja; Henzler, Thomas; Haubenreisser, Holger; Dösch, Christina; Zenge, Michael O; Schmidt, Michaela; Nadar, Mariappan S; Borggrefe, Martin; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Papavassiliu, Theano

2017-01-01

Purpose To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of left ventricle (LV) analysis with a two-dimensional real-time cine true fast imaging with steady-state precession (trueFISP) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequence featuring sparse data sampling with iterative reconstruction (SSIR) performed with and without breath-hold (BH) commands at 3.0 T. Materials and Methods Ten control subjects (mean age, 35 years; range, 25-56 years) and 60 patients scheduled to undergo a routine cardiac examination that included LV analysis (mean age, 58 years; range, 20-86 years) underwent a fully sampled segmented multiple BH cine sequence (standard of reference) and a prototype undersampled SSIR sequence performed during a single BH and during free breathing (non-BH imaging). Quantitative analysis of LV function and mass was performed. Linear regression, Bland-Altman analysis, and paired t testing were performed. Results Similar to the results in control subjects, analysis of the 60 patients showed excellent correlation with the standard of reference for single-BH SSIR (r = 0.93-0.99) and non-BH SSIR (r = 0.92-0.98) for LV ejection fraction (EF), volume, and mass (P < .0001 for all). Irrespective of breath holding, LV end-diastolic mass was overestimated with SSIR (standard of reference: 163.9 g ± 58.9, single-BH SSIR: 178.5 g ± 62.0 [P < .0001], non-BH SSIR: 175.3 g ± 63.7 [P < .0001]); the other parameters were not significantly different (EF: 49.3% ± 11.9 with standard of reference, 48.8% ± 11.8 with single-BH SSIR, 48.8% ± 11 with non-BH SSIR; P = .03 and P = .12, respectively). Bland-Altman analysis showed similar measurement errors for single-BH SSIR and non-BH SSIR when compared with standard of reference measurements for EF, volume, and mass. Conclusion Assessment of LV function with SSIR at 3.0 T is noninferior to the standard of reference irrespective of BH commands. LV mass, however, is overestimated with SSIR. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Simultaneous analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haftka, R. T.

1984-01-01

Optimization techniques are increasingly being used for performing nonlinear structural analysis. The development of element by element (EBE) preconditioned conjugate gradient (CG) techniques is expected to extend this trend to linear analysis. Under these circumstances the structural design problem can be viewed as a nested optimization problem. There are computational benefits to treating this nested problem as a large single optimization problem. The response variables (such as displacements) and the structural parameters are all treated as design variables in a unified formulation which performs simultaneously the design and analysis. Two examples are used for demonstration. A seventy-two bar truss is optimized subject to linear stress constraints and a wing box structure is optimized subject to nonlinear collapse constraints. Both examples show substantial computational savings with the unified approach as compared to the traditional nested approach.

Analysis of the Physiological and Molecular Responses of Dunaliella salina to Macronutrient Deprivation

PubMed Central

Lv, Hexin; Cui, Xianggan; Wahid, Fazli; Xia, Feng; Zhong, Cheng; Jia, Shiru

2016-01-01

The halotolerant chlorophyte Dunaliella salina can accumulate up to 10% of its dry weight as β-carotene in chloroplasts when subjected to adverse conditions, including nutrient deprivation. However, the mechanisms of carotenoid biosynthesis are poorly understood. Here, the physiological and molecular responses to the deprivation of nitrogen (-N), sulfur (-S), phosphorus (-P) and different combinations of those nutrients (-N-P, -N-S, -P-S and -N-P-S) were compared to gain insights into the underlying regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid biosynthesis. The results showed that both the growth and photosynthetic rates of cells were decreased during nutrient deprivation, accompanied by lipid globule accumulation and reduced chlorophyll levels. The SOD and CAT activities of the cells were altered during nutrient deprivation, but their responses were different. The total carotenoid contents of cells subjected to multiple nutrient deprivation were higher than those of cells subjected to single nutrient deprivation and non-stressed cells. The β-carotene contents of cells subjected to -N-P, -N-S and -N-P-S were higher than those of cells subjected to single nutrient deprivation. Cells subjected to sulfur deprivation accumulated more lutein than cells subjected to nitrogen and phosphorous deprivation. In contrast, no cumulative effects of nutrient deprivation on the transcription of genes in the carotenogenic pathway were observed because MEP and carotenogenic pathway genes were up-regulated during single nutrient deprivation but were downregulated during multiple nutrient deprivation. Therefore, we proposed that the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway of D. salina is regulated at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and that a complex crosstalk occurs at the physiological and molecular levels in response to the deprivation of different nutrients. PMID:27023397

Complex antioxidants in a randomized single-blinded study of memory in seniors.

PubMed

Summers, William K; Martin, Roy L; Liu, Yimeng; Peña, Bernice; Marsh, Gary M

2018-04-01

Oxidative injury to the brain and aging are theoretical co-causes of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Amyloid plaques and tangles are then secondary phenomenon. The preclinical state would then be 'normal' elderly. A potent complex antioxidant (antiOx) was tested against a popular one-a-day multivitamin (mV) in a randomized single blind design in 'normal' senior subjects over 6 months. Memory testing was done at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to compare the change score of NLT 100 and 20 WR between two groups over time. Analysis of the antiOx group (30 subjects) demonstrated significant improvement in declarative memory (change score for NLT 100 at month 6 = 6.36 p < 0.0001) and working memory (change score for 20 WR at month 6 = 3.23, p < 0.0001). A change-score analysis over 6 months suggests possible neurogenesis in the antiOx group. The mV group (33 subjects) had a change score of the NLT 100 and 20WR on the sixth month of 2.20 and 0.32 (p = 0.07, 0.35). A complex antioxidant blend, sold as an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement, can improve memory in elder subjects. Antioxidants may be beneficial in AD and other neurodegerative diseases.

Space tug economic analysis study. Volume 3: Cost estimates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Cost estimates for the space tug operation are presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) research and development costs, (2) investment costs, (3) operations costs, and (4) funding requirements. The emphasis is placed on the single stage tug configuration using various types of liquid propellants.

Effects of listening to pleasant music on chronic unilateral neglect: a single-subject study.

PubMed

Tsai, Pei-Luen; Chen, Mei-Ching; Huang, Yu-Ting; Lin, Keh-Chung

2013-01-01

Recent studies suggest that the positive emotion induced by pleasant music may improve cognitive functions. We used the single-subject design to study whether listening to preferred music may reduce unilateral neglect in two participants with post-stroke neglect. These participants were instructed to listen to their preferred music every day for 5 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of follow-up assessment. Outcome measures involved the Star Cancellation Test, the Line Bisection Test, and the visual exploration task. A combination of visual analysis and the two-standard-deviation band method was used for data analysis. Both participants showed significant intervention-related improvements on all outcome measures except the Line Bisection Test, on which one participant showed no improvement. The therapeutic effects were maintained during the follow-up phase. The findings suggest that positive emotion, evoked by preferred music, may be used to ameliorate unilateral neglect. Further research using controlled trials is warranted to validate the findings.

A large-scale perspective on stress-induced alterations in resting-state networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maron-Katz, Adi; Vaisvaser, Sharon; Lin, Tamar; Hendler, Talma; Shamir, Ron

2016-02-01

Stress is known to induce large-scale neural modulations. However, its neural effect once the stressor is removed and how it relates to subjective experience are not fully understood. Here we used a statistically sound data-driven approach to investigate alterations in large-scale resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) induced by acute social stress. We compared rsfMRI profiles of 57 healthy male subjects before and after stress induction. Using a parcellation-based univariate statistical analysis, we identified a large-scale rsFC change, involving 490 parcel-pairs. Aiming to characterize this change, we employed statistical enrichment analysis, identifying anatomic structures that were significantly interconnected by these pairs. This analysis revealed strengthening of thalamo-cortical connectivity and weakening of cross-hemispheral parieto-temporal connectivity. These alterations were further found to be associated with change in subjective stress reports. Integrating report-based information on stress sustainment 20 minutes post induction, revealed a single significant rsFC change between the right amygdala and the precuneus, which inversely correlated with the level of subjective recovery. Our study demonstrates the value of enrichment analysis for exploring large-scale network reorganization patterns, and provides new insight on stress-induced neural modulations and their relation to subjective experience.

Combination of Scoring Criteria and Whole Exome Sequencing Analysis of Synchronous Endometrial and Ovarian Carcinomas.

PubMed

Yang, Lingyi; Zhang, Lin; Huang, Qiujuan; Liu, Changxu; Qi, Lisha; Li, Lingmei; Qu, Tongyuan; Wang, Yalei; Liu, Suxiang; Meng, Bin; Sun, Baocun; Cao, Wenfeng

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to distinguish synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas from single primary tumor with metastasis by clinical pathologic criteria and whole exome sequencing (WES). Fifty-two patients with synchronous endometrial and ovarian carcinomas (SEOCs) between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed and subjected to WES. On the basis of the Scully criteria, 11 cases were supposed as synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas, 38 cases as single primary tumor with metastasis, and the remaining 3 cases (S50-S52) cannot be defined. Through a quantization scoring analysis, 9 cases that were scored 0-1 point were defined as synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas, and 42 cases that were scored 3-8 points were defined as single primary tumor with metastasis. Two of the undefined cases were classified into metastatic disease, and another one that scored 2 points (S52) was subjected to WES. S52 was deemed synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas, with few shared somatic mutations and overlapping copy number varieties. The finding of a serous component examined from the uterine endometrium samples further illustrated that the case was synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas. By scoring criterion, SEOCs were divided into 2 groups: synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinoma group and single primary tumor with metastasis group. The analysis of clonality indicated that the case that scored 2 (S52) can be considered as synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian carcinomas. Scoring criteria of clinical pathology, along with the study of the WES, may further identify the classification of SEOCs.

A food effect study and dose proportionality study to assess the pharmacokinetics and safety of bardoxolone methyl in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Teuscher, Nathan S; Kelley, Richard J; Dumas, Emily O; Klein, Cheri Enders; Awni, Walid M; Meyer, Colin J

2014-07-01

This study investigated the effect of food on the plasma pharmacokinetics of bardoxolone methyl, an antioxidant inflammation modulator, at a 20 mg dose, and the dose proportionality of bardoxolone methyl pharmacokinetics from 20 to 80 mg. It was a single-dose study conducted at a single center in 32 healthy volunteers aged 18-45 years using an amorphous spray-dried dispersion formulation of bardoxolone methyl. In Part A, 16 subjects received single 20 mg doses of bardoxolone methyl under fasting and non-fasting conditions. In Part B, 16 subjects received a single 60 or 80 mg dose of bardoxolone methyl and a matching placebo dose under fasting conditions. Blood samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were taken over 120 hours following dose administration. Single dose administration of 20, 60, and 80 mg bardoxolone methyl was safe and well-tolerated in healthy volunteers. Total bardoxolone methyl exposure was unchanged in the presence of food. However, doses of bardoxolone methyl above 20 mg appear to have a saturated dissolution or absorption process and are associated with less than proportional increases in drug exposure. © 2013, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Gene-based meta-analysis of genome-wide association study data identifies independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ANXA6 as being associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Asian populations.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Lu; Zhang, Yan; Yang, Jing; Guo, Mengbiao; Sun, Liangdan; Pan, Hai-Feng; Hirankarn, Nattiya; Ying, Dingge; Zeng, Shuai; Lee, Tsz Leung; Lau, Chak Sing; Chan, Tak Mao; Leung, Alexander Moon Ho; Mok, Chi Chiu; Wong, Sik Nin; Lee, Ka Wing; Ho, Marco Hok Kung; Lee, Pamela Pui Wah; Chung, Brian Hon-Yin; Chong, Chun Yin; Wong, Raymond Woon Sing; Mok, Mo Yin; Wong, Wilfred Hing Sang; Tong, Kwok Lung; Tse, Niko Kei Chiu; Li, Xiang-Pei; Avihingsanon, Yingyos; Rianthavorn, Pornpimol; Deekajorndej, Thavatchai; Suphapeetiporn, Kanya; Shotelersuk, Vorasuk; Ying, Shirley King Yee; Fung, Samuel Ka Shun; Lai, Wai Ming; Garcia-Barceló, Maria-Mercè; Cherny, Stacey S; Sham, Pak Chung; Cui, Yong; Yang, Sen; Ye, Dong Qing; Zhang, Xue-Jun; Lau, Yu Lung; Yang, Wanling

2015-11-01

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which were mainly based on single-variant analysis, have identified many systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility loci. However, the genetic architecture of this complex disease is far from being understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether using a gene-based analysis may help to identify novel loci, by considering global evidence of association from a gene or a genomic region rather than focusing on evidence for individual variants. Based on the results of a meta-analysis of 2 GWAS of SLE conducted in 2 Asian cohorts, we performed an in-depth gene-based analysis followed by replication in a total of 4,626 patients and 7,466 control subjects of Asian ancestry. Differential allelic expression was measured by pyrosequencing. More than one-half of the reported SLE susceptibility loci showed evidence of independent effects, and this finding is important for understanding the mechanisms of association and explaining disease heritability. ANXA6 was detected as a novel SLE susceptibility gene, with several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) contributing independently to the association with disease. The risk allele of rs11960458 correlated significantly with increased expression of ANXA6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from heterozygous healthy control subjects. Several other associated SNPs may also regulate ANXA6 expression, according to data obtained from public databases. Higher expression of ANXA6 in patients with SLE was also reported previously. Our study demonstrated the merit of using gene-based analysis to identify novel susceptibility loci, especially those with independent effects, and also demonstrated the widespread presence of loci with independent effects in SLE susceptibility genes. © 2015, American College of Rheumatology.

A standardized mean difference effect size for multiple baseline designs across individuals.

PubMed

Hedges, Larry V; Pustejovsky, James E; Shadish, William R

2013-12-01

Single-case designs are a class of research methods for evaluating treatment effects by measuring outcomes repeatedly over time while systematically introducing different condition (e.g., treatment and control) to the same individual. The designs are used across fields such as behavior analysis, clinical psychology, special education, and medicine. Emerging standards for single-case designs have focused attention on methods for summarizing and meta-analyzing findings and on the need for effect sizes indices that are comparable to those used in between-subjects designs. In the previous work, we discussed how to define and estimate an effect size that is directly comparable to the standardized mean difference often used in between-subjects research based on the data from a particular type of single-case design, the treatment reversal or (AB)(k) design. This paper extends the effect size measure to another type of single-case study, the multiple baseline design. We propose estimation methods for the effect size and its variance, study the estimators using simulation, and demonstrate the approach in two applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Single-row, double-row, and transosseous equivalent techniques for isolated supraspinatus tendon tears with minimal atrophy: A retrospective comparative outcome and radiographic analysis at minimum 2-year followup

PubMed Central

McCormick, Frank; Gupta, Anil; Bruce, Ben; Harris, Josh; Abrams, Geoff; Wilson, Hillary; Hussey, Kristen; Cole, Brian J.

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the subjective, objective, and radiographic healing outcomes of single-row (SR), double-row (DR), and transosseous equivalent (TOE) suture techniques for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Materials and Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs by one surgeon from 2004 to 2010 at minimum 2-year followup was performed. Cohorts were matched for age, sex, and tear size. Subjective outcome variables included ASES, Constant, SST, UCLA, and SF-12 scores. Objective outcome variables included strength, active range of motion (ROM). Radiographic healing was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Mann — Whitney and Kruskal — Wallis tests with significance, and the Fisher exact probability test <0.05. Results: Sixty-three patients completed the study requirements (20 SR, 21 DR, 22 TOE). There was a clinically and statistically significant improvement in outcomes with all repair techniques (ASES mean improvement P = <0.0001). The mean final ASES scores were: SR 83; (SD 21.4); DR 87 (SD 18.2); TOE 87 (SD 13.2); (P = 0.73). There was a statistically significant improvement in strength for each repair technique (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between techniques across all secondary outcome assessments: ASES improvement, Constant, SST, UCLA, SF-12, ROM, Strength, and MRI re-tear rates. There was a decrease in re-tear rates from single row (22%) to double-row (18%) to transosseous equivalent (11%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.6). Conclusions: Compared to preoperatively, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, using SR, DR, or TOE techniques, yielded a clinically and statistically significant improvement in subjective and objective outcomes at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic level 3. PMID:24926159

Radiosteriometric analysis of movement in the sacroiliac joint during a single-leg stance in patients with long-lasting pelvic girdle pain.

PubMed

Kibsgård, Thomas J; Røise, Olav; Sturesson, Bengt; Röhrl, Stephan M; Stuge, Britt

2014-04-01

Chamberlain's projections (anterior-posterior X-ray of the pubic symphysis) have been used to diagnose sacroiliac joint mobility during the single-leg stance test. This study examined the movement in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance test with precise radiostereometric analysis. Under general anesthesia, tantalum markers were inserted into the dorsal sacrum and the ilium of 11 patients with long-lasting and severe pelvic girdle pain. After two to three weeks, a radiostereometric analysis was conducted while the subjects performed a single-leg stance. Small movements were detected in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance. In both the standing- and hanging-leg sacroiliac join, a total of 0.5 degree rotation was observed; however, no translations were detected. There were no differences in total movement between the standing- and hanging-leg sacroiliac joint. The movement in the sacroiliac joint during the single-leg stance is small and almost undetectable by the precise radiostereometric analysis. A complex movement pattern was seen during the test, with a combination of movements in the two joints. The interpretation of the results of this study is that, the Chamberlain examination likely is inadequate in the examination of sacroiliac joint movement in patients with pelvic girdle pain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A single-dose of oral nattokinase potentiates thrombolysis and anti-coagulation profiles

PubMed Central

Kurosawa, Yuko; Nirengi, Shinsuke; Homma, Toshiyuki; Esaki, Kazuki; Ohta, Mitsuhiro; Clark, Joseph F.; Hamaoka, Takafumi

2015-01-01

Our aim was to determine the quantitative effects of a single-dose of Nattokinase (NK) administration on coagulation/fibrinolysis parameters comprehensively in healthy male subjects. A double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over NK intervention study was carried out in 12 healthy young males. Following the baseline blood draw, each subject was randomized to receive either a single-dose of 2,000 FU NK (NSK-SD, Japan Bio Science Laboratory Co., Ltd) or placebo with subsequent cross-over of the groups. Subjects donated blood samples at 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours following administration for analysis of coagulation/fibrinolysis parameters. As a result, D-dimer concentrations at 6, and 8 hours, and blood fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products at 4 hours after NK administration elevated significantly (p < 0.05, respectively). Factor VIII activity declined at 4 and 6 hours (p < 0.05, respectively), blood antithrombin concentration was higher at 2 and 4 hours (p < 0.05, respectively), and the activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged significantly at 2 and 4 hours following NK administration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). All the changes, however, were within the normal range. In conclusion, thus, a single-dose of NK administration appears enhancing fibrinolysis and anti-coagulation via several different pathways simultaneously. PMID:26109079

Multitaper spectral analysis of atmospheric radar signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anandan, V.; Pan, C.; Rajalakshmi, T.; Ramachandra Reddy, G.

2004-11-01

Multitaper spectral analysis using sinusoidal taper has been carried out on the backscattered signals received from the troposphere and lower stratosphere by the Gadanki Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) radar under various conditions of the signal-to-noise ratio. Comparison of study is made with sinusoidal taper of the order of three and single tapers of Hanning and rectangular tapers, to understand the relative merits of processing under the scheme. Power spectra plots show that echoes are better identified in the case of multitaper estimation, especially in the region of a weak signal-to-noise ratio. Further analysis is carried out to obtain three lower order moments from three estimation techniques. The results show that multitaper analysis gives a better signal-to-noise ratio or higher detectability. The spectral analysis through multitaper and single tapers is subjected to study of consistency in measurements. Results show that the multitaper estimate is better consistent in Doppler measurements compared to single taper estimates. Doppler width measurements with different approaches were studied and the results show that the estimation was better in the multitaper technique in terms of temporal resolution and estimation accuracy.

Single-Subject Experimental Research: Applications for Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuman, Susan B., Ed.; McCormick, Sandra, Ed.

Intended as a guide for both novice and experienced researchers, this collection of articles focuses on single-subject experimental research used for investigations in literacy. The premise of the collection is that this single-subject approach allows researchers--both those from outside the classroom and teacher-researchers--to discover how an…

ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA Can Identify High-Risk Single Autoantibody-Positive Relatives in the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study.

PubMed

Steck, Andrea K; Fouts, Alexandra; Miao, Dongmei; Zhao, Zhiyuan; Dong, Fran; Sosenko, Jay; Gottlieb, Peter; Rewers, Marian J; Yu, Liping

2016-07-01

Relatives with single positive islet autoantibodies have a much lower risk of progression to diabetes than those with multiple autoantibodies. TrialNet subjects positive for single autoantibody to insulin (mIAA) (n = 50) or single autoantibody to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) (n = 50) were analyzed using new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assays (ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA, respectively) at their initial visit and longitudinally over time. Affinity assays were performed on a subset of single autoantibody-positive subjects at initial and most recent visits. After a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 20 subjects developed type 1 diabetes. Among either single GADA or single mIAA subjects, those who were positive in the ECL assay showed higher affinity at the initial visit, and affinity results stayed consistent over time. No converting events from low to high or high to low affinity were seen over time. Confirmed positivity for ECL is associated with high affinity and can help staging of risk for type 1 diabetes in single autoantibody-positive subjects.

Single-Trial Classification of Multi-User P300-Based Brain-Computer Interface Using Riemannian Geometry.

PubMed

Korczowski, L; Congedo, M; Jutten, C

2015-08-01

The classification of electroencephalographic (EEG) data recorded from multiple users simultaneously is an important challenge in the field of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). In this paper we compare different approaches for classification of single-trials Event-Related Potential (ERP) on two subjects playing a collaborative BCI game. The minimum distance to mean (MDM) classifier in a Riemannian framework is extended to use the diversity of the inter-subjects spatio-temporal statistics (MDM-hyper) or to merge multiple classifiers (MDM-multi). We show that both these classifiers outperform significantly the mean performance of the two users and analogous classifiers based on the step-wise linear discriminant analysis. More importantly, the MDM-multi outperforms the performance of the best player within the pair.

Studentized continuous wavelet transform (t-CWT) in the analysis of individual ERPs: real and simulated EEG data

PubMed Central

Real, Ruben G. L.; Kotchoubey, Boris; Kübler, Andrea

2014-01-01

This study aimed at evaluating the performance of the Studentized Continuous Wavelet Transform (t-CWT) as a method for the extraction and assessment of event-related brain potentials (ERP) in data from a single subject. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the t-CWT were assessed and compared to a variety of competing procedures using simulated EEG data at six low signal-to-noise ratios. Results show that the t-CWT combines high sensitivity and specificity with favorable PPV and NPV. Applying the t-CWT to authentic EEG data obtained from 14 healthy participants confirmed its high sensitivity. The t-CWT may thus be well suited for the assessment of weak ERPs in single-subject settings. PMID:25309308

Studentized continuous wavelet transform (t-CWT) in the analysis of individual ERPs: real and simulated EEG data.

PubMed

Real, Ruben G L; Kotchoubey, Boris; Kübler, Andrea

2014-01-01

This study aimed at evaluating the performance of the Studentized Continuous Wavelet Transform (t-CWT) as a method for the extraction and assessment of event-related brain potentials (ERP) in data from a single subject. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the t-CWT were assessed and compared to a variety of competing procedures using simulated EEG data at six low signal-to-noise ratios. Results show that the t-CWT combines high sensitivity and specificity with favorable PPV and NPV. Applying the t-CWT to authentic EEG data obtained from 14 healthy participants confirmed its high sensitivity. The t-CWT may thus be well suited for the assessment of weak ERPs in single-subject settings.

Classical test theory and Rasch analysis validation of the Upper Limb Functional Index in subjects with upper limb musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Bravini, Elisabetta; Franchignoni, Franco; Giordano, Andrea; Sartorio, Francesco; Ferriero, Giorgio; Vercelli, Stefano; Foti, Calogero

2015-01-01

To perform a comprehensive analysis of the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the Upper Limb Functional Index (ULFI) using both classical test theory and Rasch analysis (RA). Prospective, single-group observational design. Freestanding rehabilitation center. Convenience sample of Italian-speaking subjects with upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (N=174). Not applicable. The Italian version of the ULFI. Data were analyzed using parallel analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and RA for evaluating dimensionality, functioning of rating scale categories, item fit, hierarchy of item difficulties, and reliability indices. Parallel analysis revealed 2 factors explaining 32.5% and 10.7% of the response variance. RA confirmed the failure of the unidimensionality assumption, and 6 items out of the 25 misfitted the Rasch model. When the analysis was rerun excluding the misfitting items, the scale showed acceptable fit values, loading meaningfully to a single factor. Item separation reliability and person separation reliability were .98 and .89, respectively. Cronbach alpha was .92. RA revealed weakness of the scale concerning dimensionality and internal construct validity. However, a set of 19 ULFI items defined through the statistical process demonstrated a unidimensional structure, good psychometric properties, and clinical meaningfulness. These findings represent a useful starting point for further analyses of the tool (based on modern psychometric approaches and confirmatory factor analysis) in larger samples, including different patient populations and nationalities. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Personal Attributes Questionnaire: A Conceptual Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozer, Daniel

The rich complexity of the concepts of masculinity and femininity has been reflected in personality measures in at least two different ways: by employing a variety of subscales with comparatively homogeneous items or by using a single scale with comparatively heterogeneous items. The Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) was the subject of an…

Ibrutinib does not prolong the corrected QT interval in healthy subjects: results from a thorough QT study.

PubMed

de Jong, Jan; Hellemans, Peter; Jiao, James Juhui; Huang, Yuhan; Mesens, Sofie; Sukbuntherng, Juthamas; Ouellet, Daniele

2017-12-01

Ibrutinib is an orally administered, irreversible Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor for treatment of B-cell malignancy. This study evaluated the effects of single-dose ibrutinib at therapeutic and supratherapeutic exposures on cardiac repolarization in healthy subjects. Part 1 used an open-label, two-period sequential design to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of single doses of ibrutinib 840 and 1680 mg in eight subjects. Part 2 was a randomized, placebo- and positive (moxifloxacin)-controlled, double-blind, single dose, four-way cross-over study to assess the effect of ibrutinib (840 and 1680 mg) on QT/QTc interval. 64 healthy subjects were planned to be enrolled. Baseline-adjusted QT (QTc) intervals for ibrutinib and moxifloxacin (assay sensitivity) were compared to placebo using linear mixed-effect model. A concentration-QTc analysis was also conducted. No clinically relevant safety observations were noted in Part 1. During Part 2, one subject experienced Grade 4 ALT/AST elevations with ibrutinib 1680 mg, leading to study termination and limiting the enrollment to 20 subjects. Ibrutinib demonstrated dose-dependent increases in exposure. The upper bounds of the 90% CIs for the mean difference in change from baseline in QTc between ibrutinib and placebo were < 10 ms at all timepoints and at supratherapeutic C max . Moxifloxacin showed the anticipated QTc effect, confirming assay sensitivity despite the early study termination. Ibrutinib caused a concentration-dependent mild shortening of QTc and mild PR prolongation, but these effects were not considered clinically meaningful. Therapeutic and supratherapeutic concentrations of ibrutinib do not prolong the QTc interval. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT02271438.

Group-level spatio-temporal pattern recovery in MEG decoding using multi-task joint feature learning.

PubMed

Kia, Seyed Mostafa; Pedregosa, Fabian; Blumenthal, Anna; Passerini, Andrea

2017-06-15

The use of machine learning models to discriminate between patterns of neural activity has become in recent years a standard analysis approach in neuroimaging studies. Whenever these models are linear, the estimated parameters can be visualized in the form of brain maps which can aid in understanding how brain activity in space and time underlies a cognitive function. However, the recovered brain maps often suffer from lack of interpretability, especially in group analysis of multi-subject data. To facilitate the application of brain decoding in group-level analysis, we present an application of multi-task joint feature learning for group-level multivariate pattern recovery in single-trial magnetoencephalography (MEG) decoding. The proposed method allows for recovering sparse yet consistent patterns across different subjects, and therefore enhances the interpretability of the decoding model. Our experimental results demonstrate that the mutli-task joint feature learning framework is capable of recovering more meaningful patterns of varying spatio-temporally distributed brain activity across individuals while still maintaining excellent generalization performance. We compare the performance of the multi-task joint feature learning in terms of generalization, reproducibility, and quality of pattern recovery against traditional single-subject and pooling approaches on both simulated and real MEG datasets. These results can facilitate the usage of brain decoding for the characterization of fine-level distinctive patterns in group-level inference. Considering the importance of group-level analysis, the proposed approach can provide a methodological shift towards more interpretable brain decoding models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study Phase I: Statistical Analysis of Historical Extreme Water Levels with Sea Level Change

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

14-7 ii Abstract The U.S. North Atlantic coast is subject to coastal flooding as a result of both severe extratropical storms (e.g., Nor’easters...Products and Services, excluding any kind of high-resolution hydrodynamic modeling. Tropical and extratropical storms were treated as a single...joint probability analysis and high-fidelity modeling of tropical and extratropical storms

The effect of cane use on the compensatory step following posterior perturbations.

PubMed

Hall, Courtney D; Jensen, Jody L

2004-08-01

The compensatory step is a critical component of the balance response and is impaired in older fallers. The purpose of this research was to examine whether utilization of a cane modified the compensatory step response following external posterior perturbations. Single subject withdrawal design was employed. Single subject statistical analysis--the standard deviation bandwidth-method--supplemented visual analysis of the data. Four older adults (range: 73-83 years) with balance impairment who habitually use a cane completed this study. Subjects received a series of sudden backward pulls that were large enough to elicit compensatory stepping. We examined the following variables both with and without cane use: timing of cane loading relative to step initiation and center of mass acceleration, stability margin, center of mass excursion and velocity, step length and width. No participant loaded the cane prior to initiation of the first compensatory step. There was no effect of cane use on the stability margin, nor was there an effect of cane use on center of mass excursion or velocity, or step length or width. These data suggest that cane use does not necessarily improve balance recovery following an external posterior perturbation when the individual is forced to rely on compensatory stepping. Instead these data suggest that the strongest factor in modifying step characteristics is experience with the perturbation.

Development of the Complex General Linear Model in the Fourier Domain: Application to fMRI Multiple Input-Output Evoked Responses for Single Subjects

PubMed Central

Rio, Daniel E.; Rawlings, Robert R.; Woltz, Lawrence A.; Gilman, Jodi; Hommer, Daniel W.

2013-01-01

A linear time-invariant model based on statistical time series analysis in the Fourier domain for single subjects is further developed and applied to functional MRI (fMRI) blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) multivariate data. This methodology was originally developed to analyze multiple stimulus input evoked response BOLD data. However, to analyze clinical data generated using a repeated measures experimental design, the model has been extended to handle multivariate time series data and demonstrated on control and alcoholic subjects taken from data previously analyzed in the temporal domain. Analysis of BOLD data is typically carried out in the time domain where the data has a high temporal correlation. These analyses generally employ parametric models of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) where prewhitening of the data is attempted using autoregressive (AR) models for the noise. However, this data can be analyzed in the Fourier domain. Here, assumptions made on the noise structure are less restrictive, and hypothesis tests can be constructed based on voxel-specific nonparametric estimates of the hemodynamic transfer function (HRF in the Fourier domain). This is especially important for experimental designs involving multiple states (either stimulus or drug induced) that may alter the form of the response function. PMID:23840281

Development of the complex general linear model in the Fourier domain: application to fMRI multiple input-output evoked responses for single subjects.

PubMed

Rio, Daniel E; Rawlings, Robert R; Woltz, Lawrence A; Gilman, Jodi; Hommer, Daniel W

2013-01-01

A linear time-invariant model based on statistical time series analysis in the Fourier domain for single subjects is further developed and applied to functional MRI (fMRI) blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) multivariate data. This methodology was originally developed to analyze multiple stimulus input evoked response BOLD data. However, to analyze clinical data generated using a repeated measures experimental design, the model has been extended to handle multivariate time series data and demonstrated on control and alcoholic subjects taken from data previously analyzed in the temporal domain. Analysis of BOLD data is typically carried out in the time domain where the data has a high temporal correlation. These analyses generally employ parametric models of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) where prewhitening of the data is attempted using autoregressive (AR) models for the noise. However, this data can be analyzed in the Fourier domain. Here, assumptions made on the noise structure are less restrictive, and hypothesis tests can be constructed based on voxel-specific nonparametric estimates of the hemodynamic transfer function (HRF in the Fourier domain). This is especially important for experimental designs involving multiple states (either stimulus or drug induced) that may alter the form of the response function.

Overview of Hanford Single Shell Tank (SST) Structural Integrity

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

Rast, Richard S.; Washenfelder, Dennis J.; Johnson, Jeremy M.

2013-11-14

To improve the understanding of the single-shell tanks (SSTs) integrity, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS), the USDOE Hanford Site tank contractor, developed an enhanced Single-Shell Tank Integrity Project (SSTIP) in 2009. An expert panel on SST integrity, consisting of various subject matters experts in industry and academia, was created to provide recommendations supporting the development of the project. This panel developed 33 recommendations in four main areas of interest: structural integrity, liner degradation, leak integrity and prevention, and mitigation of contamination migration, Seventeen of these recommendations were used to develop the basis for the M-45-10-1 Change Package for themore » Hanford Federal Agreement and Compliance Order, which is also known as the Tri-Party Agreement. The structural integrity of the tanks is a key element in completing the cleanup mission at the Hanford Site. There are eight primary recommendations related to the structural integrity of Hanford Single-Shell Tanks. Six recommendations are being implemented through current and planned activities. The structural integrity of the Hanford is being evaluated through analysis, monitoring, inspection, materials testing, and construction document review. Structural evaluation in the form of analysis is performed using modern finite element models generated in ANSYS. The analyses consider in-situ, thermal, operating loads and natural phenomena such as earthquakes. Structural analysis of 108 of 149 Hanford Single-Shell Tanks has concluded that the tanks are structurally sound and meet current industry standards. Analysis of the remaining Hanford Single-Shell Tanks is scheduled for FY2014. Hanford Single-Shell Tanks are monitored through a dome deflection program. The program looks for deflections of the tank dome greater than 1/4 inch. No such deflections have been recorded. The tanks are also subjected to visual inspection. Digital cameras record the interior surface of the concrete tanks, looking for cracks and other surface conditions that may indicate signs of structural distress. The condition of the concrete and rebar of the Hanford Single-Shell Tanks is currently being tested and planned for additional activities in the near future. Concrete and rebar removed from the dome of a 65 year old tank was tested for mechanics properties and condition. Results indicated stronger than designed concrete with additional Petrographic examination and rebar completed. Material properties determined from previous efforts combined with current testing and construction document review will help to generate a database that will provide indication of Hanford Single-Shell Tank structural integrity.« less

Optimizing nasal potential difference analysis for CFTR modulator development: assessment of ivacaftor in CF subjects with the G551D-CFTR mutation.

PubMed

Rowe, Steven M; Liu, Bo; Hill, Aubrey; Hathorne, Heather; Cohen, Morty; Beamer, John R; Accurso, Frank J; Dong, Qunming; Ordoñez, Claudia L; Stone, Anne J; Olson, Eric R; Clancy, John P

2013-01-01

Nasal potential difference (NPD) is used as a biomarker of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) activity. We evaluated methods to detect changes in chloride and sodium transport by NPD based on a secondary analysis of a Phase II CFTR-modulator study. Thirty-nine subjects with CF who also had the G551D-CFTR mutation were randomized to receive ivacaftor (Kalydeco™; also known as VX-770) in four doses or placebo twice daily for at least 14 days. All data were analyzed by a single investigator who was blinded to treatment assignment. We compared three analysis methods to determine the best approach to quantify changes in chloride and sodium transport: (1) the average of both nostrils; (2) the most-polarized nostril at each visit; and (3) the most-polarized nostril at screening carried forward. Parameters of ion transport included the PD change with zero chloride plus isoproterenol (CFTR activity), the basal PD, Ringer's PD, and change in PD with amiloride (measurements of ENaC activity), and the delta NPD (measuring CFTR and ENaC activity). The average and most-polarized nostril at each visit were most sensitive to changes in chloride and sodium transport, whereas the most-polarized nostril at screening carried forward was less discriminatory. Based on our findings, NPD studies should assess both nostrils rather than a single nostril. We also found that changes in CFTR activity were more readily detected than changes in ENaC activity, and that rigorous standardization was associated with relatively good within-subject reproducibility in placebo-treated subjects (± 2.8 mV). Therefore, we have confirmed an assay of reasonable reproducibility for detecting chloride-transport improvements in response to CFTR modulation.

Single cross-sectional area of pectoralis muscle by computed tomography - correlation with bioelectrical impedance based skeletal muscle mass in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Kim, Young Saing; Kim, Eun Young; Kang, Shin Myung; Ahn, Hee Kyung; Kim, Hyung Sik

2017-09-01

Skeletal muscle depletion is an important prognostic factor in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); a recent study demonstrated significant correlations between pectoralis muscle area on an axial CT image and COPD-related traits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between pectoralis muscle areas on CT scans and total body skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in healthy subjects. For 434 subjects that underwent a low-dose chest CT and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) during health screening from January to June of 2014, cross-sectional area of pectoralis muscles were measured in CT scans. Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between cross-sectional CT areas of pectoralis muscles and BIA-assessed SMMs. Mean age was 50 ± 10 years (78·8% were male). The mean cross-sectional area of pectoralis muscles was 24·1 cm 2  ± 6·8. A moderate correlation was observed between pectoralis muscle area and BIA-based SMM (r = 0·665, P<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed CT determined pectoralis muscle area was significantly associated with BIA-assessed SMM after adjusting for gender, weight, height and age (β = 0·14 ± 0·02, P<0·001). Cross-sectional area of the pectoralis muscles on single axial CT images shows moderate correlation with total body SMM determined by BIA in healthy subjects. © 2015 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Immediate effects of kinesiotaping on quadriceps muscle strength: a single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.

PubMed

Vercelli, Stefano; Sartorio, Francesco; Foti, Calogero; Colletto, Lorenzo; Virton, Domenico; Ronconi, Gianpaolo; Ferriero, Giorgio

2012-07-01

To investigate the immediate effects on maximal muscle strength of kinesiotaping (KT) applied to the dominant quadriceps of healthy subjects. Single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. "Salvatore Maugeri" Foundation. With ethical approval and informed consent, a convenience sample of 36 healthy volunteers were recruited. Two subjects did not complete the sessions and were excluded from the analysis. Subjects were tested across 3 different sessions, randomly receiving 2 experimental KT conditions applied with the aim of enhancing and inhibiting muscle strength and a sham KT application. Quadriceps muscle strength was measured by means of an isokinetic maximal test performed at 60 and 180 degrees per second. Two secondary outcome measures were performed: the single-leg triple hop for distance to measure limb performance and the Global Rating of Change Scale (GRCS) to calculate agreement between KT application and subjective perception of strength. Compared with baseline, none of the 3 taping conditions showed a significant change in muscle strength and performance (all P > 0.05). Effect size was very low under all conditions (≤0.08). Very few subjects showed an individual change greater than the minimal detectable change. Global Rating of Change Scale scores demonstrated low to moderate agreement with the type of KT applied, but some placebo effects were reported independently of condition. Our findings indicated no significant effect in the maximal quadriceps strength immediately after the application of inhibition, facilitation, or sham KT. These results do not support the use of KT applied in this way to change maximal muscle strength in healthy people.

Network Analysis Reveals Distinct Clinical Syndromes Underlying Acute Mountain Sickness

PubMed Central

Hall, David P.; MacCormick, Ian J. C.; Phythian-Adams, Alex T.; Rzechorzek, Nina M.; Hope-Jones, David; Cosens, Sorrel; Jackson, Stewart; Bates, Matthew G. D.; Collier, David J.; Hume, David A.; Freeman, Thomas; Thompson, A. A. Roger; Baillie, John Kenneth

2014-01-01

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common problem among visitors at high altitude, and may progress to life-threatening pulmonary and cerebral oedema in a minority of cases. International consensus defines AMS as a constellation of subjective, non-specific symptoms. Specifically, headache, sleep disturbance, fatigue and dizziness are given equal diagnostic weighting. Different pathophysiological mechanisms are now thought to underlie headache and sleep disturbance during acute exposure to high altitude. Hence, these symptoms may not belong together as a single syndrome. Using a novel visual analogue scale (VAS), we sought to undertake a systematic exploration of the symptomatology of AMS using an unbiased, data-driven approach originally designed for analysis of gene expression. Symptom scores were collected from 292 subjects during 1110 subject-days at altitudes between 3650 m and 5200 m on Apex expeditions to Bolivia and Kilimanjaro. Three distinct patterns of symptoms were consistently identified. Although fatigue is a ubiquitous finding, sleep disturbance and headache are each commonly reported without the other. The commonest pattern of symptoms was sleep disturbance and fatigue, with little or no headache. In subjects reporting severe headache, 40% did not report sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance correlates poorly with other symptoms of AMS (Mean Spearman correlation 0.25). These results challenge the accepted paradigm that AMS is a single disease process and describe at least two distinct syndromes following acute ascent to high altitude. This approach to analysing symptom patterns has potential utility in other clinical syndromes. PMID:24465370

Rainbow: a tool for large-scale whole-genome sequencing data analysis using cloud computing.

PubMed

Zhao, Shanrong; Prenger, Kurt; Smith, Lance; Messina, Thomas; Fan, Hongtao; Jaeger, Edward; Stephens, Susan

2013-06-27

Technical improvements have decreased sequencing costs and, as a result, the size and number of genomic datasets have increased rapidly. Because of the lower cost, large amounts of sequence data are now being produced by small to midsize research groups. Crossbow is a software tool that can detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from a single subject; however, Crossbow has a number of limitations when applied to multiple subjects from large-scale WGS projects. The data storage and CPU resources that are required for large-scale whole genome sequencing data analyses are too large for many core facilities and individual laboratories to provide. To help meet these challenges, we have developed Rainbow, a cloud-based software package that can assist in the automation of large-scale WGS data analyses. Here, we evaluated the performance of Rainbow by analyzing 44 different whole-genome-sequenced subjects. Rainbow has the capacity to process genomic data from more than 500 subjects in two weeks using cloud computing provided by the Amazon Web Service. The time includes the import and export of the data using Amazon Import/Export service. The average cost of processing a single sample in the cloud was less than 120 US dollars. Compared with Crossbow, the main improvements incorporated into Rainbow include the ability: (1) to handle BAM as well as FASTQ input files; (2) to split large sequence files for better load balance downstream; (3) to log the running metrics in data processing and monitoring multiple Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances; and (4) to merge SOAPsnp outputs for multiple individuals into a single file to facilitate downstream genome-wide association studies. Rainbow is a scalable, cost-effective, and open-source tool for large-scale WGS data analysis. For human WGS data sequenced by either the Illumina HiSeq 2000 or HiSeq 2500 platforms, Rainbow can be used straight out of the box. Rainbow is available for third-party implementation and use, and can be downloaded from http://s3.amazonaws.com/jnj_rainbow/index.html.

Rainbow: a tool for large-scale whole-genome sequencing data analysis using cloud computing

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Technical improvements have decreased sequencing costs and, as a result, the size and number of genomic datasets have increased rapidly. Because of the lower cost, large amounts of sequence data are now being produced by small to midsize research groups. Crossbow is a software tool that can detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from a single subject; however, Crossbow has a number of limitations when applied to multiple subjects from large-scale WGS projects. The data storage and CPU resources that are required for large-scale whole genome sequencing data analyses are too large for many core facilities and individual laboratories to provide. To help meet these challenges, we have developed Rainbow, a cloud-based software package that can assist in the automation of large-scale WGS data analyses. Results Here, we evaluated the performance of Rainbow by analyzing 44 different whole-genome-sequenced subjects. Rainbow has the capacity to process genomic data from more than 500 subjects in two weeks using cloud computing provided by the Amazon Web Service. The time includes the import and export of the data using Amazon Import/Export service. The average cost of processing a single sample in the cloud was less than 120 US dollars. Compared with Crossbow, the main improvements incorporated into Rainbow include the ability: (1) to handle BAM as well as FASTQ input files; (2) to split large sequence files for better load balance downstream; (3) to log the running metrics in data processing and monitoring multiple Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances; and (4) to merge SOAPsnp outputs for multiple individuals into a single file to facilitate downstream genome-wide association studies. Conclusions Rainbow is a scalable, cost-effective, and open-source tool for large-scale WGS data analysis. For human WGS data sequenced by either the Illumina HiSeq 2000 or HiSeq 2500 platforms, Rainbow can be used straight out of the box. Rainbow is available for third-party implementation and use, and can be downloaded from http://s3.amazonaws.com/jnj_rainbow/index.html. PMID:23802613

Functional performance testing of the hip in athletes: a systematic review for reliability and validity.

PubMed

Kivlan, Benjamin R; Martin, Robroy L

2012-08-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature for functional performance tests with evidence of reliability and validity that could be used for a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. A search of PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases were performed to identify movement, balance, hop/jump, or agility functional performance tests from the current peer-reviewed literature used to assess function of the hip in young, athletic subjects. The single-leg stance, deep squat, single-leg squat, and star excursion balance tests (SEBT) demonstrated evidence of validity and normative data for score interpretation. The single-leg stance test and SEBT have evidence of validity with association to hip abductor function. The deep squat test demonstrated evidence as a functional performance test for evaluating femoroacetabular impingement. Hop/Jump tests and agility tests have no reported evidence of reliability or validity in a population of subjects with hip pathology. Use of functional performance tests in the assessment of hip dysfunction has not been well established in the current literature. Diminished squat depth and provocation of pain during the single-leg balance test have been associated with patients diagnosed with FAI and gluteal tendinopathy, respectively. The SEBT and single-leg squat tests provided evidence of convergent validity through an analysis of kinematics and muscle function in normal subjects. Reliability of functional performance tests have not been established on patients with hip dysfunction. Further study is needed to establish reliability and validity of functional performance tests that can be used in a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. 2b (Systematic Review of Literature).

Time course based artifact identification for independent components of resting-state FMRI.

PubMed

Rummel, Christian; Verma, Rajeev Kumar; Schöpf, Veronika; Abela, Eugenio; Hauf, Martinus; Berruecos, José Fernando Zapata; Wiest, Roland

2013-01-01

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) coherent oscillations of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal can be detected. These arise when brain regions respond to external stimuli or are activated by tasks. The same networks have been characterized during wakeful rest when functional connectivity of the human brain is organized in generic resting-state networks (RSN). Alterations of RSN emerge as neurobiological markers of pathological conditions such as altered mental state. In single-subject fMRI data the coherent components can be identified by blind source separation of the pre-processed BOLD data using spatial independent component analysis (ICA) and related approaches. The resulting maps may represent physiological RSNs or may be due to various artifacts. In this methodological study, we propose a conceptually simple and fully automatic time course based filtering procedure to detect obvious artifacts in the ICA output for resting-state fMRI. The filter is trained on six and tested on 29 healthy subjects, yielding mean filter accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 0.80, 0.82, and 0.75 in out-of-sample tests. To estimate the impact of clearly artifactual single-subject components on group resting-state studies we analyze unfiltered and filtered output with a second level ICA procedure. Although the automated filter does not reach performance values of visual analysis by human raters, we propose that resting-state compatible analysis of ICA time courses could be very useful to complement the existing map or task/event oriented artifact classification algorithms.

The influence of lifestyle on cardiovascular risk factors. Analysis using a neural network.

PubMed

Gueli, Nicoló; Piccirillo, Gianfanco; Troisi, Giovanni; Cicconetti, Paolo; Meloni, Fortunato; Ettorre, Evaristo; Verico, Paola; D'Arcangelo, Enzo; Cacciafesta, Mauro

2005-01-01

The cardiovascular pathologies are the most common causes of death in the elderly patient. To single out the main risk factors in order to effectively prevent the onset of the disease, the authors experimented a special computerized tool, the neural network, that works out a mathematical relation that can obtain certain data (defined as output) as a function of other data (defined as input). Data were processed from a sample of 276 subjects of both sexes aged 26-69 years old. The output data were: high/low cholesterolemia, HDL cholesterol, triglyceridemia with respect to an established cut-off; the input data were: sex, age, build, weight, married/single, number of children, number of cigarettes smoked/day, amount of wine and number of cups of coffee. We conclude that: (i) a relationship exists, deduced from a neural network, between a set of input variables and a dichotomous output variable; (ii) this relationship can be expressed as a mathematical function; (iii) a neural network, having learned the data on a sufficiently large population, can provide valid predictive data for a single individual with a high probability (up to 93.33%) that the response it gives is correct. In this study, such a result is found for two of the three cardiovascular risk indicators considered (cholesterol and triglycerides); (iv) the repetition of the neural network analysis of the cases in question after a "pruning" operation provided a somewhat less good performance; (v) a statistical analysis conducted on those same cases has confirmed the existence of a strong relationship between the input and the output variables. Therefore the neural network is a valid instrument for providing predictive in a single subject on cardiovascular pathology risks.

Scale-dependent effects on wave propagation in magnetically affected single/double-layered compositionally graded nanosize beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Farzad; Barati, Mohammad Reza

2018-04-01

This article deals with the wave propagation analysis of single/double layered functionally graded (FG) size-dependent nanobeams in elastic medium and subjected to a longitudinal magnetic field employing nonlocal elasticity theory. Material properties of nanobeam change gradually according to the sigmoid function. Applying an analytical solution, the acoustical and optical dispersion relations are explored for various wave number, nonlocality parameter, material composition, elastic foundation constants, and magnetic field intensity. It is found that frequency and phase velocity of waves propagating in S-FGM nanobeam are significantly affected by these parameters. Also, presence of cut-off and escape frequencies in wave propagation analysis of embedded S-FGM nanobeams is investigated.

High pressure single-crystal micro X-ray diffraction analysis with GSE_ADA/RSV software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dera, Przemyslaw; Zhuravlev, Kirill; Prakapenka, Vitali; Rivers, Mark L.; Finkelstein, Gregory J.; Grubor-Urosevic, Ognjen; Tschauner, Oliver; Clark, Simon M.; Downs, Robert T.

2013-08-01

GSE_ADA/RSV is a free software package for custom analysis of single-crystal micro X-ray diffraction (SCμXRD) data, developed with particular emphasis on data from samples enclosed in diamond anvil cells and subject to high pressure conditions. The package has been in extensive use at the high pressure beamlines of Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory and Advanced Light Source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The software is optimized for processing of wide-rotation images and includes a variety of peak intensity corrections and peak filtering features, which are custom-designed to make processing of high pressure SCμXRD easier and more reliable.

Sensitivity to carbon dioxide in subjects with a single lifetime panic attack: possible clinical "bedside" predictive test for panic disorder after a first attack.

PubMed

Berzak, Elina; Reznik, Mila; Narsia, Oxana; Benjamin, Jonathan

2004-01-01

There is currently no way of knowing whether a patient who has recently had a single panic attack has incipient panic disorder. Sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2) is lower in healthy volunteers than in panic disorder patients. If this is also true of people who experience a single lifetime panic attack, it could be used as a prognostic test. Subjects with a single lifetime panic attack and subjects with panic disorder received an inhalation of 35% CO2. Subjects completed the panic symptoms scale (PSS), and also stated whether they considered that they had experienced an attack. None of 14 subjects with a single lifetime panic attack, compared to 7 of 17 subjects with panic disorder (P=.009), had an attack. The PSS also distinguished between the groups. The 35% CO2 challenge warrants further investigation as a predictive test after a first panic attack.

Testing all six person-oriented principles in dynamic factor analysis.

PubMed

Molenaar, Peter C M

2010-05-01

All six person-oriented principles identified by Sterba and Bauer's Keynote Article can be tested by means of dynamic factor analysis in its current form. In particular, it is shown how complex interactions and interindividual differences/intraindividual change can be tested in this way. In addition, the necessity to use single-subject methods in the analysis of developmental processes is emphasized, and attention is drawn to the possibility to optimally treat developmental psychopathology by means of new computational techniques that can be integrated with dynamic factor analysis.

ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA Can Identify High-Risk Single Autoantibody-Positive Relatives in the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study

PubMed Central

Fouts, Alexandra; Miao, Dongmei; Zhao, Zhiyuan; Dong, Fran; Sosenko, Jay; Gottlieb, Peter; Rewers, Marian J.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Relatives with single positive islet autoantibodies have a much lower risk of progression to diabetes than those with multiple autoantibodies. Materials and Methods: TrialNet subjects positive for single autoantibody to insulin (mIAA) (n = 50) or single autoantibody to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) (n = 50) were analyzed using new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assays (ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA, respectively) at their initial visit and longitudinally over time. Affinity assays were performed on a subset of single autoantibody-positive subjects at initial and most recent visits. Results: After a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 20 subjects developed type 1 diabetes. Among either single GADA or single mIAA subjects, those who were positive in the ECL assay showed higher affinity at the initial visit, and affinity results stayed consistent over time. No converting events from low to high or high to low affinity were seen over time. Conclusions: Confirmed positivity for ECL is associated with high affinity and can help staging of risk for type 1 diabetes in single autoantibody-positive subjects. PMID:26991969

Studies Using Single-Subject Designs in Sport Psychology: 30 Years of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, G. L.; Thompson, K.; Regehr, K.

2004-01-01

A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we…

Reviews of Single Subject Research Designs: Applications to Special Education and School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevin, Ann I., Ed.

2004-01-01

The authors of this collection of research reviews studied how single subject research designs might be a useful method to apply as part of being accountable to clients. The single subject research studies were evaluated in accordance with the following criteria: Was the study applied, behavioral, reliable, analytic, effective, and generalizable?…

Artificial bee colony algorithm for single-trial electroencephalogram analysis.

PubMed

Hsu, Wei-Yen; Hu, Ya-Ping

2015-04-01

In this study, we propose an analysis system combined with feature selection to further improve the classification accuracy of single-trial electroencephalogram (EEG) data. Acquiring event-related brain potential data from the sensorimotor cortices, the system comprises artifact and background noise removal, feature extraction, feature selection, and feature classification. First, the artifacts and background noise are removed automatically by means of independent component analysis and surface Laplacian filter, respectively. Several potential features, such as band power, autoregressive model, and coherence and phase-locking value, are then extracted for subsequent classification. Next, artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is used to select features from the aforementioned feature combination. Finally, selected subfeatures are classified by support vector machine. Comparing with and without artifact removal and feature selection, using a genetic algorithm on single-trial EEG data for 6 subjects, the results indicate that the proposed system is promising and suitable for brain-computer interface applications. © EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society (ECNS) 2014.

Repaglinide pharmacokinetics in healthy young adult and elderly subjects.

PubMed

Hatorp, V; Huang, W C; Strange, P

1999-04-01

In this open-label, single-center, pharmacokinetic study of repaglinide, 12 healthy volunteers (6 men, 6 women) were enrolled in each of 2 groups (total, 24 volunteers). One group consisted of young adult subjects (18 to 40 years), and the other group consisted of elderly subjects (> or = 65 years). On day 1, after a 10-hour fast, all 24 subjects received a single 2-mg dose of repaglinide. Starting on day 2 and continuing for 7 days, subjects received a 2-mg dose of repaglinide 15 minutes before each of 3 meals. On day 9, subjects received a single 2-mg dose of repaglinide. Pharmacokinetic profiles, including area under the curve, maximum concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax, and half-life, were determined at completion of the single-dose and multiple-dose regimens (days 1 and 9, respectively). Trough repaglinide values were collected on days 2 through 7 to assess steady state. The single-dose and multiple-dose pharmacokinetic variables of serum repaglinide were not significantly different between young adult and elderly subjects. Repaglinide was well tolerated in both groups. Hypoglycemic events occurred in 5 young adult and 5 elderly subjects. This study demonstrates that the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide are similar in healthy young adult and elderly subjects.

Can PPG be used for HRV analysis?

PubMed

Pinheiro, N; Couceiro, R; Henriques, J; Muehlsteff, J; Quintal, I; Goncalves, L; Carvalho, P

2016-08-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) represents one of the most promising markers of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation. However, it requires the acquisition of the ECG signal in order to reliably detect the RR intervals, which is not always easily and comfortably available in personal health applications. Additionally, due to progress in single spot optical sensors, photoplethysmography (PPG) is an interesting alternative for heartbeat interval measurements, since it is a more convenient and a less intrusive measurement technique. Driven by the technological advances in such sensors, wrist-worn devices are becoming a commodity, and the interest in the assessment of HRV indexes from the PPG analysis (pulse rate variability - PRV) is rising. In this study, we investigate the hypothesis of using PRV features as surrogates for HRV indexes, in three different contexts: healthy subjects at rest, healthy subjects after physical exercise and subjects with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Additionally, we also evaluate which are the characteristic points better suited for PRV analysis in these contexts, i.e. the PPG waveform characteristic points leading to the PRV features that present the best estimates of HRV (correlation and error analysis). The achieved results suggest that the PRV can be often used as an alternative for HRV analysis in healthy subjects, with significant correlations above 82%, for both time and frequency features. Contrarily, in the post-exercise and CVD subjects, time and (most importantly) frequency domain features shall be used with caution (mean correlations ranging from 68% to 88%).

Flexible Magnets Are Not Effective in Decreasing Pain Perception and Recovery Time After Muscle Microinjury

PubMed Central

Borsa, Paul A.; Liggett, Charles L.

1998-01-01

Objective: To assess the therapeutic effects of flexible magnets on pain perception, intramuscular swelling, range of motion, and muscular strength in individuals with a muscle microinjury. Design and Setting: This experiment was a single-blind, placebo study using a repeated-measures design. Subjects performed an intense exercise protocol to induce a muscle microinjury. After pretreatment measurements were recorded, subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental (magnet), placebo (imitation magnet), or control (no magnet) group. Posttreatment measurements were repeated at 24, 48, and 72 hours. Subjects: Forty-five healthy subjects participated in the study. Measurements: Subjects were measured repeatedly for pain perception, upper arm girth, range of motion, and static force production. Four separate univariate analyses of variances were used to reveal statistically significant mean (±SD) differences between variables over time. Interaction effects were analyzed using Scheffe post hoc analysis. Results: Analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant (P > .05) mean differences between conditions for any dependent pretreatment and posttreatment measurements. No significant interaction effects were demonstrated between conditions and times. Conclusions: No significant therapeutic effects on pain control and muscular dysfunction were observed in subjects wearing flexible magnets. ImagesFig 2.Fig 3. PMID:16558503

Subjective study of preferred listening conditions in Italian Catholic churches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martellotta, Francesco

2008-10-01

The paper describes the results of research aimed at investigating the preferred subjective listening conditions inside churches. The effect of different musical motifs (spanning Gregorian chants to symphonic music) was investigated and regression analysis was performed in order to point out the relationship between subjective ratings and acoustical parameters. In order to present realistic listening conditions to the subjects a small subset of nine churches was selected among a larger set of acoustic data collected in several Italian churches during a widespread on-site survey. The subset represented different architectural styles and shapes, and was characterized by average listening conditions. For each church a single source-receiver combination with fixed relative positions was chosen. Measured binaural impulse responses were cross-talk cancelled and then convolved with five anechoic motifs. Paired comparisons were finally performed, asking a trained panel of subjects their preference. Factor analysis pointed out a substantially common underlying pattern characterizing subjective responses. The results show that preferred listening conditions vary as a function of the musical motif, depending on early decay time for choral music and on a combination of initial time delay and lateral energy for instrumental music.

Unraveling of Enigmatic Hearing-Impaired GJB2 Single Heterozygotes by Massive Parallel Sequencing: DFNB1 or Not?

PubMed Central

Kim, So Young; Kim, Ah Reum; Kim, Nayoung K. D.; Lee, Chung; Kim, Min Young; Jeon, Eun-Hee; Park, Woong-Yang; Choi, Byung Yoon

2016-01-01

Abstract The molecular etiology of nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in subjects with only one detectable autosomal recessive GJB2 mutation is unclear. Here, we report GJB2 single heterozygotes with various final genetic diagnoses and suggest appropriate diagnostic strategies. A total of 160 subjects with SNHL without phenotypic markers were screened for GJB2 mutations. Single-nucleotide variants or structural variations within the DFNB1 locus or in other deafness genes were examined by Sanger sequencing, breakpoint PCR, and targeted exome sequencing (TES) of 129 deafness genes. We identified 27 subjects with two mutations and 10 subjects with only one detectable mutation in GJB2. The detection rate of the single GJB2 mutation among the 160 SNHL subjects in the present study (6.25%) was higher than 2.58% in normal hearing controls in Korean. The DFNB1 was clearly excluded as a molecular etiology in four (40%) subjects: other recessive deafness genes (N = 3) accounted for SNHL and the causative gene for the other non-DFNB1 subject (N = 1) was not identified. The etiology of additional two subjects was potentially explained by digenic etiology (N = 2) of GJB2 with MITF and GJB3, respectively. The contribution of the single GJB2 mutation in the four remaining subjects is unclear. Comprehensive diagnostic testing including TES is prerequisite for understanding GJB2 single heterozygotes. PMID:27057829

Structural, optical, mechanical and dielectric studies of pure and doped L-Prolinium trichloroacetate single crystals.

PubMed

Renuka, N; Ramesh Babu, R; Vijayan, N; Vasanthakumar, Geetha; Krishna, Anuj; Ramamurthi, K

2015-02-25

In the present work, pure and metal substituted L-Prolinium trichloroacetate (LPTCA) single crystals were grown by slow evaporation method. The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), powder X-ray diffraction, FTIR, UV-Visible-NIR, hardness, photoluminescence and dielectric studies. The dopant concentration in the crystals was measured by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the pure and metal substituted LPTCA revealed that the grown crystals belong to the trigonal system. Ni(2+) and Co(2+) doping slightly altered the lattice parameters of LPTCA without affecting the basic structure of the crystal. FTIR spectral analysis confirms the presence of various functional groups in the grown crystals. The mechanical behavior of pure and doped crystals was analyzed by Vickers's microhardness test. The optical transmittance, dielectric and photoluminescence properties of the pure and doped crystals were analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of fiber, matrix, and interphase on carbon fiber composite compression strength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nairn, John A.; Harper, Sheila I.; Bascom, Willard D.

1994-01-01

The major goal of this project was to obtain basic information on compression failure properties of carbon fiber composites. To do this, we investigated fiber effects, matrix effects, and fiber/matrix interface effects. Using each of nine fiber types, we prepared embedded single-fiber specimens, single-ply specimens, and full laminates. From the single-fiber specimens, in addition to the standard fragmentation test analysis, we were able to use the low crack density data to provide information about the distribution of fiber flaws. The single-ply specimens provided evidence of a correlation between the size of kink band zones and the quality of the interface. Results of the laminate compression experiments mostly agreed with the results from single-ply experiments, although the ultimate compression strengths of laminates were higher. Generally, these experiments showed a strong effect of interfacial properties. Matrix effects were examined using laminates subjected to precracking under mixed-mode loading conditions. A large effect of precracking conditions on the mode 1 toughness of the laminates was found. In order to control the properties of the fiber/matrix interface, we prepared composites of carbon fiber and polycarbonate and subjected these to annealing. The changes in interfacial properties directly correlated with changes in compression strength.

Combining features from ERP components in single-trial EEG for discriminating four-category visual objects.

PubMed

Wang, Changming; Xiong, Shi; Hu, Xiaoping; Yao, Li; Zhang, Jiacai

2012-10-01

Categorization of images containing visual objects can be successfully recognized using single-trial electroencephalograph (EEG) measured when subjects view images. Previous studies have shown that task-related information contained in event-related potential (ERP) components could discriminate two or three categories of object images. In this study, we investigated whether four categories of objects (human faces, buildings, cats and cars) could be mutually discriminated using single-trial EEG data. Here, the EEG waveforms acquired while subjects were viewing four categories of object images were segmented into several ERP components (P1, N1, P2a and P2b), and then Fisher linear discriminant analysis (Fisher-LDA) was used to classify EEG features extracted from ERP components. Firstly, we compared the classification results using features from single ERP components, and identified that the N1 component achieved the highest classification accuracies. Secondly, we discriminated four categories of objects using combining features from multiple ERP components, and showed that combination of ERP components improved four-category classification accuracies by utilizing the complementarity of discriminative information in ERP components. These findings confirmed that four categories of object images could be discriminated with single-trial EEG and could direct us to select effective EEG features for classifying visual objects.

Growth and physicochemical properties of second-order nonlinear optical 2-amino-5-chloropyridinium trichloroacetate single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renugadevi, R.; Kesavasamy, R.

2015-09-01

The growth of organic nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal 2-amino-5-chloropyridinium trichloroacetate (2A5CPTCA) has been synthesized and single crystals have been grown from methanol solvent by slow evaporation technique. The grown crystals were subjected to various characterization analyses in order to find out the suitability for device fabrication. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that 2A5CPTCA crystallizes in monoclinic system with the space group Cc. The grown crystal was further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis to find out the functional groups. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a research technique that exploits the magnetic properties of certain atomic nuclei. The optical transparency window in the visible and near-IR (200--1100 nm) regions was found to be good for NLO applications. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis were used to study its thermal properties. The powder second harmonic generation efficiency measurement with Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) radiation shows that the highest value when compared with the standard potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal.

Determination of Single-Kidney Glomerular Filtration Rate in Human Subjects by Using CT

PubMed Central

Kwon, Soon Hyo; Saad, Ahmed; Herrmann, Sandra M.; Textor, Stephen C.

2015-01-01

Purpose To test the hypothesis that computed tomography (CT)–derived measurements of single-kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR) obtained in human subjects with 64-section CT agree with those obtained with iothalamate clearance, a rigorous reference standard. Materials and Methods The institutional review board approved this HIPAA-compliant study, and written informed consent was obtained. Ninety-six patients (age range, 51–73 years; 46 men, 50 women) with essential (n = 56) or renovascular (n = 40) hypertension were prospectively studied in controlled conditions (involving sodium intake and renin-angiotensin blockade). Single-kidney perfusion, volume, and GFR were measured by using multidetector CT time-attenuation curves and were compared with GFR measured by using iothalamate clearance, as assigned to the right and left kidney according to relative volumes. The reproducibility of CT GFR over a 3-month period (n = 21) was assessed in patients with renal artery stenosis who were undergoing stable medical treatment. Statistical analysis included the t test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, linear regression, and Bland-Altman analysis. Results CT GFR values were similar to those of iothalamate clearance (mean ± standard deviation, 38.2 mL/min ± 18 vs 41.6 mL/min ± 17; P = .062). Stenotic kidney CT GFR in patients with renal artery stenosis was lower than contralateral kidney GFR or essential hypertension single-kidney GFR (mean, 23.1 mL/min ± 13 vs 36.9 mL/min ± 17 [P = .0008] and 45.2 mL/min ± 16 [P = .019], respectively), as was iothalamate clearance (mean, 26.9 mL/min ± 14 vs 38.5 mL/min ± 15 [P = .0004] and 49.0 mL/min ± 14 [P = .001], respectively). CT GFR correlated well with iothalamate GFR (linear regression, CT GFR = 0.88*iothalamate GFR, r2 = 0.89, P < .0001), and Bland-Altman analysis was used to confirm the agreement. CT GFR was also moderately reproducible in medically treated patients with renal artery stenosis (concordance coefficient correlation, 0.835) but was unaffected by revascularization (mean, 25.3 mL/min ± 15.2 vs 30.3 mL/min ± 18.5; P = .097). Conclusion CT assessments of single-kidney GFR are reproducible and agree well with a reference standard. CT can be useful to obtain minimally invasive estimates of bilateral single-kidney function in human subjects. © RSNA, 2015 PMID:25848903

Validation of Static and Dynamic Balance Assessment Using Microsoft Kinect for Young and Elderly Populations.

PubMed

Eltoukhy, Moataz A; Kuenze, Christopher; Oh, Jeonghoon; Signorile, Joseph F

2018-01-01

Reduction in balance is an indicator of fall risk, and therefore, an accurate and cost-effective balance assessment tool is essential for prescribing effective postural control strategies. This study established the validity of the Kinect v2 sensor in assessing center of mass (CoM) excursion and velocity during single-leg balance and voluntary ankle sway tasks among young and elderly subjects. We compared balance outcome measures (anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) CoM excursion and velocity and average sway length) to a traditional three-dimensional motion analysis system. Twenty subjects (10 young: age = y, height cm, weight kg; 10 elderly: age y, height cm, weight kg), with no history of lower extremity injury, participated in this study. Subjects performed six randomized trials; four single-leg stand (SLS) and two ankle sway trials. SLS and voluntary ankle sway trials showed that consistency (ICC(2, k)) and agreement (ICC(3, k)) for all variables when all subjects were considered, as well as when the elderly and young groups were analyzed separately. Concordance between systems ranged from poor to nearly perfect depending on the group, task, and variable assessed.

Mutation testing in Treacher Collins Syndrome.

PubMed

Ellis, P E; Dawson, M; Dixon, M J

2002-12-01

To report on a study where 97 subjects were screened for mutations in the Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) gene TCOF1. Ninety-seven subjects with a clinical diagnosis of TCS were screened for potential mutations in TCOF1, by means of single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. In those subjects where potential mutations were detected, sequence analysis was performed to determine the site and type of mutation present. Thirty-six TCS-specific mutations are reported including 27 deletions, six point mutations, two splice junction mutations, and one insertion/deletion. This brings the total number of mutations reported to date to 105. The importance of detection of these mutations is mainly in postnatal diagnosis and genetic counselling. Knowledge of the family specific mutation may also be used in prenatal diagnosis to confirm whether the foetus is affected or not, and give the parents the choice of whether to continue with the pregnancy.

The Iron Law of Hierarchy? Institutional Differentiation in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croxford, Linda; Raffe, David

2015-01-01

This paper maps the main dimensions of differentiation among institutions and "faculties" (subject areas within institutions) of higher education in the United Kingdom. It does so through a principal components analysis based on the characteristics of applicants and entrants. A single status dimension accounts for a quarter of the…

"The Road Less Traveled": Combining Disability Studies and Quantitative Analysis with Medium and Large Data Sets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosier, Meghan

2012-01-01

Historically, researchers focused on individuals with severe disabilities have utilized single-subject research methodologies to study the application of the behavioral theory to learning. In contrast, disability studies scholars have primarily used qualitative research methodologies to study quality of life or policy issues related to individuals…

Compensatory Articulatory Behaviours in Adolescents with Cleft Palate: Comparing the Perceptual and Instrumental Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Sara

2004-01-01

A combination of perceptual and electropalatographic (EPG) analysis is used to investigate speech production in three adolescent speakers with a history of cleft palate. All the subjects still sound markedly atypical. Their speech output is analysed in three conditions: diadochokinetic tasks; single word production; connected speech. Comparison of…

Growth and characterization of diammonium copper disulphate hexahydrate single crystal

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

Siva Sankari, R.; Perumal, Rajesh Narayana, E-mail: r.shankarisai@gmail.com

2014-03-01

Graphical abstract: Diammonium copper disulphate hexahydrate (DACS) is one of the most promising inorganic dielectric crystals with exceptional mechanical properties. Good quality crystals of DACS were grown by using solution method in a period of 30 days. The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis in order to establish their crystalline nature. Thermo gravimetric, differential thermal analysis, FTIR, and UV–vis–NIR analysis were performed for the crystal. Several solid state physical parameters have been determined for the grown crystals. The dielectric constant and the dielectric loss and AC conductivity of the grown crystal were studied as a functionmore » of frequency and temperature has been calculated and plotted. - Highlights: • Diammonium copper disulphate is grown for the first time and CCDC number obtained. • Thermal analysis is done to see the stability range of the crystals. • Band gap and UV cut off wavelength of the crystal are determined to be 2.4 eV and 472.86 nm, respectively. • Dielectric constant, dielectric loss and AC conductivity are plotted as a function of applied field. - Abstract: Diammonium copper disulphate hexahydrate is one of the most promising inorganic crystals with exceptional dielectric properties. A good quality crystal was harvested in a 30-day period using solution growth method. The grown crystal was subjected to various characterization techniques like single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, thermo gravimetric, differential thermal analysis, FTIR, and UV–vis–NIR analysis. Unit cell dimensions of the grown crystal have been identified from XRD studies. Functional groups of the title compounds have been identified from FTIR studies. Thermal stability of the samples was checked by TG/DTA studies. Band gap of the crystal was calculated. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were studied as a function of frequency of the applied field. AC conductivity was plotted as a function of temperature.« less

Contrast sensitivity to spatial gratings in moderate and dim light conditions in patients with diabetes in the absence of diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Safi, Sare; Rahimi, Anoushiravan; Raeesi, Afsaneh; Safi, Hamid; Aghazadeh Amiri, Mohammad; Malek, Mojtaba; Yaseri, Mehdi; Haeri, Mohammad; Middleton, Frank A; Solessio, Eduardo; Ahmadieh, Hamid

2017-01-01

To evaluate the ability of contrast sensitivity (CS) to discriminate loss of visual function in diabetic subjects with no clinical signs of retinopathy relative to that of normal subjects. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we measured CS in 46 diabetic subjects with a mean age of 48±6 years, a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 and no signs of diabetic retinopathy. The CS in these subjects was compared with CS measurements in 46 normal control subjects at four spatial frequencies (3, 6, 12, 18 cycles per degree) under moderate (500 lux) and dim (less than 2 lux) background light conditions. CS was approximately 0.16 log units lower in patients with diabetes relative to controls both in moderate and in dim background light conditions. Logistic regression classification and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that CS analysis using two light conditions was more accurate (0.78) overall compared with CS analysis using only a single illumination condition (accuracy values were 0.67 and 0.70 in moderate and dim light conditions, respectively). Our results showed that patients with diabetes without clinical signs of retinopathy exhibit a uniform loss in CS at all spatial frequencies tested. Measuring the loss in CS at two spatial frequencies (3 and 6 cycles per degree) and two light conditions (moderate and dim) is sufficiently robust to classify diabetic subjects with no retinopathy versus control subjects.

Continuous glucose monitoring in subcutaneous tissue using factory-calibrated sensors: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hoss, Udo; Jeddi, Iman; Schulz, Mark; Budiman, Erwin; Bhogal, Claire; McGarraugh, Geoffrey

2010-08-01

Commercial continuous subcutaneous glucose monitors require in vivo calibration using capillary blood glucose tests. Feasibility of factory calibration, i.e., sensor batch characterization in vitro with no further need for in vivo calibration, requires a predictable and stable in vivo sensor sensitivity and limited inter- and intra-subject variation of the ratio of interstitial to blood glucose concentration. Twelve volunteers wore two FreeStyle Navigator (Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA) continuous glucose monitoring systems for 5 days in parallel for two consecutive sensor wears (four sensors per subject, 48 sensors total). Sensors from a prototype sensor lot with a low variability in glucose sensitivity were used for the study. Median sensor sensitivity values based on capillary blood glucose were calculated per sensor and compared for inter- and intra-subject variation. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) calculation and error grid analysis were performed using a single calibration factor for all sensors to simulate factory calibration and compared to standard fingerstick calibration. Sensor sensitivity variation in vitro was 4.6%, which increased to 8.3% in vivo (P < 0.0001). Analysis of variance revealed no significant inter-subject differences in sensor sensitivity (P = 0.134). Applying a single universal calibration factor retrospectively to all sensors resulted in a MARD of 10.4% and 88.1% of values in Clarke Error Grid Zone A, compared to a MARD of 10.9% and 86% of values in Error Grid Zone A for fingerstick calibration. Factory calibration of sensors for continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring is feasible with similar accuracy to standard fingerstick calibration. Additional data are required to confirm this result in subjects with diabetes.

An Analysis of the Effect of Marital and Family Status on Retention, Promotion, and On-the-Job Productivity of Male Marine Corps Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

workers earn more than single male co-workers is well established in labor economics literature. Studies indicate that a marriage earnings premium exists in...determination, which are valued in both the labor and marriage markets. The explanation of the marriage wage premium is an important subject in labor economics because...subject in labor economics . Of all the examined determinants, marital status has been found to be one of the most robust ones. Kol and Ryu (2002), in their

Analysis on preemptive priority retrial queue with two types of customers, balking, optional re-service, single vacation and service interruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuvarani, S.; Saravanarajan, M. C.

2017-11-01

This paper concerned with performance analysis of single server preemptive priority retrial queue with a single vacation where two types of customers are considered and they are called priority customers and ordinary customers. The ordinary customers arrive in batch into the system. The priority customers do not form any queue. After the completion of regular service, the customers may demand re-service for the previous service without joining the orbit or may leave the system. As soon as the system is empty, the server goes for vacation and the regular busy server can be subjected to breakdown. By using the supplementary variable technique, we obtain the steady-state probability generating functions for the system/orbit size. Some important system performance measures and the stochastic decomposition are discussed. Finally, numerical examples are presented to visualize the effect of parameters on system performance measures.

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Field Programmable Gate Array Single Event Effects Test Guideline Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; LaBel, Kenneth A.

2018-01-01

The following are updated or new subjects added to the FPGA SEE Test Guidelines manual: academic versus mission specific device evaluation, single event latch-up (SEL) test and analysis, SEE response visibility enhancement during radiation testing, mitigation evaluation (embedded and user-implemented), unreliable design and its affects to SEE Data, testing flushable architectures versus non-flushable architectures, intellectual property core (IP Core) test and evaluation (addresses embedded and user-inserted), heavy-ion energy and linear energy transfer (LET) selection, proton versus heavy-ion testing, fault injection, mean fluence to failure analysis, and mission specific system-level single event upset (SEU) response prediction. Most sections within the guidelines manual provide information regarding best practices for test structure and test system development. The scope of this manual addresses academic versus mission specific device evaluation and visibility enhancement in IP Core testing.

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Single Event Effects (SEE) Test Guideline Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; LaBel, Kenneth A.

2018-01-01

The following are updated or new subjects added to the FPGA SEE Test Guidelines manual: academic versus mission specific device evaluation, single event latch-up (SEL) test and analysis, SEE response visibility enhancement during radiation testing, mitigation evaluation (embedded and user-implemented), unreliable design and its affects to SEE Data, testing flushable architectures versus non-flushable architectures, intellectual property core (IP Core) test and evaluation (addresses embedded and user-inserted), heavy-ion energy and linear energy transfer (LET) selection, proton versus heavy-ion testing, fault injection, mean fluence to failure analysis, and mission specific system-level single event upset (SEU) response prediction. Most sections within the guidelines manual provide information regarding best practices for test structure and test system development. The scope of this manual addresses academic versus mission specific device evaluation and visibility enhancement in IP Core testing.

Principal component analysis and analysis of variance on the effects of Entellan New on the Raman spectra of fibers.

PubMed

Yu, Marcia M L; Sandercock, P Mark L

2012-01-01

During the forensic examination of textile fibers, fibers are usually mounted on glass slides for visual inspection and identification under the microscope. One method that has the capability to accurately identify single textile fibers without subsequent demounting is Raman microspectroscopy. The effect of the mountant Entellan New on the Raman spectra of fibers was investigated to determine if it is suitable for fiber analysis. Raman spectra of synthetic fibers mounted in three different ways were collected and subjected to multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis score plots revealed that while spectra from different fiber classes formed distinct groups, fibers of the same class formed a single group regardless of the mounting method. The spectra of bare fibers and those mounted in Entellan New were found to be statistically indistinguishable by analysis of variance calculations. These results demonstrate that fibers mounted in Entellan New may be identified directly by Raman microspectroscopy without further sample preparation. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Aviation noise overload in the immediate proximity of the Warsaw-Okecie airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koszarny, Z.; Maziarka, S.

1981-05-01

The results are presented for investigations on noise overload around the Warszawa-Okecie airport on persons inhabiting the area where it exceeds 100 dB for a single aircraft flight. Of 256 subjects, 91.1 percent complained about aircraft noise overload. In the population studied considerable differences were noted respecting the subjective sensitivity scale. Statistical analysis showed numerous correlations between the individual noise sensitivity threshold and the subject's state of health, age, sex, type of work, etc. At the same time investigations demonstrated various forms and levels of disturbance in the organism for individual subjects and groups. The most frequent complaint was chronic fatigue (68.1 percent), followed by nervousness (36.6 percent), frequent headaches (36.2 percent), hearing disturbances (30.0 percent) and sleep disorders (23.9 percent).

Aviation noise overload in the immediate proximity of the Warsaw-Okecie airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koszarny, Z.; Maziarka, S.

1981-01-01

The results are presented for investigations on noise overload around the Warszawa-Okecie airport on persons inhabiting the area where it exceeds 100 dB for a single aircraft flight. Of 256 subjects, 91.1 percent complained about aircraft noise overload. In the population studied considerable differences were noted respecting the subjective sensitivity scale. Statistical analysis showed numerous correlations between the individual noise sensitivity threshold and the subject's state of health, age, sex, type of work, etc. At the same time investigations demonstrated various forms and levels of disturbance in the organism for individual subjects and groups. The most frequent complaint was chronic fatigue (68.1 percent), followed by nervousness (36.6 percent), frequent headaches (36.2 percent), hearing disturbances (30.0 percent) and sleep disorders (23.9 percent).

A Unified Approach to Functional Principal Component Analysis and Functional Multiple-Set Canonical Correlation.

PubMed

Choi, Ji Yeh; Hwang, Heungsun; Yamamoto, Michio; Jung, Kwanghee; Woodward, Todd S

2017-06-01

Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) and functional multiple-set canonical correlation analysis (FMCCA) are data reduction techniques for functional data that are collected in the form of smooth curves or functions over a continuum such as time or space. In FPCA, low-dimensional components are extracted from a single functional dataset such that they explain the most variance of the dataset, whereas in FMCCA, low-dimensional components are obtained from each of multiple functional datasets in such a way that the associations among the components are maximized across the different sets. In this paper, we propose a unified approach to FPCA and FMCCA. The proposed approach subsumes both techniques as special cases. Furthermore, it permits a compromise between the techniques, such that components are obtained from each set of functional data to maximize their associations across different datasets, while accounting for the variance of the data well. We propose a single optimization criterion for the proposed approach, and develop an alternating regularized least squares algorithm to minimize the criterion in combination with basis function approximations to functions. We conduct a simulation study to investigate the performance of the proposed approach based on synthetic data. We also apply the approach for the analysis of multiple-subject functional magnetic resonance imaging data to obtain low-dimensional components of blood-oxygen level-dependent signal changes of the brain over time, which are highly correlated across the subjects as well as representative of the data. The extracted components are used to identify networks of neural activity that are commonly activated across the subjects while carrying out a working memory task.

Cerebral capillary velocimetry based on temporal OCT speckle contrast.

PubMed

Choi, Woo June; Li, Yuandong; Qin, Wan; Wang, Ruikang K

2016-12-01

We propose a new optical coherence tomography (OCT) based method to measure red blood cell (RBC) velocities of single capillaries in the cortex of rodent brain. This OCT capillary velocimetry exploits quantitative laser speckle contrast analysis to estimate speckle decorrelation rate from the measured temporal OCT speckle signals, which is related to microcirculatory flow velocity. We hypothesize that OCT signal due to sub-surface capillary flow can be treated as the speckle signal in the single scattering regime and thus its time scale of speckle fluctuations can be subjected to single scattering laser speckle contrast analysis to derive characteristic decorrelation time. To validate this hypothesis, OCT measurements are conducted on a single capillary flow phantom operating at preset velocities, in which M-mode B-frames are acquired using a high-speed OCT system. Analysis is then performed on the time-varying OCT signals extracted at the capillary flow, exhibiting a typical inverse relationship between the estimated decorrelation time and absolute RBC velocity, which is then used to deduce the capillary velocities. We apply the method to in vivo measurements of mouse brain, demonstrating that the proposed approach provides additional useful information in the quantitative assessment of capillary hemodynamics, complementary to that of OCT angiography.

FMRI group analysis combining effect estimates and their variances

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; Saad, Ziad S.; Nath, Audrey R.; Beauchamp, Michael S.; Cox, Robert W.

2012-01-01

Conventional functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) group analysis makes two key assumptions that are not always justified. First, the data from each subject is condensed into a single number per voxel, under the assumption that within-subject variance for the effect of interest is the same across all subjects or is negligible relative to the cross-subject variance. Second, it is assumed that all data values are drawn from the same Gaussian distribution with no outliers. We propose an approach that does not make such strong assumptions, and present a computationally efficient frequentist approach to FMRI group analysis, which we term mixed-effects multilevel analysis (MEMA), that incorporates both the variability across subjects and the precision estimate of each effect of interest from individual subject analyses. On average, the more accurate tests result in higher statistical power, especially when conventional variance assumptions do not hold, or in the presence of outliers. In addition, various heterogeneity measures are available with MEMA that may assist the investigator in further improving the modeling. Our method allows group effect t-tests and comparisons among conditions and among groups. In addition, it has the capability to incorporate subject-specific covariates such as age, IQ, or behavioral data. Simulations were performed to illustrate power comparisons and the capability of controlling type I errors among various significance testing methods, and the results indicated that the testing statistic we adopted struck a good balance between power gain and type I error control. Our approach is instantiated in an open-source, freely distributed program that may be used on any dataset stored in the universal neuroimaging file transfer (NIfTI) format. To date, the main impediment for more accurate testing that incorporates both within- and cross-subject variability has been the high computational cost. Our efficient implementation makes this approach practical. We recommend its use in lieu of the less accurate approach in the conventional group analysis. PMID:22245637

Pharmacokinetics of Mirabegron, a β3-Adrenoceptor Agonist for Treatment of Overactive Bladder, in Healthy East Asian Subjects.

PubMed

Iitsuka, Hiromi; van Gelderen, Marcel; Katashima, Masataka; Takusagawa, Shin; Sawamoto, Taiji

2015-05-01

The objective of these studies was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and tolerability of mirabegron, a β3-adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder, including food effects (low- or high-fat meals) and sex, in healthy East Asian subjects. In total, 5 pharmacokinetic studies of mirabegron were conducted in healthy East Asian subjects. Food effects were assessed in 3 randomized, single-dose studies in young Japanese male subjects (study 1), male and female subjects (study 2), and young Taiwanese male and female subjects (study 3). In the other 2 single- and multiple-dose studies in young Chinese male and female subjects (study 4 and study 5), mirabegron was administered as a single dose under fasted conditions. After the washout period, mirabegron was administered once daily under fed conditions for 8 days. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using noncompartmental methods. Safety and tolerability assessments included physical examinations, vital signs, 12-lead ECG, clinical laboratory tests (biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis), and adverse event monitoring. After administration of single oral doses of mirabegron, exposure under fed conditions was lower than under fasted conditions in Japanese and Taiwanese subjects. In Japanese subjects, a greater reduction in mirabegron Cmax and AUC0-∞ was observed after a low-fat meal compared with a high-fat meal. In Chinese subjects, Cmax was reached at approximately 4.0 hours after single oral doses. Mirabegron accumulated 2- to 3-fold on once-daily dosing of multiple-dose relative to single-dose data. Steady state was reached within 7 days. After administration of mirabegron, mean values for Cmax and AUC in female subjects were higher than those in male subjects. Mirabegron was well tolerated in Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese subjects. Our studies confirm the higher exposure levels of mirabegron in female compared with male East Asian subjects as found earlier in Western subjects. Furthermore, the effects of food on the pharmacokinetic profiles appeared to be similar among the 3 populations tested in our studies. The findings suggest that there are no significant pharmacokinetic differences among the Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese populations. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-Tasking and Choice of Training Data Influencing Parietal ERP Expression and Single-Trial Detection-Relevance for Neuroscience and Clinical Applications.

PubMed

Kirchner, Elsa A; Kim, Su Kyoung

2018-01-01

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are often used in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for communication or system control for enhancing or regaining control for motor-disabled persons. Especially results from single-trial EEG classification approaches for BCIs support correlations between single-trial ERP detection performance and ERP expression. Hence, BCIs can be considered as a paradigm shift contributing to new methods with strong influence on both neuroscience and clinical applications. Here, we investigate the relevance of the choice of training data and classifier transfer for the interpretability of results from single-trial ERP detection. In our experiments, subjects performed a visual-motor oddball task with motor-task relevant infrequent ( targets ), motor-task irrelevant infrequent ( deviants ), and motor-task irrelevant frequent ( standards ) stimuli. Under dual-task condition, a secondary senso-motor task was performed, compared to the simple-task condition. For evaluation, average ERP analysis and single-trial detection analysis with different numbers of electrodes were performed. Further, classifier transfer was investigated between simple and dual task. Parietal positive ERPs evoked by target stimuli (but not by deviants) were expressed stronger under dual-task condition, which is discussed as an increase of task emphasis and brain processes involved in task coordination and change of task set. Highest classification performance was found for targets irrespective whether all 62, 6 or 2 parietal electrodes were used. Further, higher detection performance of targets compared to standards was achieved under dual-task compared to simple-task condition in case of training on data from 2 parietal electrodes corresponding to results of ERP average analysis. Classifier transfer between tasks improves classification performance in case that training took place on more varying examples (from dual task). In summary, we showed that P300 and overlaying parietal positive ERPs can successfully be detected while subjects are performing additional ongoing motor activity. This supports single-trial detection of ERPs evoked by target events to, e.g., infer a patient's attentional state during therapeutic intervention.

Multi-Tasking and Choice of Training Data Influencing Parietal ERP Expression and Single-Trial Detection—Relevance for Neuroscience and Clinical Applications

PubMed Central

Kirchner, Elsa A.; Kim, Su Kyoung

2018-01-01

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are often used in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for communication or system control for enhancing or regaining control for motor-disabled persons. Especially results from single-trial EEG classification approaches for BCIs support correlations between single-trial ERP detection performance and ERP expression. Hence, BCIs can be considered as a paradigm shift contributing to new methods with strong influence on both neuroscience and clinical applications. Here, we investigate the relevance of the choice of training data and classifier transfer for the interpretability of results from single-trial ERP detection. In our experiments, subjects performed a visual-motor oddball task with motor-task relevant infrequent (targets), motor-task irrelevant infrequent (deviants), and motor-task irrelevant frequent (standards) stimuli. Under dual-task condition, a secondary senso-motor task was performed, compared to the simple-task condition. For evaluation, average ERP analysis and single-trial detection analysis with different numbers of electrodes were performed. Further, classifier transfer was investigated between simple and dual task. Parietal positive ERPs evoked by target stimuli (but not by deviants) were expressed stronger under dual-task condition, which is discussed as an increase of task emphasis and brain processes involved in task coordination and change of task set. Highest classification performance was found for targets irrespective whether all 62, 6 or 2 parietal electrodes were used. Further, higher detection performance of targets compared to standards was achieved under dual-task compared to simple-task condition in case of training on data from 2 parietal electrodes corresponding to results of ERP average analysis. Classifier transfer between tasks improves classification performance in case that training took place on more varying examples (from dual task). In summary, we showed that P300 and overlaying parietal positive ERPs can successfully be detected while subjects are performing additional ongoing motor activity. This supports single-trial detection of ERPs evoked by target events to, e.g., infer a patient's attentional state during therapeutic intervention. PMID:29636660

Loperamide plus azithromycin more effectively treats travelers' diarrhea in Mexico than azithromycin alone.

PubMed

Ericsson, Charles D; DuPont, Herbert L; Okhuysen, Pablo C; Jiang, Zhi-Dong; DuPont, Margaret W

2007-01-01

Because the combination of loperamide and some antimicrobials has proven to be more efficacious than the antimicrobial agent alone in the treatment of travelers' diarrhea, we set out to prove loperamide plus azithromycin was more efficacious than azithromycin alone. During the summers of 2002 to 2003, 176 US adults recently arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico were enrolled in a prospective, double-blinded, randomized trial of the treatment of acute diarrhea. Subjects received single doses (1,000 or 500 mg) of azithromycin or a single 500 mg dose of azithromycin plus loperamide. Subjects gave a pre- and post-treatment stool sample for analysis and maintained daily diaries of symptoms and passage of stools. The duration of diarrhea was significantly (p=0.0002) shorter following treatment with azithromycin plus loperamide (11 h) than with either dose of azithromycin alone (34 h). In the first 24 hours, the average number of unformed stools passed was 3.4 (azithromycin alone) and 1.2 (combination) for a significant (p<0.0001) difference of 2.2 unformed stools. This difference equated with 20% of azithromycin-treated subjects continuing to pass six or more unformed stools in the first 24 hours post-treatment compared with only 1.7% of combination-treated subjects. For the treatment of travelers' diarrhea in an Escherichia coli predominant region of the world, a single 500 mg dose of azithromycin appeared as effective as a 1,000 mg dose. Loperamide plus 500 mg of azithromycin was safe and more effective than either dose of azithromycin. To realize the substantial clinical benefit that accrues to a subset of subjects, we feel loperamide should routinely be used in combination with an antimicrobial agent to treat travelers' diarrhea.

Acute Effects of Different Types of Resistance Training on Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in COPD.

PubMed

Vanderlei, Franciele M; Zandonadi, Fernando; de Lima, Fabiano Franciso; Silva, Bruna S A; Freire, Ana Paula C F; Ramos, Dionei; Ramos, Ercy Mara C

2018-05-22

An exercise modality that has been gaining significant importance in the rehabilitation of subjects with COPD is resistance training. When considering that patients with COPD present alterations in autonomic cardiac modulation caused by the disease itself, it is necessary to investigate the behavior of the autonomic nervous system in relation to this type of exercise. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the acute effects of resistance training with elastic tubes, elastic bands, and conventional weightlifitng on the behavior of cardiac autonomic modulation in post-exercise recovery in subjects with COPD. Thirty-four subjects with COPD performed an single session of resistance training divided according to the therapeutic resource used: elastic tubes ( n = 10), elastic bands ( n = 11), and conventional bodybuilding ( n = 13). For analysis of cardiac autonomic modulation, the heart rate was obtained beat to beat at rest and immediately after the end of the session for 60 min in a seated position. Heart rate variability indices were obtained in the time and frequency domains. The 3 therapeutic resource types used in the single session of resistance training promoted changes in heart rate variability linear indices in the time and frequency domains; however, post-exercise recovery time was similar for all protocols performed. After single resistance training the elastic tubes group presented a minimum alteration in the post-exercise recovery of cardiac autonomic modulation in the subjects with COPD; however, at 5 min after exercising, the subjects with COPD had already recovered. Therefore, if the purpose of the training is to restore autonomic cardiac modulation, the use of elastic tubes is suggested, when considering their low cost and versatility. Copyright © 2018 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Object permanence tests on gibbons (Hylobatidae).

PubMed

Fedor, Anna; Skollár, Gabriella; Szerencsy, Nóra; Ujhelyi, Mária

2008-11-01

Ten gibbons of various species (Symphalangus syndactylus, Hylobates lar, Nomascus gabriellae, and Nomascus leucogenys) were tested on object permanence tasks. Three identical wooden boxes, presented in a linear line, were used to hide pieces of food. The authors conducted single visible, single invisible, double invisible, and control displacements, in both random and nonrandom order. During invisible displacements, the experimenter hid the object in her hand before putting it into a box. The performance of gibbons was better than expected by chance in all the tests, except for the randomly ordered double displacement. However, individual analysis of performance showed great variability across subjects, and only 1 gibbon is assumed to have solved single visible and single invisible displacements without recourse to a strategy that the control test eliminated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Crystallinity of the epitaxial heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuruta, Ryohei; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Ishii, Hisao; Nakayama, Yasuo

2017-06-01

The structure of pn heterojunctions is an important subject in the field of organic semiconductor devices. In this work, the crystallinity of an epitaxial pn heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene is investigated by non-contact mode atomic force microscopy and high-resolution grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. Analysis shows that the C60 molecules assemble into grains consisting of single crystallites on the pentacene single crystal surface. The in-plane mean crystallite size exceeds 0.1 μm, which is at least five time larger than the size of crystallites deposited onto polycrystalline pentacene thin films grown on SiO2. The results indicate that improvement in the crystal quality of the underlying molecular substrate leads to drastic promotion of the crystallinity at the organic semiconductor heterojunction.

Artifact removal in the context of group ICA: a comparison of single-subject and group approaches

PubMed Central

Du, Yuhui; Allen, Elena A.; He, Hao; Sui, Jing; Wu, Lei; Calhoun, Vince D.

2018-01-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) has been widely applied to identify intrinsic brain networks from fMRI data. Group ICA computes group-level components from all data and subsequently estimates individual-level components to recapture inter-subject variability. However, the best approach to handle artifacts, which may vary widely among subjects, is not yet clear. In this work, we study and compare two ICA approaches for artifacts removal. One approach, recommended in recent work by the Human Connectome Project, first performs ICA on individual subject data to remove artifacts, and then applies a group ICA on the cleaned data from all subjects. We refer to this approach as Individual ICA based artifacts Removal Plus Group ICA (IRPG). A second proposed approach, called Group Information Guided ICA (GIG-ICA), performs ICA on group data, then removes the group-level artifact components, and finally performs subject-specific ICAs using the group-level non-artifact components as spatial references. We used simulations to evaluate the two approaches with respect to the effects of data quality, data quantity, variable number of sources among subjects, and spatially unique artifacts. Resting-state test-retest datasets were also employed to investigate the reliability of functional networks. Results from simulations demonstrate GIG-ICA has greater performance compared to IRPG, even in the case when single-subject artifacts removal is perfect and when individual subjects have spatially unique artifacts. Experiments using test-retest data suggest that GIG-ICA provides more reliable functional networks. Based on high estimation accuracy, ease of implementation, and high reliability of functional networks, we find GIG-ICA to be a promising approach. PMID:26859308

FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE TESTING OF THE HIP IN ATHLETES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW FOR RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

PubMed Central

Martin, RobRoy L.

2012-01-01

Purpose/Background: The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature for functional performance tests with evidence of reliability and validity that could be used for a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. Methods: A search of PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases were performed to identify movement, balance, hop/jump, or agility functional performance tests from the current peer-reviewed literature used to assess function of the hip in young, athletic subjects. Results: The single-leg stance, deep squat, single-leg squat, and star excursion balance tests (SEBT) demonstrated evidence of validity and normative data for score interpretation. The single-leg stance test and SEBT have evidence of validity with association to hip abductor function. The deep squat test demonstrated evidence as a functional performance test for evaluating femoroacetabular impingement. Hop/Jump tests and agility tests have no reported evidence of reliability or validity in a population of subjects with hip pathology. Conclusions: Use of functional performance tests in the assessment of hip dysfunction has not been well established in the current literature. Diminished squat depth and provocation of pain during the single-leg balance test have been associated with patients diagnosed with FAI and gluteal tendinopathy, respectively. The SEBT and single-leg squat tests provided evidence of convergent validity through an analysis of kinematics and muscle function in normal subjects. Reliability of functional performance tests have not been established on patients with hip dysfunction. Further study is needed to establish reliability and validity of functional performance tests that can be used in a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. Level of Evidence: 2b (Systematic Review of Literature) PMID:22893860

Studies on the bioavailability of the provitamin A carotenoid, beta-carotene, using human exfoliated colonic epithelial cells.

PubMed

Gireesh, T; Nair, P P; Sudhakaran, P R

2004-08-01

The possibility of using exfoliated colonic epithelial cells for assessing the bioavailability of beta-carotene was examined. Analysis of exfoliated colonic epithelial cells showed the presence of beta-carotene and vitamin A. The beta-carotene content was significantly lower in cells from stool samples of subjects on a beta-carotene-poor diet than those receiving a single dose of a beta-carotene supplement. Colonic epithelial cells isolated from stool samples collected daily during a wash-out period while the subjects were on a beta-carotene-poor diet showed a steady decrease in beta-carotene content, reaching the lowest value on day 7. Kinetic analysis showed that a single dose of a beta-carotene supplement in the form of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) or agathi (Sesbania grandiflora) after the wash-out period caused an increase in the beta-carotene content after a lag period of 5-7 d, but the vitamin A levels during these periods were not significantly affected. Analysis of plasma beta-carotene concentration also showed similar changes, which correlated with those of exfoliated colonic cells. A relationship between the beta-carotene content of the diet and that of the colonic epithelial cells suggests that analysis of the beta-carotene content in exfoliated human colonic epithelial cells is a useful non-invasive method to assess the bioavailability of provitamin A beta-carotene.

The influence of the design matrix on treatment effect estimates in the quantitative analyses of single-subject experimental design research.

PubMed

Moeyaert, Mariola; Ugille, Maaike; Ferron, John M; Beretvas, S Natasha; Van den Noortgate, Wim

2014-09-01

The quantitative methods for analyzing single-subject experimental data have expanded during the last decade, including the use of regression models to statistically analyze the data, but still a lot of questions remain. One question is how to specify predictors in a regression model to account for the specifics of the design and estimate the effect size of interest. These quantitative effect sizes are used in retrospective analyses and allow synthesis of single-subject experimental study results which is informative for evidence-based decision making, research and theory building, and policy discussions. We discuss different design matrices that can be used for the most common single-subject experimental designs (SSEDs), namely, the multiple-baseline designs, reversal designs, and alternating treatment designs, and provide empirical illustrations. The purpose of this article is to guide single-subject experimental data analysts interested in analyzing and meta-analyzing SSED data. © The Author(s) 2014.

Single-subject structural networks with closed-form rotation invariant matching mprove power in developmental studies of the cortex.

PubMed

Kandel, Benjamin M; Wang, Danny J J; Gee, James C; Avants, Brian B

2014-01-01

Although much attention has recently been focused on single-subject functional networks, using methods such as resting-state functional MRI, methods for constructing single-subject structural networks are in their infancy. Single-subject cortical networks aim to describe the self-similarity across the cortical structure, possibly signifying convergent developmental pathways. Previous methods for constructing single-subject cortical networks have used patch-based correlations and distance metrics based on curvature and thickness. We present here a method for constructing similarity-based cortical structural networks that utilizes a rotation-invariant representation of structure. The resulting graph metrics are closely linked to age and indicate an increasing degree of closeness throughout development in nearly all brain regions, perhaps corresponding to a more regular structure as the brain matures. The derived graph metrics demonstrate a four-fold increase in power for detecting age as compared to cortical thickness. This proof of concept study indicates that the proposed metric may be useful in identifying biologically relevant cortical patterns.

The Affective Norms for Polish Short Texts (ANPST) Database Properties and Impact of Participants’ Population and Sex on Affective Ratings

PubMed Central

Imbir, Kamil K.

2017-01-01

The Affective Norms for Polish Short Texts (ANPST) dataset (Imbir, 2016d) is a list of 718 affective sentence stimuli with known affective properties with respect to subjectively perceived valence, arousal, dominance, origin, subjective significance, and source. This article examines the reliability of the ANPST and the impact of population type and sex on affective ratings. The ANPST dataset was introduced to provide a recognized method of eliciting affective states with linguistic stimuli more complex than single words and that included contextual information and thus are less ambiguous in interpretation than single word. Analysis of the properties of the ANPST dataset showed that norms collected are reliable in terms of split-half estimation and that the distributions of ratings are similar to those obtained in other affective norms studies. The pattern of correlations was the same as that found in analysis of an affective norms dataset for words based on the same six variables. Female psychology students’ valence ratings were also more polarized than those of their female student peers studying other subjects, but arousal ratings were only higher for negative words. Differences also appeared for all other measured dimensions. Women’s valence ratings were found to be more polarized and arousal ratings were higher than those made by men, and differences were also present for dominance, origin, and subjective significance. The ANPST is the first Polish language list of sentence stimuli and could easily be adapted for other languages and cultures. PMID:28611707

Screening for infectious diseases among asylum seekers newly arrived in Germany in 2015: a systematic single-centre analysis.

PubMed

Kortas, A Z; Polenz, J; von Hayek, J; Rüdiger, S; Rottbauer, W; Storr, U; Wibmer, T

2017-12-01

During the migrant crisis in 2015, Germany was the largest single recipient of new asylum seekers in Europe. The German asylum law requires a screening examination for certain infectious diseases in asylum seekers upon arrival. The aim of this work was to analyse the rate of certain infectious diseases among asylum seekers screened at a reception centre in Southern Germany. Retrospective medical record review. Medical records of 2602 asylum seekers screened by a local public health authority in Germany in 2015 were systematically analysed. The majority of screened subjects came from Afghanistan and Syria. The mean age was 22.1 (±12.0) years. The majority of subjects were male (75.4%). Most individuals were of normal weight or overweight, more subjects were obese than underweight. A total of 78 (3.9%) individuals were infected with hepatitis B and eight (0.4%) with HIV. In 31 cases, chest radiographs suggested active tuberculosis (1.6%), which was confirmed in four cases (0.2%). The physical examination uncovered 44 (1.7%) cases of scabies, nine (0.3%) cases of lice, eight (0.3%) of upper respiratory tract infections, two (0.1%) of varicella and 13 (0.5%) of other skin infections. In the majority of subjects none of the screened infectious diseases were found. No evidence was found that the overall prevalence of certain infectious diseases screened for in the present analysis was considerably higher than in previous migration studies. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An automated normative-based fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography image-analysis procedure to aid Alzheimer disease diagnosis using statistical parametric mapping and interactive image display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kewei; Ge, Xiaolin; Yao, Li; Bandy, Dan; Alexander, Gene E.; Prouty, Anita; Burns, Christine; Zhao, Xiaojie; Wen, Xiaotong; Korn, Ronald; Lawson, Michael; Reiman, Eric M.

2006-03-01

Having approved fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in some patients, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggested the need to develop and test analysis techniques to optimize diagnostic accuracy. We developed an automated computer package comparing an individual's FDG PET image to those of a group of normal volunteers. The normal control group includes FDG-PET images from 82 cognitively normal subjects, 61.89+/-5.67 years of age, who were characterized demographically, clinically, neuropsychologically, and by their apolipoprotein E genotype (known to be associated with a differential risk for AD). In addition, AD-affected brain regions functionally defined as based on a previous study (Alexander, et al, Am J Psychiatr, 2002) were also incorporated. Our computer package permits the user to optionally select control subjects, matching the individual patient for gender, age, and educational level. It is fully streamlined to require minimal user intervention. With one mouse click, the program runs automatically, normalizing the individual patient image, setting up a design matrix for comparing the single subject to a group of normal controls, performing the statistics, calculating the glucose reduction overlap index of the patient with the AD-affected brain regions, and displaying the findings in reference to the AD regions. In conclusion, the package automatically contrasts a single patient to a normal subject database using sound statistical procedures. With further validation, this computer package could be a valuable tool to assist physicians in decision making and communicating findings with patients and patient families.

Pharmacokinetic profiles of repaglinide in elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Hatorp, V; Huang, W C; Strange, P

1999-04-01

Pharmacokinetic profiles of single- and multiple-dose regimens of repaglinide were evaluated in 12 elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes. On day 1, following a 10-hour fast, subjects received a single 2-mg dose of repaglinide. Starting on day 2 and continuing for 7 days, each subject received a 2-mg dose of repaglinide 15 minutes before each of the three main meals. On day 9, subjects received a single 2-mg dose of repaglinide. Pharmacokinetic profiles, including area under the curve (AUC), log(AUC), maximal concentration (Cmax), log(Cmax), time to maximal concentration (Tmax), and half-life (T(1/2)), were determined at completion of the single- and multiple-dose regimens (days 1 and 9, respectively). Trough repaglinide values were collected on days 2 through 7. The mean log(AUC) values after multiple dosing were significantly higher than the values obtained after a single dose. The mean values for log(Cmax), and Tmax were comparable after each dosing regimen. The T(1/2) of repaglinide after multiple dosing was 1.7 hours. The trough values for repaglinide were low. No hypoglycemic events were reported. The pharmacokinetic profiles of repaglinide after single- and multiple-dose regimens were similar, and repaglinide was well tolerated by elderly subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on communication and speech for children with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Flippin, Michelle; Reszka, Stephanie; Watson, Linda R

2010-05-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular communication-training program for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis reviews the current empirical evidence for PECS in affecting communication and speech outcomes for children with ASD. A systematic review of the literature on PECS written between 1994 and June 2009 was conducted. Quality of scientific rigor was assessed and used as an inclusion criterion in computation of effect sizes. Effect sizes were aggregated separately for single-subject and group studies for communication and speech outcomes. Eight single-subject experiments (18 participants) and 3 group studies (95 PECS participants, 65 in other intervention/control) were included. Results indicated that PECS is a promising but not yet established evidence-based intervention for facilitating communication in children with ASD ages 1-11 years. Small to moderate gains in communication were demonstrated following training. Gains in speech were small to negative. This meta-analysis synthesizes gains in communication and relative lack of gains made in speech across the PECS literature for children with ASD. Concerns about maintenance and generalization are identified. Emerging evidence of potential preintervention child characteristics is discussed. Phase IV was identified as a possibly influential program characteristic for speech outcomes.

Monitoring Fiber Stress During Curing of Single Fiber Glass- and Graphite-Epoxy Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madhukar, Madhu S.; Kosuri, Ranga P.; Bowles, Kenneth J.

1994-01-01

The difference in thermal expansion characteristics of epoxy matrices and graphite fibers can produce significant residual stresses in the fibers during curing of composite materials. Tests on single fiber glass-epoxy and graphite-epoxy composite specimens were conducted in which the glass and graphite fibers were preloaded in tension, and the epoxy matrix was cast around the fibers. The fiber tension was monitored while the matrix was placed around the fiber and subjected to the temperature-time curing cycle. Two mechanisms responsible for producing stress in embedded fibers were identified as matrix thermal expansion and contraction and matrix cure shrinkage. A simple analysis based on the change in fiber tension during the curing cycle was conducted to estimate the produced stresses. Experimental results on single fiber glass- and graphite-epoxy composites show that the fiber was subjected to significant tensile stresses when the temperature was raised from the first to the second dwell period. When initial fiber pretension is about 60 percent of the fiber failure load, these curing-induced stresses can cause tensile fracture of the embedded fiber.

Laser-fluorescence measurement of marine algae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Browell, E. V.

1980-01-01

Progress in remote sensing of algae by laser-induced fluorescence is subject of comprehensive report. Existing single-wavelength and four-wavelength systems are reviewed, and new expression for power received by airborne sensor is derived. Result differs by as much as factor of 10 from those previously reported. Detailed error analysis evluates factors affecting accuracy of laser-fluorosensor systems.

Producing Websites for Assessment: A Case Study from a Level 1 Fieldwork Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

France, Derek; Ribchester, Chris

2004-01-01

BSc Single Subject Geography students at University College Chester enrol for a core module that involves the acquisition of fieldwork data, data analysis and project design. One of this module's assessment exercises requires students to 'write up' a field-based research project as a functioning website. This paper explores the practicalities of…

A Meta-Analysis of Mobile Technology Supporting Individuals with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cumming, Therese M.; Draper Rodríguez, Cathi

2017-01-01

Mobile technology has become ubiquitous in the education and support of individuals with disabilities. While this practice is supported under the Universal Design for Learning framework, research in the area has yet to establish a solid evidence base. The majority of the studies in existence are single-subject design studies with a dearth of…

Improving Graduate Students' Graphing Skills of Multiple Baseline Designs with Microsoft[R] Excel 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Ya-yu; Starling, A. Leyf Peirce

2009-01-01

This study examined the effects of a graphing task analysis using the Microsoft[R] Office Excel 2007 program on the single-subject multiple baseline graphing skills of three university graduate students. Using a multiple probe across participants design, the study demonstrated a functional relationship between the number of correct graphing…

The Use of Natural Supports To Increase Integration in Supported Employment Settings for Youth in Transition. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storey, Keith

This final report briefly describes activities of a project which developed and evaluated specific natural support intervention procedures to increase the social integration of employees with severe disabilities using single-subject, clique analysis, and social validation methodologies. The project resulted in the publication of 6 journal articles…

Acceleration through a Holistic Support Model: An Implementation and Outcomes Analysis of FastStart@CCD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgecombe, Nikki; Jaggars, Shanna Smith; Baker, Elaine DeLott; Bailey, Thomas

2013-01-01

Originally designed for students who test into at least two levels of developmental education in a particular subject area, FastStart is a compressed course program model launched in 2005 at the Community College of Denver (CCD). The program combines multiple semester-length courses into a single intensive semester, while providing case…

Research to Develop Effective Teaching and Management Techniques for Severely Disturbed and Retarded Children. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, James M.; Birnbrauer, Jay S.

The final report of a project on teaching and management techniques with severely disturbed and/or retarded children presents analysis of single subject research using contingent imitation of the child as an intervention technique. The effects of this technique were examined on the following behaviors: toyplay and reciprocal imitation, self…

Buckling analysis and test correlation of hat stiffened panels for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Percy, Wendy C.; Fields, Roger A.

1990-01-01

The paper discusses the design, analysis, and test of hat stiffened panels subjected to a variety of thermal and mechanical load conditions. The panels were designed using data from structural optimization computer codes and finite element analysis. Test methods included the grid shadow moire method and a single gage force stiffness method. The agreement between the test data and analysis provides confidence in the methods that are currently being used to design structures for hypersonic vehicles. The agreement also indicates that post buckled strength may potentially be used to reduce the vehicle weight.

Once-only sigmoidoscopy in colorectal cancer screening: follow-up findings of the Italian Randomized Controlled Trial--SCORE.

PubMed

Segnan, Nereo; Armaroli, Paola; Bonelli, Luigina; Risio, Mauro; Sciallero, Stefania; Zappa, Marco; Andreoni, Bruno; Arrigoni, Arrigo; Bisanti, Luigi; Casella, Claudia; Crosta, Cristiano; Falcini, Fabio; Ferrero, Franco; Giacomin, Adriano; Giuliani, Orietta; Santarelli, Alessandra; Visioli, Carmen Beatriz; Zanetti, Roberto; Atkin, Wendy S; Senore, Carlo

2011-09-07

A single flexible sigmoidoscopy at around the age of 60 years has been proposed as an effective strategy for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening on CRC incidence and mortality. A questionnaire to assess the eligibility and interest in screening was mailed to 236,568 men and women, aged 55-64 years, who were randomly selected from six trial centers in Italy. Of the 56,532 respondents, interested and eligible subjects were randomly assigned to the intervention group (invitation for flexible sigmoidoscopy; n = 17,148) or the control group (no further contact; n = 17,144), between June 14, 1995, and May 10, 1999. Flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed on 9911 subjects. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were performed to compare the CRC incidence and mortality rates in the intervention and control groups. Per-protocol analysis was adjusted for noncompliance. A total of 34,272 subjects (17,136 in each group) were included in the follow-up analysis. The median follow-up period was 10.5 years for incidence and 11.4 years for mortality; 251 subjects were diagnosed with CRC in the intervention group and 306 in the control group. Overall incidence rates in the intervention and control groups were 144.11 and 176.43, respectively, per 100,000 person-years. CRC-related death was noted in 65 subjects in the intervention group and 83 subjects in the control group. Mortality rates in the intervention and control groups were 34.66 and 44.45, respectively, per 100,000 person-years. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the rate of CRC incidence was statistically significantly reduced in the intervention group by 18% (rate ratio [RR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69 to 0.96), and the mortality rate was non-statistically significantly reduced by 22% (RR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.56 to 1.08) compared with the control group. In the per-protocol analysis, both CRC incidence and mortality rates were statistically significantly reduced among the screened subjects; CRC incidence was reduced by 31% (RR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.56 to 0.86) and mortality was reduced by 38% (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.40 to 0.96) compared with the control group. A single flexible sigmoidoscopy screening between ages 55 and 64 years was associated with a substantial reduction of CRC incidence and mortality.

Single versus multiple sets of resistance exercise: a meta-regression.

PubMed

Krieger, James W

2009-09-01

There has been considerable debate over the optimal number of sets per exercise to improve musculoskeletal strength during a resistance exercise program. The purpose of this study was to use hierarchical, random-effects meta-regression to compare the effects of single and multiple sets per exercise on dynamic strength. English-language studies comparing single with multiple sets per exercise, while controlling for other variables, were considered eligible for inclusion. The analysis comprised 92 effect sizes (ESs) nested within 30 treatment groups and 14 studies. Multiple sets were associated with a larger ES than a single set (difference = 0.26 +/- 0.05; confidence interval [CI]: 0.15, 0.37; p < 0.0001). In a dose-response model, 2 to 3 sets per exercise were associated with a significantly greater ES than 1 set (difference = 0.25 +/- 0.06; CI: 0.14, 0.37; p = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between 1 set per exercise and 4 to 6 sets per exercise (difference = 0.35 +/- 0.25; CI: -0.05, 0.74; p = 0.17) or between 2 to 3 sets per exercise and 4 to 6 sets per exercise (difference = 0.09 +/- 0.20; CI: -0.31, 0.50; p = 0.64). There were no interactions between set volume and training program duration, subject training status, or whether the upper or lower body was trained. Sensitivity analysis revealed no highly influential studies, and no evidence of publication bias was observed. In conclusion, 2 to 3 sets per exercise are associated with 46% greater strength gains than 1 set, in both trained and untrained subjects.

SOX2, OTX2 and PAX6 analysis in subjects with anophthalmia and microphthalmia.

PubMed

Mauri, Lucia; Franzoni, Alessandra; Scarcello, Manuela; Sala, Stefano; Garavelli, Livia; Modugno, Alessandra; Grammatico, Paola; Patrosso, Maria Cristina; Piozzi, Elena; Del Longo, Alessandra; Gesu, Giovanni P; Manfredini, Emanuela; Primignani, Paola; Damante, Giuseppe; Penco, Silvana

2015-02-01

Anophthalmia (A) and microphthalmia (M) are rare developmental anomalies that have significant effects on visual activity. In fraction of A/M subjects, single genetic defects have been identified as causative. In this study we analysed 65 Italian A/M patients, 21 of whom are syndromic, for mutations in SOX2, OTX2 and PAX6 genes. In syndromic patients the presence of genome imbalances through array CGH was also investigated. No mutations were found for OTX2 and PAX6 genes. Three causative SOX2 mutations were found in subjects with syndromic A. In a subject with syndromic signs and monolateral M, two de novo 6.26 Mb and 1.37 Mb deletions in 4q13.2q13.3 have been identified. A SOX2 missense (p.Ala161Ser) mutation was found in 1 out of 39 a subject with non-syndromic monolateral M. Alanine at position 161 is conserved along phylogeny and the p.Ala161Ser mutation is estimated pathogenic by in silico analysis. However, this mutation was also present in the unaffected patient's daughter. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated Detection of Electroencephalography Artifacts in Human, Rodent and Canine Subjects using Machine Learning.

PubMed

Levitt, Joshua; Nitenson, Adam; Koyama, Suguru; Heijmans, Lonne; Curry, James; Ross, Jason T; Kamerling, Steven; Saab, Carl Y

2018-06-23

Electroencephalography (EEG) invariably contains extra-cranial artifacts that are commonly dealt with based on qualitative and subjective criteria. Failure to account for EEG artifacts compromises data interpretation. We have developed a quantitative and automated support vector machine (SVM)-based algorithm to accurately classify artifactual EEG epochs in awake rodent, canine and humans subjects. An embodiment of this method also enables the determination of 'eyes open/closed' states in human subjects. The levels of SVM accuracy for artifact classification in humans, Sprague Dawley rats and beagle dogs were 94.17%, 83.68%, and 85.37%, respectively, whereas 'eyes open/closed' states in humans were labeled with 88.60% accuracy. Each of these results was significantly higher than chance. Comparison with Existing Methods: Other existing methods, like those dependent on Independent Component Analysis, have not been tested in non-human subjects, and require full EEG montages, instead of only single channels, as this method does. We conclude that our EEG artifact detection algorithm provides a valid and practical solution to a common problem in the quantitative analysis and assessment of EEG in pre-clinical research settings across evolutionary spectra. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Single-accelerometer-based daily physical activity classification.

PubMed

Long, Xi; Yin, Bin; Aarts, Ronald M

2009-01-01

In this study, a single tri-axial accelerometer placed on the waist was used to record the acceleration data for human physical activity classification. The data collection involved 24 subjects performing daily real-life activities in a naturalistic environment without researchers' intervention. For the purpose of assessing customers' daily energy expenditure, walking, running, cycling, driving, and sports were chosen as target activities for classification. This study compared a Bayesian classification with that of a Decision Tree based approach. A Bayes classifier has the advantage to be more extensible, requiring little effort in classifier retraining and software update upon further expansion or modification of the target activities. Principal components analysis was applied to remove the correlation among features and to reduce the feature vector dimension. Experiments using leave-one-subject-out and 10-fold cross validation protocols revealed a classification accuracy of approximately 80%, which was comparable with that obtained by a Decision Tree classifier.

Onset of action of fexofenadine hydrochloride 60 mg/pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 120 mg in subjects aged 12 years with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis: a pooled analysis of two single-dose, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled allergen exposure unit studies.

PubMed

Berkowitz, Robert B; McCafferty, Frank; Lutz, Cheryl; Bazelmans, Donna; Godfrey, Penny; Meeves, Suzanne; Liao, Yuning; Georges, George

2006-10-01

The onset of action of antihistamine-decongestant combinations is an important factor in the treatment of subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). This was a pooled analysis of 2 published studies with identical designs investigating the onset of action of the combination of fexofenadine hydrochloride 60 mg/pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 120 mg (FEX60/PSE120) in subjects with moderate to severe SAR. Subjects aged 12 years received single doses of FEX60/PSE120 or placebo in 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, allergen exposure unit studies and recorded their SAR symptoms on diary cards before dosing, at 15-minute intervals for 2 hours after dosing, and at 30-minute intervals for the next 4 hours. The primary efficacy end point was onset of action, assessed in terms of absolute change in the major symptom complex (MSC) score, which was the sum of scores for the individual symptoms of stuffy nose, itchy nose, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes, itchy ears/throat, and sneezing. Secondary end points included the absolute and percent change in the total symptom complex (TSC) score (the sum of the MSC score plus the scores for nose blowing, sniffles, postnasal drip, and cough) and individual symptom scores. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were recorded. Analyses were performed on the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population, which included all subjects who were randomized to treatment and took the single dose of study medication according to the protocol. A total of 1693 subjects were screened in the 2 studies, and 786 were randomized (298 in study 1, 488 in study 2). Two subjects withdrew from study 2; therefore, the mITT population consisted of 784 subjects. Subjects' mean age was 33.4 years, and 64.4% were female. The onset of action of FEX60/PSE120 was 45 minutes; the least squares mean (SD) treatment difference in the change from baseline in absolute MSC score was 0.8 (0.31) (95% CI, 0.2-1.4; P = 0.008). All subsequent changes from baseline in MSC scores were statistically significant for FEX60/PSE120 compared with placebo (P < 0.001). The absolute and percent change in TSC score and the percent change in MSC score were significantly decreased at all time points from 45 minutes after dosing for FEX60/PSE120 compared with placebo (all, P < 0.05). Individual symptoms (mean of hours 1 to 5) also were significantly improved with FEX60/PSE120 compared with placebo (all, P < 0.05). TEAEs were reported by 2.3% (9/391) and 4.3% (17/393) of subjects receiving FEX60/PSE120 and placebo, respectively. The most commonly occurring TEAS in the FEX60/PSE120 and placebo groups was somnolence (n = 4 and n = 6, respectively). In this pooled analysis of 2 allergen exposure unit studies, FEX60/PSE120 had an onset of action of 45 minutes and a sustained effect throughout the 6-hour study period in subjects with moderate to severe SAR.

Single-donor islet transplantation and long-term insulin independence in select patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Al-Adra, David P; Gill, Richdeep S; Imes, Sharleen; O'Gorman, Doug; Kin, Tatsuya; Axford, Sara J; Shi, Xinzhe; Senior, Peter A; Shapiro, A M James

2014-11-15

Islet transplantation is a recognized treatment option for select patients with type I diabetes mellitus. However, islet infusions from multiple donors are often required to achieve insulin independence. Ideally, insulin independence would be achieved routinely with only a single donor. Identification of factors associated with insulin independence after single-donor islet transplantation may help to select recipient-donor combinations with the highest probability of success. Subjects undergoing islet transplantation at a single center (Edmonton, Canada) between March 1999 and August 2013 were included. Recipient, donor, and transplant characteristics were collected and compared between recipients who became insulin independent after one islet transplantation and those who did not. Thirty-one patients achieved insulin independence after a single-donor islet transplantation, and 149 did not. Long-term insulin-free survival was not different between the groups. Factors significantly associated with single-donor success included recipient age, insulin requirement at baseline, donor weight, donor body mass index, islet transplant mass, and peritransplant heparin and insulin administration. On multivariate analysis, pretransplantation daily insulin requirements, the use of peritransplantation heparin and insulin infusions, and islet transplant mass remained significant. We have identified clinically relevant differences defining the achievement of insulin independence after single-donor transplantation. Based on these differences, a preoperative insulin requirement of less than 0.6 U/kg per day and receiving more than 5,646 islet equivalents (IEQ)/kg have a sensitivity of 84% and 71% and specificity of 50% and 50%, respectively, for insulin independence after single-donor islet transplantation. With ideal patient selection, this finding could potentially increase single-donor transplantation success and may be especially relevant for presensitized subjects or those who may subsequently require renal replacement.

Improved perception of music with a harmonic based algorithm for cochlear implants.

PubMed

Li, Xing; Nie, Kaibao; Imennov, Nikita S; Rubinstein, Jay T; Atlas, Les E

2013-07-01

The lack of fine structure information in conventional cochlear implant (CI) encoding strategies presumably contributes to the generally poor music perception with CIs. To improve CI users' music perception, a harmonic-single-sideband-encoder (HSSE) strategy was developed , which explicitly tracks the harmonics of a single musical source and transforms them into modulators conveying both amplitude and temporal fine structure cues to electrodes. To investigate its effectiveness, vocoder simulations of HSSE and the conventional continuous-interleaved-sampling (CIS) strategy were implemented. Using these vocoders, five normal-hearing subjects' melody and timbre recognition performance were evaluated: a significant benefit of HSSE to both melody (p < 0.002) and timbre (p < 0.026) recognition was found. Additionally, HSSE was acutely tested in eight CI subjects. On timbre recognition, a significant advantage of HSSE over the subjects' clinical strategy was demonstrated: the largest improvement was 35% and the mean 17% (p < 0.013). On melody recognition, two subjects showed 20% improvement with HSSE; however, the mean improvement of 7% across subjects was not significant (p > 0.090). To quantify the temporal cues delivered to the auditory nerve, the neural spike patterns evoked by HSSE and CIS for one melody stimulus were simulated using an auditory nerve model. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that HSSE can convey temporal pitch cues better than CIS. The results suggest that HSSE is a promising strategy to enhance music perception with CIs.

Genome-wide association study identifies a novel locus contributing to type 2 diabetes susceptibility in Sikhs of Punjabi origin from India.

PubMed

Saxena, Richa; Saleheen, Danish; Been, Latonya F; Garavito, Martha L; Braun, Timothy; Bjonnes, Andrew; Young, Robin; Ho, Weang Kee; Rasheed, Asif; Frossard, Philippe; Sim, Xueling; Hassanali, Neelam; Radha, Venkatesan; Chidambaram, Manickam; Liju, Samuel; Rees, Simon D; Ng, Daniel Peng-Keat; Wong, Tien-Yin; Yamauchi, Toshimasa; Hara, Kazuo; Tanaka, Yasushi; Hirose, Hiroshi; McCarthy, Mark I; Morris, Andrew P; Basit, Abdul; Barnett, Anthony H; Katulanda, Prasad; Matthews, David; Mohan, Viswanathan; Wander, Gurpreet S; Singh, Jai Rup; Mehra, Narinder K; Ralhan, Sarju; Kamboh, M Ilyas; Mulvihill, John J; Maegawa, Hiroshi; Tobe, Kazuyuki; Maeda, Shiro; Cho, Yoon S; Tai, E Shyong; Kelly, M Ann; Chambers, John C; Kooner, Jaspal S; Kadowaki, Takashi; Deloukas, Panos; Rader, Daniel J; Danesh, John; Sanghera, Dharambir K

2013-05-01

We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a multistage meta-analysis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Punjabi Sikhs from India. Our discovery GWAS in 1,616 individuals (842 case subjects) was followed by in silico replication of the top 513 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (P < 10⁻³) in Punjabi Sikhs (n = 2,819; 801 case subjects). We further replicated 66 SNPs (P < 10⁻⁴) through genotyping in a Punjabi Sikh sample (n = 2,894; 1,711 case subjects). On combined meta-analysis in Sikh populations (n = 7,329; 3,354 case subjects), we identified a novel locus in association with T2D at 13q12 represented by a directly genotyped intronic SNP (rs9552911, P = 1.82 × 10⁻⁸) in the SGCG gene. Next, we undertook in silico replication (stage 2b) of the top 513 signals (P < 10⁻³) in 29,157 non-Sikh South Asians (10,971 case subjects) and de novo genotyping of up to 31 top signals (P < 10⁻⁴) in 10,817 South Asians (5,157 case subjects) (stage 3b). In combined South Asian meta-analysis, we observed six suggestive associations (P < 10⁻⁵ to < 10⁻⁷), including SNPs at HMG1L1/CTCFL, PLXNA4, SCAP, and chr5p11. Further evaluation of 31 top SNPs in 33,707 East Asians (16,746 case subjects) (stage 3c) and 47,117 Europeans (8,130 case subjects) (stage 3d), and joint meta-analysis of 128,127 individuals (44,358 case subjects) from 27 multiethnic studies, did not reveal any additional loci nor was there any evidence of replication for the new variant. Our findings provide new evidence on the presence of a population-specific signal in relation to T2D, which may provide additional insights into T2D pathogenesis.

One device, one equation: the simplest way to objectively evaluate psoriasis severity.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Woo; Kim, Bo Ri; Choi, Chong Won; Youn, Sang Woong

2015-02-01

The erythema, scale and thickness of psoriasis lesions could be converted to bioengineering parameters. An objective psoriasis severity assessment is advantageous in terms of accuracy and reproducibility over conventional severity assessment. We aimed to formulate an objective psoriasis severity index with a single bioengineering device that can possibly substitute the conventional subjective Psoriasis Severity Index. A linear regression analysis was performed to derive the formula with the subjective Psoriasis Severity Index as the dependent variable and various bioengineering parameters determined from 157 psoriasis lesions as independent variables. The construct validity of the objective Psoriasis Severity Index was evaluated with an additional 30 psoriasis lesions through a Pearson correlation analysis. The formula is composed of hue and brightness, which are sufficiently obtainable with a Colorimeter alone. A very strong positive correlation was found between the objective and subjective psoriasis severity indexes. The objective Psoriasis Severity Index is a novel, practical and valid assessment method that can substitute the conventional one. Combined with subjective area assessment, it could further replace the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index which is currently most popular. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

A Novel Design of 4-Class BCI Using Two Binary Classifiers and Parallel Mental Tasks

PubMed Central

Geng, Tao; Gan, John Q.; Dyson, Matthew; Tsui, Chun SL; Sepulveda, Francisco

2008-01-01

A novel 4-class single-trial brain computer interface (BCI) based on two (rather than four or more) binary linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifiers is proposed, which is called a “parallel BCI.” Unlike other BCIs where mental tasks are executed and classified in a serial way one after another, the parallel BCI uses properly designed parallel mental tasks that are executed on both sides of the subject body simultaneously, which is the main novelty of the BCI paradigm used in our experiments. Each of the two binary classifiers only classifies the mental tasks executed on one side of the subject body, and the results of the two binary classifiers are combined to give the result of the 4-class BCI. Data was recorded in experiments with both real movement and motor imagery in 3 able-bodied subjects. Artifacts were not detected or removed. Offline analysis has shown that, in some subjects, the parallel BCI can generate a higher accuracy than a conventional 4-class BCI, although both of them have used the same feature selection and classification algorithms. PMID:18584040

Studies using single-subject designs in sport psychology: 30 years of research

PubMed Central

Martin, Garry L.; Thompson, Kendra; Regehr, Kaleigh

2004-01-01

A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we summarize that body of research, discuss its strengths and limitations, and identify areas for future research. PMID:22478434

Bioavailability of two oral-tablet and two oral-suspension formulations of naproxen sodium/paracetamol (acetaminophen): single-dose, randomized, open-label, two-period crossover comparisons in healthy Mexican adult subjects.

PubMed

Palma-Aguirre, Jose Antonio; Villalpando-Hernández, Jorge; Novoa-Heckel, Germán; Oliva, Iván; Cariño, Lizbeth; López-Bojórquez, Ericka; Burke-Fraga, Victoria; Namur, Salvador; González-de la Parra, Mario

2009-02-01

Naproxen sodium/paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a combination for the treatment of symptomatic pain and fever marketed both as a prescription and an over-the-counter product in Mexico. The aim of these 2 studies was to compare the bioavailability and to determine the bioequivalence of 2 test formulations (an oral-tablet formulation containing the combination of naproxen sodium/paracetamol 275/300 mg and an oral-suspension formulation containing the combination of naproxen sodium/paracetamol 375/300 mg per 15 mL) with their corresponding listed reference-drug formulations in Mexico (a list issued by Mexican health authorities). Two separate, single-dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover, postmarketing studies were conducted. For each study, a different set of eligible subjects was selected comprising healthy Mexican adults of either sex, and subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 test formulation of the combination of naproxen sodium/paracetamol followed by the corresponding reference-drug formulation, or vice versa, with a 1-week washout period between doses. After a 12-hour overnight fast, subjects received a single dose of naproxen sodium/paracetamol 275/300-mg tablet or naproxen sodium/paracetamol 375/300 mg per 15 mL suspension, depending on the study. For the analysis of pharmacokinetic parameters, including C(max), AUC from time 0 (baseline) to 48 hours (AUC(0-48)), and AUC from baseline to infinity (AUC(0-infinity)), blood samples were drawn at baseline and at 0.16, 0.33, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours after administration. The formulations were considered bioequivalent if the geometric mean ratios (test/reference) of the C(max) and AUC were within the predetermined range of 80% to 125%. Tolerability was determined by clinical assessment, monitoring vital signs, laboratory analysis results, and subject interviews regarding adverse events. A total of 26 subjects (15 men, 11 women; mean [SD] age, 29 [8] years [range, 20-50 years]; weight, 63.1 [9] kg [range, 51.4-84.4 kg]; height, 164 [9] cm [range, 149-179 cm]; and body mass index [BMI], 23.53 [2.18] kg/m(2) [range, 18.54-26.82 kg/m(2)]) were enrolled to receive the suspension-dosage formulation; 13 subjects received the suspension-test formulation first. A total of 26 subjects (13 men, 13 women; mean [SD] age, 29 [8] years [range, 18-43 years]; weight, 64.3 [7.7] kg [range, 50.6-80.7 kg]; height, 165 [9] cm [range, 151-181 cm]; and BMI, 23.64 [2.43] kg/m(2) [range, 18.02-26.42 kg/m(2)]) were enrolled to receive the tablet-dosage formulation; 13 subjects received the tablet-test formulation first. No significant period or sequence effects were detected based on analysis of variance. For the suspension-dosage formulation, the 90% CIs for naproxen C(max), AUC(0-48), and AUC(0-infinity) were 93.06% to 104.00%, 93.50% to 98.44%, and 92.14% to 98.99%, respectively, and were 90.09% to 105.90%, 88.58% to 99.34%, and 91.43% to 101.55%, respectively, for paracetamol. For the tablet-dosage formulation, the 90% CIs for naproxen C(max), AUC(0-48), and AUC(0-infinity) were 102.83% to 117.15%, 96.59% to 104.26%, and 96.01% to 102.90%, respectively, and were 94.04% to 121.09%, 95.48% to 105.64%, and 96.64% to 105.42%, respectively, for paracetamol. In these 2 small studies in healthy Mexican adult subjects, a single dose of naproxen sodium/paracetamol 275/300 mg of the test formulation of the tablet-dosage formulation or a single dose of naproxen sodium/paracetamol 375/300 mg per 15 mL of the test formulation of the suspension-dosage formulation was found to be bioequivalent to the corresponding reference formulations according to the regulatory definition of bioequivalence based on the rate and extent of absorption. All formulations were generally well tolerated.

Multibreath alveolar oxygen tension imaging.

PubMed

Clapp, Justin; Hamedani, Hooman; Kadlecek, Stephen; Xin, Yi; Shaghaghi, Hoora; Siddiqui, Sarmad; Rossman, Milton D; Rizi, Rahim R

2016-10-01

This study tested the ability of a multibreath hyperpolarized HP (3) He MRI protocol to increase the accuracy of regional alveolar oxygen tension (PA O2 ) measurements by lessening the influence of gas-flow artifacts. Conventional single-breath PA O2 measurement has been susceptible to error induced by intervoxel gas flow, particularly when used to study subjects with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Both single-breath and multibreath PA O2 imaging schemes were implemented in seven human subjects (one healthy, three asymptomatic smokers, and three COPD). The number and location of voxels with nonphysiologic PA O2 values generated by intervoxel gas flow were compared between the two protocols. The multibreath scheme resulted in a significantly lower total percentage of nonphysiologic PA O2 values (6.0%) than the single-breath scheme (13.7%) (P = 0.006). PA O2 maps showed several patterns of gas-flow artifacts that were present in the single-breath protocol but mitigated by the multibreath approach. Multibreath imaging also allowed for the analysis of slow-filling areas that presented no signal after a single breath. A multibreath approach enhances the accuracy and completeness of noninvasive PA O2 measurement by significantly lessening the proportion of nonphysiologic values generated by intervoxel gas flow. Magn Reson Med 76:1092-1101, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Contrast sensitivity to spatial gratings in moderate and dim light conditions in patients with diabetes in the absence of diabetic retinopathy

PubMed Central

Safi, Sare; Rahimi, Anoushiravan; Raeesi, Afsaneh; Safi, Hamid; Aghazadeh Amiri, Mohammad; Malek, Mojtaba; Yaseri, Mehdi; Haeri, Mohammad; Middleton, Frank A; Solessio, Eduardo; Ahmadieh, Hamid

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate the ability of contrast sensitivity (CS) to discriminate loss of visual function in diabetic subjects with no clinical signs of retinopathy relative to that of normal subjects. Research design and methods In this prospective cross-sectional study, we measured CS in 46 diabetic subjects with a mean age of 48±6 years, a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 and no signs of diabetic retinopathy. The CS in these subjects was compared with CS measurements in 46 normal control subjects at four spatial frequencies (3, 6, 12, 18 cycles per degree) under moderate (500 lux) and dim (less than 2 lux) background light conditions. Results CS was approximately 0.16 log units lower in patients with diabetes relative to controls both in moderate and in dim background light conditions. Logistic regression classification and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that CS analysis using two light conditions was more accurate (0.78) overall compared with CS analysis using only a single illumination condition (accuracy values were 0.67 and 0.70 in moderate and dim light conditions, respectively). Conclusions Our results showed that patients with diabetes without clinical signs of retinopathy exhibit a uniform loss in CS at all spatial frequencies tested. Measuring the loss in CS at two spatial frequencies (3 and 6 cycles per degree) and two light conditions (moderate and dim) is sufficiently robust to classify diabetic subjects with no retinopathy versus control subjects. PMID:28878937

In silico lineage tracing through single cell transcriptomics identifies a neural stem cell population in planarians.

PubMed

Molinaro, Alyssa M; Pearson, Bret J

2016-04-27

The planarian Schmidtea mediterranea is a master regenerator with a large adult stem cell compartment. The lack of transgenic labeling techniques in this animal has hindered the study of lineage progression and has made understanding the mechanisms of tissue regeneration a challenge. However, recent advances in single-cell transcriptomics and analysis methods allow for the discovery of novel cell lineages as differentiation progresses from stem cell to terminally differentiated cell. Here we apply pseudotime analysis and single-cell transcriptomics to identify adult stem cells belonging to specific cellular lineages and identify novel candidate genes for future in vivo lineage studies. We purify 168 single stem and progeny cells from the planarian head, which were subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq). Pseudotime analysis with Waterfall and gene set enrichment analysis predicts a molecularly distinct neoblast sub-population with neural character (νNeoblasts) as well as a novel alternative lineage. Using the predicted νNeoblast markers, we demonstrate that a novel proliferative stem cell population exists adjacent to the brain. scRNAseq coupled with in silico lineage analysis offers a new approach for studying lineage progression in planarians. The lineages identified here are extracted from a highly heterogeneous dataset with minimal prior knowledge of planarian lineages, demonstrating that lineage purification by transgenic labeling is not a prerequisite for this approach. The identification of the νNeoblast lineage demonstrates the usefulness of the planarian system for computationally predicting cellular lineages in an adult context coupled with in vivo verification.

Controlling on-demand gastric acidity in obese subjects: a randomized, controlled trial comparing a single dose of 20 mg rabeprazole and 20 mg omeprazole.

PubMed

Belhocine, Kafia; Vavasseur, Fabienne; Volteau, Christelle; Flet, Laurent; Touchefeu, Yann; Bruley des Varannes, Stanislas

2014-07-15

Obesity is associated with a risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The pharmacodynamic efficacy of proton pump inhibitors has not been specifically evaluated in obese subjects. The aim of this study was to compare the antisecretory response to a single oral dose of 20 mg rabeprazole, 20 mg omeprazole and placebo in obese subjects. Gastric pH was monitored for 24 hours on three separate occasions in eighteen H. pylori-negative, asymptomatic obese subjects. Subjects were given omeprazole, rabeprazole or placebo in a randomized order and in a double-blind fashion. The main analysis criterion was 24-h percent of time post dose with intragastric pH above 3; secondary criteria were percentage of time above pH 4, median pH, [H+] concentrations and nocturnal acid breakthrough (NAB). Results were analyzed using linear mixed models and Wilks test comparing variances. 24-h median [IQ] percentages of time with gastric pH above 3 and 4 were higher with rabeprazole than omeprazole (46 [37-55] vs. 30 [15-55] %, 9 [5-11] % for placebo) but the differences did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.11 and 0.24, respectively). Median acid concentrations were significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole and placebo (22 [14-53] vs. 54 [19-130] and 95 [73-170] mmoles/l, p < 0.01) for all periods. The number of NAB was significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole (median 1 [1,2] vs. 2 [1-3], p = 0.04). Variances of 24-h data (pH above 3 and 4, median pH, [H+] concentrations) were significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole (p < 0.0001). In asymptomatic obese subjects the gastric antisecretory response to a single dose of rabeprazole and omeprazole was strong and not significantly different between drugs despite a significantly more homogeneous response with rabeprazole. ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01136317.

Extracting time-frequency feature of single-channel vastus medialis EMG signals for knee exercise pattern recognition.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Li, Peiyang; Zhu, Xuyang; Su, Steven W; Guo, Qing; Xu, Peng; Yao, Dezhong

2017-01-01

The EMG signal indicates the electrophysiological response to daily living of activities, particularly to lower-limb knee exercises. Literature reports have shown numerous benefits of the Wavelet analysis in EMG feature extraction for pattern recognition. However, its application to typical knee exercises when using only a single EMG channel is limited. In this study, three types of knee exercises, i.e., flexion of the leg up (standing), hip extension from a sitting position (sitting) and gait (walking) are investigated from 14 healthy untrained subjects, while EMG signals from the muscle group of vastus medialis and the goniometer on the knee joint of the detected leg are synchronously monitored and recorded. Four types of lower-limb motions including standing, sitting, stance phase of walking, and swing phase of walking, are segmented. The Wavelet Transform (WT) based Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) approach is proposed for the classification of four lower-limb motions using a single-channel EMG signal from the muscle group of vastus medialis. Based on lower-limb motions from all subjects, the combination of five-level wavelet decomposition and SVD is used to comprise the feature vector. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) is then configured to build a multiple-subject classifier for which the subject independent accuracy will be given across all subjects for the classification of four types of lower-limb motions. In order to effectively indicate the classification performance, EMG features from time-domain (e.g., Mean Absolute Value (MAV), Root-Mean-Square (RMS), integrated EMG (iEMG), Zero Crossing (ZC)) and frequency-domain (e.g., Mean Frequency (MNF) and Median Frequency (MDF)) are also used to classify lower-limb motions. The five-fold cross validation is performed and it repeats fifty times in order to acquire the robust subject independent accuracy. Results show that the proposed WT-based SVD approach has the classification accuracy of 91.85%±0.88% which outperforms other feature models.

Short-Term Intra-Subject Variation in Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in COPD Patients and Healthy Controls and Its Effect on Disease Classification

PubMed Central

Phillips, Christopher; Mac Parthaláin, Neil; Syed, Yasir; Deganello, Davide; Claypole, Timothy; Lewis, Keir

2014-01-01

Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of interest for their potential to diagnose disease non-invasively. However, most breath VOC studies have analyzed single breath samples from an individual and assumed them to be wholly consistent representative of the person. This provided the motivation for an investigation of the variability of breath profiles when three breath samples are taken over a short time period (two minute intervals between samples) for 118 stable patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and 63 healthy controls and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The extent of the variation in VOC levels differed between COPD and healthy subjects and the patterns of variation differed for isoprene versus the bulk of other VOCs. In addition, machine learning approaches were applied to the breath data to establish whether these samples differed in their ability to discriminate COPD from healthy states and whether aggregation of multiple samples, into single data sets, could offer improved discrimination. The three breath samples gave similar classification accuracy to one another when evaluated separately (66.5% to 68.3% subjects classified correctly depending on the breath repetition used). Combining multiple breath samples into single data sets gave better discrimination (73.4% subjects classified correctly). Although accuracy is not sufficient for COPD diagnosis in a clinical setting, enhanced sampling and analysis may improve accuracy further. Variability in samples, and short-term effects of practice or exertion, need to be considered in any breath testing program to improve reliability and optimize discrimination. PMID:24957028

Short-Term Intra-Subject Variation in Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in COPD Patients and Healthy Controls and Its Effect on Disease Classification.

PubMed

Phillips, Christopher; Mac Parthaláin, Neil; Syed, Yasir; Deganello, Davide; Claypole, Timothy; Lewis, Keir

2014-05-09

Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of interest for their potential to diagnose disease non-invasively. However, most breath VOC studies have analyzed single breath samples from an individual and assumed them to be wholly consistent representative of the person. This provided the motivation for an investigation of the variability of breath profiles when three breath samples are taken over a short time period (two minute intervals between samples) for 118 stable patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and 63 healthy controls and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The extent of the variation in VOC levels differed between COPD and healthy subjects and the patterns of variation differed for isoprene versus the bulk of other VOCs. In addition, machine learning approaches were applied to the breath data to establish whether these samples differed in their ability to discriminate COPD from healthy states and whether aggregation of multiple samples, into single data sets, could offer improved discrimination. The three breath samples gave similar classification accuracy to one another when evaluated separately (66.5% to 68.3% subjects classified correctly depending on the breath repetition used). Combining multiple breath samples into single data sets gave better discrimination (73.4% subjects classified correctly). Although accuracy is not sufficient for COPD diagnosis in a clinical setting, enhanced sampling and analysis may improve accuracy further. Variability in samples, and short-term effects of practice or exertion, need to be considered in any breath testing program to improve reliability and optimize discrimination.

Variability of writing disorders in Wernicke's aphasia underperforming different writing tasks: A single-case study.

PubMed

Kozintseva, Elena; Skvortsov, Anatoliy

2016-03-01

The aim of our study was to evolve views on writing disorders in Wernicke's agraphia by comparing group data and analysis of a single patient. We showed how a single-case study can be useful in obtaining essential results that can be hidden by averaging group data. Analysis of a single patient proved to be important for resolving contradictions of the "holistic" and "elementaristic" paradigms of psychology and for the development of theoretical knowledge with the example of a writing disorder. The implementation of a holistic approach was undertaken by presenting the tasks differing in functions in which writing had been performed since its appearance in human culture (communicative, mnestic, and regulatory). In spite of the identical composition of involved psychological components, these differences were identified when certain types of errors were analyzed in the single subject. The results are discussed in terms of used writing strategy, resulting in a way of operation of involved components that lead to qualitative and quantitative changes of writing errors within the syndrome of Wernicke's agraphia. © 2016 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of single doses of drisapersen in non-ambulant subjects with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Results of a double-blind randomized clinical trial

PubMed Central

Flanigan, Kevin M.; Voit, Thomas; Rosales, Xiomara Q.; Servais, Laurent; Kraus, John E.; Wardell, Claire; Morgan, Allison; Dorricott, Susie; Nakielny, Joanna; Quarcoo, Naashika; Liefaard, Lia; Drury, Tom; Campion, Giles; Wright, Padraig

2014-01-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, lethal neuromuscular disorder caused by the absence of dystrophin protein due to mutations of the dystrophin gene. Drisapersen is a 2′-O-methyl-phosphorothioate oligonucleotide designed to skip exon 51 in dystrophin pre-mRNA to restore the reading frame of the mRNA. This study assessed safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of drisapersen after a single subcutaneous administration in non-ambulatory subjects. Eligible subjects were non-ambulant boys aged ≥9 years, in wheelchairs for ≥1 to ≤4 years, with a diagnosis of DMD resulting from a mutation correctable by drisapersen treatment. Four dose cohorts were planned (3, 6, 9 and 12 mg/kg), but study objectives were met with the 9 mg/kg dose. Less than proportional increase in exposure was demonstrated over the 3–9 mg/kg dose range, though post hoc analysis showed dose proportionality was more feasible over the 3–6 mg/kg range. Single doses of drisapersen at 3 and 6 mg/kg did not result in significant safety or tolerability concerns; however, at the 9 mg/kg dose, pyrexia and transient elevations in inflammatory parameters were seen. The maximum tolerated dose of 6 mg/kg drisapersen was identified for further characterization in multiple dose studies in the non-ambulant DMD population. PMID:24321374

Prevalence and predictors of stress disorders following two earthquakes.

PubMed

Yuan, Kang Chuan; Ruo Yao, Zhao; Zhen Yu, Shi; Xu Dong, Zhao; Jian Zhong, Yang; Edwards, Jason Glen; Edwards, Glen David

2013-09-01

Studies about stress disorders following a disaster have mainly been based on single-event trauma with little emphasis on multiple traumas. This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of stress disorders following two earthquakes in China. Subjects were randomly sampled from 11 villages in rural China. A total of 624 subjects were administered with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Symptom Checklist -90-R (SCL-90-R), Coping Style Scale and Social Support Rating Scale. This was followed by a structural clinical interview using the Chinese translation of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV-TR axis 1 disorders (SCID-I-P) for acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The prevalence of ASD and PTSD was 15% and 29%, respectively. Regression analysis indicated that high intensity of trauma exposure, lower educational level, subjective feeling of economic status and psychological stress after the first earthquake significantly predicted the outcome of PTSD. The study suggested that the prevalence of stress disorders in two earthquakes were higher than that experienced in a single disaster. The intensity of trauma exposure, low educational level, bad subjective feeling of economic status, and psychological stress after the first earthquake could be used to identify survivors at risk of developing PTSD in two earthquakes.

Circulating Selenium and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

PubMed

Yarmolinsky, James; Bonilla, Carolina; Haycock, Philip C; Langdon, Ryan J Q; Lotta, Luca A; Langenberg, Claudia; Relton, Caroline L; Lewis, Sarah J; Evans, David M; Davey Smith, George; Martin, Richard M

2018-05-17

In the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), selenium supplementation (causing a median 114 μg/L increase in circulating selenium) did not lower overall prostate cancer risk, but increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes. Mendelian randomization analysis uses genetic variants to proxy modifiable risk factors and can strengthen causal inference in observational studies. We constructed a genetic instrument comprising 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms robustly (P < 5 × 10-8) associated with circulating selenium in genome-wide association studies. In a Mendelian randomization analysis of 72 729 men in the PRACTICAL Consortium (44 825 case subjects, 27 904 control subjects), 114 μg/L higher genetically elevated circulating selenium was not associated with prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89 to 1.13). In concordance with findings from SELECT, selenium was weakly associated with advanced (including high-grade) prostate cancer (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.49) and type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.97 to 1.43; in a type 2 diabetes genome-wide association study meta-analysis with up to 49 266 case subjects and 249 906 control subjects). Our Mendelian randomization analyses do not support a role for selenium supplementation in prostate cancer prevention and suggest that supplementation could have adverse effects on risks of advanced prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Multi-disciplinary optimization of aeroservoelastic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karpel, Mordechay

1991-01-01

New methods were developed for efficient aeroservoelastic analysis and optimization. The main target was to develop a method for investigating large structural variations using a single set of modal coordinates. This task was accomplished by basing the structural modal coordinates on normal modes calculated with a set of fictitious masses loading the locations of anticipated structural changes. The following subject areas are covered: (1) modal coordinates for aeroelastic analysis with large local structural variations; and (2) time simulation of flutter with large stiffness changes.

Working with the Complexity and Refusing to Simplify: Undocuqueer Meaning Making at the Intersection of LGBTQ and Immigrant Rights Discourses.

PubMed

Cisneros, Jesus

2017-09-15

This study brings gender, sexuality, and immigration status, and their conceptual margins, to the center of analysis via the narratives of 31 self-identified undocuqueer immigrants. Undocuqueer immigrants ascribe meaning to their experiences by producing alternate subjectivities and subject positions that resist multiple axes of oppression. These subjectivities problematize the exclusionary repercussions of single-axis identity categorization that mostly benefit those who already have some structural privileges. Undocuqueer as a form of resistance to essentialized identity discourses was evidenced in participants' opposition to heteronormative, homonormative, and DREAMer discourses. This study has implications for further understanding the way that queer politics and identity interact with various axes of inequality.

Longitudinal changes in tooth/single-implant relationship and bone topography: an 8-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Chang, Moontaek; Wennström, Jan L

2012-06-01

To evaluate longitudinal changes in tooth/implant relationship and bone topography at single implants with a microthreaded, conical marginal portion (Astra Tech ST® implants, Astra Tech AB, Mölndal, Sweden). Thirty-one subjects with single implant-supported restorations in the esthetic zone were included. Radiographs obtained at crown installation and 1, 5, and 8 years of follow-up were analyzed with regard to changes in (1) bone level at the implant and adjacent teeth and (2) vertical position of adjacent teeth relative to the single implant. The mean marginal bone loss amounted to 0.1 mm at both implants and adjacent teeth during the 8 years of follow-up. Regression analysis failed to identify significant explanatory factors for observed variance in bone level change at the adjacent tooth surfaces. Vertical change in position of the teeth relative to the implants was more frequent and significantly greater in incisor compared with premolar tooth region but not associated with gender or age. The marginal bone level at teeth adjacent to single implants with a microthreaded conical marginal part was not influenced by horizontal and vertical tooth-implant distances. Continuous eruption of adjacent teeth may result in infraocclusal positioning of a single-implant restoration. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early Intervention for Children with Conduct Disorders: A Quantitative Synthesis of Single-Subject Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scruggs, Thomas E.; And Others

1986-01-01

Sixteen studies were analyzed that employed single-subject designs focusing on conduct disorders in preschoolers. Results indicated that reinforcement produced most positive outcomes, followed by punishment, timeout, and differential attention. Subject characteristics such as sex, handicapping condition, and target behavior typically bore little…

Single-trial detection of visual evoked potentials by common spatial patterns and wavelet filtering for brain-computer interface.

PubMed

Tu, Yiheng; Huang, Gan; Hung, Yeung Sam; Hu, Li; Hu, Yong; Zhang, Zhiguo

2013-01-01

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely used in brain-computer interface (BCI) systems as input signals conveying a subject's intention. A fast and reliable single-trial ERP detection method can be used to develop a BCI system with both high speed and high accuracy. However, most of single-trial ERP detection methods are developed for offline EEG analysis and thus have a high computational complexity and need manual operations. Therefore, they are not applicable to practical BCI systems, which require a low-complexity and automatic ERP detection method. This work presents a joint spatial-time-frequency filter that combines common spatial patterns (CSP) and wavelet filtering (WF) for improving the signal-to-noise (SNR) of visual evoked potentials (VEP), which can lead to a single-trial ERP-based BCI.

Does Compare-Contrast Text Structure Help Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Comprehend Science Text?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnahan, Christina R.; Williamson, Pamela S.

2013-01-01

Using a single-subject reversal design, this study evaluated the use of a compare-contrast strategy on the ability of students with autism spectrum disorder to comprehend science text. Three middle school students with high-functioning autism and their teacher participated in this study. A content analysis comparing the number of meaning units in…

Experimental Intervention Studies on Word Problem Solving and Math Disabilities: A Selective Analysis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Xinhua; Flynn, Lindsay J.; Swanson, H. Lee

2013-01-01

This article provides a quantitative synthesis of the published literature on word problem solving intervention studies for children with math disabilities (MD). Seven group and eight single-subject design studies met inclusion criteria. Mean effect sizes ("ES"s) for solution accuracy for group design studies were 0.95 (SE = 0.19) for…

Crystal and Vibrational Structure of Energetic 3,5-dinitro 1,3,5-oxadiazinane (DOD) by Single Crystal X-ray Diffractometry and Raman Spectroscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-19

calculations using a temperature of 298 K. 15. SUBJECT TERMS 3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-oxadiazinane (DOD), X-ray crystallography , Raman, energetic material...X-ray analysis. 2.2 Characterization X-ray Crystallography . DOD crystals were characterized with a SuperNova, Dualflex, EosS2 diffractometer using

[The algorithms and development for the extraction of evoked potentials].

PubMed

Niu, Jie; Qiu, Tianshuang

2004-06-01

The extraction of evoked potentials is a main subject in the area of brain signal processing. In recent years, the single-trial extraction of evoked potentials has been focused on by many studies. In this paper, the approaches based on the wavelet transform, the neural network, the high order acumulants and the independent component analysis are briefly reviewed.

Crystal growth and characterization of semi organic nonlinear optical (NLO) piperazinium tetrachlorozincate monohydrate (PTCZ) single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karuppasamy, P.; Pandian, Muthu Senthil; Ramasamy, P.

2018-04-01

The semi-organic single crystal of piperazinium tetrachlorozincate monohydrate (PTCZ) was successfully grown by slow evaporation solution technique (SEST). The grown crystal was subjected to the single crystal XRD studies for confirming the unit cell parameters. The optical quality of the grown crystal was identified by the UV-Vis NIR spectrum analysis and the optical band gap energy was calculated. The photoconductivity study reveals that the grown crystal has positive photoconductive nature. The mechanical stability of the grown crystal was analyzed using Vickers microhardness analyzer. The third-order nonlinear optical properties such as nonlinear refractive index (n2), absorption co-efficient (β) and susceptibility (χ(3)) were studied by Z-scan technique at 640 nm using solid state laser.

Quantification of the power changes in BOLD signals using Welch spectrum method during different single-hand motor imageries.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiang; Yuan, Zhen; Huang, Jin; Yang, Qin; Chen, Huafu

2014-12-01

Motor imagery is an experimental paradigm implemented in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psychology. To investigate the asymmetry of the strength of cortical functional activity due to different single-hand motor imageries, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from right handed normal subjects were recorded and analyzed during both left-hand and right-hand motor imagery processes. Then the average power of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals in temporal domain was calculated using the developed tool that combines Welch power spectrum and the integral of power spectrum approach of BOLD signal changes during motor imagery. Power change analysis results indicated that cortical activity exhibited a stronger power in the precentral gyrus and medial frontal gyrus with left-hand motor imagery tasks compared with that from right-hand motor imagery tasks. These observations suggest that right handed normal subjects mobilize more cortical nerve cells for left-hand motor imagery. Our findings also suggest that the approach based on power differences of BOLD signals is a suitable quantitative analysis tool for quantification of asymmetry of brain activity intensity during motor imagery tasks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vivo versus simulation training: an interactional analysis of range and type of training exemplars.

PubMed Central

Neef, N A; Lensbower, J; Hockersmith, I; DePalma, V; Gray, K

1990-01-01

We analyzed the role of the range of variation in training exemplars as a contextual variable influencing the effects of in vivo versus simulation training in producing generalized responding. Four mentally retarded adults received single case instruction, followed by general case instruction, on washing machine and dryer use; one task was taught using actual appliances (in vivo) and the other using simulation. In vivo and simulation training were counterbalanced across the two tasks for the 2 subject pairs, using a within-subjects Latin square design. With both paradigms, more errors were made after single case than after general case instruction during probe sessions with untrained washing machines and dryers. These results suggest that generalization errors were affected by the range of training exemplars and not by the use of simulated versus natural training stimuli. Although both general case simulation and general case in vivo training facilitated generalized performance of laundry skills, an analysis of training time and costs indicated that the former approach was more efficient. The study illustrates a methodology for studying complex interactions and guiding decisions on the optimal use of instructional alternatives. PMID:2074236

Comparison of data transformation procedures to enhance topographical accuracy in time-series analysis of the human EEG.

PubMed

Hauk, O; Keil, A; Elbert, T; Müller, M M

2002-01-30

We describe a methodology to apply current source density (CSD) and minimum norm (MN) estimation as pre-processing tools for time-series analysis of single trial EEG data. The performance of these methods is compared for the case of wavelet time-frequency analysis of simulated gamma-band activity. A reasonable comparison of CSD and MN on the single trial level requires regularization such that the corresponding transformed data sets have similar signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). For region-of-interest approaches, it should be possible to optimize the SNR for single estimates rather than for the whole distributed solution. An effective implementation of the MN method is described. Simulated data sets were created by modulating the strengths of a radial and a tangential test dipole with wavelets in the frequency range of the gamma band, superimposed with simulated spatially uncorrelated noise. The MN and CSD transformed data sets as well as the average reference (AR) representation were subjected to wavelet frequency-domain analysis, and power spectra were mapped for relevant frequency bands. For both CSD and MN, the influence of noise can be sufficiently suppressed by regularization to yield meaningful information, but only MN represents both radial and tangential dipole sources appropriately as single peaks. Therefore, when relating wavelet power spectrum topographies to their neuronal generators, MN should be preferred.

Fibrosis-Related Gene Expression in Single Ventricle Heart Disease.

PubMed

Nakano, Stephanie J; Siomos, Austine K; Garcia, Anastacia M; Nguyen, Hieu; SooHoo, Megan; Galambos, Csaba; Nunley, Karin; Stauffer, Brian L; Sucharov, Carmen C; Miyamoto, Shelley D

2017-12-01

To evaluate fibrosis and fibrosis-related gene expression in the myocardium of pediatric subjects with single ventricle with right ventricular failure. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed on explanted right ventricular myocardium of pediatric subjects with single ventricle disease and controls with nonfailing heart disease. Subjects were divided into 3 groups: single ventricle failing (right ventricular failure before or after stage I palliation), single ventricle nonfailing (infants listed for primary transplantation with normal right ventricular function), and stage III (Fontan or right ventricular failure after stage III). To evaluate subjects of similar age and right ventricular volume loading, single ventricle disease with failure was compared with single ventricle without failure and stage III was compared with nonfailing right ventricular disease. Histologic fibrosis was assessed in all hearts. Mann-Whitney tests were performed to identify differences in gene expression. Collagen (Col1α, Col3) expression is decreased in single ventricle congenital heart disease with failure compared with nonfailing single ventricle congenital heart disease (P = .019 and P = .035, respectively), and is equivalent in stage III compared with nonfailing right ventricular heart disease. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1, TIMP-3, and TIMP-4) are downregulated in stage III compared with nonfailing right ventricular heart disease (P = .0047, P = .013 and P = .013, respectively). Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9) are similar between nonfailing single ventricular heart disease and failing single ventricular heart disease, and between stage III heart disease and nonfailing right ventricular heart disease. There is no difference in the prevalence of right ventricular fibrosis by histology in subjects with single ventricular failure heart disease with right ventricular failure (18%) compared with those with normal right ventricular function (38%). Fibrosis is not a primary contributor to right ventricular failure in infants and young children with single ventricular heart disease. Additional studies are required to understand whether antifibrotic therapies are beneficial in this population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Migraine-related healthcare resource use and costs for subjects prescribed fixed-dose combination sumatriptan/naproxen sodium vs. single-entity oral triptans in a managed care population in the USA.

PubMed

Runken, M Chris; Goodwin, Bridgett; Shah, Manan; Eaddy, Michael; D'Souza, Anna; Bowers, Brian; Bell, Christopher F

2015-02-01

Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the efficacy of a fixed-dose single-tablet combination containing sumatriptan and naproxen sodium (S/NS) was greater than either of its individual components. Simplifying drug regimens (e.g., via a fixed-dose combination) has been shown to improve "real-world" outcomes by reducing pill burden and treatment regimen complexity, improving adherence, and reducing healthcare resource use and associated costs; however, no studies assessing such outcomes have been conducted to date for the acute treatment of migraine. To assess migraine-related healthcare resource use and associated costs for subjects prescribed S/NS vs. subjects prescribed single-entity oral triptans (SOTs) within a managed care population in the USA. In this retrospective analysis of administrative claims data from July 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 (IMS LifeLink), subjects meeting the following criteria were selected: one or more pharmacy claim(s) for either S/NS or SOT (index date), aged 18-64 years; at least one migraine diagnosis, and continuous enrollment in the 6 months prior to and post the index date. The study population was subsequently stratified for two analyses: triptan-naïve (triptan naïve in the 6-month period prior to the index date) and triptan-switch (triptan user in the 6-month period prior to the index date and switching to another triptan). Subjects prescribed S/NS were propensity-score matched with subjects prescribed SOT (triptan-naïve analysis: 1:3; triptan-switch analysis: 1:1) to assess differences in healthcare resource use and associated costs (2009 US$) between the S/NS and SOT groups. Results from the triptan-naïve and triptan-switch analyses suggest that subjects prescribed S/NS are likely to have similar healthcare resource use patterns as those either newly initiated on an SOT or switching SOTs, as measured by migraine medication use, migraine-related healthcare resource use, and all-cause healthcare resource use. One exception was the observed increased use of opioids in the SOT group compared with the S/NS group (change in mean number of tablets pre-index vs. post-index, S/NS vs. SOT; triptan-naïve analysis: 8.6 vs.18.3, p = 0.045; triptan-switch analysis: -8.2 vs. 17.7; p = 0.120). Total costs from the triptan-naïve analysis indicated that the S/NS group had lower migraine-related (US$744 vs. US$820; p = 0.067) and all-cause healthcare costs (US$4,391 vs. US$4,870; p = 0.040) when compared with the SOT group, driven by savings in medical costs (migraine-related: US$252 vs. US$380; p = 0.001; all-cause: US$3,023 vs. US$3,599; p = 0.014). However, no significant differences were observed for total costs from the triptan-switch analysis (migraine-related healthcare costs, S/NS vs. SOT: US$1,159 vs. US$1,117; p = 0.929; all-cause healthcare costs: US$5,128 vs. US$4,788; p = 0.381). Study results suggest similar healthcare resource use patterns and associated costs when comparing S/NS and SOT across a triptan-naïve and triptan-experienced population. While the current study focuses on direct medical costs, future studies should extend beyond such a perspective to explore functional status, productivity, and health-related quality of life and satisfaction, attributes not captured in administrative claims data, but nonetheless important treatment goals.

Outcome and preferences in male–to–female subjects with gender dysphoria: Experience from Eastern India

PubMed Central

Majumder, Anirban; Sanyal, Debmalya

2017-01-01

Context: Gender dysphoria (GD) is an increasingly recognized medical condition in India, and little scientific data on treatment outcomes are available. Aims: Our objective is to study the therapeutic options including psychotherapy, hormone, and surgical treatments used for alleviating GD in male–to–female (MTF) transgender subjects in Eastern India. Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective study of treatment preferences and outcome in 55 MTF transgender subjects who were presented to the endocrine clinic. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistical analysis is carried out in the present study, and Microsoft Word and Excel are used to generate graphs and tables. Results: The mean follow-up was 1.9 years and 14 subjects (25.5%) were lost to follow-up after a single or 2–3 contact sessions. Rest 41 subjects (74.5%) desiring treatment had regular counseling and medical monitoring. All 41 subjects were dressing to present herself as female and all of them were receiving cross-sex hormone therapy either estrogen only (68%), or drospirenone in combination with estrogen (12%) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH) in combination with estrogens (19.5%). Most of the subjects preferred estrogen therapy as it was most affordable and only a small number of subjects preferred drospirenone or GnRH agonist because of cost and availability. 23.6% subjects underwent esthetic breast augmentation surgery and 25.5% underwent orchiectomy and/or vaginoplasty. Three subjects presented with prior breast augmentation surgery and nine subjects presented with prior orchiectomy without vaginoplasty, depicting a high prevalence of poorly supervised surgeries. Conclusions: Standards of care documents provide clinical guidance for health professionals about the optimal management of transsexual people. The lack of information among health professionals about proper and protocolwise management leads to suboptimal physical, social, and sexual results. PMID:28217493

A Single Subject Evaluation of the K-P Diet for Hyperkinesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlton-Bennet, Jocelyn A.; Robinson, Viviane M. J.

1987-01-01

A single subject ABAB design was employed to determine the effectiveness of the Feingold Kaiser Permanente (K-P) diet in the treatment of a six-year-old hyperkinetic male. Results indicated the K-P diet was effective in controlling the subject's hyperkinesis, nutritionally adequate, and moderately difficult to implement. (Author/DB)

FANTOM5 CAGE profiles of human and mouse samples.

PubMed

Noguchi, Shuhei; Arakawa, Takahiro; Fukuda, Shiro; Furuno, Masaaki; Hasegawa, Akira; Hori, Fumi; Ishikawa-Kato, Sachi; Kaida, Kaoru; Kaiho, Ai; Kanamori-Katayama, Mutsumi; Kawashima, Tsugumi; Kojima, Miki; Kubosaki, Atsutaka; Manabe, Ri-Ichiroh; Murata, Mitsuyoshi; Nagao-Sato, Sayaka; Nakazato, Kenichi; Ninomiya, Noriko; Nishiyori-Sueki, Hiromi; Noma, Shohei; Saijyo, Eri; Saka, Akiko; Sakai, Mizuho; Simon, Christophe; Suzuki, Naoko; Tagami, Michihira; Watanabe, Shoko; Yoshida, Shigehiro; Arner, Peter; Axton, Richard A; Babina, Magda; Baillie, J Kenneth; Barnett, Timothy C; Beckhouse, Anthony G; Blumenthal, Antje; Bodega, Beatrice; Bonetti, Alessandro; Briggs, James; Brombacher, Frank; Carlisle, Ailsa J; Clevers, Hans C; Davis, Carrie A; Detmar, Michael; Dohi, Taeko; Edge, Albert S B; Edinger, Matthias; Ehrlund, Anna; Ekwall, Karl; Endoh, Mitsuhiro; Enomoto, Hideki; Eslami, Afsaneh; Fagiolini, Michela; Fairbairn, Lynsey; Farach-Carson, Mary C; Faulkner, Geoffrey J; Ferrai, Carmelo; Fisher, Malcolm E; Forrester, Lesley M; Fujita, Rie; Furusawa, Jun-Ichi; Geijtenbeek, Teunis B; Gingeras, Thomas; Goldowitz, Daniel; Guhl, Sven; Guler, Reto; Gustincich, Stefano; Ha, Thomas J; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Hara, Mitsuko; Hasegawa, Yuki; Herlyn, Meenhard; Heutink, Peter; Hitchens, Kelly J; Hume, David A; Ikawa, Tomokatsu; Ishizu, Yuri; Kai, Chieko; Kawamoto, Hiroshi; Kawamura, Yuki I; Kempfle, Judith S; Kenna, Tony J; Kere, Juha; Khachigian, Levon M; Kitamura, Toshio; Klein, Sarah; Klinken, S Peter; Knox, Alan J; Kojima, Soichi; Koseki, Haruhiko; Koyasu, Shigeo; Lee, Weonju; Lennartsson, Andreas; Mackay-Sim, Alan; Mejhert, Niklas; Mizuno, Yosuke; Morikawa, Hiromasa; Morimoto, Mitsuru; Moro, Kazuyo; Morris, Kelly J; Motohashi, Hozumi; Mummery, Christine L; Nakachi, Yutaka; Nakahara, Fumio; Nakamura, Toshiyuki; Nakamura, Yukio; Nozaki, Tadasuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ohkura, Naganari; Ohno, Hiroshi; Ohshima, Mitsuhiro; Okada-Hatakeyama, Mariko; Okazaki, Yasushi; Orlando, Valerio; Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A; Passier, Robert; Patrikakis, Margaret; Pombo, Ana; Pradhan-Bhatt, Swati; Qin, Xian-Yang; Rehli, Michael; Rizzu, Patrizia; Roy, Sugata; Sajantila, Antti; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Sato, Hiroki; Satoh, Hironori; Savvi, Suzana; Saxena, Alka; Schmidl, Christian; Schneider, Claudio; Schulze-Tanzil, Gundula G; Schwegmann, Anita; Sheng, Guojun; Shin, Jay W; Sugiyama, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Takaaki; Summers, Kim M; Takahashi, Naoko; Takai, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Tatsukawa, Hideki; Tomoiu, Andru; Toyoda, Hiroo; van de Wetering, Marc; van den Berg, Linda M; Verardo, Roberto; Vijayan, Dipti; Wells, Christine A; Winteringham, Louise N; Wolvetang, Ernst; Yamaguchi, Yoko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yanagi-Mizuochi, Chiyo; Yoneda, Misako; Yonekura, Yohei; Zhang, Peter G; Zucchelli, Silvia; Abugessaisa, Imad; Arner, Erik; Harshbarger, Jayson; Kondo, Atsushi; Lassmann, Timo; Lizio, Marina; Sahin, Serkan; Sengstag, Thierry; Severin, Jessica; Shimoji, Hisashi; Suzuki, Masanori; Suzuki, Harukazu; Kawai, Jun; Kondo, Naoto; Itoh, Masayoshi; Daub, Carsten O; Kasukawa, Takeya; Kawaji, Hideya; Carninci, Piero; Forrest, Alistair R R; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide

2017-08-29

In the FANTOM5 project, transcription initiation events across the human and mouse genomes were mapped at a single base-pair resolution and their frequencies were monitored by CAGE (Cap Analysis of Gene Expression) coupled with single-molecule sequencing. Approximately three thousands of samples, consisting of a variety of primary cells, tissues, cell lines, and time series samples during cell activation and development, were subjected to a uniform pipeline of CAGE data production. The analysis pipeline started by measuring RNA extracts to assess their quality, and continued to CAGE library production by using a robotic or a manual workflow, single molecule sequencing, and computational processing to generate frequencies of transcription initiation. Resulting data represents the consequence of transcriptional regulation in each analyzed state of mammalian cells. Non-overlapping peaks over the CAGE profiles, approximately 200,000 and 150,000 peaks for the human and mouse genomes, were identified and annotated to provide precise location of known promoters as well as novel ones, and to quantify their activities.

FANTOM5 CAGE profiles of human and mouse samples

PubMed Central

Noguchi, Shuhei; Arakawa, Takahiro; Fukuda, Shiro; Furuno, Masaaki; Hasegawa, Akira; Hori, Fumi; Ishikawa-Kato, Sachi; Kaida, Kaoru; Kaiho, Ai; Kanamori-Katayama, Mutsumi; Kawashima, Tsugumi; Kojima, Miki; Kubosaki, Atsutaka; Manabe, Ri-ichiroh; Murata, Mitsuyoshi; Nagao-Sato, Sayaka; Nakazato, Kenichi; Ninomiya, Noriko; Nishiyori-Sueki, Hiromi; Noma, Shohei; Saijyo, Eri; Saka, Akiko; Sakai, Mizuho; Simon, Christophe; Suzuki, Naoko; Tagami, Michihira; Watanabe, Shoko; Yoshida, Shigehiro; Arner, Peter; Axton, Richard A.; Babina, Magda; Baillie, J. Kenneth; Barnett, Timothy C.; Beckhouse, Anthony G.; Blumenthal, Antje; Bodega, Beatrice; Bonetti, Alessandro; Briggs, James; Brombacher, Frank; Carlisle, Ailsa J.; Clevers, Hans C.; Davis, Carrie A.; Detmar, Michael; Dohi, Taeko; Edge, Albert S.B.; Edinger, Matthias; Ehrlund, Anna; Ekwall, Karl; Endoh, Mitsuhiro; Enomoto, Hideki; Eslami, Afsaneh; Fagiolini, Michela; Fairbairn, Lynsey; Farach-Carson, Mary C.; Faulkner, Geoffrey J.; Ferrai, Carmelo; Fisher, Malcolm E.; Forrester, Lesley M.; Fujita, Rie; Furusawa, Jun-ichi; Geijtenbeek, Teunis B.; Gingeras, Thomas; Goldowitz, Daniel; Guhl, Sven; Guler, Reto; Gustincich, Stefano; Ha, Thomas J.; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Hara, Mitsuko; Hasegawa, Yuki; Herlyn, Meenhard; Heutink, Peter; Hitchens, Kelly J.; Hume, David A.; Ikawa, Tomokatsu; Ishizu, Yuri; Kai, Chieko; Kawamoto, Hiroshi; Kawamura, Yuki I.; Kempfle, Judith S.; Kenna, Tony J.; Kere, Juha; Khachigian, Levon M.; Kitamura, Toshio; Klein, Sarah; Klinken, S. Peter; Knox, Alan J.; Kojima, Soichi; Koseki, Haruhiko; Koyasu, Shigeo; Lee, Weonju; Lennartsson, Andreas; Mackay-sim, Alan; Mejhert, Niklas; Mizuno, Yosuke; Morikawa, Hiromasa; Morimoto, Mitsuru; Moro, Kazuyo; Morris, Kelly J.; Motohashi, Hozumi; Mummery, Christine L.; Nakachi, Yutaka; Nakahara, Fumio; Nakamura, Toshiyuki; Nakamura, Yukio; Nozaki, Tadasuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ohkura, Naganari; Ohno, Hiroshi; Ohshima, Mitsuhiro; Okada-Hatakeyama, Mariko; Okazaki, Yasushi; Orlando, Valerio; Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A.; Passier, Robert; Patrikakis, Margaret; Pombo, Ana; Pradhan-Bhatt, Swati; Qin, Xian-Yang; Rehli, Michael; Rizzu, Patrizia; Roy, Sugata; Sajantila, Antti; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Sato, Hiroki; Satoh, Hironori; Savvi, Suzana; Saxena, Alka; Schmidl, Christian; Schneider, Claudio; Schulze-Tanzil, Gundula G.; Schwegmann, Anita; Sheng, Guojun; Shin, Jay W.; Sugiyama, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Takaaki; Summers, Kim M.; Takahashi, Naoko; Takai, Jun; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Tatsukawa, Hideki; Tomoiu, Andru; Toyoda, Hiroo; van de Wetering, Marc; van den Berg, Linda M.; Verardo, Roberto; Vijayan, Dipti; Wells, Christine A.; Winteringham, Louise N.; Wolvetang, Ernst; Yamaguchi, Yoko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Yanagi-Mizuochi, Chiyo; Yoneda, Misako; Yonekura, Yohei; Zhang, Peter G.; Zucchelli, Silvia; Abugessaisa, Imad; Arner, Erik; Harshbarger, Jayson; Kondo, Atsushi; Lassmann, Timo; Lizio, Marina; Sahin, Serkan; Sengstag, Thierry; Severin, Jessica; Shimoji, Hisashi; Suzuki, Masanori; Suzuki, Harukazu; Kawai, Jun; Kondo, Naoto; Itoh, Masayoshi; Daub, Carsten O.; Kasukawa, Takeya; Kawaji, Hideya; Carninci, Piero; Forrest, Alistair R.R.; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide

2017-01-01

In the FANTOM5 project, transcription initiation events across the human and mouse genomes were mapped at a single base-pair resolution and their frequencies were monitored by CAGE (Cap Analysis of Gene Expression) coupled with single-molecule sequencing. Approximately three thousands of samples, consisting of a variety of primary cells, tissues, cell lines, and time series samples during cell activation and development, were subjected to a uniform pipeline of CAGE data production. The analysis pipeline started by measuring RNA extracts to assess their quality, and continued to CAGE library production by using a robotic or a manual workflow, single molecule sequencing, and computational processing to generate frequencies of transcription initiation. Resulting data represents the consequence of transcriptional regulation in each analyzed state of mammalian cells. Non-overlapping peaks over the CAGE profiles, approximately 200,000 and 150,000 peaks for the human and mouse genomes, were identified and annotated to provide precise location of known promoters as well as novel ones, and to quantify their activities. PMID:28850106

Analytical and between-subject variation of thrombin generation measured by calibrated automated thrombography on plasma samples.

PubMed

Kristensen, Anne F; Kristensen, Søren R; Falkmer, Ursula; Münster, Anna-Marie B; Pedersen, Shona

2018-05-01

The Calibrated Automated Thrombography (CAT) is an in vitro thrombin generation (TG) assay that holds promise as a valuable tool within clinical diagnostics. However, the technique has a considerable analytical variation, and we therefore, investigated the analytical and between-subject variation of CAT systematically. Moreover, we assess the application of an internal standard for normalization to diminish variation. 20 healthy volunteers donated one blood sample which was subsequently centrifuged, aliquoted and stored at -80 °C prior to analysis. The analytical variation was determined on eight runs, where plasma from the same seven volunteers was processed in triplicates, and for the between-subject variation, TG analysis was performed on plasma from all 20 volunteers. The trigger reagents used for the TG assays included both PPP reagent containing 5 pM tissue factor (TF) and PPPlow with 1 pM TF. Plasma, drawn from a single donor, was applied to all plates as an internal standard for each TG analysis, which subsequently was used for normalization. The total analytical variation for TG analysis performed with PPPlow reagent is 3-14% and 9-13% for PPP reagent. This variation can be minimally reduced by using an internal standard but mainly for ETP (endogenous thrombin potential). The between-subject variation is higher when using PPPlow than PPP and this variation is considerable higher than the analytical variation. TG has a rather high inherent analytical variation but considerable lower than the between-subject variation when using PPPlow as reagent.

Methods for forming particles from single source precursors

DOEpatents

Fox, Robert V [Idaho Falls, ID; Rodriguez, Rene G [Pocatello, ID; Pak, Joshua [Pocatello, ID

2011-08-23

Single source precursors are subjected to carbon dioxide to form particles of material. The carbon dioxide may be in a supercritical state. Single source precursors also may be subjected to supercritical fluids other than supercritical carbon dioxide to form particles of material. The methods may be used to form nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form chalcopyrite materials. Devices such as, for example, semiconductor devices may be fabricated that include such particles. Methods of forming semiconductor devices include subjecting single source precursors to carbon dioxide to form particles of semiconductor material, and establishing electrical contact between the particles and an electrode.

Relationship Between Habitual Exercise and Performance on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Differs Between Children With Single and Biventricular Circulations.

PubMed

O'Byrne, Michael L; Desai, Sanyukta; Lane, Megan; McBride, Michael; Paridon, Stephen; Goldmuntz, Elizabeth

2017-03-01

Increasing habitual exercise has been associated with improved cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) performance, specifically maximal oxygen consumption in children with operatively corrected congenital heart disease. This has not been studied in children following Fontan palliation, a population in whom CPET performance is dramatically diminished. A single-center cross-sectional study with prospective and retrospective data collection was performed that assessed habitual exercise preceding a clinically indicated CPET in children and adolescents with Fontan palliation, transposition of the great arteries following arterial switch operation (TGA), and normal cardiac anatomy without prior operation. Data from contemporaneous clinical reports and imaging studies were collected. The association between percent predicted VO 2max and habitual exercise duration adjusted for known covariates was tested. A total of 175 subjects (75 post-Fontan, 20 with TGA, and 80 with normal cardiac anatomy) were enrolled. VO 2max was lower in the Fontan group than patients with normal cardiac anatomy (p < 0.0001) or TGA (p < 0.0001). In Fontan subjects, both univariate and multivariate analysis failed to demonstrate a significant association between habitual exercise and VO 2max (p = 0.6), in sharp contrast to cardiac normal subjects. In multivariate analysis, increasing age was the only independent risk factor associated with decreasing VO 2max in the Fontan group (p = 0.003). Habitual exercise was not associated with VO 2max in subjects with a Fontan as compared to biventricular circulation. Further research is necessary to understand why their habitual exercise is ineffective and/or what aspects of the Fontan circulation disrupt this association.

Relationship between habitual exercise and performance on cardio-pulmonary exercise testing differs between children with single and bi-ventricular circulation

PubMed Central

O'Byrne, Michael L; Desai, Sanyukta; Lane, Megan; McBride, Michael; Paridon, Stephen; Goldmuntz, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Background Increasing habitual exercise has been associated with improved cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) performance, specifically maximal oxygen consumption in children with operatively corrected congenital heart disease. This has not been studied in children following Fontan palliation, a population in whom CPET performance is dramatically diminished. Methods A single-center cross-sectional study with prospective and retrospective data collection was performed that assessed habitual exercise preceding a clinically indicated CPET in children and adolescents with Fontan palliation, transposition of the great arteries following arterial switch operation (TGA), and normal cardiac anatomy without prior operation. Data from contemporaneous clinical reports and imaging studies were collected. The association between percent predicted VO2max and habitual exercise duration adjusted for known covariates was tested. Results A total of 175 subjects (75 post Fontan, 20 with TGA, and 80 with normal cardiac anatomy) were enrolled. VO2max was lower in the Fontan group than patients with normal cardiac anatomy (p<0.0001) or TGA (p<0.0001). In Fontan subjects, both univariate and multivariate analysis failed to demonstrate a significant association between habitual exercise and VO2max (p=0.6), in sharp contrast to cardiac normal subjects. In multivariate analysis, increasing age was the only independent risk factor associated with decreasing VO2max in the Fontan group (p=0.003). Discussion Habitual exercise was not associated with VO2max in subjects with a Fontan as compared to biventricular circulation. Further research is necessary to understand why their habitual exercise is ineffective and/or what aspects of the Fontan circulation disrupt this association. PMID:27878634

Long-term functional, subjective and psychological results after single digit replantation.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Zhang, Ai Xian; Chen, Qing Zhong; Mu, Shuai; Tan, Jun

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the long-term functional, subjective, and psychological results after single-digit replantation. Thirty cases of digital replantation (14 thumbs, 12 index fingers, 2 middle fingers, 1 ring finger, and 1 little finger) in 30 patients (7 females and 23 males) with a mean age of 44.2 years (20-65 years) were evaluated at the end of a mean follow-up time of 36 months (19-50 months). The active range of motion of joints, grip and pinch strength, cutaneous sensibility, upper-extremity functioning, and subjective satisfaction were determined using the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and the Michigan Hand Outcomes questionnaire (MHQ). Psychological sequelae, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were assessed. A correlation analysis among variables was also performed. The mean score for the DASH questionnaire was 6.6 (range: 0-39.2). The symptom of cold intolerance occurred in 53% of the patients. Two patients were diagnosed with depression, and only one patient exhibited PTSD. The DASH score had a good statistical correlation with total grip strength, pinch grip strength, and static two-point discrimination (S-2PD) (P < 0.05). Several aspects of the MHQ were also statistically relevant to some or all of the three objective results. Furthermore, the grip strength showed significant correlation with DASH and most aspects of the MHQ in multivariate logistic regression analysis (P < 0.05). Total grip strength is the most important factor positively related to subjective outcomes. The incidence rates of psychological symptoms after digit replantation are very low at long-term follow-up. Level IV, therapeutic study. Copyright © 2017 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Framework for Analyzing the Whole Body Surface Area from a Single View

PubMed Central

Doretto, Gianfranco; Adjeroh, Donald

2017-01-01

We present a virtual reality (VR) framework for the analysis of whole human body surface area. Usual methods for determining the whole body surface area (WBSA) are based on well known formulae, characterized by large errors when the subject is obese, or belongs to certain subgroups. For these situations, we believe that a computer vision approach can overcome these problems and provide a better estimate of this important body indicator. Unfortunately, using machine learning techniques to design a computer vision system able to provide a new body indicator that goes beyond the use of only body weight and height, entails a long and expensive data acquisition process. A more viable solution is to use a dataset composed of virtual subjects. Generating a virtual dataset allowed us to build a population with different characteristics (obese, underweight, age, gender). However, synthetic data might differ from a real scenario, typical of the physician’s clinic. For this reason we develop a new virtual environment to facilitate the analysis of human subjects in 3D. This framework can simulate the acquisition process of a real camera, making it easy to analyze and to create training data for machine learning algorithms. With this virtual environment, we can easily simulate the real setup of a clinic, where a subject is standing in front of a camera, or may assume a different pose with respect to the camera. We use this newly designated environment to analyze the whole body surface area (WBSA). In particular, we show that we can obtain accurate WBSA estimations with just one view, virtually enabling the possibility to use inexpensive depth sensors (e.g., the Kinect) for large scale quantification of the WBSA from a single view 3D map. PMID:28045895

Four applications of a software data collection and analysis methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basili, Victor R.; Selby, Richard W., Jr.

1985-01-01

The evaluation of software technologies suffers because of the lack of quantitative assessment of their effect on software development and modification. A seven-step data collection and analysis methodology couples software technology evaluation with software measurement. Four in-depth applications of the methodology are presented. The four studies represent each of the general categories of analyses on the software product and development process: blocked subject-project studies, replicated project studies, multi-project variation studies, and single project strategies. The four applications are in the areas of, respectively, software testing, cleanroom software development, characteristic software metric sets, and software error analysis.

Single-cell profiling of peanut-responsive T cells in patients with peanut allergy reveals heterogeneous effector TH2 subsets.

PubMed

Chiang, David; Chen, Xintong; Jones, Stacie M; Wood, Robert A; Sicherer, Scott H; Burks, A Wesley; Leung, Donald Y M; Agashe, Charuta; Grishin, Alexander; Dawson, Peter; Davidson, Wendy F; Newman, Leah; Sebra, Robert; Merad, Miriam; Sampson, Hugh A; Losic, Bojan; Berin, M Cecilia

2018-06-01

The contribution of phenotypic variation of peanut-specific T cells to clinical allergy or tolerance to peanut is not well understood. Our objective was to comprehensively phenotype peanut-specific T cells in the peripheral blood of subjects with and without peanut allergy (PA). We obtained samples from patients with PA, including a cohort undergoing baseline peanut challenges for an immunotherapy trial (Consortium of Food Allergy Research [CoFAR] 6). Subjects were confirmed as having PA, or if they passed a 1-g peanut challenge, they were termed high-threshold subjects. Healthy control (HC) subjects were also recruited. Peanut-responsive T cells were identified based on CD154 expression after 6 to 18 hours of stimulation with peanut extract. Cells were analyzed by using flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. Patients with PA had tissue- and follicle-homing peanut-responsive CD4 + T cells with a heterogeneous pattern of T H 2 differentiation, whereas control subjects had undetectable T-cell responses to peanut. The PA group had a delayed and IL-2-dependent upregulation of CD154 on cells expressing regulatory T (Treg) cell markers, which was absent in HC or high-threshold subjects. Depletion of Treg cells enhanced cytokine production in HC subjects and patients with PA in vitro, but cytokines associated with highly differentiated T H 2 cells were more resistant to Treg cell suppression in patients with PA. Analysis of gene expression by means of single-cell RNA sequencing identified T cells with highly correlated expression of IL4, IL5, IL9, IL13, and the IL-25 receptor IL17RB. These results demonstrate the presence of highly differentiated T H 2 cells producing T H 2-associated cytokines with functions beyond IgE class-switching in patients with PA. A multifunctional T H 2 response was more evident than a Treg cell deficit among peanut-responsive T cells. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All rights reserved.

Optimizing high-resolution melting analysis for the detection of mutations of GPR30/GPER-1 in breast cancer.

PubMed

Aihara, Masamune; Yamamoto, Shigeru; Nishioka, Hiroko; Inoue, Yutaro; Hamano, Kimikazu; Oka, Masaaki; Mizukami, Yoichi

2012-06-15

G protein-coupled receptor 30/G protein estrogen receptor-1 (GPR30/GPER-1) is a novel membrane receptor for estrogen whose mRNA is expressed at high levels in estrogen-dependent cells such as breast cancer cell lines. However, mutations in GRP30 related to diseases remain unreported. To detect unknown mutations in the GPR30 open reading frame (ORF) quickly, the experimental conditions for high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis were examined for PCR primers, Taq polymerases, saturation DNA binding dyes, Mg(2+) concentration, and normalized temperatures. Nine known SNPs and 13 artificial point mutations within the GPR30 ORF, as well as single nucleotide variants in DNA extracted from subjects with breast cancers were tested under the optimal experimental conditions. The combination of Expand High Fidelity(PLUS) and SYTO9 in the presence of 2.0 mM MgCl(2) produced the best separation in melting curves of mutations in all regions of the GPR30 ORF. Under these experimental conditions, the mutations were clearly detected in both heterozygotes and homozygotes. HRM analysis of GPR30 using genomic DNA from subjects with breast cancers showed a novel single nucleotide variant, 111C>T in GPR30 and 4 known SNPs. The experimental conditions determined in this study for HRM analysis are useful for high throughput assays to detect unknown mutations within the GPR30 ORF. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utility of the heteroduplex assay (HDA) as a simple and cost-effective tool for the identification of HIV type 1 dual infections in resource-limited settings.

PubMed

Powell, Rebecca L R; Urbanski, Mateusz M; Burda, Sherri; Nanfack, Aubin; Kinge, Thompson; Nyambi, Phillipe N

2008-01-01

The predominance of unique recombinant forms (URFs) of HIV-1 in Cameroon suggests that dual infection, the concomitant or sequential infection with genetically distinct HIV-1 strains, occurs frequently in this region; yet, identifying dual infection among large HIV cohorts in local, resource-limited settings is uncommon, since this generally relies on labor-intensive and costly sequencing methods. Consequently, there is a need to develop an effective, cost-efficient method appropriate to the developing world to identify these infections. In the present study, the heteroduplex assay (HDA) was used to verify dual or single infection status, as shown by traditional sequence analysis, for 15 longitudinally sampled study subjects from Cameroon. Heteroduplex formation, indicative of a dual infection, was identified for all five study subjects shown by sequence analysis to be dually infected. Conversely, heteroduplex formation was not detectable for all 10 HDA reactions of the singly infected study subjects. These results suggest that the HDA is a simple yet powerful and inexpensive tool for the detection of both intersubtype and intrasubtype dual infections, and that the HDA harbors significant potential for reliable, high-throughput screening for dual infection. As these infections and the recombinants they generate facilitate leaps in HIV-1 evolution, and may present major challenges for treatment and vaccine design, this assay will be critical for monitoring the continuing pandemic in regions of the world where HIV-1 viral diversity is broad.

Urotensin-II System in Genetic Control of Blood Pressure and Renal Function

PubMed Central

Debiec, Radoslaw; Christofidou, Paraskevi; Denniff, Matthew; Bloomer, Lisa D.; Bogdanski, Pawel; Wojnar, Lukasz; Musialik, Katarzyna; Charchar, Fadi J.; Thompson, John R.; Waterworth, Dawn; Song, Kijoung; Vollenweider, Peter; Waeber, Gerard; Zukowska-Szczechowska, Ewa; Samani, Nilesh J.; Lambert, David; Tomaszewski, Maciej

2013-01-01

Urotensin-II controls ion/water homeostasis in fish and vascular tone in rodents. We hypothesised that common genetic variants in urotensin-II pathway genes are associated with human blood pressure or renal function. We performed family-based analysis of association between blood pressure, glomerular filtration and genes of the urotensin-II pathway (urotensin-II, urotensin-II related peptide, urotensin-II receptor) saturated with 28 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms in 2024 individuals from 520 families; followed by an independent replication in 420 families and 7545 unrelated subjects. The expression studies of the urotensin-II pathway were carried out in 97 human kidneys. Phylogenetic evolutionary analysis was conducted in 17 vertebrate species. One single nucleotide polymorphism (rs531485 in urotensin-II gene) was associated with adjusted estimated glomerular filtration rate in the discovery cohort (p = 0.0005). It showed no association with estimated glomerular filtration rate in the combined replication resource of 8724 subjects from 6 populations. Expression of urotensin-II and its receptor showed strong linear correlation (r = 0.86, p<0.0001). There was no difference in renal expression of urotensin-II system between hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Evolutionary analysis revealed accumulation of mutations in urotensin-II since the divergence of primates and weaker conservation of urotensin-II receptor in primates than in lower vertebrates. Our data suggest that urotensin-II system genes are unlikely to play a major role in genetic control of human blood pressure or renal function. The signatures of evolutionary forces acting on urotensin-II system indicate that it may have evolved towards loss of function since the divergence of primates. PMID:24391740

Reliability of real-time ultrasound measurement of transversus abdominis thickness in healthy trained subjects.

PubMed

Gnat, Rafael; Saulicz, Edward; Miądowicz, Barbara

2012-08-01

To investigate intra- and inter-rater reliability of the ultrasound measurement of transversus abdominis (TrA) thickness and thickness change (difference between thickness at rest and during contraction) in asymptomatic, trained subjects. To define the number of repeated measurements that provide acceptable level of reliability. To investigate variability of the measurements over time of 5 days and the reliability of duplicate analysis of images. A single-group repeated-measures design was used to assess reliability. Healthy volunteers (n = 10) were subjected to 1-week training in voluntary activation of TrA. Real-time ultrasound imaging and subsequent measurement of the TrA thickness at rest and during voluntary contraction were repeated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the next week. Using a single repeated measurement, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for TrA thickness were: 0.86-0.95 (intra-rater), 0.86-0.92 (inter-rater); and for TrA thickness change: 0.34-0.56 (intra-rater), 0.47-0.61 (inter-rater). Using the mean of three repeated measurements respective values were: 0.97, 0.96-0.98; and 0.81-0.84, 0.80-0.90. No significant differences were found between mean values of TrA thickness as well as thickness change obtained on three consecutive measurement days. Duplicate analysis of the images was highly reliable with ICCs of 0.89-0.99. Two repeated measurements for TrA thickness and at least three measurements for TrA thickness change are needed to achieve acceptable levels of intra- and inter-rater reliability. In healthy trained volunteers TrA thickness and thickness change are relatively stable parameters over a 5-day period. Duplicate analysis of the same images by two blinded observers is reliable.

Effectiveness of probiotic, chlorhexidine and fluoride mouthwash against Streptococcus mutans – Randomized, single-blind, in vivo study

PubMed Central

Jothika, Mohan; Vanajassun, P. Pranav; Someshwar, Battu

2015-01-01

Aim: To determine the short-term efficiency of probiotic, chlorhexidine, and fluoride mouthwashes on plaque Streptococcus mutans level at four periodic intervals. Materials and Methods: This was a single-blind, randomized control study in which each subject was tested with only one mouthwash regimen. Fifty-two healthy qualified adult patients were selected randomly for the study and were divided into the following groups: group 1- 10 ml of distilled water, group 2- 10 ml of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash, group 3- 10 ml of 500 ppm F/400 ml sodium fluoride mouthwash, and group 4- 10 ml of probiotic mouthwash. Plaque samples were collected from the buccal surface of premolars and molars in the maxillary quadrant. Sampling procedure was carried out by a single examiner after 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days, respectively, after the use of the mouthwash. All the samples were subjected to microbiological analysis and statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc test. Results: One-way ANOVA comparison among groups 2, 3, and 4 showed no statistical significance, whereas group 1 showed statistically significant difference when compared with groups 2, 3, and 4 at 7th, 14th, and 30th day. Conclusion: Chlorhexidine, sodium fluoride, and probiotic mouthwashes reduce plaque S. mutans levels. Probiotic mouthwash is effective and equivalent to chlorhexidine and sodium fluoride mouthwashes. Thus, probiotic mouthwash can also be considered as an effective oral hygiene regimen. PMID:25984467

Effects of rest interval on isokinetic strength and functional performance after short-term high intensity training.

PubMed

Pincivero, D M; Lephart, S M; Karunakara, R G

1997-09-01

The ability to maximally generate active muscle tension during resistance training has been established to be a primary determinant for strength development. The influence of intrasession rest intervals may have a profound effect on strength gains subsequent to short-term high intensity training. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of rest interval on strength and functional performance after four weeks of isokinetic training. Fifteen healthy college aged individuals were randomly assigned to either a short rest interval group (group 1, n = 8) or a long rest interval group (group 2, n = 7). Subjects were evaluated for quadriceps and hamstring isokinetic strength at 60 (five repetitions) and 180 (30 repetitions) degrees/second and functional performance with the single leg hop for distance test. One leg of each subject was randomly assigned to a four week, three days/week isokinetic strength training programme for concentric knee extension and flexion performed at 90 degrees/second. Subjects in group 1 received a 40 second rest interval in between exercise sets, whereas subjects in group 2 received a 160 second rest period. A two factor analysis of variance for the pre-test--post-test gain scores (%) showed significantly greater improvements for isokinetic hamstring total work and average power at 180 degrees/second for the trained limb of subjects in group 2 than their contralateral non-trained limb and the subjects in group 1. Significantly greater improvements for the single leg hop for distance were also found for the trained limbs of subjects in both groups as compared with the non-trained limbs. The findings indicate that a relatively longer intrasession rest period resulted in a greater improvement in hamstring muscle strength during short term high intensity training.

Non-Inferential Multi-Subject Study of Functional Connectivity during Visual Stimulation.

PubMed

Esposito, F; Cirillo, M; Aragri, A; Caranci, F; Cirillo, L; Di Salle, F; Cirillo, S

2007-01-31

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a powerful technique for the multivariate, non-inferential, data-driven analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data-sets. The non-inferential nature of ICA makes this a suitable technique for the study of complex mental states whose temporal evolution would be difficult to describe analytically in terms of classical statistical regressors. Taking advantage of this feature, ICA can extract a number of functional connectivity patterns regardless of the task executed by the subject. The technique is so powerful that functional connectivity patterns can be derived even when the subject is just resting in the scanner, opening the opportunity for functional investigation of the human mind at its basal "default" state, which has been proposed to be altered in several brain disorders. However, one major drawback of ICA consists in the difficulty of managing its results, which are not represented by a single functional image as in inferential studies. This produces the need for a classification of ICA results and exacerbates the difficulty of obtaining group "averaged" functional connectivity patterns, while preserving the interpretation of individual differences. Addressing the subject-level variability in the very same framework of "grouping" appears to be a favourable approach towards the clinical evaluation and application of ICA-based methodologies. Here we present a novel strategy for group-level ICA analyses, namely the self-organizing group-level ICA (sog-ICA), which is used on visual activation fMRI data from a block-design experiment repeated on six subjects. We propose the sog-ICA as a multi-subject analysis tool for grouping ICA data while assessing the similarity and variability of the fMRI results of individual subject decompositions.

Analytical and Numerical Results for an Adhesively Bonded Joint Subjected to Pure Bending

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smeltzer, Stanley S., III; Lundgren, Eric

2006-01-01

A one-dimensional, semi-analytical methodology that was previously developed for evaluating adhesively bonded joints composed of anisotropic adherends and adhesives that exhibit inelastic material behavior is further verified in the present paper. A summary of the first-order differential equations and applied joint loading used to determine the adhesive response from the methodology are also presented. The method was previously verified against a variety of single-lap joint configurations from the literature that subjected the joints to cases of axial tension and pure bending. Using the same joint configuration and applied bending load presented in a study by Yang, the finite element analysis software ABAQUS was used to further verify the semi-analytical method. Linear static ABAQUS results are presented for two models, one with a coarse and one with a fine element meshing, that were used to verify convergence of the finite element analyses. Close agreement between the finite element results and the semi-analytical methodology were determined for both the shear and normal stress responses of the adhesive bondline. Thus, the semi-analytical methodology was successfully verified using the ABAQUS finite element software and a single-lap joint configuration subjected to pure bending.

Cross contrast multi-channel image registration using image synthesis for MR brain images.

PubMed

Chen, Min; Carass, Aaron; Jog, Amod; Lee, Junghoon; Roy, Snehashis; Prince, Jerry L

2017-02-01

Multi-modal deformable registration is important for many medical image analysis tasks such as atlas alignment, image fusion, and distortion correction. Whereas a conventional method would register images with different modalities using modality independent features or information theoretic metrics such as mutual information, this paper presents a new framework that addresses the problem using a two-channel registration algorithm capable of using mono-modal similarity measures such as sum of squared differences or cross-correlation. To make it possible to use these same-modality measures, image synthesis is used to create proxy images for the opposite modality as well as intensity-normalized images from each of the two available images. The new deformable registration framework was evaluated by performing intra-subject deformation recovery, intra-subject boundary alignment, and inter-subject label transfer experiments using multi-contrast magnetic resonance brain imaging data. Three different multi-channel registration algorithms were evaluated, revealing that the framework is robust to the multi-channel deformable registration algorithm that is used. With a single exception, all results demonstrated improvements when compared against single channel registrations using the same algorithm with mutual information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pirfenidone for the treatment of Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome pulmonary fibrosis

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Kevin; Troendle, James; Gochuico, Bernadette R.; Markello, Thomas C.; Salas, Jose; Cardona, Hilda; Yao, Jianhua; Bernardini, Isa; Hess, Richard; Gahl, William A.

2013-01-01

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) type is a rare disorder of oculocutaneous albinism, platelet dysfunction, and in some subtypes, fatal pulmonary fibrosis. There is no effective treatment for the pulmonary fibrosis except lung transplantation, but an initial trial using pirfenidone, an anti-fibrotic agent, showed promising results. The current, randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective, double-blind trial investigated the safety and efficacy of pirfenidone for mild to moderate HPS-1 and 4 pulmonary fibrosis. Subjects were evaluated every 4 months at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, and the primary outcome parameter was change in forced vital capacity using repeated measures analysis with random coefficients. Thirty-five subjects with HPS-1 pulmonary fibrosis were enrolled during a 4-year interval; 23 subjects received pirfenidone and 12 received placebo. Four subjects withdrew from the trial, 3 subjects died, and 10 serious adverse events were reported. Both groups experienced similar side effects, especially gastroesophageal reflux. Interim analysis of the primary outcome parameter, performed 12 months after 30 patients were enrolled, showed no statistical difference between the placebo and pirfenidone groups, and the study was stopped due to futility. There were no significant safety concerns. Other clinical trials are indicated to identify single or multiple drug regimens that may be effective in treatment for progressive HPS-1 pulmonary fibrosis. PMID:21420888

Pharmacokinetics of a Single Oral Dose of the MEK1/2 Inhibitor Selumetinib in Subjects With End‐Stage Renal Disease or Varying Degrees of Hepatic Impairment Compared With Healthy Subjects

PubMed Central

Dymond, Angela W.; Martin, Paul; Huang, Yifan; Severin, Paul; Holmes, Victoria; Mariani, Gabriella; Marbury, Thomas

2016-01-01

Abstract Two phase I open‐label studies were conducted to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and tolerability of single oral doses of selumetinib in subjects with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis and subjects with varying degrees of hepatic impairment; both studies included a matched control group comprised of healthy individuals. In the renal impairment study, subjects received single doses of selumetinib 50 mg; those with ESRD received selumetinib before and after dialysis (with a between‐treatment washout period of ≥7 days). In the hepatic impairment study, subjects received varying single doses of selumetinib (20‐50 mg) depending on liver dysfunction (mild, moderate, or severe as per Child‐Pugh classification). PK, safety, and tolerability data were collected from both studies. Overall, 24 subjects were included in the renal impairment study (ESRD, N = 12; healthy subjects, N = 12). Selumetinib exposure (AUC and Cmax) was not increased in the ESRD group vs healthy subjects. Selumetinib exposure was lower when selumetinib was dosed before vs after dialysis, although individual exposure was variable. Overall, 32 subjects were included in the hepatic impairment study (mild, moderate, and severe impairment, N = 8 per group; healthy subjects, N = 8). Generally, dose‐normalized total selumetinib exposure was increased by 25% to 59% in subjects with moderate and severe hepatic impairment compared with healthy subjects. Increasing Child‐Pugh score, decreasing serum albumin, and increasing prothrombin time correlated with increasing unbound selumetinib exposure. In both studies, selumetinib was well tolerated with no new safety concerns. These studies will inform dose adjustment considerations in patients. PMID:28019010

A general ansatz for constructing quasi-diabatic states in electronically excited aggregated systems

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

Liu, Wenlan; Köhn, Andreas; InnovationLab GmbH, Speyerer St. 4, D-69115 Heidelberg

2015-08-28

We present a general method for analyzing the character of singly excited states in terms of charge transfer (CT) and locally excited (LE) configurations. The analysis is formulated for configuration interaction singles (CIS) singly excited wave functions of aggregate systems. It also approximately works for the second-order approximate coupled cluster singles and doubles and the second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction methods [CC2 and ADC(2)]. The analysis method not only generates a weight of each character for an excited state, but also allows to define the related quasi-diabatic states and corresponding coupling matrix elements. In the character analysis approach, we divide the targetmore » system into domains and use a modified Pipek-Mezey algorithm to localize the canonical MOs on each domain, respectively. The CIS wavefunction is then transformed into the localized basis, which allows us to partition the wavefunction into LE configurations within domains and CT configuration between pairs of different domains. Quasi-diabatic states are then obtained by mixing excited states subject to the condition of maximizing the weight of one single LE or CT configuration (localization in configuration space). Different aims of such a procedure are discussed, either the construction of pure LE and CT states for analysis purposes (by including a large number of excited states) or the construction of effective models for dynamics calculations (by including a restricted number of excited states). Applications are given to LE/CT mixing in π-stacked systems, charge-recombination matrix elements in a hetero-dimer, and excitonic couplings in multi-chromophoric systems.« less

Working Memory Processing In Normal Subjects and Subjects with Dyslexia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowyer, S. M.; Lajiness-O'Neill, R.; Weiland, B. J.; Mason, K.; Tepley, N.

2004-10-01

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to determine the neuroanatomical location of working memory (WM) processes. Differences between subjects with dyslexia (SD; n=5) and normal readers (NR; n=5) were studied during two WM tasks. A spatial WM task (SMW) consisted of blocks visually presented in one of 12 positions for 2 s each. Subjects were to determine if the current position matched the position presented 2 slides earlier (N-Back Test). The verbal task (VMW) consisted of presentation of a single letter. The location of cortical activity during SWM in NR (determined with MR-FOCUSS analysis) was in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right angular gyrus (AG). Similar activation was seen in SD with a slight delay of approximately 20 ms. During VWM activity was seen in LEFT STG and LEFT AG in NR. In contrast for SD, activation was in the RIGHT STG and RIGHT AG. This study demonstrates the possibility to differentiate WM processing in subjects with and without learning disorders.

An approach to analyzing a single subject's scores obtained in a standardized test with application to the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT).

PubMed

Willmes, K

1985-08-01

Methods for the analysis of a single subject's test profile(s) proposed by Huber (1973) are applied to the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT). The procedures are based on the classical test theory model (Lord & Novick, 1968) and are suited for any (achievement) test with standard norms from a large standardization sample and satisfactory reliability estimates. Two test profiles of a Wernicke's aphasic, obtained before and after a 3-month period of speech therapy, are analyzed using inferential comparisons between (groups of) subtest scores on one test application and between two test administrations for single (groups of) subtests. For each of these comparisons, the two aspects of (i) significant (reliable) differences in performance beyond measurement error and (ii) the diagnostic validity of that difference in the reference population of aphasic patients are assessed. Significant differences between standardized subtest scores and a remarkably better preserved reading and writing ability could be found for both test administrations using the multiple test procedure of Holm (1979). Comparison of both profiles revealed an overall increase in performance for each subtest as well as changes in level of performance relations between pairs of subtests.

QT effect of semagacestat at therapeutic and supratherapeutic doses.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Ayan-Oshodi, Mosun; Willis, Brian A; Annes, William; Hall, Stephen D; Chiesa, Joseph; Seger, Mary

2012-04-01

This thorough QT/ QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) study was designed to assess the potential of semagacestat, a functional gamma-secretase inhibitor, to delay cardiac repolarization. In this Phase I, single-dose, randomized, 4-period crossover study, semagacestat was compared with placebo in 54 healthy male and female subjects between the ages of 19 and 63 years, inclusive. Each study period included single oral-dose administrations of semagacestat 140 mg, semagacestat 280 mg, moxifloxacin 400 mg, or placebo. Study subjects and the investigator were blinded to the identity of semagacestat and placebo; however, moxifloxacin was administered as open-label. Moxifloxacin was compared with placebo for assay sensitivity analysis. Pharmacokinetic parameters were also assessed. For each QTc, the upper bound of the 2-sided 90% confidence interval (CI) for the least squares mean difference between semagacestat (at both the 140- and 280-mg dose levels) and placebo was < 10 msec at all time points, and thus, within the limits set for clinical relevance in regulatory guidelines. The results of this study indicate that single doses of 140 and 280 mg semagacestat did not prolong QTc to a clinically significant degree.

Bioavailability of two oral suspension and two oral tablet formulations of acyclovir 400 mg: two single-dose, open-label, randomized, two-period crossover comparisons in healthy Mexican adult subjects.

PubMed

Palma-Aguirre, Jose Antonio; Absalón-Reyes, Jose Antonio; Novoa-Heckel, Germán; de Lago, Alberto; Oliva, Iván; Rodríguez, Zulema; González-de la Parra, Mario; Burke-Fraga, Victoria; Namur, Salvador

2007-06-01

Acyclovir is an important antiviral drug, used extensively for treatment of herpes simplex and varicella zoster. Six oral generic formulations of acyclovir are available in Mexico; however, a literature search failed to identify data information concerning the bioavailability of these formulations in the Mexican population. The aim of these 2 studies was to compare the bioavailability of 4 oral formulations of acyclovir 400 mg--2 tablet formulations and 2 suspension formulations--with their corresponding listed drug references in Mexico (a list issued by Mexican Health Authorities). Two separate, single-dose, open-label, randomized, 2-period crossover studies were conducted at the Centro de Estudios Científicos y Clínicos Pharma, S.A. de C.V. (clinical unit), Mexico City, Mexico. For each study, a different set of eligible subjects were selected. They included healthy Mexican volunteers of either sex. For each study, subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 test formulation of acyclovir 400 mg followed by the reference formulation, or vice versa, with a 1-week washout period between doses. After a 12-hour (overnight) fast, subjects received a single 400-mg dose (tablet or 10-mL suspension) of the corresponding formulation. For the analysis of pharmacokinetic properties, including C(max), AUC from time 0 (baseline) to time t (AUC(0-t)), and AUC from baseline to infinity (AUC(0-infinity)), blood samples were drawn at baseline, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after dosing. The formulations were considered bioequivalent if the natural logarithm (ln)-transformed ratios of Cmax and AUC were within the predetermined equivalence range of 80% to 125% and if P

Activity recognition in planetary navigation field tests using classification algorithms applied to accelerometer data.

PubMed

Song, Wen; Ade, Carl; Broxterman, Ryan; Barstow, Thomas; Nelson, Thomas; Warren, Steve

2012-01-01

Accelerometer data provide useful information about subject activity in many different application scenarios. For this study, single-accelerometer data were acquired from subjects participating in field tests that mimic tasks that astronauts might encounter in reduced gravity environments. The primary goal of this effort was to apply classification algorithms that could identify these tasks based on features present in their corresponding accelerometer data, where the end goal is to establish methods to unobtrusively gauge subject well-being based on sensors that reside in their local environment. In this initial analysis, six different activities that involve leg movement are classified. The k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN) algorithm was found to be the most effective, with an overall classification success rate of 90.8%.

Behavioral and neurochemical consequences of multiple MDMA administrations in the rat: role of individual differences in anxiety-related behavior.

PubMed

Ludwig, V; Mihov, Y; Schwarting, R K W

2008-05-16

Using the elevated plus-maze (EPM), Wistar rats can be distinguished into high (HA) or low anxiety (LA) subjects. These differences seem to reflect traits, since HA and LA rats vary also in other anxiety-dependent tasks, neurochemical mechanisms, and psychopharmacological reactivity, including lasting consequences after single treatment with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Here, we tested whether multiple MDMA treatments also have subject-dependent effects. Based on routine EPM screening, male Wistar rats were divided into HA and LA sub-groups, which received five (i.e. multiple) daily injections of MDMA (5 mg/kg) or saline, followed by a test battery, including a challenge test with MDMA, a retest in the EPM, a novel-object test, and a final neurochemical analysis. Acutely, MDMA led to comparable hyperactivity in HA and LA rats. After multiple MDMA, behavioral sensitization was observed, especially in LA rats. Open arm time during the EPM retest (min 0-5) correlated with that of the initial one only in those rats, which had received a single injection of MDMA. Rats with multiple MDMA, especially LA-rats, showed more open-arm time and locomotion during the subsequent 5-10 min of the retest. In a novel-object test, rats with multiple MDMA, again especially LA subjects, showed more exploratory bouts towards the novel object. Neurochemically, multiple MDMA led to moderately lower serotonin in the ventral striatum, and higher dopamine levels in the frontal cortex as compared to single MDMA; these effects were also moderated by subject-dependent factors. Our data show that low-dosed multiple MDMA can lead to behavioral sensitization and outlasting consequences, which affect behavior in the EPM and a novel object task. Detecting such sequels partly requires consideration of individual differences.

An EPAS1 haplotype is associated with high altitude polycythemia in male Han Chinese at the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.

PubMed

Chen, Yu; Jiang, Chunhua; Luo, Yongjun; Liu, Fuyu; Gao, Yuqi

2014-12-01

Hemoglobin concentration at high altitude is considered an important marker of high altitude adaptation, and native Tibetans in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau show lower hemoglobin concentrations than Han people who have emigrated from plains areas. Genetic studies revealed that EPAS1 plays a key role in high altitude adaptation and is associated with the low hemoglobin concentration in Tibetans. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs13419896, rs4953354, rs1868092) of noncoding regions in EPAS1 exhibited significantly different allele frequencies in the Tibetan and Han populations and were associated with low hemoglobin concentrations in Tibetans. To explore the hereditary basis of high altitude polycythemia (HAPC) and investigate the association between EPAS1 and HAPC in the Han population, these 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms were assessed in 318 male Han Chinese HAPC patients and 316 control subjects. Genotyping was performed by high resolution melting curve analysis. The G-G-G haplotype of rs13419896, rs4953354, and rs1868092 was significantly more frequent in HAPC patients than in control subjects, whereas no differences in the allele or genotype frequencies of the 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms were found between HAPC patients and control subjects. Moreover, genotypes of rs1868092 (AA) and rs4953354 (GG) that were not observed in the Chinese Han in the Beijing population were found at frequencies of 1.6% and 0.9%, respectively, in our study population of HAPC patients and control subjects. Carriers of this EPAS1 haplotype (G-G-G, rs13419896, rs4953354, and rs1868092) may have a higher risk for HAPC. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of HAPC in the Han population. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Appropriate Social Behaviors for Children with Autism in General Education Classrooms: An Analysis of Six Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Nancy Kueifen; Schaller, James L.; Huang, Tzu-Ai; Wang, Meei Huey; Tsai, Shu-Fei

2003-01-01

This study compares generalized effects of a social-emotional skills training for girls and boys with autism in resource rooms on promoting positive social behaviors in general education classrooms in Taiwan. A single subject design was used to compare outcomes for 2 girls and 2 boys with autism in the experimental group with 2 boys with autism in…

75 FR 55307 - Honey From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Intent To Rescind New Shipper Reviews

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-10

... Shipper Review, 75 FR 38980 (July 7, 2010). Expansion of the POR When the sale of the subject merchandise... review is based on a single sale, exclusion of that sale as non-bona fide necessarily must end the review... Shipper Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China: Bona Fide Analysis of the Sale Under Review...

Generalized Reliability Methodology Applied to Brittle Anisotropic Single Crystals. Degree awarded by Washington Univ., 1999

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.

2002-01-01

A generalized reliability model was developed for use in the design of structural components made from brittle, homogeneous anisotropic materials such as single crystals. The model is based on the Weibull distribution and incorporates a variable strength distribution and any equivalent stress failure criteria. In addition to the reliability model, an energy based failure criterion for elastically anisotropic materials was formulated. The model is different from typical Weibull-based models in that it accounts for strength anisotropy arising from fracture toughness anisotropy and thereby allows for strength and reliability predictions of brittle, anisotropic single crystals subjected to multiaxial stresses. The model is also applicable to elastically isotropic materials exhibiting strength anisotropy due to an anisotropic distribution of flaws. In order to develop and experimentally verify the model, the uniaxial and biaxial strengths of a single crystal nickel aluminide were measured. The uniaxial strengths of the <100> and <110> crystal directions were measured in three and four-point flexure. The biaxial strength was measured by subjecting <100> plates to a uniform pressure in a test apparatus that was developed and experimentally verified. The biaxial strengths of the single crystal plates were estimated by extending and verifying the displacement solution for a circular, anisotropic plate to the case of a variable radius and thickness. The best correlation between the experimental strength data and the model predictions occurred when an anisotropic stress analysis was combined with the normal stress criterion and the strength parameters associated with the <110> crystal direction.

Use of the single-breath method of estimating cardiac output during exercise-stress testing.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buderer, M. C.; Rummel, J. A.; Sawin, C. F.; Mauldin, D. G.

1973-01-01

The single-breath cardiac output measurement technique of Kim et al. (1966) has been modified for use in obtaining cardiac output measurements during exercise-stress tests on Apollo astronauts. The modifications involve the use of a respiratory mass spectrometer for data acquisition and a digital computer program for data analysis. The variation of the modified method for triplicate steady-state cardiac output measurements was plus or minus 1 liter/min. The combined physiological and methodological variation seen during a set of three exercise tests on a series of subjects was 1 to 2.5 liter/min. Comparison of the modified method with the direct Fick technique showed that although the single-breath values were consistently low, the scatter of data was small and the correlation between the two methods was high. Possible reasons for the low single-breath cardiac output values are discussed.

Influence of menthol on caffeine disposition and pharmacodynamics in healthy female volunteers.

PubMed

Gelal, Ayse; Guven, Hulya; Balkan, Dilara; Artok, Levent; Benowitz, Neal L

2003-09-01

The present study was undertaken to determine whether a single oral dose of menthol affects the metabolism of caffeine, a cytochrome P(450) 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrate, and pharmacological responses to caffeine in people. Eleven healthy female subjects participated in a randomized, double-blind, two-way crossover study, comparing the kinetics and effects of a single oral dose of caffeine (200 mg) in coffee taken together with a single oral dose of menthol (100 mg) or placebo capsules. Serum caffeine concentrations and cardiovascular and subjective parameters were measured throughout the study. Co-administration of menthol resulted in an increase of caffeine t(max) values from 43.6+/-20.6 min (mean+/-SD) to 76.4+/-28.0 min ( P<0.05). The C(max) values of caffeine were lower in the menthol phase than in the placebo phase, but this effect was not statistically significant ( P=0.06). (AUC)(0-24), (AUC)(0- infinity ), terminal half-life and oral clearance were not affected by menthol. Only nine subjects' cardiovascular data were included in the analysis because of technical problems during the measurements. After caffeine, heart rate decreased in both treatment phases. The maximum decrease in heart rate was less in the menthol phase (-8.9+/-3.9 beats/min) than in the placebo phase (-13.1+/-2.1 beats/min) ( P=0.024). There were no statistically significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressures between the two treatments. We conclude that a single oral dose of pure menthol (100 mg) delays caffeine absorption and blunts the heart-rate slowing effect of caffeine, but does not affect caffeine metabolism. The possibility that menthol slows the absorption of other drugs should be considered.

A study of delamination buckling of laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukherjee, Yu-Xie; Xie, Zhi-Cheng; Ingraffea, Anthony

1990-01-01

The subject of this paper is the buckling of laminated plates, with a preexisting delamination, subjected to in-plane loading. Each laminate is modelled as an orthotropic Mindlin plate. The analysis is carried out by a combination of the finite element and asymptotic expansion methods. By applying the finite element method, plates with general delamination regions can be studied. The asymptotic expansion method reduces the number of unknown variables of the eigenvalue equation to that of the equation for a single Kirchhoff plate. Numerical results are presented for several examples. The effects of the shape, size, and position of the delamination on the buckling load are studied through these examples.

Old wine in new bottles: validating the clinical utility of SPECT in predicting cognitive performance in mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Romero, Kristoffer; Lobaugh, Nancy J; Black, Sandra E; Ehrlich, Lisa; Feinstein, Anthony

2015-01-30

The neural underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction in mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) are not fully understood. Consequently, patient prognosis using existing clinical imaging is somewhat imprecise. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a frequently employed investigation in this population, notwithstanding uncertainty over the clinical utility of the data obtained. In this study, subjects with mild TBI underwent (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT scanning, and were administered a brief battery of cognitive tests and self-report symptom scales of concussion and emotional distress. Testing took place 2 weeks (n=84) and 1 year (n=49) post-injury. Multivariate analysis (i.e., partial least squares analysis) revealed that frontal perfusion in right superior frontal and middle frontal gyri predicted poorer performance on the Stroop test, an index of executive function, both at initial and follow-up testing. Conversely, SPECT scans categorized as normal or abnormal by radiologists did not differentiate cognitively impaired from intact subjects. These results demonstrate the clinical utility of SPECT in mild TBI, but only when data are subjected to blood flow quantification analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of surface electromyography as a tool in differentiating temporomandibular disorders from neck disorders.

PubMed

Ferrario, Virgilio F; Tartaglia, Gianluca M; Luraghi, Francesca E; Sforza, Chiarella

2007-11-01

The aim of this study was to assess the electromyographic characteristics of the masticatory muscles (masseter and temporalis) of patients with either "temporomandibular joint disorder" or "neck pain". Surface electromyography of the right and left masseter and temporalis muscles was performed during maximum teeth clenching in 38 patients aged 21-67 years who had either (a) temporomandibular joint disorder (24 patients); (b) "neck pain" (13 patients). Ninety-five control, healthy subjects were also examined. During clenching, standardized total muscle activities (electromyographic potentials over time) were significantly different in the three groups: 75 microV/microVs% in the temporomandibular joint disorder patients, 124 microV/microVs% in the neck pain patients, and 95 microV/microVs% in the control subjects (analysis of variance, P<0.001). The temporomandibular joint disorder patients also had significantly (P<0.001) more asymmetric muscle potentials (78%) than either neck pain patients (87%) or control subjects (92%). A linear discriminant function analysis allowed a significant separation between the two patient groups, with a single patient error of 18.2%. Surface electromyographic analysis during clenching allowed to differentiate between patients with a temporomandibular joint disorder and patients with a neck pain problem.

Effectiveness evaluation of objective and subjective weighting methods for aquifer vulnerability assessment in urban context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Madhumita; Sahoo, Satiprasad; Dhar, Anirban; Pradhan, Biswajeet

2016-10-01

Groundwater vulnerability assessment has been an accepted practice to identify the zones with relatively increased potential for groundwater contamination. DRASTIC is the most popular secondary information-based vulnerability assessment approach. Original DRASTIC approach considers relative importance of features/sub-features based on subjective weighting/rating values. However variability of features at a smaller scale is not reflected in this subjective vulnerability assessment process. In contrast to the subjective approach, the objective weighting-based methods provide flexibility in weight assignment depending on the variation of the local system. However experts' opinion is not directly considered in the objective weighting-based methods. Thus effectiveness of both subjective and objective weighting-based approaches needs to be evaluated. In the present study, three methods - Entropy information method (E-DRASTIC), Fuzzy pattern recognition method (F-DRASTIC) and Single parameter sensitivity analysis (SA-DRASTIC), were used to modify the weights of the original DRASTIC features to include local variability. Moreover, a grey incidence analysis was used to evaluate the relative performance of subjective (DRASTIC and SA-DRASTIC) and objective (E-DRASTIC and F-DRASTIC) weighting-based methods. The performance of the developed methodology was tested in an urban area of Kanpur City, India. Relative performance of the subjective and objective methods varies with the choice of water quality parameters. This methodology can be applied without/with suitable modification. These evaluations establish the potential applicability of the methodology for general vulnerability assessment in urban context.

Neuromuscular coordination of masticatory muscles in subjects with two types of implant-supported prostheses.

PubMed

Ferrario, Virgilio F; Tartaglia, Gianluca M; Maglione, Michele; Simion, Massimo; Sforza, Chiarella

2004-04-01

To compare the electromyographic (EMG) characteristics of masticatory muscles in patients with fixed implant-supported prostheses and implant overdentures. Nineteen subjects aged 45-79 years were examined. Fourteen were edentulous and had been successfully rehabilitated with (a) maxillary and mandibular implant-supported fixed prostheses (seven patients); (b) mandibular implant overdentures and maxillary complete dentures (seven patients). Five control subjects had natural dentition or single/partial (no more than two teeth) tooth or implant fixed dentures. Surface EMG of the masseter and temporal muscles was performed during unilateral gum chewing and during maximum teeth clenching. To reduce biological and instrumental noise, all values were standardized as percentage of a maximum clenching on cotton rolls. During clenching, temporal muscle symmetry was larger in control subjects and fixed implant-supported prosthesis patients than in overdenture patients (analysis of variance, P=0.005). No differences were found in masseter muscle symmetry or in muscular torque. Muscle activities (integrated areas of the EMG potentials over time) were significantly larger in control subjects than in implant-supported prosthesis patients (P=0.014). In both patient groups, a poor neuromuscular coordination during chewing, with altered muscular patterns, and a smaller left-right symmetry than in control subjects were found (P=0.05). No differences in masticatory frequency were found. Surface EMG analysis of clenching and chewing showed that fixed implant-supported prostheses and implant overdentures were functionally equivalent. Neuromuscular coordination during chewing was inferior to that found in subjects with natural dentition.

Growth, structural, optical, piezoelectric and etching analysis of L-lysine p-nitrophenolate monohydrate single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandar, A.; Lakshmanan, A.; Sakthy Priya, S.; Surendran, P.; Rameshkumar, P.

2017-09-01

Nonlinear optical single crystals of L-lysine p-nitrophenolate monohydrate (LLPNP) were grown in aqueous solution by the slow evaporation solution technique (SEST). The grown crystals were subjected to powder X-ray diffraction analysis, (PXRD) and it was found that the title compound was crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with noncentrosymmetric space group of P212121. The vibrational frequencies of various functional groups present in the crystal were analyzed using the FTIR spectrum with a wavenumber range between 450 cm-1 and 4000 cm-1. The microhardness analysis of the sample revealed that the crystal belongs to the soft material category. Piezoelectric analysis was performed to measure the value of the piezoelectric (d33) coefficient. Blue light emission of the material was confirmed using the photoluminescence spectrum. Thermal stability of the grown crystal was analyzed using a melting point apparatus and it was found that the LLPNP is stable upto 175∘C. Etching analysis was performed at various durations, in order to identify the surface properties of the LLPNP crystal.

Cervical Disc Deformation During Flexion–Extension in Asymptomatic Controls and Single-Level Arthrodesis Patients

PubMed Central

Anderst, William; Donaldson, William; Lee, Joon; Kang, James

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize cervical disc deformation in asymptomatic subjects and single-level arthrodesis patients during in vivo functional motion. A validated model-based tracking technique determined vertebral motion from biplane radiographs collected during dynamic flexion–extension. Level-dependent differences in disc compression–distraction and shear deformation were identified within the anterior and posterior annulus (PA) and the nucleus of 20 asymptomatic subjects and 15 arthrodesis patients using a mixed-model statistical analysis. In asymptomatic subjects, disc compression and shear deformation per degree of flexion–extension progressively decreased from C23 to C67. The anterior and PA experienced compression–distraction deformation of up to 20%, while the nucleus region was compressed between 0% (C67) and 12% (C23). Peak shear deformation ranged from 16% (at C67) to 33% (at C45). In the C5–C6 arthrodesis group, C45 discs were significantly less compressed than in the control group in all disc regions (all p ≤ 0.026). In the C6–C7 arthrodesis group, C56 discs were significantly less compressed than the control group in the nucleus (p = 0.023) and PA (p = 0.014), but not the anterior annulus (AA; p = 0.137). These results indicate in vivo disc deformation is level-dependent, and single-level anterior arthrodesis alters the compression–distraction deformation in the disc immediately superior to the arthrodesis. PMID:23861160

Measurement of myocardial blood flow by cardiovascular magnetic resonance perfusion: comparison of distributed parameter and Fermi models with single and dual bolus.

PubMed

Papanastasiou, Giorgos; Williams, Michelle C; Kershaw, Lucy E; Dweck, Marc R; Alam, Shirjel; Mirsadraee, Saeed; Connell, Martin; Gray, Calum; MacGillivray, Tom; Newby, David E; Semple, Scott Ik

2015-02-17

Mathematical modeling of cardiovascular magnetic resonance perfusion data allows absolute quantification of myocardial blood flow. Saturation of left ventricle signal during standard contrast administration can compromise the input function used when applying these models. This saturation effect is evident during application of standard Fermi models in single bolus perfusion data. Dual bolus injection protocols have been suggested to eliminate saturation but are much less practical in the clinical setting. The distributed parameter model can also be used for absolute quantification but has not been applied in patients with coronary artery disease. We assessed whether distributed parameter modeling might be less dependent on arterial input function saturation than Fermi modeling in healthy volunteers. We validated the accuracy of each model in detecting reduced myocardial blood flow in stenotic vessels versus gold-standard invasive methods. Eight healthy subjects were scanned using a dual bolus cardiac perfusion protocol at 3T. We performed both single and dual bolus analysis of these data using the distributed parameter and Fermi models. For the dual bolus analysis, a scaled pre-bolus arterial input function was used. In single bolus analysis, the arterial input function was extracted from the main bolus. We also performed analysis using both models of single bolus data obtained from five patients with coronary artery disease and findings were compared against independent invasive coronary angiography and fractional flow reserve. Statistical significance was defined as two-sided P value < 0.05. Fermi models overestimated myocardial blood flow in healthy volunteers due to arterial input function saturation in single bolus analysis compared to dual bolus analysis (P < 0.05). No difference was observed in these volunteers when applying distributed parameter-myocardial blood flow between single and dual bolus analysis. In patients, distributed parameter modeling was able to detect reduced myocardial blood flow at stress (<2.5 mL/min/mL of tissue) in all 12 stenotic vessels compared to only 9 for Fermi modeling. Comparison of single bolus versus dual bolus values suggests that distributed parameter modeling is less dependent on arterial input function saturation than Fermi modeling. Distributed parameter modeling showed excellent accuracy in detecting reduced myocardial blood flow in all stenotic vessels.

Tensorial extensions of independent component analysis for multisubject FMRI analysis.

PubMed

Beckmann, C F; Smith, S M

2005-03-01

We discuss model-free analysis of multisubject or multisession FMRI data by extending the single-session probabilistic independent component analysis model (PICA; Beckmann and Smith, 2004. IEEE Trans. on Medical Imaging, 23 (2) 137-152) to higher dimensions. This results in a three-way decomposition that represents the different signals and artefacts present in the data in terms of their temporal, spatial, and subject-dependent variations. The technique is derived from and compared with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC; Harshman and Lundy, 1984. In Research methods for multimode data analysis, chapter 5, pages 122-215. Praeger, New York). Using simulated data as well as data from multisession and multisubject FMRI studies we demonstrate that the tensor PICA approach is able to efficiently and accurately extract signals of interest in the spatial, temporal, and subject/session domain. The final decompositions improve upon PARAFAC results in terms of greater accuracy, reduced interference between the different estimated sources (reduced cross-talk), robustness (against deviations of the data from modeling assumptions and against overfitting), and computational speed. On real FMRI 'activation' data, the tensor PICA approach is able to extract plausible activation maps, time courses, and session/subject modes as well as provide a rich description of additional processes of interest such as image artefacts or secondary activation patterns. The resulting data decomposition gives simple and useful representations of multisubject/multisession FMRI data that can aid the interpretation and optimization of group FMRI studies beyond what can be achieved using model-based analysis techniques.

Growth and characterization of hexamethylenetetramine crystals grown from solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, B.; Chandrasekaran, J.; Balaprabhakaran, S.

2014-06-01

Organic nonlinear optical single crystals of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT; 10 × 10 × 5 mm3) were prepared by crystallization from methanol solution. The grown crystals were subjected to various characterization techniques such as single crystal XRD, powder XRD, UV-Vis and electrical studies. Single crystal XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure of the grown crystals. Their crystalline nature was also confirmed by powder XRD technique. The optical transmittance property was identified from UV-Vis spectrum. Dielectric measurements were performed as a function of frequency at different temperatures. DC conductivity and photoconductivity studies were also carried out for the crystal. The powder second harmonic generation efficiency (SHG) of the crystal was measured using Nd:YAG laser and the efficiency was found to be two times greater than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP).

Effect of divided attention on gait in subjects with and without cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Pettersson, Anna F; Olsson, Elisabeth; Wahlund, Lars-Olof

2007-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of cognition on motor function using 2 simple everyday tasks, talking and walking, in younger subjects with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. A second aim was to evaluate reliability for the dual-task test Talking While Walking. Walking speed during single and dual task and time change between single and dual task were compared between groups. The test procedure was repeated after 1 week. Subjects with AD had lower walking speed and greater time change between single and dual task compared with healthy controls. Reliability for Talking While Walking was very good. The results show that motor function in combination with a cognitive task, as well as motor function alone, influences subjects with Alzheimer's disease in a negative way and that decreased walking speed during single- and dual-task performance may be an early symptom in Alzheimer's disease.

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders

PubMed Central

Hitchcock, Elaine R.; Ferron, John

2017-01-01

Purpose Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. Method This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Conclusions Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders. PMID:28595354

Masked Visual Analysis: Minimizing Type I Error in Visually Guided Single-Case Design for Communication Disorders.

PubMed

Byun, Tara McAllister; Hitchcock, Elaine R; Ferron, John

2017-06-10

Single-case experimental designs are widely used to study interventions for communication disorders. Traditionally, single-case experiments follow a response-guided approach, where design decisions during the study are based on participants' observed patterns of behavior. However, this approach has been criticized for its high rate of Type I error. In masked visual analysis (MVA), response-guided decisions are made by a researcher who is blinded to participants' identities and treatment assignments. MVA also makes it possible to conduct a hypothesis test assessing the significance of treatment effects. This tutorial describes the principles of MVA, including both how experiments can be set up and how results can be used for hypothesis testing. We then report a case study showing how MVA was deployed in a multiple-baseline across-subjects study investigating treatment for residual errors affecting rhotics. Strengths and weaknesses of MVA are discussed. Given their important role in the evidence base that informs clinical decision making, it is critical for single-case experimental studies to be conducted in a way that allows researchers to draw valid inferences. As a method that can increase the rigor of single-case studies while preserving the benefits of a response-guided approach, MVA warrants expanded attention from researchers in communication disorders.

Effects of single antegrade hot shot in comparison with no hot shot administration during coronary artery bypass grafting

PubMed Central

Mirmohammadsadeghi, Pouya; Mirmohammadsadeghi, Mohsen

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Superior results will be achieved from cardiac surgery by minimizing the effect of ischemia/reperfusion injury during cross-clamping of the aorta. Different cardioplegia solutions have been introduced, but the optimum one is still ambiguous. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of single antegrade hot shot terminal warm blood cardioplegia (TWBC) on patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS In total, 2488 patients who had CABG surgery in Sina Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, from 2003 to 2011 were enrolled in this case-control study. They were divided into two groups, those who received cold cardioplegia only and those who received a hot shot following cold cardioplegia. Demographics, and clinical data, such as; premature atrial contraction (PAC) arrhythmia, diabetes treatment, and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), were collected and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS There were significant differences found between subjects receiving antegrade hot shot based on direct current (DC) shocks, with regard to; female, EF levels, diabetes treatment (P < 0.050). Those who did not receive the hot shot and were not diabetic received more DC shock (P = 0.019). The prevalence of subjects who did no need DC shock was significantly higher among male subjects who had good EF and acceptable diabetic treatment. Multiple logistic regression showed that PAC arrhythmia did not have a significant effect on receiving DC shock during CAGB [0.84 (0.25, 2.85), (P = 0.780)]. Having poor EF increased the risk of receiving DC shock among subjects by 2.81 [(1.69, 4.69), (P ≤ 0.001)] (P < 0.001). Among the diabetic subjects, receiving insulin decreased the risk of receiving DC shock by 0.54 (0.29, 0.98) (P = 0.042). CONCLUSION It was concluded that single antegrade hot shot following cold cardioplegia was not particularly effective in the CABG group. TWBC will decrease the need for DC shock. PMID:26405451

Effects of single antegrade hot shot in comparison with no hot shot administration during coronary artery bypass grafting.

PubMed

Mirmohammadsadeghi, Pouya; Mirmohammadsadeghi, Mohsen

2015-05-01

Superior results will be achieved from cardiac surgery by minimizing the effect of ischemia/reperfusion injury during cross-clamping of the aorta. Different cardioplegia solutions have been introduced, but the optimum one is still ambiguous. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of single antegrade hot shot terminal warm blood cardioplegia (TWBC) on patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In total, 2488 patients who had CABG surgery in Sina Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, from 2003 to 2011 were enrolled in this case-control study. They were divided into two groups, those who received cold cardioplegia only and those who received a hot shot following cold cardioplegia. Demographics, and clinical data, such as; premature atrial contraction (PAC) arrhythmia, diabetes treatment, and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), were collected and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. There were significant differences found between subjects receiving antegrade hot shot based on direct current (DC) shocks, with regard to; female, EF levels, diabetes treatment (P < 0.050). Those who did not receive the hot shot and were not diabetic received more DC shock (P = 0.019). The prevalence of subjects who did no need DC shock was significantly higher among male subjects who had good EF and acceptable diabetic treatment. Multiple logistic regression showed that PAC arrhythmia did not have a significant effect on receiving DC shock during CAGB [0.84 (0.25, 2.85), (P = 0.780)]. Having poor EF increased the risk of receiving DC shock among subjects by 2.81 [(1.69, 4.69), (P ≤ 0.001)] (P < 0.001). Among the diabetic subjects, receiving insulin decreased the risk of receiving DC shock by 0.54 (0.29, 0.98) (P = 0.042). It was concluded that single antegrade hot shot following cold cardioplegia was not particularly effective in the CABG group. TWBC will decrease the need for DC shock.

Single-tube tetradecaplex panel of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers < 1 Mb from F8 for simplified preimplantation genetic diagnosis of hemophilia A.

PubMed

Zhao, M; Chen, M; Tan, A S C; Cheah, F S H; Mathew, J; Wong, P C; Chong, S S

2017-07-01

Essentials Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of severe hemophilia A relies on linkage analysis. Simultaneous multi-marker screening can simplify selection of informative markers in a couple. We developed a single-tube tetradecaplex panel of polymorphic markers for hemophilia A PGD use. Informative markers can be used for linkage analysis alone or combined with mutation detection. Background It is currently not possible to perform single-cell preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to directly detect the common inversion mutations of the factor VIII (F8) gene responsible for severe hemophilia A (HEMA). As such, PGD for such inversion carriers relies on indirect analysis of linked polymorphic markers. Objectives To simplify linkage-based PGD of HEMA, we aimed to develop a panel of highly polymorphic microsatellite markers located near the F8 gene that could be simultaneously genotyped in a multiplex-PCR reaction. Methods We assessed the polymorphism of various microsatellite markers located ≤ 1 Mb from F8 in 177 female subjects. Highly polymorphic markers were selected for co-amplification with the AMELX/Y indel dimorphism in a single-tube reaction. Results Thirteen microsatellite markers located within 0.6 Mb of F8 were successfully co-amplified with AMELX/Y in a single-tube reaction. Observed heterozygosities of component markers ranged from 0.43 to 0.84, and ∼70-80% of individuals were heterozygous for ≥ 5 markers. The tetradecaplex panel successfully identified fully informative markers in a couple interested in PGD for HEMA because of an intragenic F8 point mutation, with haplotype phasing established through a carrier daughter. In-vitro fertilization (IVF)-PGD involved single-tube co-amplification of fully informative markers with AMELX/Y and the mutation-containing F8 amplicon, followed by microsatellite analysis and amplicon mutation-site minisequencing analysis. Conclusions The single-tube multiplex-PCR format of this highly polymorphic microsatellite marker panel simplifies identification and selection of informative markers for linkage-based PGD of HEMA. Informative markers can also be easily co-amplified with mutation-containing F8 amplicons for combined mutation detection and linkage analysis. © 2017 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Electroencephalographic study showing that tactile stimulation by fabrics of different qualities elicit graded event-related potentials.

PubMed

Hoefer, D; Handel, M; Müller, K-M; Hammer, T R

2016-11-01

Neurophysiologic data on reactions of the human brain towards tactile stimuli evoked by fabrics moved on the skin are scarce. Furthermore, evaluation of fabrics' pleasantness using questionnaires suffers subjective biases. That is why we used a 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to objectively evaluate real-time brain reactions to fabric-skin interactions. Tactile stimuli were triggered by selected fabrics of different qualities, i.e. modal/polyamide single jersey, cotton double rib and a jute fabric, applied hidden to either the palm or forearm of 24 subjects via a custom-made fabric-to-skin applicator called SOFIA. One-way anova analysis was carried out to verify the EEG data. The modal/polyamide fabric applied to the forearm and palm led to slightly stronger emotional valence scores in the brain than the conventional or baseline fabric. Furthermore, the single jersey elicits significant higher event-related potential (ERP) signals in all subjects when applied to the forearm, suggesting less distraction and better cognitive resources during the fabric/skin interaction. The brain thus reacts with instantaneous ERP to tactile stimulation of fabrics and is able to discriminate different qualities via implicit preferences. The test procedure described here may be a tool to evaluate the fabric feel with the exclusion of subjective biases. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Prediction of the molecular response to pertubations from single cell measurements].

PubMed

Remacle, Françoise; Levine, Raphael D

2014-12-01

The response of protein signalization networks to perturbations is analysed from single cell measurements. This experimental approach allows characterizing the fluctuations in protein expression levels from cell to cell. The analysis is based on an information theoretic approach grounded in thermodynamics leading to a quantitative version of Le Chatelier principle which allows to predict the molecular response. Two systems are investigated: human macrophages subjected to lipopolysaccharide challenge, analogous to the immune response against Gram-negative bacteria and the response of the proteins involved in the mTOR signalizing network of GBM cancer cells to changes in partial oxygen pressure. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Single-Event Effects in High-Frequency Linear Amplifiers: Experiment and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeinolabedinzadeh, Saeed; Ying, Hanbin; Fleetwood, Zachary E.; Roche, Nicolas J.-H.; Khachatrian, Ani; McMorrow, Dale; Buchner, Stephen P.; Warner, Jeffrey H.; Paki-Amouzou, Pauline; Cressler, John D.

2017-01-01

The single-event transient (SET) response of two different silicon-germanium (SiGe) X-band (8-12 GHz) low noise amplifier (LNA) topologies is fully investigated in this paper. The two LNAs were designed and implemented in 130nm SiGe HBT BiCMOS process technology. Two-photon absorption (TPA) laser pulses were utilized to induce transients within various devices in these LNAs. Impulse response theory is identified as a useful tool for predicting the settling behavior of the LNAs subjected to heavy ion strikes. Comprehensive device and circuit level modeling and simulations were performed to accurately simulate the behavior of the circuits under ion strikes. The simulations agree well with TPA measurements. The simulation, modeling and analysis presented in this paper can be applied for any other circuit topologies for SET modeling and prediction.

Bayesian model reduction and empirical Bayes for group (DCM) studies

PubMed Central

Friston, Karl J.; Litvak, Vladimir; Oswal, Ashwini; Razi, Adeel; Stephan, Klaas E.; van Wijk, Bernadette C.M.; Ziegler, Gabriel; Zeidman, Peter

2016-01-01

This technical note describes some Bayesian procedures for the analysis of group studies that use nonlinear models at the first (within-subject) level – e.g., dynamic causal models – and linear models at subsequent (between-subject) levels. Its focus is on using Bayesian model reduction to finesse the inversion of multiple models of a single dataset or a single (hierarchical or empirical Bayes) model of multiple datasets. These applications of Bayesian model reduction allow one to consider parametric random effects and make inferences about group effects very efficiently (in a few seconds). We provide the relatively straightforward theoretical background to these procedures and illustrate their application using a worked example. This example uses a simulated mismatch negativity study of schizophrenia. We illustrate the robustness of Bayesian model reduction to violations of the (commonly used) Laplace assumption in dynamic causal modelling and show how its recursive application can facilitate both classical and Bayesian inference about group differences. Finally, we consider the application of these empirical Bayesian procedures to classification and prediction. PMID:26569570

Automated processing of the single-lead electrocardiogram for the detection of obstructive sleep apnoea.

PubMed

de Chazal, Philip; Heneghan, Conor; Sheridan, Elaine; Reilly, Richard; Nolan, Philip; O'Malley, Mark

2003-06-01

A method for the automatic processing of the electrocardiogram (ECG) for the detection of obstructive apnoea is presented. The method screens nighttime single-lead ECG recordings for the presence of major sleep apnoea and provides a minute-by-minute analysis of disordered breathing. A large independently validated database of 70 ECG recordings acquired from normal subjects and subjects with obstructive and mixed sleep apnoea, each of approximately eight hours in duration, was used throughout the study. Thirty-five of these recordings were used for training and 35 retained for independent testing. A wide variety of features based on heartbeat intervals and an ECG-derived respiratory signal were considered. Classifiers based on linear and quadratic discriminants were compared. Feature selection and regularization of classifier parameters were used to optimize classifier performance. Results show that the normal recordings could be separated from the apnoea recordings with a 100% success rate and a minute-by-minute classification accuracy of over 90% is achievable.

Relationships of Muscle Function and Subjective Knee Function in Patients After ACL Reconstruction.

PubMed

Bodkin, Stephan; Goetschius, John; Hertel, Jay; Hart, Joe

2017-07-01

After anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), relationships between objective measures of muscle function and patient-reported outcomes may change over time. Examining these measures at different time frames after surgery may help develop individualized approaches to improve post-ALCR analysis. To examine the associations between subjective knee function and lower-extremity muscle function in individual patients at various time points after ACLR. Descriptive laboratory study. Fifty-one participants who underwent primary, unilateral ACLR (15 males, 36 females; mean age, 22.9 ± 4.5 years; mean height, 172.4 ± 10.1 cm; mean weight, 68.7 ± 13.1 kg) were separated into 3 groups depending on time since surgery (early, <2 years; middle, 2-5 years; late, >5 years). Subjective knee function was quantified using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Isometric knee extension and flexion strength were collected at 90 deg/s. Single-leg hop performance was measured using the single hop, triple hop, cross-over hop, and 6-m timed hop. Coefficient correlations were calculated between subjective knee function and objective measures of muscle function for each group. The early group demonstrated moderate correlations between the KOOS and unilateral measures of flexion peak torque ( r = 0.514, P = .035) and flexion power ( r = 0.54, P = .027). The middle group demonstrated the strongest correlations between the KOOS and symmetry measures of the single hop ( r = 0.69, P = .002) and extension work ( r = 0.71, P = .002) as well as unilateral measures of the triple hop ( r = 0.52, P = .034) and extension work ( r = 0.66, P = .004). The late group demonstrated strong correlations between the 6-m timed hop symmetry and the IKDC ( r = 0.716, P = .001) and KOOS ( r = 0.71, P = .001). Patients with a post-ACLR status of less than 2 years exhibited stronger relationships with unilateral strength measures to subjective function; graft type was found to change these relationships. Patients at 2 to 5 years postsurgery demonstrated relationships with both unilateral and symmetry measures of muscle function to subjective function. Patients who were more than 5 years after ACLR exhibited strong associations between hopping symmetry and subjective function. Future clinical guidelines for patients after ACLR may need to consider time since surgery as a potential factor.

Visual search for feature conjunctions: an fMRI study comparing alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) to ADHD.

PubMed

O'Conaill, Carrie R; Malisza, Krisztina L; Buss, Joan L; Bolster, R Bruce; Clancy, Christine; de Gervai, Patricia Dreessen; Chudley, Albert E; Longstaffe, Sally

2015-01-01

Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) falls under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Diagnosis of ARND is difficult because individuals do not demonstrate the characteristic facial features associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). While attentional problems in ARND are similar to those found in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the underlying impairment in attention pathways may be different. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted at 3 T. Sixty-three children aged 10 to 14 years diagnosed with ARND, ADHD, and typically developing (TD) controls performed a single-feature and a feature-conjunction visual search task. Dorsal and ventral attention pathways were activated during both attention tasks in all groups. Significantly greater activation was observed in ARND subjects during a single-feature search as compared to TD and ADHD groups, suggesting ARND subjects require greater neural recruitment to perform this simple task. ARND subjects appear unable to effectively use the very efficient automatic perceptual 'pop-out' mechanism employed by TD and ADHD groups during presentation of the disjunction array. By comparison, activation was lower in ARND compared to TD and ADHD subjects during the more difficult conjunction search task as compared to the single-feature search. Analysis of DTI data using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) showed areas of significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) in ARND compared to TD subjects. Damage to the white matter of the ILF may compromise the ventral attention pathway and may require subjects to use the dorsal attention pathway, which is associated with effortful top-down processing, for tasks that should be automatic. Decreased functional activity in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) of ARND subjects may be due to a reduction in the white matter tract's ability to efficiently convey information critical to performance of the attention tasks. Limited activation patterns in ARND suggest problems in information processing along the ventral frontoparietal attention pathway. Poor integrity of the ILF, which connects the functional components of the ventral attention network, in ARND subjects may contribute to the attention deficits characteristic of the disorder.

Drug Delivery and Transport into the Central Circulation: An Example of Zero-Order In vivo Absorption of Rotigotine from a Transdermal Patch Formulation.

PubMed

Cawello, Willi; Braun, Marina; Andreas, Jens-Otto

2018-01-13

Pharmacokinetic studies using deconvolution methods and non-compartmental analysis to model clinical absorption of drugs are not well represented in the literature. The purpose of this research was (1) to define the system of equations for description of rotigotine (a dopamine receptor agonist delivered via a transdermal patch) absorption based on a pharmacokinetic model and (2) to describe the kinetics of rotigotine disposition after single and multiple dosing. The kinetics of drug disposition was evaluated based on rotigotine plasma concentration data from three phase 1 trials. In two trials, rotigotine was administered via a single patch over 24 h in healthy subjects. In a third trial, rotigotine was administered once daily over 1 month in subjects with early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). A pharmacokinetic model utilizing deconvolution methods was developed to describe the relationship between drug release from the patch and plasma concentrations. Plasma-concentration over time profiles were modeled based on a one-compartment model with a time lag, a zero-order input (describing a constant absorption via skin into central circulation) and first-order elimination. Corresponding mathematical models for single- and multiple-dose administration were developed. After single-dose administration of rotigotine patches (using 2, 4 or 8 mg/day) in healthy subjects, a constant in vivo absorption was present after a minor time lag (2-3 h). On days 27 and 30 of the multiple-dose study in patients with PD, absorption was constant during patch-on periods and resembled zero-order kinetics. Deconvolution based on rotigotine pharmacokinetic profiles after single- or multiple-dose administration of the once-daily patch demonstrated that in vivo absorption of rotigotine showed constant input through the skin into the central circulation (resembling zero-order kinetics). Continuous absorption through the skin is a basis for stable drug exposure.

Synthesis, crystal growth and characterization of bioactive material: 2- Amino-1H-benzimidazolium pyridine-3-carboxylate single crystal- a proton transfer molecular complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathima, K. Saiadali; Kavitha, P.; Anitha, K.

2017-09-01

The 1:1 molecular adducts 2- Amino-1H-benzimidazolium pyridine-3-carboxylate (2ABPC) was synthesized and grown as single crystal where 2-aminobenzimidazole (ABI) acts as a donor and nicotinic acid (NA) acts as an acceptor. The presence of proton and carbon were predicted using 1H and 13C NMR spectral analysis. The molecular structure of the crystal was elucidated by subjecting the grown crystals to the single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis and was refined by full matrix least-squares method to R = 0.038 for 2469 reflections. The vibrational modes of functional group have been studied using FTIR and Raman spectroscopic analysis. The UV-Vis spectrum exhibited a visible band at 246 nm for 2ABPC due to the nicotinate anion of the molecule. Further, the antimicrobial activity of 2ABPC complex against B. subtilis, klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas eruginos and E. coli pathogens was investigated. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for this crystal was obtained using UV spectrometer against MRSA pathogen. It was found that the benzimidazole with aminogroup at position 2 increases the general antimicrobial activities of 2ABPC crystal.

Growth, structural, optical, mechanical and quantum chemical analysis of unidirectional grown bis(guanidinium) 5-sulfosalicylate (BGSSA) single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreedevi, R.; Saravana Kumar, G.; Amarsingh Bhabu, K.; Balu, T.; Murugakoothan, P.; Rajasekaran, T. R.

2018-02-01

Bis(guanidinium) 5-sulfosalicylate single crystal was grown by using Sankaranarayanan-Ramasamy (SR) method from the solution of methanol and water in equimolar ratio. Good quality crystal with 50 mm length and 10 mm in diameter was grown. The grown crystal was subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to confirm the crystal structure and it was found to be orthorhombic. UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopic study revealed that the SR method grown crystal had good optical transparency with wide optical band gap of 4.4 eV. The presence of the functional groups and modes of vibrations were identified by FTIR spectroscopy recorded in the range 4000-400 cm-1. The mechanical strength of the grown crystal was confirmed using Vickers microhardness tester by applying load from 25 g to 100 g. Density functional theory (DFT) method with B3LYP/6-31-G (d,p) level basis set was employed and hence the optimized molecular geometry, first order hyperpolarizability, dipole moment, thermodynamic functions, molecular electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbital analysis of the grown BGSSA sample was computed and analysed.

Single molecule quantitation and sequencing of rare translocations using microfluidic nested digital PCR.

PubMed

Shuga, Joe; Zeng, Yong; Novak, Richard; Lan, Qing; Tang, Xiaojiang; Rothman, Nathaniel; Vermeulen, Roel; Li, Laiyu; Hubbard, Alan; Zhang, Luoping; Mathies, Richard A; Smith, Martyn T

2013-09-01

Cancers are heterogeneous and genetically unstable. New methods are needed that provide the sensitivity and specificity to query single cells at the genetic loci that drive cancer progression, thereby enabling researchers to study the progression of individual tumors. Here, we report the development and application of a bead-based hemi-nested microfluidic droplet digital PCR (dPCR) technology to achieve 'quantitative' measurement and single-molecule sequencing of somatically acquired carcinogenic translocations at extremely low levels (<10(-6)) in healthy subjects. We use this technique in our healthy study population to determine the overall concentration of the t(14;18) translocation, which is strongly associated with follicular lymphoma. The nested dPCR approach improves the detection limit to 1×10(-7) or lower while maintaining the analysis efficiency and specificity. Further, the bead-based dPCR enabled us to isolate and quantify the relative amounts of the various clonal forms of t(14;18) translocation in these subjects, and the single-molecule sensitivity and resolution of dPCR led to the discovery of new clonal forms of t(14;18) that were otherwise masked by the conventional quantitative PCR measurements. In this manner, we created a quantitative map for this carcinogenic mutation in this healthy population and identified the positions on chromosomes 14 and 18 where the vast majority of these t(14;18) events occur.

Beyond Bernoulli

PubMed Central

Donati, Fabrizio; Myerson, Saul; Bissell, Malenka M.; Smith, Nicolas P.; Neubauer, Stefan; Monaghan, Mark J.; Nordsletten, David A.

2017-01-01

Background— Transvalvular peak pressure drops are routinely assessed noninvasively by echocardiography using the Bernoulli principle. However, the Bernoulli principle relies on several approximations that may not be appropriate, including that the majority of the pressure drop is because of the spatial acceleration of the blood flow, and the ejection jet is a single streamline (single peak velocity value). Methods and Results— We assessed the accuracy of the Bernoulli principle to estimate the peak pressure drop at the aortic valve using 3-dimensional cardiovascular magnetic resonance flow data in 32 subjects. Reference pressure drops were computed from the flow field, accounting for the principles of physics (ie, the Navier–Stokes equations). Analysis of the pressure components confirmed that the spatial acceleration of the blood jet through the valve is most significant (accounting for 99% of the total drop in stenotic subjects). However, the Bernoulli formulation demonstrated a consistent overestimation of the transvalvular pressure (average of 54%, range 5%–136%) resulting from the use of a single peak velocity value, which neglects the velocity distribution across the aortic valve plane. This assumption was a source of uncontrolled variability. Conclusions— The application of the Bernoulli formulation results in a clinically significant overestimation of peak pressure drops because of approximation of blood flow as a single streamline. A corrected formulation that accounts for the cross-sectional profile of the blood flow is proposed and adapted to both cardiovascular magnetic resonance and echocardiographic data. PMID:28093412

Novel single-cell functional analysis of red blood cells using laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy: application for sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Liu, Rui; Mao, Ziliang; Matthews, Dennis L; Li, Chin-Shang; Chan, James W; Satake, Noriko

2013-07-01

Laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the oxygenation response of single normal adult, sickle, and cord blood red blood cells (RBCs) to an applied mechanical force. Individual cells were subjected to different forces by varying the laser power of a single-beam optical trap, and the intensities of several oxygenation-specific Raman spectral peaks were monitored to determine the oxygenation state of the cells. For all three cell types, an increase in laser power (or mechanical force) induced a greater deoxygenation of the cell. However, sickle RBCs deoxygenated more readily than normal RBCs when subjected to the same optical forces. Conversely, cord blood RBCs were able to maintain their oxygenation better than normal RBCs. These results suggest that differences in the chemical or mechanical properties of fetal, normal, and sickle cells affect the degree to which applied mechanical forces can deoxygenate the cell. Populations of normal, sickle, and cord RBCs were identified and discriminated based on this mechanochemical phenomenon. This study demonstrates the potential application of laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy as a single-cell, label-free analytical tool to characterize the functional (e.g., mechanical deformability, oxygen binding) properties of normal and diseased RBCs. Copyright © 2013 ISEH - Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic Structures of Copy Number Variants Revealed by Genotyping Single Sperm

PubMed Central

Luo, Minjie; Cui, Xiangfeng; Fredman, David; Brookes, Anthony J.; Azaro, Marco A.; Greenawalt, Danielle M.; Hu, Guohong; Wang, Hui-Yun; Tereshchenko, Irina V.; Lin, Yong; Shentu, Yue; Gao, Richeng; Shen, Li; Li, Honghua

2009-01-01

Background Copy number variants (CNVs) occupy a significant portion of the human genome and may have important roles in meiotic recombination, human genome evolution and gene expression. Many genetic diseases may be underlain by CNVs. However, because of the presence of their multiple copies, variability in copy numbers and the diploidy of the human genome, detailed genetic structure of CNVs cannot be readily studied by available techniques. Methodology/Principal Findings Single sperm samples were used as the primary subjects for the study so that CNV haplotypes in the sperm donors could be studied individually. Forty-eight CNVs characterized in a previous study were analyzed using a microarray-based high-throughput genotyping method after multiplex amplification. Seventeen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also included as controls. Two single-base variants, either allelic or paralogous, could be discriminated for all markers. Microarray data were used to resolve SNP alleles and CNV haplotypes, to quantitatively assess the numbers and compositions of the paralogous segments in each CNV haplotype. Conclusions/Significance This is the first study of the genetic structure of CNVs on a large scale. Resulting information may help understand evolution of the human genome, gain insight into many genetic processes, and discriminate between CNVs and SNPs. The highly sensitive high-throughput experimental system with haploid sperm samples as subjects may be used to facilitate detailed large-scale CNV analysis. PMID:19384415

The nutritional status and dietary adequacy of single homeless women and their children in shelters.

PubMed Central

Drake, M A

1992-01-01

Data were collected on the nutrient intake and nutritional status of 96 single mothers and their 192 dependent children who had been displaced from their homes. The objective of the study was to provide information on the dietary adequacy of a newly identified subgroup of homeless persons, single women and their dependent children. Once situated in temporary housing, those participating in the study indicated that they believed that they were receiving sufficient food. However, a nutrient analysis found that the study subjects in all age groups were consuming less than 50 percent of the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for iron, magnesium, zinc, and folic acid. Adults were consuming less than 50 percent of the RDA for calcium. The type and amounts of fats consumed were in higher than desirable quantities for a significant number of subjects of all ages. The health risk factors of iron deficiency anemia, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia were prevalent. The findings indicate a need to examine and remedy nutrient intake deficiencies among single women who are heads of household and their dependent children in temporary housing situations. Diet-related conditions found included low nutrient intakes that may affect child growth and development, risk factors associated with chronic disease, and lack of appropriate foods and knowledge of food preparation methods in shelter situations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1594741

Improved native UV laser induced fluorescence detection for single cell analysis in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices.

PubMed

Hellmich, Wibke; Greif, Dominik; Pelargus, Christoph; Anselmetti, Dario; Ros, Alexandra

2006-10-20

Single cell analytics is a key method in the framework of proteom research allowing analyses, which are not subjected to ensemble-averaging, cell-cycle or heterogeneous cell-population effects. Our previous studies on single cell analysis in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices with native label-free laser induced fluorescence detection [W. Hellmich, C. Pelargus, K. Leffhalm, A. Ros, D. Anselmetti, Electrophoresis 26 (2005) 3689] were extended in order to improve separation efficiency and detection sensitivity. Here, we particularly focus on the influence of poly(oxyethylene) based coatings on the separation performance. In addition, the influence on background fluorescence is studied by the variation of the incident laser power as well as the adaptation of the confocal volume to the microfluidic channel dimensions. Last but not least, the use of carbon black particles further enhanced the detection limit to 25 nM, thereby reaching the relevant concentration ranges necessary for the label-free detection of low abundant proteins in single cells. On the basis of these results, we demonstrate the first electropherogram from an individual Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cell with native label-free UV-LIF detection in a microfluidic chip.

Novel point estimation from a semiparametric ratio estimator (SPRE): long-term health outcomes from short-term linear data, with application to weight loss in obesity.

PubMed

Weissman-Miller, Deborah

2013-11-02

Point estimation is particularly important in predicting weight loss in individuals or small groups. In this analysis, a new health response function is based on a model of human response over time to estimate long-term health outcomes from a change point in short-term linear regression. This important estimation capability is addressed for small groups and single-subject designs in pilot studies for clinical trials, medical and therapeutic clinical practice. These estimations are based on a change point given by parameters derived from short-term participant data in ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The development of the change point in initial OLS data and the point estimations are given in a new semiparametric ratio estimator (SPRE) model. The new response function is taken as a ratio of two-parameter Weibull distributions times a prior outcome value that steps estimated outcomes forward in time, where the shape and scale parameters are estimated at the change point. The Weibull distributions used in this ratio are derived from a Kelvin model in mechanics taken here to represent human beings. A distinct feature of the SPRE model in this article is that initial treatment response for a small group or a single subject is reflected in long-term response to treatment. This model is applied to weight loss in obesity in a secondary analysis of data from a classic weight loss study, which has been selected due to the dramatic increase in obesity in the United States over the past 20 years. A very small relative error of estimated to test data is shown for obesity treatment with the weight loss medication phentermine or placebo for the test dataset. An application of SPRE in clinical medicine or occupational therapy is to estimate long-term weight loss for a single subject or a small group near the beginning of treatment.

Clinical high-resolution mapping of the proteoglycan-bound water fraction in articular cartilage of the human knee joint.

PubMed

Bouhrara, Mustapha; Reiter, David A; Sexton, Kyle W; Bergeron, Christopher M; Zukley, Linda M; Spencer, Richard G

2017-11-01

We applied our recently introduced Bayesian analytic method to achieve clinically-feasible in-vivo mapping of the proteoglycan water fraction (PgWF) of human knee cartilage with improved spatial resolution and stability as compared to existing methods. Multicomponent driven equilibrium single-pulse observation of T 1 and T 2 (mcDESPOT) datasets were acquired from the knees of two healthy young subjects and one older subject with previous knee injury. Each dataset was processed using Bayesian Monte Carlo (BMC) analysis incorporating a two-component tissue model. We assessed the performance and reproducibility of BMC and of the conventional analysis of stochastic region contraction (SRC) in the estimation of PgWF. Stability of the BMC analysis of PgWF was tested by comparing independent high-resolution (HR) datasets from each of the two young subjects. Unlike SRC, the BMC-derived maps from the two HR datasets were essentially identical. Furthermore, SRC maps showed substantial random variation in estimated PgWF, and mean values that differed from those obtained using BMC. In addition, PgWF maps derived from conventional low-resolution (LR) datasets exhibited partial volume and magnetic susceptibility effects. These artifacts were absent in HR PgWF images. Finally, our analysis showed regional variation in PgWF estimates, and substantially higher values in the younger subjects as compared to the older subject. BMC-mcDESPOT permits HR in-vivo mapping of PgWF in human knee cartilage in a clinically-feasible acquisition time. HR mapping reduces the impact of partial volume and magnetic susceptibility artifacts compared to LR mapping. Finally, BMC-mcDESPOT demonstrated excellent reproducibility in the determination of PgWF. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Measure Projection Analysis: A Probabilistic Approach to EEG Source Comparison and Multi-Subject Inference

PubMed Central

Bigdely-Shamlo, Nima; Mullen, Tim; Kreutz-Delgado, Kenneth; Makeig, Scott

2013-01-01

A crucial question for the analysis of multi-subject and/or multi-session electroencephalographic (EEG) data is how to combine information across multiple recordings from different subjects and/or sessions, each associated with its own set of source processes and scalp projections. Here we introduce a novel statistical method for characterizing the spatial consistency of EEG dynamics across a set of data records. Measure Projection Analysis (MPA) first finds voxels in a common template brain space at which a given dynamic measure is consistent across nearby source locations, then computes local-mean EEG measure values for this voxel subspace using a statistical model of source localization error and between-subject anatomical variation. Finally, clustering the mean measure voxel values in this locally consistent brain subspace finds brain spatial domains exhibiting distinguishable measure features and provides 3-D maps plus statistical significance estimates for each EEG measure of interest. Applied to sufficient high-quality data, the scalp projections of many maximally independent component (IC) processes contributing to recorded high-density EEG data closely match the projection of a single equivalent dipole located in or near brain cortex. We demonstrate the application of MPA to a multi-subject EEG study decomposed using independent component analysis (ICA), compare the results to k-means IC clustering in EEGLAB (sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab), and use surrogate data to test MPA robustness. A Measure Projection Toolbox (MPT) plug-in for EEGLAB is available for download (sccn.ucsd.edu/wiki/MPT). Together, MPA and ICA allow use of EEG as a 3-D cortical imaging modality with near-cm scale spatial resolution. PMID:23370059

Compendium of Single Event Effects, Total Ionizing Dose, and Displacement Damage for Candidate Spacecraft Electronics for NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; OBryan, Martha V.; Chen, Dakai; Campola, Michael J.; Casey, Megan C.; Pellish, Jonathan A.; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Wilcox, Edward P.; Topper, Alyson D.; Ladbury, Raymond L.;

[Genetic analysis of two cases with Dandy-Walker deformed fetus].

PubMed

Yao, Juan; Fang, Rong; Shen, Xueping; Shen, Guosong; Zhang, Su

2017-10-10

To explore the genetic etiology of two fetuses with Dandy-Walker malformation using single nucleotide polymorphism microarray (SNP-array). The fetuses and their parents were subjected to G banding karyotype analysis. The fetuses were also subjected to SNP-array analysis. The parents of both fetuses showed a normal karyotype. One fetus has a 46,X,?i(X)(q10), while for another conventional cell culture has failed. SNP-array showed that one fetus carried a 6p25.3p25.2 microdeletion, and another carried a Xp22.33p22.2 deletion and a Yq11.221q11 duplication. The abnormal fragments have involved FOXC1, SHOX and STS genes, which are associated with Dandy-Walker malformation. Alteration of 6p25.3p25.2, Xp22.33p22.2 copy numbers probably underlies the Dandy-Walker syndrome in the fetuses. The disorder may be attributed to abnormal expression of FOXC1, SHOX, and STS genes. SNP-array can provide an important supplement for prenatal diagnosis.

Evaluation of the single-dose pharmacokinetics of bilastine in subjects with various degrees of renal insufficiency.

PubMed

Lasseter, Kenneth C; Sologuren, Ander; La Noce, Anna; Dilzer, Stacy C

2013-09-01

Bilastine is a novel second-generation H1 antihistamine, which has not shown sedative or cardiotoxic effects in clinical trials and in post-marketing experience so far, developed for the symptomatic treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria. It has recently been granted marketing authorization for these therapeutic indications in adults and adolescents at a once-daily oral dose of 20 mg in several European countries. This study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics of bilastine at a single oral dose of 20 mg in renally impaired subjects. The need for a dose adjustment in patients with renal insufficiency was assessed by comparing the exposure to bilastine in these subjects with the estimated exposure of a dose corresponding to the safety margin. The study was an open-label, single-dose, parallel-group study of the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single dose of bilastine. The study was conducted as an in-patient setting at a clinical pharmacology facility. A total of 24 male or female subjects aged 18-80 years were to be enrolled in four groups of six subjects each. The groups were as follows: (1) healthy [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >80 mL/min/1.73 m(2)]; (2) mild renal insufficiency (GFR 50-80 mL/min/1.73 m(2)); (3) moderate renal insufficiency (GFR 30-50 mL/min/1.73 m(2)); and (4) severe renal insufficiency (GFR ≤30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). A single 20 mg bilastine tablet was administered in a fasted state. Blood and urine samples were collected from pre-dose up to 72 h post-dose for bilastine pharmacokinetic analysis. Pharmacokinetic results were summarized using appropriate descriptive statistics. There was a clear trend of increasing area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) through the groups 1-4. The mean AUC from time zero to infinity (AUC(∞)) ranged from 737.4 to 1708.5 ng·h/mL in healthy subjects and severely impaired subjects, respectively. No significant differences among groups in median time to reach Cmax (tmax) or in the mean terminal disposition rate constants for bilastine were found. Renal and plasma clearance paralleled GFR. In all groups of renally impaired subjects the corresponding 90 % confidence interval of both AUC(∞) and AUC from time zero to time of last measurable plasma concentration (AUC(last)) were not within the 0.8-1.25 interval, indicating that bioequivalence between groups could not be demonstrated. The majority of bilastine was excreted within the first 12 h, and elimination was essentially complete by 72 h. An oral dose of bilastine (20 mg) was well-tolerated in renal insufficiency, despite the increase in exposure. The oral plasma clearance to renal clearance ratio [(CL(P)/F)/CL(R)] was approximately equal in the different groups, suggesting that renal excretion was the main elimination route for bilastine, and no alternative elimination routes were used even in severe renal insufficiency. Although exposure to bilastine was higher in renally impaired subjects, it remained well within the safety margins, thus allowing the conclusion that a 20-mg daily dose can be safely administered to subjects with different degrees of renal insufficiency without the need for dose adjustments.

Controlling on-demand gastric acidity in obese subjects: a randomized, controlled trial comparing a single dose of 20 mg rabeprazole and 20 mg omeprazole

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Obesity is associated with a risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The pharmacodynamic efficacy of proton pump inhibitors has not been specifically evaluated in obese subjects. The aim of this study was to compare the antisecretory response to a single oral dose of 20 mg rabeprazole, 20 mg omeprazole and placebo in obese subjects. Methods Gastric pH was monitored for 24 hours on three separate occasions in eighteen H. pylori-negative, asymptomatic obese subjects. Subjects were given omeprazole, rabeprazole or placebo in a randomized order and in a double-blind fashion. The main analysis criterion was 24-h percent of time post dose with intragastric pH above 3; secondary criteria were percentage of time above pH 4, median pH, [H+] concentrations and nocturnal acid breakthrough (NAB). Results were analyzed using linear mixed models and Wilks test comparing variances. Results 24-h median [IQ] percentages of time with gastric pH above 3 and 4 were higher with rabeprazole than omeprazole (46 [37–55] vs. 30 [15–55] %, 9 [5-11] % for placebo) but the differences did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.11 and 0.24, respectively). Median acid concentrations were significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole and placebo (22 [14–53] vs. 54 [19–130] and 95 [73–170] mmoles/l, p < 0.01) for all periods. The number of NAB was significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole (median 1 [1,2] vs. 2 [1-3], p = 0.04). Variances of 24-h data (pH above 3 and 4, median pH, [H+] concentrations) were significantly lower with rabeprazole than with omeprazole (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In asymptomatic obese subjects the gastric antisecretory response to a single dose of rabeprazole and omeprazole was strong and not significantly different between drugs despite a significantly more homogeneous response with rabeprazole. Trial registration ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01136317 PMID:25027286

A Comparison of Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood and Asymptotically Distribution-Free Dynamic Factor Analysis Parameter Estimation in Fitting Covariance Structure Models to Block-Toeplitz Matrices Representing Single-Subject Multivariate Time-Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenaar, Peter C. M.; Nesselroade, John R.

1998-01-01

Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood (p-ML) and Asymptotically Distribution Free (ADF) estimation methods for estimating dynamic factor model parameters within a covariance structure framework were compared through a Monte Carlo simulation. Both methods appear to give consistent model parameter estimates, but only ADF gives standard errors and chi-square…

Functional Behavioral Assessment-Based Interventions for Students with or at Risk for Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders in School: A Hierarchical Linear Modeling Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gage, Nicholas A.; Lewis, Timothy J.; Stichter, Janine P.

2012-01-01

Of the myriad practices currently utilized for students with disabilities, particularly students with or at risk for emotional and/or behavioral disorder (EBD), functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a practice with an emerging solid research base. However, the FBA research base relies on single-subject design (SSD) and synthesis has relied on…

Biomarkers of Exposure to Toxic Substances: Volume 4: Metabonomics Biomarkers to Liver and Organ Damage

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

examined the urinary metabolite profiles from rats following a single exposure to the kidney toxicants D- serine, puromycin, hippuric acid and...15. SUBJECT TERMS Amphotericin B, bioinformatics, cell cycle regulation, clinical, clustering analysis, D-serine, glomerular injury, hippuric acid ...puromycin, hippuric acid and amphotericin B at various doses, and as a function of time post-dose. In toxicology, such dose-time metabonomics studies are

Use Case Analysis: The Ambulatory EEG in Navy Medicine for Traumatic Brain Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

best uses of the device for naval medicine. 14. SUBJECT TERMS traumatic brain injuries, electroencephalography, EEG, use case study 15. NUMBER OF...Traumatic Brain Injury NCS Non-Convulsive Seizures PD Parkinson’s Disease QEEG Quantitative EEG SPECT Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography...INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 1 I. INTRODUCTION This study examines the diagnosis of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Early detection and diagnosis is

Microprocessor-based cardiotachometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crosier, W. G.; Donaldson, J. A.

1981-01-01

Instrument operates reliably even with stress-test electrocardiogram (ECG) signals subject to noise, baseline wandering, and amplitude change. It records heart rate from preamplified, single-lead ECG input signal and produces digital and analog heart-rate outputs which are fed elsewhere. Analog hardware processes ECG input signal, producing 10-ms pulse for each heartbeat. Microprocessor analyzes resulting pulse train, identifying irregular heartbeats and maintaining stable output during lead switching. Easily modified computer program provides analysis.

A novel method to estimate changes in stress-induced salivary α-amylase using heart rate variability and respiratory rate, as measured in a non-contact manner using a single radar attached to the back of a chair.

PubMed

Matsui, Takemi; Katayose, Satoshi

2014-08-01

The authors have developed a non-contact system which estimates changes in salivary α-amylase (sAA ratio) induced by stress. Before and after stressful sound exposure, a single 24 GHz compact radar which is attached to the back of a chair measures the low frequency (LF) component of heart rate variability and respiratory rate, α-amylase in the subjects' buccal secretions was measured by using an α-amylase assay kit. Using multiple regression analysis, sAA ratio was estimated using stress-induced LF change (LF ratio) and stress-induced respiratory rate change (respiratory rate ratio). Twelve healthy subjects were tested (12 males, 22 ± 2 years), who were exposed to audio stimuli with a composite tone of 2120 Hz and 2130 Hz sine waves at a sound pressure level of 95 dB after a silent period through a headphone. The result showed that sAA ratio estimated using multiple regression analysis significantly correlated with measured sAA ratio (R = 0.76, p < 0.01). This indicates that the system may serve for a stress management in the future.

Association study between BDNF gene variants and Mexican patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Márquez, Lidia; Camarena, Beatriz; Hernández, Sandra; Lóyzaga, Cristina; Vargas, Luis; Nicolini, Humberto

2013-11-01

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder whose etiology is not yet known. We investigate the role of three variants of the BDNF gene (rs6265, rs1519480 and rs7124442) by single SNP and haplotype analysis in OCD Mexican patients using a case-control and family-based association design. BDNF gene variants were genotyped in 283 control subjects, 232 OCD patients and first degree relatives of 111 OCD subjects. Single SNP analysis in case-control study showed an association between rs6265 and OCD with a high frequency of Val/Val genotype and Val allele (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001, respectively). Also, genotype and allele analysis of rs1519480 showed significant differences (p=0.0001, p=0.0001; respectively) between OCD and control groups. Haplotype analysis showed a high frequency of A-T (rs6265-rs1519480) in OCD patients compared with the control group (OR=2.06 [1.18-3.59], p=0.0093) and a low frequency of haplotype A-C in the OCD patients (OR=0.04 [0.01-0.16], p=0.000002). The family-based association study showed no significant differences in the transmission of any variant. Our study replicated the association between BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphism and OCD. Also, we found a significant association of rs1519480 in OCD patients compared with a control group, region that has never been analyzed in OCD. In conclusion, our findings suggest that BDNF gene could be related to the development of OCD. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Analysis of Vocal Fold Vibration in Vocal Fold Paralysis With the Use of High-speed Digital Imaging.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Akihito; Yokonishi, Hisayuki; Imagawa, Hiroshi; Sakakibara, Ken-Ichi; Nito, Takaharu; Tayama, Niro

2016-11-01

The goal of this work was to objectively elucidate the vibratory characteristics of vocal fold paralysis (VFP) using high-speed digital imaging (HSDI). HSDI was performed in 29 vocally healthy subjects (12 women and 17 men) and in 107 patients with VFP (40 women and 67 men). Then, the HSDI data were evaluated by visual-perceptual rating, single-line kymography, multiline kymography, laryngotopography, and glottal area waveform analysis. Patients with VFP compared with vocally healthy subjects revealed more frequent incomplete glottal closure, greater asymmetry in amplitude, mucosal wave, frequency, and phase, as well as larger open quotient, smaller speed index, larger maximal and minimal glottal area, and smaller glottal area difference. Paralyzed vocal folds in VFP revealed reduced mucosal wave than nonparalyzed vocal folds in VFP or in intact vocal folds in vocally healthy subjects. HSDI was effective in documenting the characteristics of vocal fold vibrations in patients with VFP and in exploring the vibratory disturbance for estimating the severity of dysphonia. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Study on the relationship of family functioning and subjective well-being of junior-high school students].

PubMed

Hu, Fang; Ma, Ying-hua; Hu, Li-ming; Deng, Xin-long; Mei, Jin-feng

2010-06-18

To describe the status of subjective well-being among junior high school students in a city of Jiangxi Province and to explore the relationship between family functioning and subjective well-being. To explore the relationship between growth environment and subjective well-being among junior high school students in the perspective of family functioning and to provide basis and data for the mental health education among junior high school students. 630 students in a junior high school in Jiangxi Province were sampled by stratified cluster sampling, and 103 junior high school students from 18 villages were sampled by household survey. They were investigated by subjective well-being scale for adolescents and Family Assessment Device. (1)The overall subjective well-being of junior high school students was in the lower-middle level. Regarding all the dimensions of subjective well-being, they had the highest satisfaction on family and friendship, lowest academic satisfaction, low positive as well as passive emotion. (2)Girls had higher satisfaction on friendship and freedom than that of boys; children from families with more than one kids had more negative emotion than that of single child; boarding students had higher satisfaction on family, academics and freedom than that of non-boarding students; family residence and structure affected the satisfaction on family; grade and learning achievement affected some dimensions of subjective well-being among junior high school students. (3)Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis showed that some dimensions of family functioning were related to certain dimensions of subjective well-being among junior school students, and family functioning could predict the level of subjective well-being. The overall subjective well-being of junior high school students is in the lower-middle level, and further improving is needed. Family functioning has a great influence on junior school students' subjective well-being. Junior high school students who have healthy family functioning are more likely to have higher life satisfaction, and tend to experience higher subjective well-being.

A Little CFTR Goes a Long Way: CFTR-Dependent Sweat Secretion from G551D and R117H-5T Cystic Fibrosis Subjects Taking Ivacaftor

PubMed Central

Char, Jessica E.; Wolfe, Marlene H.; Cho, Hyung-ju; Park, Il-Ho; Jeong, Jin Hyeok; Frisbee, Eric; Dunn, Colleen; Davies, Zoe; Milla, Carlos; Moss, Richard B.; Thomas, Ewart A. C.; Wine, Jeffrey J.

2014-01-01

To determine if oral dosing with the CFTR-potentiator ivacaftor (VX-770, Kalydeco) improves CFTR-dependent sweating in CF subjects carrying G551D or R117H-5T mutations, we optically measured sweat secretion from 32–143 individually identified glands in each of 8 CF subjects; 6 F508del/G551D, one G551D/R117H-5T, and one I507del/R117H-5T. Two subjects were tested only (−) ivacaftor, 3 only (+) ivacaftor and 3 (+/−) ivacaftor (1–5 tests per condition). The total number of gland measurements was 852 (−) ivacaftor and 906 (+) ivacaftor. A healthy control was tested 4 times (51 glands). For each gland we measured both CFTR-independent (M-sweat) and CFTR-dependent (C-sweat); C-sweat was stimulated with a β-adrenergic cocktail that elevated [cAMP]i while blocking muscarinic receptors. Absent ivacaftor, almost all CF glands produced M-sweat on all tests, but only 1/593 glands produced C-sweat (10 tests, 5 subjects). By contrast, 6/6 subjects (113/342 glands) produced C-sweat in the (+) ivacaftor condition, but with large inter-subject differences; 3–74% of glands responded with C/M sweat ratios 0.04%–2.57% of the average WT ratio of 0.265. Sweat volume losses cause proportionally larger underestimates of CFTR function at lower sweat rates. The losses were reduced by measuring C/M ratios in 12 glands from each subject that had the highest M-sweat rates. Remaining losses were estimated from single channel data and used to correct the C/M ratios, giving estimates of CFTR function (+) ivacaftor  = 1.6%–7.7% of the WT average. These estimates are in accord with single channel data and transcript analysis, and suggest that significant clinical benefit can be produced by low levels of CFTR function. PMID:24520399

Quantum squeezed state analysis of spontaneous ultra weak light photon emission of practitioners of meditation and control subjects.

PubMed

Van Wijk, Eduard P A; Van Wijk, Roeland; Bajpai, Rajendra P

2008-05-01

Research on human ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) has suggested a typical human emission anatomic percentage distribution pattern. It was demonstrated that emission intensities are lower in long-term practitioners of meditation as compared to control subjects. The percent contribution of emission from different anatomic locations was not significantly different for meditation practitioners and control subjects. Recently, a procedure was developed to analyze the fluctuations in the signals by measuring probabilities of detecting different numbers of photons in a bin and correct these for background noise. The procedure was tested utilizing the signal from three different body locations of a single subject, demonstrating that probabilities have non-classical features and are well described by the signal in a coherent state from the three body sites. The values indicate that the quantum state of photon emitted by the subject could be a coherent state in the subject being investigated. The objective in the present study was to systematically quantify, in subjects with long-term meditation experience and subjects without this experience, the photon count distribution of 12 different locations. Data show a variation in quantum state parameters within each individual subject as well as variation in quantum state parameters between the groups.

RASopathies are associated with a distinct personality profile.

PubMed

Bizaoui, Varoona; Gage, Jessica; Brar, Rita; Rauen, Katherine A; Weiss, Lauren A

2018-06-01

Personality is a complex, yet partially heritable, trait. Although some Mendelian diseases like Williams-Beuren syndrome are associated with a particular personality profile, studies have failed to assign the personality features to a single gene or pathway. As a family of monogenic disorders caused by mutations in the Ras/MAPK pathway known to influence social behavior, RASopathies are likely to provide insight into the genetic basis of personality. Eighty subjects diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, Costello syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Noonan syndrome were assessed using a parent-report BFQ-C (Big Five Questionnaire for Children) evaluating agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, intellect/openness, and neuroticism, along with 55 unaffected sibling controls. A short questionnaire was added to assess sense of humor. RASopathy subjects and sibling controls were compared for individual components of personality, multidimensional personality profiles, and individual questions using Student tests, analysis of variance, and principal component analysis. RASopathy subjects were given lower scores on average compared to sibling controls in agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and sense of humor, and similar scores in neuroticism. When comparing the multidimensional personality profile between groups, RASopathies showed a distinct profile from unaffected siblings, but no difference in this global profile was found within RASopathies, revealing a common profile for the Ras/MAPK-related disorders. In addition, several syndrome-specific strengths or weaknesses were observed in individual domains. We describe for the first time an association between a single pathway and a specific personality profile, providing a better understanding of the genetics underlying personality, and new tools for tailoring educational and behavioral approaches for individuals with RASopathies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Facilitating the analysis of the multifocal electroretinogram using the free software environment R.

PubMed

Bergholz, Richard; Rossel, Mirjam; Dutescu, Ralf M; Vöge, Klaas P; Salchow, Daniel J

2018-01-01

The large amount of data rendered by the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) can be analyzed and visualized in various ways. The evaluation and comparison of more than one examination is time-consuming and prone to create errors. Using the free software environment R we developed a solution to average the data of multiple examinations and to allow a comparison of different patient groups. Data of single mfERG recordings as exported in .csv format from a RETIport 21 system (version 7/03, Roland Consult) or manually compiled .csv files are the basis for the calculations. The R software extracts response densities and implicit times of N1 and P1 for the sum response, each ring eccentricity, and each single hexagon. Averages can be calculated for as many subjects as needed. The mentioned parameters can then be compared to another group of patients or healthy subjects. Application of the software is illustrated by comparing 11 patients with chloroquine maculopathy to a control group of 7 healthy subjects. The software scripts display response density and implicit time 3D plots of each examination as well as of the group averages. Differences of the group averages are presented as 3D and grayscale 2D plots. Both groups are compared using the t-test with Bonferroni correction. The group comparison is furthermore illustrated by the average waveforms and by boxplots of each eccentricity. This software solution on the basis of the programming language R facilitates the clinical and scientific use of the mfERG and aids in interpretation and analysis.

Subjective assessment of simulated helicopter blade-slap noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, B. W.

1976-01-01

The effects of several characteristics of helicopter blade slap upon human annoyance are examined. Blade slap noise was simulated by using continuous and impulsive noises characterized by five parameters: The number of sine waves in a single impulse; the frequency of the sine waves; the impulse repetition frequency; the sound pressure level (SPL) of the continuous noise; and the idealized crest factor of the impulses. Ten second samples of noise were synthesized with each of the five parameters at representative levels. The annoyance of each noise was judged by 40 human subjects. Analysis of the subjective data indicated that each of the five parameters had a statistically significant effect upon the annoyance judgments. The impulse crest factor and SPL of the continuous noise had very strong positive relationships with annoyance. The other parameters had smaller, but still significant, effects upon the annoyance judgments.

Abilities of Oropharyngeal pH Tests and Salivary Pepsin Analysis to Discriminate Between Asymptomatic Volunteers and Subjects With Symptoms of Laryngeal Irritation.

PubMed

Yadlapati, Rena; Adkins, Christopher; Jaiyeola, Diana-Marie; Lidder, Alcina K; Gawron, Andrew J; Tan, Bruce K; Shabeeb, Nadine; Price, Caroline P E; Agrawal, Neelima; Ellenbogen, Michael; Smith, Stephanie S; Bove, Michiel; Pandolfino, John E

2016-04-01

It has been a challenge to confirm the association between laryngeal symptoms and physiological reflux disease. We examined the ability of oropharyngeal pH tests (with the Restech Dx-pH system) and salivary pepsin tests (with Peptest) to discriminate between asymptomatic volunteers (controls) and subjects with a combination of laryngeal and reflux symptoms (laryngeal ± reflux). We performed a physician-blinded prospective cohort study of 59 subjects at a single academic institution. Adult volunteers were recruited and separated into 3 groups on the basis of GerdQ and Reflux Symptom Index scores: controls (n = 20), laryngeal symptoms (n = 20), or laryngeal + reflux symptoms (n = 19). Subjects underwent laryngoscopy and oropharyngeal pH tests and submitted saliva samples for analysis of pepsin concentration. Primary outcomes included abnormal acid exposure and composite (RYAN) score for oropharyngeal pH tests and abnormal mean salivary pepsin concentration that was based on normative data. Complete oropharyngeal pH data were available from 53 subjects and complete salivary pepsin data from 35 subjects. We did not observe any significant differences between groups in percent of time spent below pH 4.0, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, or RYAN scores or percent of subjects with positive results from tests for salivary pepsin (53% vs 40% vs 75%; P = .50, respectively). The laryngeal + reflux group had a significantly higher estimated mean concentration of salivary pepsin (117.9 ± 147.4 ng/mL) than the control group (32.4 ± 41.9 ng/mL) or laryngeal symptom group (7.5 ± 11.2 ng/mL) (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively). By using current normative thresholds, oropharyngeal pH testing and salivary pepsin analysis are not able to distinguish between healthy volunteers and subjects with a combination of laryngeal and reflux symptoms. Copyright © 2016 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effects of training on static and dynamic balance in elderly subjects who have had a fall or not].

PubMed

Toulotte, C; Thévenon, A; Fabre, C

2004-11-01

To evaluate the effects of a physical training program on static and dynamic balance during single and dual task conditions in elderly subjects who have had a fall or not. Two groups, comprising a total of 33 elderly subjects, were trained: 16 who had a fall were 69.2 +/- 5.0 years old and 17 who had not had a fall were 67.3 +/- 3.8 years. All subjects underwent an unipedal test with eyes open and eyes closed, followed by gait assessment during single and dual motor task conditions, before and after a physical training program. All subjects showed a significant decrease, by six times for subjects who had fallen and four times by those who had not, in the number of touch-downs in the unipedal test with eyes open (P < 0.05), and by 2.5 and 2 times, respectively, with eyes closed (P < 0.05) after the training program. All subjects showed a significant increase in speed (P < 0.05), cadence (P < 0.05) and stride length (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in the single support time (P < 0.05) and stride time (P < 0.05) in gait assessment during single and dual task conditions after the training program. During the training program, no subjects fell. The physical training program improved static balance and quality of gait in elderly subjects who had had a fall and those who had not, which could contribute to minimizing and/or retarding the effects of aging and maintaining physical independence.

Phase I study evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of a novel oral dissolvable film containing dexamethasone versus Fortecortin dexamethasone tablets.

PubMed

Diamant, Zuzana; Samuelsson Palmgren, Gabriella; Westrin, Bengt; Bjermer, Leif

2017-01-01

Introduction : Systemic corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory agents with dexamethasone among the most potent in the class. Within (respiratory) allergy, systemic corticosteroids are usually applied in medical emergencies. In these situations, patients may experience physical or logistic problems taking tablets. To fulfil a practical unmet need for outpatients, Dexa ODF, an oral dissolvable film containing dexamethasone, was developed. Objectives : We compared the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of Dexa ODF with Fortecortin tablets in healthy subjects. Methods : Thirty subjects participated in this open label, two-way, cross-over study, consisting of two treatment visits separated by 5-10 days. On both treatment visits, subjects randomly received one single dose of Dexa ODF (one strip; 8 mg dexamethasone) or one single dose of Fortecortin (two 4 mg tablets). Safety evaluations and blood sampling for PK were conducted until 48 h post-dose and bioequivalence analysis was performed on AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞) and Cmax. Results : All subjects were dosed. Forty-five adverse events (AEs) were reported by 17 subjects and approximately 50% were deemed 'possibly treatment related' (14 on Dexa ODF; 12 on Fortecortin) with no significant difference between treatments. For all three bioequivalence parameters the 90% CIs were within the acceptance limits of bioequivalence (0.8;1.25). Conclusion : We demonstrated good tolerability and bioequivalence of Dexa ODF (8 mg dexamethasone) compared to Fortecortin tablets (2 × 4 mg dexamethasone). Dexa ODF is currently under development as an innovative treatment for use within respiratory and allergic conditions, including emergencies.

Safety and Side Effect Profile of Liposome Bupivacaine (Exparel) in Peripheral Nerve Blocks.

PubMed

Ilfeld, Brian M; Viscusi, Eugene R; Hadzic, Admir; Minkowitz, Harold S; Morren, Michael D; Lookabaugh, Janice; Joshi, Girish P

2015-01-01

Liposome bupivacaine (Exparel) is a multivesicular liposomal formulation of bupivacaine currently approved in the United States for single-dose administration into the surgical site to provide postsurgical analgesia. This retrospective analysis examined safety data from clinical trials involving the off-label use of this formulation in peripheral nerve blocks. Data from 6 controlled (phases I-III) studies were compiled involving single-injection ankle, femoral nerve, and intercostal nerve blocks (2 each). Adverse events (AEs) were monitored for 1 to 30 days after study drug administration. Of 575 subjects, 335 received liposome bupivacaine (2-310 mg), 33 received bupivacaine HCl (75-125 mg), and 207 received normal saline (placebo). Overall, 76% of subjects receiving liposome bupivacaine experienced 1 or more AEs compared with 61% receiving bupivacaine HCl and 76% receiving placebo. The most frequently reported AEs among subjects receiving liposome bupivacaine were nausea, pyrexia, pruritus, constipation, and vomiting. The most common treatment-related AE was hypesthesia among subjects treated with liposome bupivacaine or bupivacaine HCl. Incidence of nervous system AEs for liposome bupivacaine, bupivacaine HCl, and placebo was 21%, 27%, and 21%, respectively. Similarly, incidence of cardiac AEs was 9%, 0%, and 12%, respectively. At least 1 serious AE occurred in 8% of subjects receiving liposome bupivacaine compared with 10% of those receiving placebo (none assessed by investigators as related to study medication). Liposome bupivacaine has a similar safety and side effect profile to bupivacaine HCl and normal saline, suggesting that most of the more common AEs are related to either opioid rescue or the surgical procedure itself.

A Single-Wing Removal Method to Assess Correspondence Between Gene Expression and Phenotype in Butterflies: The Case of Distal-less.

PubMed

Adhikari, Kiran; Otaki, Joji M

2016-02-01

It is often desirable but difficult to retrieve information on the mature phenotype of an immature tissue sample that has been subjected to gene expression analysis. This problem cannot be ignored when individual variation within a species is large. To circumvent this problem in the butterfly wing system, we developed a new surgical method for removing a single forewing from a pupa using Junonia orithya; the operated pupa was left to develop to an adult without eclosion. The removed right forewing was subjected to gene expression analysis, whereas the non-removed left forewing was examined for color patterns. As a test case, we focused on Distal-less (Dll), which likely plays an active role in inducing elemental patterns, including eyespots. The Dll expression level in forewings was paired with eyespot size data from the same individual. One third of the operated pupae survived and developed wing color patterns. Dll expression levels were significantly higher in males than in females, although male eyespots were smaller in size than female eyespots. Eyespot size data showed weak but significant correlations with the Dll expression level in females. These results demonstrate that a single-wing removal method was successfully applied to the butterfly wing system and suggest the weak and non-exclusive contribution of Dll to eyespot size determination in this butterfly. Our novel methodology for establishing correspondence between gene expression and phenotype can be applied to other candidate genes for color pattern development in butterflies. Conceptually similar methods may also be applicable in other developmental systems.

Semen quality in Peruvian pesticide applicators: association between urinary organophosphate metabolites and semen parameters

PubMed Central

Yucra, Sandra; Gasco, Manuel; Rubio, Julio; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2008-01-01

Background Organophosphates are broad class of chemicals widely used as pesticides throughout the world. We performed a cross-sectional study of associations between dialkylphosphate metabolites of organophosphates and semen quality among pesticide applicators in Majes (Arequipa), Peru. Methods Thirty-one men exposed to organophosphate (OP) pesticides and 31 non-exposed were recruited (age, 20–60 years). In exposed subjects, semen and a blood sample were obtained one day after the last pesticide application. Subjects were grouped according to levels of OP metabolites in urine. Semen samples were analyzed for sperm concentration, percentage of sperm motility, percentage of normal morphology, semen leucocytes and concentrations of fructose and zinc. Exposure to OP was assessed by measuring six urinary OP metabolites (dimethyl and diethyl phosphates and thiophosphates) by gas chromatography using a single flame photometric detector. Results Diethyldithiophosphate (p = 0.04) and diethylthiophosphate (p = 0.02) better reflected occupational pesticide exposure than other OP metabolites. Semen analysis revealed a significant reduction of semen volume and an increase in semen pH in men with OP metabolites. Multiple regression analysis showed that both occupational exposure to pesticides and the time of exposure to pesticides were more closely related to alterations in semen quality parameters than the single measurement of OP metabolites in urine. Conclusion The study demonstrated that occupational exposure to OP pesticides was more closely related to alterations in semen quality than a single measurement of urine OP metabolites. Current measurement of OP metabolites in urine may not reflect the full risk. PMID:19014632

Freezing of Gait Detection in Parkinson's Disease: A Subject-Independent Detector Using Anomaly Scores.

PubMed

Pham, Thuy T; Moore, Steven T; Lewis, Simon John Geoffrey; Nguyen, Diep N; Dutkiewicz, Eryk; Fuglevand, Andrew J; McEwan, Alistair L; Leong, Philip H W

2017-11-01

Freezing of gait (FoG) is common in Parkinsonian gait and strongly relates to falls. Current clinical FoG assessments are patients' self-report diaries and experts' manual video analysis. Both are subjective and yield moderate reliability. Existing detection algorithms have been predominantly designed in subject-dependent settings. In this paper, we aim to develop an automated FoG detector for subject independent. After extracting highly relevant features, we apply anomaly detection techniques to detect FoG events. Specifically, feature selection is performed using correlation and clusterability metrics. From a list of 244 feature candidates, 36 candidates were selected using saliency and robustness criteria. We develop an anomaly score detector with adaptive thresholding to identify FoG events. Then, using accuracy metrics, we reduce the feature list to seven candidates. Our novel multichannel freezing index was the most selective across all window sizes, achieving sensitivity (specificity) of (). On the other hand, freezing index from the vertical axis was the best choice for a single input, achieving sensitivity (specificity) of () for ankle and () for back sensors. Our subject-independent method is not only significantly more accurate than those previously reported, but also uses a much smaller window (e.g., versus ) and/or lower tolerance (e.g., versus ).Freezing of gait (FoG) is common in Parkinsonian gait and strongly relates to falls. Current clinical FoG assessments are patients' self-report diaries and experts' manual video analysis. Both are subjective and yield moderate reliability. Existing detection algorithms have been predominantly designed in subject-dependent settings. In this paper, we aim to develop an automated FoG detector for subject independent. After extracting highly relevant features, we apply anomaly detection techniques to detect FoG events. Specifically, feature selection is performed using correlation and clusterability metrics. From a list of 244 feature candidates, 36 candidates were selected using saliency and robustness criteria. We develop an anomaly score detector with adaptive thresholding to identify FoG events. Then, using accuracy metrics, we reduce the feature list to seven candidates. Our novel multichannel freezing index was the most selective across all window sizes, achieving sensitivity (specificity) of (). On the other hand, freezing index from the vertical axis was the best choice for a single input, achieving sensitivity (specificity) of () for ankle and () for back sensors. Our subject-independent method is not only significantly more accurate than those previously reported, but also uses a much smaller window (e.g., versus ) and/or lower tolerance (e.g., versus ).

Developing High-Throughput HIV Incidence Assay with Pyrosequencing Platform

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Yong; Goeken, Nolan; Lee, Hyo Jin; Bolan, Robert; Dubé, Michael P.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence is an important measure for monitoring the epidemic and evaluating the efficacy of intervention and prevention trials. This study developed a high-throughput, single-measure incidence assay by implementing a pyrosequencing platform. We devised a signal-masking bioinformatics pipeline, which yielded a process error rate of 5.8 × 10−4 per base. The pipeline was then applied to analyze 18,434 envelope gene segments (HXB2 7212 to 7601) obtained from 12 incident and 24 chronic patients who had documented HIV-negative and/or -positive tests. The pyrosequencing data were cross-checked by using the single-genome-amplification (SGA) method to independently obtain 302 sequences from 13 patients. Using two genomic biomarkers that probe for the presence of similar sequences, the pyrosequencing platform correctly classified all 12 incident subjects (100% sensitivity) and 23 of 24 chronic subjects (96% specificity). One misclassified subject's chronic infection was correctly classified by conducting the same analysis with SGA data. The biomarkers were statistically associated across the two platforms, suggesting the assay's reproducibility and robustness. Sampling simulations showed that the biomarkers were tolerant of sequencing errors and template resampling, two factors most likely to affect the accuracy of pyrosequencing results. We observed comparable biomarker scores between AIDS and non-AIDS chronic patients (multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA], P = 0.12), indicating that the stage of HIV disease itself does not affect the classification scheme. The high-throughput genomic HIV incidence marks a significant step toward determining incidence from a single measure in cross-sectional surveys. IMPORTANCE Annual HIV incidence, the number of newly infected individuals within a year, is the key measure of monitoring the epidemic's rise and decline. Developing reliable assays differentiating recent from chronic infections has been a long-standing quest in the HIV community. Over the past 15 years, these assays have traditionally measured various HIV-specific antibodies, but recent technological advancements have expanded the diversity of proposed accurate, user-friendly, and financially viable tools. Here we designed a high-throughput genomic HIV incidence assay based on the signature imprinted in the HIV gene sequence population. By combining next-generation sequencing techniques with bioinformatics analysis, we demonstrated that genomic fingerprints are capable of distinguishing recently infected patients from chronically infected patients with high precision. Our high-throughput platform is expected to allow us to process many patients' samples from a single experiment, permitting the assay to be cost-effective for routine surveillance. PMID:24371062

Relationship of extinction to perceptual thresholds for single stimuli.

PubMed

Meador, K J; Ray, P G; Day, L J; Loring, D W

2001-04-24

To demonstrate the effects of target stimulus intensity on extinction to double simultaneous stimuli. Attentional deficits contribute to extinction in patients with brain lesions, but extinction (i.e., masking) can also be produced in healthy subjects. The relationship of extinction to perceptual thresholds for single stimuli remains uncertain. Brief electrical pulses were applied simultaneously to the left and right index fingers of 16 healthy volunteers (8 young and 8 elderly adults) and 4 patients with right brain stroke (RBS). The stimulus to be perceived (i.e., target stimulus) was given at the lowest perceptual threshold to perceive any single stimulus (i.e., Minimal) and at the threshold to perceive 100% of single stimuli. The mask stimulus (i.e., stimulus given to block the target) was applied to the contralateral hand at intensities just below discomfort. Extinction was less for target stimuli at 100% than Minimal threshold for healthy subjects. Extinction of left targets was greater in patients with RBS than elderly control subjects. Left targets were extinguished less than right in healthy subjects. In contrast, the majority of left targets were extinguished in patients with RBS even when right mask intensity was reduced below right 100% threshold for single stimuli. RBS patients had less extinction for right targets despite having greater left mask - threshold difference than control subjects. In patients with RBS, right "targets" at 100% threshold extinguished left "masks" (20%) almost as frequently as left masks extinguished right targets (32%). Subtle changes in target intensity affect extinction in healthy adults. Asymmetries in mask and target intensities (relative to single-stimulus perceptual thresholds) affect extinction in RBS patients less for left targets but more for right targets as compared with control subjects.

Energetic Passivity of the Human Ankle Joint.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunglae; Hogan, Neville

2016-12-01

Understanding the passive or nonpassive behavior of the neuromuscular system is important to design and control robots that physically interact with humans, since it provides quantitative information to secure coupled stability while maximizing performance. This has become more important than ever apace with the increasing demand for robotic technologies in neurorehabilitation. This paper presents a quantitative characterization of passive and nonpassive behavior of the ankle of young healthy subjects, which provides a baseline for future studies in persons with neurological impairments and information for future developments of rehabilitation robots, such as exoskeletal devices and powered prostheses. Measurements using a wearable ankle robot actuating 2 degrees-of-freedom of the ankle combined with curl analysis and passivity analysis enabled characterization of both quasi-static and steady-state dynamic behavior of the ankle, unavailable from single DOF studies. Despite active neuromuscular control over a wide range of muscle activation, in young healthy subjects passive or dissipative ankle behavior predominated.

A theoretical basis for the analysis of multiversion software subject to coincident errors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckhardt, D. E., Jr.; Lee, L. D.

1985-01-01

Fundamental to the development of redundant software techniques (known as fault-tolerant software) is an understanding of the impact of multiple joint occurrences of errors, referred to here as coincident errors. A theoretical basis for the study of redundant software is developed which: (1) provides a probabilistic framework for empirically evaluating the effectiveness of a general multiversion strategy when component versions are subject to coincident errors, and (2) permits an analytical study of the effects of these errors. An intensity function, called the intensity of coincident errors, has a central role in this analysis. This function describes the propensity of programmers to introduce design faults in such a way that software components fail together when executing in the application environment. A condition under which a multiversion system is a better strategy than relying on a single version is given.

Longitudinal study of fingerprint recognition.

PubMed

Yoon, Soweon; Jain, Anil K

2015-07-14

Human identification by fingerprints is based on the fundamental premise that ridge patterns from distinct fingers are different (uniqueness) and a fingerprint pattern does not change over time (persistence). Although the uniqueness of fingerprints has been investigated by developing statistical models to estimate the probability of error in comparing two random samples of fingerprints, the persistence of fingerprints has remained a general belief based on only a few case studies. In this study, fingerprint match (similarity) scores are analyzed by multilevel statistical models with covariates such as time interval between two fingerprints in comparison, subject's age, and fingerprint image quality. Longitudinal fingerprint records of 15,597 subjects are sampled from an operational fingerprint database such that each individual has at least five 10-print records over a minimum time span of 5 y. In regard to the persistence of fingerprints, the longitudinal analysis on a single (right index) finger demonstrates that (i) genuine match scores tend to significantly decrease when time interval between two fingerprints in comparison increases, whereas the change in impostor match scores is negligible; and (ii) fingerprint recognition accuracy at operational settings, nevertheless, tends to be stable as the time interval increases up to 12 y, the maximum time span in the dataset. However, the uncertainty of temporal stability of fingerprint recognition accuracy becomes substantially large if either of the two fingerprints being compared is of poor quality. The conclusions drawn from 10-finger fusion analysis coincide with the conclusions from single-finger analysis.

Enhanced brainstem and cortical evoked response amplitudes: single-trial covariance analysis.

PubMed

Galbraith, G C

2001-06-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop analytic procedures that improve the definition of sensory evoked response components. Such procedures could benefit all recordings but would especially benefit difficult recordings where many trials are contaminated by muscle and movement artifacts. First, cross-correlation and latency adjustment analyses were applied to the human brainstem frequency-following response and cortical auditory evoked response recorded on the same trials. Lagged cross-correlation functions were computed, for each of 17 subjects, between single-trial data and templates consisting of the sinusoid stimulus waveform for the brainstem response and the subject's own smoothed averaged evoked response P2 component for the cortical response. Trials were considered in the analysis only if the maximum correlation-squared (r2) exceeded .5 (negatively correlated trials were thus included). Identical correlation coefficients may be based on signals with quite different amplitudes, but it is possible to assess amplitude by the nonnormalized covariance function. Next, an algorithm is applied in which each trial with negative covariance is matched to a trial with similar, but positive, covariance and these matched-trial pairs are deleted. When an evoked response signal is present in the data, the majority of trials positively correlate with the template. Thus, a residual of positively correlated trials remains after matched covariance trials are deleted. When these residual trials are averaged, the resulting brainstem and cortical responses show greatly enhanced amplitudes. This result supports the utility of this analysis technique in clarifying and assessing evoked response signals.

Decoding the direction of imagined visual motion using 7 T ultra-high field fMRI

PubMed Central

Emmerling, Thomas C.; Zimmermann, Jan; Sorger, Bettina; Frost, Martin A.; Goebel, Rainer

2016-01-01

There is a long-standing debate about the neurocognitive implementation of mental imagery. One form of mental imagery is the imagery of visual motion, which is of interest due to its naturalistic and dynamic character. However, so far only the mere occurrence rather than the specific content of motion imagery was shown to be detectable. In the current study, the application of multi-voxel pattern analysis to high-resolution functional data of 12 subjects acquired with ultra-high field 7 T functional magnetic resonance imaging allowed us to show that imagery of visual motion can indeed activate the earliest levels of the visual hierarchy, but the extent thereof varies highly between subjects. Our approach enabled classification not only of complex imagery, but also of its actual contents, in that the direction of imagined motion out of four options was successfully identified in two thirds of the subjects and with accuracies of up to 91.3% in individual subjects. A searchlight analysis confirmed the local origin of decodable information in striate and extra-striate cortex. These high-accuracy findings not only shed new light on a central question in vision science on the constituents of mental imagery, but also show for the first time that the specific sub-categorical content of visual motion imagery is reliably decodable from brain imaging data on a single-subject level. PMID:26481673

Creating single-subject design graphs in Microsoft Excel 2007.

PubMed

Dixon, Mark R; Jackson, James W; Small, Stacey L; Horner-King, Mollie J; Lik, Nicholas Mui Ker; Garcia, Yors; Rosales, Rocio

2009-01-01

Over 10 years have passed since the publication of Carr and Burkholder's (1998) technical article on how to construct single-subject graphs using Microsoft Excel. Over the course of the past decade, the Excel program has undergone a series of revisions that make the Carr and Burkholder paper somewhat difficult to follow with newer versions. The present article provides task analyses for constructing various types of commonly used single-subject design graphs in Microsoft Excel 2007. The task analyses were evaluated using a between-subjects design that compared the graphing skills of 22 behavior-analytic graduate students using Excel 2007 and either the Carr and Burkholder or newly developed task analyses. Results indicate that the new task analyses yielded more accurate and faster graph construction than the Carr and Burkholder instructions.

CREATING SINGLE-SUBJECT DESIGN GRAPHS IN MICROSOFT EXCELTM 2007

PubMed Central

Dixon, Mark R; Jackson, James W; Small, Stacey L; Horner-King, Mollie J; Lik, Nicholas Mui Ker; Garcia, Yors; Rosales, Rocio

2009-01-01

Over 10 years have passed since the publication of Carr and Burkholder's (1998) technical article on how to construct single-subject graphs using Microsoft Excel. Over the course of the past decade, the Excel program has undergone a series of revisions that make the Carr and Burkholder paper somewhat difficult to follow with newer versions. The present article provides task analyses for constructing various types of commonly used single-subject design graphs in Microsoft Excel 2007. The task analyses were evaluated using a between-subjects design that compared the graphing skills of 22 behavior-analytic graduate students using Excel 2007 and either the Carr and Burkholder or newly developed task analyses. Results indicate that the new task analyses yielded more accurate and faster graph construction than the Carr and Burkholder instructions. PMID:19949515

Isolation of Mitochondrial DNA from Single, Short Hairs without Roots Using Pressure Cycling Technology.

PubMed

Harper, Kathryn A; Meiklejohn, Kelly A; Merritt, Richard T; Walker, Jessica; Fisher, Constance L; Robertson, James M

2018-02-01

Hairs are commonly submitted as evidence to forensic laboratories, but standard nuclear DNA analysis is not always possible. Mitochondria (mt) provide another source of genetic material; however, manual isolation is laborious. In a proof-of-concept study, we assessed pressure cycling technology (PCT; an automated approach that subjects samples to varying cycles of high and low pressure) for extracting mtDNA from single, short hairs without roots. Using three microscopically similar donors, we determined the ideal PCT conditions and compared those yields to those obtained using the traditional manual micro-tissue grinder method. Higher yields were recovered from grinder extracts, but yields from PCT extracts exceeded the requirements for forensic analysis, with the DNA quality confirmed through sequencing. Automated extraction of mtDNA from hairs without roots using PCT could be useful for forensic laboratories processing numerous samples.

Identification of bearing faults using time domain zero-crossings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

William, P. E.; Hoffman, M. W.

2011-11-01

In this paper, zero-crossing characteristic features are employed for early detection and identification of single point bearing defects in rotating machinery. As a result of bearing defects, characteristic defect frequencies appear in the machine vibration signal, normally requiring spectral analysis or envelope analysis to identify the defect type. Zero-crossing features are extracted directly from the time domain vibration signal using only the duration between successive zero-crossing intervals and do not require estimation of the rotational frequency. The features are a time domain representation of the composite vibration signature in the spectral domain. Features are normalized by the length of the observation window and classification is performed using a multilayer feedforward neural network. The model was evaluated on vibration data recorded using an accelerometer mounted on an induction motor housing subjected to a number of single point defects with different severity levels.

Optimal spatiotemporal representation of multichannel EEG for recognition of brain states associated with distinct visual stimulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hramov, Alexander; Musatov, Vyacheslav Yu.; Runnova, Anastasija E.; Efremova, Tatiana Yu.; Koronovskii, Alexey A.; Pisarchik, Alexander N.

2018-04-01

In the paper we propose an approach based on artificial neural networks for recognition of different human brain states associated with distinct visual stimulus. Based on the developed numerical technique and the analysis of obtained experimental multichannel EEG data, we optimize the spatiotemporal representation of multichannel EEG to provide close to 97% accuracy in recognition of the EEG brain states during visual perception. Different interpretations of an ambiguous image produce different oscillatory patterns in the human EEG with similar features for every interpretation. Since these features are inherent to all subjects, a single artificial network can classify with high quality the associated brain states of other subjects.

A high-speed BCI based on code modulation VEP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bin, Guangyu; Gao, Xiaorong; Wang, Yijun; Li, Yun; Hong, Bo; Gao, Shangkai

2011-04-01

Recently, electroencephalogram-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have attracted much attention in the fields of neural engineering and rehabilitation due to their noninvasiveness. However, the low communication speed of current BCI systems greatly limits their practical application. In this paper, we present a high-speed BCI based on code modulation of visual evoked potentials (c-VEP). Thirty-two target stimuli were modulated by a time-shifted binary pseudorandom sequence. A multichannel identification method based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used for target identification. The online system achieved an average information transfer rate (ITR) of 108 ± 12 bits min-1 on five subjects with a maximum ITR of 123 bits min-1 for a single subject.

Multi-segment foot landing kinematics in subjects with chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

De Ridder, Roel; Willems, Tine; Vanrenterghem, Jos; Robinson, Mark A; Palmans, Tanneke; Roosen, Philip

2015-07-01

Chronic ankle instability has been associated with altered joint kinematics at the ankle, knee and hip. However, no studies have investigated possible kinematic deviations at more distal segments of the foot. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if subjects with ankle instability and copers show altered foot and ankle kinematics and altered kinetics during a landing task when compared to controls. Ninety-six subjects (38 subjects with chronic ankle instability, 28 copers and 30 controls) performed a vertical drop and side jump task. Foot kinematics were obtained using the Ghent Foot Model and a single-segment foot model. Group differences were evaluated using statistical parametric mapping and analysis of variance. Subjects with ankle instability had a more inverted midfoot position in relation to the rearfoot when compared to controls during the side jump. They also had a greater midfoot inversion/eversion range of motion than copers during the vertical drop. Copers exhibited less plantar flexion/dorsiflexion range of motion in the lateral and medial forefoot. Furthermore, the ankle instability and coper group exhibited less ankle plantar flexion at touchdown. Additionally, the ankle instability group demonstrated a decreased plantar flexion/dorsiflexion range of motion at the ankle compared to the control group. Analysis of ground reaction forces showed a higher vertical peak and loading rate during the vertical drop in subjects with ankle instability. Subjects with chronic ankle instability displayed an altered, stiffer kinematic landing strategy and related alterations in landing kinetics, which might predispose them for episodes of giving way and actual ankle sprains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and guest-uptake protocol for a porous complex useful for 'crystal-free' crystallography.

PubMed

Inokuma, Yasuhide; Yoshioka, Shota; Ariyoshi, Junko; Arai, Tatsuhiko; Fujita, Makoto

2014-02-01

We recently reported a new method for single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCD) analysis that does not require the crystallization of the target compound. In this 'crystal-free' crystallography, a tiny crystal of a porous complex is soaked in the solution of the target guest. The guest molecules are absorbed and oriented in the crystal pores and can be analyzed by X-ray diffraction. We describe here a detailed synthetic protocol for the preparation of uniform single crystals of the porous host complex and for the subsequent guest uptake. The protocol describes our most versatile porous complex, which is prepared from commercially available ZnI2 and 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine. The host complex has large pores with a cross-section of 8 × 5 Å(2). Single crystals of the complex are grown from layered solutions of the two components. The pores of the as-synthesized complex are filled with nitrobenzene, which is replaced with the inert solvent cyclohexane. This solvent exchange is essential for the rapid and effective inclusion of target compounds. The most crucial and delicate step is the selection of high-quality single crystals from the mixture of crystals of various shapes and sizes. We suggest using the facial indices of the single crystals as a criterion for crystal selection. Single-crystal samples for X-ray analysis can be prepared by immersing the selected crystals in a cyclohexane/dichloromethane solution of target compound. After a very slow evaporation of the solvent, typically over 2 d, the final crystal can be picked and directly subjected to SCD analysis. The protocol can be completed within ∼16 d.

Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of a Single 500-mg or 1000-mg Intravenous Dose of Dalbavancin in Healthy Japanese Subjects.

PubMed

Scoble, Patrick J; Owens, Robert C; Puttagunta, Sailaja; Yen, Mark; Dunne, Michael W

2015-12-01

Dalbavancin is a novel, once-weekly glycopeptide antibiotic approved for treatment of acute bacterial skin infections. Given the importance of understanding any pharmacokinetic variability across different patient populations, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of a single 500-mg and a single 1000-mg intravenous dose of dalbavancin in healthy Japanese subjects. Ten subjects received intravenous dalbavancin 1000 mg, five subjects received intravenous dalbavancin 500 mg, and three subjects received intravenous placebo. After a single infusion of dalbavancin, the maximal plasma concentration (C max) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) increased in a proportional manner from 500 mg to 1000 mg (C max: 157 μg/ml and 299 μg/ml; AUClast: 10,850 μg·h/ml and 22,679 μg·h/ml, on the 500-mg and 1000-mg regimens, respectively) with low inter-subject variability. The mean terminal phase half-life (t 1/2) was 204 and 193 h after the 500-mg and 1000-mg dose, respectively. Clearance and volume of distribution were similar for the two dose concentrations. Treatment-emergent adverse events reported were considered to be of mild intensity. There were no relevant changes in laboratory values or vital signs over time in subjects in either treatment group. Overall, dalbavancin 500 mg and dalbavancin 1000 mg, administered as a single 30-min infusion, was well tolerated in this population and resulted in plasma exposures similar to those in non-Asians.

Interpreting lateral dynamic weight shifts using a simple inverted pendulum model.

PubMed

Kennedy, Michael W; Bretl, Timothy; Schmiedeler, James P

2014-01-01

Seventy-five young, healthy adults completed a lateral weight-shifting activity in which each shifted his/her center of pressure (CoP) to visually displayed target locations with the aid of visual CoP feedback. Each subject's CoP data were modeled using a single-link inverted pendulum system with a spring-damper at the joint. This extends the simple inverted pendulum model of static balance in the sagittal plane to lateral weight-shifting balance. The model controlled pendulum angle using PD control and a ramp setpoint trajectory, and weight-shifting was characterized by both shift speed and a non-minimum phase (NMP) behavior metric. This NMP behavior metric examines the force magnitude at shift initiation and provides weight-shifting balance performance information that parallels the examination of peak ground reaction forces in gait analysis. Control parameters were optimized on a subject-by-subject basis to match balance metrics for modeled results to metric values calculated from experimental data. Overall, the model matches experimental data well (average percent error of 0.35% for shifting speed and 0.05% for NMP behavior). These results suggest that the single-link inverted pendulum model can be used effectively to capture lateral weight-shifting balance, as it has been shown to model static balance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Genetic Variants Associated with Alzheimer Disease in Parkinson Disease Cognition.

PubMed

Barrett, Matthew J; Koeppel, Alexander F; Flanigan, Joseph L; Turner, Stephen D; Worrall, Bradford B

2016-01-01

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies have implicated multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and associated genes with Alzheimer disease. The role of these SNPs in cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease (PD) remains incompletely evaluated. The objective of this study was to test alleles associated with risk of Alzheimer disease for association with cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease (PD). Two datasets with PD subjects accessed through the NIH database of Genotypes and Phenotypes contained both single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and mini-mental state exam (MMSE) scores. Genetic data underwent rigorous quality control and we selected SNPs for genes associated with AD other than APOE. We constructed logistic regression and ordinal regression models, adjusted for sex, age at MMSE, and duration of PD, to assess the association between selected SNPs and MMSE score. In one dataset, PICALM rs3851179 was associated with cognitive impairment (MMSE <  24) in PD subjects > 70 years old (OR = 2.3; adjusted p-value = 0.017; n = 250) but not in PD subjects ≤ 70 years old. Our finding suggests that PICALM rs3851179 could contribute to cognitive impairment in older patients with PD. It is important that future studies consider the interaction of age and genetic risk factors in the development of cognitive impairment in PD.

Ultrasound bladder wall thickness measurement in diagnosis of recurrent urinary tract infections and cystitis cystica in prepubertal girls.

PubMed

Milošević, Danko; Trkulja, Vladimir; Turudić, Daniel; Batinić, Danica; Spajić, Borislav; Tešović, Goran

2013-12-01

To evaluate urinary bladder wall thickness (BWT) assessed by ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for cystitis cystica. This was a 9-year prospective study comprising 120 prepubertal girls. Sixty subjects of whom half underwent cystoscopy represented cases while the other 60 (those with a single urinary tract infection and healthy subjects) represented controls. Based on receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, BWT discriminated very well between cases and controls with area under the ROC curve close to 1.0. At the optimum cut-off defined at 3.9 mm, negative predictive value (NPV) was 100% leaving no probability of cystic cystitis with BWT <3.9 mm. Positive predictive value (PPV) was also very high (95.2%), indicating only around 4.82% probability of no cystic cystitis in patients with BWT values ≥3.9 mm. BWT could also distinguish between healthy subjects and those with a cured single urinary tract infection, although discriminatory properties were moderate (area under ROC 86.7%, PPV 78.8%, NPV 85.2%). Ultrasound mucosal bladder wall measurement is a non-invasive, simple and quite reliable method in diagnosis of cystitis cystica in prepubertal girls with recurrent urinary tract infections. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods of forming semiconductor devices and devices formed using such methods

DOEpatents

Fox, Robert V; Rodriguez, Rene G; Pak, Joshua

2013-05-21

Single source precursors are subjected to carbon dioxide to form particles of material. The carbon dioxide may be in a supercritical state. Single source precursors also may be subjected to supercritical fluids other than supercritical carbon dioxide to form particles of material. The methods may be used to form nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form chalcopyrite materials. Devices such as, for example, semiconductor devices may be fabricated that include such particles. Methods of forming semiconductor devices include subjecting single source precursors to carbon dioxide to form particles of semiconductor material, and establishing electrical contact between the particles and an electrode.

Gender differences in asymmetrical limb support patterns between subjects with and without recurrent low back pain.

PubMed

Sung, Paul S; Zipple, J Tim; Danial, Pamela

2017-04-01

New insight regarding limb-dominance effects on temporal-spatial gait parameters is needed to further investigate subjects with recurrent low back pain (LBP). Although an asymmetrical gait pattern was found to reflect natural functional differences, there is a lack of information regarding gender differences on dominant limb support patterns in subjects with LBP. The purpose of this study was to investigate temporal-spatial gait parameters based on limb dominance and gender between subjects with and without LBP. One hundred and ten right limb dominant older adults (51 subjects with LBP and 59 control subjects) participated in the study. A three-dimensional motion capture system was utilized to measure temporal-spatial gait parameters, including initial double, single, and terminal double limb support times and walking speed. The gender differences between subjects with and without LBP were analyzed based on dominance for those parameters. Overall, limb dominance demonstrated significant differences on single and terminal double limb support times as well as walking speed. Limb dominance also demonstrated interactions on group x gender for single limb support time and walking speed. The male subjects with LBP demonstrated significantly increased single limb support times on the non-dominant limb. The significant gender and group interactions based on limb dominance account for a possible pain avoidance, asymmetrical limb support pattern. The causal pathway in dominance dependency gait by unweighted ambulation might be considered as an intervention for correcting these gait deviations in subjects with LBP. The specific modification recovery profiles of the subjects with LBP could shed light on variability of current LBP experiences of the subjects and reasons for gait deviations. Clinicians need to consider the mechanism of dominant limb dependency, which requires postural control strategies in male subjects with recurrent LBP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Population Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modelling of Bilastine, a Second-Generation Antihistamine, in Healthy Japanese Subjects.

PubMed

Togawa, Michinori; Yamaya, Hidetoshi; Rodríguez, Mónica; Nagashima, Hirotaka

2016-12-01

Bilastine is a novel second-generation antihistamine for the symptomatic treatment of allergic rhinitis and urticaria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tolerability of bilastine following single and multiple oral doses in healthy Japanese subjects. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles were compared with those reported in Caucasian subjects. In a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single- and multiple-ascending dose study, bilastine tablets were administered at single doses of 10, 20, and 50 mg (Part I), and once daily for 14 days at 20 and 50 mg (Part II). After single oral doses, maximum plasma concentrations (C max ) were reached at 1.0-1.5 h postdose. Plasma exposure [C max and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)] increased dose-proportionally at single doses of 10-50 mg. In repeated-dose administration, no remarkable differences were observed between Day 1 and Day 14 for C max or AUC. For inhibitory effects on wheal and flare response, bilastine 20 and 50 mg showed significant inhibition from 1.5 h after administration as compared with placebo, and the significant effect persisted for 24 h after administration. The rates of adverse events (AEs) were comparable between bilastine and placebo in both Part I and Part II. In addition, no dose- or administration period-dependent tendency of increase in rate of AEs or worsening of severity was observed. Bilastine exhibits similar single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics in healthy Japanese subjects compared with those observed in Caucasian subjects in previous studies.

Enhancing photon squeezing one leviton at a time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, D.; Ronetti, F.; Rech, J.; Jonckheere, T.; Sassetti, M.; Martin, T.

2018-04-01

A mesoscopic device in the simple tunnel junction or quantum point contact geometry emits microwaves with remarkable quantum properties, when subjected to a sinusoidal drive in the GHz range. In particular, single and two-photon squeezing as well as entanglement in the frequency domain have been reported. By revising the photoassisted noise analysis developed in the framework of electron quantum optics, we present a detailed comparison between the cosine drive case and other experimentally relevant periodic voltages such as rectangular and Lorentzian pulses. We show that the latter drive is the best candidate in order to enhance quantum features and purity of the outgoing single and two-photon states, a noteworthy result in a quantum information perspective.

Orbit/launch vehicle tradeoff studies. Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An evaluation of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) design, performance, and cost factors which affect the choices of an orbit and a launch vehicle is presented. Primary emphasis is given to low altitude (300 to 900 nautical miles) land resources management applications for which payload design factors are defined. The subjects considered are: (1) a mission model, (2) orbit analysis and characterization, (3) characteristics and capabilities of candidate conventional launch vehicles, and space shuttle support. Recommendations are submitted for the EOS-A mission, the Single Multispectral Scanner payload, the Single Multispectral Scanner plus Thematic Mapper payload, the Dual Multispectral Scanner payload, and the Dual Multispectral Scanner plus Thematic Mapper payload.

Convergent close coupling versus the generalized Sturmian function approach: Wave-function analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosio, M.; Mitnik, D. M.; Gasaneo, G.; Randazzo, J. M.; Kadyrov, A. S.; Fursa, D. V.; Bray, I.

2015-11-01

We compare the physical information contained in the Temkin-Poet (TP) scattering wave function representing electron-impact ionization of hydrogen, calculated by the convergent close-coupling (CCC) and generalized Sturmian function (GSF) methodologies. The idea is to show that the ionization cross section can be extracted from the wave functions themselves. Using two different procedures based on hyperspherical Sturmian functions we show that the transition amplitudes contained in both GSF and CCC scattering functions lead to similar single-differential cross sections. The single-continuum channels were also a subject of the present studies, and we show that the elastic and excitation amplitudes are essentially the same as well.

What is the price for the Duchenne gait pattern in patients with cerebral palsy?

PubMed

Salami, Firooz; Niklasch, Mirjam; Krautwurst, Britta K; Dreher, Thomas; Wolf, Sebastian I

2017-10-01

Duchenne gait is characterized by trunk lean towards the affected stance limb with the pelvis stable or elevated on the swinging limb side during single limb stance phase. We assessed the relationship between hip abduction moments and trunk kinetics in patients with cerebral palsy showing excessive lateral trunk motion. Data of 18 subjects with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and 20 aged matched typically developing subjects (TD) were collected retrospectively. Criteria for patient selection were barefoot walking without aid presenting with excessive lateral trunk motion. Subjects had been monitored by conventional 3D gait analysis of the lower extremity including four markers for monitoring trunk motion. Post-hoc, a generic musculoskeletal full body model (OpenSim 3.3) assuming a rigid trunk articulated to the pelvis by a single ball joint was applied for analyzing joint kinematics and kinetics of the lower limb joints including this spine joint. Joint angle ranges of motion, maximum joint moments and powers in the frontal plane as well as mechanical work were calculated and averaged within groups showing prominent differences between groups in all parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work explicitly looking into the kinetics of Duchenne gait in patients with CP, clinically known as compensation for unloading hip abductor muscles. The results show that excessive lateral trunk motion may indeed be an extremely effective compensation mechanism to unload the hip abductors in single limb stance but for the price of a drastic increase in demand on trunk muscle effort and work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of single-beat full-volume capture real-time three-dimensional echocardiography for quantification of right ventricular volume: validation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Zhang, Quan Bin; Sun, Jing Ping; Gao, Rui Feng; Lee, Alex Pui-Wai; Feng, Yan Lin; Liu, Xiao Rong; Sheng, Wei; Liu, Feng; Yang, Xing Sheng; Fang, Fang; Yu, Cheuk-Man

2013-10-09

The lack of an accurate noninvasive method for assessing right ventricular (RV) volume and function has been a major deficiency of two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. The aim of our study was to test the feasibility of single-beat full-volume capture with real-time three-dimensional echo (3DE) imaging system for the evaluation of RV volumes and function validated by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Sixty-one subjects (16 normal subjects, 20 patients with hypertension, 16 patients with pulmonary heart disease and 9 patients with coronary heart disease) were studied. RV volume and function assessments using 3DE were compared with manual tracing with CMRI as the reference method. Fifty-nine of 61 patients (96.7%; 36 male, mean age, 62 ± 15 years) had adequate three-dimensional echocardiographic data sets for analysis. The mean RV end diastolic volume (EDV) was 105 ± 38 ml, end-systolic volume (ESV) was 60 ± 30 and RV ejection fraction (EF) was 44 ± 11% by CMRI; and EDV 103 ± 38 ml, ESV 60 ± 28 ml and RV EF 41 ± 13% by 3DE. The correlations and agreements between measurements estimated by two methods were acceptable. RV volumes and function can be analyzed with 3DE software in most of subjects with or without heart diseases, which is able to be estimated with single-beat full-volume capture with real-time 3DE compared with CMRI. © 2013.

Strength capability while kneeling.

PubMed

Haslegrave, C M; Tracy, M F; Corlett, E N

1997-12-01

Work sometimes has to be carried out kneeling, particularly where jobs are performed in confined spaces as is common for miners, aircraft baggage handlers and maintenance workers. In order to assess the risks in performing forceful tasks under such conditions, data is needed on strength capabilities of kneeling subjects. A study was undertaken to measure isometric strength in single-handed exertions for male subjects and to investigate the effects on this of task layout factors (direction of force exertion, reach distance, height of the workpiece and orientation relative to the subject's sagittal plane). The data has been tabulated to show the degree to which strength may be reduced in different situations and analysis of the task factors showed their influence to be complex with direction of exertion and reach distance having the greatest effect. The results also suggest that exertions are weaker when subjects are kneeling on two knees than when kneeling on one knee, although this needs to be confirmed by direct experimental comparison.

Evaluation of an Indoor Sonic Boom Subjective Test Facility at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loubeau, Alexandra; Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob

2011-01-01

A sonic boom simulator at NASA Langley Research Center has been constructed for research on human response to low-amplitude sonic booms heard indoors. Research in this facility will ultimately lead to development of a psychoacoustic model for single indoor booms. The first subjective test was designed to explore indoor human response to variations in sonic boom rise time and amplitude. Another goal was to identify loudness level variability across listener locations within the facility. Finally, the test also served to evaluate the facility as a laboratory research tool for studying indoor human response to sonic booms. Subjects listened to test sounds and were asked to rate their annoyance relative to a reference boom. Measurements of test signals were conducted for objective analysis and correlation with subjective responses. Results confirm the functionality of the facility and effectiveness of the test methods and indicate that loudness level does not fully describe indoor annoyance to the selected sonic boom signals.

Bilateral step length estimation using a single inertial measurement unit attached to the pelvis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The estimation of the spatio-temporal gait parameters is of primary importance in both physical activity monitoring and clinical contexts. A method for estimating step length bilaterally, during level walking, using a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the pelvis is proposed. In contrast to previous studies, based either on a simplified representation of the human gait mechanics or on a general linear regressive model, the proposed method estimates the step length directly from the integration of the acceleration along the direction of progression. Methods The IMU was placed at pelvis level fixed to the subject's belt on the right side. The method was validated using measurements from a stereo-photogrammetric system as a gold standard on nine subjects walking ten laps along a closed loop track of about 25 m, varying their speed. For each loop, only the IMU data recorded in a 4 m long portion of the track included in the calibrated volume of the SP system, were used for the analysis. The method takes advantage of the cyclic nature of gait and it requires an accurate determination of the foot contact instances. A combination of a Kalman filter and of an optimally filtered direct and reverse integration applied to the IMU signals formed a single novel method (Kalman and Optimally filtered Step length Estimation - KOSE method). A correction of the IMU displacement due to the pelvic rotation occurring in gait was implemented to estimate the step length and the traversed distance. Results The step length was estimated for all subjects with less than 3% error. Traversed distance was assessed with less than 2% error. Conclusions The proposed method provided estimates of step length and traversed distance more accurate than any other method applied to measurements obtained from a single IMU that can be found in the literature. In healthy subjects, it is reasonable to expect that, errors in traversed distance estimation during daily monitoring activity would be of the same order of magnitude of those presented. PMID:22316235

Regional CBF in chronic stable TBI treated with hyperbaric oxygen.

PubMed

Barrett, K F; Masel, B; Patterson, J; Scheibel, R S; Corson, K P; Mader, J T

2004-01-01

To investigate whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO2) could improve neurologic deficits and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in chronic traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the authors employed a nonrandomized control pilot trial. Five subjects, at least three years post head injury, received HBO2. Five head injured controls (HIC) were matched for age, sex, and type of injury. Five healthy subjects served as normal controls. Sixty-eight normal volunteers comprised a reference data bank against which to compare SPECT brain scans. HBO2 subjects received 120 HBO2 in blocks of 80 and 40 treatments with an interval five-month break. Normal controls underwent a single SPECT brain scan, HBO2, and repeat SPECT battery. TBI subjects were evaluated by neurologic, neuropsychometric, exercise testing, and pre and post study MRIs, or CT scans if MRI was contraindicated. Statistical Parametric Mapping was applied to SPECT scans for rCBF analysis. There were no significant objective changes in neurologic, neuropsychometric, exercise testing, MRIs, or rCBF. In this small pilot study, HBO2 did not effect clinical or regional cerebral blood flow improvement in TBI subjects.

The Spectrum of Ovotesticular Disorders of Sex Development in South Africa: A Single-Centre Experience.

PubMed

Ganie, Yasmeen; Aldous, Colleen; Balakrishna, Yusentha; Wiersma, Rinus

2017-01-01

To describe the clinical characteristics, biochemistry, histopathology, and long-term outcomes in subjects with ovotesticular (OT) disorder of sex development (DSD). This is a retrospective subset analysis of 64 cases of histologically confirmed OT DSD. All subjects were South African; 97% (n = 62) were African and 92% (n = 59) were of Zulu ethnicity. The most common karyotype was 46,XX (88%; n = 56), followed by 46,XY (8%), 46,XY/45,X (3%), and 46,XX/46,XY (1%). The median age at presentation was 7 months (0.5 months to 5.1 years). Sixty-one of the subjects (95%) presented with DSD. The ovotestis was the most frequent gonad (56%), followed by the ovary (23%) and the testis (16%). Testes were more commonly located on the right and ovaries on the left (p < 0.0001). The male gender was the predominant sex of rearing in two-thirds of the subjects. Gender dysphoria was noted in 8 subjects (11%) at a median of 6.4 (4.3-9.3) years. Long-term follow-up (n = 14) revealed spontaneous puberty in 5 subjects, gender dysphoria in 2 subjects, and neuropsychiatric disorders in 4 subjects. OT DSD is an important differential diagnosis in Black South Africans with 46,XX DSD. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Multiple Loci With Different Cancer Specificities Within the 8q24 Gene Desert

PubMed Central

Song, Honglin; Koessler, Thibaud; Al Olama, Ali Amin; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Driver, Kristy E.; Pooley, Karen A.; Ramus, Susan J.; Kjaer, Susanne Krüger; Hogdall, Estrid; DiCioccio, Richard A.; Whittemore, Alice S.; Gayther, Simon A.; Giles, Graham G.; Guy, Michelle; Edwards, Stephen M.; Morrison, Jonathan; Donovan, Jenny L.; Hamdy, Freddie C.; Dearnaley, David P.; Ardern-Jones, Audrey T.; Hall, Amanda L.; O'Brien, Lynne T.; Gehr-Swain, Beatrice N.; Wilkinson, Rosemary A.; Brown, Paul M.; Hopper, John L.; Neal, David E.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.; Ponder, Bruce A. J.; Eeles, Rosalind A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Dunning, Alison M.

2008-01-01

Recent studies based on genome-wide association, linkage, and admixture scan analysis have reported associations of various genetic variants in 8q24 with susceptibility to breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. This locus lies within a 1.18-Mb region that contains no known genes but is bounded at its centromeric end by FAM84B and at its telomeric end by c-MYC, two candidate cancer susceptibility genes. To investigate the associations of specific loci within 8q24 with specific cancers, we genotyped the nine previously reported cancer-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms across the region in four case–control sets of prostate (1854 case subjects and 1894 control subjects), breast (2270 case subjects and 2280 control subjects), colorectal (2299 case subjects and 2284 control subjects), and ovarian (1975 case subjects and 3411 control subjects) cancer. Five different haplotype blocks within this gene desert were specifically associated with risks of different cancers. One block was solely associated with risk of breast cancer, three others were associated solely with the risk of prostate cancer, and a fifth was associated with the risk of prostate, colorectal, and ovarian cancer, but not breast cancer. We conclude that there are at least five separate functional variants in this region. PMID:18577746

Single-leg hop testing following fatiguing exercise: reliability and biomechanical analysis.

PubMed

Augustsson, J; Thomeé, R; Lindén, C; Folkesson, M; Tranberg, R; Karlsson, J

2006-04-01

A fatiguing exercise protocol was combined with single-leg hop testing to improve the possibilities of evaluating the effects of training or rehabilitation interventions. In the first test-retest experiment, 11 healthy male subjects performed two trials of single-leg hops under three different test conditions: non-fatigued and following fatiguing exercise, which consisted of unilateral weight machine knee extensions at 80% and 50%, respectively, of 1 repetition maximum (1 RM) strength. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.75 to 0.98 for different hop test conditions, indicating that all tests were reliable. For the second experiment, eight healthy male subjects performed the fatiguing exercise protocol to investigate how fatigue influences lower-extremity joint kinematics and kinetics during single-leg hops. Hip, knee and ankle joint angles, moments and powers, as well as ground-reaction forces were recorded with a six-camera, motion-capture system and a force platform. Recovery of hop performance following the fatiguing exercise was also measured. During the take-off for the single-leg hops, hip and knee flexion angles, generated powers for the knee and ankle joints, and ground-reaction forces decreased for the fatigued hop conditions compared with the non-fatigued condition (P<0.05). Compared with landing during the non-fatigued condition, hip moments and ground-reaction forces were lower for the fatigued hop conditions (P<0.05). The negative joint power was two to three times greater for the knee than for the hip and five to 10 times greater for the knee than for the ankle during landing for all test conditions (P<0.05). Most measured variables had recovered three minutes post-exercise. It is concluded that the fatiguing exercise protocol combined with single-leg hop testing was a reliable method for investigating functional performance under fatigued test conditions. Further, subjects utilized an adapted hop strategy, which employed less hip and knee flexion and generated powers for the knee and ankle joints during take-off, and less hip joint moments during landing under fatigued conditions. The large negative power values observed at the knee joint during the landing phase of the single-leg hop, during which the quadriceps muscle activates eccentrically, indicate that not only hop distance but also the ability to perform successful landings should be investigated when assessing dynamic knee function.

Checkpoint and restart procedures for single and multi-stage structural model analysis in NASTRAN/COSMIC on a CDC 176

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camp, George H.; Fallon, Dennis J.

1987-01-01

The Underwater Explosions Research Division (UERD) of the David Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center makes extensive use of NASTRAN/COSMIC on a CDC 176 to evaluate the structural response of ship structures subjected to underwater explosion shock loadings in the time domain. As relatively new users, UERD engineers have experienced difficulties with the checkpoint/restart feature because of the vague instructions in the user manual. Working procedures for the application of the checkpoint/restart feature to the transient analysis using NASTRAN/COSMIC are illustrated.

How to Estimate Fat Mass in Overweight and Obese Subjects

PubMed Central

Donini, Lorenzo Maria; Poggiogalle, Eleonora; del Balzo, Valeria; Lubrano, Carla; Faliva, Milena; Opizzi, Annalisa; Perna, Simone; Pinto, Alessandro; Rondanelli, Mariangela

2013-01-01

Background. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing and represents a primary health concern. Body composition evaluation is rarely performed in overweight/obese subjects, and the diagnosis is almost always achieved just considering body mass index (BMI). In fact, whereas BMI can be considered an important tool in epidemiological surveys, different papers stated the limitations of the use of BMI in single individuals. Aim. To assess the determinants of body composition in overweight and obese subjects. Methods. In 103 overweight or obese subjects (74 women, aged 41.5 ± 10 years, and 29 men, aged 43.8 ± 8 years), a multidimensional evaluation was performed including the assessment of body composition using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), anthropometry, bioimpedance analysis (BIA), and biochemical parameters (total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, free fatty acids and glycerol, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, plasma acylated and unacylated ghrelin, adiponectin, and leptin serum levels). Results. BMI does not represent the main predictor of FM estimated by DXA; FM from BIA and hip circumference showed a better association with FM from DXA. Moreover, models omitting BMI explained a greater part of variance. These data are confirmed by the predictive value analysis where BMI showed a performance similar to a “coin flip.” PMID:23662101

Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of apixaban in subjects with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoli; Tirucherai, Giridhar; Marbury, Thomas C; Wang, Jessie; Chang, Ming; Zhang, Donglu; Song, Yan; Pursley, Janice; Boyd, Rebecca A; Frost, Charles

2016-05-01

An open-label, parallel-group, single-dose study was conducted to assess the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of apixaban in 8 subjects with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis compared with 8 subjects with normal renal function. A single oral 5-mg dose of apixaban was administered once to healthy subjects and twice to subjects with ESRD, separated by ≥7 days: 2 hours before (on hemodialysis) and immediately after a 4-hour hemodialysis session (off hemodialysis). Blood samples were collected for determination of apixaban pharmacokinetic parameters, measures of clotting (prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time), and anti-factor Xa (FXa) activity. Compared with healthy subjects, apixaban Cmax and AUCinf were 10% lower and 36% higher, respectively, in subjects with ESRD off hemodialysis. Hemodialysis in subjects with ESRD was associated with reductions in apixaban Cmax and AUCinf of 13% and 14%, respectively. The percent change from baseline in clotting measures was similar in healthy subjects and subjects with ESRD, and differences in anti-FXa activity were similar to differences in apixaban concentration. A single 5-mg oral dose of apixaban was well tolerated in both groups. In conclusion, ESRD resulted in a modest increase (36%) in apixaban AUC and no increase in Cmax , and hemodialysis had a limited impact on apixaban clearance. © 2015, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis onset is influenced by the burden of rare variants in known amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genes.

PubMed

Cady, Janet; Allred, Peggy; Bali, Taha; Pestronk, Alan; Goate, Alison; Miller, Timothy M; Mitra, Robi D; Ravits, John; Harms, Matthew B; Baloh, Robert H

2015-01-01

To define the genetic landscape of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and assess the contribution of possible oligogenic inheritance, we aimed to comprehensively sequence 17 known ALS genes in 391 ALS patients from the United States. Targeted pooled-sample sequencing was used to identify variants in 17 ALS genes. Fragment size analysis was used to define ATXN2 and C9ORF72 expansion sizes. Genotype-phenotype correlations were made with individual variants and total burden of variants. Rare variant associations for risk of ALS were investigated at both the single variant and gene level. A total of 64.3% of familial and 27.8% of sporadic subjects carried potentially pathogenic novel or rare coding variants identified by sequencing or an expanded repeat in C9ORF72 or ATXN2; 3.8% of subjects had variants in >1 ALS gene, and these individuals had disease onset 10 years earlier (p = 0.0046) than subjects with variants in a single gene. The number of potentially pathogenic coding variants did not influence disease duration or site of onset. Rare and potentially pathogenic variants in known ALS genes are present in >25% of apparently sporadic and 64% of familial patients, significantly higher than previous reports using less comprehensive sequencing approaches. A significant number of subjects carried variants in >1 gene, which influenced the age of symptom onset and supports oligogenic inheritance as relevant to disease pathogenesis. © 2014 American Neurological Association.

Reconstruction of improvised explosive device blast loading to personnel in the open

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiri, Suthee; Needham, Charles

2016-05-01

Significant advances in reconstructing attacks by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other blast events are reported. A high-fidelity three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics tool, called Second-order Hydrodynamic Automatic Mesh Refinement Code, was used for the analysis. Computer-aided design models for subjects or vehicles in the scene accurately represent geometries of objects in the blast field. A wide range of scenario types and blast exposure levels were reconstructed including free field blast, enclosed space of vehicle cabin, IED attack on a vehicle, buried charges, recoilless rifle operation, rocket-propelled grenade attack and missile attack with single subject or multiple subject exposure to pressure levels from ˜ 27.6 kPa (˜ 4 psi) to greater than 690 kPa (>100 psi). To create a full 3D pressure time-resolved reconstruction of a blast event for injury and blast exposure analysis, a combination of intelligence data and Blast Gauge data can be used to reconstruct an actual in-theatre blast event. The methodology to reconstruct an event and the "lessons learned" from multiple reconstructions in open space are presented. The analysis uses records of blast pressure at discrete points, and the output is a spatial and temporal blast load distribution for all personnel involved.

Agent-patient similarity affects sentence structure in language production: evidence from subject omissions in Mandarin

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Yaling; Gao, Yannan; MacDonald, Maryellen C.

2014-01-01

Interference effects from semantically similar items are well-known in studies of single word production, where the presence of semantically similar distractor words slows picture naming. This article examines the consequences of this interference in sentence production and tests the hypothesis that in situations of high similarity-based interference, producers are more likely to omit one of the interfering elements than when there is low semantic similarity and thus low interference. This work investigated language production in Mandarin, which allows subject noun phrases to be omitted in discourse contexts in which the subject entity has been previously mentioned in the discourse. We hypothesize that Mandarin speakers omit the subject more often when the subject and the object entities are conceptually similar. A corpus analysis of simple transitive sentences found higher rates of subject omission when both the subject and object were animate (potentially yielding similarity-based interference) than when the subject was animate and object was inanimate. A second study manipulated subject-object animacy in a picture description task and replicated this result: participants omitted the animate subject more often when the object was also animate than when it was inanimate. These results suggest that similarity-based interference affects sentence forms, particularly when the agent of the action is mentioned in the sentence. Alternatives and mechanisms for this effect are discussed. PMID:25278915

Cyclic Symmetry Finite Element Forced Response Analysis of a Distortion-Tolerant Fan with Boundary Layer Ingestion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, J. B.; Reddy, T. S. R.; Bakhle, M. A.; Coroneos, R. M.; Stefko, G. L.; Provenza, A. J.; Duffy, K. P.

2018-01-01

Accurate prediction of the blade vibration stress is required to determine overall durability of fan blade design under Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI) distorted flow environments. Traditional single blade modeling technique is incapable of representing accurate modeling for the entire rotor blade system subject to complex dynamic loading behaviors and vibrations in distorted flow conditions. A particular objective of our work was to develop a high-fidelity full-rotor aeromechanics analysis capability for a system subjected to a distorted inlet flow by applying cyclic symmetry finite element modeling methodology. This reduction modeling method allows computationally very efficient analysis using a small periodic section of the full rotor blade system. Experimental testing by the use of the 8-foot by 6-foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel Test facility at NASA Glenn Research Center was also carried out for the system designated as the Boundary Layer Ingesting Inlet/Distortion-Tolerant Fan (BLI2DTF) technology development. The results obtained from the present numerical modeling technique were evaluated with those of the wind tunnel experimental test, toward establishing a computationally efficient aeromechanics analysis modeling tool facilitating for analyses of the full rotor blade systems subjected to a distorted inlet flow conditions. Fairly good correlations were achieved hence our computational modeling techniques were fully demonstrated. The analysis result showed that the safety margin requirement set in the BLI2DTF fan blade design provided a sufficient margin with respect to the operating speed range.

Single-trial EEG RSVP classification using convolutional neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamwell, Jared; Lee, Hyungtae; Kwon, Heesung; Marathe, Amar R.; Lawhern, Vernon; Nothwang, William

2016-05-01

Traditionally, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) have been explored as a means to return function to paralyzed or otherwise debilitated individuals. An emerging use for BCIs is in human-autonomy sensor fusion where physiological data from healthy subjects is combined with machine-generated information to enhance the capabilities of artificial systems. While human-autonomy fusion of physiological data and computer vision have been shown to improve classification during visual search tasks, to date these approaches have relied on separately trained classification models for each modality. We aim to improve human-autonomy classification performance by developing a single framework that builds codependent models of human electroencephalograph (EEG) and image data to generate fused target estimates. As a first step, we developed a novel convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture and applied it to EEG recordings of subjects classifying target and non-target image presentations during a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) image triage task. The low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of EEG inherently limits the accuracy of single-trial classification and when combined with the high dimensionality of EEG recordings, extremely large training sets are needed to prevent overfitting and achieve accurate classification from raw EEG data. This paper explores a new deep CNN architecture for generalized multi-class, single-trial EEG classification across subjects. We compare classification performance from the generalized CNN architecture trained across all subjects to the individualized XDAWN, HDCA, and CSP neural classifiers which are trained and tested on single subjects. Preliminary results show that our CNN meets and slightly exceeds the performance of the other classifiers despite being trained across subjects.

Efficacy of Visual-Acoustic Biofeedback Intervention for Residual Rhotic Errors: A Single-Subject Randomization Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byun, Tara McAllister

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study documented the efficacy of visual-acoustic biofeedback intervention for residual rhotic errors, relative to a comparison condition involving traditional articulatory treatment. All participants received both treatments in a single-subject experimental design featuring alternating treatments with blocked randomization of…

Identifying Evidence-Based Special Education Interventions from Single-Subject Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Jennifer; Sugai, George

2013-01-01

Special educators are required to use evidence-based academic and behavioral interventions in their classrooms (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). No rigorous and comprehensive database currently exists to support educators. Within the field of special education, single-subject research is the primary research methodology (Horner, Carr, Halle,…

The Utility of Single Subject Design Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Kyle D.

2016-01-01

Single subject design (SSD) research is a quantitative approach used to investigate basic and applied research questions. It has been used for decades to examine issues of social importance such as those related to general and special education strategies, therapeutic approaches in mental health, community health practices, safety, and business…

Single-Subject Experimental Design for Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byiers, Breanne J.; Reichle, Joe; Symons, Frank J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Single-subject experimental designs (SSEDs) represent an important tool in the development and implementation of evidence-based practice in communication sciences and disorders. The purpose of this article is to review the strategies and tactics of SSEDs and their application in speech-language pathology research. Method: The authors…

Effect Size Calculations and Single Subject Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olive, Melissa L.; Smith, Benjamin W.

2005-01-01

This study compared visual analyses with five alternative methods for assessing the magnitude of effect with single subject designs. Each method was successful in detecting intervention effect. When rank ordered, each method was consistent in identifying the participants with the largest effect. We recommend the use of the standard mean difference…

Parallel Treatments Design: A Nested Single Subject Design for Comparing Instructional Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gast, David L.; Wolery, Mark

1988-01-01

This paper describes the parallel treatments design, a nested single subject experimental design that combines two concurrently implemented multiple probe designs, allows control for effects of extraneous variables through counterbalancing, and replicates its effects across behaviors. Procedural guidelines for the design's use and issues related…

Microbleeds versus macrobleeds: evidence for distinct entities.

PubMed

Greenberg, Steven M; Nandigam, R N Kaveer; Delgado, Pilar; Betensky, Rebecca A; Rosand, Jonathan; Viswanathan, Anand; Frosch, Matthew P; Smith, Eric E

2009-07-01

Small, asymptomatic microbleeds commonly accompany larger symptomatic macrobleeds. It is unclear whether microbleeds and macrobleeds represent arbitrary categories within a single continuum versus truly distinct events with separate pathophysiologies. We performed 2 complementary retrospective analyses. In a radiographic analysis, we measured and plotted the volumes of all hemorrhagic lesions detected by gradient-echo MRI among 46 consecutive patients with symptomatic primary lobar intracerebral hemorrhage diagnosed as probable or possible cerebral amyloid angiopathy. In a second neuropathologic analysis, we performed blinded qualitative and quantitative examinations of amyloid-positive vessel segments in 6 autopsied subjects whose MRI scans demonstrated particularly high microbleed counts (>50 microbleeds on MRI, n=3) or low microbleed counts (<3 microbleeds, n=3). Plotted on a logarithmic scale, the volumes of 163 hemorrhagic lesions identified on scans from the 46 subjects fell in a distinctly bimodal distribution with mean volumes for the 2 modes of 0.009 cm(3) and 27.5 cm(3). The optimal cut point for separating the 2 peaks (determined by receiver operating characteristics) corresponded to a lesion diameter of 0.57 cm. On neuropathologic analysis, the high microbleed-count autopsied subjects showed significantly thicker amyloid-positive vessel walls than the low microbleed-count subjects (proportional wall thickness 0.53+/-0.01 versus 0.37+/-0.01; P<0.0001; n=333 vessel segments analyzed). These findings suggest that cerebral amyloid angiopathy-associated microbleeds and macrobleeds comprise distinct entities. Increased vessel wall thickness may predispose to formation of microbleeds relative to macrobleeds.

Microbleeds versus Macrobleeds: Evidence for Distinct Entities

PubMed Central

Greenberg, SM; Nandigam, RNK; Delgado, P; Betensky, RA; Rosand, J; Viswanathan, A; Frosch, MP; Smith, EE

2009-01-01

Background and Purpose Small, asymptomatic microbleeds commonly accompany larger symptomatic macrobleeds. It is unclear whether microbleeds and macrobleeds represent arbitrary categories within a single continuum versus truly distinct events with separate pathophysiologies. Methods We performed two complementary retrospective analyses. In a radiographic analysis, we measured and plotted the volumes of all hemorrhagic lesions detected by gradient-echo MRI among 46 consecutive patients with symptomatic primary lobar intracerebral hemorrhage diagnosed as probable or possible cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). In a second neuropathologic analysis, we performed blinded qualitative and quantitative examinations of amyloid-positive vessel segments in 6 autopsied subjects whose MRI scans demonstrated particularly high microbleed counts (>50 microbleeds on MRI, n=3) or low microbleed counts (<3 microbleeds, n=3). Results Plotted on a logarithmic scale, the volumes of 163 hemorrhagic lesions identified on scans from the 46 subjects fell in a distinctly bimodal distribution with mean volumes for the two modes of 0.009 cm3 and 27.5 cm3. The optimal cut-point for separating the two peaks (determined by receiver operating characteristics) corresponded to a lesion diameter of 0.57 cm. On neuropathologic analysis, the high microbleed-count autopsied subjects showed significantly thicker amyloid-positive vessel walls than the low microbleed-count subjects (proportional wall thickness 0.53±0.01 versus 0.37±0.01, p<.0001, n=333 vessel segments analyzed). Conclusions These findings suggest that CAA-associated microbleeds and macrobleeds comprise distinct entities. Increased vessel wall thickness may predispose to formation of microbleeds relative to macrobleeds. PMID:19443797

The impact of single and shared rooms on family-centred care in children's hospitals.

PubMed

Curtis, Penny; Northcott, Andy

2017-06-01

To explore whether and how spatial aspects of children's hospital wards (single and shared rooms) impact upon family-centred care. Family-centred care has been widely adopted in paediatric hospitals internationally. Recent hospital building programmes in many countries have prioritised the provision of single rooms over shared rooms. Limited attention has, however, been paid to the potential impact of spatial aspects of paediatric wards on family-centred care. Qualitative, ethnographic. Phase 1; observation within four wards of a specialist children's hospital. Phase 2; interviews with 17 children aged 5-16 years and 60 parents/carers. Sixty nursing and support staff also took part in interviews and focus group discussions. All data were subjected to thematic analysis. Two themes emerged from the data analysis: 'role expectations' and 'family-nurse interactions'. The latter theme comprised three subthemes: 'family support needs', 'monitoring children's well-being' and 'survey-assess-interact within spatial contexts'. Spatial configurations within hospital wards significantly impacted upon the relationships and interactions between children, parents and nurses, which played out differently in single and shared rooms. Increasing the provision of single rooms within wards is therefore likely to directly affect how family-centred care manifests in practice. Nurses need to be sensitive to the impact of spatial characteristics, and particularly of single and shared rooms, on families' experiences of children's hospital wards. Nurses' contribution to and experience of family-centred care can be expected to change significantly when spatial characteristics of wards change and, as is currently the vogue, hospitals maximise the provision of single rather than shared rooms. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Impacting Growth in Infants with Single Ventricle Physiology: A Report from Pediatric Heart Network Infant Single Ventricle Trial

PubMed Central

Williams, Richard V.; Zak, Victor; Ravishankar, Chitra; Altmann, Karen; Anderson, Jeffrey; Atz, Andrew M.; Dunbar-Masterson, Carolyn; Ghanayem, Nancy; Lambert, Linda; Lurito, Karen; Medoff-Cooper, Barbara; Margossian, Renee; Pemberton, Victoria L.; Russell, Jennifer; Stylianou, Mario; Hsu, Daphne

2011-01-01

Objectives To describe growth patterns in infants with single ventricle physiology and determine factors influencing growth. Study design Data from 230 subjects enrolled in the Pediatric Heart Network Infant Single Ventricle Enalapril Trial were used to assess factors influencing change in weight-for-age z-score (Δz) from study enrollment (0.7 ± 0.4 months) to pre-superior cavopulmonary connection (SCPC) (5.1 ± 1.8 months, period 1), and pre-SCPC to final study visit (14.1 ± 0.9 months, period 2). Predictor variables included patient characteristics, feeding regimen, clinical center, and medical factors during neonatal (period 1) and SCPC hospitalizations (period 2). Univariate regression analysis was performed, followed by backward stepwise regression and bootstrapping reliability to inform a final multivariable model. Results Weights were available for 197/230 subjects for period 1 and 173/197 for period 2. For period 1, greater gestational age, younger age at study enrollment, tube feeding at neonatal discharge, and clinical center were associated with a greater negative Δz (poorer growth) in multivariable modeling (adjusted R2 = 0.39, p < 0.001). For period 2, younger age at SCPC and greater daily caloric intake were associated with greater positive Δz (better growth) (R2 = 0.10, p = 0.002). Conclusions Aggressive nutritional support and earlier SCPC are modifiable factors associated with a favorable change in weight-for-age z-score. PMID:21784436

Single Versus Multiple Events Error Potential Detection in a BCI-Controlled Car Game With Continuous and Discrete Feedback.

PubMed

Kreilinger, Alex; Hiebel, Hannah; Müller-Putz, Gernot R

2016-03-01

This work aimed to find and evaluate a new method for detecting errors in continuous brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. Instead of classifying errors on a single-trial basis, the new method was based on multiple events (MEs) analysis to increase the accuracy of error detection. In a BCI-driven car game, based on motor imagery (MI), discrete events were triggered whenever subjects collided with coins and/or barriers. Coins counted as correct events, whereas barriers were errors. This new method, termed ME method, combined and averaged the classification results of single events (SEs) and determined the correctness of MI trials, which consisted of event sequences instead of SEs. The benefit of this method was evaluated in an offline simulation. In an online experiment, the new method was used to detect erroneous MI trials. Such MI trials were discarded and could be repeated by the users. We found that, even with low SE error potential (ErrP) detection rates, feasible accuracies can be achieved when combining MEs to distinguish erroneous from correct MI trials. Online, all subjects reached higher scores with error detection than without, at the cost of longer times needed for completing the game. Findings suggest that ErrP detection may become a reliable tool for monitoring continuous states in BCI applications when combining MEs. This paper demonstrates a novel technique for detecting errors in online continuous BCI applications, which yields promising results even with low single-trial detection rates.

Primary Cell Culture of Live Neurosurgically Resected Aged Adult Human Brain Cells and Single Cell Transcriptomics.

PubMed

Spaethling, Jennifer M; Na, Young-Ji; Lee, Jaehee; Ulyanova, Alexandra V; Baltuch, Gordon H; Bell, Thomas J; Brem, Steven; Chen, H Isaac; Dueck, Hannah; Fisher, Stephen A; Garcia, Marcela P; Khaladkar, Mugdha; Kung, David K; Lucas, Timothy H; O'Rourke, Donald M; Stefanik, Derek; Wang, Jinhui; Wolf, John A; Bartfai, Tamas; Grady, M Sean; Sul, Jai-Yoon; Kim, Junhyong; Eberwine, James H

2017-01-17

Investigation of human CNS disease and drug effects has been hampered by the lack of a system that enables single-cell analysis of live adult patient brain cells. We developed a culturing system, based on a papain-aided procedure, for resected adult human brain tissue removed during neurosurgery. We performed single-cell transcriptomics on over 300 cells, permitting identification of oligodendrocytes, microglia, neurons, endothelial cells, and astrocytes after 3 weeks in culture. Using deep sequencing, we detected over 12,000 expressed genes, including hundreds of cell-type-enriched mRNAs, lncRNAs and pri-miRNAs. We describe cell-type- and patient-specific transcriptional hierarchies. Single-cell transcriptomics on cultured live adult patient derived cells is a prime example of the promise of personalized precision medicine. Because these cells derive from subjects ranging in age into their sixties, this system permits human aging studies previously possible only in rodent systems. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical design of proteins studied by single-molecule force spectroscopy and protein engineering.

PubMed

Carrion-Vazquez, M; Oberhauser, A F; Fisher, T E; Marszalek, P E; Li, H; Fernandez, J M

2000-01-01

Mechanical unfolding and refolding may regulate the molecular elasticity of modular proteins with mechanical functions. The development of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) has recently enabled the dynamic measurement of these processes at the single-molecule level. Protein engineering techniques allow the construction of homomeric polyproteins for the precise analysis of the mechanical unfolding of single domains. alpha-Helical domains are mechanically compliant, whereas beta-sandwich domains, particularly those that resist unfolding with backbone hydrogen bonds between strands perpendicular to the applied force, are more stable and appear frequently in proteins subject to mechanical forces. The mechanical stability of a domain seems to be determined by its hydrogen bonding pattern and is correlated with its kinetic stability rather than its thermodynamic stability. Force spectroscopy using AFM promises to elucidate the dynamic mechanical properties of a wide variety of proteins at the single molecule level and provide an important complement to other structural and dynamic techniques (e.g., X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, patch-clamp).

Comparison of composite rotor blade models: A coupled-beam analysis and an MSC/NASTRAN finite-element model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodges, Robert V.; Nixon, Mark W.; Rehfield, Lawrence W.

1987-01-01

A methodology was developed for the structural analysis of composite rotor blades. This coupled-beam analysis is relatively simple to use compared with alternative analysis techniques. The beam analysis was developed for thin-wall single-cell rotor structures and includes the effects of elastic coupling. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the new composite-beam analysis method through comparison of its results with those of an established baseline analysis technique. The baseline analysis is an MSC/NASTRAN finite-element model built up from anisotropic shell elements. Deformations are compared for three linear static load cases of centrifugal force at design rotor speed, applied torque, and lift for an ideal rotor in hover. A D-spar designed to twist under axial loading is the subject of the analysis. Results indicate the coupled-beam analysis is well within engineering accuracy.

Association of Toll-like receptor 3 and Toll-like receptor 9 single-nucleotide polymorphisms with hepatitis C virus persistence among Egyptians.

PubMed

Hamdy, Shaimaa; Osman, Ahmed M; Zakaria, Zainab A; Galal, Iman; Sobhy, Maha; Hashem, Mohamed; Allam, Walaa R; Abdel-Samiee, Mohamed; Rewisha, Eman; Waked, Imam; Abdelwahab, Sayed F

2018-06-02

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) give the innate immune system a considerable specificity for a large range of pathogens. TLR3 detects dsRNA of viruses while TLR9 recognizes bacterial and viral unmethylated CpG motifs. This study examined whether there is a potential association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TLR3.rs3775290 (c.1377C/T), TLR9.rs5743836 (-1237T→C) and TLR9.rs352140 (G2848A) genes and HCV infection among Egyptian patients and healthcare workers (HCWs). We enrolled 546 subjects (409 HCWs and 137 patients) divided into four groups: group 1 included 265 seronegative, aviremic subjects; group 2 included 25 seronegative, viremic subjects; group 3 included 87 subjects with spontaneously resolved HCV infection; and group 4 included 169 chronic HCV patients. All subjects were genotyped for TLR3.rs3775290, TLR9.rs5743836 and TLR9.rs352140 SNPs by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. TLR3.rs3775290 "CC" genotype was associated with chronic HCV infection, where there was a significantly greater frequency of this genotype among chronic patients when compared to subjects with spontaneously resolved infection (63.9% vs. 51.9%; p = 0.033; OR = 1.639 and 95% CI = 0.94-2.84). However, this SNP did not correlate with the HCV RNA load among the chronic subjects (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in TLR9.rs5743836 and TLR9.rs352140 genotype distribution between groups (p > 0.05). Lack of association between the three SNPs was found, as the three SNPs are located on two different chromosomes. In conclusion, the TLR3.rs3775290 "CC" genotype was associated with HCV chronicity, while the TLR9 gene may not play a major role in HCV infection.

Optimizing Preprocessing and Analysis Pipelines for Single-Subject FMRI. I. Standard Temporal Motion and Physiological Noise Correction Methods

PubMed Central

Churchill, Nathan W.; Oder, Anita; Abdi, Hervé; Tam, Fred; Lee, Wayne; Thomas, Christopher; Ween, Jon E.; Graham, Simon J.; Strother, Stephen C.

2016-01-01

Subject-specific artifacts caused by head motion and physiological noise are major confounds in BOLD fMRI analyses. However, there is little consensus on the optimal choice of data preprocessing steps to minimize these effects. To evaluate the effects of various preprocessing strategies, we present a framework which comprises a combination of (1) nonparametric testing including reproducibility and prediction metrics of the data-driven NPAIRS framework (Strother et al. [2002]: NeuroImage 15:747–771), and (2) intersubject comparison of SPM effects, using DISTATIS (a three-way version of metric multidimensional scaling (Abdi et al. [2009]: NeuroImage 45:89–95). It is shown that the quality of brain activation maps may be significantly limited by sub-optimal choices of data preprocessing steps (or “pipeline”) in a clinical task-design, an fMRI adaptation of the widely used Trail-Making Test. The relative importance of motion correction, physiological noise correction, motion parameter regression, and temporal detrending were examined for fMRI data acquired in young, healthy adults. Analysis performance and the quality of activation maps were evaluated based on Penalized Discriminant Analysis (PDA). The relative importance of different preprocessing steps was assessed by (1) a nonparametric Friedman rank test for fixed sets of preprocessing steps, applied to all subjects; and (2) evaluating pipelines chosen specifically for each subject. Results demonstrate that preprocessing choices have significant, but subject-dependant effects, and that individually-optimized pipelines may significantly improve the reproducibility of fMRI results over fixed pipelines. This was demonstrated by the detection of a significant interaction with motion parameter regression and physiological noise correction, even though the range of subject head motion was small across the group (≪ 1 voxel). Optimizing pipelines on an individual-subject basis also revealed brain activation patterns either weak or absent under fixed pipelines, which has implications for the overall interpretation of fMRI data, and the relative importance of preprocessing methods. PMID:21455942

Modeling BAS Dysregulation in Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Hamaker, Ellen L; Grasman, Raoul P P P; Kamphuis, Jan Henk

2016-08-01

Time series analysis is a technique that can be used to analyze the data from a single subject and has great potential to investigate clinically relevant processes like affect regulation. This article uses time series models to investigate the assumed dysregulation of affect that is associated with bipolar disorder. By formulating a number of alternative models that capture different kinds of theoretically predicted dysregulation, and by comparing these in both bipolar patients and controls, we aim to illustrate the heuristic potential this method of analysis has for clinical psychology. We argue that, not only can time series analysis elucidate specific maladaptive dynamics associated with psychopathology, it may also be clinically applied in symptom monitoring and the evaluation of therapeutic interventions.

Self-digitization chip for single-cell genotyping of cancer-related mutations

PubMed Central

Monroe, Luke D.; Kreutz, Jason E.; Schneider, Thomas; Fujimoto, Bryant S.; Chiu, Daniel T.; Radich, Jerald P.; Paguirigan, Amy L.

2018-01-01

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and patient-level genetic assessments can guide therapy choice and impact prognosis. However, little is known about the impact of genetic variability within a tumor, intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH), on disease progression or outcome. Current approaches using bulk tumor specimens can suggest the presence of ITH, but only single-cell genetic methods have the resolution to describe the underlying clonal structures themselves. Current techniques tend to be labor and resource intensive and challenging to characterize with respect to sources of biological and technical variability. We have developed a platform using a microfluidic self-digitization chip to partition cells in stationary volumes for cell imaging and allele-specific PCR. Genotyping data from only confirmed single-cell volumes is obtained and subject to a variety of relevant quality control assessments such as allele dropout, false positive, and false negative rates. We demonstrate single-cell genotyping of the NPM1 type A mutation, an important prognostic indicator in acute myeloid leukemia, on single cells of the cell line OCI-AML3, describing a more complex zygosity distribution than would be predicted via bulk analysis. PMID:29718986

Sequence-specific "gene signatures" can be obtained by PCR with single specific primers at low stringency.

PubMed Central

Pena, S D; Barreto, G; Vago, A R; De Marco, L; Reinach, F C; Dias Neto, E; Simpson, A J

1994-01-01

Low-stringency single specific primer PCR (LSSP-PCR) is an extremely simple PCR-based technique that detects single or multiple mutations in gene-sized DNA fragments. A purified DNA fragment is subjected to PCR using high concentrations of a single specific oligonucleotide primer, large amounts of Taq polymerase, and a very low annealing temperature. Under these conditions the primer hybridizes specifically to its complementary region and nonspecifically to multiple sites within the fragment, in a sequence-dependent manner, producing a heterogeneous set of reaction products resolvable by electrophoresis. The complex banding pattern obtained is significantly altered by even a single-base change and thus constitutes a unique "gene signature." Therefore LSSP-PCR will have almost unlimited application in all fields of genetics and molecular medicine where rapid and sensitive detection of mutations and sequence variations is important. The usefulness of LSSP-PCR is illustrated by applications in the study of mutants of smooth muscle myosin light chain, analysis of a family with X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and identity testing using human mitochondrial DNA. Images PMID:8127912

Self-digitization chip for single-cell genotyping of cancer-related mutations.

PubMed

Thompson, Alison M; Smith, Jordan L; Monroe, Luke D; Kreutz, Jason E; Schneider, Thomas; Fujimoto, Bryant S; Chiu, Daniel T; Radich, Jerald P; Paguirigan, Amy L

2018-01-01

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and patient-level genetic assessments can guide therapy choice and impact prognosis. However, little is known about the impact of genetic variability within a tumor, intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH), on disease progression or outcome. Current approaches using bulk tumor specimens can suggest the presence of ITH, but only single-cell genetic methods have the resolution to describe the underlying clonal structures themselves. Current techniques tend to be labor and resource intensive and challenging to characterize with respect to sources of biological and technical variability. We have developed a platform using a microfluidic self-digitization chip to partition cells in stationary volumes for cell imaging and allele-specific PCR. Genotyping data from only confirmed single-cell volumes is obtained and subject to a variety of relevant quality control assessments such as allele dropout, false positive, and false negative rates. We demonstrate single-cell genotyping of the NPM1 type A mutation, an important prognostic indicator in acute myeloid leukemia, on single cells of the cell line OCI-AML3, describing a more complex zygosity distribution than would be predicted via bulk analysis.

Simulator study of the effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot tracking performance with an audio side task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, D. R.; Miller, G. K., Jr.

1978-01-01

The effect of time delay was determined in the visual and motion cues in a flight simulator on pilot performance in tracking a target aircraft that was oscillating sinusoidally in altitude only. An audio side task was used to assure the subject was fully occupied at all times. The results indicate that, within the test grid employed, about the same acceptable time delay (250 msec) was obtained for a single aircraft (fighter type) by each of two subjects for both fixed-base and motion-base conditions. Acceptable time delay is defined as the largest amount of delay that can be inserted simultaneously into the visual and motion cues before performance degradation occurs. A statistical analysis of the data was made to establish this value of time delay. Audio side task provided quantitative data that documented the subject's work level.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of orbital atherectomy plus balloon angioplasty vs balloon angioplasty alone in subjects with calcified femoropopliteal lesions

PubMed Central

Weinstock, Barry; Dattilo, Raymond; Diage, Tiffini

2014-01-01

Introduction As cost considerations become increasingly critical when selecting optimal endovascular treatment strategies, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted comparing the Diamondback 360°® Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., St Paul, MN, USA) and balloon angioplasty (BA) vs BA alone for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions. Patients and methods The clinical outcomes from COMPLIANCE 360°, a prospective, multicenter, randomized study comparing OAS+BA vs BA alone for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions, were correlated with cost data and previously published quality of life data. Site of service, hospital charges, and associated medical resource utilization were obtained from Uniform Billing statements for index treatments and associated revascularizations out to 1 year. Hospital costs were estimated using hospital-specific, procedure-specific cost-to-charge ratios. Length of stay and procedural data were collected from participating study sites. Results Twenty-five subjects with 38 lesions and 25 subjects with 27 lesions were randomized to the OAS+BA and BA-alone groups, respectively. Mean hospital charges (US$51,755 vs US$39,922) and estimated hospital costs (US$15,100 vs US$11,016) were higher for OAS+BA compared with BA alone (not statistically significant). Stent utilization was statistically significantly higher with BA-alone treatment for all subjects (1.1 vs 0.1, P=0.001) and in the subset of subjects with one lesion (1.0 vs 0.1, P<0.00001). There was a significant difference in cost for single-lesion versus multiple-lesion treatment. Using costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for the single-lesion cohort, the 1-year incremental cost of OAS+BA vs BA alone was US$549, and incremental QALY was 0.16. This results in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US$3,441, well below the US$50,000 threshold. Conclusion One-year index procedure cost and cost-effectiveness were comparable for OAS+BA vs BA alone. This study provides compelling cost-effectiveness data for using atherectomy for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions, a longstanding challenge for peripheral artery disease interventionalists. PMID:24672251

Cost-effectiveness analysis of orbital atherectomy plus balloon angioplasty vs balloon angioplasty alone in subjects with calcified femoropopliteal lesions.

PubMed

Weinstock, Barry; Dattilo, Raymond; Diage, Tiffini

2014-01-01

As cost considerations become increasingly critical when selecting optimal endovascular treatment strategies, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted comparing the Diamondback 360°® Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., St Paul, MN, USA) and balloon angioplasty (BA) vs BA alone for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions. The clinical outcomes from COMPLIANCE 360°, a prospective, multicenter, randomized study comparing OAS+BA vs BA alone for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions, were correlated with cost data and previously published quality of life data. Site of service, hospital charges, and associated medical resource utilization were obtained from Uniform Billing statements for index treatments and associated revascularizations out to 1 year. Hospital costs were estimated using hospital-specific, procedure-specific cost-to-charge ratios. Length of stay and procedural data were collected from participating study sites. Twenty-five subjects with 38 lesions and 25 subjects with 27 lesions were randomized to the OAS+BA and BA-alone groups, respectively. Mean hospital charges (US$51,755 vs US$39,922) and estimated hospital costs (US$15,100 vs US$11,016) were higher for OAS+BA compared with BA alone (not statistically significant). Stent utilization was statistically significantly higher with BA-alone treatment for all subjects (1.1 vs 0.1, P=0.001) and in the subset of subjects with one lesion (1.0 vs 0.1, P<0.00001). There was a significant difference in cost for single-lesion versus multiple-lesion treatment. Using costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for the single-lesion cohort, the 1-year incremental cost of OAS+BA vs BA alone was US$549, and incremental QALY was 0.16. This results in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US$3,441, well below the US$50,000 threshold. One-year index procedure cost and cost-effectiveness were comparable for OAS+BA vs BA alone. This study provides compelling cost-effectiveness data for using atherectomy for treatment of calcified femoropopliteal lesions, a longstanding challenge for peripheral artery disease interventionalists.

A randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess effects of the single ingestion of a tablet containing lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, and glucose oxidase on oral malodor.

PubMed

Nakano, Manabu; Shimizu, Eiju; Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki; Yamauchi, Koji; Abe, Fumiaki

2016-03-22

The main components of oral malodor have been identified as volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) including hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH). VSCs also play an important role in the progression of periodontal disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the single ingestion of a tablet containing 20 mg of lactoferrin, 2.6 mg of lactoperoxidase, and 2.6 mg of glucose oxidase on VSCs in the mouth. Subjects with VSCs greater than the olfactory threshold in their mouth air ingested a test or placebo tablet in two crossover phases. The concentrations of VSCs were monitored at baseline and 10 and 30 min after ingestion of the tablets using portable gas chromatography. Thirty-nine subjects were included in the efficacy analysis based on a full analysis set (FAS). The concentrations of total VSCs and H2S at 10 min were significantly lower in the test group than in the placebo group (-0.246 log ng/10 ml [95 % CI -0.395 to -0.098], P = 0.002; -0.349 log ng/10 ml; 95 % CI -0.506 to -0.192; P < 0.001, respectively). In the subgroup analysis, a significant difference in the concentration of total VSCs between the groups was also observed when subjects were fractionated by sex (male or female) and age (20-55 or 56-65 years). The reducing effect on total VSCs positively correlated with the probing pocket depth (P = 0.035). These results suggest that the ingestion of a tablet containing lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, and glucose oxidase has suppressive effects on oral malodor. This trial was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (number: UMIN000015140 , date of registration: 16/09/2014).

Meta-analysis of real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies using individual participant data: How is brain regulation mediated?

PubMed

Emmert, Kirsten; Kopel, Rotem; Sulzer, James; Brühl, Annette B; Berman, Brian D; Linden, David E J; Horovitz, Silvina G; Breimhorst, Markus; Caria, Andrea; Frank, Sabine; Johnston, Stephen; Long, Zhiying; Paret, Christian; Robineau, Fabien; Veit, Ralf; Bartsch, Andreas; Beckmann, Christian F; Van De Ville, Dimitri; Haller, Sven

2016-01-01

An increasing number of studies using real-time fMRI neurofeedback have demonstrated that successful regulation of neural activity is possible in various brain regions. Since these studies focused on the regulated region(s), little is known about the target-independent mechanisms associated with neurofeedback-guided control of brain activation, i.e. the regulating network. While the specificity of the activation during self-regulation is an important factor, no study has effectively determined the network involved in self-regulation in general. In an effort to detect regions that are responsible for the act of brain regulation, we performed a post-hoc analysis of data involving different target regions based on studies from different research groups. We included twelve suitable studies that examined nine different target regions amounting to a total of 175 subjects and 899 neurofeedback runs. Data analysis included a standard first- (single subject, extracting main paradigm) and second-level (single subject, all runs) general linear model (GLM) analysis of all participants taking into account the individual timing. Subsequently, at the third level, a random effects model GLM included all subjects of all studies, resulting in an overall mixed effects model. Since four of the twelve studies had a reduced field of view (FoV), we repeated the same analysis in a subsample of eight studies that had a well-overlapping FoV to obtain a more global picture of self-regulation. The GLM analysis revealed that the anterior insula as well as the basal ganglia, notably the striatum, were consistently active during the regulation of brain activation across the studies. The anterior insula has been implicated in interoceptive awareness of the body and cognitive control. Basal ganglia are involved in procedural learning, visuomotor integration and other higher cognitive processes including motivation. The larger FoV analysis yielded additional activations in the anterior cingulate cortex, the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, the temporo-parietal area and the visual association areas including the temporo-occipital junction. In conclusion, we demonstrate that several key regions, such as the anterior insula and the basal ganglia, are consistently activated during self-regulation in real-time fMRI neurofeedback independent of the targeted region-of-interest. Our results imply that if the real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies target regions of this regulation network, such as the anterior insula, care should be given whether activation changes are related to successful regulation, or related to the regulation process per se. Furthermore, future research is needed to determine how activation within this regulation network is related to neurofeedback success. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relative safety of pooled whole blood-derived versus single-donor (apheresis) platelets in the United States: a systematic review of disparate risks.

PubMed

Vamvakas, Eleftherios C

2009-12-01

Risks of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), transfusion-associated sepsis (TAS), and transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) were compared between pooled whole blood-derived (PWBD) and single-donor platelets (PLTs) transfused in the United States. The literature was searched for estimates of the risk of TTIs and TAS and of the effect on bacterial contamination of PLTs of process improvements, bacterial culture, and surrogate methods to detect bacteria. Seven studies published between January 2005 and December 2008 and comparing bacterial contamination frequency between PWBD and single-donor PLTs after implementing bacterial culture testing of both components were subjected to meta-analysis. The three retrieved studies diagnosing TRALI based on the 2004 consensus definition in settings transfusing both PWBD and single-donor PLTs were not amenable to meta-analysis and were assessed qualitatively. Under a best-case scenario, if 100% (from the current 12.5%) of PLT doses were provided as PWBD PLTs, the number of additional transmissions of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, bacteria, or a novel pathogen annually could be 1.2, 1.3, 9.0, 105.3, or 69.2 to 252.6, respectively. Compared with single-donor PLTs, US PLT pools of five concentrates have a 5.6-fold higher risk of bacterial contamination (summary odds ratio, 5.58; 95% confidence interval, 2.60-11.98; p < 0.05). The three studies that diagnosed TRALI based on the consensus definition did not demonstrate a difference in risk between PWBD and single-donor PLTs. TTIs and TAS determine the relative safety of PWBD versus single-donor PLTs. The available limited data do not support a higher risk of TRALI from single-donor (compared with PWBD) PLTs.

Quantifying gait patterns in Parkinson's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero, Mónica; Atehortúa, Angélica; Romero, Eduardo

2017-11-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is constituted by a set of motor symptoms, namely tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, which are usually described but not quantified. This work proposes an objective characterization of PD gait patterns by approximating the single stance phase a single grounded pendulum. This model estimates the force generated by the gait during the single support from gait data. This force describes the motion pattern for different stages of the disease. The model was validated using recorded videos of 8 young control subjects, 10 old control subjects and 10 subjects with Parkinson's disease in different stages. The estimated force showed differences among stages of Parkinson disease, observing a decrease of the estimated force for the advanced stages of this illness.

The NASA earth resources spectral information system: A data compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leeman, V.; Earing, D.; Vincent, R. K.; Ladd, S.

1971-01-01

The NASA Earth Resources Spectral Information System and the information contained therein are described. It contains an ordered, indexed compilation of natural targets in the optical region from 0.3 to 45.0 microns. The data compilation includes approximately 100 rock and mineral, 2600 vegetation, 1000 soil, and 60 water spectral reflectance, transmittance, and emittance curves. Most of the data have been categorized by subject, and the curves in those subject areas have been plotted on a single graph. Those categories with too few curves and miscellaneous categories have been plotted as single-curve graphs. Each graph, composite of single, is fully titled to indicate curve source and is indexed by subject to facilitate user retrieval.

Concurrent Improvement in Both Binge Eating and Depressive Symptoms with Naltrexone/Bupropion Therapy in Overweight or Obese Subjects with Major Depressive Disorder in an Open-Label, Uncontrolled Study.

PubMed

Guerdjikova, Anna I; Walsh, Brandon; Shan, Kevin; Halseth, Amy E; Dunayevich, Eduardo; McElroy, Susan L

2017-10-01

Binge eating disorder (BED) is associated with obesity and major depressive disorder (MDD). Naltrexone extended-release (ER)/bupropion ER (NB) is approved as an adjunct to diet and physical activity for chronic weight management. In a prospectively designed 24-week open-label, single-arm, single-site trial of 25 women with MDD and overweight/obesity, NB reduced weight and depressive symptoms. This post hoc analysis investigated the relationship between change in self-reported binge eating behavior (evaluated with the Binge Eating Scale [BES]) and changes in weight, control of eating, and depressive symptoms. At baseline, 91% of subjects had moderate or severe BES scores, suggesting BED. BES scores were significantly improved from week 4, and by week 24, 83% reported "little or no problem." Improvement in BES scores correlated with improvement in depressive symptoms and control of eating. NB may be effective in reducing binge eating symptoms associated with MDD and overweight/obesity. Evaluation of NB in BED appears warranted. Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.

Association study between single nucleotide polymorphisms in promoter region of AVPR1A and Korean autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Yang, So Young; Cho, Soo-Churl; Yoo, Hee Jeong; Cho, In Hee; Park, Mira; Kim, Boong-Nyun; Kim, Jae-Won; Shin, Min-Sup; Park, Tae-Won; Son, Jung-Woo; Chung, Un-Sun; Kim, Hyo-Won; Yang, Young-Hui; Kang, Je-Ouk; Kim, Soon Ae

2010-08-02

To determine the association between arginine vasopressin receptor 1A gene (AVPR1A) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), we examined 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely, rs7294536, rs3759292, and rs10877969, in the promoter region of AVPR1A by using a family-based association test (FBAT) in 151 Korean trios. Our results demonstrated a statistically significant association between autism and SNPs (additive model: rs7294536, chi(2)=9.328, df=2, P=0.002; rs10877969, chi(2)=11.529, df=2, P<0.001) as well as between autism and haplotype analysis (additive model: chi(2)=14.122, df=3, P=0.003). In addition, we found that ADI-R scores calculated by using a diagnostic algorithm for failure to develop peer relationships (A2) were higher in subjects having the AA genotype than in subjects having the AG and GG genotypes of rs7294536. Thus, our study provides evidence for a possible association between these SNPs and the phenotype of ASDs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bayesian model reduction and empirical Bayes for group (DCM) studies.

PubMed

Friston, Karl J; Litvak, Vladimir; Oswal, Ashwini; Razi, Adeel; Stephan, Klaas E; van Wijk, Bernadette C M; Ziegler, Gabriel; Zeidman, Peter

2016-03-01

This technical note describes some Bayesian procedures for the analysis of group studies that use nonlinear models at the first (within-subject) level - e.g., dynamic causal models - and linear models at subsequent (between-subject) levels. Its focus is on using Bayesian model reduction to finesse the inversion of multiple models of a single dataset or a single (hierarchical or empirical Bayes) model of multiple datasets. These applications of Bayesian model reduction allow one to consider parametric random effects and make inferences about group effects very efficiently (in a few seconds). We provide the relatively straightforward theoretical background to these procedures and illustrate their application using a worked example. This example uses a simulated mismatch negativity study of schizophrenia. We illustrate the robustness of Bayesian model reduction to violations of the (commonly used) Laplace assumption in dynamic causal modelling and show how its recursive application can facilitate both classical and Bayesian inference about group differences. Finally, we consider the application of these empirical Bayesian procedures to classification and prediction. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-cell analysis of lymphokine imbalance in asymptomatic HIV-1 infection: evidence for a major alteration within the CD8+ T cell subset

PubMed Central

Sousa, A E; Victorino, R M M

1998-01-01

In this study we investigated at single-cell level by flow cytometry the potential of T cell cytokine production in asymptomatic HIV-1-infected subjects with > 200 CD4 counts and possible correlation with T helper cell depletion and viral load. Mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 32 HIV-1+ patients and 16 healthy subjects were intracytoplasmically stained for IL-2, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IL-4 or IL-10, and the frequency of cytokine-producing cells was assessed in total T cells, CD4, CD8 and CD45RO subsets as well as in CD69+CD3+ gated lymphocytes. HIV-1+ patients, irrespective of their degree of CD4 depletion, exhibited a major increase in IFN-γ+ CD8 T cells, largely due to CD28− cells, as well as a decrease in the capacity of CD8 T cells to produce IL-2. Patients with > 500 CD4 counts showed a diminished frequency of IL-4 expression in CD4 T cells and a negative correlation was found between this parameter and the ex vivo CD4 counts in the 32 patients. Analysis of patients stratified according to viral load revealed a significantly higher proportion of IL-2-producing CD4 cells in the group with < 5000 RNA copies/ml. In short, using single-cell analysis and an antigen-presenting cell-independent stimulus, we have not been able to find any significant cytokine imbalances in the CD4 subset, suggesting that the well described T helper defects are not due to intrinsic alterations in the potential of CD4 T cells to produce cytokines. On the other hand, the major disturbances in the CD8 T lymphocytes agree with the marked activation and possible replicative senescence of CD8 T cells and emphasize the role of this subset in HIV immunopathogenesis. PMID:9649194

Regional distribution of ventilation assessed by Kr-81m scintigraphy employing temporal Fourier transform

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

Slosman, D.; Susskind, H.; Cinotti, L.

1986-01-01

Temporal Fourier analysis was applied to Kr-81m ventilation scintigraphy to determine the amplitude (AMP1) and phase (PHA1) of the first harmonic of a single composite respiratory cycle and to compare regional patterns in subjects with obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and nonobstructed subjects. Six nonobstructed subjects, three subjects with small airway disease, six subjects with COPD, and one subject with restrictive disease were investigated. The mean value of the functional PHA1 image (PHA1m) correlated negatively with 1-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) (r = -0.801, P less than .001), with %FEV1/FVC (r = -0.636, P less than .01) and maximum midexpiratory flowmore » rate (FEF25-75%) (r = -0.723, P less than .002), and correlated positively with residual volume (r = 0.640, P less than .01). PHA1m values for the six subjects with COPD were significantly higher (t = 2.359, P less than .05) than for the ten nonobstructed subjects. Display of phase and amplitude functional images permits a visual evaluation of the regional distribution of ventilation to be made. Regional abnormalities of air flow were detected in obstructed subjects, and the presence of airway obstruction could be predicted. Dynamic ventilation imaging, therefore, appears to be a potentially useful noninvasive technique to assess lung impairment on a localized level.« less

Evaluation of several secondary tasks in the determination of permissible time delays in simulator visual and motion cues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, G. K., Jr.; Riley, D. R.

1978-01-01

The effect of secondary tasks in determining permissible time delays in visual-motion simulation of a pursuit tracking task was examined. A single subject, a single set of aircraft handling qualities, and a single motion condition in tracking a target aircraft that oscillates sinusoidally in altitude were used. In addition to the basic simulator delays the results indicate that the permissible time delay is about 250 msec for either a tapping task, an adding task, or an audio task and is approximately 125 msec less than when no secondary task is involved. The magnitudes of the primary task performance measures, however, differ only for the tapping task. A power spectraldensity analysis basically confirms the result by comparing the root-mean-square performance measures. For all three secondary tasks, the total pilot workload was quite high.

Whole Genome Amplification of Labeled Viable Single Cells Suited for Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization.

PubMed

Kroneis, Thomas; El-Heliebi, Amin

2015-01-01

Understanding details of a complex biological system makes it necessary to dismantle it down to its components. Immunostaining techniques allow identification of several distinct cell types thereby giving an inside view of intercellular heterogeneity. Often staining reveals that the most remarkable cells are the rarest. To further characterize the target cells on a molecular level, single cell techniques are necessary. Here, we describe the immunostaining, micromanipulation, and whole genome amplification of single cells for the purpose of genomic characterization. First, we exemplify the preparation of cell suspensions from cultured cells as well as the isolation of peripheral mononucleated cells from blood. The target cell population is then subjected to immunostaining. After cytocentrifugation target cells are isolated by micromanipulation and forwarded to whole genome amplification. For whole genome amplification, we use GenomePlex(®) technology allowing downstream genomic analysis such as array-comparative genomic hybridization.

Lumbopelvic control and pitching performance of professional baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Chaudhari, Ajit M W; McKenzie, Christopher S; Borchers, James R; Best, Thomas M

2011-08-01

This study assessed the correlation between lumbopelvic control during a single-leg balancing task and in-game pitching performance in Minor-League baseball pitchers. Seventy-five healthy professional baseball pitchers performed a standing lumbopelvic control test during the last week of spring training for the 2008 and 2009 seasons while wearing a custom-designed testing apparatus, the "Level Belt." With the Level Belt secured to the waist, subjects attempted to transition from a 2-leg to a single-leg pitching stance and balance while maintaining a stable pelvic position. Subjects were graded on the maximum sagittal pelvic tilt from a neutral position during the motion. Pitching performance, number of innings pitched (IP), and injuries were compared for all subjects who pitched at least 50 innings during a season. The median Level Belt score for the study group was 7°. Two-sample t-tests with equal variances were used to determine if pitchers with a Level Belt score <7° or ≥7° were more likely to perform differently during the baseball season, and chi-square analysis was used to compare injuries between groups. Subjects scoring <7° on the Level Belt test had significantly fewer walks plus hits per inning than subjects scoring ≥7° (walks plus hits per inning pitched, 1.352 ± 0.251 vs. 1.584 ± 0.360, p = 0.013) and significantly more IP during the season (IP, 78.89 ± 38.67 vs. 53.38 ± 42.47, p = 0.043). There was no significant difference in the number of pitchers injured between groups. These data suggest that lumbopelvic control influences overall performance for baseball pitchers and that a simple test of lumbopelvic control can potentially identify individuals who have a better chance of pitching success.

Intracortical excitability in patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Conte, A; Lenzi, D; Frasca, V; Gilio, F; Giacomelli, E; Gabriele, M; Bettolo, C Marini; Iacovelli, E; Pantano, P; Pozzilli, C; Inghilleri, M

2009-06-01

We designed this study to investigate possible correlations between variables measuring primary motor cortex excitability detected by single and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and the severity of clinical manifestations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Thirty patients with MS in remission, 16 with relapsing-remitting (RR), 14 with secondary progressive disease (SP) and 17 healthy subjects participated in the study. In each subject, the central motor conduction time (CMCT) was calculated, and single-pulse and paired-pulse TMS at 3 and 10 ms interstimulus intervals was delivered over the primary motor cortex of the dominant hemisphere to measure the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), motor threshold (MTh), intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF). Correlations were determined between the patients' TMS findings and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (lesion load) and clinical features (expanded disability status scale, EDSS score). EDSS scores were significantly higher in SPMS than in RRMS patients. The MTh was significantly higher, and the MEP was significantly smaller in SPMS patients than in RRMS patients and control subjects. All patients had longer CMCTs than healthy subjects. In all patients, paired-pulse TMS elicited an inhibited test MEP at the 3-ms ISI and a facilitated test MEP at the 10 ms ISI. Post hoc analysis showed that ICI was significantly lower in SPMS patients than in those with RRMS and healthy subjects. EDSS scores correlated significantly with TMS measures (MEP, ICI, CMCT and MTh), but not with MRI lesion load. It was found that intracortical excitability as measured with TMS differs according to the clinical course of MS; it remains normal in patients with low EDSS scores and is altered in patients with high EDSS scores.

A Lactotransferrin Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Demonstrates Biological Activity That Can Reduce Susceptibility to Caries

PubMed Central

Toruner, Gokce A.; Velliyagounder, Kabilan; Sampathkumar, Vandana; Godboley, Dipti; Furgang, David

2013-01-01

Streptococcus mutans is prominently linked to dental caries. Saliva's influence on caries is incompletely understood. Our goal was to identify a salivary protein with anti-S. mutans activity, characterize its genotype, and determine genotypic variants associated with S. mutans activity and reduced caries. An S. mutans affinity column was used to isolate active moieties from saliva obtained from a subject with minimal caries. The bound and eluted protein was identified as lactotransferrin (LTF) by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis and confirmed by Western blotting with LTF antibody. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that produced a shift from arginine (R) to lysine (K) at amino acid position 47 in the LTF antimicrobial region (rs: 1126478) killed S. mutans in vitro. Saliva from a subject with moderate caries and with the LTF “wild-type” R form at position 47 had no such activity. A pilot genetic study (n = 30) showed that KK subjects were more likely to have anti-S. mutans activity than RR subjects (P = 0.001; relative risk = 3.6; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.5 to 11.13). Pretreatment of KK saliva with antibody to LTF reduced S. mutans killing in a dose-dependent manner (P = 0.02). KK subjects were less likely to have caries (P = 0.02). A synthetic 11-mer LTF/K peptide killed S. mutans and other caries-related bacteria, while the LTF/R peptide had no effect (P = 0.01). Our results provide functional evidence that the LTF/K variant results in both anti-S. mutans activity and reduced decay. We suggest that the LTF/K variant can influence oral microbial ecology in general and caries-provoking microbes specifically. PMID:23460521

Public awareness of warning symptoms, risk factors, and treatment of stroke in northwest India.

PubMed

Pandian, Jeyaraj D; Jaison, Ashish; Deepak, Sukhbinder S; Kalra, Guneet; Shamsher, Shivali; Lincoln, Douglas J; Abraham, George

2005-03-01

This study assessed public awareness of warning symptoms, risk factors, and treatment of stroke in Ludhiana, Punjab, North West India. A hospital-based survey was conducted between February 2002 and September 2002 by the Stroke section of Christian Medical College. The study subjects were relatives of patients without history of stroke, attending the outpatient department of the hospital. Trained medical students, interns, and a nurse interviewed subjects using a structured, pretested, open-ended questionnaire. Nine hundred forty-two individuals were interviewed during the study period (56.4% men, mean age 40.1 years, age range 15 to 80 years). Forty-five percent of the subjects did not recognize the brain as the affected organ in stroke. In the multivariate analysis, higher education (P<0.001; odds ratio 2.6; 95%, CI 1.8 to 3.8) and upper socioeconomic status (P<0.005; odds ratio 1.6; CI, 1.1 to 2.2) correlated with a better knowledge of which organ was affected in stroke. Twenty-three percent of the participants did not know a single warning symptom of stroke. Twenty-one percent of the subjects could not identify even a single risk factor for stroke. Seven percent of the study population believed that oil massage would improve stroke victims. A small proportion of subjects believed in witchcraft, faith healing, homeopathic, and ayurvedic treatment (3%). This hospital-based survey reveals a better awareness of stroke warning signs and risk factors. However, knowledge regarding the organ involved, etiology, and treatment of stroke is lacking. Considerable education is needed to increase public awareness in modern concepts of stroke treatment.

Drug resistance in B and non-B subtypes amongst subjects recently diagnosed as primary/recent or chronic HIV-infected over the period 2013-2016: Impact on susceptibility to first-line strategies including integrase strand-transfer inhibitors.

PubMed

Andreis, Samantha; Basso, Monica; Scaggiante, Renzo; Cruciani, Mario; Ferretto, Roberto; Manfrin, Vinicio; Panese, Sandro; Rossi, Maria Cristina; Francavilla, Ermenegildo; Boldrin, Caterina; Alvarez, Mario; Dal Bello, Federico; Mengoli, Carlo; Turriziani, Ombretta; Sarmati, Loredana; Antonelli, Guido; Andreoni, Massimo; Palù, Giorgio; Parisi, Saverio Giuseppe

2017-09-01

To characterize the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRMs) by plasma analysis of 750 patients at the time of HIV diagnosis from January 1, 2013 to November 16, 2016 in the Veneto region (Italy), where all drugs included in the recommended first line therapies were prescribed, included integrase strand transfer inhibitors (InNSTI). TDRMs were defined according to the Stanford HIV database algorithm. Subtype B was the most prevalent HIV clade (67.3%). A total of 92 patients (12.3%) were expected to be resistant to one drug at least, most with a single class mutation (60/68-88.2% in subtype B infected subjectsand 23/24-95.8% in non-B subjects) and affecting mainly NNRTIs. No significant differences were observed between the prevalence rates of TDRMs involving one or more drugs, except for the presence of E138A quite only in patients with B subtype and other NNRTI in subjects with non-B infection. The diagnosis of primary/recent infection was made in 73 patients (9.7%): they had almost only TDRMs involving a single class. Resistance to InSTI was studied in 484 subjects (53 with primary-recent infection), one patient had 143C in 2016, a total of thirteen 157Q mutations were detected (only one in primary/recent infection). Only one major InSTI-TDRM was identified but monitoring of TDRMs should continue in the light of continuing presence of NNRTI-related mutation amongst newly diagnosed subjects, sometime impacting also to modern NNRTI drugs recommended in first-line therapy. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vaccination response to tetanus toxoid and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccines following administration of a single dose of abatacept: a randomized, open-label, parallel group study in healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Tay, Lee; Leon, Francisco; Vratsanos, George; Raymond, Ralph; Corbo, Michael

2007-01-01

The effect of abatacept, a selective T-cell co-stimulation modulator, on vaccination has not been previously investigated. In this open-label, single-dose, randomized, parallel-group, controlled study, the effect of a single 750 mg infusion of abatacept on the antibody response to the intramuscular tetanus toxoid vaccine (primarily a memory response to a T-cell-dependent peptide antigen) and the intramuscular 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine (a less T-cell-dependent response to a polysaccharide antigen) was measured in 80 normal healthy volunteers. Subjects were uniformly randomized to receive one of four treatments: Group A (control group), subjects received vaccines on day 1 only; Group B, subjects received vaccines 2 weeks before abatacept; Group C, subjects received vaccines 2 weeks after abatacept; and Group D, subjects received vaccines 8 weeks after abatacept. Anti-tetanus and anti-pneumococcal (Danish serotypes 2, 6B, 8, 9V, 14, 19F and 23F) antibody titers were measured 14 and 28 days after vaccination. While there were no statistically significant differences between the dosing groups, geometric mean titers following tetanus or pneumococcal vaccination were generally lower in subjects who were vaccinated 2 weeks after receiving abatacept, compared with control subjects. A positive response (defined as a twofold increase in antibody titer from baseline) to tetanus vaccination at 28 days was seen, however, in ≥ 60% of subjects across all treatment groups versus 75% of control subjects. Similarly, over 70% of abatacept-treated subjects versus all control subjects (100%) responded to at least three pneumococcal serotypes, and approximately 25–30% of abatacept-treated subjects versus 45% of control subjects responded to at least six serotypes. PMID:17425783

The Lack of Effect of Food on the Pharmacokinetics of ZX008 (Fenfluramine Oral Solution): Results of a Single-dose, Two-period Crossover Study.

PubMed

Gammaitoni, Arnold; Smith, Steven; Boyd, Brooks

2018-06-22

Fenfluramine is being developed as a low-dose adjunctive treatment for seizures in patients with Dravet syndrome and other epileptic encephalopathies, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Most patients with Dravet syndrome receive multiple antiepileptic drugs, making it challenging for caregivers to track correct administration times. The present Phase I study was conducted to determine the effect of food on the pharmacokinetic properties of fenfluramine. Healthy nonsmoking subjects aged 18 to 50years were enrolled in an open-label, crossover, Phase I pharmacokinetic and safety profile study and received 2 single 0.8-mg/kg doses of ZX008 (fenfluramine hydrochloride oral solution), 1 after a 10-hour overnight fast and the other 30 minutes after the start of consumption of a high-fat breakfast, in a randomly assigned order. A washout period of at least 9days separated the 2 treatment periods. Venous blood samples were taken before each dose and periodically for 72hours after each dose for determination of concentrations of fenfluramine and its active metabolite norfenfluramine. Plasma pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated for each subject by noncompartmental analysis. In the 13 subjects completing both treatment periods, food had no effect on the rate or extent of absorption and bioavailability of fenfluramine as assessed by fed vs fasted adjusted geometric mean observed plasma C max (59.1vs 56.7 ng/mL; NS) and AUC 0-∞ (1640vs 1600 ng · h/mL; NS). Additionally, there was no impact of food on systemic exposure of norfenfluramine. Seven subjects reported at least 1 treatment-emergent adverse event; all treatment-emergent adverse events were mild in severity. The bioequivalence and tolerability of single 0.8-mg/kg oral doses of ZX008 in the fed and fasted states support ZX008 administration without regard to meals. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying Generalizability Theory To Evaluate Treatment Effect in Single-Subject Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lefebvre, Daniel J.; Suen, Hoi K.

An empirical investigation of methodological issues associated with evaluating treatment effect in single-subject research (SSR) designs is presented. This investigation: (1) conducted a generalizability (G) study to identify the sources of systematic and random measurement error (SRME); (2) used an analytic approach based on G theory to integrate…

Single-Sex Schooling in Trinidad and Tobago: a Holistic Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Erik

2013-01-01

Single-sex schooling has been proposed as a way of addressing the disengagement of boys; the disproportion of gender in certain subjects; stereotyped gender images, and the labelling of some subjects as "masculine" or "feminine". However, there exists no clear research evidence to support such claims. Despite the lack of…

Does My Program Really Make a Difference? Program Evaluation Utilizing Aggregate Single-Subject Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Catherine E.

2015-01-01

In the current climate of increasing fiscal and clinical accountability, information is required about overall program effectiveness using clinical data. These requests present a challenge for programs utilizing single-subject data due to the use of highly individualized behavior plans and behavioral monitoring. Subsequently, the diversity of the…

A Systematic Review of Training Programs for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Single Subject Contributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Stephanie Y.; Smith, Veronica; Mirenda, Pat

2012-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine research utilizing single subject research designs (SSRD) to explore the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase parents' ability to support communication and social development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Method: Included studies were systematically…

Spontaneous Fluctuations in Sensory Processing Predict Within-Subject Reaction Time Variability.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Maria J; Paiva, Joana S; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

2016-01-01

When engaged in a repetitive task our performance fluctuates from trial-to-trial. In particular, inter-trial reaction time variability has been the subject of considerable research. It has been claimed to be a strong biomarker of attention deficits, increases with frontal dysfunction, and predicts age-related cognitive decline. Thus, rather than being just a consequence of noise in the system, it appears to be under the control of a mechanism that breaks down under certain pathological conditions. Although the underlying mechanism is still an open question, consensual hypotheses are emerging regarding the neural correlates of reaction time inter-trial intra-individual variability. Sensory processing, in particular, has been shown to covary with reaction time, yet the spatio-temporal profile of the moment-to-moment variability in sensory processing is still poorly characterized. The goal of this study was to characterize the intra-individual variability in the time course of single-trial visual evoked potentials and its relationship with inter-trial reaction time variability. For this, we chose to take advantage of the high temporal resolution of the electroencephalogram (EEG) acquired while participants were engaged in a 2-choice reaction time task. We studied the link between single trial event-related potentials (ERPs) and reaction time using two different analyses: (1) time point by time point correlation analyses thereby identifying time windows of interest; and (2) correlation analyses between single trial measures of peak latency and amplitude and reaction time. To improve extraction of single trial ERP measures related with activation of the visual cortex, we used an independent component analysis (ICA) procedure. Our ERP analysis revealed a relationship between the N1 visual evoked potential and reaction time. The earliest time point presenting a significant correlation of its respective amplitude with reaction time occurred 175 ms after stimulus onset, just after the onset of the N1 peak. Interestingly, single trial N1 latency correlated significantly with reaction time, while N1 amplitude did not. In conclusion, our findings suggest that inter-trial variability in the timing of extrastriate visual processing contributes to reaction time variability.

Spontaneous Fluctuations in Sensory Processing Predict Within-Subject Reaction Time Variability

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Maria J.; Paiva, Joana S.; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

2016-01-01

When engaged in a repetitive task our performance fluctuates from trial-to-trial. In particular, inter-trial reaction time variability has been the subject of considerable research. It has been claimed to be a strong biomarker of attention deficits, increases with frontal dysfunction, and predicts age-related cognitive decline. Thus, rather than being just a consequence of noise in the system, it appears to be under the control of a mechanism that breaks down under certain pathological conditions. Although the underlying mechanism is still an open question, consensual hypotheses are emerging regarding the neural correlates of reaction time inter-trial intra-individual variability. Sensory processing, in particular, has been shown to covary with reaction time, yet the spatio-temporal profile of the moment-to-moment variability in sensory processing is still poorly characterized. The goal of this study was to characterize the intra-individual variability in the time course of single-trial visual evoked potentials and its relationship with inter-trial reaction time variability. For this, we chose to take advantage of the high temporal resolution of the electroencephalogram (EEG) acquired while participants were engaged in a 2-choice reaction time task. We studied the link between single trial event-related potentials (ERPs) and reaction time using two different analyses: (1) time point by time point correlation analyses thereby identifying time windows of interest; and (2) correlation analyses between single trial measures of peak latency and amplitude and reaction time. To improve extraction of single trial ERP measures related with activation of the visual cortex, we used an independent component analysis (ICA) procedure. Our ERP analysis revealed a relationship between the N1 visual evoked potential and reaction time. The earliest time point presenting a significant correlation of its respective amplitude with reaction time occurred 175 ms after stimulus onset, just after the onset of the N1 peak. Interestingly, single trial N1 latency correlated significantly with reaction time, while N1 amplitude did not. In conclusion, our findings suggest that inter-trial variability in the timing of extrastriate visual processing contributes to reaction time variability. PMID:27242470

Randomised clinical trial: study of escalating doses of NRL001 given in rectal suppositories of different weights.

PubMed

Bell, D; Pediconi, C; Jacobs, A

2014-03-01

The application of α-adrenoceptor agonists can improve faecal incontinence symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic and systemic effects of NRL001 administered as different strengths in 1 or 2 g suppositories. This randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study included 48 healthy subjects. Group 1 consisted of two cohorts of 12 subjects administered either four single doses of 1 or 2 g rectal suppository with either 5, 7.5 or 10 mg NRL001, or matching placebo. Group 2 consisted of two cohorts of 12 subjects administered either four single doses of 1 or 2 g rectal suppository with either 10, 12.5 or 15 mg NRL001, or matching placebo. Doses were given in an escalating manner with placebo at a random position within the sequence. Tmax was at ~4.5 h post-dose for all NRL001 doses. Median AUC0-tz , AUC0-∞ and Cmax increased with increasing dose for both suppository sizes. The estimate of ratios of geometric means comparing 2 g with 1 g suppository, and regression analysis for dose proportionality, was close to 1 for the variables AUC0-tz , AUC0-∞ and Cmax (P > 0.05). For both suppository sizes, 20-min mean pulse rate was significantly decreased compared with placebo with all doses (P < 0.05). Blood pressure decreased overall. There were 144 adverse events (AEs) and no serious AEs reported during the study. All AEs were mild in severity. The regression analysis concluded that the doses were dose proportional. Colorectal Disease © 2014 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Prognostic Classification Factors Associated With Development of Multiple Autoantibodies, Dysglycemia, and Type 1 Diabetes—A Recursive Partitioning Analysis

PubMed Central

Krischer, Jeffrey P.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE To define prognostic classification factors associated with the progression from single to multiple autoantibodies, multiple autoantibodies to dysglycemia, and dysglycemia to type 1 diabetes onset in relatives of individuals with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Three distinct cohorts of subjects from the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study were investigated separately. A recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to determine the risk classes. Clinical characteristics, including genotype, antibody titers, and metabolic markers were analyzed. RESULTS Age and GAD65 autoantibody (GAD65Ab) titers defined three risk classes for progression from single to multiple autoantibodies. The 5-year risk was 11% for those subjects >16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, 29% for those ≤16 years of age with low GAD65Ab titers, and 45% for those subjects with high GAD65Ab titers regardless of age. Progression to dysglycemia was associated with islet antigen 2 Ab titers, and 2-h glucose and fasting C-peptide levels. The 5-year risk is 28%, 39%, and 51% for respective risk classes defined by the three predictors. Progression to type 1 diabetes was associated with the number of positive autoantibodies, peak C-peptide level, HbA1c level, and age. Four risk classes defined by RPA had a 5-year risk of 9%, 33%, 62%, and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of RPA offered a new classification approach that could predict the timing of transitions from one preclinical stage to the next in the development of type 1 diabetes. Using these RPA classes, new prevention techniques can be tailored based on the individual prognostic risk characteristics at different preclinical stages. PMID:27208341

Functionalization of Graphene Nanoplatelets Using Sugar Azide for Graphene/Epoxy Nanocomposites

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-20

temperature to 200°C in the single cantilever mode at a heating rate and frequency of 3°C/min and 1 Hz, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of...14. ABSTRACT We report a covalent functionalization of graphene nanoparticles (GnPs) employing 2,3,4-Tri-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl azide...and glass transition temperature (~10C) compared to an un-functionalized GnP based epoxy composite. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Graphene nanoparticles

Mechanics of graben formation in crustal rocks - A finite element analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melosh, H. J.; Williams, C. A., Jr.

1989-01-01

The mechanics of the initial stages of graben formation are examined, showing that the configuration of a graben (a pair of antithetically dipping normal faults) is the most energetically favorable fault configuration in elastic-brittle rocks subjected to pure extension. The stress field in the vicinity of a single initial normal fault is computed with a two-dimensional FEM. It is concluded that the major factor controlling graben width is the depth of the initial fault.

Intra-instrument reliability of 4 goniometers.

PubMed

Pringle, R Kevin

2003-01-01

Cervical spine ROM movements taken accurately with reliable measuring devices are important in outcome measures as well as in measuring disability. To compare the active cervical spine ROM in healthy young adult population using 4 different goniometers. Subjects were tested during active cervical spine ROM. The devices were a single hinge inclinometer, single bubble carpenter's inclinometer, dual bubble goniometers and Cybex EDI 320 electrical inclinometer. All subjects were tested for rotational limits along each of the orthogonal axes of movement. There are 3 trials for each movement direction, except rotation was not measured with the Cybex as per manual suggestions. The subjects were randomly assigned to the sequence of devices. Twenty-seven student volunteers (19 men and 8 women) were tested. Ages ranged from 21 to 41, mean age of 27.6 years of age. Active cervical spine ROM trials for each measurement was used to calculate mean and standard deviation. An overall analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni adjusted T-test were determined in order to calculate reliability and significance. The cost of the instruments were not used in determining reliability or significance. The single hinge inclinometer was found to be a reliable measure but not likely valid. The Cybex EDI 320 was found to be the best measuring device; however, the 2 instruments whose cost were in-between the single hinge inclinometer and the electrical goniometer were just as reliable as the more expensive device. The AMA Guides of Impairment were used as the normative data to compare these devices. Since the devices could measure reliably, whether expensive or more cost effective for students they would likely make adequate devices for training students on the methods for measuring ROM. There is previous data to suggest that older populations have gender differences and age differences with ROM. This study could not measure that and would make a useful follow-up study.

Prognostic impact of location and extent of vessel-related ischemia at myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in patients with or at risk for coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Nudi, Francesco; Schillaci, Orazio; Neri, Giandomenico; Pinto, Annamaria; Procaccini, Enrica; Vetere, Maurizio; Frati, Giacomo; Tomai, Fabrizio; Biondi-Zoccai, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) has an established diagnostic and prognostic role in patients with or at risk for coronary artery disease, with ischemia severity and extent having already been identified as key predictors. Whether this is affected by the location of myocardial ischemia is uncertain. We aimed at comparing the prognostic outlook of patients undergoing MPS according to the site of ischemia. Our institutional database was queried for subjects undergoing MPS, without myocardial necrosis or recent revascularization. We focused on the prognostic impact of location of vessel-related ischemia (VRI) at MPS, distinguishing four mutually exclusive groups: single-VRI involving left anterior descending (LAD), single-VRI not involving LAD, multi-VRI involving LAD, and multi-VRI not involving LAD. The primary outcome was the long-term (>1 year) rate of death or myocardial infarction (D/MI). A total of 13,254 patients were included. Moderate or severe VRI occurred in 2,627 (20%) patients. Clinical outcomes were significantly different among the groups of patients with moderate or severe VRI, including death, cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or their composites (overall P < .001). Specifically, and excluding subjects undergoing revascularization as first follow-up event, D/MI occurred in 8.4% of patients with single-VRI involving LAD, 5.5% of subjects with single-VRI not involving LAD, 16.5% of those with multi-VRI involving LAD, and 7.3% of patients with multi-VRI not involving LAD (overall P < .001). Even at incremental multivariable Cox proportional analysis, hierarchical VRI was independently associated with an increased risk of D/MI [hazard ratio = 1.17 (1.04-1.08) for each class increment, P = .010]. Location and extent of myocardial ischemia at MPS according to the VRI concept have a hierarchical predictive impact, with multi-VRI involving LAD being significantly and independently more prognostically ominous than other types of VRI.

To see bruxism: a functional MRI study.

PubMed

Yılmaz, S

2015-01-01

Since the pathophysiology of bruxism is not clearly understood, there exists no possible treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the cerebral activation differences between healthy subjects and patients with bruxism on behalf of possible aetiological factors. 12 healthy subjects and 12 patients with bruxism, a total of 24 right-handed female subjects (aged 20-27 years) were examined using functional MRI during tooth-clenching and resting tasks. Imaging was performed with 3.0-T MRI scanner with a 32-channel head coil. Differences in regional brain activity between patients with bruxism and healthy subjects (control group) were observed with BrainVoyager QX 2.8 (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, Netherlands) statistical data analysis program. Activation maps were created using the general linear model: single study and multistudy multisubject for statistical group analysis. This protocol was approved by the ethics committee of medical faculty of Kirikkale University, Turkey (02/04), based on the guidelines set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki. The group analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in blood oxygenation level-dependent signal of three clusters in the control group (p<0.005), which may indicate brain regions related with somatognosis, repetitive passive motion, proprioception and tactile perception. These areas coincide with Brodmann areas 7, 31, 39 and 40. It is conceivable that there are differences between healthy subjects and patients with bruxism. Our findings indicate that there was a decrease of cortical activation pattern in patients with bruxism in clenching tasks. This indicates decreased blood flow and activation in regional neuronal activity. Bruxism, as an oral motor disorder concerns dentistry, neurology and psychiatry. These results might improve the understanding and physiological handling of sleep bruxism.

To see bruxism: a functional MRI study

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Objective: Since the pathophysiology of bruxism is not clearly understood, there exists no possible treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the cerebral activation differences between healthy subjects and patients with bruxism on behalf of possible aetiological factors. Methods: 12 healthy subjects and 12 patients with bruxism, a total of 24 right-handed female subjects (aged 20–27 years) were examined using functional MRI during tooth-clenching and resting tasks. Imaging was performed with 3.0-T MRI scanner with a 32-channel head coil. Differences in regional brain activity between patients with bruxism and healthy subjects (control group) were observed with BrainVoyager QX 2.8 (Brain Innovation, Maastricht, Netherlands) statistical data analysis program. Activation maps were created using the general linear model: single study and multistudy multisubject for statistical group analysis. This protocol was approved by the ethics committee of medical faculty of Kirikkale University, Turkey (02/04), based on the guidelines set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: The group analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in blood oxygenation level-dependent signal of three clusters in the control group (p < 0.005), which may indicate brain regions related with somatognosis, repetitive passive motion, proprioception and tactile perception. These areas coincide with Brodmann areas 7, 31, 39 and 40. It is conceivable that there are differences between healthy subjects and patients with bruxism. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there was a decrease of cortical activation pattern in patients with bruxism in clenching tasks. This indicates decreased blood flow and activation in regional neuronal activity. Bruxism, as an oral motor disorder concerns dentistry, neurology and psychiatry. These results might improve the understanding and physiological handling of sleep bruxism. PMID:25806864

Functional characterisation of a SNP in the ABCC11 allele - effects on axillary skin metabolism, odour generation and associated behaviours.

PubMed

Harker, Mark; Carvell, Ann-Marie; Marti, Vernon P J; Riazanskaia, Svetlana; Kelso, Hailey; Taylor, David; Grimshaw, Sally; Arnold, David S; Zillmer, Ruediger; Shaw, Jane; Kirk, Jayne M; Alcasid, Zee M; Gonzales-Tanon, Sheila; Chan, Gertrude P; Rosing, Egge A E; Smith, Adrian M

2014-01-01

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), 538G→A, leading to a G180R substitution in the ABCC11 gene results in reduced concentrations of apocrine derived axillary odour precursors. Determine the axillary odour levels in the SNP ABCC11 genotype variants and to investigate if other parameters associated with odour production are affected. Axillary odour was assessed by subjective quantification and gas chromatography headspace analysis. Metabolite profiles, microbiome diversity and personal hygiene habits were also assessed. Axillary odour in the A/A homozygotes was significantly lower compared to the G/A and G/G genotypes. However, the perception-based measures still detected appreciable levels of axillary odour in the A/A subjects. Metabolomic analysis highlighted significant differences in axillary skin metabolites between A/A subjects compared to those carrying the G allele. These differences resulted in A/A subjects lacking specific volatile odourants in the axillary headspace, but all genotypes produced odoriferous short chain fatty acids. Microbiomic analysis revealed differences in the relative abundance of key bacterial genera associated with odour generation between the different genotypes. Deodorant usage indicated a high level of self awareness of axillary odour levels with A/A individuals less likely to adopt personal hygiene habits designed to eradicate/mask its presence. The SNP in the ABCC11 gene results in lower levels of axillary odour in the A/A homozygotes compared to those carrying the G allele, but A/A subjects still produce noticeable amounts of axillary odour. Differences in axillary skin metabolites, bacterial genera and personal hygiene behaviours also appear to be influenced by this SNP. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Single-trial analysis of the neural correlates of speech quality perception.

PubMed

Porbadnigk, Anne K; Treder, Matthias S; Blankertz, Benjamin; Antons, Jan-Niklas; Schleicher, Robert; Möller, Sebastian; Curio, Gabriel; Müller, Klaus-Robert

2013-10-01

Assessing speech quality perception is a challenge typically addressed in behavioral and opinion-seeking experiments. Only recently, neuroimaging methods were introduced, which were used to study the neural processing of quality at group level. However, our electroencephalography (EEG) studies show that the neural correlates of quality perception are highly individual. Therefore, it became necessary to establish dedicated machine learning methods for decoding subject-specific effects. The effectiveness of our methods is shown by the data of an EEG study that investigates how the quality of spoken vowels is processed neurally. Participants were asked to indicate whether they had perceived a degradation of quality (signal-correlated noise) in vowels, presented in an oddball paradigm. We find that the P3 amplitude is attenuated with increasing noise. Single-trial analysis allows one to show that this is partly due to an increasing jitter of the P3 component. A novel classification approach helps to detect trials with presumably non-conscious processing at the threshold of perception. We show that this approach uncovers a non-trivial confounder between neural hits and neural misses. The combined use of EEG signals and machine learning methods results in a significant 'neural' gain in sensitivity (in processing quality loss) when compared to standard behavioral evaluation; averaged over 11 subjects, this amounts to a relative improvement in sensitivity of 35%.

Detection of haemoglobins with abnormal oxygen affinity by single blood gas analysis and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate measurement.

PubMed

Guerrini, G; Morabito, A; Samaja, M

2000-10-01

The aim is to determine if a single measurement of blood 2,3-diphosphoglycerate combined with gas analysis (pH, PCO2, PO2 and saturation) can identify the cause of an altered blood-oxygen affinity: the presence of an abnormal haemoglobin or a red cell disorder. The population (n=94) was divided into healthy controls (A, n=14), carriers of red cell disorders (B, n=72) and carriers of high oxygen affinity haemoglobins (C, n=8). Those variables were measured both in samples equilibrated at selected PCO2 and PO2 and in venous blood. In the univariable approach applied to equilibrated samples, we correctly identified C subjects in 93.6% or 96.8% of the cases depending on the selected variable, the standard P50 (PO2 at which 50% of haemoglobin is oxygenated) or a composite variable calculated from the above measurements. After introducing the haemoglobin concentration as a further discriminating variable, the A and B subjects were correctly identified in 91.9% or 94.2% of the cases, respectively. These figures become 93.0% or 86.1%, and 93.7% or 94.9% of the cases when using direct readings from venous blood, thereby avoiding the blood equilibration step. This test is feasible also in blood samples stored at 4 degrees C for 48 h, or at room temperature for 8 h.

Being BOLD: The neural dynamics of face perception.

PubMed

Gentile, Francesco; Ales, Justin; Rossion, Bruno

2017-01-01

According to a non-hierarchical view of human cortical face processing, selective responses to faces may emerge in a higher-order area of the hierarchy, in the lateral part of the middle fusiform gyrus (fusiform face area [FFA]) independently from face-selective responses in the lateral inferior occipital gyrus (occipital face area [OFA]), a lower order area. Here we provide a stringent test of this hypothesis by gradually revealing segmented face stimuli throughout strict linear descrambling of phase information [Ales et al., 2012]. Using a short sampling rate (500 ms) of fMRI acquisition and single subject statistical analysis, we show a face-selective responses emerging earlier, that is, at a lower level of structural (i.e., phase) information, in the FFA compared with the OFA. In both regions, a face detection response emerging at a lower level of structural information for upright than inverted faces, both in the FFA and OFA, in line with behavioral responses and with previous findings of delayed responses to inverted faces with direct recordings of neural activity were also reported. Overall, these results support the non-hierarchical view of human cortical face processing and open new perspectives for time-resolved analysis at the single subject level of fMRI data obtained during continuously evolving visual stimulation. Hum Brain Mapp 38:120-139, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of sampling and diagnostic effort on the assessment of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis and drug efficacy: a meta-analysis of six drug efficacy trials and one epidemiological survey.

PubMed

Levecke, Bruno; Brooker, Simon J; Knopp, Stefanie; Steinmann, Peter; Sousa-Figueiredo, Jose Carlos; Stothard, J Russell; Utzinger, Jürg; Vercruysse, Jozef

2014-12-01

It is generally recommended to perform multiple stool examinations in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy when assessing the impact of mass drug administration programmes to control human intestinal worm infections and determining efficacy of the drugs administered. However, the collection and diagnostic work-up of multiple stool samples increases costs and workload. It has been hypothesized that these increased efforts provide more accurate results when infection and drug efficacy are summarized by prevalence (proportion of subjects infected) and cure rate (CR, proportion of infected subjects that become egg-negative after drug administration), respectively, but not when these indicators are expressed in terms of infection intensity and egg reduction rate (ERR). We performed a meta-analysis of six drug efficacy trials and one epidemiological survey. We compared prevalence and intensity of infection, CR and ERR based on collection of one or two stool samples that were processed with single or duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears. We found that the accuracy of prevalence estimates and CR was lowest with the minimal sampling effort, but that this was not the case for estimating infection intensity and ERR. Hence, a single Kato-Katz thick smear is sufficient for reporting infection intensity and ERR following drug treatment.

Assessment of bioequivalence of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide in a four drug fixed dose combination with separate formulations at the same dose levels.

PubMed

Agrawal, Shrutidevi; Kaur, Kanwal Jit; Singh, Inderjit; Bhade, Shantaram R; Kaul, Chaman Lal; Panchagnula, Ramesh

2002-02-21

Tuberculosis (TB) needs treatment with three to five different drugs simultaneously, depending on the patient category. These drugs can be given as single drug preparations or fixed dose combinations (FDCs) of two more drugs in a single formulation. World Health Organization and International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) recommend FDCs only of proven bioavailability. The relative bioavailability of rifampicin (RIF), isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide (PYZ) was assessed on a group of 13 healthy male subjects from a four drug FDC versus separate formulations at the same dose levels. The study was designed to be an open, crossover experiment. A total of nine blood samples each of 3 ml volume were collected over a period of 24-h. The concentrations of RIF, its main metabolite desacetyl RIF (DRIF), INH and PYZ in plasma were assessed by HPLC analysis. Pharmacokinetic parameters namely AUC(0-24), AUC(0-inf), C(max), T(max), were calculated and subjected to different statistical tests (Hauschke analysis, two way ANOVA, normal and log transformed confidence interval) at 90% confidence interval. In addition, elimination rate constant (K(el)) and absorption efficiencies for each drug were also calculated. It was concluded that four drugs FDC tablet is bioequivalent for RIF, INH and PYZ to separate formulation at the same dose levels.

SSDOnt: An Ontology for Representing Single-Subject Design Studies.

PubMed

Berges, Idoia; Bermúdez, Jesus; Illarramendi, Arantza

2018-02-01

Single-Subject Design is used in several areas such as education and biomedicine. However, no suited formal vocabulary exists for annotating the detailed configuration and the results of this type of research studies with the appropriate granularity for looking for information about them. Therefore, the search for those study designs relies heavily on a syntactical search on the abstract, keywords or full text of the publications about the study, which entails some limitations. To present SSDOnt, a specific purpose ontology for describing and annotating single-subject design studies, so that complex questions can be asked about them afterwards. The ontology was developed following the NeOn methodology. Once the requirements of the ontology were defined, a formal model was described in a Description Logic and later implemented in the ontology language OWL 2 DL. We show how the ontology provides a reference model with a suitable terminology for the annotation and searching of single-subject design studies and their main components, such as the phases, the intervention types, the outcomes and the results. Some mappings with terms of related ontologies have been established. We show as proof-of-concept that classes in the ontology can be easily extended to annotate more precise information about specific interventions and outcomes such as those related to autism. Moreover, we provide examples of some types of queries that can be posed to the ontology. SSDOnt has achieved the purpose of covering the descriptions of the domain of single-subject research studies. Schattauer GmbH.

Association of Impaired Linear Growth and Worse Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Infants with Single Ventricle Physiology: A Report from the Pediatric Heart Network Infant Single Ventricle Trial

PubMed Central

Ravishankar, Chitra; Zak, Victor; Williams, Ismee A.; Bellinger, David C.; Gaynor, J. William; Ghanayem, Nancy S.; Krawczeski, Catherine D.; Licht, Daniel J.; Mahony, Lynn; Newburger, Jane W.; Pemberton, Victoria L.; Williams, Richard V.; Sananes, Renee; Cook, Amanda L.; Atz, Teresa; Khaikin, Svetlana; Hsu, Daphne T.

2012-01-01

Objectives To describe neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with single ventricle (SV) physiology and determine factors associated with worse outcomes. Study design Neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants with SV enrolled in a multicenter drug trial were assessed at 14 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with worse outcomes. Results Neurodevelopmental testing was performed at 14±1 months in 170/185 subjects in the trial. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome was present in 59% and 75% had undergone the Norwood operation. Mean psychomotor (PDI) and mental developmental indices (MDI) were 80±18 and 96±14 respectively (normal 100±15, P<0.001 for each). Group-based trajectory analysis provided a two-group model (high” and “low”) for height z-score trajectory and brain type natriuretic peptide (BNP) trajectory. The predicted PDI scores were 15 points higher in the “high” height z-score trajectory compared with the “low” cluster (P<.001). A higher number of serious adverse events during the trial was associated with lower PDI scores (P=.02). The predicted MDI scores were 13–17 points lower in “low height trajectory- high BNP trajectory” group compared with the other three groups (P<.001). MDI scores were also lower in subjects who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during the neonatal hospitalization (P=.01) or supplemental oxygen at discharge (P=.01). Conclusions Neurodevelopmental outcome at 14 months of age is impaired in infants with SV physiology. Low height trajectory and high BNP trajectory were associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Efforts to improve nutritional status alone may not improve neurodevelopmental outcomes. PMID:22939929

The development of a novel high-precision major depressive disorder screening system using transient autonomic responses induced by dual mental tasks.

PubMed

Matsui, Takemi; Shinba, Toshikazu; Sun, Guanghao

2018-02-01

12.6% of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients have suicide intent, while it has been reported that 43% of patients did not consult their doctors for MDD, automated MDD screening is eagerly anticipated. Recently, in order to achieve automated screening of MDD, biomarkers such as multiplex DNA methylation profiles or physiological method using near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) have been studied, however, they require inspection using 96-well DNA ELIZA kit after blood sampling or significant cost. Using a single-lead electrocardiography (ECG), we developed a high-precision MDD screening system using transient autonomic responses induced by dual mental tasks. We developed a novel high precision MDD screening system which is composed of a single-lead ECG monitor, analogue to digital (AD) converter and a personal computer with measurement and analysis program written by LabView programming language. The system discriminates MDD patients from normal subjects using heat rate variability (HRV)-derived transient autonomic responses induced by dual mental tasks, i.e. verbal fluency task and random number generation task, via linear discriminant analysis (LDA) adopting HRV-related predictor variables (hear rate (HR), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF)/HF). The proposed system was tested for 12 MDD patients (32 ± 15 years) under antidepressant treatment from Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital outpatient unit and 30 normal volunteers (37 ± 17 years) from Tokyo Metropolitan University. The proposed system achieved 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in classifying 42 examinees into 12 MDD patients and 30 normal subjects. The proposed system appears promising for future HRV-based high-precision and low-cost screening of MDDs using only single-lead ECG.

Multicentre investigation on electrically evoked compound action potential and stapedius reflex: how do these objective measures relate to implant programming parameters?

PubMed

Van Den Abbeele, Thierry; Noël-Petroff, Nathalie; Akin, Istemihan; Caner, Gül; Olgun, Levent; Guiraud, Jeanne; Truy, Eric; Attias, Josef; Raveh, Eyal; Belgin, Erol; Sennaroglu, Gonca; Basta, Dietmar; Ernst, Arneborg; Martini, Alessandro; Rosignoli, Monica; Levi, Haya; Elidan, Joseph; Benghalem, Abdelhamid; Amstutz-Montadert, Isabelle; Lerosey, Yannick; De Vel, Eddy; Dhooge, Ingeborg; Hildesheimer, Minka; Kronenberg, Jona; Arnold, Laure

2012-02-01

The aims of this study were to collect data on electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP) and electrically evoked stapedius reflex thresholds (eSRT) in HiResolution(TM) cochlear implant (CI) users, and to explore the relationships between these objective measures and behavioural measures of comfort levels (M-levels). A prospective study on newly implanted subjects was designed. The eCAP was measured intra-operatively and at first fitting through neural response imaging (NRI), using the SoundWave(TM) fitting software. The eSRT was measured intra-operatively by visual monitoring of the stapes, using both single-electrode stimulation and speech bursts (four electrodes stimulated at the same time). Measures of M-levels were performed according to standard clinical practice and collected at first fitting, 3 and 6 months of CI use. One hundred seventeen subjects from 14 centres, all implanted unilaterally with a HiResolution CII Bionic Ear(®) or HiRes 90K(®), were included in the study. Speech burst stimulation elicited a significantly higher eSRT success rate than single-electrode stimulation, 84 vs. 64% respectively. The NRI success rate was 81% intra-operatively, significantly increasing to 96% after 6 months. Fitting guidelines were defined on the basis of a single NRI measurement. Correlations, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were applied to generate a predictive model for the M-levels. Useful insights were produced into the behaviour of objective measures according to time, electrode location, and fitting parameters. They may usefully assist in programming the CI when no reliable feedback is obtained through standard behavioural procedures.

Pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of mipomersen in healthy Japanese volunteers and comparison with Western subjects.

PubMed

Li, Zhaoyang; Hard, Marjie L; Andersen, Grit; Pabst, Günther; Wagener, Gilbert; Singh, Tejdip; Chin, Wai; Culm-Merdek, Kerry; Boltje, Ingrid; von Moltke, Lisa L

2014-04-01

To characterize the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and dose proportionality of mipomersen after single subcutaneous (SC) administration to Japanese healthy subjects; and to compare the PK profiles of Japanese and Western subjects. 20 healthy first-generation Japanese male subjects were enrolled into one of three treatment cohorts (50, 100 and 200 mg SC) in a dose-escalation design. Within each cohort, subjects were randomized in a 4 : 1 ratio to receive mipomersen or placebo. Mipomersen was absorbed rapidly after SC administration; median tmax varied between 2 and 3 hours. After reaching peak levels, plasma concentrations of mipomersen decayed multiphasically with an initial distribution t1/2 in several hours and a terminal t1/2 of 261 - 393 hours. Mean Cmax increased in a dose-linear manner while all mean AUC from time 0 to different cut points increased slightly more than dose proportionally. Although mean terminal t1/2 varied in the dose range tested, it did not show dose-dependence. The PK profiles of mipomersen in Japanese subjects are similar to those observed in Western subjects. A single SC dose of 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg mipomersen was well tolerated by male Japanese subjects. Single SC doses of 50 - 200 mg were safe and well tolerated when administered to Japanese subjects. Comparison of PK between Japanese and Western subjects does not support any need for dose adjustment in Japanese population in future clinical development.

75 FR 9247 - Single Family Mortgage Insurance Premium, Single Family

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. Lenders use the Single Family Premium... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-13] Single Family Mortgage Insurance Premium, Single Family AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice...

Age-related alterations in the fractal scaling of cardiac interbeat interval dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iyengar, N.; Peng, C. K.; Morin, R.; Goldberger, A. L.; Lipsitz, L. A.

1996-01-01

We postulated that aging is associated with disruption in the fractallike long-range correlations that characterize healthy sinus rhythm cardiac interval dynamics. Ten young (21-34 yr) and 10 elderly (68-81 yr) rigorously screened healthy subjects underwent 120 min of continuous supine resting electrocardiographic recording. We analyzed the interbeat interval time series using standard time and frequency domain statistics and using a fractal measure, detrended fluctuation analysis, to quantify long-range correlation properties. In healthy young subjects, interbeat intervals demonstrated fractal scaling, with scaling exponents (alpha) from the fluctuation analysis close to a value of 1.0. In the group of healthy elderly subjects, the interbeat interval time series had two scaling regions. Over the short range, interbeat interval fluctuations resembled a random walk process (Brownian noise, alpha = 1.5), whereas over the longer range they resembled white noise (alpha = 0.5). Short (alpha s)- and long-range (alpha 1) scaling exponents were significantly different in the elderly subjects compared with young (alpha s = 1.12 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.90 +/- 0.14, respectively, P = 0.009; alpha 1 = 0.75 +/- 0.17 vs. 0.99 +/- 0.10, respectively, P = 0.002). The crossover behavior from one scaling region to another could be modeled as a first-order autoregressive process, which closely fit the data from four elderly subjects. This implies that a single characteristic time scale may be dominating heartbeat control in these subjects. The age-related loss of fractal organization in heartbeat dynamics may reflect the degradation of integrated physiological regulatory systems and may impair an individual's ability to adapt to stress.

Lean body mass may explain apparent racial differences in carotid intima-media thickness in obese children.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Shahryar M; Henshaw, Melissa H; Friedman, Brad; Saul, J Philip; Shirali, Girish S; Carter, Janet; Levitan, Bryana M; Hulsey, Tom

2014-05-01

Racial differences in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) have been suggested to be associated with the disproportionally high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in black adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cardiovascular risk factors on the racial differences seen in cIMT in obese children. Obese subjects aged 4 to 21 years were recruited prospectively. Height, weight, blood pressure, fasting insulin, glucose, lipid panel, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were obtained. B-mode carotid imaging was analyzed by a single blinded physician. A total of 120 subjects (46 white, 74 black) were enrolled. Black subjects exhibited greater cIMT (0.45 ± 0.03 vs 0.43 ± 0.02 cm, P < .01) and higher lean body mass index (19.3 ± 3.4 vs 17.3 ± 3.2 kg/m², P = .02) than white subjects. Simple linear regression revealed modest associations between mean cIMT and race (R = 0.52, P < .01), systolic blood pressure (R = 0.47, P < .01), and lean body mass (R = 0.51, P < .01). On multivariate regression analysis, lean body mass remained the only measure to maintain a statistically significant relationship with mean cIMT (P < .01). Black subjects demonstrated greater cIMT than white subjects. The relationship between race and cIMT disappeared when lean body mass was accounted for. Future studies assessing the association of cardiovascular disease risk factors to cIMT in obese children should include lean body mass in the analysis. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Effect of Single vs Bilateral Lung Transplantation on Plasma Surfactant Protein D Levels in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Beers, Michael F.; Ahya, Vivek N.; Kawut, Steven M.; Sims, Karen D.; Lederer, David J.; Palmer, Scott M.; Wille, Keith; Lama, Vibha N.; Shah, Pali D.; Orens, Jonathan B.; Bhorade, Sangeeta; Crespo, Maria; Weinacker, Ann; Demissie, Ejigayehu; Bellamy, Scarlett; Christie, Jason D.; Ware, Lorraine B.

2011-01-01

Background: Serum levels of surfactant protein D (SP-D) have been suggested as reflecting epithelial damage in acute lung injury, COPD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, little is known about SP-D levels in the setting of lung transplantation. Methods: We examined plasma SP-D levels in 104 subjects from a prospective, multicenter cohort study of lung allograft recipients. Plasma SP-D was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay prior to transplant and daily for 3 days after transplant. Results: Subjects undergoing transplant for IPF had higher baseline SP-D levels (median, 325 ng/mL) compared with subjects with cystic fibrosis, COPD, and pulmonary hypertension (median, 100, 80, and 82 ng/mL, respectively; P = .0001). Among subjects with IPF undergoing bilateral transplant, SP-D levels declined rapidly postoperatively. In contrast, SP-D levels in subjects undergoing single lung transplant for IPF remained significantly higher than those of bilateral allograft recipients. Among subjects undergoing single lung transplant for IPF, the development of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) was associated with a subsequent rise in SP-D levels, whereas SP-D levels in IPF subjects undergoing bilateral transplant declined, even in the presence of grade 3 PGD. Importantly, single lung allograft recipients without PGD had higher postoperative SP-D levels than bilateral allograft recipients with PGD. Conclusions: Subjects undergoing lung transplant for IPF have significantly higher baseline plasma SP-D levels compared with those with other diagnoses. Plasma SP-D is likely a biomarker of the air-blood barrier integrity in the native IPF lung, but may be less useful as a biomarker of PGD after transplant. PMID:21349925

Irregular tick-borne encephalitis vaccination schedules: the effect of a single catch-up vaccination with FSME-IMMUN. A prospective non-interventional study.

PubMed

Schosser, Rudolf; Reichert, Anja; Mansmann, Ulrich; Unger, Bernd; Heininger, Ulrich; Kaiser, Reinhard

2014-04-25

Intervals longer than recommended are frequently encountered between doses of tick borne encephalitis virus (TBE) vaccines in both residents of and travelers to endemic regions. In clinical practice the management of individuals with lapsed TBE vaccination schedules varies widely and has in common that the underlying immunological evidence is scarce. The aim of this study was to generate data reliable enough to derive practical recommendations on how to continue vaccination with FSME-IMMUN in subjects with an irregular TBE vaccination history. Antibody response to a single catch-up dose of FSME-IMMUN was assessed in 1115 adults (age ≥16 years) and 125 children (age 6-15 years) with irregular TBE vaccination histories. Subjects of all age groups developed a substantial increase in geometric mean antibody concentration after a single catch-up TBE vaccination which was consistently lower in subjects with only one previous TBE vaccination compared to subjects with two or more vaccinations. Overall, >94% of young adults and children, and >93% of elderly subjects with an irregular TBE vaccination history achieved antibody levels ≥25U/ml irrespective of the number of previous TBE vaccinations. We conclude that TBE vaccination of subjects with irregular vaccination histories should be continued as if the previous vaccinations had been administered in a regular manner, with the stage of the vaccination schedule being determined by the number of previous vaccinations. Although lapsed vaccination schedules may leave subjects temporarily with inadequate protection against TBE infection, adequate protection can quickly be re-established in >93% of the subjects by a single catch-up dose of FSME-IMMUN, irrespective of age, number of previous vaccinations, and time interval since the last vaccination. Copyright © 2014 Anja Reichert. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the disposition of fostamatinib in Japanese subjects including pharmacokinetic assessment in dry blood spots: results from two phase I clinical studies.

PubMed

Martin, Paul; Cheung, S Y Amy; Yen, Mark; Han, David; Gillen, Michael

2016-01-01

The aims of the present study were to characterize the pharmacokinetics of fostamatinib in two phase I studies in healthy Japanese subjects after single- and multiple-dose administration, and to evaluate the utility of dried blood spot (DBS) sampling. In study A, 40 Japanese and 16 white subjects were randomized in a double-blind parallel group study consisting of seven cohorts, which received either placebo or a fostamatinib dose between 50 and 200 mg after single and multiple dosing. Pharmacokinetics of R406 (active metabolite of fostamatinib) in plasma and urine was assessed, and safety was intensively monitored. Study B was an open-label study that assessed fostamatinib 100 and 200 mg in 24 Japanese subjects. In addition to plasma and urine sampling (as for study A), pharmacokinetics was also assessed in blood. Mean maximum plasma concentration (C max) and area under total plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) increased with increasing dose in Japanese subjects. Steady state was achieved in 5–7 days for all doses. C max and AUC were both higher in Japanese subjects administered a 150-mg single dose than in white subjects. This difference was maintained for steady state exposure by day 10. Overall, R406 blood concentrations were consistent and ∼2.5-fold higher than in plasma. Minimal (<0.1 %) R406 was excreted in urine. Fostamatinib was well tolerated at all doses. Fostamatinib pharmacokinetics following single- and multiple-dose administration was approximately dose proportional at all doses ≤150 mg and greater than dose proportional at 200 mg in Japanese subjects. Japanese subjects administered fostamatinib 150 mg had higher exposure than white subjects. R406 could be measured in DBS samples and distributed into red blood cells, and DBS sampling was a useful method for assessing R406 pharmacokinetics.

Short-term effect of a new mouthrinse formulation on oral malodour after single use in vivo: a comparative, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group clinical study.

PubMed

Wilhelm, D; Gysen, K; Himmelmann, A; Krause, C; Wilhelm, K-P

2010-09-01

This study aimed to compare a new chlorhexidine (CHX)-free mouthrinse containing amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (ASF) against a benchmark containing CHX with respect to their effect on oral malodour after single use. A total of 42 male and female subjects with an intraoral cause of bad breath, each with an organoleptic rating (OR) of at least 2 and a total volatile sulfur compound (VSC) concentration higher than 130 ppb, participated in the study. Subjects were allocated to one of three treatment groups (i.e. CHX-free ASF mouthrinse, CHX benchmark mouthrinse or water) according to a randomization list. Participants received written instructions on precautions to be taken for optimal breath analysis. Eight trained and qualified odour judges assessed the subjects' malodour by OR at baseline and 30 min and 4 h after single use of the mouthrinses. Additionally, VSC levels were measured at baseline and 4 h after using the mouthrinse. Treatment with water alone led already to some reduction in OR with mean differences to baseline of -1.13 at 30 min and -0.64, 4 h after treatment. Both CHX-free ASF product (-1.51) and CHX (-1.48) provided a significantly stronger OR reduction than water at 30 min (p < 0.05). Only CHX-free ASF treatment showed a sustained benefit in terms of significantly better OR reduction after 4 h (-1.17, p < 0.05), whereas CHX (-0.81) was not significantly different from water (-0.64, p = 0.517). Both ASF (-90.9%) and CHX (-81.6%) reduced VSC levels significantly stronger than water (-53.5%; p < 0.001). OR and VSC readings in the group using the CHX mouthrinse did not differ significantly from those in the group using the CHX-free ASF formulation. The newly developed CHX-free ASF mouthrinse significantly reduced oral malodour after single use, both in terms of OR and VSC levels. Efficacy was comparable to that of the CHX benchmark product.

Trunk, pelvis, hip, and knee kinematics, hip strength, and gluteal muscle activation during a single-leg squat in males and females with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Theresa H; Moriya, Erika T U; Maciel, Carlos D; Serrão, Fábio V

2012-06-01

Controlled laboratory study using a cross-sectional design. To determine whether there are any differences between the sexes in trunk, pelvis, hip, and knee kinematics, hip strength, and gluteal muscle activation during the performance of a single-leg squat in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and control participants. Though there is a greater incidence of PFPS in females, PFPS is also quite common in males. Trunk kinematics may affect hip and knee function; however, there is a lack of studies of the influence of the trunk in individuals with PFPS. Eighty subjects were distributed into 4 groups: females with PFPS, female controls, males with PFPS, and male controls. Trunk, pelvis, hip, and knee kinematics and gluteal muscle activation were evaluated during a single-leg squat. Hip abduction and external rotation eccentric strength was measured on an isokinetic dynamometer. Group differences were assessed using a 2-way multivariate analysis of variance (sex by PFPS status). Compared to controls, subjects with PFPS had greater ipsilateral trunk lean (mean ± SD, 9.3° ± 5.3° versus 6.7° ± 3.0°; P = .012), contralateral pelvic drop (10.3° ± 4.7° versus 7.4° ± 3.8°; P = .003), hip adduction (14.8° ± 7.8° versus 10.8° ± 5.6°; P<.0001), and knee abduction (9.2° ± 5.0° versus 5.8° ± 3.4°; P<.0001) when performing a single-leg squat. Subjects with PFPS also had 18% less hip abduction and 17% less hip external rotation strength. Compared to female controls, females with PFPS had more hip internal rotation (P<.05) and less muscle activation of the gluteus medius (P = .017) during the single-leg squat. Despite many similarities in findings for males and females with PFPS, there may be specific sex differences that warrant consideration in future studies and when clinically evaluating and treating females with PFPS.

Single Subject Prediction of Brain Disorders in Neuroimaging: Promises and Pitfalls

PubMed Central

Arbabshirani, Mohammad R.; Plis, Sergey; Sui, Jing; Calhoun, Vince D.

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging-based single subject prediction of brain disorders has gained increasing attention in recent years. Using a variety of neuroimaging modalities such as structural, functional and diffusion MRI, along with machine learning techniques, hundreds of studies have been carried out for accurate classification of patients with heterogeneous mental and neurodegenerative disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. More than 500 studies have been published during the past quarter century on single subject prediction focused on a multiple brain disorders. In the first part of this study, we provide a survey of more than 200 reports in this field with a focus on schizophrenia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease (AD), depressive disorders, autism spectrum disease (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Detailed information about those studies such as sample size, type and number of extracted features and reported accuracy are summarized and discussed. To our knowledge, this is by far the most comprehensive review of neuroimaging-based single subject prediction of brain disorders. In the second part, we present our opinion on major pitfalls of those studies from a machine learning point of view. Common biases are discussed and suggestions are provided. Moreover, emerging trends such as decentralized data sharing, multimodal brain imaging, differential diagnosis, disease subtype classification and deep learning are also discussed. Based on this survey, there are extensive evidences showing the great potential of neuroimaging data for single subject prediction of various disorders. However, the main bottleneck of this exciting field is still the limited sample size, which could be potentially addressed by modern data sharing models such as the ones discussed in this paper. Emerging big data technologies and advanced data-intensive machine learning methodologies such as deep learning have coincided with an increasing need for accurate, robust and generalizable single subject prediction of brain disorders during an exciting time. In this report, we survey the past and offer some opinions regarding the road ahead. PMID:27012503

Single subject prediction of brain disorders in neuroimaging: Promises and pitfalls.

PubMed

Arbabshirani, Mohammad R; Plis, Sergey; Sui, Jing; Calhoun, Vince D

2017-01-15

Neuroimaging-based single subject prediction of brain disorders has gained increasing attention in recent years. Using a variety of neuroimaging modalities such as structural, functional and diffusion MRI, along with machine learning techniques, hundreds of studies have been carried out for accurate classification of patients with heterogeneous mental and neurodegenerative disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. More than 500 studies have been published during the past quarter century on single subject prediction focused on a multiple brain disorders. In the first part of this study, we provide a survey of more than 200 reports in this field with a focus on schizophrenia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease (AD), depressive disorders, autism spectrum disease (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Detailed information about those studies such as sample size, type and number of extracted features and reported accuracy are summarized and discussed. To our knowledge, this is by far the most comprehensive review of neuroimaging-based single subject prediction of brain disorders. In the second part, we present our opinion on major pitfalls of those studies from a machine learning point of view. Common biases are discussed and suggestions are provided. Moreover, emerging trends such as decentralized data sharing, multimodal brain imaging, differential diagnosis, disease subtype classification and deep learning are also discussed. Based on this survey, there is extensive evidence showing the great potential of neuroimaging data for single subject prediction of various disorders. However, the main bottleneck of this exciting field is still the limited sample size, which could be potentially addressed by modern data sharing models such as the ones discussed in this paper. Emerging big data technologies and advanced data-intensive machine learning methodologies such as deep learning have coincided with an increasing need for accurate, robust and generalizable single subject prediction of brain disorders during an exciting time. In this report, we survey the past and offer some opinions regarding the road ahead. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Anacetrapib Following Single Doses in Healthy, Young Japanese and White Male Subjects.

PubMed

Krishna, Rajesh; Gheyas, Ferdous; Liu, Yang; Cote, Josee; Laterza, Omar; Ruckle, Jon L; Wagner, John A; Denker, Andrew E

2018-02-01

Anacetrapib is a cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor being developed for the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and safety characteristics of anacetrapib following single doses in healthy, young Japanese men. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-panel, single-rising-dose study, 6 healthy young Japanese male or white male subjects (aged 19 to 44 years) received single oral doses of 5 to 500 mg anacetrapib, and 2 received placebo. Plasma and urine drug concentrations were measured 0-168 hours postdose, and plasma CETP inhibition was measured 0-24 hours postdose. Urinary anacetrapib levels were all below quantitation limits. Plasma concentrations of anacetrapib increased approximately less than dose-proportionally. Consumption of a traditional Japanese breakfast prior to dosing increased the plasma pharmacokinetics of anacetrapib in Japanese subjects compared with fasted conditions, to a similar extent as in white subjects. CETP activity measured over 0-24 hours postdose resulted in significant inhibition. Anacetrapib was generally well tolerated, and there were no serious adverse experiences. No clinically meaningful differences in PK and CETP inhibition parameters were found between Japanese and white subjects. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Intravenous Murepavadin Infusion in Healthy Adult Subjects Administered Single and Multiple Ascending Doses.

PubMed

Wach, Achim; Dembowsky, Klaus; Dale, Glenn E

2018-04-01

Murepavadin is the first in class of the outer membrane protein-targeting antibiotics (OMPTA) and a pathogen-specific peptidomimetic antibacterial with a novel, nonlytic mechanism of action targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa Murepavadin is being developed for the treatment of hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP). The pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of single and multiple doses of murepavadin were investigated in healthy male subjects. Part A of the study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-ascending-dose investigation in 10 sequential cohorts where each cohort comprised 6 healthy male subjects; 4 subjects were randomized to murepavadin, and 2 subjects were randomized to placebo. Part B was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multiple-ascending-dose investigation in 3 sequential cohorts. After a single dose of murepavadin, the geometric mean half-life (2.52 to 5.30 h), the total clearance (80.1 to 114 ml/h/kg), and the volume of distribution (415 to 724 ml/kg) were consistent across dose levels. The pharmacokinetics of the dosing regimens evaluated were dose proportional and linear. Murepavadin was well tolerated, adverse events were transient and generally mild, and no dose-limiting toxicity was identified. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

A single-blinded randomised controlled study to determine the efficacy of Omnilux Revive facial treatment in skin rejuvenation.

PubMed

Bhat, Jaideep; Birch, Jan; Whitehurst, Colin; Lanigan, Sean W

2005-01-01

To determine the efficacy of Omnilux Revive facial treatment in skin rejuvenation, twenty-three volunteers received randomised 20 min treatments three times a week for three weeks to one half of their face, with the untreated side acting as control. Regular assessments were carried out, focusing on parameters of subject satisfaction, photographic assessments, skin elasticity (Cutometer) and skin hydration (Corneometer CM825). Ninety-one percent of the volunteers reported visible changes to their skin. Blinded photographic evaluation reported a clinical response in 59% of the subjects. Objective analysis failed to show statistically significant changes in skin hydration or elasticity. The Omnilux Revive LED lamp is a safe alternative non-ablative skin rejuvenation treatment.

Subsurface Stress Fields in FCC Single Crystal Anisotropic Contacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arakere, Nagaraj K.; Knudsen, Erik; Swanson, Gregory R.; Duke, Gregory; Ham-Battista, Gilda

2004-01-01

Single crystal superalloy turbine blades used in high pressure turbomachinery are subject to conditions of high temperature, triaxial steady and alternating stresses, fretting stresses in the blade attachment and damper contact locations, and exposure to high-pressure hydrogen. The blades are also subjected to extreme variations in temperature during start-up and shutdown transients. The most prevalent high cycle fatigue (HCF) failure modes observed in these blades during operation include crystallographic crack initiation/propagation on octahedral planes, and non-crystallographic initiation with crystallographic growth. Numerous cases of crack initiation and crack propagation at the blade leading edge tip, blade attachment regions, and damper contact locations have been documented. Understanding crack initiation/propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions is critical for establishing a systematic procedure for evaluating HCF life of single crystal turbine blades. This paper presents analytical and numerical techniques for evaluating two and three dimensional subsurface stress fields in anisotropic contacts. The subsurface stress results are required for evaluating contact fatigue life at damper contacts and dovetail attachment regions in single crystal nickel-base superalloy turbine blades. An analytical procedure is presented for evaluating the subsurface stresses in the elastic half-space, based on the adaptation of a stress function method outlined by Lekhnitskii. Numerical results are presented for cylindrical and spherical anisotropic contacts, using finite element analysis (FEA). Effects of crystal orientation on stress response and fatigue life are examined. Obtaining accurate subsurface stress results for anisotropic single crystal contact problems require extremely refined three-dimensional (3-D) finite element grids, especially in the edge of contact region. Obtaining resolved shear stresses (RSS) on the principal slip planes also involves considerable post-processing work. For these reasons it is very advantageous to develop analytical solution schemes for subsurface stresses, whenever possible.

A new metabolomic signature in type-2 diabetes mellitus and its pathophysiology.

PubMed

Padberg, Inken; Peter, Erik; González-Maldonado, Sandra; Witt, Henning; Mueller, Matthias; Weis, Tanja; Bethan, Bianca; Liebenberg, Volker; Wiemer, Jan; Katus, Hugo A; Rein, Dietrich; Schatz, Philipp

2014-01-01

The objective of the current study was to find a metabolic signature associated with the early manifestations of type-2 diabetes mellitus. Modern metabolic profiling technology (MxP™ Broad Profiling) was applied to find early alterations in the plasma metabolome of type-2 diabetic patients. The results were validated in an independent study. Eicosanoid and single inon monitoring analysis (MxP™ Eicosanoid and MxP™ SIM analysis) were performed in subsets of samples. A metabolic signature including significantly increased levels of glyoxylate as a potential novel marker for early detection of type-2 diabetes mellitus was identified in an initial study (Study1). The signature was significantly altered in fasted diabetic and pre-diabetic subjects and in non-fasted subjects up to three years prior to the diagnosis of type-2 diabetes; most alterations were also consistently found in an independent patient group (Study 2). In Study 2 diabetic and most control subjects suffered from heart failure. In Study 1 a subgroup of diabetic subjects, with a history of use of anti-hypertensive medication further showed a more pronounced increase of glyoxylate levels, compared to a non-diabetic control group when tested in a hyperglycemic state. In the context of a prior history of anti-hypertensive medication, alterations in hexosamine and eicosanoid levels were also found. A metabolic signature including glyoxylate was associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus, independent of the fasting status and of occurrence of another major disease. The same signature was also found to be associated with pre-diabetic subjects. Glyoxylate levels further showed a specifically strong increase in a subgroup of diabetic subjects. It could represent a new marker for the detection of medical subgroups of diabetic subjects.

A New Metabolomic Signature in Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Pathophysiology

PubMed Central

Padberg, Inken; Peter, Erik; González-Maldonado, Sandra; Witt, Henning; Mueller, Matthias; Weis, Tanja; Bethan, Bianca; Liebenberg, Volker; Wiemer, Jan; Katus, Hugo A.; Rein, Dietrich; Schatz, Philipp

2014-01-01

Objective The objective of the current study was to find a metabolic signature associated with the early manifestations of type-2 diabetes mellitus. Research Design and Method Modern metabolic profiling technology (MxP™ Broad Profiling) was applied to find early alterations in the plasma metabolome of type-2 diabetic patients. The results were validated in an independent study. Eicosanoid and single inon monitoring analysis (MxP™ Eicosanoid and MxP™ SIM analysis) were performed in subsets of samples. Results A metabolic signature including significantly increased levels of glyoxylate as a potential novel marker for early detection of type-2 diabetes mellitus was identified in an initial study (Study1). The signature was significantly altered in fasted diabetic and pre-diabetic subjects and in non-fasted subjects up to three years prior to the diagnosis of type-2 diabetes; most alterations were also consistently found in an independent patient group (Study 2). In Study 2 diabetic and most control subjects suffered from heart failure. In Study 1 a subgroup of diabetic subjects, with a history of use of anti-hypertensive medication further showed a more pronounced increase of glyoxylate levels, compared to a non-diabetic control group when tested in a hyperglycemic state. In the context of a prior history of anti-hypertensive medication, alterations in hexosamine and eicosanoid levels were also found. Conclusion A metabolic signature including glyoxylate was associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus, independent of the fasting status and of occurrence of another major disease. The same signature was also found to be associated with pre-diabetic subjects. Glyoxylate levels further showed a specifically strong increase in a subgroup of diabetic subjects. It could represent a new marker for the detection of medical subgroups of diabetic subjects. PMID:24465478

The dream of a one-stop-shop: Meta-analysis on myocardial perfusion CT.

PubMed

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; Dorrius, Monique; Xie, Xueqian; den Dekker, Martijn A M; Schoepf, U Joseph; Henzler, Thomas; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn

2015-12-01

To determine the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) perfusion techniques for the detection of functionally relevant coronary artery disease (CAD) in comparison to reference standards, including invasive coronary angiography (ICA), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Embase were searched from January 1, 1998 until July 1, 2014. The search yielded 9475 articles. After duplicate removal, 6041 were screened on title and abstract. The resulting 276 articles were independently analyzed in full-text by two reviewers, and included if the inclusion criteria were met. The articles reporting diagnostic parameters including true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative were subsequently evaluated for the meta-analysis. Results were pooled according to CT perfusion technique, namely snapshot techniques: single-phase rest, single-phase stress, single-phase dual-energy stress and combined coronary CT angiography [rest] and single-phase stress, as well the dynamic technique: dynamic stress CT perfusion. Twenty-two articles were included in the meta-analysis (1507 subjects). Pooled per-patient sensitivity and specificity of single-phase rest CT compared to rest SPECT were 89% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82-94%) and 88% (95% CI, 78-94%), respectively. Vessel-based sensitivity and specificity of single-phase stress CT compared to ICA-based >70% stenosis were 82% (95% CI, 64-92%) and 78% (95% CI, 61-89%). Segment-based sensitivity and specificity of single-phase dual-energy stress CT in comparison to stress MRI were 75% (95% CI, 60-85%) and 95% (95% CI, 80-99%). Segment-based sensitivity and specificity of dynamic stress CT perfusion compared to stress SPECT were 77% (95% CI, 67-85) and 89% (95% CI, 78-95%). For combined coronary CT angiography and single-phase stress CT, vessel-based sensitivity and specificity in comparison to ICA-based >50% stenosis were 84% (95% CI, 67-93%) and 93% (95% CI, 89-96%). This meta-analysis shows considerable variation in techniques and reference standards for CT of myocardial blood supply. While CT seems sensitive and specific for evaluation of hemodynamically relevant CAD, studies so far are limited in size. Standardization of myocardial perfusion CT technique is essential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-center evaluation of the single-dose pharmacokinetics of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist azilsartan medoxomil in renal impairment.

PubMed

Preston, Richard A; Karim, Aziz; Dudkowski, Caroline; Zhao, Zhen; Garg, Dyal; Lenz, Oliver; Sica, Domenic A

2013-05-01

Azilsartan medoxomil (AZL-M) is a potent angiotensin II receptor blocker that decreases blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner. It is a pro-drug and not detected in blood after oral administration because of rapid hydrolysis to the active moiety, azilsartan (AZL). AZL undergoes further metabolism to the major metabolite M-II and minor metabolites. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of AZL and its major metabolite. This was a single-center, open-label, phase I parallel-group study which examined the single-dose (40-mg) pharmacokinetics of AZL and M-II in 24 subjects with mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis (n = 6 per group), respectively, and healthy matched subjects (n = 24). Renal impairment/disease did not cause clinically meaningful increases in exposure to AZL. M-II exposure was higher in all renally impaired subjects and highest in those with severe impairment (approx fivefold higher vs. control). M-II is pharmacologically inactive; increased exposure was not considered important in dose selection for AZL-M in subjects with renal impairment. Hemodialysis did not significantly remove AZL or M-II. Renal impairment had no clinically meaningful effect on the plasma protein binding of AZL or M-II. Single doses of AZL-M 40 mg were well tolerated in all subject groups. Based on the pharmacokinetic and tolerability findings, no dose adjustment of AZL-M is required for subjects with any degree of renal impairment, including end-stage renal disease.

ANATOMICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT OF THE KNEE: DOUBLE BAND OR SINGLE BAND?

PubMed

Zanella, Luiz Antonio Zanotelli; Junior, Adair Bervig; Badotti, Augusto Alves; Michelin, Alexandre Froes; Algarve, Rodrigo Ilha; de Quadros Martins, Cesar Antonio

2012-01-01

To evaluate the double-band and single-band techniques for anatomical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee and demonstrate that the double-band technique not only provides greater anterior stability but also causes less pain and a better subjective patient response. We selected 42 patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, by means of either the single-band anatomical reconstruction technique, using flexor tendon grafts with two tunnels, or the double-band anatomical reconstruction technique, using four tunnels and grafts from the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons. All fixations were performed using interference screws. There was no variation in the sample. Before the operation, the objective and subjective IKDC scores, Lysholm score and length of time with the injury were evaluated. All these variables were reassessed six months later, and the KT-1000 correlation with the contralateral knee was also evaluated. There was no significant difference between the two groups in subjective evaluations, but the single-band group showed better results in relation to range of motion and objective evaluations including KT-1000 (with statistical significance). Our study demonstrated that there was no difference between the two groups in subjective evaluations, but better results were found using the single-band anatomical technique, in relation to objective evaluations.

ANATOMICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT OF THE KNEE: DOUBLE BAND OR SINGLE BAND?

PubMed Central

Zanella, Luiz Antonio Zanotelli; Junior, Adair Bervig; Badotti, Augusto Alves; Michelin, Alexandre Froes; Algarve, Rodrigo Ilha; de Quadros Martins, Cesar Antonio

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the double-band and single-band techniques for anatomical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee and demonstrate that the double-band technique not only provides greater anterior stability but also causes less pain and a better subjective patient response. Methods: We selected 42 patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, by means of either the single-band anatomical reconstruction technique, using flexor tendon grafts with two tunnels, or the double-band anatomical reconstruction technique, using four tunnels and grafts from the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons. All fixations were performed using interference screws. There was no variation in the sample. Before the operation, the objective and subjective IKDC scores, Lysholm score and length of time with the injury were evaluated. All these variables were reassessed six months later, and the KT-1000 correlation with the contralateral knee was also evaluated. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in subjective evaluations, but the single-band group showed better results in relation to range of motion and objective evaluations including KT-1000 (with statistical significance). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that there was no difference between the two groups in subjective evaluations, but better results were found using the single-band anatomical technique, in relation to objective evaluations. PMID:27042621

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Children with Sickle Cell Disease Is Beneficial and Cost-Effective: A Single-Center Analysis

PubMed Central

Arnold, Staci D.; Jin, Zhezhen; Sands, Stephen; Bhatia, Monica; Kung, Andrew L.; Satwani, Prakash

2017-01-01

Limited data exist regarding health care utilization (HCU) in patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) for sickle cell disease. Financial data from 2002 to 2011 were analyzed for 26 alloHCT patients and 48 control subjects (referred but without alloHCT). HCU of alloHCT was determined over 3 time periods: pre-alloHCT, during alloHCT (day 0 to day +365), and post-alloHCT. The median total cost per patient during the alloHCT year was $413,000 inpatient and $18,000 outpatient. Post-alloHCT HCU decreased when compared with pre-alloHCT and control subjects. The median cost of post-alloHCT outpatient visits per patient was significantly less when compared with pre-alloHCT (P = .044). The median cost of post-alloHCT inpatient visits per patient approached significance when compared with those pre-alloHCT (P = .079). Sixteen post-alloHCT patients, 19 control subjects, and 14 unaffected siblings were surveyed using Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and EuroQOL questionnaires; however, the questionnaire scores across all 3 patient groups were not statistically significant (P = .2638). When adjusted for health-related quality of life, the analysis suggested alloHCT has a positive impact on health-related quality of life over control subjects. These pilot data support our hypothesis that alloHCT in children with sickle cell disease reduces HCU compared with control subjects without alloHCT. PMID:25615608

KCNQ1 Haplotypes Associate with Type 2 Diabetes in Malaysian Chinese Subjects

PubMed Central

Saif-Ali, Riyadh; Ismail, Ikram S.; Al-Hamodi, Zaid; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M.; Siang, Lee C.; Alabsi, Aied M.; Muniandy, Sekaran

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes of potassium voltage-gated channel, KQT-like subfamily, member 1 (KCNQ1) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Malaysian Chinese subjects. The KCNQ1 SNPs rs2237892, rs2283228 and rs2237895 were genotyped in 300 T2D patients and 230 control subjects without diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Two logistic regression models of analysis were applied, the first adjusted for age and gender while the second adjusted for age, gender and body mass index. The additive genetic analysis showed that adjusting for body mass index (BMI) even strengthened association of rs2237892, rs2283228 and rs2237895 with T2D (OR = 2.0, P = 5.1 × 10−5; OR = 1.9, P = 5.2 × 10−5; OR = 1.9, P = 7.8 × 10−5, respectively). The haplotype TCA containing the allele of rs2237892 (T), rs2283228 (C) and rs2237895 (A) was highly protective against T2D (Second model; OR = 0.17, P = 3.7 × 10−11). The KCNQ1 rs2237892 (TT), and the protective haplotype (TCA) were associated with higher beta-cell function (HOMA-B) in normal subjects (P = 0.0002; 0.014, respectively). This study found that KCNQ1 SNPs was associated with T2D susceptibility in Malaysian Chinese subjects. In addition, certain KCNQ1 haplotypes were strongly associated with T2D. PMID:22016621

The comparative importance of books: clinical psychology in the health sciences library.

PubMed Central

Wehmeyer, J M; Wehmeyer, S

1999-01-01

Clinical psychology has received little attention as a subject in health sciences library collections. This study seeks to demonstrate the relative importance of the monographic literature to clinical psychology through the examination of citations in graduate student theses and dissertations at the Fordham Health Sciences Library, Wright State University. Dissertations and theses were sampled randomly; citations were classified by format, counted, and subjected to statistical analysis. Books and book chapters together account for 35% of the citations in clinical psychology dissertations, 25% in nursing theses, and 8% in biomedical sciences theses and dissertations. Analysis of variance indicates that the citations in dissertations and theses in the three areas differ significantly (F = 162.2 with 2 and 253 degrees of freedom, P = 0.0001). Dissertations and theses in biomedical sciences and nursing theses both cite significantly more journals per book than the dissertations in clinical psychology. These results support the hypothesis that users of clinical psychology literature rely more heavily on books than many other users of a health sciences library. Problems with using citation analyses in a single subject to determine a serials to monographs ratio for a health sciences library are pointed out. PMID:10219478