The new wave-ring helical (WRH) slow-wave structure for traveling wave tube amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panahi, Nasser; Saviz, S.; Ghorannevis, M.

2017-12-01

In this paper, the new slow-wave structure called wave-ring helix to enhance the power of the traveling wave tubes is introduced. In this new structure, without increasing the length and radius of the helix, the wave motion path can be increased to radiofrequency wave in phase with the electron beam. The results show that in the special frequency range the output power and gain are greater than conventional helix. In this paper, optimization results are presented in cold and hot tests on the new structure. The software CST is used in S-band frequency range.

Can Hard Journalism Survive Internet "Reporting"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugeja, Michael

2005-01-01

Historically, journalism education has fostered its industry ties. Because of state budget cuts, journalism programs must rely increasingly on media companies to sustain the training of students to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable--a century-old maxim tarnished by comfortable media companies' losing sight of their news mission and…

11. Photocopy of an elevation drawing (dated January 1924, B.J. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. Photocopy of an elevation drawing (dated January 1924, B.J. Garnett, Designing Engineer, H.S. Baker, County Engineer), housed at the Spokane County Public Works Department, Spokane - Latah Creek Bridge No. 4102, Prairie View Road, Waverly, Spokane County, WA

An evaluation of the importance of transit service to minority groups in Texas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-03-01

The report presents the results of a survey of minority group transit needs in nine (9) urbanized and non-urbanized areas in Texas. The sample areas include: Houston, Galveston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Huntsville, New Waverly, Willis, and Conroe....

Enthusiasm and the Effective Modern Academic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freudenberg, Brett; Samarkovski, Lisa

2014-01-01

Academics today face an array of challenges to their enthusiasm, including teaching students from diverse backgrounds with wavering levels of engagement with their studies. Furthermore, reform to the tertiary education sector has seen the corporatisation of universities with management increasingly measuring academic outcomes in respect of both…

75 FR 75949 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... Black Lake Entire shoreline within None +616 Township of Waverly. community. Black River Approximately 2.69 None +612 Township of Aloha. miles downstream of North Black River Road. Approximately 1.13 None +613 miles downstream of North Black River Road. Lake Huron Entire shoreline within None +583 Township...

76 FR 72453 - Post Office Closing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... the closing of the Waverly, Washington post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners... Postal Service); December 12, 2011, 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time: Deadline for notices to intervene. See the...

Non-Traditional Predictors of Academic Success for Special Action Admissions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tom, Alice K.

The use of nontraditional college admission variables in the prediction of academic success was assessed with 444 freshmen entering the University of California, Davis, under the Special Action process (wavering of admission requirements). For fall 1978, 1979, 1980 special entrants, attention was directed to college applications, including high…

Alternative substrates in production of trees in 25-gallon containers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pine bark supplies have wavered in availability over the past couple of years due to a shift in-field harvesting where bark is used as a biofuel material. Research in alternative potting substrates has continued across the country in an attempt to identify inexpensive, and logistically available, s...

Education and the Changing Shape of the Income Gradient in Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnittker, Jason

2004-01-01

Research on the social determinants of health has increasingly sought to understand the relative importance of different features of socioeconomic status. Much of the ensuing debate has wavered between education and income, with recent research leaning increasingly toward income. This research has not, however, consistently explored interactions…

Savage Exaggerations: Worshiping the Cosmology of Jonathan Kozol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, Marcus A.

2006-01-01

Jonathan Kozol has made a good living talking with students. His books chronicle travels among poor, minority children, most of them African Americans in struggling public schools. In the four decades that Kozol, now 70, has been writing books--11 so far--his message has hardly wavered: minority children are unsuccessful because rich, white…

76 FR 19466 - Masco Builder Cabinet Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Reserves Network, Reliable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

... Builder Cabinet Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Reserves Network, Reliable Staffing, and Third Dimension Waverly, OH; Masco Builder Cabinet Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Reserves Network... Group including on-site leased workers from Reserves Network, Jackson, Ohio. The workers produce...

76 FR 13226 - Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

... BUILDER CABINET GROUP INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM RESERVES NETWORK AND RELIABLE STAFFING WAVERLY, OHIO. TA-W-71,287B MASCO BUILDER CABINET GROUP INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM RESERVES NETWORK... Builder Cabinet Group, including on-site leased workers from Reserves Network and Reliable Staffing...

Happy 40th Cinema Guild

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzyk, Raya

2008-01-01

On May 10, 1968, the Cannes Film Festival shuddered to a stop when filmmakers including Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut rushed the stage at the Palais des Festivals to protest French New Waver Henri Langlois's removal from his post as president of the National Cinematheque Francaise. Also that month, in that same spirit of film lovers'…

77 FR 73027 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

...-2179-013; ER10-2181-013; ER10-2182-013. Applicants: R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, LLC, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, LLC, Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, LLC. Description: Supplement to July 6, 2012...: Southwest Power Pool, Inc. Description: 2501 Waverly Wind Farm, LLC GIA to be effective 11/14/ 2012. Filed...

A Third Voice: The Heterophonic Blend of Culture and Psyche.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleckenstein, Kristie S.

1997-01-01

Suggests that theories of self in composition studies waver between forces of culture and psyche, and that composition theory lacks concrete representations of the materiality of self, the ways in which individuals negotiate culture to create a sense of identity. Examines diary passages from four volunteers to study the "heterophonic"…

No-migration variance petition. Appendices C--J: Volume 5, Revision 1

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

Not Available

1990-03-01

Volume V contains the appendices for: closure and post-closure plans; RCRA ground water monitoring waver; Waste Isolation Division Quality Program Manual; water quality sampling plan; WIPP Environmental Procedures Manual; sample handling and laboratory procedures; data analysis; and Annual Site Environmental Monitoring Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Wandering Minds and Wavering Rhythms: Linking Mind Wandering and Behavioral Variability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seli, Paul; Cheyne, James Allan; Smilek, Daniel

2013-01-01

Mind wandering is a pervasive feature of human cognition often associated with the withdrawal of task-related executive control processes. Here, we explore the possibility that, in tasks requiring executive control to sustain consistent responding, moments of mind wandering could be associated with moments of increased behavioral variability. To…

Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-06

33 Separation of Powers Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Eliminating...specifically intended to grant the authority of the President to adjudicate or remedy treaty violations could violate the doctrine of separation of powers , as...has wavered between two approaches to cases raising separation - of - powers claims, using a strict approach in some cases and a less rigid balancing

76 FR 2145 - Masco Builder Cabinet Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Reserves Network, Jackson, OH...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

...,287B; TA-W-71,287C] Masco Builder Cabinet Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Reserves Network, Jackson, OH; Masco Builder Cabinet Group, Waverly, OH; Masco Builder Cabinet Group, Seal Township, OH; Masco Builder Cabinet Group, Seaman, OH; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker...

The Influence and Enlightenment of Confucian Cultural Education on Modern European Civilization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Jianfu

2009-01-01

Confucianism, not only is the core of Chinese cultural educational thoughts but its influence has been identified in the West by the European scholars. And with the impact of Confucianism civilization, the theological authority in the Dark Ages wavered. The human-based ideas of Confucianism that people are the foundation of the country, the…

8 CFR 232.2 - Examination in the United States of alien applicants for benefits under the immigration laws and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... where the applicant has been found to be afflicted with active or inactive tuberculosis or an infectious... Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS DETENTION OF ALIENS FOR PHYSICAL AND..., including clinics and local, county and state health departments employing qualified civil surgeons, as he...

8 CFR 232.2 - Examination in the United States of alien applicants for benefits under the immigration laws and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... where the applicant has been found to be afflicted with active or inactive tuberculosis or an infectious... Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS DETENTION OF ALIENS FOR PHYSICAL AND..., including clinics and local, county and state health departments employing qualified civil surgeons, as he...

8 CFR 232.2 - Examination in the United States of alien applicants for benefits under the immigration laws and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... where the applicant has been found to be afflicted with active or inactive tuberculosis or an infectious... Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS DETENTION OF ALIENS FOR PHYSICAL AND..., including clinics and local, county and state health departments employing qualified civil surgeons, as he...

Factors Contributing to Academic Resilience of Former Homeless High School Students: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Linda M.

2017-01-01

Homelessness is an increasing epidemic afflicting the United States. Of the millions of homeless in the United States, over two million are children (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2009; Slesnick, Dashora, Letcher, Erden, & Serocivh, 2009). It is reported that over 1.2 million of homeless students are enrolled in public schools…

Untapped Resources: Engaging Students in Preparation, Response and Recovery. ECS Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickeral, Terry; Lennon, Tiffani; Elias, Maurice

2006-01-01

This brief addresses how to engage and mobilize young people in order to prepare them for when disaster strikes. Perhaps more importantly, this brief seeks to do so in sustainable ways to avoid desensitizing youth to the effects of disaster, and prevent wavering attention. There are two ways to serve students--help them when disaster strikes their…

Raising Their Voices: Engaging Students, Teachers, and Parents to Help End the High School Dropout Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridgeland, John M.; Balfanz, Robert; Moore, Laura A.; Friant, Rebecca S.

2010-01-01

High dropout rates continue to be a silent epidemic afflicting the nation's schools. Although some measurable progress is being made in some school districts and states to raise high school graduation rates, and federal, state, and local policies and practices are changing to meet the dropout challenge, the nation's progress is too slow and the…

Old Flames and New Beacons: The Luminosity of Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNulty, Ray

2013-01-01

A few years ago, the author saw a video of a pop concert. It looked just like concerts of his youth: a well-lit stage amid a darkened crowd flecked with small wavering lights. He laughed when he realized, however, that the swaying glow was coming not from cigarette lighters but from LCD screens. This juxtaposition of old flames and new beacons…

The Impact of a Close Reading Approach on the Comprehension Level of English I Students at Wavers High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janus, Tina Marie

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact a close reading approach had on the reading comprehension levels of twelve English I students. Studies in literacy theory have suggested that students' reading comprehension levels improve with the use of reading strategies. As part of a larger body of research concerning reading instruction for…

Hydrogeology of the Waverly-Sayre area in Tioga and Chemung ounties, New York and Bradford County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Richard J.

2002-01-01

The hydrogeology of a 135-square-mile area centered at Waverly, N.Y. and Sayre, Pa. is summarized in a set of five maps and a sheet of geologic sections, all at 1:24,000 scale, that depict locations of wells and test holes (sheet 1), surficial geology (sheet 2), altitude of the water table (sheet 3), saturated thickness of the surficial aquifer (sheet 4), thickness of the lacustrine confining unit (sheet 5), and geologic sections (sheet 6). The valley-fill deposits that form the aquifer system in the Waverly-Sayre area occupy an area of approximately 30 square miles, within the valleys of the Susquehanna River, Chemung River, and Cayuta Creek.The saturated thickness of the surficial aquifer, which consists of alluvium, valley-train outwash, and underlying ice-contact deposits, ranges from zero to 90 feet and is greatest in areas where (1) the outwash is underlain by ice-contact sand and gravel or (2) the outwash is overlain by alluvium and alluvial fans. Estimated transmissivity of the surficial aquifer ranges from 5,600 to 100,270 feet squared per day, and estimated hydraulic conductivity ranges from 50 feet per day for ice-contact deposits to 1,300 feet per day for well-sorted, valley-train outwash.The surficial aquifer is underlain by deposits of lacustrine sand, silt, and clay in the main valleys; these deposits reach thicknesses of as much as 150 ft and form a thick confining unit. Beneath the lacustrine silt and clay confining unit is a thin, discontinuous sand and gravel aquifer whose thickness averages 5 feet but may be as much as 30 feet locally. This confined aquifer supplies many domestic well in the area; yields average about 22 gallons per minute for 6-inch-diameter, open-ended wells. Average annual recharge to the aquifer system is estimated to be approximately 52.5 Mgal/d (million gallons per day), of which 29.7 Mgal/d is from direct precipitation, 7.6 Mgal/d is from unchanneled upland runoff that infiltrates the stratified drift along the valley wall, and 15.2 Mgal/d is from infiltration from tributary streams on the valley floor.

The misbehaviour of a metacognitive monkey

PubMed Central

Sayers, Ken; Evans, Theodore A.; Menzel, Emilie; Smith, J. David; Beran, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Summary Metacognition, the monitoring of one’s own mental states, is a fundamental aspect of human intellect. Despite tests in nonhuman animals suggestive of uncertainty monitoring, some authors interpret these results solely in terms of primitive psychological mechanisms and reinforcement regimes, where “reinforcement” is invariably considered to be the delivery and consumption of earned food rewards. Surprisingly, few studies have detailed the trial-by-trial behaviour of animals engaged in such tasks. Here we report ethology-based observations on a rhesus monkey completing sparse-dense discrimination problems, and given the option of escaping trials (i.e., responding “uncertain”) at its own choosing. Uncertainty responses were generally made on trials of high objective difficulty, and were characterized by long latencies before beginning visible trials, long times taken for response, and, even after controlling for difficulty, high degrees of wavering during response. Incorrect responses were also common in trials of high objective difficulty, but were characterized by low degrees of wavering. This speaks to the likely adaptive nature of “hesitation,” and is inconsistent with models which argue or predict implicit, inflexible information-seeking or “alternative option” behaviours whenever challenging problems present themselves, Confounding models which suggest that nonhuman behaviour in metacognition tasks is driven solely by food delivery/consumption, the monkey was also observed allowing pellets to accumulate and consuming them during and after trials of all response/outcome categories (i.e., whether correct, incorrect, or escaped). This study thus bolsters previous findings that rhesus monkey behaviour in metacognition tasks is in some respects disassociated from mere food delivery/consumption, or even the avoidance of punishment. These and other observations fit well with the evolutionary status and natural proclivities of rhesus monkeys, but weaken arguments that responses in such tests are solely associated with associative mechanisms, and instead suggest more derived and controlled cognitive processing. The latter interpretation appears particularly parsimonious given the neurological adaptations of primates, as well as their highly flexible social and ecological behaviour. PMID:26900166

HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, and Opinions among Adolescents in the River States of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wodi, Ben E.

2005-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic (Taylor et al., 2003; UNAIDS/UNICEF/WHO, 2000; Eaton, Flishera and Arob, 2002; Prat, et al., 2000). Nigeria is one of the most afflicted sub-Saharan nations (UNAIDS, 2002). Rivers State, a major industrial area of Nigeria and the nerve center of the oil industry, represents a…

76 FR 65963 - Safety Zone; Waverly Country Club Fireworks Display on the Willamette River, Portland, OR

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-25

....13'' N, longitude 122[deg]39'20.99'' W then stretches across the river to the west bank at latitude... the east bank at latitude 45[deg]26'57.09'' N, longitude 122[deg]39'14.35'' W then stretches across... the east bank at latitude 45[deg]27'9.13'' N, longitude 122[deg]39'20.99 W then stretches across the...

Student Summary of the U.S. Department of Energy Portsmouth Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2013

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

Bryant, Shea; Develin, Thomas; Flores, Victor

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conducts environmental monitoring at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Site (PORTS) on an ongoing basis. Each year, the information collected is presented in a data volume and a comprehensive publication entitled the Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER). This year, a class at Waverly High School (WHS), located in Pike County, Ohio, developed this summary report. Both the ASER and this summary report are important as they allow DOE to clearly and concisely explain our environmental monitoring programs to our many stakeholders. The information presented in this summary shows that the PORTS site near Piketon,more » Ohio, is safe due in part to the Department’s focus on safety. The work at DOE facilities is highly detailed and technically complex, but DOE is committed to performing each of these activities safely. DOE’s first priority is to protect the well-being of our workers, the surrounding communities, and the environment. DOE would like to offer its sincerest appreciation to the students and faculty leader at Waverly High School who worked on this summary document. DOE congratulates each of you for your effort, enthusiasm, and willingness to support this project. DOE hopes you enjoy reading the PORTS 2013 Annual Site Environmental Report Summary.« less

78 FR 46247 - World Hepatitis Day, 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-31

... Hepatitis Day, 2013 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each year, we mark World Hepatitis Day to bring attention to a disease that afflicts one in twelve people worldwide. Viral hepatitis... about strategies for staying healthy. On World Hepatitis Day, let each of us lend our support to those...

DoD Acquisition Programs. Status of Selected Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

the Sense and Destroy Armor Munition were the preferred munitions mix to sat- isfy this need. In addition, a December 1986 System Threat Assessment...alternative for meeting the need. Recent budget decisions indicate that the Army is wavering on what the system is to consist of or whether all...through a video display, which will portray what the missile seeker sees as the missile cruises at low altitudes. These images will pass through the fiber

The State of Denmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gronn, Peter

2008-01-01

When an editor sanctions a set of authors to expound on what they believe is blighting the world of education, who can be sure of what they are likely to suggest? Not surprisingly, in the present instance the authors of the six papers in this collection have seized on the freedom they have been granted and have outlined a range of afflictions. The…

70. MISSISSIPPI, LOWNDES CO., NORTHWEST CORNER MAP OF LOWNDES COUNTY, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

70. MISSISSIPPI, LOWNDES CO., NORTHWEST CORNER MAP OF LOWNDES COUNTY, 1931 Detail of ROAD OF LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, 1931 by C. L. wood, county engineer. Detail of section NW of Columbus (12 mi. N, 9 mi. W), including Plymouth, Waverly, Barton, Buttahatchie R. Orig. scale: 1 in. to 1 mi. Property of Helen (Mrs. Sam L.) Crawford, Hamilton, Ms. Sarcone Photography, Columbus, Ms., Sep 1978. - Bridges of the Upper Tombigbee River Valley, Columbus, Lowndes County, MS

Reset or Forge Ahead? Is There a Future and "Value" in the Study of Spanish? Historical Trends and Calculations of the Merit or Dollar Worth of the Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dulfano, Isabel; Rubio, Fernando

2014-01-01

The objective of this paper is to trace the actual demand on enrolments over time, as much as the history of wavering public and academic sentiment towards teaching and speaking Spanish in this country during the last century. Secondarily, we examine the question of the value of mother tongue fluency or the acquisition, mastery and usage of the…

Population Based Assessment of MHC Class 1 Antigens Down Regulation as Marker in Increased Risk for Development and Progression of Breast Cancer From Benign Breast Lesions

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

isolated using a routine salting-out method (DNA E-Z Prepkit, Orchid Diagnostics Europe, St Katelijne Waver, Belgium). Sequence based typing In...electrophoresis using ethidiumbromide to show the single 2 KB band before sequencing. Next, sequencing reactions were performed separately for exons 2, 3...Multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for simultaneous screening of 29 translocations and chromosomal aberrations in acute

Operational Raids: Cavalry in the Vicksburg Campaign, 1862-1863

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

which should be fortified and guarded, and to which the army is to fall back in case of disaster.) This thinking served as the basis for how both sides...Initially prosecuted the war. The major limitation was that It did not seem to allow an army to operate without a base. This restrictive thinking , as...a wavering infantry line. This outlook pervaded the thinking of most commanders on both sides as the war started. Generals were unprepared to think of

Waverly Plantation: Ethnoarchaeology of a Tenant Farming Community,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-16

rope, 114 kg (250 lb) of *sugar, 74 kg (163 Ib) of coffee, 26 kg (57 ib) of flour, and 38 liters (10 * gal) of vinegar suggests a commission business... vinegar , tobacco, snuff, and sewing thread. The store was run by Percy and Melvinia Halbert, a black farmer and his wife. If the Halberts were out in...Blankenship tells about the time he got a bit tipsy as a child on sorghum beer made from fermented molasses and ended up dumping a jug of fresh molasses

Journal of Special Operations Medicine. Volume 1, Edition 3, Fall 2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

Visceral Urethritis, Non-Gonococcal Leprosy Vaccine, Adverse Event Leptospirosis Varicella , Active Duty Only Yellow Fever Figure 2...are favorable and sudden changes in local climate. Today, in the United States, these areas closely resemble the cattle drive trails of the Mexico ...Nebraska, New Mexico , Oklahoma, California, Kansas, and Mississippi. Canada is likewise sporadi- cally afflicted. Among the �economically advanced

Consumption, a Modern Affliction: Branding Culture, Youth Identity and College Admission

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tokuhama, Chris

2011-01-01

In order to understand the effects that consumer culture may have on modern youth, this article first traces a brief history of branding in the United States throughout the 20th Century to develop a context and precedent for the argument that the current generation of students applying to college has developed in a society saturated with branding,…

Child Obesity in Indiana: A Growing Public Policy Concern. Education Policy Brief. Volume 3, Number 1, Winter 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Kyle P.; Spradlin, Terry E.; Plucker, Jonathan A.

2005-01-01

Childhood and adolescent obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and are growing. The sedentary routines found in schools and in the home as well as the overexposure to unhealthy snacks and nonnutritional foods contribute to the pervasiveness of this disease that afflicts America's children. Obese children face…

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Educational Implications for Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlachter, Sarah

2008-01-01

For many years there has been debate over Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and whether this condition, which commonly afflicts adolescent children, is a medical or social condition and whether it is exclusively an American phenomenon. This article reviews the basis of ADHD's definition, diagnosis, treatment, and educational…

3 CFR 9001 - Proclamation 9001 of July 25, 2013. World Hepatitis Day, 2013

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Proclamation 9001 of July 25, 2013. World Hepatitis..., 2013 Proc. 9001 World Hepatitis Day, 2013By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each year, we mark World Hepatitis Day to bring attention to a disease that afflicts one in twelve...

The Human Side of Financial Hard Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breneman, David W.

2009-01-01

The current downturn has the potential to be more severe and longer lasting than the recessions of the 1970s, '80s, '90s, and early 2000s. By now, rivers of ink have been spilled documenting the financial and economic crisis afflicting the United States and much of the globe. While numerous articles have examined the impact on higher-education…

Oak wilt: a potential threat to southern and western oak forests

Treesearch

A. Dan Wilson

2001-01-01

Oak wilt is recognized as one of the most destructive diseases to afflict oak species in the United States. The distribution and development of oak wilt in our eastern and midwestern oak forests has been closely linked to changes in forest stand composition, forest management practices, and pathogen dissemination facilitated by human and vector activity. The potential...

Religion and Death: A Test of Homans' Thesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leming, Michael R.

1979-01-01

Tests George Homans' contention that religion arouses a sense of anxiety concerning death and then alleviates the anxiety it creates. Evidence seems to indicate that religiosity may serve the dual function of afflicting the comforted and comforting the afflicted. (Author)

Memories and history of Hansen's disease in Brazil told by witnesses (1960-2000).

PubMed

Rosa Maciel, Laurinda; Oliveira, Maria Leide Wand-del-Rey; Gallo, Maria Eugênia N; Damasco, Mariana Santos

2003-01-01

This report is a preliminary result of a survey on memories and history of Hansen's disease, or 'hanseniasis', prepared by the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) using statements from those who have been afflicted by the disease or those that have fought against it. It outlines the methodology used by the authors and gives a succinct history of Hansen's disease in Brazil, together wish information on the stage of the survey with extracts from our archives of statements. The founding and the role of Movement for the Reintegration of People Afflicted by Hansen's Disease (Morhan) are explained in the testimony of Thomas Frist, a social scientist who worked in Brazil in the 1970s and 1980s, when the country's old colonies were being restructured, and Cristiano Torres, a former patient who spent time in prevention centers and leproseries in Pará state and who is now active in proposing new policy for the control of Hansen's disease.

Hydrogeology and water quality of five principal aquifers in the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska, 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Druliner, A.D.; Mason, J.P.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, conducted a hydrogeologic and water-quality reconnaissance study of the five principal aquifers in deposits of Quaternary age in the Natural Resources District. The purpose of the study was to delineate the approximate extent of the aquifers, to estimate volumes of drainable water in three aquifers, to provide information that could be useful in designing future ground-water-quality monitoring, and to determine baseline water-quality conditions in the aquifers, focusing on nitrate concentrations. The approximate lateral boundaries of the Dwight-Valparaiso, Crete-Princeton-Adams, and Waverly aquifers were defined as areas in which the thickness of continuous sand and gravel deposits was less than 40 feet. The three aquifers were determined to contain about 1,340,000; 1,540,000; and 172,000 acre-feet of drainable water, respectively, assuming a specific yield of 0.20. During the summer of 1994, ground-water samples were collected from 46 wells in the five aquifers and analyzed for nitrate and screened for triazine herbicides. Additionally, water samples from 39 of these wells were analyzed for major ions, iron, and manganese, and 35 were analyzed for radon. Water-quality analyses revealed that the water in the five aquifers had specific conductances that ranged from 399 to 2,040 micro-siemens per centimeter and was a calcium-carbonate to calcium-magnesium-sodium carbonate type. The most mineralized water samples were from the Crete-Princeton-Adams aquifer, which contained a median concentration of dissolved solids of 520 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of nitrate in water samples from the aquifers ranged from less than 0.05 to 23 milligrams per liter as nitrogen, and only six water samples exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 10 milligrams per liter. The median concentration of radon for water samples from the five aquifers was 300 picocuries per liter, which is the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level. Water samples from the Crete-Princeton-Adams and Waverly aquifers had the largest concentrations of radon among the five aquifers. The Crete-Princeton-Adams aquifer had a median concentration of 440 picocuries per liter, and the Waverly aquifer had a median concentration of 390 picocuries per liter. Herbicides were detected in water from only six wells, which were in four of the five aquifers. Atrazine, metabolites of atrazine, metolachlor, and metribuzin were detected in concentrations generally less than 1.00 microgram per liter.

Suppression of greasy spot disease caused by Mycosphaerella citri Whiteside on grapefruit trees in an organic orchard using an aqueous organic mixture of composted cornmeal, humic acid, molasses, and fish oil vs vegetable oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greasy spot disease of citrus, caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella citri Whiteside, afflicts citrus trees in all citrus-growing areas of the United States, eastern Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands, causing premature defoliation, blemished fruit, and reduced tree vigor, yield, and f...

Discrimination and subjective well-being: protective influences of membership in a discriminated category.

PubMed

Hnilica, Karel

2011-03-01

Research reveals that discrimination has harmful effects on health and quality of life. Among the most frequent types of discrimination pertains gender and age discrimination. Research results show that discriminatory behaviours based on gender afflict predominantly women; age discrimination afflicts mainly older adults. At the same time, it has been found that members of these traditionally discriminated categories often use strategies that mitigate the effects of discrimination. Discrimination will have detrimental effects on subjective well-being. But its effects will be most harmful for persons who are not members of the traditionally discriminated categories. These hypotheses were tested on data from three waves of the European Social Survey that the Czech Republic also participated in. Data were analyzed in a series of multilevel random coefficients regression analyses with respondents nested within states and states nested within years of study. Both perceived gender discrimination and perceived age discrimination have negative effects on subjective well-being. However, gender discrimination had more harmful effects on the subjective well-being of men than women and age discrimination had the most harmful effects on the subjective well-being of people in their middle ages, not the elderly ones. Discrimination does not need to have most harmful effects on the quality of life of members of the categories that are discriminated against most often.

Portrayals of People with Cerebral Palsy in Homicide News

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucardie, Richard; Sobsey, Dick

2005-01-01

Through content analysis, employing qualitative and quantitative methods, Canadian media representation of people with cerebral palsy (PWCP) in public life was examined. Canadian NewsDisc, an online biographic database service, was used to examine the use of stigmatizing language such as afflicted by, afflicted with, suffered from, suffers from,…

Climate-wise choices in a world of oil abundance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Adam R.; Masnadi, Mohammad S.; Englander, Jacob G.; Koomey, Jonathan; Gordon, Deborah

2018-04-01

Constrained oil supply has given way to abundance at a time when strong action on climate change is wavering. Recent innovation has pushed US oil production to all-time heights and driven oil prices lower. At the same time, attention to climate policy is wavering due to geopolitical upheaval. Nevertheless, climate-wise choices in the oil sector remain a priority, given oil’s large role in modern economies. Here we use a set of open-source models along with a detailed dataset comprising 75 global crude oils (~25% of global production) to estimate the effects of carbon intensity and oil demand on decadal scale oil-sector emissions. We find that oil resources are abundant relative to all projections of 21st century demand, due to large light-tight oil (LTO) and heavy oil/bitumen (HOB) resources. We then investigate the ‘barrel forward’ emissions from producing, refining, and consuming all products from a barrel of crude. These oil resources have diverse life-cycle-greenhouse gas (LC-GHG) emissions impacts, and median per-barrel emissions for unconventional resources vary significantly. Median HOB life cycle emissions are 1.5 times those of median LTO emissions, exceeding them by 200 kgCO2eq./bbl. We show that reducing oil LC-GHGs is a mitigation opportunity worth 10–50 gigatonnes CO2 eq. cumulatively by 2050. We discuss means to reduce oil sector LC-GHGs. Results point to the need for policymakers to address both oil supply and oil demand when considering options to reduce LC-GHGs.

Absolute cross sections for the ionization-excitation of helium by electron impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellm, S.; Lower, J.; Weigold, E.; Bray, I.; Fursa, D. V.; Bartschat, K.; Harris, A. L.; Madison, D. H.

2008-09-01

In a recent publication we presented detailed experimental and theoretical results for the electron-impact-induced ionization of ground-state helium atoms. The purpose of that work was to refine theoretical approaches and provide further insight into the Coulomb four-body problem. Cross section ratios were presented for transitions leading to excited states, relative to those leading to the ground state, of the helium ion. We now build on that study by presenting individual relative triple-differential ionization cross sections (TDCSs) for an additional body of experimental data measured at lower values of scattered-electron energies. This has been facilitated through the development of new electron-gun optics which enables us to accurately characterize the spectrometer transmission at low energies. The experimental results are compared to calculations resulting from a number of different approaches. For ionization leading to He+(1s2)1S , cross sections are calculated by the highly accurate convergent close-coupling (CCC) method. The CCC data are used to place the relative experimental data on to an absolute scale. TDCSs describing transitions to the excited states are calculated through three different approaches, namely, through a hybrid distorted- wave+R -matrix (close-coupling) model, through the recently developed four-body distorted-wave model, and by a first Born approximation calculation. Comparison of the first- and second-order theories with experiment allows for the accuracy of the different theoretical approaches to be assessed and gives insight into which physical aspects of the problem are most important to accurately model.

THE ROLE OF TYLOSES IN CROWN HYDRAULIC FAILURE OF MATURE WALNUT TREES AFFLICTED WITH APOPLEXY DISORDER

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the Central Valley of California, mature walnut trees afflicted with apoplexy disorder exhibit rapid and complete canopy defoliation within a few weeks of symptom initiation. Symptoms are typically found throughout the entire canopy and are initially expressed as wilting and chlorosis followed b...

Chronology of the birth and death of a health bill.

PubMed

Jacks, J C; Jacks, L

1995-01-01

A two-year attempt by the Clinton administration to develop and pass a health care reform bill was from the beginning destined for failure. The health care reform plan was developed in secret, leaving the plan open for special interest suspect. It was overly complex and difficult to understand. Congress and the general public initially supported the effort, but wavered under pressure and negative messages generated by special interest groups. After a year of intense debate, health care reform was declared dead, with very little hope of resurrection in the 1994 election year, which saw Republicans make significant gains in Congress.

Science Lives: School choices and `natural tendencies'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehjee, Saima; Watts, Mike

2015-03-01

An analysis of 12 semi-structured interviews with university-based scientists and non-scientists illustrates their life journeys towards, or away from, science and the strengths and impact of life occurrences leading them to choose science or non-science professions. We have adopted narrative approaches and used Mezirow's transformative learning theory framework. The areas of discussion from the result have stressed on three main categories that include 'smooth transition', 'incremental wavering transition' and 'transformative transition'. The article concludes by discussing the key influences that shaped initial attitudes and direction in these people through natural inclination, environmental inspirations and perceptions of science.

Multi-Family Psychoeducational Support Group Therapy for Families with a Member Afflicted with Irreversible Brain Syndrome (Alzheimer's Disease): Report of a Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paley, Evelyn S.; And Others

Alzheimers Disease (AD), an incurable disability which afflicts older adults, can have devastating emotional consequences for the victim and the family. In an attempt to determine the effectiveness of multifamily psychoeducational support, group therapy (MFPSGT), 22 persons (13 families) from the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders…

Environmental stressors afflicting tailwater stream reaches across the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Krogman, R. M.

2014-01-01

The tailwater is the reach of a stream immediately below an impoundment that is hydrologically, physicochemically and biologically altered by the presence and operation of a dam. The overall goal of this study was to gain a nationwide awareness of the issues afflicting tailwater reaches in the United States. Specific objectives included the following: (i) estimate the percentage of reservoirs that support tailwater reaches with environmental conditions suitable for fish assemblages throughout the year, (ii) identify and quantify major sources of environmental stress in those tailwaters that do support fish assemblages and (iii) identify environmental features of tailwater reaches that determine prevalence of key fish taxa. Data were collected through an online survey of fishery managers. Relative to objective 1, 42% of the 1306 reservoirs included in this study had tailwater reaches with sufficient flow to support a fish assemblage throughout the year. The surface area of the reservoir and catchment most strongly delineated reservoirs maintaining tailwater reaches with or without sufficient flow to support a fish assemblage throughout the year. Relative to objective 2, major sources of environmental stress generally reflected flow variables, followed by water quality variables. Relative to objective 3, zoogeography was the primary factor discriminating fish taxa in tailwaters, followed by a wide range of flow and water quality variables. Results for objectives 1–3 varied greatly among nine geographic regions distributed throughout the continental United States. Our results provide a large-scale view of the effects of reservoirs on tailwater reaches and may help guide research and management needs.

Comparison of Efficacy of Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Therapeutic Methods for Reducing Anxiety and Depression of Iranian Combatant Afflicted by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narimani, M.; Sadeghieh Ahari, S.; Rajabi, S.

This research aims to determine efficacy of two therapeutic methods and compare them; Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for reduction of anxiety and depression of Iranian combatant afflicted with Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after imposed war. Statistical population of current study includes combatants afflicted with PTSD that were hospitalized in Isar Hospital of Ardabil province or were inhabited in Ardabil. These persons were selected through simple random sampling and were randomly located in three groups. The method was extended test method and study design was multi-group test-retest. Used tools include hospital anxiety and depression scale. This survey showed that exercise of EMDR and CBT has caused significant reduction of anxiety and depression.

Health condition of juvenile Chelonia mydas related to fibropapillomatosis in southeast Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Renan de Deus Santos, Marcello; Silva Martins, Agnaldo; Baptistotte, Cecília; Work, Thierry M.

2015-01-01

Packed cell volume (PCV), plasma biochemistry, visual body condition (BC), and calculated body condition index (BCI) were evaluated in 170 wild juvenile green sea turtles Chelonia mydas from an aggregation in the effluent canal of a steel mill in Brazil. Occurrence of cutaneous fibropapillomatosis (FP) was observed in 44.1% of the animals examined. BCI alone did not differ significantly between healthy animals and those afflicted with FP. However, all turtles with low BCI were severely afflicted and were uremic, hypoglycemic, and anemic in relation to healthy animals. Severe FP was not always reflected by a poor health condition of the individual. Clinical evaluation and plasma biochemistry indicated that most animals afflicted with FP were in good health condition. Differences in FP manifestations and associated health conditions in different geographic regions must be assessed by long-term health monitoring programs to help define priorities for conservation efforts.

Investigating white-nose syndrome in bats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blehert, David S.

2009-01-01

A devastating, emergent disease afflicting hibernating bats has pread from the northeast to the mid-Atlantic region of the United States at an alarming rate. Since the winter of 2006-2007, hundreds of thousands of insect-eating bats from at least nine states have died from this new disease, named White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). The disease is named for the white fungus often seen on the muzzles, ears, and wings of bats. This disease poses a threat to cave hibernating bats of the United States and potentially all temperate regions of the world. USGS scientists from the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT), in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others have linked a newly described, cold-loving fungus to WNS.

Orbital neoplasia in 23 dogs.

PubMed

Kern, T J

1985-03-01

Medical records of 23 dogs with histologically documented orbital neoplasia and admitted to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine between 1975 and 1984 were reviewed. Almost all (91%) of the tumors were classified as malignant; 74% of the tumors arose as primary neoplasms within the orbit. Eleven tumor types of connective tissue, bone, epithelial, and hemolymphatic origin were represented. The typically afflicted dog was purebred, female, and middle-aged. Review of this series confirmed the clinical impression that orbital neoplasms in dogs are aggressive malignancies with poor long-term prognosis.

A velocimetric survey of the Lower Missouri River from river mile 492.38 to 290.20, July-October 2011 and July 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Armstrong, Daniel J.; Wilkison, Donald H.; Norman, Richard D.

2014-01-01

Of the July 2012 synoptic velocimetric surveys, velocities near St. Joseph, Missouri, indicated no longitudinal trends in the main-channel, near-bed, near-bank, and whole-river velocities. The Kansas City and Waverly synoptic velocimetric surveys indicated a general decrease in these velocities proceeding downstream. For all 2012 surveys, near-bed velocity was closest in magnitude to Winriver II mean velocity and near-bed and whole-river velocities decreased with increasing channel area. For the entire study, variations in near-bank velocity may have been due to the influence of channel structures and their diversion of higher velocities away from the channel edges.

Diagnosis and distress in Navajo healing.

PubMed

Csordas, Thomas J; Storck, Michael J; Strauss, Milton

2008-08-01

In contemporary Navajo society, traditional Navajo ceremonies, Native American Church prayer meetings, and Navajo Christian faith healing are all highly sought-after resources in the everyday pursuit of health and well-being. What is the nature of affliction among patients who turn to such forms of religious healing? Are these patients typically afflicted with psychiatric disorder? In this article we discuss 84 Navajo patients who participated in the Navajo Healing Project during a period in which they consulted one of these forms of healing. We present diagnostic results obtained from the Structured Clinical Interview for DSMIV (SCID) administered to these patients. We then present an ethnographically augmented analysis comparing the research diagnosis obtained via the SCID with a clinical diagnosis, with the diagnosis given by religious healers, and with the understanding of their own distress on the part of patients. These analyses demonstrate how a cultural approach contributes to the basic science and clinical understandings of affliction as well as to discussion of the advantages and limitations of DSM categories as descriptors of distress and disorder.

No case of Guinea worm. Just because governments like the United States and Japan, private organizations, corporations, and particularly the leaders and the villagers and afflicted countries have cooperated.

PubMed

Carter, J

1998-01-01

Collaboration among governments, private organizations, the World Bank, UN agencies, corporations, and the leaders and villagers of afflicted countries is producing substantial progress toward global eradication of many parasitic diseases. For example, there are now less than 100,000 cases of Guinea worm in the world--a 98% reduction. Strategies to prevent villagers from drinking infested water have included drilling deep wells, putting a nontoxic larvicide in the water, and straining the water through cloth filters. Both the larvicide and filters were provided free of charge to the eradication effort by US corporations. Similarly, a pharmaceutical company contributed 21.5 million free doses of mectizanr--a drug that prevents river blindness for a year--in the past year. Another pharmaceutical company donated albendazole for the global elimination of lymphatic filariasis. National pledges to a World Bank trust fund cover the costs of distributing donated medicines to the affected villages. The Common Agenda, a collaboration established between the US and Japan by the author, is an example of the potential of partnerships to create global political stability, correct environmental degradation, and promote the advantages of science and technology.

Arterial Calcification in Diabetes Mellitus: Preclinical Models and Translational Implications.

PubMed

Stabley, John N; Towler, Dwight A

2017-02-01

Diabetes mellitus increasingly afflicts our aging and dysmetabolic population. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the antecedent metabolic syndrome represent the vast majority of the disease burden-increasingly prevalent in children and older adults. However, type 1 diabetes mellitus is also advancing in preadolescent children. As such, a crushing wave of cardiometabolic disease burden now faces our society. Arteriosclerotic calcification is increased in metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and type 1 diabetes mellitus-impairing conduit vessel compliance and function, thereby increasing the risk for dementia, stroke, heart attack, limb ischemia, renal insufficiency, and lower extremity amputation. Preclinical models of these dysmetabolic settings have provided insights into the pathobiology of arterial calcification. Osteochondrogenic morphogens in the BMP-Wnt signaling relay and transcriptional regulatory programs driven by Msx and Runx gene families are entrained to innate immune responses-responses activated by the dysmetabolic state-to direct arterial matrix deposition and mineralization. Recent studies implicate the endothelial-mesenchymal transition in contributing to the phenotypic drift of mineralizing vascular progenitors. In this brief overview, we discuss preclinical disease models that provide mechanistic insights-and point to challenges and opportunities to translate these insights into new therapeutic strategies for our patients afflicted with diabetes mellitus and its arteriosclerotic complications. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Automatic Cone Photoreceptor Localisation in Healthy and Stargardt Afflicted Retinas Using Deep Learning.

PubMed

Davidson, Benjamin; Kalitzeos, Angelos; Carroll, Joseph; Dubra, Alfredo; Ourselin, Sebastien; Michaelides, Michel; Bergeles, Christos

2018-05-21

We present a robust deep learning framework for the automatic localisation of cone photoreceptor cells in Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) split-detection images. Monitoring cone photoreceptors with AOSLO imaging grants an excellent view into retinal structure and health, provides new perspectives into well known pathologies, and allows clinicians to monitor the effectiveness of experimental treatments. The MultiDimensional Recurrent Neural Network (MDRNN) approach developed in this paper is the first method capable of reliably and automatically identifying cones in both healthy retinas and retinas afflicted with Stargardt disease. Therefore, it represents a leap forward in the computational image processing of AOSLO images, and can provide clinical support in on-going longitudinal studies of disease progression and therapy. We validate our method using images from healthy subjects and subjects with the inherited retinal pathology Stargardt disease, which significantly alters image quality and cone density. We conduct a thorough comparison of our method with current state-of-the-art methods, and demonstrate that the proposed approach is both more accurate and appreciably faster in localizing cones. As further validation to the method's robustness, we demonstrate it can be successfully applied to images of retinas with pathologies not present in the training data: achromatopsia, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Beliefs about depression--do affliction and treatment experience matter? Results of a population survey from Germany.

PubMed

Mnich, Eva; Makowski, Anna Christin; Lambert, Martin; Angermeyer, Matthias C; Knesebeck, Olaf von dem

2014-08-01

There is not much known about the associations of beliefs about depression (depression literacy) with a history of depression and treatment experience. Analyses were based on a telephone survey in two large German cities (Hamburg and Munich). Written vignettes with typical signs and symptoms suggestive of a depression were presented to 1293 respondents. Respondents were then asked about beliefs about causes, symptoms, prevalence, and treatment using a standardized questionnaire. For the analysis respondents were divided into three groups: (1) people who never had a depression, (2) people who had a depression but were not treated and (3) people with treatment experience. Respondents with experience in treatment for depression were more likely to correctly recognize the disorder, to positively evaluate treatability and to favor external factors (adverse conditions in childhood and psychosocial stress) as potential causes of depression compared to those who never were afflicted. There were no significant differences between these two groups regarding beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment options. There were only few significant differences in depression literacy between respondents who have a history of depression but have not sought help and those who never were afflicted. The three groups were constituted on the basis of respondents׳ self-reports, not medical diagnoses. Our findings only partly support the general assumption that being afflicted and having sought help is associated with beliefs closer to those of professionals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of knowledge of leprosy on the attitude towards leprosy patients: a community study.

PubMed

Raju, M S; Kopparty, S N

1995-01-01

NLEP, through its survey-education-treatment (SET) pattern, attempts to educate the community members about the scientific facts of leprosy with the view to improve their knowledge leading to a more positive attitude towards the leprosy afflicted. This paper explores the impact of knowledge on the attitudes of 1199 community members drawn from two States, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, towards leprosy. The results show that, overall, a high knowledge level did not necessarily generate positive attitudes. There was a general negative attitude despite 35% to 50% of the respondents having high knowledge level. There were, however, situations in which a high level of knowledge helps to have positive attitudes. These situations differ in the two states studied.

Osteoporosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

PubMed Central

Ali, Tauseef; Lam, David; Bronze, Michael S.; Humphrey, Mary Beth

2010-01-01

Osteoporosis commonly afflicts patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and many factors link the 2 states together. A literature review was conducted about the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in relation to inflammatory bowel disease. Screening guidelines for osteoporosis in general as well as those directed at patients with inflammatory bowel disease are reviewed, as are currently available treatment options. The purpose of this article is to increase physician awareness about osteopenia and osteoporosis occurring in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and to provide basic, clinically relevant information about the pathophysiology and guidelines to help them treat these patients in a cost-effective manner. PMID:19559158

Leprosy: a glossary.

PubMed

Virmond, Marcos; Grzybowski, Andrzej; Virmond, Luiza

2015-01-01

Leprosy continues to afflict residents from a number of countries in Africa, South America, and southeast Asia, despite the marked reduction in the number of cases of leprosy worldwide, after the introduction of the multidrug regimens as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO-MDT). With the increasing immigration of individuals from risk areas to Europe and the United States, knowledge of the basic concepts of leprosy would be helpful to clinicians caring for immigrants in nonendemic areas. We present a comprehensive, updated, and critical glossary of the most relevant terms related to leprosy. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A new antenna concept for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skahill, G.; Ciccolella, D.

1982-01-01

A novel antenna configuration of two reflecting surfaces and a phased array is examined for application to satellite communications and shown to be superior in every respect to earlier designs for service to the continental United States from synchronous orbit. The vignetting that afflicts other two reflector optical systems is eliminated by use of a reflecting field element. The remaining aberrations, predominantly coma, are isolated in the time delay distribution at the surface of the array and can be compensated by ordinary array techniques. The optics exhibits infinite bandwidth and the frequency range is limited only by the design of the array.

Current status of solar cell performance of unconventional silicon sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoo, H. I.; Liu, J. K.

1981-01-01

It is pointed out that activities in recent years directed towards reduction in the cost of silicon solar cells for terrestrial photovoltaic applications have resulted in impressive advancements in the area of silicon sheet formation from melt. The techniques used in the process of sheet formation can be divided into two general categories. All approaches in one category require subsequent ingot wavering. The various procedures of the second category produce silicon in sheet form. The performance of baseline solar cells is discussed. The baseline process included identification marking, slicing to size, and surface treatment (etch-polishing) when needed. Attention is also given to the performance of cells with process variations, and the effects of sheet quality on performance and processing.

Using people to cope with the hunger: social networks and food transfers amongst HIV/AIDS afflicted households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Kaschula, Sarah

2011-10-01

Household afflicted by HIV/AIDS are particularly prone to food insecurity. This article explores the role of community networks in meeting household food deficits. One hundred households exhibiting a range (0-5) of HIV/AIDS proxies related to orphan fostering, prime adult chronic illness and mortality were visited at quarterly intervals for a year. At each assessment, donated food types consumed in the past 48 h were recorded, and household food security was monitored through an experiential measure. Factors determining access to donated foods were explored qualitatively by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Poor households with prime adult chronic illness were prone to food insecurity, and used the most donated foods. However, not all households perceived to be afflicted with HIV/AIDS were able to access donated foods due to stigma and social exclusion. Concerted action must be taken by government, non-government and community agents if social food transfer networks are to be transformed into coordinated community action.

Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study

PubMed Central

vanEngelsdorp, Dennis; Evans, Jay D.; Saegerman, Claude; Mullin, Chris; Haubruge, Eric; Nguyen, Bach Kim; Frazier, Maryann; Frazier, Jim; Cox-Foster, Diana; Chen, Yanping; Underwood, Robyn; Tarpy, David R.; Pettis, Jeffery S.

2009-01-01

Background Over the last two winters, there have been large-scale, unexplained losses of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the United States. In the absence of a known cause, this syndrome was named Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) because the main trait was a rapid loss of adult worker bees. We initiated a descriptive epizootiological study in order to better characterize CCD and compare risk factor exposure between populations afflicted by and not afflicted by CCD. Methods and Principal Findings Of 61 quantified variables (including adult bee physiology, pathogen loads, and pesticide levels), no single measure emerged as a most-likely cause of CCD. Bees in CCD colonies had higher pathogen loads and were co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than control populations, suggesting either an increased exposure to pathogens or a reduced resistance of bees toward pathogens. Levels of the synthetic acaricide coumaphos (used by beekeepers to control the parasitic mite Varroa destructor) were higher in control colonies than CCD-affected colonies. Conclusions/Significance This is the first comprehensive survey of CCD-affected bee populations that suggests CCD involves an interaction between pathogens and other stress factors. We present evidence that this condition is contagious or the result of exposure to a common risk factor. Potentially important areas for future hypothesis-driven research, including the possible legacy effect of mite parasitism and the role of honey bee resistance to pesticides, are highlighted. PMID:19649264

Colony collapse disorder: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Vanengelsdorp, Dennis; Evans, Jay D; Saegerman, Claude; Mullin, Chris; Haubruge, Eric; Nguyen, Bach Kim; Frazier, Maryann; Frazier, Jim; Cox-Foster, Diana; Chen, Yanping; Underwood, Robyn; Tarpy, David R; Pettis, Jeffery S

2009-08-03

Over the last two winters, there have been large-scale, unexplained losses of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the United States. In the absence of a known cause, this syndrome was named Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) because the main trait was a rapid loss of adult worker bees. We initiated a descriptive epizootiological study in order to better characterize CCD and compare risk factor exposure between populations afflicted by and not afflicted by CCD. Of 61 quantified variables (including adult bee physiology, pathogen loads, and pesticide levels), no single measure emerged as a most-likely cause of CCD. Bees in CCD colonies had higher pathogen loads and were co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than control populations, suggesting either an increased exposure to pathogens or a reduced resistance of bees toward pathogens. Levels of the synthetic acaricide coumaphos (used by beekeepers to control the parasitic mite Varroa destructor) were higher in control colonies than CCD-affected colonies. This is the first comprehensive survey of CCD-affected bee populations that suggests CCD involves an interaction between pathogens and other stress factors. We present evidence that this condition is contagious or the result of exposure to a common risk factor. Potentially important areas for future hypothesis-driven research, including the possible legacy effect of mite parasitism and the role of honey bee resistance to pesticides, are highlighted.

Characterization of Clostridium perfringens Strains Isolated from Healthy and Necrotic Enteritis-Afflicted Broiler Chickens.

PubMed

Li, Charles; Lillehoj, Hyun S; Gadde, Ujvala Deepthi; Ritter, Don; Oh, SungTaek

2017-06-01

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an important enteric disease in poultry, and Clostridium perfringens (CP) type A strains are the primary etiology. NE is responsible for annual losses of US $6 billion to the poultry industry in the United States. An increase in the incidence of NE has been also associated with withdrawal of antibiotic growth promoters from poultry feed. In this study, CP strains isolated from healthy and NE-afflicted birds were characterized microbiologically and molecularly, and their virulence was experimentally tested in chickens. All strains were hemolytic, lecithinase positive, and identified as CP by biochemical tests. Three distinct colony morphologies were seen in brain-heart infusion media with 0.3% agarose, FeSO 4 , and ZnCl 2 . The CP strains responded differently to iron chelation with 2,2'-bidypinol. PCR toxinotyping showed that all tested strains were alpha toxin-positive, seven (N11, N10, CP1, CP5, CP13, JGS, and Del1) were beta2-toxin-positive, and only one (Del1) was necrotic enteritis toxin B-like-positive. In vivo studies indicated that most isolates, including strain N11 isolated from the normal chicken gut, were sufficiently virulent to produce NE disease in the Eimeria/CP dual infection model. The Del1 and N11 strains merit further investigation to identify their virulence factors and immune-protective antigens.

Entanglement-distillation attack on continuous-variable quantum key distribution in a turbulent atmospheric channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Ying; Xie, Cailang; Liao, Qin; Zhao, Wei; Zeng, Guihua; Huang, Duan

2017-08-01

The survival of Gaussian quantum states in a turbulent atmospheric channel is of crucial importance in free-space continuous-variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD), in which the transmission coefficient will fluctuate in time, thus resulting in non-Gaussian quantum states. Different from quantum hacking of the imperfections of practical devices, here we propose a different type of attack by exploiting the security loopholes that occur in a real lossy channel. Under a turbulent atmospheric environment, the Gaussian states are inevitably afflicted by decoherence, which would cause a degradation of the transmitted entanglement. Therefore, an eavesdropper can perform an intercept-resend attack by applying an entanglement-distillation operation on the transmitted non-Gaussian mixed states, which allows the eavesdropper to bias the estimation of the parameters and renders the final keys shared between the legitimate parties insecure. Our proposal highlights the practical CV QKD vulnerabilities with free-space quantum channels, including the satellite-to-earth links, ground-to-ground links, and a link from moving objects to ground stations.

Role of Reconstructive Surgery (RCS) in Improving the Quality of Life of Leprosy Afflicted Persons.

PubMed

Lenka, D; Mahapatra, A

2016-01-01

Since time immemorial, stigma has been associated with leprosy mainly due to deformity and disability which in turn affects the physical, psychological, social and economical well being of some of the leprosy afflicted persons (LAPs). To prevent and correct deformities Government of India has focused on early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In addition government has been providing services of Reconstructive Surgery (RCS). RCS corrects the deformity and is expected to help in reducing the stigma in society and reintegrate the affected persons in to society so that they become economically self reliant and carry out their normal livelihood activities without any prejudice. As the stigma has cultural background, this study has.been carried out with to assess the existing stigma level in pre RCS in society in parts of Odisha and compare with that of post RCS. The study was conducted in Sonepur district of Odisha. The sample size is the entire universe of all the 60 patients who had undergone the RCS process, during these the recent years. The methods adopted for data collection were the tools like questionnaire schedules, interview, observation, FGD and in depth case studies. Almost 86% of these Leprosy afflicted persons (LAPs) were very satisfied due to improvement in acceptance by their family, friend, relatives and society after surgery because of the correction of deformity by RCS as it enabled them to get back into normal life. The economical status improved in 8/60 (13%) after RCS, some becoming capable of earning more than Rs. 10,000/- per month after RCS. To conclude, in this settings of Sonepur (Odisha). RCS appeared to help the LAPs in improving their social acceptance thereby reducing stigma and also improving their economic status thus empowering them to lead their life as a normal human beings. There is need to enlarge and expand these studies to other parts of state/region so that the link with beliefs, type of disabilities and also type of surgery could be better understood and the knowledge generated could be applied to get optimum results.

The Relationship between Early Growth and Survival of Hatchling Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Captivity

PubMed Central

Brien, Matthew L.; Webb, Grahame J.; McGuinness, Keith; Christian, Keith A.

2014-01-01

Hatchling fitness in crocodilians is affected by “runtism” or failure to thrive syndrome (FTT) in captivity. In this study, 300 hatchling C. porosus, artificially incubated at 32°C for most of their embryonic development, were raised in semi-controlled conditions, with growth criteria derived for the early detection of FTT (within 24 days). Body mass, four days after hatching (BM4d), was correlated with egg size and was highly clutch specific, while snout-vent length (SVL4d) was much more variable within and between clutches. For the majority of hatchlings growth trajectories within the first 24 days continued to 90 days and could be used to predict FTT affliction up to 300 days, highlighting the importance of early growth. Growth and survival of hatchling C. porosus in captivity was not influenced by initial size (BM4d), with a slight tendency for smaller hatchlings to grow faster in the immediate post-hatching period. Strong clutch effects (12 clutches) on affliction with FTT were apparent, but could not be explained by measured clutch variables or other factors. Among individuals not afflicted by FTT (N = 245), mean growth was highly clutch specific, and the variation could be explained by an interaction between clutch and season. FTT affliction was 2.5 times higher among clutches (N = 7) that hatched later in the year when mean minimum air temperatures were lower, compared with those clutches (N = 5) that hatched early in the year. The results of this study highlight the importance of early growth in hatchling C. porosus, which has implications for the captive management of this species. PMID:24960026

It is not just a Minor Thing - A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study of Patients' Experiences when afflicted by a Minor Heart Attack and Participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Simonÿ, Charlotte P; Dreyer, Pia; Pedersen, Birthe D; Birkelund, Regner

2017-06-01

To improve cardiac care, especially cardiac rehabilitation, patients' perspectives should be better addressed. In Denmark, patients afflicted by a minor heart attack in terms of unstable angina pectoris or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction are treated in fast-track programmes with subacute treatment in hospital, early discharge and follow-up specialised outpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Knowledge of these patients' experiences of their life situation is essential to develop sufficient care protocols. To gain in-depth understanding of how patients afflicted by a minor heart attack experience their life situation when following cardiac rehabilitation. Focus group interviews and individual interviews were conducted with 11 patients enrolled in the cardiac rehabilitation programme. Data consisted of text in the form of transcribed interviews. A three-phased interpretation inspired by Paul Ricoeur's theory of interpretation was applied. As an overall concept, the patients experienced being forced into a demanding life shaking journey. Three themes emerged: Difficulty accepting the disease: facing the disease is a difficult challenge for the patients, leading to vulnerability and helplessness; Understanding that life has become frail: patients feel shaken as they realise that the disease is chronic and life-threatening; and An altered life: patients must adjust to new limitations in their everyday lives. Patients experience an overall demanding transition when they are afflicted by a minor heat attack, whereby their lives are sweepingly changed. Supporting patients' integrity, which becomes vulnerable during the various stages of transitions, is essential to ensure a healthy outcome. Being together with fellow patients during cardiac rehabilitation is a facilitating factor in the course of transition. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Meta-analysis of depleted uranium levels in the Balkan region.

PubMed

Besic, Larisa; Muhovic, Imer; Asic, Adna; Kurtovic-Kozaric, Amina

2017-06-01

In recent years, contradicting data has been published on the connection between the presence of depleted uranium and an increased cancer incidence among military personnel deployed in the Balkans during the 1992-1999 wars. This has led to numerous research articles investigating possible depleted uranium contamination of the afflicted regions of the Balkan Peninsula, namely Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro. The aim of this study was to collect data from previously published reports investigating the levels of depleted uranium in the Balkans and to present the data in the form of a meta-analysis. This would provide a clear image of the extent of depleted uranium contamination after the Balkan conflict. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the levels of depleted uranium and the assumed depleted uranium-related health effects. Our results suggest that the majority of the examined sites contain natural uranium, while the area of Kosovo appears to be most heavily afflicted by depleted uranium pollution, followed by Bosnia & Herzegovina. Furthermore, the results indicate that it is not possible to make a valid correlation between the health effects and depleted uranium-contaminated areas. We therefore suggest a structured collaborative plan of action where long-term monitoring of the residents of depleted uranium-afflicted areas would be performed. In conclusion, while the possibility of depleted uranium toxicity in post-conflict regions appears to exist, there currently exists no definitive proof of such effects, due to insufficient studies of potentially afflicted populations, in addition to the lack of a common epidemiological approach in the reviewed literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early management of patients with acute heart failure: state of the art and future directions--a consensus document from the SAEM/HFSA acute heart failure working group.

PubMed

Collins, Sean P; Storrow, Alan B; Levy, Phillip D; Albert, Nancy; Butler, Javed; Ezekowitz, Justin A; Felker, G Michael; Fermann, Gregory J; Fonarow, Gregg C; Givertz, Michael M; Hiestand, Brian; Hollander, Judd E; Lanfear, David E; Pang, Peter S; Peacock, W Frank; Sawyer, Douglas B; Teerlink, John R; Lenihan, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Heart failure (HF) afflicts nearly 6 million Americans, resulting in 1 million emergency department (ED) visits and over 1 million annual hospital discharges. The majority of inpatient admissions originate in the ED; thus, it is crucial that emergency physicians and other providers involved in early management understand the latest developments in diagnostic testing, therapeutics, and alternatives to hospitalization. This article discusses contemporary ED management as well as the necessary next steps for ED-based acute HF research. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Image-Enhancement Aid For The Partially Sighted

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, T. A.; Gennery, D. B.

1989-01-01

Digital filtering enhances ability to read and to recognize objects. Possible to construct portable vision aid by combining miniature video equipment to observe scene and display images with very-large-scale integrated circuits to implement real-time digital image-data processing. Afflicted observer views scene through magnifier to shift spatial frequencies downward and thereby improves perceived image. However, less magnification needed, larger the scene observed. Thus, one measure of effectiveness of new system is amount of magnification required with and without it. In series of tests, found 27 to 70 percent more magnification needed for afflicted observers to recognize unfiltered words than to recognize filtered words.

Diagnosis of non-exudative (DRY) age related macular degeneration by non-invasive photon-correlation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Fankhauser, Franz Ii; Ott, Maria; Munteanu, Mihnea

2016-01-01

Photon-correlation spectroscopy (PCS) (quasi-elastic light scattering spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering spectroscopy) allows the non-invasively reveal of local dynamics and local heterogeneities of macromolecular systems. The capability of this technique to diagnose the retinal pathologies by in-vivo investigations of spatial anomalies of retinas displaying non-exudative senile macular degeneration was evaluated. Further, the potential use of the technique for the diagnosis of the macular degeneration was analyzed and displayed by the Receiver Operating Curve (ROC). The maculae and the peripheral retina of 73 normal eyes and of 26 eyes afflicted by an early stage of non-exudative senile macular degeneration were characterized by time-correlation functions and analyzed in terms of characteristic decay times and apparent size distributions. The characteristics of the obtained time-correlation functions of the eyes afflicted with nonexudative macular degeneration and of normal eyes differed significantly, which could be referred to a significant change of the nano- and microstructure of the investigated pathologic maculas. Photon-correlation spectroscopy is able to assess the macromolecular and microstructural aberrations in the macula afflicted by non-exudative, senile macular degeneration. It has been demonstrated that macromolecules of this disease show a characteristic abnormal behavior in the macula.

Colorectal carcinoma that afflicted King Jehoram.

PubMed

Liubov Louba, Ben-Noun

2004-12-01

This research uses the tools of modern medical science to examine the ancient descriptions of the symptoms suffered by King Jehoram who was affected by some disease. The Biblical texts were examined, and passages relating to the disease that afflicted King Jehoram, who ruled in Jerusalem 843-851 B.C., were closely studied. We have not included any commentaries, but referred only to the words of the Bible exactly as written. The Passages ''...the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease in the process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases'' indicate that the King suffered from some kind of disease which affected his bowels. Among the various diseases which may be associated with prolapse of the bowel, colorectal carcinoma is the most acceptable. It seems that the colorectal carcinoma was poorly differentiated, invaded perirectal adipose tissue, blood vessels, and/or lymphatic vessels, and/or perineural areas, was lymph node positive and reached the 4th stage with the spread of metastases to the distal organs. Viewed by a modern physician, the story of King Jehoram unfolds as possibly the earliest description of a patient afflicted by colorectal carcinoma.

The Founding of the Third World Academy of Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salam, Abdus

Nine hundred years ago, a great physician of Islam, Al Asuli, living in Bokhara, wrote a medical pharmacopeia which he divided into two parts, "Diseases of the Rich" and "Diseases of the Poor". If Al Asuli were alive and writing today about the afflictions wrought upon itself by mankind, I am sure he would divide his pharmacopeia into the same two parts. One part of his book would speak of the threat of the nuclear annihilation inflicted on humanity by its richer half. The second part of his book would speak of the major affliction which poor humanity suffers — underdevelopment, undernourishment and famine. He would add that both these diseases spring from a common cause — excess of science and technology in the case of the rich, and the lack of science and technology in the case of the poor. He might also add that the persistence of the second affliction — underdevelopment — was the harder to understand, considering that resources — scientific and material — are indeed available, to eradicate poverty, disease and early. death for the whole of mankind, in this age of scientific knowledge and scientific miracles…

A Method of Porcine Pancreatic Islet Isolation for Microencapsulation.

PubMed

Kendall, William F; Opara, Emmanuel C

2017-01-01

Since the discovery of insulin by Banting and Best in 1921, the prognosis and treatment options for individuals with diabetes have improved. The development of various insulin types, various oral agents, and insulin pumps have improved the available medical options for individuals afflicted with diabetes. The current need for frequent blood glucose monitoring imposed by multiple daily insulin injections, result in significant life-style challenges for in individuals afflicted with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). In contrast the use of surgical interventions, such as whole organ pancreas transplantation (PT) requires less-intensive glucose monitoring while the organ is viable. Also, isolated human pancreatic islet transplantation (IT) holds similar promise as PT; however, the limited availability of human pancreata exacerbated by, the need for multiple pancreata per individual IT recipient, and issues with prolonged viability, still hamper widespread successful, and routine use of IT. The use of porcine pancreata holds promise as a viable alternative to human pancreas to significantly increase the volume of islets available to meet the needs of millions of patients afflicted with T1D. This chapter outlines our protocol utilized to reliably isolate and microencapsulate porcine islets.

School Board of Nassau County, Florida v. Arline.

PubMed

1987-03-03

After suffering a third relapse of tuberculosis in two years, an elementary school teacher in Nassau County, Florida, was discharged by the local public school board. In her complaint against the board, the teacher asserted that her dismissal violated a section of the federal Rehabilitation Act prohibiting federally funded state programs from discriminating against handicapped individuals solely by reason of handicap. In reaching its conclusion that a person afflicted with tuberculosis may be a "handicapped individual" within the meaning of the Act, the United States Supreme Court reasoned that allowing an employer to justify discrimination by distinguishing between a disease's perceived contagious effects on others and its physical effects on the individual would be unfair. The Court, however, could not grant the relief requested until the lower court made findings about the actual risk of the disease's transmission to others.

Changing disaster relief regimes in China: an analysis using four famines between 1876 and 1962.

PubMed

Fuller, Pierre

2015-10-01

Once afflicted by frequent episodes of famine, China--particularly the Chinese state--is growing in importance as a player in the overseas aid and development sector. This paper examines four famines in modern China-defined as the period since the First Opium War of 1839-42-to shed light on the changing nature of state involvement in disaster relief in the country, while also demonstrating the breadth and diversity of relief agency in the past. It makes the case that traditional disaster relief principles and methods were active well into the twentieth century, and that the statist model of today's People's Republic is not an essential characteristic of Chinese humanitarian organisation. Rather, the extent to which the Chinese state will continue to assume a dominant role in the country's re-emerging civic and charity sector is, as in earlier times, a function of the political developments and struggles that lie ahead. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

China's "market economics in command": footwear workers' health in jeopardy.

PubMed

Chen, M S; Chan, A

1999-01-01

This study of occupational safety and health (OSH) problems in the footwear industry in China, the world's largest shoemaker, is based on four years of research in China supplemented by research in Taiwan, Australia, and the United States. With the advent of the economic reforms of the early 1980s, the Chinese state is being driven by an economic imperative under which the profit motive overrides other concerns, causing a deterioration in OSH conditions. Footwear workers are being exposed to high levels of benzene, toluene, and other toxic solvents contained in the adhesives used in the shoe-making process. Many workers have been afflicted with aplastic anemia, leukemia, and other health problems. Most of China's current permissible exposure limits to toxins are either outdated or underenforced. As a result, the Chinese state's protection of footwear workers' health is inadequate. The article aims to draw the attention of the international OSH community to the importance of setting specific exposure standards for the footwear industry worldwide.

The childhood lead poisoning epidemic in historical perspective.

PubMed

Markowitz, Gerald

2016-06-01

A hidden epidemic is poisoning our planet and its people. The toxins are in the air we breathe and in the water we drink, in the walls of our homes and the furniture has it within them. We cannot escape as it is so indispensable in our cars. It is ubiquitous in cities and the countryside. It afflicts rich and poor, young and old. But this testing of chemicals on human beings is not new. For most of the twentieth century lead was tested on children and it produced one of the largest and longest running epidemics in the history of United States. This article examines that history. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Problematic internet use in childhood and youth: evolution of a 21st century affliction.

PubMed

Tam, Philip; Walter, Garry

2013-12-01

To describe the emergence of, and myriad issues pertaining to, problematic internet use in childhood and youth. In this overview and appraisal of a uniquely 21st century affliction, the focus is on youth and less on young adult perspectives. We employed relevant literature-search methodology though EMBASE, Psychinfo and Web of Science, utilising the key terms of PIU, internet addiction and youth mental health, and present a selection of the pioneering and important research developments both nationally and internationally. We focused on the literature from the past 10 years, but we also included relevant early developments in the field going back to the 1990s. We also made reference, where appropriate, to major considerations of relevance to the general public, where these were reported in reputable international news and media organisations. The authors utilised common internet search engines to access these news reports. It was found that the complex, novel and at times controversial concept of 'problematic internet use' (PIU)--often popularly dubbed 'internet addiction'--has attracted much public, media and research interest, particularly over the past decade. In common with many other afflictions that have a prominent 'pop-cultural' component, often the commentary and debate has been polarising, unclear and sensationalist. At times, more light than heat appears to be generated.

Drinking water test methods in crisis-afflicted areas: comparison of methods under field conditions.

PubMed

Merle, Roswitha; Bleul, Ingo; Schulenburg, Jörg; Kreienbrock, Lothar; Klein, Günter

2011-11-01

To simplify the testing of drinking water in crisis-afflicted areas (as in Kosovo in 2007), rapid test methods were compared with the standard test. For Escherichia coli and coliform pathogens, rapid tests were made available: Colilert(®)-18, P/A test with 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-D-glucoronid, and m-Endo Broth. Biochemical differentiation was carried out by Enterotube™ II. Enterococci were determined following the standard ISO test and by means of Enterolert™. Four hundred ninety-nine water samples were tested for E. coli and coliforms using four methods. Following the standard method, 20.8% (n=104) of the samples contained E. coli, whereas the rapid tests detected between 19.6% (m-Endo Broth, 92.0% concordance) and 20.0% (concordance: 93.6% Colilert-18 and 94.8% P/A-test) positive samples. Regarding coliforms, the percentage of concordant results ranged from 98.4% (P/A-test) to 99.0% (Colilert-18). Colilert-18 and m-Endo Broth detected even more positive samples than the standard method did. Enterococci were detected in 93 of 573 samples by the standard method, but in 92 samples by Enterolert (concordance: 99.5%). Considering the high-quality equipment and time requirements of the standard method, the use of rapid tests in crisis-afflicted areas is sufficiently reliable.

The process of whistleblowing in a Japanese psychiatric hospital.

PubMed

Ohnishi, Kayoko; Hayama, Yumiko; Asai, Atsushi; Kosugi, Shinji

2008-09-01

This study aims to unveil the process of whistleblowing. Two nursing staff members who worked in a psychiatric hospital convicted of large-scale wrongdoing were interviewed. Data were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. Analysis of the interviews demonstrated that they did not decide to whistleblow when they were suspicious or had an awareness of wrongdoing. They continued to work, driven by appreciation, affection, and a sense of duty. Their decision to whistleblow was ultimately motivated by firm conviction. Shortly after whistleblowing, wavering emotions were observed, consisting of a guilty conscience, fear of retribution, and pride, which subsequently transformed to stable emotions containing a sense of relief and regret for delayed action. It is necessary for nurses to recognize that their professional responsibility is primarily to patients, not to organizations. Nurses should also have professional judgment about appropriate allegiance and actions.

Does children's moral compass waver under social pressure? Using the conformity paradigm to test preschoolers' moral and social-conventional judgments.

PubMed

Kim, Elizabeth B; Chen, Chuansheng; Smetana, Judith G; Greenberger, Ellen

2016-10-01

The current study tested whether preschoolers' moral and social-conventional judgments change under social pressure using Asch's conformity paradigm. A sample of 132 preschoolers (Mage=3.83years, SD=0.85) rated the acceptability of moral and social-conventional events and also completed a visual judgment task (i.e., comparing line length) both independently and after having viewed two peers who consistently made immoral, unconventional, or visually inaccurate judgments. Results showed evidence of conformity on all three tasks, but conformity was stronger on the social-conventional task than on the moral and visual tasks. Older children were less susceptible to pressure for social conformity for the moral and visual tasks but not for the conventional task. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilocarpine disposition and salivary flow responses following intravenous administration to dogs.

PubMed

Weaver, M L; Tanzer, J M; Kramer, P A

1992-08-01

Oral doses of pilocarpine increase salivary flow rates in patients afflicted with xerostomia (dry mouth). This study examined the pharmacokinetics of and a pharmacodynamic response (salivation) to intravenous pilocarpine nitrate administration in dogs. Disposition was linear over a dose range of 225-600 micrograms/kg; plasma concentrations were 10-120 micrograms/L. Elimination was rapid and generally biphasic, with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 1.3 hr. The systemic clearance of pilocarpine was high (2.22 +/- 0.49 L/kg/hr) and its steady-state volume of distribution (2.30 +/- 0.64 L/kg) was comparable to that of many other basic drugs. All doses of pilocarpine induced measurable submaxillary and parotid salivary flow rates which could be maintained constant over time. Cumulative submaxillary saliva flow was linearly related to total pilocarpine dose. Plasma pilocarpine concentration was linearly related to both steady-state and postinfusion submaxillary salivary flow rates.

Application of Control Volume Analysis to Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Timothy; Cohen, Benjamin; Anor, Tomer; Madsen, Joseph

2011-11-01

Hydrocephalus is among the most common birth defects and may not be prevented nor cured. Afflicted individuals face serious issues, which at present are too complicated and not well enough understood to treat via systematic therapies. This talk outlines the framework and application of a control volume methodology to clinical Phase Contrast MRI data. Specifically, integral control volume analysis utilizes a fundamental, fluid dynamics methodology to quantify intracranial dynamics within a precise, direct, and physically meaningful framework. A chronically shunted, hydrocephalic patient in need of a revision procedure was used as an in vivo case study. Magnetic resonance velocity measurements within the patient's aqueduct were obtained in four biomedical state and were analyzed using the methods presented in this dissertation. Pressure force estimates were obtained, showing distinct differences in amplitude, phase, and waveform shape for different intracranial states within the same individual. Thoughts on the physiological and diagnostic research and development implications/opportunities will be presented.

Cancer -- Pathological Breakdown of Coherent Energy States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokorný, Jiří Pokorný, Jan; Kobilková, Jitka; Jandová, Anna; Vrba, Jan; Vrba, Jan

The fundamental property of biological systems is a coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium excited and sustained by energy supply. Mitochondria in eukaryotic cells produce energy and form conditions for excitation of oscillations in microtubules. Microtubule polar oscillations generate a coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium which makes possible cooperation of cells in the tissue. Mitochondrial dysfunction (the Warburg effect) in cancer development breaks down energy of the coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium and excludes the afflicted cell from the ordered multicellular tissue system. Cancer lowering of energy and coherence of the state far from thermodynamic equilibrium is the biggest difference from the healthy cells. Cancer treatment should target mitochondrial dysfunction to restore the coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium, apoptotic pathway, and subordination of the cell in the tissue. A vast variety of genetic changes and other disturbances in different cancers can result in several triggers of mitochondrial dysfunction. In cancers with the Warburg effect, mitochondrial dysfunction can be treated by inhibition of four isoforms of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases. Treatment of the reverse Warburg effect cancers would be more complicated. Disturbances of cellular electromagnetic activity by conducting and asbestos fibers present a special problem of treatment.

System Engineering Paper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heise, James; Hull, Bethanne J.; Bauer, Jonathan; Beougher, Nathan G.; Boe, Caleb; Canahui, Ricardo; Charles, John P.; Cooper, Zachary Davis Job; DeShaw, Mark A.; Fontanella, Luan Gasparetto;

Mapping the Decision-Making Process for Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer: The Role of Decisional Resolve.

PubMed

Beryl, Louise L; Rendle, Katharine A S; Halley, Meghan C; Gillespie, Katherine A; May, Suepattra G; Glover, Jennifer; Yu, Peter; Chattopadhyay, Runi; Frosch, Dominick L

2017-01-01

Studies show adjuvant endocrine therapy increases survival and decreases risk of breast cancer recurrence for hormone receptor-positive tumors. Yet studies also suggest that adherence rates among women taking this therapy may be as low as 50% owing largely to adverse side effects. Despite these rates, research on longitudinal patient decision making regarding this therapy is scant. We sought to map the decision-making process for women considering and initiating adjuvant endocrine therapy, paying particular attention to patterns of uncertainty and decisional change over time. A longitudinal series of semistructured interviews conducted at a multispecialty health care organization in Northern California with 35 newly diagnosed patients eligible for adjuvant endocrine therapy were analyzed. Analysis led to the identification and indexing of 3 new decision-making constructs-decisional phase, decisional direction, and decisional resolve-which were then organized using a visual matrix and examined for patterns characterizing the decision-making process. Our data reveal that most patients do not make a single, discrete decision to take or not take hormone therapy but rather traverse multiple decisional states, characterized by 1) phase, 2) direction, and 3) strength of resolve. Our analysis tracks these decisional states longitudinally using a grayscale-coded matrix. Our data show that decisional resolve wavers not just when considering therapy, as the existing concept of decisional conflict suggests, but even after initiating it, which may signal future decisions to forgo therapy. Adjuvant endocrine therapy, like other chronic care decisions, has a longer decision-making process and implementation period. Thus, theoretical, empirical, and clinical approaches should consider further exploring the new concept and measurement of decisional resolve, as it may help to improve subsequent medication adherence. © The Author(s) 2016.

Uncertainty in Bioenergy Scenarios for California: Lessons Learned in Communicating with Different Stakeholder Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youngs, H.

2013-12-01

Projecting future bioenergy use involves incorporating several critical inter-related parameters with high uncertainty. Among these are: technology adoption, infrastructure and capacity building, investment, political will, and public acceptance. How, when, where, and to what extent the various bioenergy options are implemented has profound effects on the environmental impacts incurred. California serves as an interesting case study for bioenergy implementation because it has very strong competing forces that can influence these critical factors. The state has aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals, which will require some biofuels, and has invested accordingly on new technology. At the same time, political will and public acceptance of bioenergy has wavered, seriously stalling bioenergy expansion efforts. We have constructed scenarios for bioenergy implementation in California to 2050, in conjunction with efforts to reach AB32 GHG reduction goals of 80% below 1990 emissions. The state has the potential to produce 3 to 10 TJ of biofuels and electricity; however, this potential will be severely limited in some scenarios. This work examines sources of uncertainty in bioenergy implementation, how uncertainty is or is not incorporated into future bioenergy scenarios, and what this means for assessing environmental impacts. How uncertainty is communicated and perceived also affects future scenarios. Often, there is a disconnect between scenarios for widespread implementation and the actual development of individual projects, resulting in "artificial uncertainty" with very real impacts. Bringing stakeholders to the table is only the first step. Strategies to tailor and stage discussions of uncertainty to stakeholder groups is equally important. Lessons learned in the process of communicating the Calfornia's Energy Future biofuels assessment will be discussed.

Athlete's Foot.

PubMed

Brodin, M B

1979-03-01

The term athlete's foot doesn't accurately describe all maladies that afflict athletes' feet. Recognizing clinical characteristics and laboratory work will help physicians correctly diagnose and treat tineapedis, contact dermatitis, and eczema.

A Revised Hemodynamic Theory of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PubMed Central

Gelfand, Bradley D.; Ambati, Jayakrishna

2016-01-01

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) afflicts one out of every 40 individuals worldwide, causing irreversible central blindness in millions. The transformation of various tissue layers within the macula in the retina has led to competing conceptual models of the molecular pathways, cell types, and tissues responsible for the onset and progression of AMD. A model that has persisted for over 6 decades is the hemodynamic, or vascular theory of AMD progression, which states that vascular dysfunction of the choroid underlies AMD pathogenesis. Here, we re-evaluate this hypothesis in light of recent advances on molecular, anatomic, and hemodynamic changes underlying choroidal dysfunction in AMD. We propose an updated, detailed model of hemodynamic dysfunction as a mechanism of AMD development and progression. PMID:27423265

Mathematical models of bipolar disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daugherty, Darryl; Roque-Urrea, Tairi; Urrea-Roque, John; Troyer, Jessica; Wirkus, Stephen; Porter, Mason A.

2009-07-01

We use limit cycle oscillators to model bipolar II disorder, which is characterized by alternating hypomanic and depressive episodes and afflicts about 1% of the United States adult population. We consider two non-linear oscillator models of a single bipolar patient. In both frameworks, we begin with an untreated individual and examine the mathematical effects and resulting biological consequences of treatment. We also briefly consider the dynamics of interacting bipolar II individuals using weakly-coupled, weakly-damped harmonic oscillators. We discuss how the proposed models can be used as a framework for refined models that incorporate additional biological data. We conclude with a discussion of possible generalizations of our work, as there are several biologically-motivated extensions that can be readily incorporated into the series of models presented here.

Residency and specialties training in nutrition: a call for action1234

PubMed Central

Lenders, Carine M; Deen, Darwin D; Bistrian, Bruce; Edwards, Marilyn S; Seidner, Douglas L; McMahon, M Molly; Kohlmeier, Martin; Krebs, Nancy F

2014-01-01

Despite evidence that nutrition interventions reduce morbidity and mortality, malnutrition, including obesity, remains highly prevalent in hospitals and plays a major role in nearly every major chronic disease that afflicts patients. Physicians recognize that they lack the education and training in medical nutrition needed to counsel their patients and to ensure continuity of nutrition care in collaboration with other health care professionals. Nutrition education and training in specialty and subspecialty areas are inadequate, physician nutrition specialists are not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, and nutrition care coverage by third payers remains woefully limited. This article focuses on residency and fellowship education and training in the United States and provides recommendations for improving medical nutrition education and practice. PMID:24646816

SMR Forum: technological myopia - the need to think stategically about technology

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

Wyman, J.

Technological myopia - a form of business short-sightedness - is an affliction to be avoided. In its internal or external form, an industry or company fails to comprehend technological progress. In this paper, the author states that an inappropriate attitude toward technology is often the cause. He outlines a four-phase process - assessment, involvement, selection, and integration - that can be used to overcome technological myopia, a process that incorporates a change in perspective. The author draws on examples from several firms to illustrate his points regarding information technology and its level of priority within a firm. He maintains thatmore » the key to the successful implementation of technology lies in choosing a strategic approach. 6 references.« less

[Modernization, medicine, disease, and public health in Caracas (1870-1877)].

PubMed

Colmenares, Germán Yépez

2002-01-01

Between 1870 and 1877, under German Antonio Guzmán Blanco's first period of government, a set of measures was inaugurated with the intent of modernizing Venezuelan society, government, and the State. The city of Caracus was a prime setting in which to undertake a series of reformist works and measures meant to transform the capital into an urban space boasting features similar to Europe's major cities. Standing among the years' main developments are the pactice and teaching of medicine, measures seeking to improve public health conditions, and the express desire to use legal norms and resolutions to attack the principle diseases afflicting Caracas residents. The government and its circle of professional elites sought to set the stage to attract capital and European immigrants.

The Prophylactic Extraction of Third Molars: A Public Health Hazard

PubMed Central

Friedman, Jay W.

2007-01-01

Ten million third molars (wisdom teeth) are extracted from approximately 5 million people in the United States each year at an annual cost of over $3 billion. In addition, more than 11 million patient days of “standard discomfort or disability”—pain, swelling, bruising, and malaise—result postoperatively, and more than 11000 people suffer permanent paresthesia—numbness of the lip, tongue, and cheek—as a consequence of nerve injury during the surgery. At least two thirds of these extractions, associated costs, and injuries are unnecessary, constituting a silent epidemic of iatrogenic injury that afflicts tens of thousands of people with lifelong discomfort and disability. Avoidance of prophylactic extraction of third molars can prevent this public health hazard. PMID:17666691

Advances in Decoding Axolotl Limb Regeneration.

PubMed

Haas, Brian J; Whited, Jessica L

2017-08-01

Humans and other mammals are limited in their natural abilities to regenerate lost body parts. By contrast, many salamanders are highly regenerative and can spontaneously replace lost limbs even as adults. Because salamander limbs are anatomically similar to human limbs, knowing how they regenerate should provide important clues for regenerative medicine. Although interest in understanding the mechanics of this process has never wavered, until recently researchers have been vexed by seemingly impenetrable logistics of working with these creatures at a molecular level. Chief among the problems has been the very large size of salamander genomes, and not a single salamander genome has been fully sequenced to date. Recently the enormous gap in sequence information has been bridged by approaches that leverage mRNA as the starting point. Together with functional experimentation, these data are rapidly enabling researchers to finally uncover the molecular mechanisms underpinning the astonishing biological process of limb regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

QTest: Quantitative Testing of Theories of Binary Choice.

PubMed

Regenwetter, Michel; Davis-Stober, Clintin P; Lim, Shiau Hong; Guo, Ying; Popova, Anna; Zwilling, Chris; Cha, Yun-Shil; Messner, William

2014-01-01

The goal of this paper is to make modeling and quantitative testing accessible to behavioral decision researchers interested in substantive questions. We provide a novel, rigorous, yet very general, quantitative diagnostic framework for testing theories of binary choice. This permits the nontechnical scholar to proceed far beyond traditionally rather superficial methods of analysis, and it permits the quantitatively savvy scholar to triage theoretical proposals before investing effort into complex and specialized quantitative analyses. Our theoretical framework links static algebraic decision theory with observed variability in behavioral binary choice data. The paper is supplemented with a custom-designed public-domain statistical analysis package, the QTest software. We illustrate our approach with a quantitative analysis using published laboratory data, including tests of novel versions of "Random Cumulative Prospect Theory." A major asset of the approach is the potential to distinguish decision makers who have a fixed preference and commit errors in observed choices from decision makers who waver in their preferences.

Utilization of ERTS data to detect plant diseases and nutrient deficiencies, soil types and moisture levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, W. L. (Principal Investigator); Sewell, J. I.; Hilty, J. W.; Rennie, J. C.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A significant finding to date is the delineation of the Memphis soil association in Obion County, Dyer County, and in portions of Kentucky. This soil association was delineated mechanically through the use of imagery in the digital tape format, appropriate computer software, and an IBM/360/05 computer. The Waverly-Swamp association as well as the Obion River have been identified on the ERTS-1 imagery as well as on the computer printout. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of delineating major soil associations through vegetative cover common to the association. Channel 7 provides the most information for studies of this type. Computer density printouts assist markedly in making density separations and delineating major soil moisture differences; however, signatures for soil moisture classification for this area of mixed land uses in relatively small tracts have not yet been developed.

The Rise and Demise of Integrated Pest Management in Rice in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Thorburn, Craig

2015-01-01

Indonesia’s 11-year (1989–1999) National Integrated Pest Management Program was a spectacularly successful example of wide-scale adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) principles and practice in a developing country. This program introduced the innovative Farmer Field School model of agro-ecosystem-based experiential learning, subsequently adapted to different crops and agricultural systems in countries throughout the world. Since the termination of the program in 1999, Indonesia has undergone profound changes as the country enters a new era of democratic reform. Government support for the national IPM program has wavered during this period, and pesticide producers and traders have taken advantage of the policy vacuum to mount an aggressive marketing campaign in the countryside. These factors have contributed to a reappearance of the pesticide-induced resurgent pest problems that led to the establishment of the National IPM Program in the first place.

Family self-tailoring: Applying a systems approach to improving family healthy living behaviors.

PubMed

Moore, Shirley M; Jones, Lenette; Alemi, Farrokh

2016-01-01

The adoption and maintenance of healthy living behaviors by individuals and families is a major challenge. We describe a new model of health behavior change, SystemCHANGE (SC), which focuses on the redesign of family daily routines using system improvement methods. In the SC intervention, families are taught a set of skills to engage in a series of small, family self-designed experiments to test ideas to change their daily routines. The family system-oriented changes brought about by these experiments build healthy living behaviors into family daily routines so that these new behaviors happen as a matter of course, despite wavering motivation, willpower, or personal effort on the part of individuals. Case stories of the use of SC to improve family healthy living behaviors are provided. Results of several pilot tests of SC indicate its potential effectiveness to change health living behaviors across numerous populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family Self-tailoring: Applying a Systems Approach to Improving Family Healthy Living Behaviors

PubMed Central

Moore, Shirley M.; Jones, Lenette; Alemi, Farrokh

2016-01-01

The adoption and maintenance of healthy living behaviors by individuals and families is a major challenge. We describe a new model of health behavior change, SystemCHANGE™ (SC), which focuses on the redesign of family daily routines using system improvement methods. In the SC intervention families are taught a set of skills to engage in a series of small, family self-designed experiments to test ideas to change their daily routines. The family system-oriented changes brought about by these experiments build healthy living behaviors into family daily routines so that these new behaviors happen as a matter of course, despite wavering motivation, willpower or personal effort on the part of individuals. Case stories of the use of SC to improve family healthy living behaviors are provided. Results of several pilot tests of SC indicate its potential effectiveness to change health living behaviors across numerous populations. PMID:27301950

Complexity and multifractality of neuronal noise in mouse and human hippocampal epileptiform dynamics.

PubMed

Serletis, Demitre; Bardakjian, Berj L; Valiante, Taufik A; Carlen, Peter L

2012-10-01

Fractal methods offer an invaluable means of investigating turbulent nonlinearity in non-stationary biomedical recordings from the brain. Here, we investigate properties of complexity (i.e. the correlation dimension, maximum Lyapunov exponent, 1/f(γ) noise and approximate entropy) and multifractality in background neuronal noise-like activity underlying epileptiform transitions recorded at the intracellular and local network scales from two in vitro models: the whole-intact mouse hippocampus and lesional human hippocampal slices. Our results show evidence for reduced dynamical complexity and multifractal signal features following transition to the ictal epileptiform state. These findings suggest that pathological breakdown in multifractal complexity coincides with loss of signal variability or heterogeneity, consistent with an unhealthy ictal state that is far from the equilibrium of turbulent yet healthy fractal dynamics in the brain. Thus, it appears that background noise-like activity successfully captures complex and multifractal signal features that may, at least in part, be used to classify and identify brain state transitions in the healthy and epileptic brain, offering potential promise for therapeutic neuromodulatory strategies for afflicted patients suffering from epilepsy and other related neurological disorders.

The Facially Disfigured Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moncada, Georgia A.

1987-01-01

The article reviews diagnosis and treatments for facially disfigured children including craniofacial reconstruction and microsurgical techniques. Noted are associated disease processes that affect the social and intellectual outcomes of the afflicted child. (Author/DB)

Zebra chip disease decreases tuber (Solanum tuberosum L.) protein content by attenuating protease inhibitor levels and increasing protease activities.

PubMed

Kumar, G N Mohan; Knowles, Lisa O; Knowles, N Richard

2015-11-01

Zebra chip disease of potato decreases protease inhibitor levels resulting in enhanced serine-type protease activity, decreased protein content and altered protein profiles of fully mature tubers. Zebra-chip (ZC), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), is a relatively new disease of potato that negatively affects growth, yield, propagation potential, and fresh and process qualities of tubers. Diseased plants produce tubers with characteristic brown discoloration of vascular tissue accompanied by elevated levels of free amino acids and reducing sugars. Here we demonstrate that ZC disease induces selective protein catabolism in tubers through modulating protease inhibitor levels. Soluble protein content of tubers from CLso-infected plants was 33% lower than from non-infected plants and electrophoretic analyses revealed substantial reductions in major tuber proteins. Patatin (~40 kDa) and ser-, asp- (22 kDa) and cys-type (85 kDa) protease inhibitors were either absent or greatly reduced in ZC-afflicted tubers. In contrast to healthy (non-infected) tubers, the proteolytic activity in CLso infected tubers was high and the ability of extracts from infected tubers to inhibit trypsin (ser-type) and papain (cys-type) proteases greatly attenuated. Moreover, extracts from CLso-infected tubers rapidly catabolized proteins purified from healthy tubers (40 kDa patatin, 22 kDa protease inhibitors, 85 kDa potato multicystatin) when subjected to proteolysis individually. In contrast, crude extracts from non-infected tubers effectively inhibited the proteolytic activity from ZC-afflicted tubers. These results suggest that the altered protein profile of ZC afflicted tubers is largely due to loss of ser- and cys-type protease inhibitors. Further analysis revealed a novel PMSF-sensitive (ser) protease (ca. 80-120 kDa) in CLso infected tubers. PMSF abolished the proteolytic activities responsible for degrading patatin, the 22 kDa protease inhibitor(s) and potato multicystatin by CLso infected tubers. The disease-induced loss of patatin and protease inhibitors therefore appears to be modulated by ser-type protease(s). The selective catabolism of proteins in ZC-afflicted tubers undoubtedly affects downstream aspects of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, which is ultimately reflected by the accumulation of reducing sugars, free amino acids and reduced sprouting capacity.

Intraosseous Schwannoma of the Maxilla Mimicking a Periapical Lesion: A Diagnostic Challenge

PubMed Central

Anekar, Jayaprasad; Raj, Achikanam Chirakkara; Patil, Uma Sambargi; Mustafa, Shabil Mohamed

2015-01-01

Schwannomas are a type of nerve sheath tumours predominant in the soft tissues of the head and neck. They commonly present as slow growing, painful swellings and may rarely be accompanied by paresthesia. Less than 1% of schwannomas are intraosseous with affliction to the mandible over maxilla. Only 13 cases of maxillary schwannomas have been reported till date. This article documents a rare case of intramaxillary schwannoma that was disclosed during an incidental radiographic examination. It also provides a review of the literature on central schwannomas affecting the maxilla which suggests its affliction to females in the second decade with equal preference to both anterior and posterior segments of the jaw. It also highlights that intraosseous schwannomas may be considered in the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions with nonspecific clinical and radiographic features. PMID:25954708

Manoeuvring between anxiety and control: patients' experience of learning to live with diabetes: a lifeworld phenomenological study.

PubMed

Johansson, Karin; Österberg, Sofia Almerud; Leksell, Janeth; Berglund, Mia

2015-01-01

Research shows that people with diabetes want their lives to proceed as normally as possible, but some patients experience difficulty in reaching their desired goals with treatment. The learning process is a complex phenomenon interwoven into every facet of life. Patients and healthcare providers often have different perspectives in care which gives different expectations on what the patients need to learn and cope with. The aim of this study, therefore, is to describe the experience of learning to live with diabetes. Interviews were conducted with 12 patients afflicted with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The interviews were then analysed with reference to the reflective lifeworld research approach. The analysis shows that when the afflicted realize that their bodies undergo changes and that blood sugar levels are not always balanced as earlier in life, they can adjust to their new conditions early. The afflicted must take responsibility for balancing their blood sugar levels and incorporating the illness into their lives. Achieving such goals necessitates knowledge. The search for knowledge and sensitivity to changes are constant requirements for people with diabetes. Learning is driven by the tension caused by the need for and dependence on safe blood sugar control, the fear of losing such control, and the fear of future complications. The most important responsibilities for these patients are aspiring to understand their bodies as lived bodies, ensuring safety and security, and acquiring the knowledge essential to making conscious choices.

Clinical practice guidelines of the French Association for Supportive Care in Cancer and the French Society for Psycho-oncology: refusal of treatment by adults afflicted with cancer.

PubMed

Faivre, J C; Adam, V; Block, V; Metzger, M; Salleron, J; Dauchy, S

2017-11-01

The study's purpose was to develop practical guidelines for assessment and management of refusal of treatment by adults afflicted with cancer. The French Association for Supportive Care in Cancer and the French Society for Psycho-oncology gathered a task force that applied a consensus methodology to draft guidelines studied predisposing situations, the diagnosis, regulatory aspects, and the management of refusal of treatment by adults afflicted with cancer. We propose five guidelines: (1) be aware of the conditions/profiles of patients most often associated with refusal of treatment so as to adequately underpin the care and support measures; (2) understand the complexity of the process of refusal and knowing how to accurately identify the type and the modalities of the refused treatments; (3) apply a way to systematically analyze refusal, thereby promoting progression from a situation of disaccord toward a consensual decision; (4) devise procedures, according to the legal context, to address refusal of treatment that safeguards the stakeholders in situations of sustained disaccord; and (5) know the indications for ethical collective decision-making. The quality of the relationship between patients and health professionals, and the communication between them are essential components involved in reaching a point of consent or refusal of treatment. A process of systematic analysis of refusal is recommended as the only way to ensure that all of the physiological, psychological, and contextual elements that are potentially involved are taken into account.

Development and validation of an instrument to assess patients' appraisal, emotions and action tendencies preceding care-seeking in acute myocardial infarction: The PA-AMI questionnaire.

PubMed

Nymark, C; Saboonchi, F; Mattiasson, A-C; Henriksson, P; Kiessling, A

2017-03-01

Reducing patient delay for patients afflicted by an acute myocardial infarction is a task of great complexity, which might be alleviated if more factors that influence this delay could be identified. Although a number of self-reported instruments associated with patient delay exist, none of these taps the content of the appraisal process related to patients' subjective emotions. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire aimed at assessing patients' appraisal, emotions and action tendencies when afflicted by an acute myocardial infarction. An item pool was generated based on themes conceptualized in a recent qualitative study of acute myocardial infarction patients' thoughts, feelings and actions preceding the decision to seek medical care. The 'Think-Aloud Protocol' and test-retest analysis at item level were performed. The modified item pool was administered to 96 patients when treated for acute myocardial infarction. Explorative factor analysis and principal component analysis with the non-linear iterative partial least squares algorithm were performed to examine the underlying factor structure of the items. The findings indicated three core dimensions corresponding to three subscales, namely, 'symptom appraisal'; 'perceived inability to act'; 'autonomy preservation'. The results demonstrated acceptable measures of reliability and validity Conclusions: The PA-AMI questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties. Assessment of the included core dimensions may contribute to greater understanding of the appraisal processes for patients afflicted by an acute myocardial infarction.

News media framing of serious mental illness and gun violence in the United States, 1997-2012.

PubMed

McGinty, Emma E; Webster, Daniel W; Jarlenski, Marian; Barry, Colleen L

2014-03-01

Recent mass shootings by persons seemingly afflicted with serious mental illness (SMI) have received extensive news media coverage and prompted national dialogue about the causes of, and policy responses to, mass shootings. News media framing of SMI as a cause of gun violence may influence public attitudes about persons with SMI and support for gun violence prevention proposals. We analyzed the content of a 25% random sample of news stories on SMI and gun violence published in 14 national and regional news sources from 1997 to 2012. Across the study period, most news coverage occurred in the wake of mass shootings, and "dangerous people" with SMI were more likely than "dangerous weapons" to be mentioned as a cause of gun violence.

Animal Models of Colorectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Johnson, Robert L.; Fleet, James C.

2012-01-01

Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease that afflicts a large number of people in the United States. The use of animal models has the potential to increase our understanding of carcinogenesis, tumor biology, and the impact of specific molecular events on colon biology. In addition, animal models with features of specific human colorectal cancers can be used to test strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. In this review we provide an overview of the mechanisms driving human cancer, we discuss the approaches one can take to model colon cancer in animals, and we describe a number of specific animal models that have been developed for the study of colon cancer. We believe that there are many valuable animal models to study various aspects of human colorectal cancer. However, opportunities for improving upon these models exist. PMID:23076650

News Media Framing of Serious Mental Illness and Gun Violence in the United States, 1997-2012

PubMed Central

Webster, Daniel W.; Jarlenski, Marian; Barry, Colleen L.

2014-01-01

Recent mass shootings by persons seemingly afflicted with serious mental illness (SMI) have received extensive news media coverage and prompted national dialogue about the causes of, and policy responses to, mass shootings. News media framing of SMI as a cause of gun violence may influence public attitudes about persons with SMI and support for gun violence prevention proposals. We analyzed the content of a 25% random sample of news stories on SMI and gun violence published in 14 national and regional news sources from 1997 to 2012. Across the study period, most news coverage occurred in the wake of mass shootings, and “dangerous people” with SMI were more likely than “dangerous weapons” to be mentioned as a cause of gun violence. PMID:24432874

Risk mapping of dengue in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PubMed

Hassan, Hafiz; Shohaimi, Shamarina; Hashim, Nor R

2012-11-01

Dengue fever is a recurring public health problem afflicting thousands of Malaysians annually. In this paper, the risk map for dengue fever in the peninsular Malaysian states of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur was modelled based on co-kriging and geographical information systems. Using population density and rainfall as the model's only input factors, the area with the highest risk for dengue infection was given as Gombak and Petaling, two districts located on opposite sides of Kuala Lumpur city that was also included in the risk assessment. Comparison of the modelled risk map with the dengue case dataset of 2010, obtained from the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, confirmed that the highest number of cases had been found in an area centred on Kuala Lumpur as predicted our risk profiling.

Patterns of circulating corticosterone in a population of rattlesnakes afflicted with snake fungal disease: Stress hormones as a potential mediator of seasonal cycles in disease severity and outcomes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lind, Craig M.; Moore, Ignacio T.; Akçay, Çağlar; Vernasco, Ben J.; Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Farrell, Terence M.

2018-01-01

Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging threat to snake populations in the United States. Fungal pathogens are often associated with a physiological stress response mediated by the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), and afflicted individuals may incur steep coping costs. The severity of SFD can vary seasonally; however, little is known regarding (1) how SFD infection relates to HPA activity and (2) how seasonal shifts in environment, life history, or HPA activity may interact to drive seasonal patterns of infection severity and outcomes. To test the hypothesis that SFD is associated with increased HPA activity and to identify potential environmental or physiological drivers of seasonal infection, we monitored baseline corticosterone, SFD infection severity, foraging success, body condition, and reproductive status in a field-active population of pigmy rattlesnakes. Both plasma corticosterone and the severity of clinical signs of SFD peaked in the winter. Corticosterone levels were also elevated in the fall before the seasonal rise in SFD severity. Severely symptomatic snakes were in low body condition and had elevated corticosterone levels compared to moderately infected and uninfected snakes. The monthly mean severity of SFD in the population was negatively related to population-wide estimates of body condition and temperature measured in the precedent month and positively correlated with corticosterone levels measured in the precedent month. Symptomatic females were less likely to enter reproductive bouts compared to asymptomatic females. We propose the hypothesis that the seasonal interplay among environment, host energetics, and HPA activity initiates trade-offs in the fall that drive the increase in SFD prevalence, symptom severity, and decline in condition observed in the population through winter.

Anticancer therapy

DOEpatents

Norenberg, Jeffrey P.

2017-04-04

A subject afflicted with a cancer or precancerous condition is treated by administering an agent that increases expression of somatostatin receptors, and a cytotoxic recognition ligand. In an alternative embodiment, somatostatin analogs, which are radiolabeled are used to treat cancer or precancerous conditions.

NASA Spacecraft Images Drought Impacts on the Mighty Mississippi

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-25

NASA Terra spacecraft acquired this image on Aug. 24, 2012, 13 miles 20 kilometers north of Vicksburg, Miss., as drought continued to afflict the U.S. Midwest, water levels of the Mississippi River approached historic lows.

Viral Hepatitis: Past and Future of HBV and HDV

PubMed Central

Thomas, Emmanuel; Yoneda, Masato; Schiff, Eugene R.

2015-01-01

Viral hepatitis is a significant disease afflicting hundreds of millions of people. Hepatitis-causing viruses initiate significant morbidity and mortality by establishing both acute and chronic infections, and several of these viruses are specifically associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Consequently, intense research efforts are focused on increasing our understanding of virus biology and on improving antiviral therapy. Even though viral hepatitis can be caused by several viruses from a range of virus families, the discovery of components of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) became a catalyst for the development of diagnostic assays that differentiate between these viruses as well as strategies for novel methods of vaccine development. Improvements in both the treatment and prevention of viral hepatitis are advancing rapidly. However, HBV, along with the associated infection by the hepatitis D virus, is still among the most common pathogens afflicting humans. PMID:25646383

Managing specific learning disability in schools in India.

PubMed

Karande, Sunil; Sholapurwala, Rukhshana; Kulkarni, Madhuri

2011-07-01

Specific learning disability (dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia) afflicts 5-15% of school-going children. Over the last decade; awareness about this invisible handicap has grown in India. However, much needs to be done to ensure that each afflicted child gets an opportunity to achieve his or her full academic potential in regular mainstream schools. In order to achieve this ideal scenario, all regular classroom teachers should be sensitized to suspect, and trained to screen for this disability when the child is in primary school. School managements should become proactive to set up resource rooms and employ special educators to ensure that these children receive regular and affordable remedial education; and be diligent in ensuring that these children get the mandatory provisions both during school and board examinations. Once specific learning disability is recognized as a disability by the Government of India, these children with the backing of the Right to Education Act, would be able to benefit significantly.

Metabolic energy demand and optimal walking speed in post-polio subjects with lower limb afflictions.

PubMed

Ghosh, A K; Ganguli, S; Bose, K S

1982-12-01

The metabolic demand, using the relationship between speed and energy cost, and the optimal speed of walking, estimated by means of speed and energy cost per unit distance travelled, were studied in 16 post-polio subjects with lower limb affliction and 20 normal subjects with sedentary habits. It was observed that the post-polio subjects consumed higher energy than the normal persons at each walking speed between 0.28 and 1.26 m/s. The optimal speed of walking in post-polio subjects was lower than that of the normal persons and was associated with a higher energy demand per unit distance travelled. It was deduced that the post-polio subjects. not having used any assistive devices for a long time, have acquired severe degrees of disability which not only hindered their normal gait but also demanded extra energy from them.

Relating tumor score to hematology in green turtles with fibropapillomatosis in Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Work, Thierry M.; Balazs, George H.

1999-01-01

The relationship between hematologic status and severity of tumor affliction in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with fibropapillomatosis (FP) was examined. During 1 wk periods in July 1997 and July 1998, we bled 108 free-ranging green turtles from Pala'au (Molokai, Hawaii, USA) where FP is endemic. Blood was analyzed for hematocrit, estimated total solids, total white blood cell (WBC) count and differential WBC count. Each turtle was assigned a subjective tumor score ranging from 0 (no visible external tumors) to 3 (heavily tumored) that indicated the severity of FP. There was a progressive increase in monocytes and a decrease in all other hematologic parameters except heterophils and total numbers of white blood cells as tumor score increased. These data indicate that tumor score can relate to physiologic status of green turtles afflicted with FP, and that tumor score is a useful field monitor of severity of FP in this species.

Plant antimicrobial peptides

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Disease afflicts crop productivity as well as nutritional attributes. Pathogens have the ability to mutate rapidly and thereby develop resistance to pesticides. Despite the plant’s multilayer of innate defense against pathogens, the latter are often able to penetrate and establish themselves on th...

Prospective Assessment of Cannabis Withdrawal in Adolescents with Cannabis Dependence: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milin, Robert; Manion, Ian; Dare, Glenda; Walker, Selena

2008-01-01

A study to identify and assess the withdrawal symptoms in adolescents afflicted with cannabis dependence is conducted. Results conclude that withdrawal symptoms of cannabis were present in adolescents seeking treatment for this substance abuse.

Nutritional modulation of cataract

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cataract, or lens opacification, remains a major cause of blindness worldwide. Cataracts reduce vision in over eighty million people, causing blindness in eighteen million people. The number afflicted by cataract will increase dramatically as the proportion of the elderly global population increase...

Milestones in Cancer Research and Discovery

Cancer.gov

During the past 250 years, we have witnessed many landmark discoveries in our efforts to make progress against cancer, an affliction known to humanity for thousands of years. This timeline shows a few key milestones in the history of cancer research.

"Soft Technology" and Criticism of the Western Model of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Peter

1973-01-01

Alternatives to the capitalistic Western model of develoment are suggested. Three problems afflicting Western society--alienation, resource exploitation, and eviornmental stability--are discussed and a model which advocates both political and technological change is proposed. (SM)

Rapid community identification, pain and distress associated with lymphoedema and adenolymphangitis due to lymphatic filariasis in resource-limited communities of North-eastern Nigeria.

PubMed

Akogun, O B; Akogun, M K; Apake, E; Kale, O O

2011-09-01

Identification of communities with people that could benefit from adenolymphangitis (ADL) and lymphoedema morbidity management within Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programmes (NLFEP) in many African countries is a major challenge to programme managers. Another challenge is advocating for proportionate allocation of funds to alleviating the suffering that afflicted people bear. In this study we developed a rapid qualitative technique of identifying communities where morbidity management programme could be situated and documenting the pain and distress that afflicted persons endure. Estimates given by health personnel and by community resource persons were compared with systematic household surveys for the number of persons with lymphoedema of the lower limb. Communities in Northeastern Nigeria, with the largest number of lymphoedema cases were selected and a study of local knowledge, physical, psychosocial burden and intervention-seeking activities associated with the disease documented using an array of techniques (including household surveys, key informant interviews, group discussions and informal conversations). Health personnel gave a more accurate estimate of the number of lymphoedema patients in their communities than either the community leader or the community directed ivermectin distributor (CDD). Community members with lymphoedema preferred to confide in health personnel from other communities. The people had a well developed local vocabulary for lymphoedema and are well aware of the indigenous transmission theories. Although the people associated the episodic ADL attacks with the rains which were more frequent at that period they did not associate the episodes with gross lymphoedema. There were diverse theories about lymphoedema causation with heredity, accidental stepping on charmed objects and organisms, breaking taboos. The most popular belief about causation, however, is witchcraft (60.9%). The episodic attacks are dreaded by the afflicted, since they are accompanied by severe pain (18%). The emotional trauma included rejection (27.5%) by family, friends and other community members to the extent that divorce and isolation are common. Holistic approach to lymphoedema morbidity management should necessarily be an integral component of the ongoing transmission elimination programme. Any transmission prevention effort that ignores the physical and psychological pain and distress that those already afflicted suffer is unethical and should not be promoted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Islamic logics, reproductive rationalities: family planning in northern Pakistan.

PubMed

Varley, Emma

2012-01-01

This paper explores the use of Islamic doctrine and jurisprudence by family planning organizations in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. It examines how particular interpretations of Islam are promoted in order to encourage fertility reductions, and the ways Muslim clerics, women and their families react to this process. The paper first discusses how Pakistan's demographic crisis, as the world's sixth most populous nation, has been widely blamed on under-funding for reproductive health services and wavering political commitment to family planning. Critics have called for innovative policy and programming to counter 'excessive reproduction' by also addressing socio-cultural and religious barriers to contraceptive uptake. Drawing on two years of ethnographic research, the paper examines how family planning organizations in Gilgit-Baltistan respond to this shift by employing moderate interpretations of Islam that qualify contraceptive use as a 'rational' reproductive strategy and larger families as 'irrational'. However, the use of Islamic rhetoric to enhance women's health-seeking agency and enable fertility reductions is challenged by conservative Sunni ulema (clergy), who seek to reassert collective control over women's bodies and fertility by deploying Islamic doctrine that honors frequent childbearing. Sunnis' minority status and the losses incurred by regional Shia-Sunni conflicts have further strengthened clerics' pronatalist campaigns. The paper then analyses how Sunni women navigate the multiple reproductive rationalities espoused by 'Islamized' family planning and conservative ulema. Although Islamized family planning legitimizes contraceptive use and facilitates many women's stated desire for smaller families, it frequently positions women against the interests of family, community and conservative Islam.

[Acute psychiatric pathology disclosing subcortical lesion in neuro-AIDS].

PubMed

Donnet, A; Harlé, J R; Cherif, A A; Gastaut, J A; Weiller, P J

1991-01-01

Maccario et al. described, in 1987, the case of an HIV-positive patient whose psychotic symptomatology was the expression of right centrum semi-ovale lesion. We report the case of a patient who suffered a sudden delirium, expression of a probable right lenticular cerebral toxoplasmosis. This 35-year-old male homosexual, who had no psychiatric history, suddenly developed in November 1988 the following psychiatric signs: he started to walk back and forth incessantly, he had the impression that he was the subject of the conversations of the passers-by, that all the posters and notices refer to him, and that he was God. He was admitted in a psychiatric department where the symptoms were progressively curbed by neuroleptics (cyamemazine 75 mg, and haloperidol 15 mg). The episode was not questioned by the patient, but attributed to bad eating habits. HIV-positivity had been discovered a year later (during systematic screening). A computerized tomographic (CT) scan performed subsequently to this delirium was interpreted as normal. Four weeks later the patient was referred to us. The psychiatric condition was stabilized in spite of a certain aggressiveness and the probable persistence of an underlying delirium state. Laboratory examinations showed the following: blood count revealed leukopenia (2.2 G/l) and thrombocytopenia (135 G/l; OKT4/OKT8 ratio was 0.08; CSF: normal; sputum culture evidenced the presence of pneumocystis carinii; EEG were normal. Neuropsychological symptoms concerned in particular a lack of concentration during the different tests with a definitive wavering of attention. Lexical retrieval was poor whatever the topic proposed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Emergence of the nuclear industry and associated crime. Master's thesis

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

Vaught, J.W.

Nuclear energy, in weapons production and electrical power generation, is a technology that has endured public scrutiny since the late 1940s. Societal acceptance of this industry has been affected by controversy in the following areas: health effects of exposure to radiation, possible consequences resulting from accidents, and nuclear nonproliferation. The literature review begins in Chapter 2 by examining the changing public perceptions of nuclear energy over the last forty years. Support for the ideals and practices of the industry has often wavered, due to media representation of incidents, accidents, and potential catastrophic events. The second part of the chapter highlightsmore » the crimes associated with nuclear energy in a chronological order of concern by nuclear industry security specialists. Research has found certain types of crime to be more prevalent during particular eras than others. Crimes instigated by spies, peace activists, terrorists, and the insider (employee) are reviewed, with an emphasis on insider crime.« less

Learning from Failure: A Case Study of Where an Extracurricular Science Program Went Wrong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Zvi Assaraf, Orit

2011-10-01

This article re-examines the learning environment in an after-school science program for socio-economically disadvantaged children, attempting to discover why the particular group we studied failed to make significant progress between pre and post program testing, while other groups undergoing the same program elsewhere succeeded. Data composed of in class observations, students' class workbooks and perceptive/cognitive interviews was analyzed qualitatively to construct a picture of the learning environment as experienced by both the students and their student teacher, Liora. Our primary finding revealed a striking dissonance between the program's student-centered theory (based on the tenets of social-constructivism) and the classroom reality enforced by Liora, who ran the lessons primarily as a monologue that left very little room for active student participation. This disparity was further complicated by an ambiguity in Liora's position as an authority figure, wherein she wavered between her predilection for a rigid, authoritative teaching environment and a desire to be her students' friend and confidante.

QTest: Quantitative Testing of Theories of Binary Choice

PubMed Central

Regenwetter, Michel; Davis-Stober, Clintin P.; Lim, Shiau Hong; Guo, Ying; Popova, Anna; Zwilling, Chris; Cha, Yun-Shil; Messner, William

2014-01-01

The goal of this paper is to make modeling and quantitative testing accessible to behavioral decision researchers interested in substantive questions. We provide a novel, rigorous, yet very general, quantitative diagnostic framework for testing theories of binary choice. This permits the nontechnical scholar to proceed far beyond traditionally rather superficial methods of analysis, and it permits the quantitatively savvy scholar to triage theoretical proposals before investing effort into complex and specialized quantitative analyses. Our theoretical framework links static algebraic decision theory with observed variability in behavioral binary choice data. The paper is supplemented with a custom-designed public-domain statistical analysis package, the QTest software. We illustrate our approach with a quantitative analysis using published laboratory data, including tests of novel versions of “Random Cumulative Prospect Theory.” A major asset of the approach is the potential to distinguish decision makers who have a fixed preference and commit errors in observed choices from decision makers who waver in their preferences. PMID:24999495

Dolabra nepheliae on rambutan and lychee represents a novel lineage of phytopathogenic Eurotiomycetes

PubMed Central

Schoch, Conrad L.; Farr, David F.; Nishijima, Kate; Keith, Lisa; Goenaga, Ricardo

2010-01-01

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) and lychee (Litchi chinensis) are tropical trees in the Sapindaceae that produce delicious edible fruits and are increasingly cultivated in tropical regions. These trees are afflicted with a stem canker disease associated with the ascomycete Dolabra nepheliae. Previously known from Asia and Australia, this fungus was recently reported from Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The sexual and asexual states of Dolabra nepheliae are redescribed and illustrated. In addition, the ITS and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA plus fragments from the genes RPB2, TEF1, and the mitochondrial small ribosomal subunit were sequenced for three isolates of D. nepheliae and compared with other sequences of ascomycetes. It was determined that D. nepheliae represents a new lineage within the Eurotiomycetes allied with Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, the causal agent of Petri grapevine decline. PMID:20802819

Dolabra nepheliae on rambutan and lychee represents a novel lineage of phytopathogenic Eurotiomycetes.

PubMed

Rossman, Amy Y; Schoch, Conrad L; Farr, David F; Nishijima, Kate; Keith, Lisa; Goenaga, Ricardo

2010-07-01

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) and lychee (Litchi chinensis) are tropical trees in the Sapindaceae that produce delicious edible fruits and are increasingly cultivated in tropical regions. These trees are afflicted with a stem canker disease associated with the ascomycete Dolabra nepheliae. Previously known from Asia and Australia, this fungus was recently reported from Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The sexual and asexual states of Dolabra nepheliae are redescribed and illustrated. In addition, the ITS and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA plus fragments from the genes RPB2, TEF1, and the mitochondrial small ribosomal subunit were sequenced for three isolates of D. nepheliae and compared with other sequences of ascomycetes. It was determined that D. nepheliae represents a new lineage within the Eurotiomycetes allied with Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, the causal agent of Petri grapevine decline.

Amygdala subnuclei resting-state functional connectivity sex and estrogen differences.

PubMed

Engman, Jonas; Linnman, Clas; Van Dijk, Koene R A; Milad, Mohammed R

2016-01-01

The amygdala is a hub in emotional processing, including that of negative affect. Healthy men and women have distinct differences in amygdala responses, potentially setting the stage for the observed sex differences in the prevalence of fear, anxiety, and pain disorders. Here, we examined how amygdala subnuclei resting-state functional connectivity is affected by sex, as well as explored how the functional connectivity is related to estrogen levels. Resting-state functional connectivity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with seeds placed in the left and right laterobasal (LB) and centromedial (CM) amygdala. Sex differences were studied in 48 healthy men and 48 healthy women, matched for age, while the association with estrogen was analyzed in a subsample of 24 women, for whom hormone levels had been assessed. For the hormone analyses, the subsample was further divided into a lower and higher estrogen levels group based on a median split. We found distinct sex differences in the LB and CM amygdala resting-state functional connectivity, as well as preliminary evidence for an association between estrogen levels and connectivity patterns. These results are potentially valuable in explaining why women are more afflicted by conditions of negative affect than are men, and could imply a mechanistic role for estrogen in modulating emotion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING BREAST CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Susceptibility
Suzanne. E. Fenton
US EPA, ORD, MD-67 NHEERL, Reproductive Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy afflicting women in the Western world. Alt...

Performance Evaluation: A Deadly Disease?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aluri, Rao; Reichel, Mary

1994-01-01

W. Edwards Deming condemned performance evaluations as a deadly disease afflicting American management. He argued that performance evaluations nourish fear, encourage short-term thinking, stifle teamwork, and are no better than lotteries. This article examines library literature from Deming's perspective. Although that literature accepts…

ENVIRONMENTAL ESTROGENS AND CANCER

EPA Science Inventory

One in eight women is predicted to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Of those afflicted with the disease, only about one-quarter will have a family history that helps to explain their diagnosis. The rest have what is termed sporadic cancer, potentially influenced by l...

Tourette--and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teitelbaum, Blanche R.

1979-01-01

Describes the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, a little-known disorder of the central nervous system whose symptoms include involuntary movements, such as facial tics, and the production of involuntary sounds, such as grunts and obscenities. Suggests ways teachers can help a child afflicted with this disorder. (SJL)

How to Give Professional Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brookhart, Susan M.; Moss, Connie M.

2015-01-01

Professional learning "should be a joy," the authors write, "not an affliction." Feedback experts Brookhart and Moss show how professional feedback can best motivate educators to learn. Professional conversations should be dialogs between the teacher and the principal, and feedback should feed teacher professional learning…

Bioaccumulation of Ergovaline in Bovine Lateral Saphenous Veins in Vitro

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ergot alkaloids have been associated with vasoconstriction in grazing livestock afflicted with the fescue toxicosis syndrome. Previous in vitro investigations studying how ergot alkaloids cause the observed vasoconstriction have shown that ergovaline has a very distinct receptor affinity and sustain...

A Child's Right to Be Well Born: Venereal Disease and the Eugenic Marriage Laws, 1913-1935.

PubMed

Lombardo, Paul A

2017-01-01

An extensive literature describes the legal impact of America's eugenics movement, and the laws mandating sterilization, restriction of marriage by race, and ethnic bans on immigration. But little scholarship focuses on the laws adopted in more than 40 states that were commonly referred to as "eugenic marriage laws." Those laws conditioned marriage licenses on medical examinations and were designed to save innocent women from lives of misery, prevent stillbirth or premature death in children, and save future generations from the myriad afflictions that accompanied "venereal infection." Medical journals, legal journals, and every kind of public press outlet explained the "eugenic marriage laws" and the controversies they spawned. They were inextricably bound up in reform movements that attempted to eradicate prostitution, stamp out STIs, and reform America's sexual mores in the first third of the 20th century. This article will explain the pedigree of the eugenic marriage laws, highlight the trajectory of Wisconsin's 1913 eugenic enactment, and explore how the Wisconsin Supreme Court case upholding the law paved the way for the majority of states to regulate marriage on eugenic grounds.

Terror-inflicted thermal injury: A retrospective analysis of burns in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between the years 1997 and 2003.

PubMed

Haik, Josef; Tessone, Ariel; Givon, Adi; Liran, Alon; Winkler, Eyal; Mendes, David; Goldan, Oren; Bar-Meir, Eran; Regev, Eli; Orenstein, Arie; Peleg, Kobi

2006-12-01

Terror attacks have changed in the past decade, with a growing tendency toward explosives and suicide bombings, which led to a rise in the incidence of thermal injuries among victims. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict of October 2000 marked a turning point when an organized terror campaign commenced. This article presents data of terror-associated burns from the Israeli National Trauma Registry (ITR) during the years 1997 to September 2000 and October 2000 to 2003. We analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics of 219 terror-related burn patients and 6,546 other burn patients admitted to hospitals in Israel between 1997 and 2003. Data were obtained from the ITR. Burns contributed about 9% of all terror related trauma and about 5% of all other trauma (p < 0.0001). These percentages have not changed significantly before and after October 2000. Terror-related burns afflict Jewish males more than predicted by their percentage in the population, whereas other burns afflict non-Jewish males more than predicted. Adults and young adults (15-59 years) are the predominant group in terror-related burns (80%), whereas children younger than 15 years are the predominant group in other burns (50%). Large burns (20% to 89% total body surface area) are more common in terror casualties, with greater mortality (6.4% in terror-related versus 3.4% in others; p = 0.0258). Although the incidence of burns has risen because of an organized campaign, this change was noticeable in other trauma forms as well in similar proportions. Terror-related burns afflict a targeted population, and generally take on a more severe course with greater mortality rates, thus requiring appropriate medical treatment.

Prescriptions for Sick Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Allan C.

1993-01-01

Increasing insulation in schools as an energy-saving measure has given rise to the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), which afflicts roughly one-third of the nation's schools. This article examines asbestos, radon, electromagnetic radiation, and chemical pollutants and describes steps to make schools environmentally safe for students. School officials…

Estrogens stimulate serotonin neurons to inhibit binge-like eating in mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Binge eating afflicts approximately 5% of US adults, though effective treatments are limited. Here, we showed that estrogen replacement substantially suppresses binge-like eating behavior in ovariectomized female mice. Estrogen-dependent inhibition of binge-like eating was blocked in female mice spe...

An overview of arthropod-associated fungi from Argentina and Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Arthropod pests in forest and agricultural systems are afflicted by a plethora of pathogenic organisms. Among them, entomopathogenic fungi are the most common control agents that regulate their populations. This review compiles the information available from Argentina and Brazil about the entomopath...

A Concentrated Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lum, Lydia

2010-01-01

For years, New York health-care providers have treated Asian-Americans afflicted by serious, even life-threatening illnesses with ever-increasing frequency. Many doctors in the nation's largest city agreed that Asians seemed particularly at risk for specific health problems, but there was neither research nor statistics supporting physician…

On viruses, discovery, and recognition.

PubMed

Weiss, Robin A

2008-12-12

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine rewards the discoverers of two viruses that cause major afflictions of humankind. Identifying human papilloma virus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) might now appear to have been simple, but the way forward was far from obvious at the time.

Education Improves Plagiarism Detection by Biology Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Emily A.

2012-01-01

Regrettably, the sciences are not untouched by the plagiarism affliction that threatens the integrity of budding professionals in classrooms around the world. My research, however, suggests that plagiarism training can improve students' recognition of plagiarism. I found that 148 undergraduate ecology students successfully identified plagiarized…

Feature: Post Traumatic Stres Disorder PTSD: A Growing Epidemic / Neuroscience and PTSD Treatments

MedlinePlus

... events that can lead to PTSD. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD afflicts: Almost 31 percent of Vietnam veterans As many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans 11 percent of veterans of ...

Insomnia among Adolescents: Implications for Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Jack R.

Adolescent underachievers may be, in fact, victims of insomnia or other types of sleep disorders. Insomnia is a greatly overlooked affliction that affects approximately 13% of the adolescent population, creating daytime side-effects that could impair intellectual functioning, such as imposing learning constraints. Poor sleepers among the…

Type C botulism in pelicans and other fish-eating birds at the Salton Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rocke, T.E.; Nol, P.; Pelizza, C.; Sturm, K.K.

2004-01-01

In 1996, type C avian botulism killed over 10,000 pelicans and nearly 10,000 other fish-eating birds at the Salton Sea in southern California. Although botulism had been previously documented in waterbirds at the Sea, this die-off was unusual in that it involved primarily fish-eating birds. The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorynchos) was the species with the greatest mortality in 1996. Since 1996, mortality has recurred every year but losses have declined (<2,000 birds/year), with relatively more Brown Pelicans (P. occidentalis) than White Pelicans afflicted. In 2000, morbidity and mortality of Brown Pelicans with type C botulism (1311) approached the numbers afflicted in 1996 (2034). In recent years, mortality reached a peak earlier in the summer, July and August, in contrast to 1996 when mortality reached a peak in September. An exotic fish species, tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), has been implicated as the source of toxin for birds at Salton Sea, but the source of toxin for fish is unknown.

Preeclampsia: Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Long-Term Complications.

PubMed

Jim, Belinda; Karumanchi, S Ananth

2017-07-01

Preeclampsia continues to afflict 5% to 8% of all pregnancies throughout the world and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality to the mother and the fetus. Although the pathogenesis of the disorder has not yet been fully elucidated, current evidence suggests that imbalance in angiogenic factors is responsible for the clinical manifestations of the disorder, and may explain why certain populations are risk. In this review, we begin by demonstrating the roles that angiogenic factors play in pathogenesis of preeclampsia and its complications in the mother and the fetus. We then continue to report on the use of angiogenic markers as biomarkers to predict and risk-stratify disease. Strategies to treat preeclampsia by correcting the angiogenic balance, either by promoting proangiogenic factors or by removing antiangiogenic factors in both animal and human studies, are discussed. We end the review by summarizing status of the current preventive strategies and the long-term cardiovascular outcomes of women afflicted with preeclampsia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), an inflammatory, systemic, lifestyle endocrinopathy.

PubMed

Patel, Seema

2018-04-17

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder, afflicting females of reproductive age. This syndrome leads to infertility, insulin resistance, obesity, and cardiovascular problems, including a litany of other health issues. PCOS is a polygenic, polyfactorial, systemic, inflammatory, dysregulated steroid state, autoimmune disease, manifesting largely due to lifestyle errors. The advent of biochemical tests and ultrasound scanning has enabled the detection of PCOS in the affected females. Subsequently, a huge amount of insight on PCOS has been garnered in recent times. Interventions like oral contraceptive pills, metformin, and hormone therapy have been developed to bypass or reverse the ill effects of PCOS. However, lifestyle correction to prevent aberrant immune activation and to minimize the exposure to inflammatory agents, appears to be the sustainable therapy of PCOS. This holistic review with multiple hypotheses might facilitate to devise better PCOS management approaches. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rheumatologic services in Central Asian countries: current state of development of rheumatology in Central Asia.

PubMed

Omurzakova, Nazgul A; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Saatova, Guli M; Shukurova, Surayo M; Mirzakhanova, Mavliuda I; Kydyralieva, Ryskul B; Jumagulova, Aynagul S; Mirrakhimov, Erkin M; Seisenbaev, Askar Sh; Nishioka, Kusuki; Nakajima, Toshihiro

2009-12-01

Rheumatologic and public health services of Central Asia's republics have suffered hugely as a result of social and economic declines following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and transition of these republics to market economies. Between 1990 and 2000 there was a mass outflow of highly skilled rheumatologists and teachers and researchers in rheumatology to countries abroad, leading to significant deprivation of rheumatological service in Central Asian countries. During this time, there was continued growth of various rheumatic diseases (RDs) including rheumatic fever, and musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders. The medical and social burden of RDs imposed on society was strongly underestimated until recent times. There is an urgent need to define the epidemiology of RDs and their impact on the quality of life of people afflicted by these conditions, and to improve the diagnostics and treatment of these conditions.

Trust, Protocol, Gender, and Power in Interwar British Biomedical Research: Kathleen Chevassut and the “Germ” of Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Casper, Stephen T.

2011-01-01

In March 1930, reports of the discovery of an organism causative of multiple sclerosis circulated in the British press. At the same time, news of a therapeutically efficacious vaccine also reached the ears of neurologists and patients afflicted with the debilitating degenerative disease. It was soon shown that no organism had been discovered. The events leading up to this ultimately painful episode reveal many of the central problems created when social conventions and a sense of decorum scripted received understanding of good scientific practice rather than actual regulatory frameworks. In the absence of such frameworks, few means were present to censor inappropriate scientific conduct. This story thus provides a window into an emergent world of state-sponsored biomedical research; a world where recrimination, gossip, misogyny, uncertainty, exaggeration, and dreams and delusions of scientific and therapeutic progress were collapsed together. PMID:20478897

Polymer quantization, stability and higher-order time derivative terms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumsille, Patricio; Reyes, Carlos M.; Ossandon, Sebastian; Reyes, Camilo

2016-03-01

The possibility that fundamental discreteness implicit in a quantum gravity theory may act as a natural regulator for ultraviolet singularities arising in quantum field theory has been intensively studied. Here, along the same expectations, we investigate whether a nonstandard representation called polymer representation can smooth away the large amount of negative energy that afflicts the Hamiltonians of higher-order time derivative theories, rendering the theory unstable when interactions come into play. We focus on the fourth-order Pais-Uhlenbeck model which can be reexpressed as the sum of two decoupled harmonic oscillators one producing positive energy and the other negative energy. As expected, the Schrödinger quantization of such model leads to the stability problem or to negative norm states called ghosts. Within the framework of polymer quantization we show the existence of new regions where the Hamiltonian can be defined well bounded from below.

Ribose in the heart.

PubMed

Herrick, James; St Cyr, John

2008-01-01

Every cell needs energy, i.e., adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to carry out its function. Decreased oxygen levels, decreased blood flow, and other stressful conditions can drastically effect the intracellular concentrations of these energy compounds. Skeletal muscle, unlike the heart, can address this drop in ATP by employing the myokinase reaction, ultimately producing ATP with a subsequent elevation in adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Ribose, a naturally occurring 5-carbon monosaccharide, is a key component of RNA, DNA (which has deoxyribose), acetyl coenzyme A, and ATP. Each cell produces its own ribose, involved in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), to aid in ATP production. States of ischemia and/or hypoxia can severely lower levels of cellular energy compounds in the heart, with an associated compromise in cellular processes, ultimately reflected in altered function. Ribose appears to provide a solution to the problem in replenishing the depressed ATP levels and improving functional status of patients afflicted with cardiovascular diseases.

Historical roots of histrionic personality disorder

PubMed Central

Novais, Filipa; Araújo, Andreia; Godinho, Paula

2015-01-01

Histrionic Personality Disorder is one of the most ambiguous diagnostic categories in psychiatry. Hysteria is a classical term that includes a wide variety of psychopathological states. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks blamed a displaced womb, for many women’s afflictions. Several researchers from the 18th and 19th centuries studied this theme, namely, Charcot who defined hysteria as a “neurosis” with an organic basis and Sigmund Freud who redefined “neurosis” as a re-experience of past psychological trauma. Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) made its first official appearance in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders II (DSM-II) and since the DSM-III, HPD is the only disorder that kept the term derived from the old concept of hysteria. The subject of hysteria has reflected positions about health, religion and relationships between the sexes in the last 4000 years, and the discussion is likely to continue. PMID:26441812

Tan's contact and the phase distribution of repulsive Fermi gases: Insights from quantum chromodynamics noise analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, William J.; Drut, Joaquín E.

2017-05-01

Path-integral analyses originally pioneered in the study of the complex-phase problem afflicting lattice calculations of finite-density quantum chromodynamics are generalized to nonrelativistic Fermi gases with repulsive interactions. Using arguments similar to those previously applied to relativistic theories, we show that the analogous problem in nonrelativistic systems manifests itself naturally in Tan's contact as a nontrivial cancellation between terms with varied dependence on extensive thermodynamic quantities. We analyze that case under the assumption of a Gaussian phase distribution, which is supported by our Monte Carlo calculations and perturbative considerations. We further generalize these results to observables other than the contact, as well as to polarized systems and systems with fixed particle number. Our results are quite general in that they apply to repulsive multicomponent fermions, they are independent of dimensionality or trapping potential, and they hold in the ground state as well as at finite temperature.

Some Dynamics of Personality Development in Boys Suffering from Muscular Dystrophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mearig, Judith S.

1973-01-01

Discussed are personality aspects of Duchenne or pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, a progressive wasting of muscular tissue, which afflicts only boys, and usually has its noticeable onset before the age of 6 years; and described is the development of three male dystrophic siblings. (DB)

Phylogeny and redescription of Dolabra nepheliae on rambutan and litchi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) and lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) are tropical trees in the Sapindaceae that produce delicious edible fruits and are increasingly cultivated in tropical areas. Recently these trees have been afflicted with a stem canker disease caused by the ascomycete Dolabra nep...

7 CFR 58.130 - Health.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Health. 58.130 Section 58.130 Agriculture Regulations... Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Personnel, Cleanliness and Health § 58.130 Health. No person afflicted with a communicable disease shall be permitted in any room or compartment...

7 CFR 58.130 - Health.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Health. 58.130 Section 58.130 Agriculture Regulations... Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Personnel, Cleanliness and Health § 58.130 Health. No person afflicted with a communicable disease shall be permitted in any room or compartment...

7 CFR 58.130 - Health.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Health. 58.130 Section 58.130 Agriculture Regulations... Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Personnel, Cleanliness and Health § 58.130 Health. No person afflicted with a communicable disease shall be permitted in any room or compartment...

7 CFR 58.130 - Health.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Health. 58.130 Section 58.130 Agriculture Regulations... Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Personnel, Cleanliness and Health § 58.130 Health. No person afflicted with a communicable disease shall be permitted in any room or compartment...

7 CFR 58.130 - Health.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Health. 58.130 Section 58.130 Agriculture Regulations... Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service 1 Personnel, Cleanliness and Health § 58.130 Health. No person afflicted with a communicable disease shall be permitted in any room or compartment...

Heavy Metal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Susan

2001-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 1 million children ages 5 and under are afflicted with unsafe amounts of lead. Schools can be a source of lead poisoning. Other sources include playgrounds near freeways, playground equipment, contaminated soil, and technology rooms with lead-bearing supplies. Sidebars…

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Women: Can Therapy Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Susan G.

1992-01-01

Presents current research on chronic fatigue syndrome, which currently afflicts mostly females between ages of 25 and 55. Notes that, because depression is common symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, mental health practitioners are often involved with victims and must formulate appropriate treatment strategy that considers physiological,…

Sorghum Proteins: The Concentration, Isolation, Modification and Food Applications of Kafirins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Celiac disease is a serious condition affecting millions of individuals. Those afflicted with these illnesses are resigned to a lifelong avoidance of products containing gluten, the storage protein found in cereal grains wheat, rye and barley. Since many food products contain gluten, these individ...

Socialized Medicine: Individual and communal disease barriers in honey bees

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Honey bees are attacked by numerous parasites and pathogens toward which they present defenses. In this review, we will briefly introduce the many pathogens and parasites afflicting honey bees, highlighting the biologies of specific taxonomic groups mainly as they relate to virulence and possible de...

Liberation Psychology as the Path toward Healing Cultural Soul Wounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duran, Eduardo; Firehammer, Judith; Gonzalez, John

2008-01-01

Oppression resulting in soul wounding has afflicted indigenous communities and the counseling profession. Internalized oppression has become part of oppressive practices inflicted on communities served. The authors delineate a liberation psychology that leads toward the psychological and spiritual emancipation of individual clients, communities,…

Work and Retirement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foner, Anne; Schwab, Karen

Much research data are available on work and retirement which discounts the image of retirement as an affliction imposed on older workers. These findings indicate that increasing numbers of workers choose to retire before any mandatory age, few wish to return to work, and most are content with their retirement lives; however, negative views about…

Chronically Ill Children: A Psychologically and Emotionally Deviant Population?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tavormina, J. B.; And Others

To investigate vulnerability to psychological and emotional stress among chronically ill children, a battery of personality tests was selectively administered to 144 children (5- to 19-years-old) afflicted with one of the following conditions: diabetes, asthma, cystic fibrosis, or hearing impairment. Analyses centered on comparisons of norms…

Effects of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Prediagnosis Period on Financial Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

merged data; derived key dependent and independent variables and calculated descriptive statistics; and performed initial analyses of the effect of AD on...during the period before it is diagnosable on financial outcomes differ depending on whether the financial head of household is afflicted or the spouse

Cross species sensitivity to a novel androgen receptor agonist of potential environmental concern, spironolactone

EPA Science Inventory

Spironolactone (SPL) is a pharmaceutical that is used in humans as an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist to treat conditions like hirsutism, various dermatologic afflictions, and female pattern hair loss, in addition to its common usage as a diuretic to treat hypertension. Althoug...

Identification of a novel androgen receptor agonist (or “androgen mimic”) of environmental concern: spironolactone

EPA Science Inventory

Spironolactone is a pharmaceutical that acts as an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist in humans to treat certain conditions such as hirsutism, various dermatologic afflictions, and female pattern hair loss. The drug is also used to treat hypertension as a diuretic. With this commo...

"Act Healthy": Promoting Health Behaviors and Self-Efficacy in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schopp, Laura H.; Bike, Denise H.; Clark, Mary J.; Minor, Marian A.

2015-01-01

Chronic health conditions and multiple health risk factors afflict Americans and burden employers, but effective, affordable, workplace-based health promotion interventions have not been widely implemented. This is the first study to adapt the empirically validated Chronic Disease Self-Management Program for a general employee population in a…

Youth Reproductive & Sexual Health in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Melodi

2010-01-01

Nearly one third of Nigeria's total population of 148.1 million is between the ages of 10 and 24. Nigerian adolescents' sizeable share of the population makes them integral to the country's social, political and economic development. Nigeria's development is compromised by the sexual and reproductive health issues afflicting its youth. Lack of…

The cost of brain diseases: a burden or a challenge?

PubMed

DiLuca, Monica; Olesen, Jes

2014-06-18

Brain diseases represent a considerable social and economic burden in Europe. With yearly costs of about 800 billion euros and an estimated 179 million people afflicted in 2010, brain diseases are an unquestionable emergency and a grand challenge for neuroscientists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of Image Intensifier Technology to the Military, Scientific, Industrial, Educational, and Medical Communities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-30

afflicted with Retinitis Pigmentosa , commonly called night blindness. People who suffer from this are virtually blind in absence of normal room light...image intensification 5. Low light ophthalmological surgery 6. Retinitis Pigmentosa patients 7. Mine rescue and first aid 8. TV microscopy 9

Importance of Depression in Diabetes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lustman, Patrick J.; Clouse, Ray E.; Anderson, Ryan J.

Depression doubles the likelihood of comorbid depression, which presents as major depression in 11% and subsyndromal depression in 31% of patients with the medical illness. The course of depression is chronic, and afflicted patients suffer an average of one episode annually. Depression has unique importance in diabetes because of its association…

Image: Reflecting the National Face of Community Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Norma

1996-01-01

Suggests that there is a "low-to-no-profile syndrome" afflicting community colleges at the national level that must be rectified, highlighting the importance of a national image campaign. Describes results from focus groups indicating doubt over the colleges' quality. Reviews strategies for financing an image campaign and presents potential…

Breathing Lessons: Childhood Asthma Is on the Rise. Are Your Schools Ready?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Susan

2000-01-01

Listed as the nation's leading chronic health condition among children, asthma afflicts 5.3 million youngsters. About 5 to 10 percent of school children have asthma. Asthma management must be aggressive, involving students, teachers, and parents. An individualized treatment plan for each asthmatic student is essential. (MLH)

Democratizing Academic Professionalism Inside and Out

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzur, Albert W.

2010-01-01

American higher education is afflicted by a condition of successful failure. In terms of academic knowledge production, America's colleges and universities are success stories, yet there is a disturbing neglect of the civic life eroding all around Americans. At a time of widespread public distrust of politics, institutions, and officials, a time…

Home-based therapy for severe acute malnutrition with ready-to-use food

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Severe acute malnutrition is a devastating condition afflicting children under 5 years in many developing countries, but concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper examines the development of home-based lipid-nutrient therapeutic foods for the treatment of acute malnutrition in sub-Saharan Afric...

Providing Services to the Handicapped in Times of Budget Retrenchment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aptekar, Lewis S.

In a consideration of limited funds for services to disabled persons, the author distinguishes the "truly handicapped" from "handicapped victims" (characterized as afflicted persons who receive few or no services) and the "mildly handicapped" (including educable retarded, learning disabled, and mildly emotionally disturbed). He proposes a model…

The Socioeconomic Impact of Lymphatic Filariasis in Tropical Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nwoke, Bertram Ekejiuba Bright; Nwoke, Eunice Anyalewechi; Dozie, Ikechukwu Nosike Simplicius

2007-01-01

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is an endemic parasitic disease and a major cause of acute and chronic morbidity and incapacitation with devastating public health and socio-economic consequences. It exacerbates poor conditions of afflicted persons and endemic communities through reduced or lost labour supply and productivity. Stigmatisation and…

Genome-Wide Association Study in African-Americans with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

Americans with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: John Harley, M.D., Ph.D...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Systemic lupus erythematosus ( lupus ) is a potentially deadly systemic autoimmune disease that disproportionately... Systemic lupus erythematosus ( lupus ) is a potentially deadly systemic autoimmune disease that disproportionately afflicts women and African

Classifying Work-Related and Personal Problems of Troubled Employees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez-Mejia, Luis R.; Balkin, David B.

1980-01-01

Summarizes the results of research conducted on the nature of work-related and personal problems afflicting employee assistance program users. Based on a sample of 14,000 cases, the project sought to identify problems that seem to cluster together and the demographic profile of employees experiencing the cluster. (Author/MLF)

Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Implications for Counselors Working with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Withrow, Rebecca L.

2007-01-01

Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID), a sensory processing problem that afflicts about 15% of children, sets many children on a developmental trajectory of emotional and social problems. Children with SID often unintentionally alienate parents, peers, and teachers in their efforts to modify the amounts of sensory stimulation they receive. They…

Addressing Tooth Decay in Head Start Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowlden, Adam P.; Hill, Lawrence F.; Alles-White, Monica L.; Cottrell, Randall R.

2012-01-01

Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease of childhood. Oral health education and dental services are crucial to reducing the number of children afflicted with dental cavities. Due to limited access to preventative care, Head Start children are particularly vulnerable to tooth decay. This article outlines practical implications of a…

JPRS Report, Near East and South Asia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-18

Wahhab the cause of the ordeal that has afflicted the group and its Dakruri, and Staff Sergeant Muhammad ’ Imran . Four supporters. Nobody from the...Shariah bill had termed it mullah’s Earlier, the founder of the Third Force [TF] Sheikh encroachment on the rights of the citizens. Saleem Kabir briefed

The Hepatitis C Self-Management Program: Sustainability of Primary Outcomes at 1 Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groessl, Erik J.; Ho, Samuel B.; Asch, Steven M.; Stepnowsky, Carl J.; Laurent, Diana; Gifford, Allen L.

2013-01-01

Objective: Chronic hepatitis C infection afflicts millions of people worldwide. Although antiviral treatments are increasingly effective, many hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients avoid treatment, do not complete or respond to treatment, or have contraindications. Self-management interventions are one option for promoting behavioral changes leading to…

An Integrated Approach to Social Work Practice in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazeem, Kolawole

2011-01-01

The number of people in need of care, support and assistance from afflictions (natural and artificial) keeps expanding by the day. From a simple traditional based dislocation to a sophisticated "man induced" social problems of wars, refugees, drug addiction, homosexuality, HIV/AIDS pandemics etc, the society today (either developed or…

Recovered Alcoholics and Career Development: Implications for Human Resource Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gedro, Julie; Mercer, Frances; Iodice, Jody D.

2012-01-01

This article presents three issues regarding alcoholism, recovery, and career development. First, alcoholism is a disease that creates health and wellness problems for those it afflicts. It also impacts individual and workplace productivity. Second, alcoholism has a persistent stigmatization. As a result, those alcoholics who are in recovery face…

Personality Traits and Psychological Health Concerns: The Search for Psychology Student Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deo, Michael S.; Lymburner, Jocelyn A.

2011-01-01

The current study explored whether an affliction similar to Medical Student Syndrome occurs in psychology students (i.e., Psychology Student Syndrome) by examining the relationship between self ratings of psychological health and the number of psychopathology courses taken. Undergraduate participants rated their level of concern about suffering…

Complexity and multifractality of neuronal noise in mouse and human hippocampal epileptiform dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serletis, Demitre; Bardakjian, Berj L.; Valiante, Taufik A.; Carlen, Peter L.

2012-10-01

Fractal methods offer an invaluable means of investigating turbulent nonlinearity in non-stationary biomedical recordings from the brain. Here, we investigate properties of complexity (i.e. the correlation dimension, maximum Lyapunov exponent, 1/fγ noise and approximate entropy) and multifractality in background neuronal noise-like activity underlying epileptiform transitions recorded at the intracellular and local network scales from two in vitro models: the whole-intact mouse hippocampus and lesional human hippocampal slices. Our results show evidence for reduced dynamical complexity and multifractal signal features following transition to the ictal epileptiform state. These findings suggest that pathological breakdown in multifractal complexity coincides with loss of signal variability or heterogeneity, consistent with an unhealthy ictal state that is far from the equilibrium of turbulent yet healthy fractal dynamics in the brain. Thus, it appears that background noise-like activity successfully captures complex and multifractal signal features that may, at least in part, be used to classify and identify brain state transitions in the healthy and epileptic brain, offering potential promise for therapeutic neuromodulatory strategies for afflicted patients suffering from epilepsy and other related neurological disorders. This paper is based on chapter 5 of Serletis (2010 PhD Dissertation Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto).

Patient Satisfaction with Pain Level in Patients with Cancer

PubMed Central

Golas, Mary; Park, Chang Gi

2016-01-01

Interest in satisfaction as a pain-related outcome variable wavered when investigators found poor correlations with pain intensity when they measured satisfaction with pain management rather than satisfaction with pain level. Before abandoning the concept of satisfaction as an outcome, we explored the relationship between satisfaction with pain level and pain intensity among patients receiving ongoing outpatient cancer care at large community, university affiliated, Veteran’s Administration, or small community medical centers in the Midwest or on the west coast of the United States. A comparative, secondary data analysis was conducted on a crosssectional sample of 806 cancer patients (57% male, mean age 56±13 years, 77% Caucasian). We measured satisfaction with pain level as a single item (yes, no, not sure) and pain intensity as an average (API) of current, least and worst pain intensity (all 0–10 scales) in the last 24 hours. Of the 806 participants, 447 (56%) subjects were satisfied with their pain level, 291 (36%) were not satisfied, and 68 (8%) were not sure. Satisfaction was moderately correlated with API (rho=−0.43, P<.001). Patients satisfied with their pain levels reported statistically lower mean API scores (2.26±1.70) than those not satisfied (4.68±2.07) or not sure (4.21±2.2.1), P<.001. With pair wise post hoc comparisons, mean API scores of satisfied patients were significantly lower than those not satisfied or not sure. In contrast with other researchers who have not found associations between satisfaction with pain management and pain intensity, we demonstrate that when satisfaction is measured specifically, patients with higher pain intensity are not satisfied. We recommend that researchers use ‘satisfaction with pain level’ instead of ‘satisfaction with pain management’ as the pain satisfaction outcome. PMID:27283267

Metal contamination as a possible etiology of fibropapillomatosis in juvenile female green sea turtles Chelonia mydas from the southern Atlantic Ocean.

PubMed

da Silva, Cinthia Carneiro; Klein, Roberta Daniele; Barcarolli, Indianara Fernanda; Bianchini, Adalto

2016-01-01

Environmental contaminants have been suggested as a possible cause of fibropapillomatosis (FP) in green sea turtles. In turn, a reduced concentration of serum cholesterol has been indicated as a reliable biomarker of malignancy in vertebrates, including marine turtles. In the present study, metal (Ag, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations, oxidative stress parameters [antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP), protein carbonyls (PC), lipid peroxidation (LPO), frequency of micronucleated cells (FMC)], water content, cholesterol concentration and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity were analyzed in the blood/serum of juvenile (29.3-59.5cm) female green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) with FP (n=14) and without FP (n=13) sampled at Ubatuba coast (São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil). Green sea turtles were grouped and analyzed according to the severity of tumors. Individuals heavily afflicted with FP showed significantly higher blood Cu, Pb and Fe concentrations, blood LPO levels, as well as significantly lower serum cholesterol concentrations and HMGR activity than turtles without FP. Significant and positive correlations were observed between HMGR activity and cholesterol concentrations, as well as LPO levels and Fe and Pb concentrations. In turn, Cu and Pb concentrations were significantly and negatively correlated with HMGR activity and cholesterol concentration. Furthermore, Cu, Fe and Pb were positively correlated with each other. Therefore, the reduced concentration of serum cholesterol observed in green sea turtles heavily afflicted with FP is related to a Cu- and Pb-induced inhibition of HMGR activity paralleled by a higher LPO rate induced by increased Fe and Pb concentrations. As oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of viral infections, our findings support the idea that metal contamination, especially by Cu, Fe and Pb, may be implicated in the etiology of FP in green sea turtles through oxidative stress generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of intolerance of uncertainty, worry and irritability on quality of life in persons with epilepsy: irritability as mediator.

PubMed

Barahmand, Usha; Haji, Afsar

2014-10-01

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder afflicting many people in the world. The impact of epilepsy on the quality of life of those afflicted with epilepsy is greater than the limitations imposed by the seizures alone. Among the several psychological disorders found to be comorbid with epilepsy are anxiety and depression, both of which impair quality of life in epilepsy. Some studies have reported that the anxiety seen in epilepsy is characterized by worry while the depression seen is characterized by irritability. A concept common to both anxiety and depression is intolerance of uncertainty. Therefore, the study explores the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, worry and irritability and their association to quality of life in epilepsy. A descriptive-correlational research method was used and the research sample comprised 60 consecutive referrals seeking outpatient neurological services for epilepsy at Alavi Hospital in Ardebil. Data were collected by administering the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Irritability Questionnaire and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariate regression analysis. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that intolerance of uncertainty, worry and irritability have unique significant effects on quality of life. The implications are that interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with epilepsy should address their feelings of uncertainty, worry and irritability. Furthermore, irritability seems to mediate the impact of both intolerance of uncertainty and worry on quality of life of individuals with epilepsy. No significant moderation effects were noted. Results underscore the important role of irritability in the quality of life of persons with epilepsy. The findings are discussed with reference to the possibility of particular predisposing temperaments and add credence to the suggestion of an epileptic personality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lessons from accretion disks in cataclysmic variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, Keith

1998-04-01

We survey recent progress in the interpretation of observations of cataclysmic variables, whose accretion disks are heated by viscous dissipation rather than irradiation. Many features of standard viscous accretion disk models are confirmed by tomographic imaging studies of dwarf novae. Eclipse maps indicate that steady disk temperature structures are established during outbursts. Doppler maps of double-peaked emission lines suggest disk chromospheres heated by magnetic activity. Gas streams impacting on the disk rim leave expected signatures both in the eclipses and emission lines. Doppler maps of dwarf nova IP Peg at the beginning of an outburst show evidence for tidally-induced spiral shocks. While enjoying these successes, we must still face up to the dreaded ``SW Sex syndrome'' which afflicts most if not all cataclysmic variables in high accretion states. The anomalies include single-peaked emission lines with skewed kinematics, flat temperature-radius profiles, shallow offset line eclipses, and narrow low-ionization absorption lines at phase 0.5. The enigmatic behavior of AE Aqr is now largely understood in terms of a magnetic propeller model in which the rapidly spinning white dwarf magnetosphere expels the gas stream out of the system before an accretion disk can form. A final piece in this puzzle is the realization that an internal shock zone occurs in the exit stream at just the right place to explain the anomalous kinematics and violent flaring of the single-peaked emission lines. Encouraged by this success, we propose that disk-anchored magnetic propellers operate in the high accretion rate systems afflicted by the SW Sex syndrome. Magnetic fields anchored in the Keplerian disk sweep forward and apply a boost that expels gas stream material flowing above the disk plane. This working hypothesis offers a framework on which we can hang all the SW Sex anomalies. The lesson for theorists is that magnetic links appear to be transporting energy and angular momentum from the inner disk to distant parts of the flow without associated viscous heating in the disk.

Predictability and prediction of persistent cool states of the Tropical Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, Nandini; Cane, Mark A.; Seager, Richard; Lee, Dong Eun

2017-10-01

The Tropical Pacific Ocean displays persistently cool sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies that last several years to a decade, with either no El Niño events or a few weak El Niño events. These cause large-scale droughts in the extratropics, including major North American droughts such as the 1930s Dust Bowl, and also modulate the global mean surface temperature. Here we show that two models with different levels of complexity—the Zebiak-Cane intermediate model and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Coupled Model version 2.1—are able to produce such periods in a realistic manner. We then test the predictability of these periods in the Zebiak-Cane model using an ensemble of experiments with perturbed initial states. Our results show that in most cases the cool mean state is predictable. We then apply this method to make retrospective forecasts of shifts in the decadal mean state and to forecast the mean state of the Tropical Pacific Ocean for the upcoming decade. Our results suggest that the Pacific will undergo a shift to a warmer mean state after the 2015-2016 El Niño. This could imply the cessation of the drier than normal conditions that have generally afflicted southwest North America since the 1997-1998 El Niño, as well as the twenty-first-century pause in global warming. Implications for our understanding of the origins of such persistent cool states and the possibility of improving predictions of large-scale droughts are discussed.

SSIC model: A multi-layer model for intervention of online rumors spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Ru-Ya; Zhang, Xue-Fu; Liu, Yi-Jun

2015-06-01

SIR model is a classical model to simulate rumor spreading, while the supernetwork is an effective tool for modeling complex systems. Based on the Opinion SuperNetwork involving Social Sub-network, Environmental Sub-network, Psychological Sub-network, and Viewpoint Sub-network, drawing from the modeling idea of SIR model, this paper designs super SIC model (SSIC model) and its evolution rules, and also analyzes intervention effects on public opinion of four elements of supernetwork, which are opinion agent, opinion environment, agent's psychology and viewpoint. Studies show that, the SSIC model based on supernetwork has effective intervention effects on rumor spreading. It is worth noting that (i) identifying rumor spreaders in Social Sub-network and isolating them can achieve desired intervention results, (ii) improving environmental information transparency so that the public knows as much information as possible to reduce the rumors is a feasible way to intervene, (iii) persuading wavering neutrals has better intervention effects than clarifying rumors already spread everywhere, so rumors should be intervened in properly in time by psychology counseling.

Publishing and Intergenerational Learning for the Future of Philosophy in Education: An Interview with Paul Smeyers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forster, Daniella J.

2017-01-01

Amongst a remarkable publishing career, Paul Smeyers, editor of the journal "Ethics and Education," has written extensively on the situation afflicting philosophy of education. A recently published editor's invited symposium in "Studies in Philosophy and Education" (Smeyers, De Ruyter, Waghid, & Strand, 2014) put forward…

Gender Related Attitudes towards Eating and Health among College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papini, Dennis R.; Lloyd, Paul J.

Heightened concern about eating behavior has been expressed in recent surveys of high school and college students. There have been increased requests for treatment of eating disorders among college students and many colleges have developed programs that provide treatment for students afflicted with an eating disorder. The Eating Disorder Inventory…

The Health Effects of Kava/Sakau and Betel Nut.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Harvey

For generations Pacific Islanders have used kava root and betel nut for a variety of cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes: to overcome social barriers and lubricate social interactions; to cure bodily afflictions; and to accompany traditional and religious rituals. Kava, also known as ava, sakau, and yaqona has a long tradition as a…

The natural environment and human development: implications for handicapped children in urban settings

Treesearch

Dennis A. Vinton; Donald E. Hawkins

1977-01-01

This review of literature is intended to promote awareness of the needs of the 15 percent of the nation's children and youth who are afflicted with some form of handicap. It is imperative that those who design children's programs that utilize natural environments understand the special problems of handicapped children.

Burnout in Indian Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukla, Anil; Trivedi, Tripta

2008-01-01

Burnout is a concept which was born in the mid 1970s in the USA and with astonishing rapidity has become a catch-word to convey an almost unlimited variety of social and personal problems afflicting workers. It describes a specific dysfunction among helping professionals, believed to be the result of excessive demands made upon their energy,…

Population Growth and Poverty in the Developing World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birdsall, Nancy

1980-01-01

The link between rapid population growth and the absolute poverty which currently afflicts 780 million people in developing countries (excluding China and other centrally planned economies) is examined. As a result of rapid population growth, many countries suffer slow per capita income growth, a lack of progress in reducing income inequality, and…

What the Classroom Teacher Needs to Know about Children with Chronic Medical Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frieman, Barry B.; Settel, Joanne

1994-01-01

Explains the causes and symptoms of four chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and sickle cell anemia) that afflict large numbers of children, and discusses specific classroom medical procedures that teachers can use to help children with these diseases. Also provides suggestions for working with parents of chronically ill children and…

Complete genome sequences of slostridium perfringens strain del1 isolated from necrotic enteritis-afflicted chicken farm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Clostridium perfringens (CP) is ubiquitous in the nature. It is a normal inhabitant in the intestinal tracts of animals and human. As the primary etiological agent of gas gangrene, necrosis and bacteremia, CP causes food poisoning, necrotic enteritis (NE), and even death. Recent omics ...

Progress Report on Alzheimer Disease: Volume III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. on Aging (DHHS/PHS), Bethesda, MD.

This report summarizes advances in the understanding of Alzheimer's disease, the major cause of mental disability among older Americans. The demography of the disease is discussed, noting that approximately 2.5 million American adults are afflicted with the disease and that the large increase in the number of Alzheimer's disease patients is due to…

Homelessness as the Unforgiving Minute of the Present: The Rhetorical Tenses of Democratic Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loehwing, Melanie

2010-01-01

Popular discourse and advocacy efforts characterize homelessness as a social problem bound by the present-centered concerns of physical affliction and material deprivation. Wayne Powers's documentary film "Reversal of Fortune" exemplifies this tendency by performing a "social experiment" to investigate how giving a homeless man $100,000 would…

How Do We Afflict the Comfortable--When They Own Us?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugeja, Michel

2005-01-01

Media and news companies strive to keep costs down while maximizing profit through electronic news and information dissemination and engaging in unethical personnel managing practices. The author argues that journalism teachers and schools have catered to the demands of media companies by concentrating only on skills demanded by the industry. It…

The Academy's Duty to Define Patriotism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gitlin, Todd

2002-01-01

The author discusses how universities might serve the public interest by stirring up not fewer but more and deeper debates on the failures of intelligence that afflicted American institutions before 11 September 2001--and he does not refer simply to the feebleness of the FBI and other investigation bureaucracies. He refers to the parochialism, the…

Poverty and Nutrition in Bolivia. A World Bank Country Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Judith; Lopez, Cynthia

In Bolivia, malnutrition afflicts about 25 percent of children under 3 and 12-24 percent of women. It contributes to high death rates, immune deficiency, learning disabilities, and low work productivity. Malnutrition and its effects are particularly severe among poor, rural, and indigenous populations. Malnutrition is both caused by and causes…

Evaluating Retirement Income Security for Illinois Public School Teachers. Public Pension Project Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Richard W.; Southgate, Benjamin G.

2014-01-01

The financial problems afflicting the Illinois teacher pension plan have grabbed headlines. An equally important problem, though underappreciated, is that relatively few teachers benefit much from the plan. This report evaluates the pension benefits provided to Illinois public school teachers. The researchers project annual and lifetime pension…

Frontal Deficits in Alcoholism: An ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Mary Reeni M.; Potts, Geoffrey; Kothman, Delia; Martin, Laura; Mukundan, C. R.

2004-01-01

Alcoholism is a major health problem afflicting people all over the world. Understanding the neural substrates of this addictive disorder may provide the basis for effective interventions. So-called ''executive processes'' play a role in cognitive functions like attention and working memory, and appear to be disrupted in alcoholism (Noel et al.,…

Past Tense Morphology in Cri Du Chat Syndrome: Experimental Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wium, Kristin; Kristoffersen, Kristian Emil

2008-01-01

It has been observed that persons with Cri du chat syndrome (CDCS) have poor language production. However, very few studies have addressed the question whether all aspects of language production are equally afflicted, or whether there are differences between for instance phonological and morphological abilities. The present study was aimed at…

The Effects of Load Carriage and Muscle Fatigue on Lower-Extremity Joint Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, He; Frame, Jeff; Ozimek, Elicia; Leib, Daniel; Dugan, Eric L.

2013-01-01

Military personnel are commonly afflicted by lower-extremity overuse injuries. Load carriage and muscular fatigue are major stressors during military basic training. Purpose: To examine effects of load carriage and muscular fatigue on lower-extremity joint mechanics during walking. Method: Eighteen men performed the following tasks: unloaded…

Characterization of Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from clinically healthy and necrotic enteritis-afflicted broiler chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clostridium perfringens (CP) Type A strains are the main etiological factor for necrotic enteritis (NE), one of the important enteric diseases in poultry, which has gained worldwide attention during the last decade and is responsible for the annual loss of 6 billion dollars in US poultry industry. ...

Scoliosis Screening: An Approach Used in the School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Dean; Lever, Carol Sue

1982-01-01

A screening program for the detection of scoliosis was initiated in four Toledo, Ohio area schools. The primary objective of the program was to provide early diagnosis so that bracing might help to avoid surgical treatment later. Recommendations include: (1) yearly examinations; (2) examination of the siblings of afflicted students; and (3) movies…

AIDS Education in the Middle School Language Arts Program? YES!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sumpter, R. David; Benson, Tammy

1995-01-01

AIDS education should not only focus on prevention but also promote decision-making skills and values as a basis for adolescent behavior. Activities that can be integrated with language arts for rural middle school students include role playing, reading and writing assignments about famous people afflicted with AIDS, round-table discussions, and…

Colleges Protect Workers and Cut Elsewhere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenstyk, Goldie

2009-01-01

Most colleges have steered through the first jolts of the recession without resorting to layoffs, cutting employee benefits, or imposing across-the-board freezes on hiring. But the economic pain is afflicting campuses in many other ways, according to the findings from a new survey of chief business officers conducted last month by "The Chronicle"…

The Demography and Political Economy of Mexican Poverty: Conclusions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serron, Luis A.

To determine whether the poverty which afflicts between 50% and 60% of Mexico's population can be described in an ideologically neutral perspective, the paper formulates ten questions about political and economic issues which are sensitive to both capitalist and Marxist theorists. The questions concern: (1) the balance between food supply and…

Employees' Knowledge of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandy-Goldston, Terrie M.

A study examined employees' knowledge of the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), its prevention, and their legal rights after being diagnosed with CTS. A 24-item questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 30 Chicago-area employees who had been afflicted with CTS. Of those surveyed, 99% considered their CTS injury related to their…

Differentially expressed JAK-STAT signaling pathway genes and target microRNAs in the spleen of necrotic enteritis-afflicted chicken lines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The JAK signal transducer and STAT signaling pathway is an important regulator of cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, motility, apoptosis, immune response, and development. In this study, we used RNA-Sequencing, qRT-PCR, and bioinformatics tools to investigate the differential expression ...

Finding a Cure for Senioritis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puente, Kelly

2012-01-01

The senior year of high school has long been considered a lost year, a time when many students have earned most of their high school credits and have been accepted into college. With few requirements and little pressure, students often slack off in a common affliction known as "senioritis." The year of slacking off, however, may have…

Self-centeredness and selflessness: happiness correlates and mediating psychological processes.

PubMed

Dambrun, Michael

2017-01-01

The main objective of this research was to test central assumptions from the Self-centeredness/Selflessness Happiness Model. According to this model, while self-centered psychological functioning induces fluctuating happiness, authentic-durable happiness results from selflessness. Distinct mediating processes are supposed to account for these relationships: afflictive affects (e.g., anger, fear, jealousy, frustration) in the case of the former, and both emotional stability and feelings of harmony in the case of the latter. We tested these hypotheses in two studies based on heterogeneous samples of citizens ( n  = 547). Factor analyses revealed that self-centeredness (assessed through egocentrism and materialism) and selflessness (assessed through self-transcendence and connectedness to other) were two distinct psychological constructs. Second, while self-centeredness was positively and significantly related to fluctuating happiness, selflessness was positively and significantly related to authentic-durable happiness. Finally, distinct psychological processes mediated these relationships (study 2). On one hand, the relationship between self-centeredness and fluctuating happiness was fully mediated by afflictive affects. On the other hand, emotional stability and the feeling of being in harmony partially mediated the relation between selflessness and authentic-durable happiness.

Peptide-containing nerve fibres in the gut wall in Crohn's disease.

PubMed Central

Sjölund, K; Schaffalitzky, O B; Muckadell, D E; Fahrenkrug, J; Håkanson, R; Peterson, B G; Sundler, F

1983-01-01

Neurones containing VIP, substance P, or enkephalin were studied by immunocytochemistry in intestinal specimens from 27 patients with Crohn's disease. Also several endocrine cell systems in the gut were examined. The results were compared with those from a control group of 26 patients. The relative frequency of various endocrine cells did not differ overtly from that in controls. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P nerve fibres were distributed in all layers of the gut wall, including the submucosal and myenteric plexuses, whereas enkephalin fibres were restricted to the smooth muscle layer and the myenteric plexus. The distribution and frequency of the peptide-containing nerve fibres were the same in Crohn's disease patients as in control patients. A proportion of these nerve fibres, however, were notably coarse in the Crohn's disease patients. This was particularly apparent in the afflicted parts of the intestine although it was noted also in non-afflicted parts. The concentration of VIP and substance P (expressed as pmol/g wet weight) did not, however, exceed that of the control group. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 PMID:6192043

Record-Breaking Pain: The Largest Number and Variety of Forelimb Bone Maladies in a Theropod Dinosaur.

PubMed

Senter, Phil; Juengst, Sara L

2016-01-01

Bone abnormalities are common in theropod dinosaur skeletons, but before now no specimen was known with more than four afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and/or forelimb. Here we describe the pathology of a specimen of the theropod dinosaur Dilophosaurus wetherilli with eight afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and forelimb. On its left side the animal has a fractured scapula and radius and large fibriscesses in the ulna and the proximal thumb phalanx. On its right side the animal has abnormal torsion of the humeral shaft, bony tumors on the radius, a truncated distal articular surface of metacarpal III, and angular deformities of the first phalanx of the third finger. Healing and remodeling indicates that the animal survived for months and possibly years after its ailments began, but its right third finger was permanently deformed and lacked the capability of flexion. The deformities of the humerus and the right third finger may be due to developmental osteodysplasia, a condition known in extant birds but unreported in non-avian dinosaurs before now.

Painful Lumbosacral Plexopathy

PubMed Central

Ehler, Edvard; Vyšata, Oldřich; Včelák, Radek; Pazdera, Ladislav

2015-01-01

Abstract Patients frequently suffer from lumbosacral plexus disorder. When conducting a neurological examination, it is essential to assess the extent of muscle paresis, sensory disorder distribution, pain occurrence, and blocked spine. An electromyography (EMG) can confirm axonal lesions and their severity and extent, root affliction (including dorsal branches), and disorders of motor and sensory fiber conduction. Imaging examination, particularly gadolinium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, ensues. Cerebrospinal fluid examination is of diagnostic importance with radiculopathy, neuroinfections, and for evidence of immunoglobulin synthesis. Differential diagnostics of lumbosacral plexopathy (LSP) include metabolic, oncological, inflammatory, ischemic, and autoimmune disorders. In the presented case study, a 64-year-old man developed an acute onset of painful LSP with a specific EMG finding, MRI showing evidence of plexus affliction but not in the proximal part of the roots. Painful plexopathy presented itself with severe muscle paresis in the femoral nerve and the obturator nerve innervation areas, and gradual remission occurred after 3 months. Autoimmune origin of painful LSP is presumed. We describe a rare case of patient with painful lumbar plexopathy, with EMG findings of axonal type, we suppose of autoimmune etiology. PMID:25929915

Improving quality of life in multiple sclerosis: an unmet need.

PubMed

Zwibel, Howard L; Smrtka, Jennifer

2011-05-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States and 2.1 million people worldwide. It is the most common chronic, non-traumatic neurological disorder afflicting young people during their peak productive ages. MS can diminish quality of life (QOL) by interfering with the ability to work, pursue leisure activities, and carry on usual life roles. Symptoms that affect QOL may include impaired mobility, fatigue, depression, pain, spasticity, cognitive impairment, sexual dysfunction, bowel and bladder dysfunction, vision and hearing problems, seizures, and sDwallowing and breathing difficulties. Direct medical costs of MS in the United States are estimated in excess of $10 billion per year. Indirect costs of MS include costs of reduced employment or unemployment, assistive equipment, disability related home modifications, and paid and unpaid personal care. Although direct medical costs predominate in the earlier stages of MS, indirect costs of productivity loss are responsible for higher costs later. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) lessen symptoms, reduce relapses, and delay disability progression. Unfortunately, many DMTs might produce only modest improvements in QOL. Although symptom-specific therapies do not delay disease progression, they may delay unemployment and dependency, thereby reducing indirect costs.

Collective consciousness and its pathologies: Understanding the failure of AIDS control and treatment in the United States

PubMed Central

Wallace, Rodrick M; Fullilove, Mindy T; Fullilove, Robert E; Wallace, Deborah N

2007-01-01

We address themes of distributed cognition by extending recent formal developments in the theory of individual consciousness. While single minds appear biologically limited to one dynamic structure of linked cognitive submodules instantiating consciousness, organizations, by contrast, can support several, sometimes many, such constructs simultaneously, although these usually operate relatively slowly. System behavior remains, however, constrained not only by culture, but by a developmental path dependence generated by organizational history, in the context of market selection pressures. Such highly parallel multitasking – essentially an institutional collective consciousness – while capable of reducing inattentional blindness and the consequences of failures within individual workspaces, does not eliminate them, and introduces new characteristic malfunctions involving the distortion of information sent between workspaces and the possibility of pathological resilience – dysfunctional institutional lock-in. Consequently, organizations remain subject to canonical and idiosyncratic failures analogous to, but more complicated than, those afflicting individuals. Remediation is made difficult by the manner in which pathological externalities can write images of themselves onto both institutional function and corrective intervention. The perspective is applied to the failure of AIDS control and treatment in the United States. PMID:17324268

Chromatin histone modifications and rigidity affect nuclear morphology independent of lamins

PubMed Central

Stephens, Andrew D.; Liu, Patrick Z.; Banigan, Edward J.; Almassalha, Luay M.; Backman, Vadim; Adam, Stephen A.; Goldman, Robert D.; Marko, John F.

2018-01-01

Nuclear shape and architecture influence gene localization, mechanotransduction, transcription, and cell function. Abnormal nuclear morphology and protrusions termed “blebs” are diagnostic markers for many human afflictions including heart disease, aging, progeria, and cancer. Nuclear blebs are associated with both lamin and chromatin alterations. A number of prior studies suggest that lamins dictate nuclear morphology, but the contributions of altered chromatin compaction remain unclear. We show that chromatin histone modification state dictates nuclear rigidity, and modulating it is sufficient to both induce and suppress nuclear blebs. Treatment of mammalian cells with histone deacetylase inhibitors to increase euchromatin or histone methyltransferase inhibitors to decrease heterochromatin results in a softer nucleus and nuclear blebbing, without perturbing lamins. Conversely, treatment with histone demethylase inhibitors increases heterochromatin and chromatin nuclear rigidity, which results in reduced nuclear blebbing in lamin B1 null nuclei. Notably, increased heterochromatin also rescues nuclear morphology in a model cell line for the accelerated aging disease Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome caused by mutant lamin A, as well as cells from patients with the disease. Thus, chromatin histone modification state is a major determinant of nuclear blebbing and morphology via its contribution to nuclear rigidity. PMID:29142071

Empowered to gain a new foothold in life--A study of the meaning of participating in cardiac rehabilitation to patients afflicted by a minor heart attack.

PubMed

Simonÿ, Charlotte P; Dreyer, Pia; Pedersen, Birthe D; Birkelund, Regner

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate what it means to patients afflicted by a minor heart attack to participate in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). CR is well-established internationally to support patients towards moving forward in satisfying, healthy, and well-functioning lives. Studies indicate that patients achieve improvement in quality of life when participating in CR. However, knowledge of how patients are supported during CR is sparse. Moreover, knowledge of what participating in CR means to patients afflicted by a minor heart attack is lacking. In-depth knowledge in this area is crucial in order to understand these patients' particular gains and needs. In a phenomenological-hermeneutic frame field observations, focus group interviews, and individual interviews were conducted among 11 patients during and after their participation in CR. Field notes and transcribed interviews underwent three-phased interpretation. It was found that patients were supported to gain renewed balance in their lives during CR. Three themes were identified: (1) receiving a helpful but limited caring hand, (2) being supported to find new values in life, and (3) developing responsibility for the remaining time. The patients were carefully guided through a difficult time and supported to continue in healthy everyday lives. They were given hope which enabled them to find themselves a new foothold in life with respect to their own sense of well-being. This guidance and a sense of hopefulness were provided by heart specialists and more seasoned heart patients. In conclusion, patients were empowered to achieve a healthier lifestyle and improve their personal well-being during CR. However, structural barriers in the programme prevented adequate support regarding the patients' total needs. Knowledge of the benefits of CR emphasizes the significance of the programme and highlights the importance of high inclusion. Efforts should be made to develop more flexible and longer lasting programmes and further involvement of relatives must be considered.

Genome-wide association identifies SLC2A9 and NLN gene regions as associated with entropion in domestic sheep

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Entropion is an inward rolling of the eyelid allowing contact between the eyelashes and cornea that may lead to blindness if not corrected. Although many mammalian species, including humans and dogs, are afflicted by congenital entropion, no specific genes or gene regions related to deve...

A phylogenomic analysis of Marek’s disease virus (MDV) reveals independent paths to virulence in Eurasia and North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Virulence determines the impact a pathogen has on the fitness of its host, yet current understanding of the evolutionary origins and causes of virulence of many pathogens is surprisingly incomplete. Here, we explore the evolution of Marek’s disease virus (MDV), a herpesvirus commonly afflicting chic...

Ureteral Stent Coatings: What's Here and What's Coming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razvi, Hassan

2008-09-01

Ureteral stents have become an indispensable tool to the urologist in the management of various disorders afflicting the urinary tract. While the ideal stent remains elusive, novel technical advances in stent coating technology offer the potential of enhancing stent biocompatibility and clinical application. Currently available stent coatings as well as new and emerging devices will be reviewed.

The Roots of Technical Learning and Thinking: Situating TLT in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Ron

2008-01-01

Technical thinking is defined as an aptitude, ingenuity, and affliction for solving practical problems through experience. From the beginning of civilization such thinking has been a significant part of human existence. Learning associated with it is a natural instinct for most people, young and old, who work in a technical field, pursue a…

Curriculum as Conversation: Vulnerability, Violence, and Pedagogy in Prison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Aislinn

2015-01-01

It is difficult to respond creatively to humiliation, affliction, degradation, or shame, just as it is difficult to respond creatively to the experience of undergoing or inflicting violence. In this article Aislinn O'Donnell argues that if we are to think about how to address gun violence--including mass shootings- in schools, then we need to talk…

Eating Disorder Symptomotology: The Role of Ethnic Identity in Caucasian and Hispanic College Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avina, Vanessa

2011-01-01

A relative large number of women on college campuses report experiencing eating afflictions. About 61% of college women indicated that they either occasionally or regularly used extreme measures to control their weight (Mintz & Betz, 1988). No clear consensus on the relative prevalence of eating disorder symptoms across ethnic groups has…

Perception of Suffering and Compassion Experience: Brain Gender Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercadillo, Roberto E.; Diaz, Jose Luis; Pasaye, Erick H.; Barrios, Fernando A.

2011-01-01

Compassion is considered a moral emotion related to the perception of suffering in others, and resulting in a motivation to alleviate the afflicted party. We compared brain correlates of compassion-evoking images in women and men. BOLD functional images of 24 healthy volunteers (twelve women and twelve men; age=27 [plus or minus] 2.5 y.o.) were…

Banking on the Future. Seed Bank Investigations Teach Biodiversity and Biocomplexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clary, Renee; Wandersee, James

2013-01-01

People depend on plants to fulfill many of their basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Although plants are all around us, people are often afflicted with "plant blindness," paying more attention to animals (Wandersee and Clary 2006; Wandersee and Schussler 2001). Studying seed banks and building one in the classroom can…

Dietary supplementation of Allium hookeri improved intestinal immune response on necrotic enteritis of young broiler chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Allium hookeri (AH) root on host intestinal immune response in necrotic enteritis (NE)-afflicted young broiler chickens. Three hundred birds (one-day-old) were randomly assigned to 6 groups (n =50 birds/treatment) and fed with basal diet (c...

Special Deveice as Aids in the Management of Child Self-Mutilation in the Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letts, R. M.; Hobson, Douglas A.

1975-01-01

A multidisciplinary team at a hospital special devices clinic designed multiple use wheelchair and car seats with unique tabletop or arm enclosures for two educable mentally retarded brothers (11 and 14-years-old) afflicted with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, a purine metabolic disorder characterized by an insatiable urge for self-mutilation. (LH)

Evidence for Overuse of Medical Services Around the World

PubMed Central

Brownlee, Shannon; Chalkidou, Kalipso; Doust, Jenny; Elshaug, Adam G.; Glasziou, Paul; Heath, Iona; Nagpal, Somil; Saini, Vikas; Srivastava, Divya; Chalmers, Kelsey; Korenstein, Deborah

2017-01-01

Summary Overuse, which is defined as the provision of medical services that are more likely to cause harm than good, is a global problem that afflicts rich and poor countries alike. This article reviews the definition of overuse, methods for measuring overuse, harms from overuse, and the evidence for worldwide overuse of many types of services. PMID:28077234

Effect of low temperatures on osserous and cartilaginous tissues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pankov, Y. Y.; Babiychuk, G. A.; Malyshkina, S. V.; Zhigun, A. I.

1983-01-01

The use of extreme cold to treat tumoral afflictions of the extremities is discussed. Cryogenic methods and instruments are discussed, and the levels of accumulated knowledge in this area (as well as the areas still in question) are evaluated. The overall promise for cryogenic methods of treatment is acknowledged, and areas which need further development are noted.

Behavioral Case Consultation with Parents and Teachers: An Example Using Differential Reinforcement to Treat Psychogenic Cough.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, T. Steuart; Heindl, Betsy

1996-01-01

Presents a demonstration of successful behavioral case consultation combined with case study methodology in the treatment of a 13-year-old female afflicted with a psychogenic cough. Results suggest that psychogenic cough can be successfully treated by using behavioral case consultation as a framework for applying intervention. Limitations are also…

Bovine Immune Response to Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis (PDD)-associated Spirochetes is Skewed in Isolate Reactivity and Subclass Elicitation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD), also known as hairy heel wart, is a growing cause of lameness of cows in the U.S. dairy industry. Farms with PDD-afflicted cows experience economic loss due to treatment costs, decreased milk production, lower reproductive efficiency and premature culling. Cow...

Characterization of clostridium perfringens netB+tpel+ type A atrains isolated from necrotic enteritis-afflicted broiler chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clostridium perfringens (CP) Type A strains are the key etiological factor in induction of necrotic enteritis (NE), one of the important enteric diseases in poultry, responsible for the annual loss of $ 6 billions to worldwide poultry industry. Several CP toxin genes were found to be critical in the...

A (New) Discursive Framework for Dealing with the Problem of Unsafe Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Walt, Johannes L.

2015-01-01

The problem of unsafe schools, in the sense of schools being afflicted by incidences of violence, crime, and general anti-social behaviour, is a worldwide problem. Not surprisingly, the literature on the subject tends to centre on two issues: understanding the problem, and avoiding or combating the problem. This paper focuses on the second by…

Black Dot Tinea Capitis in an Immunosuppressed Man

PubMed Central

Mendese, Gary W.; Loo, Daniel S.

2013-01-01

Tinea capitis is a common superficial fungal infection of the scalp primarily afflicting young children. In adults, this infection may have an atypical presentation that may lead to a delay in diagnosis. The authors present a case report of black dot tinea capitis in an immunosuppressed Asian man with psoriasis and provide a review of the literature. PMID:23710273

Food Insecurity and Obesity: A Dual Challenge for Low-Income Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Lynn

2007-01-01

"Food insecurity," which is the lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times because of economic constraints, afflicts 40.6% of low-income households with children. Research shows that living in a food-insecure household can lead to negative health and developmental consequences for young children, including obesity.…

Queer Youth in Heterosexist Schools: Isolation, Prejudice and No Clear Supportive Policy Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Olivia

2011-01-01

In the wake of institutionalized homophobia afflicting public schools, the nation faces a unique opportunity to acknowledge and transform the assumption that all people are or should be heterosexual and gender-conforming. In this article, the author examines how people, as a nation, can reform schools to be more inclusive of diverse student…

Principles of management in oral cancer.

PubMed

Swinson, B D; Witherow, H; Amin, M; Kalavrezos, N; Newman, L

2003-07-01

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common oral malignancy, with a relatively poor prognosis. Treatment of oral cancer has a major impact on afflicted patients because it affects speech, swallowing and mastication. Surgery is the main treatment of oral cancer, as a single modality or combined with radiotherapy. Vigilance is vital for early diagnosis and better overall prognosis.

[The facets of creativity in the light of bipolar mood alterations].

PubMed

Szakács, Réka

2018-01-30

The link between creativity, as the highest expression form of human achievement, and bipolar disorder came into focus of scientific investigations and research. Accomplished writers, composers and visual artists show a substantially higher rate of affective disorders, prodominantly bipolar mood disorders, comparing to the general population. Then again, patients afflicted with bipolar II subtype (hypomania and depression), as well as persons presenting the mildest form of bipolar mood swings (cyclothymia) possess higher creative skills. It evokes therefore that certain forms and mood states of bipolar disorder, notably hypomania might convey cognitive, emotional/affective, and motivational benefits to creativity. The aim of this paper is to display expression forms of creativity (writing, visual art, scientific work) as well as productivity (literary and scientific work output, number of artworks and exhibitions, awards) in the light of clinically diagnosed mood states at an eminent creative individual, treated for bipolar II disorder. Analysing the affective states, we found a striking relation between hypomanic episodes and visual artistic creativity and achievement, as well as scientific performance, whereas mild-moderate depressed mood promoted literary work. Severe depression and mixed states were not associated with creative activities, and intriguingly, long-term stabilised euthymic mood, exempted from marked affective lability, is disadvantageous regarding creativity. It seems, thereby, that mood functions as a sluice of creativity. Nevertheless, it is likely that there is a complex interaction between bipolar mood disorder spectrum and psychological factors promoting creativity, influenced also by individual variability due to medication, comorbid conditions, and course of disorder.

Forest fires and environmental haze in Southeast Asia: using the 'stakeholder' approach to assign costs and responsibilities.

PubMed

Quah, E; Johnston, D

2001-10-01

The 'seasonal haze' problem is one which afflicts large parts of Southeast Asia in years of drought. The major cause is forest, bush and field fires in the states of Kalimantan and Sumatra in Indonesia, and to a lesser extent in Sabah, Sarawak, and other parts of Malaysia. Almost all of these fires now seem preventable, since they are intentionally set to clear land for cultivation. Theoretically, the government authorities at central, provincial and local levels in these countries should be responsible for controlling activities in their territory. In practice, however, air pollution control through regulatory policies and practices is extraordinarily difficult to implement and maintain in a situation of this kind in developing countries, especially at a time of crippling economic setbacks. Moreover, the establishment of legal liability, through an international tribunal or otherwise, hardly seems a politically feasible course of action for the government of an affluent 'victim state' such as Singapore. Faith in the usual solutions--science, regulation, law and diplomacy--is weakened by one's sense of current realities. The purpose of this paper is to review the issues and suggested responses, the cost implications of each, the responsibilities as well as entitlements that might apply to the various stakeholders, and the special role of Singapore as an affluent 'victim state'. We also discuss the incentive mechanisms that would be needed to manage forest fires.

Fluid mechanics of heart valves.

PubMed

Yoganathan, Ajit P; He, Zhaoming; Casey Jones, S

2004-01-01

Valvular heart disease is a life-threatening disease that afflicts millions of people worldwide and leads to approximately 250,000 valve repairs and/or replacements each year. Malfunction of a native valve impairs its efficient fluid mechanic/hemodynamic performance. Artificial heart valves have been used since 1960 to replace diseased native valves and have saved millions of lives. Unfortunately, despite four decades of use, these devices are less than ideal and lead to many complications. Many of these complications/problems are directly related to the fluid mechanics associated with the various mechanical and bioprosthetic valve designs. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art experimental and computational fluid mechanics of native and prosthetic heart valves in current clinical use. The fluid dynamic performance characteristics of caged-ball, tilting-disc, bileaflet mechanical valves and porcine and pericardial stented and nonstented bioprostheic valves are reviewed. Other issues related to heart valve performance, such as biomaterials, solid mechanics, tissue mechanics, and durability, are not addressed in this review.

Nutritional modulation of gut microbiota - the impact on metabolic disease pathophysiology.

PubMed

Ojeda, Patricia; Bobe, Alexandria; Dolan, Kyle; Leone, Vanessa; Martinez, Kristina

2016-02-01

The obesity epidemic afflicts over one third of the United States population. With few therapies available to combat obesity, a greater understanding of the systemic causes of this and other metabolic disorders is needed to develop new, effective treatments. The mammalian intestinal microbiota contributes to metabolic processes in the host. This review summarizes the research demonstrating the interplay of diet, intestinal microbiota and host metabolism. We detail the effects of diet-induced modifications in microbial activity and resultant impact on (1) sensory perception of macronutrients and total energy intake; (2) nutrient absorption, transport and storage; (3) liver and biliary function; (4) immune-mediated signaling related to adipose inflammation; and (5) circadian rhythm. We also discuss therapeutic strategies aimed to modify host-microbe interactions, including prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, as well as fecal microbiota transplantation. Elucidating the role of gut microbes in shaping metabolic homeostasis or dysregulation provides greater insight into disease development and a promising avenue for improved treatment of metabolic dysfunction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stem Cell Banking for Regenerative and Personalized Medicine

PubMed Central

Harris, David T.

2014-01-01

Regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and gene therapy offer the opportunity to treat and cure many of today’s intractable afflictions. These approaches to personalized medicine often utilize stem cells to accomplish these goals. However, stem cells can be negatively affected by donor variables such as age and health status at the time of collection, compromising their efficacy. Stem cell banking offers the opportunity to cryogenically preserve stem cells at their most potent state for later use in these applications. Practical stem cell sources include bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and tissue, and adipose tissue. Each of these sources contains stem cells that can be obtained from most individuals, without too much difficulty and in an economical fashion. This review will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each stem cell source, factors to be considered when contemplating banking each stem cell source, the methodology required to bank each stem cell source, and finally, current and future clinical uses of each stem cell source. PMID:28548060

Advances in Developing HIV-1 Viral Load Assays for Resource-Limited Settings

PubMed Central

Wang, ShuQi; Xu, Feng; Demirci, Utkan

2010-01-01

Commercial HIV-1 RNA viral load assays have been routinely used in developed countries to monitor antiretroviral treatment (ART). However, these assays require expensive equipment and reagents, well-trained operators, and established laboratory infrastructure. These requirements restrict their use in resource-limited settings where people are most afflicted with the HIV-1 epidemic. Inexpensive alternatives such as the Ultrasensitive p24 assay, the Reverse Transcriptase (RT) assay and in-house reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) have been developed. However, they are still time-consuming, technologically complex and inappropriate for decentralized laboratories as point-of-care (POC) tests. Recent advances in microfluidics and nanotechnology offer new strategies to develop low-cost, rapid, robust and simple HIV-1 viral load monitoring systems. We review state-of-the-art technologies used for HIV-1 viral load monitoring in both developed and developing settings. Emerging approaches based on microfluidics and nanotechnology, which have potential to be integrated into POC HIV-1 viral load assays, are also discussed. PMID:20600784

Fever of Unknown Origin in a Patient with Confirmed West Nile Virus Meningoencephalitis

PubMed Central

Sabre, Alexander; Farricielli, Laurie

2014-01-01

West Nile Virus (WNV), an RNA arbovirus and member of the Japanese encephalitis virus antigenic complex, causes a wide range of clinical symptoms, from asymptomatic to encephalitis and meningitis. Nearly all human infections of WNV are due to mosquito bites with birds being the primary amplifying hosts. Advanced age is the most important risk factor for neurological disease leading most often to poor prognosis in those afflicted. We report a case of WNV meningoencephalitis in a 93-year-old Caucasian male who presented with fever of unknown origin (FUO) and nuchal rigidity that rapidly decompensated within 24 h to a persistent altered mental state during inpatient stay. The patient's ELISA antibody titers confirmed pathogenesis of disease by WNV; he given supportive measures and advanced to an excellent recovery. In regard to the approach of FUO, it is important to remain impartial yet insightful to all elements when determining pathogenesis in atypical presentation. PMID:25580318

Chaos Control of Epileptiform Bursting in the Brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slutzky, M. W.; Cvitanovic, P.; Mogul, D. J.

Epilepsy, defined as recurrent seizures, is a pathological state of the brain that afflicts over one percent of the world's population. Seizures occur as populations of neurons in the brain become overly synchronized. Although pharmacological agents are the primary treatment for preventing or reducing the incidence of these seizures, over 30% of epilepsy cases are not adequately helped by standard medical therapies. Several groups are exploring the use of electrical stimulation to terminate or prevent epileptic seizures. One experimental model used to test these algorithms is the brain slice where a select region of the brain is cut and kept viable in a well-oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Under certain conditions, such slices may be made to spontaneously and repetitively burst, thereby providing an in vitro model of epilepsy. In this chapter, we discuss our efforts at applying chaos analysis and chaos control algorithms for manipulating this seizure-like behavior in a brain slice model. These techniques may provide a nonlinear control pathway for terminating or potentially preventing epileptic seizures in the whole brain.

Invited Commentary on "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Report to Congress: Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Epidemiology and Rehabilitation".

PubMed

Flanagan, Steven R

2015-10-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant health problem, afflicting millions of people worldwide. Despite increasing awareness of its burden on patients, families, and society, much remains unknown regarding TBI incidence, how best to assess outcomes post-injury, and the most effective means of providing rehabilitation services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published recommendations to Congress that address these critical knowledge gaps. The report is the end product of work completed by a notable panel of experts and stakeholders that makes overarching recommendations aimed at addressing knowledge gaps in TBI, with the ultimate goal of decreasing injury occurrence and improving outcomes. It is a succinct and powerful report that should serve as a call to action to fund innovative research and reverse a trend in health care that restricts access to rehabilitation services. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease: a narrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Raggi, Alberto; Bella, Rita; Pennisi, Giovanni; Neri, Walter; Ferri, Raffaele

2013-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is classically considered to be a motor system affliction; however, also non-motor alterations, including sleep disorders, are important features of the disease. The aim of this review is to provide data on sleep disturbances in PD in the following grouping: difficulty initiating sleep, frequent night-time awakening and sleep fragmentation, nocturia, restless legs syndrome/periodic limb movements, sleep breathing disorders, drug induced symptoms, parasomnias associated with rapid eye movements (REM) sleep, sleep attacks, reduced sleep efficiency and excessive daytime sleepiness. Research has characterized some of these disturbances as typical examples of dissociated states of wakefulness and sleep that are admixtures or incomplete declarations of wakefulness, REM sleep, and non-REM (NREM) sleep. Moreover, sleep disorders may precede the typical motor system impairment of PD and their ability to predict disease has important implications for development of neuroprotective treatment; in particular, REM sleep behavior disorder may herald any other clinical manifestation of PD by more than 10 years.

Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Ependymal Ciliary Loss Decreases Cerebral Spinal Fluid Flow

PubMed Central

Xiong, Guoxiang; Elkind, Jaclynn A.; Kundu, Suhali; Smith, Colin J.; Antunes, Marcelo B.; Tamashiro, Edwin; Kofonow, Jennifer M.; Mitala, Christina. M.; Stein, Sherman C.; Grady, M. Sean; Einhorn, Eugene; Cohen, Noam A.

2014-01-01

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) afflicts up to 2 million people annually in the United States and is the primary cause of death and disability in young adults and children. Previous TBI studies have focused predominantly on the morphological, biochemical, and functional alterations of gray matter structures, such as the hippocampus. However, little attention has been given to the brain ventricular system, despite the fact that altered ventricular function is known to occur in brain pathologies. In the present study, we investigated anatomical and functional alterations to mouse ventricular cilia that result from mild TBI. We demonstrate that TBI causes a dramatic decrease in cilia. Further, using a particle tracking technique, we demonstrate that cerebrospinal fluid flow is diminished, thus potentially negatively affecting waste and nutrient exchange. Interestingly, injury-induced ventricular system pathology resolves completely by 30 days after injury as ependymal cell ciliogenesis restores cilia density to uninjured levels in the affected lateral ventricle. PMID:24749541

[Necrotizing fasciitis, myositis, arthritis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by group G Streptococcus. Report of one case].

PubMed

Ayala-Gaytán, Juan Jacobo; Martínez-Vela, Ángel; Náñez-Terreros, Homero; Guajardo-Lara, Claudia Elena; Valdovinos-Chávez, Salvador Bruno

2014-01-01

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), myositis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) associated with group G ß-hemolytic streptococcus (GGS) occasionally coincide. We describe a case of GGS simultaneously occurring with NF, myositis, arthritis, and STSS in an 83-year-old woman with sequelae of cerebrovascular disease, hospitalized after two days of fever and with a painful swollen left foot. She was hypotensive, her foot had purplish discoloration, which showed blisters spreading to the lower third of the leg, and no crepitus was present. Fluid, vasopressive support, tigecyclin, and clindamycin were used. Debrided tissue and fluid aspirated from the knee joint revealed Gram-positive cocci. The patient developed renal and respiratory failure on the fifth day, requiring support. She underwent amputation above the knee of the left leg, after which her condition improved. She was discharged one month later. GGS can cause life-threatening infections such as NF, myositis, and/or STSS. GGS usually afflicts aging patients with comorbid states, and occasionally healthy subjects.

Risk factors for laryngeal cancer.

PubMed

De Stefani, E; Correa, P; Oreggia, F; Leiva, J; Rivero, S; Fernandez, G; Deneo-Pellegrini, H; Zavala, D; Fontham, E

1987-12-15

One hundred seven patients afflicted with incident laryngeal cancer and 290 controls with diseases considered not related to tobacco and alcohol exposure were interviewed in the University Hospital of Montevideo, Uruguay. The study followed a case-referent design, and epidemiologic analysis was carried out at the Louisiana State University, New Orleans. Dark tobacco smoking was the strongest risk factor, with an RR 2.5 times higher than that showed by light (flue-cured) tobacco smokers and 35 times that of non-smokers. Alcohol exposure displayed lesser effects but its interaction with tobacco smoking resulted in very high risks (more than 100 times higher). Among particular types of alcoholic beverages, red wine showed RR's similar to those displayed by hard liquor consumption. The habit of drinking a local tea called "mate" was associated with a threefold increase in risk, after controlling for the effects of age and tobacco and alcohol consumption. Infrequent consumption of vegetables and fruits showed RR on the order of 2.7, suggesting a role of diet in the causation of laryngeal cancer.

A Case Study in Policy Change: Mayoral Control in New York City's Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGlynn, Adam

2010-01-01

During the 33 years New York City schools were controlled primarily by community school boards, the city's mayors posited that greater mayoral influence was the cure for the ills afflicting the city's schools. This paper applies theories of policy change to the 30-year battle for control of New York's schools while highlighting the role of the…

A Response to Sam McKegney's "Strategies for Ethical Engagement: An Open Letter Concerning Non-Native Scholars of Native Literatures"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appleford, Rob

2009-01-01

This article presents the author's response to Sam McKegney's "Strategies for Ethical Engagement: An Open Letter Concerning Non-Native Scholars of Native Literatures." In his response to Sam's diagnosis of the malaise currently afflicting non-Aboriginal critics of this literature, the author attempts to consider the "cure" Sam offers (albeit…

Effect of mineral nutrition, growth regulators, and environmental stresses on biomass production and artemisinin concentration of Artemisia annua (L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by different species of Plasmodium. It is the world’s most severe parasitic infection and kills almost two million people a year, afflicting more than one-third of the global population. The burden of malaria has increased by the worldwide spread of multi-d...

Priorities in Dealing with Nutrition Problems in Indonesia. Cornell International Nutrition Monograph Series, Number 1 (1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soekirman

A study of the literature dealing with past and present food and nutrition problems in Indonesia reveals that the problems remain serious. The major nutrition problems are: (1) Protein-Calorie Malnutrition; (2) Vitamin A Deficiency; (3) Nutritional Anemia; and (4) Goitre. These nutrition problems afflict people of all ages, males and females.…

Into the Cuckoo's Nest: "Silver Linings Playbook" and Movies about Odd People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Bernard

2013-01-01

Odd people have always been identified and often treated differently in human societies. In modern times, they have been described as being afflicted with a psychological condition to be treated by specialists and assigned to a "crazy" category by general society. Movies about such odd people have a long history. A recent movie,…

The sacred disease and its patron saint.

PubMed

Fatović-Ferencić, S; Dürrigl, M A

2001-08-01

Although the Hippocratic natural theory of epilepsy as a brain disorder originated around 400 bc , it did not begin to take root until the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving the intervening centuries dominated by mostly supernatural concepts. This article provides historical insight into human behavior when afflicted with disease: supplication to a patron saint, Saint Valentine, a cult that spread throughout Europe.

An improved, rapid cELISA using a novel conserved 3B epitope for the serological diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) afflicts cloven-hoofed livestock and wildlife resulting in heavy economic losses due to loss of trade and recovery from disease. We developed a rapid, sensitive, and specific competitive ELISA to detect serum antibodies to FMDV. This new cELI...

A Phenomenological Case Study of the Elementary to Secondary Transition for One Female Student Diagnosed with Selective Mutism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nashman-Smith, Mona

2017-01-01

Selective mutism (SM) is considered a communication and anxiety disorder that afflicts about 1% of students. The rarity of SM and the isolated cases of this condition has rendered the elementary to secondary school experience for a student with SM difficult to study. Utilizing a qualitative approach, this phenomenological case study examined the…

The Concept of Learning Japanese: Explaining Why Successful Students of Japanese Discontinue Japanese Studies at the Transition to Tertiary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oshima, Ryoko; Harvey, Sharon

2017-01-01

Student attrition and falling tertiary education enrolments afflict languages education across the "inner circle" English speaking world. In the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand and Australia, Japanese has become one of the most successful languages of education. However, numbers of students are now declining. This paper examines why…

The New Human Genetics. How Gene Splicing Helps Researchers Fight Inherited Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pines, Maya

The science of genetics is perceived to offer hope that a large number of the 3,000 inherited diseases which afflict human beings may be prevented or controlled. This document addresses some of the advances that have been made in this field. It includes an introduction and sections on: "The Beginning of Human Genetics"; "Unlocking the Secrets of…

Not Just a Middle-Class Affliction: Crafting a Social Work Research Agenda on Postpartum Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrams, Laura S.; Curran, Laura

2007-01-01

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major mental health disorder that affects at least 13 percent of new mothers and has detrimental consequences for populations that are of concern to social workers, such as low-income women, women of color, young women, and single mothers. Despite the relevance of PPD to multiple social work problems and…

Educational Assessment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province: Practices, Issues, and Challenges for Educating Culturally Linguistically Diverse and Exceptional Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouleta, Eirini

2015-01-01

This article presents the case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan's former North-West Frontier Province, and its provincial educational assessment policies and practices. These policies and practices affect millions of Culturally Linguistically Diverse and Exceptional (CLDE) children who live in rural and remote areas, and areas afflicted by…

Automatic Brain Tumor Detection in T2-weighted Magnetic Resonance Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvořák, P.; Kropatsch, W. G.; Bartušek, K.

2013-10-01

This work focuses on fully automatic detection of brain tumors. The first aim is to determine, whether the image contains a brain with a tumor, and if it does, localize it. The goal of this work is not the exact segmentation of tumors, but the localization of their approximate position. The test database contains 203 T2-weighted images of which 131 are images of healthy brain and the remaining 72 images contain brain with pathological area. The estimation, whether the image shows an afflicted brain and where a pathological area is, is done by multi resolution symmetry analysis. The first goal was tested by five-fold cross-validation technique with 100 repetitions to avoid the result dependency on sample order. This part of the proposed method reaches the true positive rate of 87.52% and the true negative rate of 93.14% for an afflicted brain detection. The evaluation of the second part of the algorithm was carried out by comparing the estimated location to the true tumor location. The detection of the tumor location reaches the rate of 95.83% of correct anomaly detection and the rate 87.5% of correct tumor location.

Self-centeredness and selflessness: happiness correlates and mediating psychological processes

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The main objective of this research was to test central assumptions from the Self-centeredness/Selflessness Happiness Model. According to this model, while self-centered psychological functioning induces fluctuating happiness, authentic–durable happiness results from selflessness. Distinct mediating processes are supposed to account for these relationships: afflictive affects (e.g., anger, fear, jealousy, frustration) in the case of the former, and both emotional stability and feelings of harmony in the case of the latter. We tested these hypotheses in two studies based on heterogeneous samples of citizens (n = 547). Factor analyses revealed that self-centeredness (assessed through egocentrism and materialism) and selflessness (assessed through self-transcendence and connectedness to other) were two distinct psychological constructs. Second, while self-centeredness was positively and significantly related to fluctuating happiness, selflessness was positively and significantly related to authentic–durable happiness. Finally, distinct psychological processes mediated these relationships (study 2). On one hand, the relationship between self-centeredness and fluctuating happiness was fully mediated by afflictive affects. On the other hand, emotional stability and the feeling of being in harmony partially mediated the relation between selflessness and authentic–durable happiness. PMID:28507820

Auricular hematoma and cauliflower deformation of the ear: from art to medicine.

PubMed

Mudry, Albert; Pirsig, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

Auricular hematoma and cauliflower deformation of the ear are unique in several respects. Knowledge about it began, in antiquity, through artists, particularly Greek and Roman, and then Japanese in the 18th century with their representation of cauliflower deformation of the ear on sculptures and paintings of pugilists and wrestlers. It is only in the 19th century that physicians began to make substantive progress in understanding this abnormality. It was first thought to be associated with mental disease, but by the beginning of the 20th century, its etiology was recognized as being caused by trauma and was then named auricular hematoma. The second step in the understanding of this affliction was the observation that auricular hematoma progresses toward cauliflower deformation of the ear, which was named cauliflower ear. Recognition of this evolution led to the development of therapies. During the second half of the 20th century, different treatments were developed. They included various hematoma drainage techniques with special bandages to prevent hematoma recurrence and ensuing progression to cauliflower ear. In summary, cauliflower deformation of the ear is an old artistic affliction that has only recently received medical attention.

Standard Period Life Table Used to Compute the Life Expectancy of Diseased Subpopulations: More Confusing Than Helpful.

PubMed

Perron, Linda; Simard, Marc; Brisson, Jacques; Hamel, Denis; Lo, Ernest

2017-10-01

Life expectancy (LE) based on a period life table (PLT) traditionally serves as a general population summary metric. It is, however, becoming more frequently reported for chronically afflicted subpopulations. In general populations, there is always an obvious real cohort sharing the hypothetical PLT cohort characteristics, and the LE estimate is intuitively understood as that real cohort mean survival time, assuming constancy of death risks. In diseased subpopulations, the correspondence between the hypothetical cohort and a real cohort is not straightforward. Furthermore, the excess mortality of chronic diseases usually changes according to age at onset and time since onset. The standard PLT method does not allow for proper control of these issues, so the LE estimate can only be deemed valid under specific assumptions. Without clear statements about the real cohort to whom the estimate is intended and the assumptions allowing disregard of the effect of age at onset and time since onset, LEs of afflicted subpopulations computed with the PLT are only abstract numbers summarizing mortality rates. If called "life expectancy," they can be seriously misleading. The same applies to health-adjusted LE.

Contextualizing mental health: gendered experiences in a Mumbai slum.

PubMed

Parkar, Shubhangi R; Fernandes, Johnson; Weiss, Mitchell G

2003-12-01

Urban mental health programmes in developing countries remain in their infancy. To serve low-income communities, research needs to consider the impact of common life experience in slums, including poverty, bad living conditions, unemployment, and crowding. Our study in the Malavani slum of Mumbai examines afflictions of the city affecting the emotional well-being and mental health of women and men with respect to gender. This is a topic for which mental health studies have been lacking, and for which psychiatric assumptions based on middle-class clinical experience may be most tenuous. This study employs ethnographic methods to show how environmental and social contexts interact in shaping local experience with reference to common mental health problems. Focusing on the social and environmental context of the mental health of communities, rather than psychiatric disorders affecting individuals, findings are broadly applicable and sorely needed to guide the development of locally appropriate community mental health programmes. Identified afflictions affecting mental health include not only access to health care, but also sanitation, addictions, criminality, domestic violence, and the so-called bar-girl culture. Although effective clinical interventions are required for mental health services to treat psychiatric disorders, they cannot directly affect the conditions of urban slums that impair mental health.

Leishmaniasis: current challenges and prospects for elimination with special focus on the South Asian region.

PubMed

Karunaweera, Nadira D; Ferreira, Marcelo U

2018-04-01

SUMMARYLeishmania donovani, the most virulent species of Leishmania, is found in the South Asian region that harbours the majority of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases in the world. The traditionally accepted relationships between the causative species of Leishmania and the resultant disease phenotype have been challenged during recent years and have underscored the importance of revisiting the previously established taxonomy with revisions to its classification. The weak voice of the afflicted with decades of neglect by scientists and policy makers have led to the miserably inadequate and slow advancements in product development in the fields of diagnostics, chemotherapeutics and vector control that continue to hinder the effective management and control of this infection. Limitations notwithstanding, the regional drive for the elimination of VL initiated over a decade ago that focused on India, Nepal and Bangladesh, the three main afflicted countries in the Indian subcontinent is therefore, commendable, with the subsequent status reviews and restructuring of strategies possibly even more so. However, the renewed efforts would need to be combined with plans to combat new challenges in the South-Asian region that includes the emergence of atypical parasite variants, in order to realistically achieve the set goal of regional elimination of VL.

Assessing group differences in biodiversity by simultaneously testing a user-defined selection of diversity indices.

PubMed

Pallmann, Philip; Schaarschmidt, Frank; Hothorn, Ludwig A; Fischer, Christiane; Nacke, Heiko; Priesnitz, Kai U; Schork, Nicholas J

2012-11-01

Comparing diversities between groups is a task biologists are frequently faced with, for example in ecological field trials or when dealing with metagenomics data. However, researchers often waver about which measure of diversity to choose as there is a multitude of approaches available. As Jost (2008, Molecular Ecology, 17, 4015) has pointed out, widely used measures such as the Shannon or Simpson index have undesirable properties which make them hard to compare and interpret. Many of the problems associated with the use of these 'raw' indices can be corrected by transforming them into 'true' diversity measures. We introduce a technique that allows the comparison of two or more groups of observations and simultaneously tests a user-defined selection of a number of 'true' diversity measures. This procedure yields multiplicity-adjusted P-values according to the method of Westfall and Young (1993, Resampling-Based Multiple Testing: Examples and Methods for p-Value Adjustment, 49, 941), which ensures that the rate of false positives (type I error) does not rise when the number of groups and/or diversity indices is extended. Software is available in the R package 'simboot'. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Robust motion artefact resistant circuit for calculation of Mean Arterial Pressure from pulse transit time.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Tinish; Gupta, Ankesh; Singh, Salam ThoiThoi; Roy, Sitikantha; Prasad, Anamika

2017-07-01

Cuff-less and non-invasive methods of Blood Pressure (BP) monitoring have faced a lot of challenges like stability, noise, motion artefact and requirement for calibration. These factors are the major reasons why such devices do not get approval from the medical community easily. One such method is calculating Blood Pressure indirectly from pulse transit time (PTT) obtained from electrocardiogram (ECG) and Photoplethysmogram (PPG). In this paper we have proposed two novel analog signal conditioning circuits for ECG and PPG that increase stability, remove motion artefacts, remove the sinusoidal wavering of the ECG baseline due to respiration and provide consistent digital pulses corresponding to blood pulses/heart-beat. We have combined these two systems to obtain the PTT and then correlated it with the Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP). The aim was to perform major part of the processing in analog domain to decrease processing load over microcontroller so as to reduce cost and make it simple and robust. We have found from our experiments that the proposed circuits can calculate the Heart Rate (HR) with a maximum error of ~3.0% and MAP with a maximum error of ~2.4% at rest and ~4.6% in motion.

The wavering line in the sand: the effects of domestic violence and sexual coercion.

PubMed

Coggins, Margi; Bullock, Linda F C

2003-01-01

Control and power regarding sexuality and fertility challenges many women, especially those involved in abusive relationships. This preliminary study was done to explore the relationship between domestic violence, sexual coercion, and pregnancy. The sample was comprised of community-dwelling women attending support groups for survivors of abuse, and women attending group therapy sessions while housed at a battered woman's shelter. Both questionnaires and focus groups addressed the women's experiences with contraception, sexuality, pregnancy, and domestic violence. Only the qualitative phase of the study, plus demographics from the questionnaires, are presented in this article. The responses suggest that many of the women felt they could not avoid intercourse with their abusers, despite fears of pregnancy. Focus group transcript analysis revealed recurrent themes of problems regarding pregnancy, tactics of abuse, inability to access birth control, and denial and mistrust. This article explores the reality these women face and the thought processes they employ to survive and remain in their relationship. Health care providers can use this information to better understand their clients, to assist them in obtaining and using effective contraception, and to support clients as they make their decisions.

Evaluation of quality of life (QoL) of students of the University of Third Age (U3A) on the basis of socio-demographic factors and health status.

PubMed

Zielińska-Więczkowska, Halina; Kędziora-Kornatowska, Kornelia; Ciemnoczołowski, Waldemar

2011-01-01

In times of the modern global societies, concern for QoL is a priority for gerontology, being an interdisciplinary field. The aim of this study was to assess the QoL of students of the U3A based on socio-demographic factors, subjectively reported diseases and/or discomfort, and well-being. The study comprised 257 students of the U3A in Poland, located in the city of Bydgoszcz. The study group consisted of 237 women and 20 men at an average age of 64.54 ± 6.01 years. The vast majority of the study group were married individuals and individuals with a secondary education. Just over half of the group stated that they are in good health and have no afflictions. All of the respondents were fully mobile. The QoL was assessed using the Polish version of the WHOQOL-Bref and the geriatric depression screening (GDS) scale. The QoL in its different areas balanced out at a medium level (average range: 13.30-13.87). The level of education of the U3A students proved to have a significant relation ith the environmental domain of QoL. No significant influence of age, gender, or marital statues on the QoL of the U3A students was found. A significant relation between subjectively reported diseases and/or discomfort with the QoL was demonstrated in the physical domain. Nearly 75% of the respondents showed no signs of depressive moods. The occurrence of depression indeed disrupted the QoL in all the studied domains, although least in the physical domain. Elderly individuals participating in permanent education display, in the face of progressive senile involution, average and at the same time stable parameters of QoL in all areas of functioning, which can be considered satisfactory, given this phase of life. The level of QoL of the U3A students significantly denotes the level of education of respondents, existing illnesses and afflictions, and the presents of depression. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective use of sertraline for pathological laughing after severe vasospasm due to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: case report.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Hayato; Iwamoto, Kazuhide; Mukai, Mao; Fujita, Tomoaki; Tsujino, Hitoshi; Iwamoto, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Pathological laughing, one subgroup of psuedobulbar affect, is known as laughter inappropriate to the patient's external circumstances and unrelated to the patient's internal emotional state. The authors present the case of a 76-year-old woman with no significant medical history who experienced pathological laughing after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to rupture of an aneurysm, which was successfully treated with craniotomy for aneurysm clipping. In the acute stage after the operation she suffered from severe vasospasm and resulting middle cerebral artery territory infarction and conscious disturbance. As she regained consciousness she was afflicted by pathological laughing 6 months after the onset of SAH. Her involuntary laughter was inappropriate to the situation and was incongruent with the emotional state, and she could not control by herself. Finally the diagnosis of pathological laughing was made and treatment with sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), effectively cured the symptoms. Her pathological laughing was estimated to be consequence of infarction in the right prefrontal cortex and/or corona radiata, resulting from vasospasm. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of pathological laughing after aneurysmal SAH. The authors offer insight into the pathophysiology of this rare phenomenon. Effectiveness of sertraline would widen the treatment modality against pathological laughing.

Effective Use of Sertraline for Pathological Laughing after Severe Vasospasm Due to Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Case Report

PubMed Central

TAKEUCHI, Hayato; IWAMOTO, Kazuhide; MUKAI, Mao; FUJITA, Tomoaki; TSUJINO, Hitoshi; IWAMOTO, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Pathological laughing, one subgroup of psuedobulbar affect, is known as laughter inappropriate to the patient's external circumstances and unrelated to the patient's internal emotional state. The authors present the case of a 76-year-old woman with no significant medical history who experienced pathological laughing after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to rupture of an aneurysm, which was successfully treated with craniotomy for aneurysm clipping. In the acute stage after the operation she suffered from severe vasospasm and resulting middle cerebral artery territory infarction and conscious disturbance. As she regained consciousness she was afflicted by pathological laughing 6 months after the onset of SAH. Her involuntary laughter was inappropriate to the situation and was incongruent with the emotional state, and she could not control by herself. Finally the diagnosis of pathological laughing was made and treatment with sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), effectively cured the symptoms. Her pathological laughing was estimated to be consequence of infarction in the right prefrontal cortex and/or corona radiata, resulting from vasospasm. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of pathological laughing after aneurysmal SAH. The authors offer insight into the pathophysiology of this rare phenomenon. Effectiveness of sertraline would widen the treatment modality against pathological laughing. PMID:24201096

Qué es la Epilepsia? Attitudes and knowledge of epilepsy by Spanish-speaking adults in the United States.

PubMed

Sirven, Joseph I; Lopez, Ricardo A; Vazquez, Blanca; Van Haverbeke, Peter

2005-09-01

Spanish-speaking adults are the largest minority population group in the United States and are disproportionately afflicted by epilepsy. A unique 78-item survey instrument conducted entirely in Spanish and devoted to the topic of epilepsy was administered to 760 Spanish-speaking adults in seven large U.S. Hispanic metropolitan areas representing a cross section of the U.S. Hispanic community. The answers were compared with those of 272 non-Hispanic controls administered the same survey in English in June 2004. The Hispanic sample correlated well with U.S. Census data. Spanish-speaking adults are mostly unaware about epilepsy, with 21% reporting no familiarity with the condition (P=0.0001). The vast majority of Hispanics use the term convulsiones or ataque to describe a seizure. Thirteen percent of Hispanics with less than high school education believe that epilepsy is contagious (P=0.0001); 8% see "sins" as a cause of seizures (P=0.0001); and 10% agree that "exorcism" would be a good remedy (P=0.002). There is considerable misinformation about epilepsy in the U.S. Hispanic community. Neurologists must be made aware of U.S. Hispanic attitudes and beliefs regarding epilepsy to provide culturally competent care.

The New Human Genetics: A Cell Bank Helps Researchers Fight Inherited Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pines, Maya

Research in human genetics is now expanding rapidly, leading to increasingly precise ways of preventing or treating some of the 2,000 or more inherited disorders that afflict human beings. At the same time, it has produced a wealth of new ideas and techniques which are laying the groundwork for new medical science for the 21st century. Recent work…

Japan-USSR Trade, Technology Transfer, Implications for U.S.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

8217. Creation of new "horizontal" ministries38 would heal many of the current system’s afflictions. The 35William T. Lee and Richard F. Starr, Soviet Military...machine tools, robots , new industrial materials, and biotechnology. 77 The implications of these two events in 1986 are that the USSR and Japan are...125 D. NEW DIRECTIONS ..................................... 130 E. JOINT VENTURES AVENUES

[A Roman soap opera: Justus' wife and love sickness].

PubMed

Gourevitch, Danielle

2012-01-01

This paper presents a fiction rather than a story. Galen is called to visit Justus' wife, ill with a mysterious disease. The narrative of love sickness that afflicts her allows the author to draw an interesting picture of the social status of Roman women, the issues of reproduction and maritalbe trayal, and to shed light on magic practices for obtaining or preventing love affairs.

[On the recurrence risk with partial larynx resections (author's transl)].

PubMed

Flach, M

1978-06-01

28 cases of recurrences after 127 vertical and horizontal partial larynx resections (22 per cent) were analysed. Unfavourable preconditions for partial resections are the affliction of the ary cartilage and arrest of vocal chord movility. The hemiresections according to Hautant have the heighest recidivation percentage (40 per cent) judging from the observations available. Radical operations after failured partial resections are uncertain as to their prognoses.

The Hard-to-Employ--Who Are They? Perspectives on Training the Disadvantaged--The Hard-to-Employ. Personnel Services Review Series 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Don K.; Brown, Dorothy R.

The hard-to-employ, both urban and rural, share common characteristics of inadequate income, slum housing, inferior education, no medical attention, and lack of real job opportunities. The deficiencies dove-tail, and families are often afflicted with all. The picture may seem bleak, but there is optimism in reclamation of the so-called…

Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice in the Patient with Heat Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

sweating and evaporative cooling potential. Diabetic patients are at increased risk for circo.iatory disorders and neiiropathies, whiPh Heat 10 can... Diabetics are often afflicted with cardiovascular disease and peripheral neuropathy, while conditions of abnormal skin or sweat glands interfere with...of cell damage throughout the body (Cummings). Hyperkalemia from rhabdomyolysis, renal failure and/or metabolic acidosis can be life- threatening

Socio-Pedagogical Challenges Facing Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in the Aftermath of the 2007-2008 Election Violence in Nakuru County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Majanga, Eunice; Mukonyi, Phillip; Vundi, Silvia

2015-01-01

The conflict situations that have afflicted parts of Kenya every five years, in the wake of general elections, since 1992 were most prominent after the disputed presidential elections of 2007. The magnitude of the clashes, loss of life, destruction of property and internal displacement of people were hitherto unwitnessed. The situation of Orphans…

Small Molecules Showing Significant Protection of Mice against Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-13

Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNTA) causes a life-threatening neuroparalytic disease known as botulism that could afflict large, unprotected...that is effective for treating infant botulism at a cost of US $45,300 per treatment regimen. Antibodies can neutralize the extracellular but not the...Inhibitors, Therapeutics, Antidotes, Countermeasures, Botulism , Botulinum Neurotoxins, In Vivo Study, and Mouse Protection. Yuan-Ping Pang, Jon Davis

Decadence and Renewal in the Higher Learning. An Episodic History of American University and College Since 1953.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Russell

Based on the theory that higher education in America has been on the decline since 1953, the decadence and hopes for renewal in higher learning are examined. The following afflictions are cited as cause for the decline: (1) a purposelessness or loss of the objects of wisdom and virtue; (2) intellectual disorder: all integration and order of…

Using Critical Race Theory to Explore Race-Based Conversations through a Critical Family Book Club

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Lamar L.

2016-01-01

Stemming from my personal encounter with what I consider a racial affliction imposed by a White female teacher, I provide a glimpse of my racial narrative as a young Black male to illustrate a reference point for thinking through how racism functions in homes and schools. It touches on the importance of race-based conversations within school and…

The Global Financial Crisis: The Role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-04

of Europe and create a set of international institutions to resolve many of the economic issues—such as protectionist trade policies and unstable...lender of last resort for countries afflicted by such crises. Current IMF operations and responsibilities can be grouped into three areas : surveillance...lending, and technical assistance. Surveillance involves monitoring economic and financial developments and providing policy advice to member

Encouraging Trade and Foreign Direct Investment in Ukraine

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN 978-0-8330-4216-3 Cover Design by Stephen Bloodsworth The... designed to elicit bribes. As in most countries afflicted by corruption, Ukrainian government employees, in hopes of eliciting bribes, deliberately design ...policies, ostensibly designed to make it possible for foreigners to invest in Ukraine’s energy sector, effectively discourage most xii Encouraging

Approaches to Standard School Education Balanced with Psychological Care for Children during Disaster Recovery: From the Point of View of Class Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kawamura, Shigeo

2013-01-01

Schools in the areas afflicted by an earthquake disaster of unprecedented scale, already faced with the challenge of simply carrying out regular school education, also struggled with the problem of how to ensure the necessary psychological care for the damaged children. With regard to this, I undertook school support based on the following…

Cluster Randomized Trial of a Large-Scale Education Initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Baseline Findings and Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aber, John Lawrence; Torrente, Catalina; Annan, Jeannie; Bundervoet, Tom; Shivshanker, Anjuli

2012-01-01

The main purpose of the current paper is to describe and discuss the scientific and practical implications of pursuing rigorous developmental research in a low-income, war-afflicted country such as DRC. In addition, the paper aims to explore the individual, household and school correlates of children's academic performance and mental health and…

The Global Mental Health movement and its impact on traditional healing in India: A case study of the Balaji temple in Rajasthan.

PubMed

Sood, Anubha

2016-12-01

This article considers the impact of the global mental health discourse on India's traditional healing systems. Folk mental health traditions, based in religious lifeways and etiologies of supernatural affliction, are overwhelmingly sought by Indians in times of mental ill-health. This is despite the fact that the postcolonial Indian state has historically considered the popularity of these indigenous treatments regressive, and claimed Western psychiatry as the only mental health system befitting the country's aspirations as a modern nation-state. In the last decade however, as global mental health concerns for scaling up psychiatric interventions and instituting bioethical practices in mental health services begin to shape India's mental health policy formulations, the state's disapproving stance towards traditional healing has turned to vehement condemnation. In present-day India, traditional treatments are denounced for being antithetical to global mental health tenets and harmful for the population, while biomedical psychiatry is espoused as the only legitimate form of mental health care. Based on ethnographic research in the Hindu healing temple of Balaji, Rajasthan, and analysis of India's mental health policy environment, I demonstrate how the tenor of the global mental health agenda is negatively impacting the functioning of the country's traditional healing sites. I argue that crucial changes in the therapeutic culture of the Balaji temple, including the disappearance of a number of key healing rituals, are consequences of global mental health-inspired policy in India which is reducing the plural mental health landscape.

The last illnesses of Robert and Horace Walpole.

PubMed Central

Viseltear, A. J.

1983-01-01

Urinary lithiasis and gout were uncommonly prevalent in the eighteenth century. This essay considers the history of both afflictions and especially tells of the last illnesses of Sir Robert Walpole, who died from complications of stone, and his son, Horace, who throughout his life was a sufferer of gout. Images FIG. 1 FIG. 3 FIG. 4 FIG. 5 FIG. 6 FIG. 7 FIG. 8 FIG. 9 PMID:6356637

Fine mapping for Weaver Syndrome in the Brown Swiss breed with the identification of possible casual mutations across NRCAM, PNPLA8, and CTTNBP2 and Developement of a diagnostic SNP haplotype

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine Progressive Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy (Weaver Syndrome) is a recessive neurological disease that has been observed in the Brown Swiss cattle breed since the 1970’s in North America and Europe. Bilateral hind leg weakness and ataxia appear in afflicted animals at 6 to 18 months of age,...

World Epidemiology Review, Number 76.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-11-10

ECUADOR 27 JORDAN 28 KENYA 29 MAURITANIA 29 PERU 30 SOUTH KOREA 31 SRI LANKA 32 TURKEY 32 VENEZUELA 42 ZAIRE 45 II. ANIMAL...Continued) Page III. PLANT DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS BRAZIL 56 LAOS 59 MAURITIUS 60 NEW ZEALAND 60 PERU 61 USSR 62 VENEZUELA 63 VIETNAM...afflict man. The necessity for a rational battle was determined by spe- cialists who recently participated in Sao Paulo in a seminar on the rodent

Improving Diagnostics and Treatments for GWI Females by Accounting for the Effects of PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

As there is no widely accepted biomarker for Gulf War Illness (GWI) afflicted veterans are commonly diagnosed based on psychological or... psychological profiles. Estimated completion: 40% Specific AIM 2. Identify and validate bio-behavioral patterns that confirm diagnosis. • Major Task 1...What was accomplished under these goals? Recruitment: • Recruited Mary Jeffrey (M.A. in Clinical Psychology , 2015, University of Colorado

Judged Lethality

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

Biases in Judged Death Rates Relative to Median Error Ratio in Each Group, Experiment 1 12 Table 5: Direction of Secondary Bias, Experiment 1 14 Table 6...translated into death rates per 100,000 individuals afflicted. The death rate group estimated these rates directly. For the number died group, which was... rates . The four columns differ markedly in the magnitude of the death rates they include. These differences provide an ordering of the response modes by

Distribution and condition of young-of-year Lost River and shortnose suckers in the Williamson River Delta restoration project and Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2008-10--Final Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burdick, Summer M.; Hewitt, David A.

2012-01-01

We were unable to compare health and condition of juvenile suckers among habitats, due to their movement among habitats. However, documentation of length-weight relationships, afflictions and deformities, and histology indicated juvenile suckers captured in all habitats maintained a similar level of health among the 3 years of our study.

Curcumin Nanoparticle Therapy for Gulf War Illness

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

13 4 1. INTRODUCTION Gulf war illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom health problem, which afflicts ~30% of veterans who...served in the Persian Gulf War-1 (PGW-1). Brain dysfunction, typified by cognitive, memory and mood impairments, is one of the major health issues in...insects/ticks. The measures included the use of pesticides for the area protection and insect repellants on the skin and uniforms. The pesticides

Diplomatic Counterterrorist Deterrence: Moving beyond Military Means

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

diplo- macy, nation building , and local cultural/political partnerships, which would allow a legitimate vision and alternative to terrorist pathways...who “systemati- cally combed through both open and classified data on jihadists and would-be jihadists around the world,” concluding that “al-Qaeda...Strategies that legitimize the governments of afflicted nations and build societies that no longer allow freedom of movement to terrorist groups offer long

Esophageal motor and sensory disorders: presentation, evaluation, and treatment.

PubMed

Massey, Benson T

2007-09-01

Esophageal motor and sensory disorders are relatively rare conditions in the general population and afflicted patients are often initially misdiagnosed as having gastroesophageal reflux disease. Tests for these disorders have imperfect gold standards and are adjuncts to sound diagnostic reasoning. Treatments are palliative and have not been rigorously evaluated for some disorders. Symptoms and complications from disease progression and relapse are common, so that patients need continued follow-up.

When populism takes over the delivery of health care: Venezuela

PubMed Central

Daryanani, Sunil

2017-01-01

Adequate and modern health care is not available in Venezuela at this moment. A humanitarian crisis of post war dimensions is currently rampant and afflicting all Venezuelans alike. The delivery and availability of cancer care is severely limited and inadequate. No funding is available as populist measures, mismanagement, pillaging, corruption, lack of forethought and expertise have brought the country into severe economic collapse and political turmoil. PMID:29225695

When populism takes over the delivery of health care: Venezuela.

PubMed

Daryanani, Sunil

2017-01-01

Adequate and modern health care is not available in Venezuela at this moment. A humanitarian crisis of post war dimensions is currently rampant and afflicting all Venezuelans alike. The delivery and availability of cancer care is severely limited and inadequate. No funding is available as populist measures, mismanagement, pillaging, corruption, lack of forethought and expertise have brought the country into severe economic collapse and political turmoil.

Abu Sayyaf

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

Islamiyah (JI), a Southeast Asian militant Islamist group widely known and associated with the Bali nightclub bombing in 2002. 45 The new and... industry has been afflicted by natural disasters such as volcano eruptions as well as higher fuel costs making travel more expensive. In spite of these...occurrences, tourism receipts peaked in 1997 at close to $3 billion but by 2000 had dropped to less than $2 billion. Abu Sayyaf . . .9 Tourism is

Nerve Degeneration and Regeneration Associated with NF1 Tumors

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response , including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing...structure with an impenetrable fibrotic mass. Even though afflicted neurons remain viable they fail to regrow axons into the fibrotic mass (even when...devoid of tumor cells). The main conclusion of our findings is that tumor eradication does not induce or support nerve regeneration. Instead, a fibrotic

The T Cell Response to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

tends to afflict slightly older individuals (ណ years old) with a more widespread distribution in the oral cavity (16). The disease affects at least...promote colonization and persistence in the oral cavity , such as adhesins, bateriocins, and invasins (42-44). Other attributes of Aa include factors that...organic acids and proteases, influence the pH of the oral cavity (61). The metabolic activities of asaccharolytic bacteria such as P. gingivalis and F

Generative Models for Similarity-based Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

NC), local nearest centroid (local NC), k-nearest neighbors ( kNN ), and condensed nearest neighbors (CNN) are all similarity-based classifiers which...vector machine to the k nearest neighbors of the test sample [80]. The SVM- KNN method was developed to address the robustness and dimensionality...concerns that afflict nearest neighbors and SVMs. Similarly to the nearest-means classifier, the SVM- KNN is a hybrid local and global classifier developed

Conditioning Military Women for Optimal Performance: Effects of Contraceptive Use

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-10-01

illnesses (i.e. the common cold, sore throat, influenza, mononucleosis ) that afflict soldiers and athletes during physical training (52). The...goal: bring the number to 15 in each treatment group). Task 26: Submit final report when required. Task 27: Prepare abstracts for submission to...absence of any DEPO subjects, trends (and treatment effects) are impossible to discern. INF-g See Figure 8 (all experimental groups combined). This figure

Effect on Public Policy from Macro to Nano Aspects of the Deadliest Illness of Mankind: Important Role of Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Arjun

2013-04-01

The effect on public policy of macro to nano aspects of the deadliest Illness known to mankind is given. The focus is on the important role of physics which has been ignored so far to solve its problems. It is now acknowledged that the deadliest illness is actually a group of illnesses which are lumped together as mental illnesses. They are the most widespread and damaging illnesses in the world. Their impact on the entire society globally is huge because they afflict majority of the people irrespective of race, religion, sex, age, education and economic status. In USA alone, the number afflicted according to the official count is about 80 million (out of a total population of 315 million), and it is projected to increase to about 25 to 30% of the population within two decades. A model is given in this paper to address some of the key issues from macro to nano aspects of the deadliest illness. The information given in this paper is scientific though easy to understand. It will help the elected policy makers, public, physicists, neuroscientists, doctors, and care giving personnel world wide. The model explains the missing links in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Additional evidence from other recent studies shall also be given.

History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition

PubMed Central

Middelveen, Marianne J; Fesler, Melissa C

2018-01-01

Morgellons disease (MD) is a skin condition characterized by the presence of multicolored filaments that lie under, are embedded in, or project from skin. Although the condition may have a longer history, disease matching the above description was first reported in the US in 2002. Since that time, the condition that we know as MD has become a polemic topic. Because individuals afflicted with the disease may have crawling or stinging sensations and sometimes believe they have an insect or parasite infestation, most medical practitioners consider MD a purely delusional disorder. Clinical studies supporting the hypothesis that MD is exclusively delusional in origin have considerable methodological flaws and often neglect the fact that mental disorders can result from underlying somatic illness. In contrast, rigorous experimental investigations show that this skin affliction results from a physiological response to the presence of an infectious agent. Recent studies from that point of view show an association between MD and spirochetal infection in humans, cattle, and dogs. These investigations have determined that the cutaneous filaments are not implanted textile fibers, but are composed of the cellular proteins keratin and collagen and result from overproduction of these filaments in response to spirochetal infection. Further studies of the genetics, pathogenesis, and treatment of MD are warranted. PMID:29467580

History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition.

PubMed

Middelveen, Marianne J; Fesler, Melissa C; Stricker, Raphael B

2018-01-01

Morgellons disease (MD) is a skin condition characterized by the presence of multicolored filaments that lie under, are embedded in, or project from skin. Although the condition may have a longer history, disease matching the above description was first reported in the US in 2002. Since that time, the condition that we know as MD has become a polemic topic. Because individuals afflicted with the disease may have crawling or stinging sensations and sometimes believe they have an insect or parasite infestation, most medical practitioners consider MD a purely delusional disorder. Clinical studies supporting the hypothesis that MD is exclusively delusional in origin have considerable methodological flaws and often neglect the fact that mental disorders can result from underlying somatic illness. In contrast, rigorous experimental investigations show that this skin affliction results from a physiological response to the presence of an infectious agent. Recent studies from that point of view show an association between MD and spirochetal infection in humans, cattle, and dogs. These investigations have determined that the cutaneous filaments are not implanted textile fibers, but are composed of the cellular proteins keratin and collagen and result from overproduction of these filaments in response to spirochetal infection. Further studies of the genetics, pathogenesis, and treatment of MD are warranted.

Major infectious diseases affecting the Afghan immigrant population of Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Pourhossein, Behzad; Irani, Amin Doosti; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: As Afghans make up the largest group of foreign nationals in Iran, the aim of this study was to assess the proportion of Afghan immigrants among those afflicted by the most prevalent infectious diseases in Iran. METHODS: National and international online scientific databases were searched through November 2013. The reference lists of included studies were also searched. All descriptive studies concerning the most common infectious diseases in Iran, including tuberculosis, multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, and hepatitis B were retrieved. The nationality of patients was not considered. The selection of studies and data extraction was performed separately by two authors. Results were reported using a random effect model with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The overall proportion of Afghan immigrants with the aforementioned infectious diseases was 29% (95% CI, 21 to 37). According to a stratified analysis, the proportion of Afghan immigrants afflicted with tuberculosis was (29%), multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis (56%), malaria (40%), cholera (8%), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (25%), leishmaniasis (7%), and hepatitis B (14%). CONCLUSIONS: It is highly recommended to monitor the health status of the Afghan immigrants when entering Iran, to reduce the spread of communicable diseases, which are viewed as serious in international health regulations. PMID:25666236

Autoimmunity-related neutrophilic dermatosis: a newly described entity that is not exclusive of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Saeb-Lima, Marcela; Charli-Joseph, Yann; Rodríguez-Acosta, Elva Dalia; Domínguez-Cherit, Judith

2013-08-01

Neutrophilic dermatoses have long been known to be associated with autoinmune systemic diseases. Recently, a small number of cases of a disorder distinct from Sweet syndrome or bullous lupus erythematosus (LE) have been described as specifically related to systemic LE under diverse terms, including nonbullous neutrophilic dermatosis, nonbullous neutrophilic LE, and Sweet-like neutrophilic dermatosis. We describe 7 patients that developed urticarial lesions in the context of a known or concurrently diagnosed autoimmune connective tissue disease. Of a total of 7 patients, 6 were afflicted by systemic LE and 1 by rheumatoid arthritis and secondary Sjögren syndrome. Histological findings in all patients included an interstitial and perivascular neutrophilic infiltrate with leukocytoclasia, vacuolar alteration along the dermal-edidermal junction, and no vasculitis. Most patients had active systemic disease at the time of the cutaneous eruption. Skin lesions resolved rapidly after the administration of immunomodulating agents. In conclusion, we provide additional evidence of the existence of a recently defined nonbullous neutrophilic dermatosis in the context of autoimmune connective tissue diseases and propose the term autoimmunity-related neutrophilic dermatosis as an appropriate designation. Furthermore, we believe that this entity should prompt physicians to screen the presence of an active systemic disorder in afflicted patients.

Drama as a new rehabilitation possibility for women afflicted with breast cancer.

PubMed

Mattsson-Lidsle, Barbro; Snickars-von Wright, Birgitta; Lindholm, Lisbet; Fagerström, Lisbeth

2007-01-01

The aim of this qualitative longitudinal study was to evaluate drama as a method within the rehabilitation of women afflicted with breast cancer. By purposeful sampling, 11 of a total of 20 women participated in the study and were interviewed 3 times over 9 months. The interviews were transcribed. The data analysis was an inductive latent content analysis. The results show that the women felt that their lives were out of balance before the drama exercises; the female and physical dimension was emphasized. During the drama exercises, it became apparent that breast cancer was a unifying factor; the women were able to share difficult experiences with each other. After the drama group, it appeared that the women's joy of living had returned, as well as better self-confidence, inner peace, and feelings of good health. During group meetings, the women experienced drama, support, and solidarity within a closed group. Important events in their lives were revealed, and the women were given an opportunity to confront their hidden thoughts and feelings and to express them. All the women felt support and solidarity within the group as well as a personal development. Drama can be seen as a suitable rehabilitation method for women with breast cancer.

The burden of pain on employee health and productivity at a major provider of business services.

PubMed

Allen, Harris; Hubbard, David; Sullivan, Sean

2005-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the burden of pain on employee health and productivity at a Fortune 100 company headquartered in the northeastern United States to prioritize target areas for reducing this burden. An electronic survey was conducted in late 2004, which produced a reasonably representative national sample of 1039 active employee respondents. A total of 28.6% of respondents met the study definition for pain. Pain was linked to: 1) drops of more than 45% and 23%, respectively, in Overall Physical and Mental Health; 2) a fivefold increase in health-induced limitations in work performance; and 3) nearly three and two thirds workdays lost to presenteeism and absenteeism over a 4-week period. Afflicted workers displayed considerable room for improvement in their capacity for pain control and management. The prevalence of pain and its impact on those with the condition combine to make it an area of much opportunity for improving workforce health and productivity. Musculoskeletal diseases offer a promising initial target for corporate intervention.

Spatio-temporal patterns of gun violence in Syracuse, New York 2009-2015.

PubMed

Larsen, David A; Lane, Sandra; Jennings-Bey, Timothy; Haygood-El, Arnett; Brundage, Kim; Rubinstein, Robert A

2017-01-01

Gun violence in the United States of America is a large public health problem that disproportionately affects urban areas. The epidemiology of gun violence reflects various aspects of an infectious disease including spatial and temporal clustering. We examined the spatial and temporal trends of gun violence in Syracuse, New York, a city of 145,000. We used a spatial scan statistic to reveal spatio-temporal clusters of gunshots investigated and corroborated by Syracuse City Police Department for the years 2009-2015. We also examined predictors of areas with increased gun violence using a multi-level zero-inflated Poisson regression with data from the 2010 census. Two space-time clusters of gun violence were revealed in the city. Higher rates of segregation, poverty and the summer months were all associated with increased risk of gun violence. Previous gunshots in the area were associated with a 26.8% increase in the risk of gun violence. Gun violence in Syracuse, NY is both spatially and temporally stable, with some neighborhoods of the city greatly afflicted.

Civil society, third sector, and healthcare: the case of social cooperatives in Italy.

PubMed

Borzaga, Carlo; Fazzi, Luca

2014-12-01

In many European countries, the third sector is considered an actor able to improve both the efficiency and the efficacy of public healthcare systems afflicted by the crisis of the welfare state. Attributed to third-sector organizations is the role of a hybrid actor tasked with the professional supply of services, not for profit but rather for mutualistic purposes, and to serve the public interest. However, empirical evidence on the capacity of the third sector to pursue objectives of social inclusion in a phase of withdrawal by the public sector is almost entirely lacking in the European countries. The article describes the results of research on the transformation of the Italian healthcare system and on the emergence of a new third sector in Italy. The results of the inquiry highlight the strategies, characteristics, and governance processes which enable third-sector organizations operating in the healthcare sector to pursue objectives of inclusion, and to serve the needs of disadvantaged groups by assuming the form of social enterprises. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The healthcare burden imposed by liver disease in aging Baby Boomers.

PubMed

Davis, Gary L; Roberts, William L

2010-02-01

The Baby Boomer generation is composed of 78 million Americans who are just beginning to reach their retirement years. Most Boomers have at least one chronic health problem, and these significantly increase the expense of providing medical care. Liver disease is the 12th most common cause of death in the United States, representing a relatively small portion of overall healthcare costs compared with cardiovascular disease and malignancy. Nonetheless, hepatitis C and fatty liver disease are more common in the Boomers and may play a more dominant role as they age. As a consequence, primary liver cancer is likely to become more prevalent. As with most chronic illnesses, prevention rather than disease management is likely to have the greatest impact. For those already afflicted by chronic liver disease, recognition and treatment can reduce the incidence of late complications, as was clearly demonstrated with chronic hepatitis B and C. Perhaps obesity is the greatest threat to our future health, and fatty liver disease, although likely preventable, will probably become the disease that fills the waiting rooms of future hepatologists.

Consciousness, crosstalk, and the mereological fallacy: An evolutionary perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, Rodrick

2012-12-01

The cross-sectional decontextualization afflicting contemporary neuroscience - attributing to ‘the brain’ what is the province of the whole organism - is mirrored by an evolutionary decontextualization exceptionalizing consciousness. The living state is characterized by cognitive processes at all scales and levels of organization. Many can be associated with dual information sources that ‘speak’ a ‘language’ of behavior-in-context. Shifting global broadcasts analogous to consciousness, albeit far slower - wound healing, tumor control, immune function, gene expression, etc. - have emerged through repeated evolutionary exaptation of the crosstalk and noise inherent to all information transmission. These recruit ‘unconscious’ cognitive modules into tunable arrays as needed to meet threats and opportunities across multiple frames of reference. The development is straightforward, based on the powerful necessary conditions imposed by the asymptotic limit theorems of communication theory, in the same sense that the Central Limit Theorem constrains sums of stochastic variates. Recognition of information as a form of free energy instantiated by physical processes that consume free energy permits analogs to phase transition and nonequilibrium thermodynamic arguments, leading to ‘dynamic regression models’ useful for data analysis.

Spatio-temporal patterns of gun violence in Syracuse, New York 2009-2015

PubMed Central

Lane, Sandra; Jennings-Bey, Timothy; Haygood-El, Arnett; Brundage, Kim; Rubinstein, Robert A.

2017-01-01

Gun violence in the United States of America is a large public health problem that disproportionately affects urban areas. The epidemiology of gun violence reflects various aspects of an infectious disease including spatial and temporal clustering. We examined the spatial and temporal trends of gun violence in Syracuse, New York, a city of 145,000. We used a spatial scan statistic to reveal spatio-temporal clusters of gunshots investigated and corroborated by Syracuse City Police Department for the years 2009–2015. We also examined predictors of areas with increased gun violence using a multi-level zero-inflated Poisson regression with data from the 2010 census. Two space-time clusters of gun violence were revealed in the city. Higher rates of segregation, poverty and the summer months were all associated with increased risk of gun violence. Previous gunshots in the area were associated with a 26.8% increase in the risk of gun violence. Gun violence in Syracuse, NY is both spatially and temporally stable, with some neighborhoods of the city greatly afflicted. PMID:28319125

Wearable Technology for Chronic Wound Monitoring: Current Dressings, Advancements, and Future Prospects.

PubMed

Brown, Matthew S; Ashley, Brandon; Koh, Ahyeon

2018-01-01

Chronic non-healing wounds challenge tissue regeneration and impair infection regulation for patients afflicted with this condition. Next generation wound care technology capable of in situ physiological surveillance which can diagnose wound parameters, treat various chronic wound symptoms, and reduce infection at the wound noninvasively with the use of a closed loop therapeutic system would provide patients with an improved standard of care and an accelerated wound repair mechanism. The indicating biomarkers specific to chronic wounds include blood pressure, temperature, oxygen, pH, lactate, glucose, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and infection status. A wound monitoring device would help decrease prolonged hospitalization, multiple doctors' visits, and the expensive lab testing associated with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic wounds. A device capable of monitoring the wound status and stimulating the healing process is highly desirable. In this review, we discuss the impaired physiological states of chronic wounds and explain the current treatment methods. Specifically, we focus on improvements in materials, platforms, fabrication methods for wearable devices, and quantitative analysis of various biomarkers vital to wound healing progress.

[The use of metaphors to express toothache: a study in the field of the anthropology of health].

PubMed

Lucas, Simone Dutra; Mattos, Flávio de Freitas; Melo, João Augusto do Carmo; Vasconcelos, Mara; Abreu, Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimaraes de; Ferreira, Natália Enes

2014-06-01

This research was conducted with patients who sought emergency care at a Comprehensive Primary Care Clinic (CIAP IV) at the Dental School of Minas Gerais Federal University and at the Dental Center of a medium-sized city in the state of Minas Gerais. The scope of this article is to identify how the social representations of this issue are generated through the metaphors used by patients to express toothache. A total of 35 individuals of both genders who sought emergency care for toothache participated in the study. Content theme analysis was used. Social representations of toothache are generated as people resort to their life experiences to find words to express the problem. Prior sensations and feelings, and even imaginary situations, generate metaphors to attempt to explain the suffering. Toothache is often compared with the worst feelings ever experienced by individuals. Toothache represents great suffering for people seeking emergency dental care. This fact may help to develop further public oral health policies, bearing in mind that a socially deprived population is more often afflicted by toothache.

Monitor for status epilepticus seizures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Mark; Simkins, Thomas

1994-01-01

This paper describes the sensor technology and associated electronics of a monitor designed to detect the onset of a seizure disorder called status epilepticus. It is a condition that affects approximately 3-5 percent of those individuals suffering from epilepsy. This form of epilepsy does not follow the typical cycle of start-peak-end. The convulsions continue until medically interrupted and are life threatening. The mortality rate is high without prompt medical treatment at a suitable facility. The paper describes the details of a monitor design that provides an inexpensive solution to the needs of those responsible for the care of individuals afflicted with this disorder. The monitor has been designed as a cooperative research and development effort involving the United States Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center's Benet Laboratories (Benet) and the Cerebral Palsy Center for the Disabled (Center), in association with the Department of Neurology at Albany Medical College (AMC). Benet has delivered a working prototype of the device for field testing, in collaboration with Albany Medical College. The Center has identified several children in need of special monitoring and has agreed to pursue commercialization of the device.

Wearable Technology for Chronic Wound Monitoring: Current Dressings, Advancements, and Future Prospects

PubMed Central

Brown, Matthew S.; Ashley, Brandon; Koh, Ahyeon

2018-01-01

Chronic non-healing wounds challenge tissue regeneration and impair infection regulation for patients afflicted with this condition. Next generation wound care technology capable of in situ physiological surveillance which can diagnose wound parameters, treat various chronic wound symptoms, and reduce infection at the wound noninvasively with the use of a closed loop therapeutic system would provide patients with an improved standard of care and an accelerated wound repair mechanism. The indicating biomarkers specific to chronic wounds include blood pressure, temperature, oxygen, pH, lactate, glucose, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and infection status. A wound monitoring device would help decrease prolonged hospitalization, multiple doctors' visits, and the expensive lab testing associated with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic wounds. A device capable of monitoring the wound status and stimulating the healing process is highly desirable. In this review, we discuss the impaired physiological states of chronic wounds and explain the current treatment methods. Specifically, we focus on improvements in materials, platforms, fabrication methods for wearable devices, and quantitative analysis of various biomarkers vital to wound healing progress. PMID:29755977

[Clinical study of bladder injury].

PubMed

Abe, Kazuhiro; Oishi, Yukihiko; Onodera, Syoichi; Ikemoto, Isao; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Asano, Koji; Ueda, Masataka; Wada, Tetsuro; Tashiro, Kazuya

2002-03-01

Since bladder injury has no specific clinical symptoms, accurate diagnosis at first consultation is relatively difficult. To elucidate the clinical characters type of injury, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, methods of therapy and diagnosis, we reviewed 15 patients with bladder injury over a 9-year-period 1990-1998 (10 were traumatic injuries and 5 spontaneous injuries). We found no specific clinical symptom of bladder injury. Bladder injury may occur anywhere in the bladder wall, but most commonly occurred at the dome of the bladder (60.0%). Gross hematuria was not seen in 40.0% of the cases. The accuracy of diagnosis at first consultation was relatively low (46.7%) and the tendency to make a misdiagnosis as acute abdomen on digestive organs was found. Of the traumatic injuries 60% were afflicted in the drunken state, so alcohol intoxication was considered as an important enviromental factor of bladder injury. Surgical repair of injury sites was employed in 11 cases (73.3%: 7 were intraperitoneal injuries, 4 were extraperitoneal injuries), 4 cases were managed with indwelling urethral catheter. With appropriate treatment, the prognosis is excellent.

Evaluation of Innate Immune Biomarkers in Saliva for Diagnostic Potential of Bacterial and Viral Respiratory Infection

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-03

subjects with chronic periodontitis and in periodontally healthy individuals: a cross-sectional study. Journal of periodontal research 44:411-417. 19...chemokines in whole saliva using a multiplex bead immunoassay in healthy individuals vs. patients with periodontitis . The detection of immune and pathogen...6, and IL-8 in saliva vs. serum obtained from healthy subjects and people afflicted with a chronic inflammatory disease. 6 Additionally, several

Temporal Codes for Memories: Issues and Problems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-04-01

for specific dates they were quite unable to reconstruct the dates. It has been reported (Gibson & Levin, 197S) that children afflicted with dyslexia ...used. Two answers predominated. First, a verbal label was used for the first item, and a "last" label was used by some subjects for the last item...this being assigned when the list terminated. Some subjects indicated that more general labels were used for several items, such phrases as the

Soil base saturation combines with beech bark disease to influence composition and structure of sugar maple-beech forests in an acid rain-impacted region

Treesearch

Gregory B. Lawrence; Todd C. McDonnell; Timothy J. Sullivan; Martin Dovciak; Scott W. Bailey; Michael R. Antidormi; Michael R. Zarfos

2017-01-01

Sugar maple, an abundant and highly valued tree species in eastern North America, has experienced decline from soil calcium (Ca) depletion by acidic deposition, while beech, which often coexists with sugar maple, has been afflicted with beech bark disease (BBD) over the same period. To investigate how variations in soil base saturation combine with effects of BBD in...

Anthrax Vaccines: Pasteur to the Present

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

pathogenesis Anthrax is most often a disease of ruminants that can afflict a wide variety of mammals, including humans. Three forms of the disease are...91 Sloat, B. R. and Cui , Z. (2005) Strong mucosal and systemic immunities induced by nasal immunization with anthrax pro- tective antigen protein...strains with variant plasmid contents . Infect. Immun. 73, 3646–3658. 115 Wang, J., Ying, T., Wang, H., Shi, Z., Li, M., He, K., Feng, E., Wang, J

A Regional Prototype for Obtaining and Evaluating Disease-Specific, Community-Level Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-24

TEXAS Outlying Area GREGG TX TEXARKANA TX/ AR /OK HOUSTON TX TEXOMA TX/OK** JONESBORO AR TULSA OK KILLEEN TX ** VERNON LA** LAFAYETTE LA VICTORIA TX Next...appropriate setting and incur fewer costs for treatment (Litaker, 1996). The following questions may now be asked. How well are the communities within...and at times debilitating condition that tends to afflict young people who are otherwise healthy and productive. Migraine sufferers, who are

New Prescriptions for Migraine in the Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Lane, Peter L.

1992-01-01

Migraine headache is a common affliction and presenting symptom in the emergency department. Its diagnosis is entirely clinical, and the treating physician should ensure precise diagnosis before commencing therapy. General non-pharmacological measures and oral medications are usually effective in relieving the symptoms. Occasionally, patients with fixed migraines require parenteral therapy. Some medications used for migraine are antiemetic agents, ergot preparations, narcotic agents, phenothiazines (particularly chlorpromazine), and newer selective serotonin agonists. PMID:21221402

The Management of Pemphigus Vulgaris in a Burn Intensive Care Unit: A Case Report and Treatment Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

phenobarbital, interferon, interleukin, propranolol, and nifedipine.5 As a result of the disruption in keratinocyte adhe- sion, afflicted patients develop...by a positive Nikolsky’s sign, mean- ing that lateral pressure applied to normal-appearing Copyright © 2014 by the American Burn Association 1559...severe pemphigus vulgaris who was admitted to the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center, to demonstrate the potential complications

A conversation with the leaders of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Program: Gordon Perkin and William Foege.

PubMed

Perkin, G; Foege, W

2000-07-08

Over the past 3 years, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $1.7 billion to help prevent and eradicate diseases that afflict people living in the world's poorest nations. The gifts have revitalized a number of major global health initiatives that in recent years had lost momentum and helped to refocus the world's attention on the health crises facing many developing nations.

[Research Advances in Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3].

PubMed

Zheng, Shucheng; Wang, Qing; Li, Yingying; Zeng, Weiwei; Wang, Yingying; Liu, Chun; Liang, Hongru; Shi, Cunbin

2016-01-01

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the causative agent of an extremely contagious and aggressive disease afflicting common corp Cyprinus carpio L. termed koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD). Since it was first reported in 1997, the virus has spread worldwide rapidly, leading to enormous financial losses in industries based on common carp and koi carp. This review summarizes recent advances in CyHV-3 research on the etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and control of KHVD.

Community-based screening for obstetric fistula in Nigeria: a novel approach

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Obstetric fistula continues to have devastating effects on the physical, social, and economic lives of thousands of women in many low-resource settings. Governments require credible estimates of the backlog of existing cases requiring care to effectively plan for the treatment of fistula cases. Our study aims to quantify the backlog of obstetric fistula cases within two states via community-based screenings and to assess the questions in the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) fistula module. Methods The screening sites, all lower level health facilities, were selected based on their geographic coverage, prior relationships with the communities and availability of fistula surgery facilities in the state. This cross-sectional study included women who presented for fistula screenings at study facilities based on their perceived fistula-like symptoms. Research assistants administered the pre-screening questionnaire. Nurse-midwives then conducted a medical exam. Univariate and bivariate analyses are presented. Results A total of 268 women attended the screenings. Based on the pre-screening interview, the backlog of fistula cases reported was 75 (28% of women screened). The backlog identified after the medical exam was 26 fistula cases (29.5% of women screened) in Kebbi State sites and 12 cases in Cross River State sites (6.7%). Verification assessment showed that the DHS questionnaire had 92% sensitivity, 83% specificity with 47% positive predictive value and 98% negative predictive value for identifying women afflicted by fistula among women who came for the screenings. Conclusions This methodology, involving effective, locally appropriate messaging and community outreach followed up with medical examination by nurse-midwives at lower level facilities, is challenging, but represents a promising approach to identify the backlog of women needing surgery and to link them with surgical facilities. PMID:24456506

Perception of HIV/AIDS among the Igbo of Anambra State, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Muoghalu, Caroline Okumdi; Jegede, Samuel Ayodele

2013-01-01

Perception is fundamental in the fight against stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Perception generally influences discriminatory attitudes towards PLHIV which exacerbates their problems and quickens the degeneration of the disease from HIV to AIDS. This study examined the Anambra people's perception and knowledge of HIV/AIDS with the goal of creating knowledge on these issues in order to design effective intervention programmes towards the reduction of social stigmatization associated with the pandemic. The study was carried out in Idemmili North and Oyi local government areas of Anambra State. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to elicit information from respondents who were adult males and females of 18 years and above. The research instruments were questionnaires and in-depth interview schedule. Questionnaires were administered on 1000 respondents while 13 people were interviewed in-depth. Analysis of quantitative data were conducted by using the Statistical package for Social Sciences. Univariate analysis in the form of frequencies were conducted which generated the distribution of respondents across the research variables. Furthermore, multivariate analysis were conducted to test the hypotheses and sought for relationships among variables. The qualitative data were reported in themes based on the research objectives and were analysed jointly with the quantitative data. The findings were that majority of the respondents viewed HIV/AIDS as a disease that afflict immoral people and as a punishment from God. Only a handful of them saw the disease as a disease that could afflict anybody. Also, many of the respondents said that AIDS is real but showed a low level of knowledge. It was further indicated that there were significant relationships between educational level, sex, occupation, income influence perception and peoples' reactions to HIV positive status of a relative while there were no significant relationships between these variables and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It was concluded that these negative perceptions were as a result of the people's low level of knowledge and cultural belief systems, which see a strange illness as punishment from God for disobedience. Furthermore, the fact that most of the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents had significant relationship with perception and reaction to HIV was an indication that most people in the study area had a uniform perception. It was also an indication that government HIV/AIDS awareness programmes were not effective. It was recommended that strategies for effective HIV educational programme should be sought and carried out in the study area. Effective intervention programme have the power to change behaviours and would likely change the people's negative perception and low level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, thereby reducing stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS. PMID:23808412

Perception of HIV/AIDS among the Igbo of Anambra State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Muoghalu, Caroline Okumdi; Jegede, Samuel Ayodele

2013-03-01

Perception is fundamental in the fight against stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Perception generally influences discriminatory attitudes towards PLHIV which exacerbates their problems and quickens the degeneration of the disease from HIV to AIDS. This study examined the Anambra people's perception and knowledge of HIV/AIDS with the goal of creating knowledge on these issues in order to design effective intervention programmes towards the reduction of social stigmatization associated with the pandemic. The study was carried out in Idemmili North and Oyi local government areas of Anambra State. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to elicit information from respondents who were adult males and females of 18 years and above. The research instruments were questionnaires and in-depth interview schedule. Questionnaires were administered on 1000 respondents while 13 people were interviewed in-depth. Analysis of quantitative data were conducted by using the Statistical package for Social Sciences. Univariate analysis in the form of frequencies were conducted which generated the distribution of respondents across the research variables. Furthermore, multivariate analysis were conducted to test the hypotheses and sought for relationships among variables. The qualitative data were reported in themes based on the research objectives and were analysed jointly with the quantitative data. The findings were that majority of the respondents viewed HIV/AIDS as a disease that afflict immoral people and as a punishment from God. Only a handful of them saw the disease as a disease that could afflict anybody. Also, many of the respondents said that AIDS is real but showed a low level of knowledge. It was further indicated that there were significant relationships between educational level, sex, occupation, income influence perception and peoples' reactions to HIV positive status of a relative while there were no significant relationships between these variables and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It was concluded that these negative perceptions were as a result of the people's low level of knowledge and cultural belief systems, which see a strange illness as punishment from God for disobedience. Furthermore, the fact that most of the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents had significant relationship with perception and reaction to HIV was an indication that most people in the study area had a uniform perception. It was also an indication that government HIV/AIDS awareness programmes were not effective. It was recommended that strategies for effective HIV educational programme should be sought and carried out in the study area. Effective intervention programme have the power to change behaviours and would likely change the people's negative perception and low level of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, thereby reducing stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Exome sequencing reveals a thrombopoietin ligand mutation in a Micronesian family with autosomal recessive aplastic anemia.

PubMed

Dasouki, Majed J; Rafi, Syed K; Olm-Shipman, Adam J; Wilson, Nathan R; Abhyankar, Sunil; Ganter, Brigitte; Furness, L Mike; Fang, Jianwen; Calado, Rodrigo T; Saadi, Irfan

2013-11-14

We recently identified 2 siblings afflicted with idiopathic, autosomal recessive aplastic anemia. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous missense mutation in thrombopoietin (THPO, c.112C>T) in both affected siblings. This mutation encodes an arginine to cysteine substitution at residue 38 or residue 17 excluding the 21-amino acid signal peptide of THPO receptor binding domain (RBD). THPO has 4 conserved cysteines in its RBD that form 2 disulfide bonds. Our in silico modeling predicts that introduction of a fifth cysteine may disrupt normal disulfide bonding to cause poor receptor binding. In functional assays, the mutant-THPO-containing media shows two- to threefold reduced ability to sustain UT7-TPO cells, which require THPO for proliferation. Both parents and a sibling with heterozygous R17C change have reduced platelet counts, whereas a sibling with wild-type sequence has normal platelet count. Thus, the R17C partial loss-of-function allele results in aplastic anemia in the homozygous state and mild thrombocytopenia in the heterozygous state in our family. Together with the recent identification of THPO receptor (MPL) mutations and the effects of THPO agonists in aplastic anemia, our results have clinical implications in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with aplastic anemia and highlight a role for the THPO-MPL pathway in hematopoiesis in vivo.

Adaptive optics to enhance target recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAulay, Alastair D.

2012-06-01

Target recognition can be enhanced by reducing image degradation due to atmospheric turbulence. This is accomplished by an adaptive optic system. We discuss the forms of degradation when a target is viewed through the atmosphere1: scintillation from ground targets on a hot day in visible or infrared light; beam spreading and wavering around in time; atmospheric turbulence caused by motion of the target or by weather. In the case of targets we can use a beacon laser that reflects back from the target into a wavefront detector to measure the effects of turbulence on propagation to and from the target before imaging.1 A deformable mirror then corrects the wavefront shape of the transmitted, reflected or scattered data for enhanced imaging. Further, recognition of targets is enhanced by performing accurate distance measurements to localized parts of the target using lidar. Distance is obtained by sending a short pulse to the target and measuring the time for the pulse to return. There is inadequate time to scan the complete field of view so that the beam must be steered to regions of interest such as extremities of the image during image recognition. Distance is particularly valuable to recognize fine features in range along the target or when segmentation is required to separate a target from background or from other targets. We discuss the issues involved.

Seasonal influenza vaccination of healthcare employees: results of a 4-year campaign.

PubMed

Hirsch, Pamela; Hodgson, Michael; Davey, Victoria

2011-05-01

To document successful substantial increases in healthcare worker influenza vaccination rates and to identify reasons for success and failure. (1) Four-year longitudinal characterization of facility vaccination rates, (2) Web-based facility-level questionnaire for influenza coordinators to identify success factors in year 3, and (3) semistructured telephone interviews of influenza coordinators at facilities with substantial increases or declines in year 4. National single-payer hospital (healthcare) system with 153 hospitals in 5 levels of complexity. Facility leadership staff. (1) Vaccination data collected from management sources (doses from pharmacies, denominator data from payrolls); (2) a Web-based survey aligned with a previously administered instrument (Wisconsin Health Department), piloted in-house, modified to reflect national strategies and improvements; and (3) semistructured telephone interviews with influenza coordinators at facilities that improved or worsened by more than 20% between the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 influenza seasons. Vaccination acceptance rates improved from 45% of healthcare workers in 2005-2006 to 66.5% in 2008-2009. Facilities with lower complexity had higher vaccination rates. No individual factors were associated with improved performance. Sustained management attention can lead to improvements in healthcare worker influenza vaccination rates. Wavering of attention, though, may lead to rapid loss of effectiveness. Declination statements in this system did not contribute to vaccine acceptance.

Parents' experiences of neonatal transfer. A meta-study of qualitative research 2000-2017.

PubMed

Aagaard, Hanne; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Ludvigsen, Mette S; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth; Fegran, Liv

2018-02-15

Transfers of critically ill neonates are frequent phenomena. Even though parents' participation is regarded as crucial in neonatal care, a transfer often means that parents and neonates are separated. A systematic review of the parents' experiences of neonatal transfer is lacking. This paper describes a meta-study addressing qualitative research about parents' experiences of neonatal transfer. Through deconstruction and reflections of theories, methods, and empirical data, the aim was to achieve a deeper understanding of theoretical, empirical, contextual, historical, and methodological issues of qualitative studies concerning parents' experiences of neonatal transfer over the course of this meta-study (2000-2017). Meta-theory and meta-method analyses showed that caring, transition, and family-centered care were main theoretical frames applied and that interviewing with a small number of participants was the preferred data collection method. The meta-data-analysis showed that transfer was a scary, unfamiliar, and threatening experience for the parents; they were losing familiar context, were separated from their neonate, and could feel their parenthood disrupted. We identified 'wavering and wandering' as a metaphoric representation of the parents' experiences. The findings add knowledge about meta-study as an approach for comprehensive qualitative research and point at the value of meta-theory and meta-method analyses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Network of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: potential new targets for tumor resistance

PubMed Central

Nantajit, Danupon; Lin, Dong; Li, Jian Jian

2014-01-01

Purpose In multiple cell metazoans, the ability of polarized epithelial cells to convert to motile mesenchymal cells in order to relocate to another location is governed by a unique process termed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While being an essential process of cellular plasticity for normal tissue and organ developments, EMT is found to be involved in an array of malignant phenotypes of tumor cells including proliferation and invasion, angiogenesis, stemness of cancer cells and resistance to chemo-radiotherapy. Although EMT is being extensively studied and demonstrated to play a key role in tumor metastasis and in sustaining tumor hallmarks, there is a lack of clear picture of the overall EMT signaling network, wavering the potential clinical trials targeting EMT. Methods In this review, we highlight the potential key therapeutic targets of EMT linked with tumor aggressiveness, hypoxia, angiogenesis and cancer stem cells, emphasizing on an emerging EMT-associated NF-κB/HER2/STAT3 pathway in radioresistance of breast cancer stem cells. Results Further definition of cancer stem cell repopulation due to EMT-controlled tumor microenvironment will help to understand how tumors exploit the EMT mechanisms for their survival and expansion advantages. Conclusions The knowledge of EMT will offer more effective targets in clinical trials to treat therapy-resistant metastatic lesions. PMID:25270087

[Brazil: street children in the risk zone for HIV and AIDS].

PubMed

Ommundsen, C

1993-08-26

In the fall of 1992 the Foundation ARCA (Association for Prevention and Assistance of Street Children with AIDS) was established in Sao Paulo. Eventually cooperation developed between Sao Paulo state officials, Noah's Ark, the Swedish Red Cross, and ARCA with a view to establishing a home for street children with AIDS. The lifestyle of these children exposes them to a high risk of infection with AIDS because of narcotic use, sex behavior, and prostitution. Unofficial data from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil suggest that 2-10% of street children may be infected with HIV. In February 1989 there 145 million children in the world who worked in the streets, 24 million of them in Brazil (7 million lived permanently in the streets). The state of Sao Paulo had 64% of the 22,545 AIDS cases reported up to March 1993. Approximately 100,000 HIV-positive people are treated at other health facilities in other states of Brazil. The shelter for AIDS-afflicted street children intends to treat the infections or give the children the opportunity to die with dignity. These children are 8-17 years old. The initial 15 beds are envisioned to increase to 60 beds. Preventive promotional campaigns are also planned to reduce the spread of HIV among street kids. In the summer of 1992 the mass media in Sao Paulo and ARCA hosted a cultural fundraiser to which influential persons were invited, and the profits were donated to ARCA. An abandoned motel has also ben donated to ARCA for carrying out the desired activities.

Video Game Adapts To Brain Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pope, Alan T.; Bogart, Edward H.

1994-01-01

Electronic training system based on video game developed to help children afflicted with attention-deficit disorder (ADD) learn to prolong their attention spans. Uses combination of electroencephalography (EEG) and adaptive control to encourage attentiveness. Monitors trainee's brain-wave activity: if EEG signal indicates attention is waning, system increases difficulty of game, forcing trainee to devote more attention to it. Game designed to make trainees want to win and, in so doing, learn to pay attention for longer times.

Laparoscopic Repair of Sportman's Hernia - The Trinidad Experience.

PubMed

Gopeesingh, Anyl; Dan, Dilip; Naraynsingh, Vijay; Hariharan, Seetharaman; Seetahal, Shiva

2014-01-01

Sportman's hernia: (Athletic pubalgia) is an uncommon and poorly understood condition afflicting athletic individuals. Sufferers complain of chronic groin pain and often present diagnostic dilemmas to physicians and physiotherapists. We present a series of cases illustrating the varying presentations of sportman's hernia and diagnostic approaches that can be utilized to exclude common differentials. We also describe laparoscopic mesh repair as an effective treatment option for this condition. © 2013 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leadership in War and Peace: A Historical Assessment for Today

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

had deep regard. Nimitz s ,’ that Ghormley’s negative attitude was infectious on others under him. The situation demanded a more aggressive commander...great military leaders of the past, and was an inspiring speaker. Yet, by contrast, Patton suffered from dyslexia , a disorder which caused him to have...his affliction, dyslexia , he was tutored at home until he was twelve years old. He attended private schools from 1896 until 1903. In 1903 he earned an

Reply to "transforming oncology care": advancing value, accessing innovation.

PubMed

Paradis, Rebecca

2015-09-01

Alternative payment models in oncology are already successfully standardizing care, curbing costs, and improving the patient experience. Yet, it is unclear whether decision makers are adequately considering patient access to innovation when creating these models, which could have severe consequences for a robust innovation ecosystem and the lives of afflicted patients. The suggested chart includes recommendations on: Allowing for the adoption of new, promising therapies; Promoting the measurement of patient-centered outcomes; and Providing support for personalized medicine.

Functional Specifications to an Automated Retinal Scanner for Use in Plotting the Vascular Map

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

available an aid in the early detection and continuing treatment of diabetes . Therefore, it is the distinct wish of the author that this system provide some...choroid, it may be possible to detect diabetes earlier and stem the tide of retinopathy in those patients so afflicted. Additionally, retinal...Subject Terms (continue on reverse i necessary and identify t block number) Retinal Imaging, Automation, Infrared, Diabetic Retinopathy , Field I Group I

JPRS Report Soviet Union Political Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-25

this is far from the truth. I must say that among the USSR Supreme Soviet depu- ties there are a few people who feel that the Union is being torn...pioneer camps; — investigate the feasibility of and organize the rest of children and young families from the afflicted rayons in their own republics...republic com- munist parties will create their own specific documents. I feel that we must voice the same decisive attitude toward the attempts to weaken

The Mut UL5-I682R Marek’s disease virus with a single nucleotide mutation within the UL5 helicase-primase subunit gene not only reduces virulence, but also provides partial vaccinal protection against Marek's disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is an oncogenic herpesvirus that afflicts chickens with the disease known as Marek’s disease (MD). This virus induces tumors, nerve lesions, immunosuppression, and death of affected birds. Vaccines are the primary control method for MD but, due to the periodic evolution o...

Cortical-Cortical Interactions and Sensory Information Processing in Autism

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Titan T-1 FDM (StrataSys, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN). All housing and mechanism components and assemblies were solid m odeled prior to fabri cation...tissue that is suspected to be diseased or injured. While this method is invasive, it is nevertheless quite effective as a means of putting one piece...been afflicted by trauma, disease and/or injury in a similar manner. For this reason, we hypothesized that we could develop novel means to “non

Virtual plagues and real-world pandemics: reflecting on the potential for online computer role-playing games to inform real world epidemic research.

PubMed

Oultram, Stuart

2013-12-01

In the wake of the Corrupted Blood incident, which afflicted the massively multiplayer online computer role-playing game World of Warcraft in 2005, it has been suggested that both, the incident itself and massively multiplayer online computer role-playing games in general, can be utilised to inform and assist real-world epidemic and public health research. In this paper, I engage critically with these claims.

A new classification system for lesbians: the Dyke Diagnostic Manual.

PubMed

Eliason, Michele J

2010-01-01

There has been a long-standing need for a diagnostic manual that documents the unique pathological behaviors of lesbians. The Dyke Diagnostic Manual (DDM) is meant to supplement mainstream classification systems used to identify problematic behaviors in heterosexuals. This article presents thirteen uniquely lesbian conditions that are nowhere to be found in heterosexist diagnostic systems. The DDM may help to reduce the pain and suffering found in many lesbian relationships where one or both partners are afflicted.

Changes in depression stigma after the Germanwings crash - Findings from German population surveys.

PubMed

von dem Knesebeck, Olaf; Mnich, Eva; Angermeyer, Matthias C; Kofahl, Christopher; Makowski, Anna

2015-11-01

Media coverage of the Germanwings plane crash intensely focused on the co-pilot's mental illness and was criticized for potentially increasing depression stigma. We explored whether stigma beliefs towards persons with depression changed in April 2015 (about one month after the crash) compared to 2014. Telephone surveys among the adult population were conducted in Munich, Germany (N=650 in 2014 and N=601 in 2015). In both surveys, four components of stigma were assessed: (1) characteristics ascribed to persons with a depression, (2) belief in a continuum of symptoms from mental health to mental illness, (3) emotional reactions to people afflicted by depression (fear, anger, and pro-social reactions), and (4) desire for social distance. Some stigmatizing attitudes have increased after the crash. More specifically, we found more pronounced changes in the attributes ascribed (stereotypes) and in the perceived separation from persons afflicted (continuum beliefs) than in the emotional reactions and the desire for social distance. However, overall increase in depression stigma was smaller than expected as changes were not statistically significant in the majority of the analyzed items. Due to the study design no causal interpretation of results is possible. Moreover, evidence presented is confined to a regional German sample. A single devastating event and related media coverage seem to have a limited impact on public stigmatizing attitudes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-OMIC profiling of survival and metabolic signaling networks in cells subjected to photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Weijer, Ruud; Clavier, Séverine; Zaal, Esther A; Pijls, Maud M E; van Kooten, Robert T; Vermaas, Klaas; Leen, René; Jongejan, Aldo; Moerland, Perry D; van Kampen, Antoine H C; van Kuilenburg, André B P; Berkers, Celia R; Lemeer, Simone; Heger, Michal

2017-03-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established palliative treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma that is clinically promising. However, tumors tend to regrow after PDT, which may result from the PDT-induced activation of survival pathways in sublethally afflicted tumor cells. In this study, tumor-comprising cells (i.e., vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, perihilar cholangiocarcinoma cells, and EGFR-overexpressing epidermoid cancer cells) were treated with the photosensitizer zinc phthalocyanine that was encapsulated in cationic liposomes (ZPCLs). The post-PDT survival pathways and metabolism were studied following sublethal (LC 50 ) and supralethal (LC 90 ) PDT. Sublethal PDT induced survival signaling in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (SK-ChA-1) cells via mainly HIF-1-, NF-кB-, AP-1-, and heat shock factor (HSF)-mediated pathways. In contrast, supralethal PDT damage was associated with a dampened survival response. PDT-subjected SK-ChA-1 cells downregulated proteins associated with EGFR signaling, particularly at LC 90 . PDT also affected various components of glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle as well as metabolites involved in redox signaling. In conclusion, sublethal PDT activates multiple pathways in tumor-associated cell types that transcriptionally regulate cell survival, proliferation, energy metabolism, detoxification, inflammation/angiogenesis, and metastasis. Accordingly, tumor cells sublethally afflicted by PDT are a major therapeutic culprit. Our multi-omic analysis further unveiled multiple druggable targets for pharmacological co-intervention.

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

LaFreniere, L. M.

The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) operated a grain storage facility in Waverly, Nebraska, from 1952 to 1974. During this time, the grain fumigant '80/20' (carbon tetrachloride/carbon disulfide) was used to preserve stored grain. In 1982, sampling by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found carbon tetrachloride contamination in the town's groundwater. After an investigation of the contaminant distribution, the site was placed on the National Priority List (NPL) in 1986, and the CCC/USDA accepted responsibility for the contamination. An Interagency Compliance Agreement between the EPA and the CCC/USDA was finalized in May 1988 (EPAmore » 1990). The EPA (Woodward-Clyde Consultants, contractor) started immediate cleanup efforts in 1987 with the installation of an air stripper, a soil vapor extraction system, a groundwater extraction well, and groundwater and soil gas monitoring wells (Woodward-Clyde 1986, 1988a,b). After the EPA issued its Record of Decision (ROD; EPA 1990), the CCC/USDA (Argonne National Laboratory, contractor) took over operation of the treatment systems. The CCC/USDA conducted a site investigation (Argonne 1991, 1992a,b), during which a carbon tetrachloride plume in groundwater was discovered northeast of the former facility. This plume was not being captured by the existing groundwater extraction system. The remediation system was modified in 1994 (Argonne 1993) with the installation of a second groundwater extraction well to contain the contamination further. Subsequently, a detailed evaluation of the system resulted in a recommendation to pump only the second well to conserve water in the aquifer (Argonne 1995). Sampling and analysis after implementation of this recommendation showed continued decreases in the extent and concentrations of the contamination with only one well pumping (Argonne 1999). The CCC/USDA issued quarterly monitoring reports from 1988 to 2009. Complete documentation of the CCC/USDA characterization and remediation efforts, including the quarterly monitoring reports, is on the compact disc inside the back cover of this report. The EPA reported on the progress of the remediation systems in a series of five-year reviews (EPA 1993, 1999, 2004, 2009). These reports and other EPA documentation are also on the compact disc inside the back cover of this report, along with the Woodward-Clyde (1986, 1988a,b) documentation cited. Starting in 2006, the analytical results for groundwater (the only medium still being monitored) showed no carbon tetrachloride concentrations above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5.0 g/L. Because the cleanup goals specified in the ROD (EPA 1990) had been met, the EPA removed the site from the NPL in November 2006 (Appendix A). In 2008 the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the remediation system was deactivated, and a year later the EPA released its fourth and final five-year report (EPA 2009), indicating that no further action was required for the site and that the site was ready for unlimited use. In 2011-2012, the CCC/USDA decommissioned the remediation systems at Waverly. This report documents the decommission process and closure of the site.« less

Wavelet-based Gaussian-mixture hidden Markov model for the detection of multistage seizure dynamics: A proof-of-concept study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent electrophysiological activities, known as seizures. Without the appropriate detection strategies, these seizure episodes can dramatically affect the quality of life for those afflicted. The rationale of this study is to develop an unsupervised algorithm for the detection of seizure states so that it may be implemented along with potential intervention strategies. Methods Hidden Markov model (HMM) was developed to interpret the state transitions of the in vitro rat hippocampal slice local field potentials (LFPs) during seizure episodes. It can be used to estimate the probability of state transitions and the corresponding characteristics of each state. Wavelet features were clustered and used to differentiate the electrophysiological characteristics at each corresponding HMM states. Using unsupervised training method, the HMM and the clustering parameters were obtained simultaneously. The HMM states were then assigned to the electrophysiological data using expert guided technique. Minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) analysis and Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) were applied to reduce the effect of over-fitting. The sensitivity, specificity and optimality index of chronic seizure detection were compared for various HMM topologies. The ability of distinguishing early and late tonic firing patterns prior to chronic seizures were also evaluated. Results Significant improvement in state detection performance was achieved when additional wavelet coefficient rates of change information were used as features. The final HMM topology obtained using mRMR and AICc was able to detect non-ictal (interictal), early and late tonic firing, chronic seizures and postictal activities. A mean sensitivity of 95.7%, mean specificity of 98.9% and optimality index of 0.995 in the detection of chronic seizures was achieved. The detection of early and late tonic firing was validated with experimental intracellular electrical recordings of seizures. Conclusions The HMM implementation of a seizure dynamics detector is an improvement over existing approaches using visual detection and complexity measures. The subjectivity involved in partitioning the observed data prior to training can be eliminated. It can also decipher the probabilities of seizure state transitions using the magnitude and rate of change wavelet information of the LFPs. PMID:21504608

Napoleon’s Missed Opportunities to Maintain Combat Forces through Medical Innovations and Battling the Hidden Enemy

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-07

death due to combat injuries. Many of the doctors to include Larrey relied on the miasma theory to explain the fevers that afflicted the troops. Fever ...mindset came during his early years when he came down with a serious fever but survived with no after effects. Another instance was when Napoleon...through the pain, headaches, and intermittent fever .28 Furthermore, Napoleon thought that those who died of disease were not good enough, not

Functional genomics approaches to neurodegenerative diseases.

PubMed

Rubinsztein, David C

2008-09-01

Many of the neurodegenerative diseases that afflict humans are characterised by the protein aggregation in neurons. These include complex diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and Mendelian diseases caused by polyglutamine expansion mutations [like Huntington's disease (HD) and various spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), like SCA3]. A range of functional genomic strategies have been used to try to elucidate pathways involved in these diseases. In this minireview, I focus on how modifier screens in organisms from yeast to mice may be of value in helping to elucidate pathogenic pathways.

Chest imaging features of patients afflicted with Influenza A (H1N1) in a Malaysian tertiary referral centre

PubMed Central

Bux, SI; Mohd. Ramli, N; Ahmad Sarji, S; Kamarulzaman, A

2010-01-01

This is a retrospective descriptive study of the chest imaging findings of 118 patients with confirmed A(H1N1) in a tertiary referral centre. About 42% of the patients had positive initial chest radiographic (CXR) findings. The common findings were bi-basal air-space opacities and perihilar reticular and alveolar infiltrates. In select cases, high-resolution computed tomography (CT) imaging showed ground-glass change with some widespread reticular changes and atelectasis. PMID:21611071

No histologic evidence of foetal cardiotoxicity following exposure to maternal hydroxychloroquine.

PubMed

Friedman, Deborah; Lovig, Leif; Halushka, Marc; Clancy, Robert M; Izmirly, Peter M; Buyon, Jill P

2017-01-01

It is currently recommended that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) be maintained during pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Recent data suggest that this Toll-like receptor inhibitor may also reduce the recurrence rate of anti-SSA/Ro associated congenital heart block (CHB). This case report describes a unique situation in which a CHB-afflicted, HCQ-exposed pregnancy was electively terminated. The heart did not reveal any characteristic features of cardiotoxicity, providing further evidence supporting the safety of foetal exposure to HCQ.

A Ground-Up Model for Gun Violence Reduction: A Community-Based Public Health Approach.

PubMed

Byrdsong, T Rashad; Devan, Angela; Yamatani, Hide

2016-01-01

The suggested strategy for the reduction of violence is to collaboratively address the problem, based on an intervention system focused on prevention, rehabilitation, and development. This strategy is capable of engaging community residents in positive ways, and it empowers them to take ownership and sustain much-needed resident commitments to achieve long-term public safety. The community residents largely insist that over-reliance on law enforcement to control violence invites further affliction among Black youth and adults.

[Morbidity among forestry workers].

PubMed

Rafalski, H; Bernacki, K

1981-01-01

The past and presently diagnosed diseases (excluding vibration disease and occupational hearing impairment) were analysed in 1105 sawers operating combustion drive mechanic saws and in 295 controls. The greatest rate, both in the sawers and controls, was that of the diseases of respiratory tract, circulatory system and osseo -- articulo -- muscular system, nervous system and sense organs. These constituted 86% of all diseases that afflicted sawers and controls. No specific general morbidity accompanying vibration disease or occupational hearing impairment was found in the sawers exposed to noise and vibration.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Stimulates Fibronectin Gene Expression in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Glomerular Mesangial Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-21

negative feedback on GH secretion. The GH/IGF- I hormonal axis is further strengthened by clinical presentations of acromegaly and Laron dwarfism... Acromegaly patients afflicted with high levels of GH have elevated levels of IGF-I (Clemmons et al., 1980) . The opposite is true for Laron dwarfs who...Kjellberg, R.N.; Van Wyk, J.J. Estradiol Treatment of Acromegaly . Reduction of Immunoreactive Somatomedin-C and Improvement of Metabolic Status

The Evolution of Los Zetas in Mexico and Central America: Sadism as an Instrument of Cartel Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

investment, tourism , natural resources, migration, energy, and se- curity. In recent years, narco-violence has afflicted our neighbor to the south...Italy, the Yakuza mob in Japan, and the Brothers’ Circle of Eastern Europe.20 The author was cautioned not to even utter the word “Zeta” aloud when...then returned to Cobán, grabbed the son of local official Allan Stowlinsky Vidaurre, and cut him into small pieces. The word was unambiguous: “We 15

Why the oncologist should consider the nutritional status of the elderly cancer patient.

PubMed

Bozzetti, Federico

2015-04-01

Epidemiologic studies show that malnutrition frequently afflicts elderly cancer patients. Malnutrition, (expressed as weight loss, or depletion of some body compartments or alteration of nutritional clinical or biochemical scores) is associated with higher morbidity/mortality, poor quality of life, reduced tolerance to oncologic therapy and poor efficacy of chemotherapy. Recently, sarcopenia, regardless of the presence of weight loss, has been identified as an independent risk factor for chemotherapy toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ground-Penetrating-Radar Profiles of Interior Alaska Highways: Interpretation of Stratified Fill, Frost Depths, Water Table, and Thaw Settlement over Ice-Rich Permafrost

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

interior Alaska are afflicted with this problem, including local roads within Fairbanks and other communities. With climate change and global warming...insert), which is correct for solid ice under frozen sand and gravel and Blue Board too thin to change the waveform polarity. A massive ice horizon...vertical resolution—specifically, resolution (separa- tion) of reflections from different interfaces. The reflections are caused by changes in

Postcardiac Arrest Management.

PubMed

Rittenberger, Jon C; Doshi, Ankur A; Reynolds, Joshua C

2015-08-01

Cardiac arrest afflicts more than 300,000 persons annually in North America alone. Advances in systematic, regimented postresuscitation care have lowered mortality and improved neurologic outcomes in select cohorts of patients over the last decade. Postcardiac arrest care now comprises its own link in the chain of survival. For most patients, high-quality postcardiac arrest care begins in the Emergency Department. This article reviews the evidence and offers treatment strategies for the key components of postcardiac arrest care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Translations on USSR Science and Technology, Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences, Number 44

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-07

one can sometimes even taste sweet honeydew , or "manna" on the ears and grains. However, " honeydew " is unnoticeable or barely noticeable in most cases...affliction is severe: Appearance of a sweet or slightly sweet exudate—" honeydew " or "manna"—on ears and kernels due to carbo- hydrate hydrolysis and...34 honeydew " on rye ears infected by ergot, but it is distinctly different in that single-celled colorless spores typical of the latter are absent

Wasabi nose: an underreported complication of cyclophosphamide infusions.

PubMed

Janow, Ginger L; Ilowite, Norman T; Wahezi, Dawn M

2011-07-01

Wasabi nose, a term used to describe the nasopharyngeal discomfort experienced during cyclophosphamide infusions, is a rare phenomenon, previously described in case reports of adult oncology patients typically receiving high-dose chemotherapy regimens. The underlying mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs is unknown. We report four cases of children with rheumatic diseases afflicted by profound nasopharyngeal discomfort secondary to low-dose cyclophosphamide infusions. We additionally review the literature regarding potential medical management of these complications and describe our experience using these interventions.

A Likelihood Ratio Test Regarding Two Nested But Oblique Order Restricted Hypotheses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

Report #90 DIC JAN 2 411 ISMO. H American Mathematical Society 1979 subject classification Primary 62F03 Secondary 62E15 Key words and phrases: Order...model. A likelihood ratio test for these two restrictions is studied . Asa *a .on . r 373 RA&J *iii - ,sa~m muwod [] v~ -F: :.v"’. os "- 1...investigation was stimulated partly by a problem encountered in psychiatric research. [Winokur et al., 1971] studied data on psychiatric illnesses afflicting

Soviet Abstracts, Biology. Section Q - Farm Animals, Book Number 4, 1959. Abstracts 16593 thru 16774

DTIC Science & Technology

1960-09-28

Deficiency and. B*g Hypo- vitaminosls in Cattle ’ and Sleep on the Peat I Grounds of the Nadnotetskaya ttolina [Valleyji ORIG. PUB. i Med...weteryn., 1957, 13» No 11, 669-674 ABSTRACT In the Hacfnotetskaya Dolina [Valley] large and small horned cattle were observed to become afflicted...the course of a 60™?? days fattening period Turkmenian oil cakes may be considered harmless for cattle . -- F* M* Kazantsev »&-/ iXi fOUKTRY

Deep learning applications in ophthalmology.

PubMed

Rahimy, Ehsan

2018-05-01

To describe the emerging applications of deep learning in ophthalmology. Recent studies have shown that various deep learning models are capable of detecting and diagnosing various diseases afflicting the posterior segment of the eye with high accuracy. Most of the initial studies have centered around detection of referable diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Deep learning has shown promising results in automated image analysis of fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography images. Additional testing and research is required to clinically validate this technology.

Peer review isn’t perfect But it’s also not a conspiracy

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

Wiley, H. S.

2008-11-30

During peer review, grants are not judged in isolation, but as a group. By definition, half of all grants are below average. Although most scientific reviewers can agree on why a proposal is important and exciting, it is far more difficult to explain why we don’t like the others. The communication problems that plague many applicants in trying to describe the importance of their research also afflict many reviewers in trying to explain the converse.

Functional Deficits and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Gene Expression Following Tourniquet-Induced Injury of Skeletal Muscle in Young and Old Rats

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-31

phenomenon. aging; insulin-like growth factor-I; ischemia-reperfusion; muscle re- generation; sarcopenia OVER 20,000 operating room tourniquet (TK...occurring in elderly patients, the postsurgical I/R injury ensu- ing TK application is a notable concern to the elderly popula- tion. With this demographic... elderly population can lead to loss of independence, as the individual loses the ability to perform necessary daily routines. This affliction is a

Critical care in the austere environment: providing exceptional care in unusual places.

PubMed

Venticinque, Steven G; Grathwohl, Kurt W

2008-07-01

War and other disasters are inexorably linked to illness and injury. As a consequence of this, healthcare providers will be challenged to provide advanced physiological support to preserve human life. Given the mobility and modularity of modern medical systems, the ability to provide critical care outside of the confines of traditional hospitals under such circumstances has become not only a reality and periodic necessity, but an expectation. Austerity amplifies the complexity of providing high-level critical care, because resources are frequently limited, providers are asked to fill unexpected roles determined by necessity, security may be threatened, and the population at risk and their afflictions can be highly diverse. Our current deployed military medical experience and a review of published literature pertaining to civilian medical disaster response efforts support these stated challenges. The fundamentals of successful critical care practice in unusual settings include proper planning with an emphasis on attention to detail, the careful management of all resources, using the proper equipment, leveraging aeromedical evacuation assets, and employing the right people with the right skills. Adherence to sound, evidence-based, routine practice, within bounds of the circumstances, must underscore everything.

Human Papillomaviruses As Therapeutic Targets in Human Cancer

PubMed Central

Hellner, Karin; Münger, Karl

2011-01-01

Cervical carcinomas are almost universally associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, and are a leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. HPV oncoproteins contribute to cancer initiation and progression and their expression is necessary for the maintenance of the transformed state. The fact that the initiating oncogenic insult, infection with a high-risk HPV and viral oncoprotein expression, is common to almost all cervical cancers offers unique opportunities for prevention, early detection, and therapy. The potential for prevention has been realized by introduction of prophylactic vaccines that are to prevent transmission of specific high-risk HPVs. Given, however, that these vaccines have no therapeutic efficacy and HPV-associated cervical cancers arise years if not decades after the initial infection, it has been estimated that there will be no measurable decline of HPV-associated tumors before 2040. Cervical cancer alone will be diagnosed in more than 375,000 US women between now and 2040. Other HPV-associated anogenital and head and neck cancers are predicted to afflict another 700,000 men and women over this time period. Hence, therapeutic efforts to combat high-risk HPV-associated disease remain of critical importance. PMID:21220591

BPSD following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Anghinah, Renato; Freire, Fabio Rios; Coelho, Fernanda; Lacerda, Juliana Rhein; Schmidt, Magali Taino; Calado, Vanessa Tomé Gonçalves; Ianof, Jéssica Natuline; Machado, Sergio; Velasques, Bruna; Ribeiro, Pedro; Basile, Luis Fernando Hindi; Paiva, Wellingson Silva; Amorim, Robson Luis

2013-01-01

Annually, 700,000 people are hospitalized with brain injury acquired after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Brazil. We aim to review the basic concepts related to TBI, and the most common Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) findings in moderate and severe TBI survivors. We also discussed our strategies used to manage such patients in the post-acute period. Fifteen TBI outpatients followed at the Center for Cognitive Rehabilitation Post-TBI of the Clinicas Hospital of the University of São Paulo were submitted to a neurological, neuropsychological, speech and occupational therapy evaluation, including the Mini-Mental State Examination. Rehabilitation strategies will then be developed, together with the interdisciplinary team, for each patient individually. Where necessary, the pharmacological approach will be adopted. Our study will discuss options of pharmacologic treatment choices for cognitive, behavioral, or affective disorders following TBI, providing relevant information related to a structured cognitive rehabilitation service and certainly will offer an alternative for patients and families afflicted by TBI. Traumatic brain injury can cause a variety of potentially disabling psychiatric symptoms and syndromes. Combined behavioral and pharmacological strategies, in the treatment of a set of highly challenging behavioral problems, appears to be essential for good patient recovery.

Neglected infectious diseases in Aboriginal communities: Haemophilus influenzae serotype a and Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Ulanova, Marina; Tsang, Raymond; Altman, Eleonora

2012-11-19

This report describes proceedings of a workshop entitled "Neglected Infectious Diseases in Aboriginal Communities" which took place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on October 12, 2011. This workshop was jointly organized by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the National Microbiology Laboratory (Public Health Agency of Canada) and Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) with participants from the Medical Sciences Division and Clinical Sciences Division of NOSM, NRC, National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), Public Health Laboratory (Thunder Bay), Thunder Bay District Health Unit, and Regional Health Survey at Chiefs of Ontario. The main purpose of the workshop was to summarize the current state of knowledge on two less publicized infectious disease agents afflicting Canadian Aboriginal communities: Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) and Helicobacter pylori. Another highlight of this workshop was the discussion on novel approaches for vaccination strategies in the control and prevention of such disease agents. In conclusion, a long-term collaborative research framework was established between NRC, NML and NOSM to develop carbohydrate-based vaccines against these pathogens that may benefit the health of Canadian Aboriginal peoples and other population groups at risk. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Silver nanoparticles protect human keratinocytes against UVB radiation-induced DNA damage and apoptosis: potential for prevention of skin carcinogenesis

PubMed Central

Arora, Sumit; Tyagi, Nikhil; Bhardwaj, Arun; Rusu, Lilia; Palanki, Rohan; Vig, Komal; Singh, Shree R.; Singh, Ajay P.; Palanki, Srinivas; Miller, Michael E.; Carter, James E.; Singh, Seema

2015-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation from the sun is an established etiological cause of skin cancer, which afflicts more than a million lives each year in the United States alone. Here, we tested the chemopreventive efficacy of silver-nanoparticles (AgNPs) against UVB-irradiation-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT). AgNPs were synthesized by reduction-chemistry and characterized for their physicochemical properties. AgNPs were well tolerated by HaCaT cells and their pretreatment protected them from UVB-irradiation-induced apoptosis along with significant reduction in cyclobutane-pyrimidine-dimer formation. Moreover, AgNPs pre-treatment led to G1-phase cell-cycle arrest in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells. AgNPs were efficiently internalized in UVB-irradiated cells and localized into cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. Furthermore, we observed an altered expression of various genes involved in cell-cycle, apoptosis and nucleotide-excision repair in HaCaT cells treated with AgNPs prior to UVB-irradiation. Together, these findings provide support for potential utility of AgNPs as novel chemopreventive agents against UVB-irradiation-induced skin carcinogenesis. PMID:25804413

Untangling the causes a decadal-scale drought: a case study in southeast Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Sophie; Gallant, Ailie

2017-04-01

Prolonged droughts on the order of multiple years to a decade have recently afflicted many parts of highly populated regions around the globe, for example, the southwest United States and southeast Australia. However, the causes of these droughts remain unclear. A significant contribution from natural decadal-scale climate variability is likely, but there is also conflicting evidence of any contribution from anthropogenic climate change. This work aims to untangle the causes of a 13-year drought in southeast Australia spanning 1997-2009. A suite of historical and control simulations from fully coupled GCMs contained in the CMIP5 archive are employed, and the potential contributions of random climate variability, SST forcing and anthropogenic forcing to the drought are examined. It is likely that random, decadal-scale variability played a significant role in producing the prolonged rainfall deficits across southeast Australia. These were reinforced by several years with El Niño-like conditions, which commonly induce drought in the region, and a lack of La Niña conditions, which are more likely to bring rain. Evidence of contribution of anthropogenic forcing to the drought is limited

The molecular dynamics of Trypanosoma brucei UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase: a drug target for African sleeping sickness.

PubMed

Friedman, Aaron J; Durrant, Jacob D; Pierce, Levi C T; McCorvie, Thomas J; Timson, David J; McCammon, J Andrew

2012-08-01

During the past century, several epidemics of human African trypanosomiasis, a deadly disease caused by the protist Trypanosoma brucei, have afflicted sub-Saharan Africa. Over 10 000 new victims are reported each year, with hundreds of thousands more at risk. As current drug treatments are either highly toxic or ineffective, novel trypanocides are urgently needed. The T. brucei galactose synthesis pathway is one potential therapeutic target. Although galactose is essential for T. brucei survival, the parasite lacks the transporters required to intake galactose from the environment. UDP-galactose 4'-epimerase (TbGalE) is responsible for the epimerization of UDP-glucose to UDP-galactose and is therefore of great interest to medicinal chemists. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the atomistic motions of TbGalE in both the apo and holo states. The sampled conformations and protein dynamics depend not only on the presence of a UDP-sugar ligand, but also on the chirality of the UDP-sugar C4 atom. This dependence provides important insights into TbGalE function and may help guide future computer-aided drug discovery efforts targeting this protein. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

First report of sacbrood virus in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in Brazil.

PubMed

Freiberg, M; De Jong, D; Message, D; Cox-Foster, D

2012-09-13

Sacbrood disease, an affliction of honey bees (Apis mellifera) characterized by brood that fails to pupate and subsequently dies, is an important threat to honey bee health. The disease is caused by the sacbrood virus (SBV), a positive-, single-stranded RNA virus in the order Picornavirales. Because of the economic importance of honey bees for both pollination and honey production, it is vital to understand and monitor the spread of viruses such as SBV. This virus has been found in many places across the globe, including recently in some South American countries, and it is likely that it will continue to spread. We performed a preliminary study to search for SBV in two apiaries of Africanized honey bees in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing and found the first evidence of SBV in honey bee colonies in Brazil. The virus was detected in larvae, foraging and nurse bees from two colonies, one of which had symptoms of sacbrood disease, at the beginning of the winter season in June 2011. No SBV was found in samples from nine other nearby colonies.

Performing arts medicine.

PubMed Central

Ostwald, P F; Baron, B C; Byl, N M; Wilson, F R

1994-01-01

Arts medicine has come of age, resulting from 3 important developments over the past decade: improved methods of diagnosis and treatment, an awareness that artists suffer from special problems related to their occupation and lifestyle, and the establishment of health programs emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach to these patients. We focus on the patterns of illness afflicting performing artists, specifically dancers, singers, actors, and instrumental musicians, and explain some of the things a health care team can do in treating these patients. The conditions governing these patients' lives--early exposure to high expectations of excellence, incessant demands for perfection, long periods of intense practicing, fierce competition, high levels of anxiety associated with performance, and uncertain careers--need to be understood. Levels of disease and disability are remarkably high, but artists often ignore symptoms. We discuss the musculoskeletal, neurologic, vocal, psychological, and other syndromes found among performers and some of the difficulties in treating them. The prevention of injury, conservative management, collaboration with teachers, and a psychotherapeutic approach are desirable. Arts medicine programs for professional consultation exist in several major cities of the United States and abroad. Although research is needed regarding the effectiveness of health care services for performing artists, the scientific literature devoted to this field is growing. PMID:8128702

Assimilation of Spatially Sparse In Situ Soil Moisture Networks into a Continuous Model Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, A.; Crow, W. T.; Dorigo, W. A.

2018-02-01

Growth in the availability of near-real-time soil moisture observations from ground-based networks has spurred interest in the assimilation of these observations into land surface models via a two-dimensional data assimilation system. However, the design of such systems is currently hampered by our ignorance concerning the spatial structure of error afflicting ground and model-based soil moisture estimates. Here we apply newly developed triple collocation techniques to provide the spatial error information required to fully parameterize a two-dimensional (2-D) data assimilation system designed to assimilate spatially sparse observations acquired from existing ground-based soil moisture networks into a spatially continuous Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) model for operational agricultural drought monitoring. Over the contiguous United States (CONUS), the posterior uncertainty of surface soil moisture estimates associated with this 2-D system is compared to that obtained from the 1-D assimilation of remote sensing retrievals to assess the value of ground-based observations to constrain a surface soil moisture analysis. Results demonstrate that a fourfold increase in existing CONUS ground station density is needed for ground network observations to provide a level of skill comparable to that provided by existing satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals.

Changes in transcript abundance relating to colony collapse disorder in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

PubMed

Johnson, Reed M; Evans, Jay D; Robinson, Gene E; Berenbaum, May R

2009-09-01

Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a mysterious disappearance of honey bees that has beset beekeepers in the United States since late 2006. Pathogens and other environmental stresses, including pesticides, have been linked to CCD, but a causal relationship has not yet been demonstrated. Because the gut acts as a primary interface between the honey bee and its environment as a site of entry for pathogens and toxins, we used whole-genome microarrays to compare gene expression between guts of bees from CCD colonies originating on both the east and west coasts of the United States and guts of bees from healthy colonies sampled before the emergence of CCD. Considerable variation in gene expression was associated with the geographical origin of bees, but a consensus list of 65 transcripts was identified as potential markers for CCD status. Overall, elevated expression of pesticide response genes was not observed. Genes involved in immune response showed no clear trend in expression pattern despite the increased prevalence of viruses and other pathogens in CCD colonies. Microarray analysis revealed unusual ribosomal RNA fragments that were conspicuously more abundant in the guts of CCD bees. The presence of these fragments may be a possible consequence of picorna-like viral infection, including deformed wing virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus, and may be related to arrested translation. Ribosomal fragment abundance and presence of multiple viruses may prove to be useful diagnostic markers for colonies afflicted with CCD.

Changes in transcript abundance relating to colony collapse disorder in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

PubMed Central

Johnson, Reed M.; Evans, Jay D.; Robinson, Gene E.; Berenbaum, May R.

2009-01-01

Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a mysterious disappearance of honey bees that has beset beekeepers in the United States since late 2006. Pathogens and other environmental stresses, including pesticides, have been linked to CCD, but a causal relationship has not yet been demonstrated. Because the gut acts as a primary interface between the honey bee and its environment as a site of entry for pathogens and toxins, we used whole-genome microarrays to compare gene expression between guts of bees from CCD colonies originating on both the east and west coasts of the United States and guts of bees from healthy colonies sampled before the emergence of CCD. Considerable variation in gene expression was associated with the geographical origin of bees, but a consensus list of 65 transcripts was identified as potential markers for CCD status. Overall, elevated expression of pesticide response genes was not observed. Genes involved in immune response showed no clear trend in expression pattern despite the increased prevalence of viruses and other pathogens in CCD colonies. Microarray analysis revealed unusual ribosomal RNA fragments that were conspicuously more abundant in the guts of CCD bees. The presence of these fragments may be a possible consequence of picorna-like viral infection, including deformed wing virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus, and may be related to arrested translation. Ribosomal fragment abundance and presence of multiple viruses may prove to be useful diagnostic markers for colonies afflicted with CCD. PMID:19706391

Conceptualizing gambling disorder with the process model of emotion regulation.

PubMed

Rogier, Guyonne; Velotti, Patrizia

2018-06-25

Introduction Nowadays, gambling disorder (GD) is a worldwide health issue and there is a growing need to both improve our understanding of this disorder and to tailor specific interventions for its treatment. Moreover, theoretical models and preliminary empirical results suggest that difficulty in regulating emotional states might be involved in GD. However, literature describing clinical and theoretical aspects of emotional dysregulation among pathological gamblers (PGs) shows a lack of systematic description. Objectives We aimed to provide, within an exhaustive theoretical framework of emotion regulation (ER) processing, empirical evidence supporting a conceptual model of GD as an ER affliction. Methods We commented on empirical evidence on the relationship between ER and GD in the light of two main conceptual models of emotion (dys)regulation. Results The results suggest there are actual deficits of ER processing among PGs, manifesting themselves through different ways and in different steps of the ER timeline. In addition, dysregulation of positive emotions may play a central role in GD. From a clinical point of view, we pointed out that deficits in ER might be multiple in nature and an assessment for GD should be accurate to identify the specific components accounting for the development and maintenance of the disorder. It should also orientate the clinician in selecting therapeutic objectives. Conclusions The nature of emotional states that are difficult to regulate might account for the GD severity and indicate the subtype of PGs the patient belongs to. Treatment programs should be tailored on the specificity of PGs.

Common skin cancers in the United States: a practical guide for diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Leber, K; Perron, V D; Sinni-McKeehen, B

1999-06-01

Cutaneous malignancies are the most common cancers found in the primary care setting. It is imperative that all primary care providers become competent in evaluating skin lesions. Actinic keratoses are the most common premalignant lesions. These rough scaly plaques are the direct result of ultraviolet and other carcinogenic exposure. Actinic keratoses may be the first clinical sign to alert primary care practitioners of severe solar dermatitis and herald the development of skin cancer. Treatment is cryotherapy or topical chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common nonmelanoma skin cancers. The primary cause is cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, although other factors exist. Treatment is generally surgical excision performed by a practitioner skilled in this type of procedure contingent on tumor type, size, location, aggressiveness, and other factors. Other common treatments include electrodesiccation and curettage and cryotherapy. The incidence of malignant melanoma is the fastest rising cancer in the United States. Early detection and prevention are the mainstays of a good outcome. Depth of the lesion is the primary determinant in staging and prognosis, although other factors are also important. As the incidence of skin cancer increases, primary care practitioners play an integral role in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of skin cancer. The importance of early detection and appropriate referral by primary care providers will become even more crucial in the prognosis of afflicted patients.

West Nile virus: a primer for the otolaryngologist.

PubMed

Michaelson, Peter G; Mair, Eric A

2005-03-01

Since recognition in the United States with a 1999 New York City epidemic, West Nile virus has enduringly migrated westward, leaving few states unaffected. Infection rates are rising at an alarming rate, doubling every year since introduction, with more than 9800 cases in 2003 alone and more than 260 deaths. Patients may present with myriad symptoms including a maculopapular rash that affects the face and trunk and diffuse lymphadenopathy, both of which may result in the initial consultation of the otolaryngologist. We review the clinical history of West Nile virus and its epidemiology, laboratory findings, and variable clinical presentation, with an emphasis on otolaryngologic manifestations. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING COMPREHENSIVE: review of the literature over the past 50 years with an emphasis on what the present-day otolaryngologist needs to know concerning West Nile virus. Clinical manifestations of the head and neck such as encephalitis, meningitis, maculopapular rash, lymphadenopathy and dysphagia are discussed. To date, there are no articles in the otolaryngology literature discussing West Nile virus. These patients may present initially to multiple providers in diverse specialties because of multifarious initial signs and symptoms. The otolaryngologist must be educated on this quickly growing affliction and practice with a high index of suspicion. In this article we describe the clinical manifestations of West Nile virus, with an emphasis on the otolaryngologic manifestations. The otolaryngologist must become educated about this entity to facilitate preventative measures, adequately treat, and assist other providers in hopeful control and potential eradication of this infectious threat.

Health-Related Quality of Life of the General German Population in 2015: Results from the EQ-5D-5L.

PubMed

Huber, Manuel B; Felix, Julia; Vogelmann, Martin; Leidl, Reiner

2017-04-16

The EQ-5D-5L is a widely used generic instrument to measure health-related quality of life. This study evaluates health perception in a representative sample of the general German population from 2015. To compare results over time, a component analysis technique was used that separates changes in the description and valuation of health states. The whole sample and also subgroups, stratified by sociodemographic parameters as well as disease affliction, were analyzed. In total, 2040 questionnaires (48.4% male, mean age 47.3 year) were included. The dimension with the lowest number of reported problems was self-care (93.0% without problems), and the dimension with the highest proportion of impairment was pain/discomfort (71.2% without problems). Some 64.3% of the study population were identified as problem-free. The visual analog scale (VAS) mean for all participants was 85.1. Low education was connected with significantly lower VAS scores, but the effect was small. Depression, heart disease, and diabetes had a strong significant negative effect on reported VAS means. Results were slightly better than those in a similar 2012 survey; the most important driver was the increase in the share of the study population that reported to be problem-free. In international comparisons, health perception of the general German population is relatively high and, compared with previous German studies, fairly stable over recent years. Elderly and sick people continue to report significant reductions in perceived health states.

Medicinal plants used in Northern Peru for reproductive problems and female health

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Infections of the reproductive tract, complications after childbirth, and reproductive problems continue to be a major health challenge worldwide. An impressive number of plant species is traditionally used to remedy such afflictions, and some have been investigated for their efficacy with positive results. A total of 105 plant species belonging to 91 genera and 62 families were documented and identified as herbal remedies for reproductive problems in Northern Peru. Most species used were Asteraceae (9.52%), followed by Lamiaceae and Fabaceae (8.57% and 6.67%). The most important families are clearly represented very similarly to their overall importance in the local pharmacopoeia. The majority of herbal preparations for reproductive afflictions were prepared from the leaves of plants (22.72%), the whole plant (21.97%), and stems (21.21%), while other plant parts were used less frequently. More than 60% of the cases fresh plant material was used to prepare remedies. Over 70% of the remedies were applied orally, while the remaining ones were applied topically. Many remedies were prepared as mixtures of multiple ingredients. Little scientific evidence exists to prove the efficacy of the species employed as reproductive disorder remedies in Northern Peru. Only 34% of the plants found or their congeners have been studied at all for their medicinal properties. The information gained on frequently used traditional remedies might give some leads for future targets for further analysis in order to develop new drugs. PMID:21040536

Non-invasive quantitative pulmonary V/Q imaging using Fourier decomposition MRI at 1.5T.

PubMed

Kjørstad, Åsmund; Corteville, Dominique M R; Henzler, Thomas; Schmid-Bindert, Gerald; Zöllner, Frank G; Schad, Lothar R

2015-12-01

Techniques for quantitative pulmonary perfusion and ventilation using the Fourier Decomposition method were recently demonstrated. We combine these two techniques and show that ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) imaging is possible using only a single MR acquisition of less than thirty seconds. The Fourier Decomposition method is used in combination with two quantification techniques, which extract baselines from within the images themselves and thus allows quantification. For the perfusion, a region assumed to consist of 100% blood is utilized, while for the ventilation the zero-frequency component is used. V/Q-imaging is then done by dividing the quantified ventilation map with the quantified perfusion map. The techniques were used on ten healthy volunteers and fifteen patients diagnosed with lung cancer. A mean V/Q-ratio of 1.15 ± 0.22 was found for the healthy volunteers and a mean V/Q-ratio of 1.93 ± 0.83 for the non-afflicted lung in the patients. Mean V/Q-ratio in the afflicted (tumor-bearing) lung was found to be 1.61 ± 1.06. Functional defects were clearly visible in many of the patient images, but 5 of 15 patient images had to be excluded due to artifacts or low SNR, indicating a lack of robustness. Non-invasive, quantitative V/Q-imaging is possible using Fourier Decomposition MRI. The method requires only a single acquisition of less than 30 seconds, but robustness in patients remains an issue. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Persons' experience of HIV/AIDS in Japan: application of Margaret Newman's theory.

PubMed

Awa, M; Yamashita, M

2008-12-01

To describe human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) persons' experience in Japan applying Margaret Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness. Five men who had sex with other men and who were afflicted with HIV/AIDS were interviewed to describe their experience. Their narratives revealed an evolving pattern of the whole of five stages; self-conscious of own sexual orientation, chaos, stagnation, turning point and regaining a new identity. After viewing their pattern, their expanding consciousness was evident from their becoming compassionate for those who were underserved and underprivileged, and having deeper levels of connectedness with their family and friends. The a priori nature of theory in this praxis research was evident when the researcher embodied the theory of expanding consciousness. The findings of the study demonstrated the relevance and importance of understanding how the condition intersects with race, gender and ethnicity in constructing the unique experience of living with HIV/AIDS. Community health workers, community mental health nurses in particular, should be cognizant of the illness trajectory of those who are afflicted with the condition. Programmes such as outreach should be carried out on an ongoing basis in order to identify and render support to those who might need help from various stages of illness. Community health workers should identify clients' specific needs to refer to appropriate services because there are physical, mental and socio-economic implications throughout illness trajectory in HIV/AIDS.

The prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus in the youth population of the United States.

PubMed

Mahboubi, Hossein; Oliaei, Sepehr; Kiumehr, Saman; Dwabe, Sami; Djalilian, Hamid R

2013-08-01

To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of tinnitus in U.S. adolescents. Cross-sectional analyses of U.S. representative demographic and audiometric data, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005 to 2008. The study population consisted of 3,520 individuals aged 12 to 19 years with complete tinnitus-related data. Tinnitus was defined as the presence of ringing or buzzing in the ears lasting for at least 5 minutes during the preceding 12 months. In addition, we defined a chronic tinnitus subgroup as being bothered by tinnitus for more than 3 months. Demographic and other data regarding tinnitus, smoking, body mass index (BMI), anemia, hypertension, history of ear infections, tympanostomy tube placement, otoscopy, tympanometry and hearing thresholds, history of firearm use, and recreational and occupational exposure to noise were extracted and analyzed. Overall, tinnitus lasting 5 minutes or more in the preceding 12 months was reported by 7.5% of the 12- to 19-year-old population. This represents about 2.5 million adolescents in the United States. The prevalence of chronic tinnitus was 4.7%, corresponding to about 1.6 million adolescents in the United States. Multivariable-adjusted analysis revealed that both overall and chronic tinnitus were associated with female gender, low income, exposure to passive smoking, type A tympanogram, and occupational and recreational noise exposure. History of ≥ 3 ear infections and history of tympanostomy tube placement were associated only with overall tinnitus. Tinnitus afflicts a substantial portion of the youth population. Further investigation of the association between tinnitus and the identified risk factors is warranted. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Resister's logic: the anti-vaccination arguments of Alfred Russel Wallace and their role in the debates over compulsory vaccination in England, 1870-1907.

PubMed

Fichman, Martin; Keelan, Jennifer E

2007-09-01

In the 1880s, Alfred Russel Wallace, the celebrated co-discoverer of natural selection, launched himself into the centre of a politicised and polarised debate over the unpopular compulsory vaccination laws in England. Wallace never wavered in his belief that smallpox vaccination was useless and likely dangerous. Six years before his death, the anti-vaccinationists successfully secured a conscience clause that effectively dismantled the compulsory vaccination laws. Several other important Victorian scientists joined Wallace in the fight to repeal compulsory vaccination arguing that widely held views on the effectiveness of vaccination and evidence for immunity were inconclusive in the light of (then) contemporary standards of evidence. This article situates Wallace's anti-vaccination logic within the broader matrix of sociopolitical and cultural reform movements of the late Victorian era. Additionally it provides the first detailed analysis of his critique of vaccination science, in particular the role statistics played in his arguments. In this period, both pro-vaccinationists and anti-vaccinationists invested great efforts in collating and analysing statistical data sets that either supported or refuted the claims of vaccination's effectiveness. While each side presented 'controlled' case studies to support their assertions, without an unambiguous test to measure or demonstrate vaccination's effectiveness, the anti-vaccinationists continued to mount credible statistical critiques of vaccination science.

Art therapy, psychodrama, and verbal therapy. An integrative model of group therapy in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Diamond-Raab, Lisa; Orrell-Valente, Joan K

2002-04-01

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa typically afflict individuals in adolescence. Given the intractability of these diseases in combination with the natural recalcitrance of adolescence, treatment with this population presents a daunting challenge. Traditional group therapy that focuses on verbal therapy is often not effective with this population, particularly in the acute stages of the diseases. A group therapy approach that integrates art therapy, psychodrama, and verbal therapy offers an innovative alternative to traditional group therapy.

Impact of poor-quality medicines in the 'developing' world.

PubMed

Newton, Paul N; Green, Michael D; Fernández, Facundo M

2010-03-01

Since our ancestors began trading several millennia ago, counterfeit and substandard medicines have been a recurring problem, with history punctuated by crises in the supply of anti-microbials, such as fake cinchona bark in the 1600s and fake quinine in the 1800s. Unfortunately this problem persists, in particular afflicting unsuspecting patients in 'developing' countries. Poor-quality drugs are a vital (but neglected) public health problem. They contribute to a 'crevasse' between the enormous effort in therapeutic research and policy decisions and implementation of good-quality medicines. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Piles of defeat. Napoleon at Waterloo.

PubMed

Welling, D R; Wolff, B G; Dozois, R R

1988-04-01

Major events of history have frequently turned on seemingly trivial matters. One such situation involves Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. Napoleon was not feeling well on the day of the battle of Waterloo, despite fighting well at Ligny, a few days before the last, dramatic June 18 battle. There is considerable indication that Napoleon was bothered by very painful thrombosed hemorrhoids. Did this affect his generalship that day? What is the evidence that Napoleon was afflicted with thrombosed hemorrhoids? What contribution could this factor have made to the French defeat at Waterloo?

THE CORE OF THE PSEUDOSTEM OF MUSA IN THE TREATMENT OF URINARY STONES

PubMed Central

Pillai, R. Gopakumara

1995-01-01

Ayurveda recommends many simple herbs in the treatment of urological afflictions like urolithiasis. Seventyone patients diagnosed to be suffering from urolithiasis were treated with juice of the core of the pseudostem of Musa Paradisiaca and Musa sapientum. A significant segment of them passed out calculi of varying size after consuming the drug for two weeks. Recurrence of stone formation was also prevented by the treatment, The author concludes that the plant material is quite effective in curing urolithiasis, especially of the calcium oxalate variety. PMID:22556713

Motor Vehicle Trauma: An Unnecessary Disease

PubMed Central

Johnson, Douglas H.

1987-01-01

The motor vehicle accident kills and maims more of our young people than any other affliction. Yet prevention of injuries and deaths from MVA receives less emphasis in medical education, medical publications and collective political action than the problem merits. In daily practice, there are numerous opportunities for prevention counselling, alcoholic driver case finding, and critical assessment of the privilege of driving. Within their community, family physicians can have input into some preventive programs. At government level, physicians should increase their pressure for legislative action to reduce MVA injuries and deaths. PMID:21267343

Bell's Palsy.

PubMed

Vakharia, Kavita; Vakharia, Kalpesh

2016-02-01

Bell's palsy is unilateral, acute onset facial paralysis that is a common condition. One in every 65 people experiences Bell's palsy in the course of their lifetime. The majority of patients afflicted with this idiopathic disorder recover facial function. Initial treatment involves oral corticosteroids, possible antiviral drugs, and protection of the eye from desiccation. A small subset of patients may be left with incomplete recovery, synkinesis, facial contracture, or hemifacial spasm. A combination of medical and surgical treatment options exist to treat the long-term sequelae of Bell's palsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Yellow fever vector live-virus vaccines: West Nile virus vaccine development.

PubMed

Arroyo, J; Miller, C A; Catalan, J; Monath, T P

2001-08-01

By combining molecular-biological techniques with our increased understanding of the effect of gene sequence modification on viral function, yellow fever 17D, a positive-strand RNA virus vaccine, has been manipulated to induce a protective immune response against viruses of the same family (e.g. Japanese encephalitis and dengue viruses). Triggered by the emergence of West Nile virus infections in the New World afflicting humans, horses and birds, the success of this recombinant technology has prompted the rapid development of a live-virus attenuated candidate vaccine against West Nile virus.

Impact of poor-quality medicines in the ‘developing’ world

PubMed Central

Newton, Paul N.; Green, Michael D.; Fernández, Facundo M.

2010-01-01

Since our ancestors began trading several millennia ago, counterfeit and substandard medicines have been a recurring problem, with history punctuated by crises in the supply of anti-microbials, such as fake cinchona bark in the 1600s and fake quinine in the 1800s. Unfortunately this problem persists, in particular afflicting unsuspecting patients in ‘developing’ countries. Poor-quality drugs are a vital (but neglected) public health problem. They contribute to a ‘crevasse’ between the enormous effort in therapeutic research and policy decisions and implementation of good-quality medicines. PMID:20117849

The Ability of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) Logistics Infrastructure to Support Requirements in Response to Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

troops in a Joint Support Group (JSG), the TTDF transported some 1,276 tons of food and water along with 638 tons of construction material to Grenada...mass care services such as shelter, food and first aid. 3. Assisting the Ministry of Local Government (MOLG) Disaster Management Unit (DMU) and the...shelter, food or the bare essentials for their self-sustainment. Thus the regional response, while welcomed, placed a burden on the disaster-afflicted

[Effect of the Epstein-Barr virus on the nervous system].

PubMed

Kononenko, V V

2001-01-01

On the basis of a comprehensive examination of 12 patients with verified Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection it has been shown that this infection can be accompanied by acute and chronic affections of the central and peripheral nervous system. The pathogenesis of chronic EBV-infection involves autoimmune disorders, neurosensitization, a hazard of an injury to the muscular tissue. Chronic EBV-infection calls for differential diagnosis with other slow virus infections, systemic tumor afflictions, systemic diseases of the connective tissue. Acyclovir or valacyclovir can be recommended as treatment of acute and chronic EBV-infection.

The mind is for seeing, the heart is for hearing (Saudi Arabian proverb).

PubMed

Lakhtakia, Ritu

2011-03-01

These "reflections" offer a glimpse into Cancer sociology, through the eyes of a pathologist intimately involved in interdisciplinary management, at an Oncology centre. The interaction of a specialist, usually relatively remote from direct patient contact with cancer patients, evolved from diagnostician to confidante and co-traveler along a difficult journey. The range of shared experiences, the mutual human and humane accruals of this camaraderie are traced through a quarter century of living within the world of cancer and with those afflicted by it.

[Correction of neutropenia with lithium carbonate during the radiation treatment of lymphogranulomatosis patients].

PubMed

Il'in, N V; Korytova, L I; Filatova, A M

1986-01-01

The purpose of the investigation was to study the effect of lithium carbonate on the time-course of changes in neutrophil leukocytes of the peripheral blood. Sixty-nine patients afflicted with Hodgkin's disease were entered into the study. Greater preservation of the content of neutrophil leukocytes was attained with the use of lithium carbonate coupled with radiation therapy. At the same time administration of lithium carbonate in the interval between the stages of anticancer treatment brought about an increase in the neutrophil count.

Description of a bacterium associated with redmouth disease of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, A.J.; Rucker, R.R.; Ewing, W.H.

1966-01-01

A description was given of a gram-negative, peritrichously flagellated, fermentative bacterium that was isolated on numerous occasions from kidney tissues of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) afflicted with redmouth disease. Although the bacteria apparently were members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, it was impossible to determine their taxonomic position within the family with certainty. Hence it was recommended that their taxonomic position remain sub judice for the present. As a temporary designation RM bacterium was used. Redmouth disease was transmitted from infected to normal fish through the medium of water.

Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever Spirochetes in the Americas

PubMed Central

Lopez, Job E.; Krishnavahjala, Aparna; Garcia, Melissa N.; Bermudez, Sergio

2016-01-01

Relapsing fever spirochetes are tick- and louse-borne pathogens that primarily afflict those in impoverished countries. Historically the pathogens have had a significant impact on public health, yet currently they are often overlooked because of the nonspecific display of disease. In this review, we discuss aspects of relapsing fever (RF) spirochete pathogenesis including the: (1) clinical manifestation of disease; (2) ability to diagnose pathogen exposure; (3) the pathogen’s life cycle in the tick and mammal; and (4) ecological factors contributing to the maintenance of RF spirochetes in nature. PMID:28959690

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: a case report.

PubMed

Praticò, A D; Saporito, M; Iacono, O; Castellano-Chiodo, D; Pavone, P

2011-02-01

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a progressive neurological disorder of childhood and early adolescence caused by persistent defective measles virus. Clinical manifestations appear many years after the acute measles infection. The incidence of SSPE has substantially declined after the introduction of an effective vaccine. We report a case of a child with SSPE that began with atonia, dysarthria, and intellectual deterioration without the presence of any particular EEG anomalies. We have reported this girl who was affected by this severe affliction in the hope that, because of the rarity of SSPE, it would not go undiagnosed.

John Dalton (1766-1844).

PubMed Central

Emery, A E

1988-01-01

There is no doubt that John Dalton ranks among the great names in science, a position which rests on his enunciation of the Atomic Theory. However, his very first scientific paper in 1798 was concerned with his own affliction of colour blindness and was in fact the first clear description of the disorder. This publication stimulated much subsequent research into the pathophysiology and genetics of the condition. His recorded observations on colour blindness are detailed and precise and betoken the approach which was to characterise all his later research in chemistry. Images PMID:3294412

Psoralen photobiology and photochemotherapy: perspectives and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparro, Francis P.

1990-01-01

For nearly 40 years the field of psoralen photobiology has been focused on the effects of photoactivated 8-MOP on nuclear DNA. The results of these extensive studies are reviewed. In addition, new targets for modification are described. 8-MOP and UVA was first used to treat skin afflicted with two common dermatological disorders, vitiligo and psoriasis. More recently, several other disease have been treated using an extracorporeal form of this photochemotherapy in which the patient's blood is irradiated with UVA. Clinical results and possible modes of action are described.

Dystocia in Friesian cows and its effects on postpartum reproductive performance and milk production

PubMed Central

Shamiah, Sh. M.; El-Hamd, M. A. Abu; Shitta, A. A.; El-Din, M. A. Tag

2010-01-01

A total of 1,243 records for 585 dairy Friesian cows from 1997–2004 were used to study the factors affecting dystocia and its effects on reproductive performance and milk production. The overall incidence of dystocia was 6.9%. The percentage of dystocia decreased with increasing live body weight, age, and parity of cows (P < 0.05); however, it increased with increasing birth weight of calves (P < 0.05). The highest percentage of dystocia was detected in winter season, but the least percentage was in summer season (P < 0.05). The percentage of incidence of dystocia was significantly (P < 0.05) higher with winter feeding compared to summer ration (8.2% vs. 5.1%). The percentage of incidence of dystocia was significantly (P < 0.05) higher with twinning than single calving (15.5% vs. 6.5%), while not significantly affected by the sex of born calves. Incidence of dystocia had adverse effects on reproductive performance and milk yield. The service interval, service period, days open, and calving interval were significantly (P < 0.05) longer in cows afflicted with dystocia compared to normal cows. The conception rate was lower (P < 0.05), but the number of service per conception was higher (P < 0.05) in cows afflicted with dystocia compared to normal cows (60.5% vs. 73.0% and 3.4 vs. 2.7, respectively). Average daily milk yield was lower (P < 0.05) by 1 kg for cows with incidence of dystocia compared to normal cows. PMID:20835761

Occupational Dermatoses by Type of Work in Greece

PubMed Central

Zorba, Eleni; Karpouzis, Antony; Zorbas, Alexandros; Bazas, Theodore; Zorbas, Sam; Alexopoulos, Elias; Zorbas, Ilias; Kouskoukis, Konstantinos; Konstandinidis, Theodoros

2013-01-01

Background To elucidate the relationship between seven occupational dermatoses (ODs) and 20 types of work in Greece. Methods This was a prevalence epidemiologic study of certain ODs among 4,000 workers employed in 20 types of enterprise, in 104 companies, in 2006–2012, using data from company medical records, questionnaires, occupational medical, and special examinations. The χ2 test was applied to reveal statistically significant relationships between types of enterprises and occurrence of ODs. Results A high percentage (39.9%) of employees included in the study population suffered from ODs. The highest prevalence rates were noted among hairdressers (of contact dermatitis: 30%), cooks (of contact dermatitis: 29.5%), bitumen workers (of acne: 23.5%), car industry workers (of mechanical injury: 15%), construction workers (of contact urticaria: 29.5%), industrial cleaning workers (of chemical burns: 13%), and farmers (of malignant tumors: 5.5%). We observed several statistical significant correlations between ODs (acute and chronic contact dermatitis, urticaria, mechanical injury, acne, burns, skin cancer) and certain types of enterprises. There was no statistically significant correlation between gender and prevalence of ODs, except for dermatoses caused by mechanical injuries afflicting mainly men [χ2 (1) = 13.40, p < 0.001] and for chronic contact dermatitis [χ2 (1) = 5.53, p = 0.019] afflicting mainly women. Conclusion Prevalence of ODs is high in Greece, contrary to all official reports by the Greek National Institute of Health. There is a need to introduce a nationwide voluntary surveillance system for reporting ODs and to enhance skin protection measures at work. PMID:24106644

Dapagliflozin: glucuretic action and beyond.

PubMed

Balakumar, Pitchai; Sundram, Karupiah; Dhanaraj, Sokkalingam A

2014-04-01

Diabetes mellitus is a greatly challenging disease of the 21 century, and the mortality rate due to this insidious disease is increasing worldwide in spite of availability of effective oral hypoglycemic agents. Satisfactory management of glycemic control in patients afflicted with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains a major clinical challenge. Identification of potential pharmacological target sites is therefore continuing as an integral part of the diabetic research. The sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 (SGLT2) expressed in the renal proximal tubule plays an essential role in glucose reabsorption. Pharmacological blockade of SGLT2 prevents glucose reabsorption and subsequently induces the elimination of filtered glucose via urine, the process is known as 'glucuresis'. Dapagliflozin is a selective inhibitor of SGLT2. The US FDA approved dapagliflozin in January 2014 to improve glycemic control along with diet and exercise in adult patients afflicted with T2DM. It has a potential to decrease glycated hemoglobin and to promote weight loss. Although the mechanism of action of dapagliflozin is not directly linked with insulin or insulin sensitivity, reduction of plasma glucose by dapagliflozin via induction of glucosuria could improve muscle insulin sensitivity. Moreover, dapagliflozin could cause diuresis and subsequently fall in blood pressure. In addition to general discussion on the pharmacology of dapagliflozin, we propose in this review the possibilities of dual antidiabetic effect of dapagliflozin and its possible additional beneficial actions in hypertensive-obese-T2DM patients through its indirect blood pressure-lowering action and reduction of body calories and weight. Long-term clinical studies are however needed to clarify this contention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Winner of the society for biomaterials young investigator award for the annual meeting of the society for biomaterials, April 11-14, 2018, Atlanta, GA: S-nitrosated poly(propylene sulfide) nanoparticles for enhanced nitric oxide delivery to lymphatic tissues.

PubMed

Schudel, Alex; Sestito, Lauren F; Thomas, Susan N

2018-06-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is a therapeutic implicated for the treatment of diseases afflicting lymphatic tissues, which range from infectious and cardiovascular diseases to cancer. Existing technologies available for NO therapy, however, provide poor bioactivity within lymphatic tissues. In this work, we address this technology gap with a NO encapsulation and delivery strategy leveraging the formation of S-nitrosothiols on lymphatic-targeting pluronic-stabilized, poly(propylene sulfide)-core nanoparticles (SNO-NP). We evaluated in vivo the lymphatic versus systemic delivery of NO resulting from intradermal administration of SNO-NP benchmarked against a commonly used, commercially available small molecule S-nitrosothiol NO donor, examined signs of toxicity systemically as well as localized to the site of injection, and investigated SNO effects on lymphatic transport and NP uptake by lymph node (LN)-resident cells. Donation of NO from SNO-NP, which scaled in proportion to the total administered dose, enhanced LN accumulation by two orders of magnitude without substantially reducing lymphatic transport of NP or the viability and extent of NP uptake by LN-resident cells. Additionally, NO delivery by SNO-NP was accompanied by low-to-negligible NO accumulation in systemic tissues with no apparent inflammation. These results suggest the utility and selectivity of SNO-NP for the targeted treatment of NO-regulated diseases that afflict lymphatic tissues. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1463-1475, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of spa physiotherapy on the range of motion and muscle strength in women with gonarthrosis.

PubMed

Lizis, Paweł

2013-01-01

Degeneration arthritis is a chronic disease of undetermined progressiveness and unknown pathogenesis. It can affect one or more joints. It reveals itself most frequently between 40 - 60 years of age, and affects the lives of professionally active individuals. The aim of the presented study was to assess the impact of a 21-day stay at a rehabilitation facility on the range of motion and muscle strength of the knee in women with gonarthrosis. The study group consisted of 30 women aged 50-74 years diagnosed with degeneration of the knee joint. The average age of the study group was 65.9 ± 7.2 years. Patients remained in the 21-day rehabilitation facility of Rehabilitational Hospital No. 21 in Busko Zdrój SP ZOZ, Poland. We measured with the help of protractor in SFTR range the motion bending and straightening of the knee with an accuracy of 1°. The Lovett strength test was assessed of the ischio-tibial muscles, quadriceps, sartorius--acting on the knee joint of the patient. The study was carried out on the first and the last day of the stay in the rehabilitation facility. There was improvement in the range of flexion and strength of muscles acting on the knee joint of the afflicted women. The study showed that 21-day rehabilitation holiday improved the range and strength of the muscles acting on the knee joint of the afflicted women. This proved that comprehensive rehabilitation improves the function of the knee joint with gonarthrosis, prevents disease progression and is an alternative to drug therapy.

Occupational dermatoses by type of work in Greece.

PubMed

Zorba, Eleni; Karpouzis, Antony; Zorbas, Alexandros; Bazas, Theodore; Zorbas, Sam; Alexopoulos, Elias; Zorbas, Ilias; Kouskoukis, Konstantinos; Konstandinidis, Theodoros

2013-09-01

To elucidate the relationship between seven occupational dermatoses (ODs) and 20 types of work in Greece. This was a prevalence epidemiologic study of certain ODs among 4,000 workers employed in 20 types of enterprise, in 104 companies, in 2006-2012, using data from company medical records, questionnaires, occupational medical, and special examinations. The χ(2) test was applied to reveal statistically significant relationships between types of enterprises and occurrence of ODs. A high percentage (39.9%) of employees included in the study population suffered from ODs. The highest prevalence rates were noted among hairdressers (of contact dermatitis: 30%), cooks (of contact dermatitis: 29.5%), bitumen workers (of acne: 23.5%), car industry workers (of mechanical injury: 15%), construction workers (of contact urticaria: 29.5%), industrial cleaning workers (of chemical burns: 13%), and farmers (of malignant tumors: 5.5%). We observed several statistical significant correlations between ODs (acute and chronic contact dermatitis, urticaria, mechanical injury, acne, burns, skin cancer) and certain types of enterprises. There was no statistically significant correlation between gender and prevalence of ODs, except for dermatoses caused by mechanical injuries afflicting mainly men [χ(2) (1) = 13.40, p < 0.001] and for chronic contact dermatitis [χ(2) (1) = 5.53, p = 0.019] afflicting mainly women. Prevalence of ODs is high in Greece, contrary to all official reports by the Greek National Institute of Health. There is a need to introduce a nationwide voluntary surveillance system for reporting ODs and to enhance skin protection measures at work.

Ultrastructural changes in cardiac myocytes from Boxer dogs with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

PubMed Central

Oxford, Eva M.; Danko, Charles G.; Kornreich, Bruce G.; Maass, Karen; Hemsley, Shari A.; Raskolnikov, Dima; Fox, Philip R.; Delmar, Mario; Moïse, N. Sydney

2011-01-01

Objectives We sought to quantify the number and length of desmosomes, gap junctions, and adherens junctions in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and non-ARVC dogs, and to determine if ultrastructural changes existed. Animals Hearts from 8 boxer dogs afflicted with histopathologically confirmed ARVC and 6 dogs without ARVC were studied. Methods Quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Western blot semi-quantification of α-actinin were used to study the intercalated disc and sarcomere of the right and left ventricles. Results When ARVC dogs were compared to non-ARVC dogs reductions in the number of desmosomes (P = 0.04), adherens junctions (P = 0.04) and gap junctions (P = 0.02) were found. The number of gap junctions (P = 0.04) and adherens junctions (P = 0.04) also were reduced in the left ventricle, while the number of desmosomes was not (P = 0.88). A decrease in the length of desmosomal complexes within LV samples (P=0.04) was found. These findings suggested disruption of proteins providing attachment of the cytoskeleton to the intercalated disc. Immunoblotting did not demonstrate a quantitative reduction in the amount of α-actinin in ARVC afflicted samples. All boxers with ARVC demonstrated the presence of electron dense material originating from the Z band and extending into the sarcomere, apparently at the expense of the cytoskeletal structure. Conclusions These results emphasize the importance of structural integrity of the intercalated disc in the pathogenesis of ARVC. In addition, observed abnormalities in sarcomeric structure suggest a novel link between ARVC and the actin-myosin contractile apparatus. PMID:21636338

A review of compliance to treatment in Alzheimer's disease: potential benefits of a transdermal patch.

PubMed

Small, Gary; Dubois, Bruno

2007-11-01

Following prescribed medication regimens is essential for the effective treatment of any medical condition. Unfortunately, patients often fail to follow recommendations, and treatment non-compliance represents a widespread, often underestimated problem, placing tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Compliance in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a chronic neurodegenerative disease typically afflicting older adults, is especially challenging. To review factors contributing to poor treatment compliance in AD, considering the prominent role care givers often play in treatment management; and acknowledging strategic approaches, particularly modern transdermal patches, to improve compliance in this particularly susceptible population. Articles were identified by searching MEDLINE in November 2006 (search limits: 1987-2007) using the terms: compliance; Alzheimer's; treatment; and transdermal. Additional resources included bibliographies of identified articles. Strategic approaches to improving treatment compliance include: simplifying treatment regimens, using reminder packaging, and developing more patient- or caregiver-friendly modes of administration. To date, AD therapies have been administered orally. However, recent developments in alternative modes of drug delivery, such as transdermal patches, may offer effective, well-tolerated treatment options with the potential to enhance compliance. A patch containing rivastigmine (Exelon), an established cholinesterase inhibitor, has been developed and demonstrated to have good efficacy and tolerability in patients with AD. In addition, initial caregiver experience suggests preference for the patch over oral administration. Transdermal patches may be an effective way to optimize treatment compliance for AD, as well as an increasing number of other chronic conditions that typically afflict the older population, offering the possibility of more sustained clinical benefits.

Observational Constraints on the Nature of the Dark Energy: First Cosmological Results From the ESSENCE Supernova Survey

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

Wood-Vasey, W.Michael; Miknaitis, G.; Stubbs, C.W.

We present constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w = P/({rho}c{sup 2}), using 60 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the ESSENCE supernova survey. We derive a set of constraints on the nature of the dark energy assuming a flat Universe. By including constraints on ({Omega}{sub M}, w) from baryon acoustic oscillations, we obtain a value for a static equation-of-state parameter w = -1.05{sub -0.12}{sup +0.13} (stat 1{sigma}) {+-} 0.13 (sys) and {Omega}{sub M} = 0.274{sub -0.020}{sup +0.033} (stat 1{sigma}) with a best-fit {chi}{sup 2}/DoF of 0.96. These results are consistent with those reported by the Super-Nova Legacy Surveymore » in a similar program measuring supernova distances and redshifts. We evaluate sources of systematic error that afflict supernova observations and present Monte Carlo simulations that explore these effects. Currently, the largest systematic currently with the potential to affect our measurements is the treatment of extinction due to dust in the supernova host galaxies. Combining our set of ESSENCE SNe Ia with the SuperNova Legacy Survey SNe Ia, we obtain a joint constraint of w = -1.07{sub -0.09}{sup +0.09} (stat 1{sigma}) {+-} 0.13 (sys), {Omega}{sub M} = 0.267{sub -0.018}{sup +0.028} (stat 1{sigma}) with a best-fit {chi}{sup 2}/DoF of 0.91. The current SNe Ia data are fully consistent with a cosmological constant.« less

Economic Costs and Benefits of a Community-Based Lymphedema Management Program for Lymphatic Filariasis in Odisha State, India

PubMed Central

Stillwaggon, Eileen; Sawers, Larry; Rout, Jonathan; Addiss, David; Fox, LeAnne

2016-01-01

Lymphatic filariasis afflicts 68 million people in 73 countries, including 17 million persons living with chronic lymphedema. The Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis aims to stop new infections and to provide care for persons already affected, but morbidity management programs have been initiated in only 24 endemic countries. We examine the economic costs and benefits of alleviating chronic lymphedema and its effects through a simple limb-care program. For Khurda District, Odisha State, India, we estimated lifetime medical costs and earnings losses due to chronic lymphedema and acute dermatolymphangioadenitis (ADLA) with and without a community-based limb-care program. The program would reduce economic costs of lymphedema and ADLA over 60 years by 55%. Savings of US$1,648 for each affected person in the workforce are equivalent to 1,258 days of labor. Per-person savings are more than 130 times the per-person cost of the program. Chronic lymphedema and ADLA impose a substantial physical and economic burden on the population in filariasis-endemic areas. Low-cost programs for lymphedema management based on limb washing and topical medication for infection are effective in reducing the number of ADLA episodes and stopping progression of disabling and disfiguring lymphedema. With reduced disability, people are able to work longer hours, more days per year, and in more strenuous, higher-paying jobs, resulting in an important economic benefit to themselves, their families, and their communities. Mitigating the severity of lymphedema and ADLA also reduces out-of-pocket medical expense. PMID:27573626

Zooxanthellae harvested by ciliates associated with brown band syndrome of corals remain photosynthetically competent.

PubMed

Ulstrup, Karin E; Kühl, Michael; Bourne, David G

2007-03-01

Brown band syndrome is a new coral affliction characterized by a local accumulation of yet-unidentified ciliates migrating as a band along the branches of coral colonies. In the current study, morphologically intact zooxanthellae (= Symbiodinium) were observed in great numbers inside the ciliates (>50 dinoflagellates per ciliate). Microscale oxygen measurements and variable chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis along with microscopic observations demonstrated that zooxanthellae within the ciliates are photosynthetically competent and do not become compromised during the progression of the brown band zone. Zooxanthellae showed similar trends in light acclimation in a comparison of rapid light curve and steady-state light curve measures of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence. Extended light exposure of steady-state light curves resulted in higher quantum yields of photosystem II. The brown band tissue exhibited higher photosynthetically active radiation absorptivity, indicating more efficient light absorption due to a higher density of zooxanthellae in the ciliate-dominated zone. This caused relatively higher gross photosynthesis rates in the zone with zooxanthella-containing ciliates compared to healthy coral tissue. The observation of photosynthetically active intracellular zooxanthellae in the ciliates suggests that the latter can benefit from photosynthates produced by ingested zooxanthellae and from photosynthetic oxygen production that alleviates diffusion limitation of oxic respiration in the densely populated brown band tissue. It remains to be shown whether the zooxanthellae form a stable symbiotic association with the ciliate or are engulfed incidentally during grazing on coral tissue and then maintained as active inside the ciliate for a period before being digested and replaced by new zooxanthellae.

Zooxanthellae Harvested by Ciliates Associated with Brown Band Syndrome of Corals Remain Photosynthetically Competent▿

PubMed Central

Ulstrup, Karin E.; Kühl, Michael; Bourne, David G.

2007-01-01

Brown band syndrome is a new coral affliction characterized by a local accumulation of yet-unidentified ciliates migrating as a band along the branches of coral colonies. In the current study, morphologically intact zooxanthellae (= Symbiodinium) were observed in great numbers inside the ciliates (>50 dinoflagellates per ciliate). Microscale oxygen measurements and variable chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis along with microscopic observations demonstrated that zooxanthellae within the ciliates are photosynthetically competent and do not become compromised during the progression of the brown band zone. Zooxanthellae showed similar trends in light acclimation in a comparison of rapid light curve and steady-state light curve measures of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence. Extended light exposure of steady-state light curves resulted in higher quantum yields of photosystem II. The brown band tissue exhibited higher photosynthetically active radiation absorptivity, indicating more efficient light absorption due to a higher density of zooxanthellae in the ciliate-dominated zone. This caused relatively higher gross photosynthesis rates in the zone with zooxanthella-containing ciliates compared to healthy coral tissue. The observation of photosynthetically active intracellular zooxanthellae in the ciliates suggests that the latter can benefit from photosynthates produced by ingested zooxanthellae and from photosynthetic oxygen production that alleviates diffusion limitation of oxic respiration in the densely populated brown band tissue. It remains to be shown whether the zooxanthellae form a stable symbiotic association with the ciliate or are engulfed incidentally during grazing on coral tissue and then maintained as active inside the ciliate for a period before being digested and replaced by new zooxanthellae. PMID:17259357

Reduced empathic responses for sexually objectified women: An fMRI investigation.

PubMed

Cogoni, Carlotta; Carnaghi, Andrea; Silani, Giorgia

2018-02-01

Sexual objectification is a widespread phenomenon characterized by a focus on the individual's physical appearance over his/her mental state. This has been associated with negative social consequences, as objectified individuals are judged to be less human, competent, and moral. Moreover, behavioral responses toward the person change as a function of the degree of the perceived sexual objectification. In the present study, we investigated how behavioral and neural representations of other social pain are modulated by the degree of sexual objectification of the target. Using a within-subject fMRI design, we found reduced empathic feelings for positive (but not negative) emotions toward sexually objectified women as compared to non-objectified (personalized) women when witnessing their participation to a ball-tossing game. At the brain level, empathy for social exclusion of personalized women recruited areas coding the affective component of pain (i.e., anterior insula and cingulate cortex), the somatosensory components of pain (i.e., posterior insula and secondary somatosensory cortex) together with the mentalizing network (i.e., middle frontal cortex) to a greater extent than for the sexually objectified women. This diminished empathy is discussed in light of the gender-based violence that is afflicting the modern society. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges in the development of therapeutics for narcolepsy

PubMed Central

Black, Sarah Wurts; Yamanaka, Akihiro; Kilduff, Thomas S.

2016-01-01

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that afflicts 1 in 2000 individuals and is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy—a sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by positive emotions. Features of narcolepsy include dysregulation of arousal state boundaries as well as autonomic and metabolic disturbances. Disruption of neurotransmission through the hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt) system, usually by degeneration of the HCRT-producing neurons in the posterior hypothalamus, results in narcolepsy. The cause of Hcrt neurodegeneration is unknown but thought to be related to autoimmune processes. Current treatments for narcolepsy are symptomatic, including wake-promoting therapeutics that increase presynaptic dopamine release and anticataplectic agents that activate monoaminergic neurotransmission. Sodium oxybate is the only medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration that alleviates both sleep/wake disturbances and cataplexy. Development of therapeutics for narcolepsy has been challenged by historical misunderstanding of the disease, its many disparate symptoms and, until recently, its unknown etiology. Animal models have been essential to elucidating the neuropathology underlying narcolepsy. These models have also aided understanding the neurobiology of the Hcrt system, mechanisms of cataplexy, and the pharmacology of narcolepsy medications. Transgenic rodent models will be critical in the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of narcolepsy, particularly efforts directed to overcome challenges in the development of hypocretin replacement therapy. PMID:26721620

Consensus Recommendations for Current Treatments and Accelerating Clinical Trials for Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 2

PubMed Central

Blakeley, Jaishri O; Evans, D. Gareth; Adler, John; Brackmann, Derald; Chen, Ruihong; Ferner, Rosalie E.; Hanemann, C. Oliver; Harris, Gordon; Huson, Susan M.; Jacob, Abraham; Kalamarides, Michel; Karajannis, Matthias A.; Korf, Bruce R.; Mautner, Victor-Felix; McClatchey, Andrea I.; Miao, Harry; Plotkin, Scott R.; Slattery, William; Stemmer-Rachamimov, Anat O.; Welling, D. Bradley; Wen, Patrick Y.; Widemann, Brigitte; Hunter-Schaedle, Kim; Giovannini, Marco

2011-01-01

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a tumor suppressor syndrome characterized by bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS) which often result in deafness despite aggressive management. Meningiomas, ependymomas and other cranial nerve and peripheral schwannomas are also commonly found in NF2 and collectively lead to major neurologic morbidity and mortality. Traditionally, the overall survival rate in patients with NF2 is estimated to be 38% at 20 years from diagnosis. Hence, there is a desperate need for new, effective therapies. Recent progress in understanding the molecular basis of NF2 related tumors has aided in the identification of potential therapeutic targets and emerging clinical therapies. In June 2010, representatives of the international NF2 research and clinical community convened under the leadership of Drs. D. Gareth Evans (University of Manchester) and Marco Giovannini (House Research Institute) to review the state of NF2 treatment and clinical trials. This manuscript summarizes the expert opinions about current treatments for NF2 associated tumors and recommendations for advancing therapies emerging from that meeting. The development of effective therapies for NF2 associated tumors has the potential for significant clinical advancement not only for patients with NF2 but for thousands of neuro-oncology patients afflicted with these tumors. PMID:22140088

Molecular, Phenotypic Aspects and Therapeutic Horizons of Rare Genetic Bone Disorders

PubMed Central

Dhawan, Naveen; Vohra, Shivani; Tu, Khin; Abdelmagid, Samir M.

2014-01-01

A rare disease afflicts less than 200,000 individuals, according to the National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD) of the United States. Over 6,000 rare disorders affect approximately 1 in 10 Americans. Rare genetic bone disorders remain the major causes of disability in US patients. These rare bone disorders also represent a therapeutic challenge for clinicians, due to lack of understanding of underlying mechanisms. This systematic review explored current literature on therapeutic directions for the following rare genetic bone disorders: fibrous dysplasia, Gorham-Stout syndrome, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, melorheostosis, multiple hereditary exostosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, craniometaphyseal dysplasia, achondroplasia, and hypophosphatasia. The disease mechanisms of Gorham-Stout disease, melorheostosis, and multiple hereditary exostosis are not fully elucidated. Inhibitors of the ACVR1/ALK2 pathway may serve as possible therapeutic intervention for FOP. The use of bisphosphonates and IL-6 inhibitors has been explored to be useful in the treatment of fibrous dysplasia, but more research is warranted. Cell therapy, bisphosphonate polytherapy, and human growth hormone may avert the pathology in osteogenesis imperfecta, but further studies are needed. There are still no current effective treatments for these bone disorders; however, significant promising advances in therapeutic modalities were developed that will limit patient suffering and treat their skeletal disabilities. PMID:25530967

Kal Dristi , Stolen Babies and 'Blocked Uteruses': Poverty and Infertility Anxieties among Married Adolescent Women Living in a Slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Rashid, Sabina Faiz

2007-08-01

The paper is about the neglect of infertility and women's interests in the health policy of developing countries, and how this shapes married adolescent women's understandings and practices surrounding infertility. Ethnographic fieldwork among married adolescent girls, aged 15-19, was carried out in a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh from December 2001 to January 2003, including 50 in-depth interviews and eight case studies from 153 married adolescent girls, and observations and discussions with family and community members. There are newer understandings with the re-labelling of infertility from spirit world afflictions to something that is also attributed to family planning and 'build up of fat' in the uterus and stomach. Corrective practices range from not using or discontinuing a contraceptive method, dilatation and curettage (D&C) and visiting traditional healers. The absence of state services to address infertility concerns has implications for contraceptive use, with unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. Local beliefs continue to largely attribute the primary cause of infertility to the spirit world, but the emergence of newer infertility understandings reveal the influence of Western cultural beliefs (family planning campaigns, health practices influenced by biomedicine) and highlight the gender politics in the harsh environment of urban slums.

A Novel Vaccine Approach for Chagas Disease Using Rare Adenovirus Serotype 48 Vectors

PubMed Central

Farrow, Anitra L.; Peng, Binghao J.; Gu, Linlin; Krendelchtchikov, Alexandre; Matthews, Qiana L.

2016-01-01

Due to the increasing amount of people afflicted worldwide with Chagas disease and an increasing prevalence in the United States, there is a greater need to develop a safe and effective vaccine for this neglected disease. Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) is the most common adenovirus vector used for gene therapy and vaccine approaches, but its efficacy is limited by preexisting vector immunity in humans resulting from natural infections. Therefore, we have employed rare serotype adenovirus 48 (Ad48) as an alternative choice for adenovirus/Chagas vaccine therapy. In this study, we modified Ad5 and Ad48 vectors to contain T. cruzi’s amastigote surface protein 2 (ASP-2) in the adenoviral early gene. We also modified Ad5 and Ad48 vectors to utilize the “Antigen Capsid-Incorporation” strategy by adding T. cruzi epitopes to protein IX (pIX). Mice that were immunized with the modified vectors were able to elicit T. cruzi-specific humoral and cellular responses. This study indicates that Ad48-modified vectors function comparable to or even premium to Ad5-modified vectors. This study provides novel data demonstrating that Ad48 can be used as a potential adenovirus vaccine vector against Chagas disease. PMID:26978385

Worldwide trends in the socioeconomic impact and long-term prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Markenson, J A

1991-10-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), once considered a benign and nonprogressive disease, is a debilitating condition with serious physical, emotional, and economic consequences. It afflicts approximately 1% of the adult population worldwide; prevalence increases with age, with twice as many women as men affected. In the United States, age, lack of formal education, and lower socioeconomic class correlate with both the incidence and poor prognosis of RA. The patient with RA faces increasing functional disability, the likelihood of work disability within 10 years after the onset of the disease, and a drastic reduction in earnings. Compared with individuals without the disease, patients with RA incur higher medical care costs, increased hospitalization, and a greater number of physician visits. As in the general population, the leading cause of death among patients with RA is cardiovascular disease, and deaths due to malignancy occur at a comparable incidence; however, patients with RA are at greater risk of mortality due to infection, renal disease, respiratory conditions, and gastrointestinal disease. Life expectancy is shorter among patients with RA than in the general population, and survival rates are comparable to those for Hodgkin's disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and three-vessel coronary artery disease. Efforts must be made to develop improved therapeutic strategies and rehabilitative programs to improve the quality of life of patients with RA.

Sex differences during humor appreciation in child-sibling pairs.

PubMed

Vrticka, Pascal; Neely, Michelle; Walter Shelly, Elizabeth; Black, Jessica M; Reiss, Allan L

2013-01-01

The developmental origin of sex differences in adult brain function is poorly understood. Elucidating neural mechanisms underlying comparable cognitive functionality in both children and adults is required to address this gap. Humor appreciation represents a particularly relevant target for such developmental research because explanatory theories apply across the life span, and underlying neurocircuitry shows sex differences in adults. As a positive mood state, humor is also of interest due to sex differences in rates of depression, a disorder afflicting twice as many women as men. In this study, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate brain responses to funny versus positive (and neutral) video clips in 22 children, ages 6-13 years, including eight sibling-pairs. Our data revealed increased activity to funny clips in bilateral temporo-occipital cortex, midbrain, and amygdala in girls. Conversely, we found heightened activation to positive clips in bilateral inferior parietal lobule, fusiform gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in boys. Many of these effects persisted when looking at sibling-pairs only. We interpret such findings as reflecting the presence of early sex divergence in reward saliency or expectation and stimulus relevance attribution. These findings are discussed in the context of evolutionary and developmental theories of humor function.

Microscopic Sources of Paramagnetic Noise on α-Al2O3 Substrates for Superconducting Qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubois, Jonathan; Lee, Donghwa; Lordi, Vince

2014-03-01

Superconducting qubits (SQs) represent a promising route to achieving a scalable quantum computer. However, the coupling between electro-dynamic qubits and (as yet largely unidentified) ambient parasitic noise sources has so far limited the functionality of current SQs by limiting coherence times of the quantum states below a practical threshold for measurement and manipulation. Further improvement can be enabled by a detailed understanding of the various noise sources afflicting SQs. In this work, first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations are employed to identify the microscopic origins of magnetic noise sources in SQs on an α-Al2O3 substrate. The results indicate that it is unlikely that the existence of intrinsic point defects and defect complexes in the substrate are responsible for low frequency noise in these systems. Rather, a comprehensive analysis of extrinsic defects shows that surface aluminum ions interacting with ambient molecules will form a bath of magnetic moments that can couple to the SQ paramagnetically. The microscopic origin of this magnetic noise source is discussed and strategies for ameliorating the effects of these magnetic defects are proposed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Single Higgs-boson production at a photon-photon collider: General 2HDM versus MSSM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Val, David; Solà, Joan

2011-08-01

We revisit the production of a single Higgs boson from direct γγ-scattering at a photon collider. We compute the total cross-section σ(γγ→h) (for h=h,H,A), and the strength of the effective ghγγ coupling normalized to the Standard Model (SM), for both the general Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). In both cases the predicted production rates for the CP-even (odd) states render up to 104 (103) events per 500 fb-1 of integrated luminosity, in full consistency with all the theoretical and phenomenological constraints. Depending on the channel the maximum rates can be larger or smaller than the SM expectations, but in most of the parameter space they should be well measurable. We analyze how these departures depend on the dynamics underlying each of the models, supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric, and highlight the possible distinctive phenomenological signatures. We demonstrate that this process could be extremely useful to discern non-supersymmetric Higgs bosons from supersymmetric ones. Furthermore, in the MSSM case, we show that γγ-physics could decisively help to overcome the serious impasse afflicting Higgs boson physics at the infamous “LHC wedge”.

Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage Image Analysis Methods: A Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, Noel; Valdés, Jose; Guevara, Miguel; Silva, Augusto

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) account for 10-30% of all strokes and are a result of acute bleeding into the brain due to ruptures of small penetrating arteries. Despite major advancements in the management of ischemic strokes and other causes of hemorrhagic strokes, such as ruptured aneurysm, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), or cavernous angioma, during the past several decades, limited progress has been made in the treatment of ICH, and the prognosis for patients who suffer them remains poor. The societal impact of these hemorrhagic strokes is magnified by the fact that affected patients typically are a decade younger than those afflicted with ischemic strokes. The ICH continues to kill or disable most of their victims. Some studies show that those who suffer ICH have a 30-day mortality rate of 35-44% and a 6-month mortality rate approaching 50%. Approximately 700,000 new strokes occur in the United States annually and approximately 15% are hem-orrhagic strokes related to ICH. The poor outcome associated with ICH is related to the extent of brain damage. ICH produces direct destruction and compression of surrounding brain tissue. Direct compression causes poor perfusion and venous drainage to surrounding penumbra at risk, resulting in ischemia to the tissues that most need perfusion [16].

From poison to remedy: the chequered history of botulinum toxin.

PubMed

Erbguth, F J

2008-01-01

Botulinum toxin poisoning has afflicted mankind through the mists of time. However, the first incident of food-borne botulism was documented as late as the 18th century, when the consumption of meat and blood sausages gave rise to many deaths throughout the kingdom of Württemberg in South Western Germany. The district medical officer Justinus Kerner (1786--1862), who was also a well-known German poet, published the first accurate and complete descriptions of the symptoms of food-borne botulism between 1817 and 1822 and attributed the intoxication to a biological poison. Kerner also postulated that the toxin might be used for treatment purposes. In 1895, an outbreak of botulism in the small Belgian village of Ellezelles led to the discovery of the pathogen "Clostridium botulinum" by Emile Pierre van Ermengem. Modern botulinum toxin treatment was pioneered by Alan B. Scott and Edward J. Schantz in the early 1970s, when the type-A serotype was used in medicine to correct strabismus. Other preparations of the type-A toxin were developed and manufactured in the United Kingdom, Germany, and China, whereas a therapeutic type-B toxin was prepared in the United States. To date, the toxin has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions associated with muscular hyperactivity, glandular hypersecretions and pain.

New trace element determinations in the fingernails of ALS patients

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

Van Dalsem, D.J.; Ehmann, W.D.; Robinson, L.

1996-12-31

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) afflicts 2 of every 100,000 people in the United States each year. A well-known example of ALS today is Stephen Hawking. He is a theoretical physicist, the author of A Brief History of Time, and is virtually immobilized by ALS. Diseases that cause progressive paralysis because of motor neuron degeneration in the central nervous system are termed motor neuron disorders (MND). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a common form of MND. Pain-free, progressive muscular weakness is the most common clinical symptom. There is chronic weakness with atrophy of the affected muscles by the time the disease ismore » diagnosed. Atrophy eventually results in wheelchair confinement and then only bed without the ability to speak or swallow. Death often occurs as a result of respiratory problems. Unlike other neurodegenerative diseases, in ALS the patient`s bladder and bowel control, eye movement, and mental faculties are preserved. The question today is whether or not certain trace elements are involved in the etiology or pathogenesis of ALS. A collaborative study was undertaken by the University of Kentucky and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) using neutron activation analysis (NAA) to study trace element concentrations in ALS patients fingernails to determine if there existed statistically significant imbalances.« less

Exploiting the genetic and biochemical capacities of bacteria for the remediation of heavy metal pollution.

PubMed

Valls, Marc; de Lorenzo, Víctor

2002-11-01

The threat of heavy metal pollution to public health and wildlife has led to an increased interest in developing systems that can remove or neutralise its toxic effects in soil, sediments and wastewater. Unlike organic contaminants, which can be degraded to harmless chemical species, heavy metals cannot be destroyed. Remediating the pollution they cause can therefore only be envisioned as their immobilisation in a non-bioavailable form, or their re-speciation into less toxic forms. While these approaches do not solve the problem altogether, they do help to protect afflicted sites from noxious effects and isolate the contaminants as a contained and sometimes recyclable residue. This review outlines the most important bacterial phenotypes and properties that are (or could be) instrumental in heavy metal bioremediation, along with what is known of their genetic and biochemical background. A variety of instances are discussed in which valuable properties already present in certain strains can be combined or improved through state-of-the-art genetic engineering. In other cases, knowledge of metal-related reactions catalysed by some bacteria allows optimisation of the desired process by altering the physicochemical conditions of the contaminated area. The combination of genetic engineering of the bacterial catalysts with judicious eco-engineering of the polluted sites will be of paramount importance in future bioremediation strategies.

Challenges in the development of therapeutics for narcolepsy.

PubMed

Black, Sarah Wurts; Yamanaka, Akihiro; Kilduff, Thomas S

2017-05-01

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that afflicts 1 in 2000 individuals and is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy-a sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by positive emotions. Features of narcolepsy include dysregulation of arousal state boundaries as well as autonomic and metabolic disturbances. Disruption of neurotransmission through the hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt) system, usually by degeneration of the HCRT-producing neurons in the posterior hypothalamus, results in narcolepsy. The cause of Hcrt neurodegeneration is unknown but thought to be related to autoimmune processes. Current treatments for narcolepsy are symptomatic, including wake-promoting therapeutics that increase presynaptic dopamine release and anticataplectic agents that activate monoaminergic neurotransmission. Sodium oxybate is the only medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration that alleviates both sleep/wake disturbances and cataplexy. Development of therapeutics for narcolepsy has been challenged by historical misunderstanding of the disease, its many disparate symptoms and, until recently, its unknown etiology. Animal models have been essential to elucidating the neuropathology underlying narcolepsy. These models have also aided understanding the neurobiology of the Hcrt system, mechanisms of cataplexy, and the pharmacology of narcolepsy medications. Transgenic rodent models will be critical in the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of narcolepsy, particularly efforts directed to overcome challenges in the development of hypocretin replacement therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell-free metabolic engineering: Biomanufacturing beyond the cell

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

Dudley, QM; Karim, AS; Jewett, MC

2014-10-15

Industrial biotechnology and microbial metabolic engineering are poised to help meet the growing demand for sustainable, low-cost commodity chemicals and natural products, yet the fraction of biochemicals amenable to commercial production remains limited. Common problems afflicting the current state-of-the-art include low volumetric productivities, build-up of toxic intermediates or products, and byproduct losses via competing pathways. To overcome these limitations, cell-free metabolic engineering (CFME) is expanding the scope of the traditional bioengineering model by using in vitro ensembles of catalytic proteins prepared from purified enzymes or crude lysates of cells for the production of target products. In recent years, the unprecedentedmore » level of control and freedom of design, relative to in vivo systems, has inspired the development of engineering foundations for cell-free systems. These efforts have led to activation of long enzymatic pathways (>8 enzymes), near theoretical conversion yields, productivities greater than 100 mg L-1 h(-1), reaction scales of >100 L, and new directions in protein purification, spatial organization, and enzyme stability. In the coming years, CFME will offer exciting opportunities to: (i) debug and optimize biosynthetic pathways; (ii) carry out design-build-test iterations without re-engineering organisms; and (iii) perform molecular transformations when bioconversion yields, productivities, or cellular toxicity limit commercial feasibility.« less

Neural network connectivity differences in children who stutter

PubMed Central

Zhu, David C.

2013-01-01

Affecting 1% of the general population, stuttering impairs the normally effortless process of speech production, which requires precise coordination of sequential movement occurring among the articulatory, respiratory, and resonance systems, all within millisecond time scales. Those afflicted experience frequent disfluencies during ongoing speech, often leading to negative psychosocial consequences. The aetiology of stuttering remains unclear; compared to other neurodevelopmental disorders, few studies to date have examined the neural bases of childhood stuttering. Here we report, for the first time, results from functional (resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging) and structural connectivity analyses (probabilistic tractography) of multimodal neuroimaging data examining neural networks in children who stutter. We examined how synchronized brain activity occurring among brain areas associated with speech production, and white matter tracts that interconnect them, differ in young children who stutter (aged 3–9 years) compared with age-matched peers. Results showed that children who stutter have attenuated connectivity in neural networks that support timing of self-paced movement control. The results suggest that auditory-motor and basal ganglia-thalamocortical networks develop differently in stuttering children, which may in turn affect speech planning and execution processes needed to achieve fluent speech motor control. These results provide important initial evidence of neurological differences in the early phases of symptom onset in children who stutter. PMID:24131593

Cell-Free Metabolic Engineering: Biomanufacturing beyond the cell

PubMed Central

Dudley, Quentin M.; Karim, Ashty S.; Jewett, Michael C.

2014-01-01

Industrial biotechnology and microbial metabolic engineering are poised to help meet the growing demand for sustainable, low-cost commodity chemicals and natural products, yet the fraction of biochemicals amenable to commercial production remains limited. Common problems afflicting the current state-of-the-art include low volumetric productivities, build-up of toxic intermediates or products, and byproduct losses via competing pathways. To overcome these limitations, cell-free metabolic engineering (CFME) is expanding the scope of the traditional bioengineering model by using in vitro ensembles of catalytic proteins prepared from purified enzymes or crude lysates of cells for the production of target products. In recent years, the unprecedented level of control and freedom of design, relative to in vivo systems, has inspired the development of engineering foundations for cell-free systems. These efforts have led to activation of long enzymatic pathways (>8 enzymes), near theoretical conversion yields, productivities greater than 100 mg L−1 hr−1, reaction scales of >100L, and new directions in protein purification, spatial organization and enzyme stability. In the coming years, CFME will offer exciting opportunities to (i) debug and optimize biosynthetic pathways, (ii) carry out design-build-test iterations without re-engineering organisms, and (iii) perform molecular transformations when bioconversion yields, productivities, or cellular toxicity limit commercial feasibility. PMID:25319678

Early management of patients with acute heart failure: state of the art and future directions. A consensus document from the society for academic emergency medicine/heart failure society of America acute heart failure working group.

PubMed

Collins, Sean; Storrow, Alan B; Albert, Nancy M; Butler, Javed; Ezekowitz, Justin; Felker, G Michael; Fermann, Gregory J; Fonarow, Gregg C; Givertz, Michael M; Hiestand, Brian; Hollander, Judd E; Lanfear, David E; Levy, Phillip D; Pang, Peter S; Peacock, W Frank; Sawyer, Douglas B; Teerlink, John R; Lenihan, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Heart failure (HF) afflicts nearly 6 million Americans, resulting in one million emergency department (ED) visits and over one million annual hospital discharges. An aging population and improved survival from cardiovascular diseases is expected to further increase HF prevalence. Emergency providers play a significant role in the management of patients with acute heart failure (AHF). It is crucial that emergency physicians and other providers involved in early management understand the latest developments in diagnostic testing, therapeutics and alternatives to hospitalization. Further, clinical trials must be conducted in the ED in order to improve the evidence base and drive optimal initial therapy for AHF. Should ongoing and future studies suggest early phenotype-driven therapy improves in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes, ED treatment decisions will need to evolve accordingly. The potential impact of future studies which incorporate risk-stratification into ED disposition decisions cannot be underestimated. Predictive instruments that identify a cohort of patients safe for ED discharge, while simultaneously addressing barriers to successful outpatient management, have the potential to significantly impact quality of life and resource expenditures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SEX DIFFERENCES DURING HUMOR APPRECIATION IN CHILD SIBLING-PAIRS

PubMed Central

Vrticka, Pascal; Neely, Michelle; Walter, Elizabeth; Black, Jessica M.; Reiss, Allan L.

2013-01-01

The developmental origin of sex differences in adult brain function is poorly understood. Elucidating neural mechanisms underlying comparable cognitive functionality in both children and adults is required to address this gap. Humor appreciation represents a particularly relevant target for such developmental research because explanatory theories apply across the life span and underlying neurocircuitry shows sex differences in adults. As a positive mood state, humor is also of interest due to sex differences in rates of depression, a disorder afflicting twice as many women as men. In this study, we employed fMRI to investigate brain responses to funny versus positive (and neutral) video clips in 22 children ages 6 to 13 years, including 8 sibling pairs. Our data revealed increased activity to funny clips in bilateral temporo-occipital cortex, midbrain, and amygdala in girls. Conversely, we found heightened activation to positive clips in bilateral inferior parietal lobule, fusiform gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in boys. Many of these effects persisted when looking at sibling-pairs only. We interpret such findings as reflecting the presence of early sex divergence in reward saliency / expectation and stimulus relevance attribution. These findings are discussed in the context of evolutionary and developmental theories of humor function. PMID:23672302

Great shakes: famous people with Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Jones, Jeffrey M

2004-12-01

James Parkinson is credited with the first complete clinical description of the syndrome attributed to his name, Parkinson disease. It is recognized as the first syndrome defined after neurology became a specialty. Descriptions of Parkinson features are rare in antiquity, and famous people with this disorder have not been found before the 1800s. During the 20th century, more and more famous people appear to be afflicted with Parkinson, and this article reviews some of those who have withstood the "test of Time magazine," and examines some of the reasons why the syndrome is a relatively recent disorder.