EFFECTS OF FLUE GAS CONSTITUENTS ON MERCURY SPECIATION. (R827649)

EPA Science Inventory

Beginning with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, there has been considerable interest in mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. This past year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued both the Mercury Study Report to Congress and the Study of Hazardous ...

Pavement noise research : modeling of quieter pavements in Florida, final report, October 19, 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

The research on noise created by the tire/pavement interface, while relatively new, has seen considerable interest over the past few years because of the potential benefits and a general desire by the public for quieter highways. The Florida Departme...

Diseases, Pathology and Recent Developments in US Farm-Raised Catfish (Ictalurus spp.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and now hybrid catfish (I. punctatus x I. furcatus) have been the most economically important aquaculture species in the United States for many years. As such, they continue to be of considerable research interest. The focus of this presentation concerns some re...

Development of a Personalized Educational Computer Game Based on Students' Learning Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Sung, Han-Yu; Hung, Chun-Ming; Huang, Iwen; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2012-01-01

In recent years, many researchers have been engaged in the development of educational computer games; however, previous studies have indicated that, without supportive models that take individual students' learning needs or difficulties into consideration, students might only show temporary interest during the learning process, and their learning…

Pain, Nicotine, and Smoking: Research Findings and Mechanistic Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ditre, Joseph W.; Brandon, Thomas H.; Zale, Emily L.; Meagher, Mary M.

2011-01-01

Tobacco addiction and chronic pain represent 2 highly prevalent and comorbid conditions that engender substantial burdens upon individuals and systems. Interrelations between pain and smoking have been of clinical and empirical interest for decades, and research in this area has increased dramatically over the past 5 years. We conceptualize the…

What is Job Satisfaction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke. Edwin A.

Despite considerable interest in the study of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, our understanding of these phenomena has not increased substantially in the past 30 years. It is argued that a major reason for this lack of progress is the implicit conception of casuality accepted by most psychologists. It is called the policy of "correlation…

Chitin nanofibers as reinforcing and antimicrobial agents in carboxymethyl cellulose films: Influence of partial deacetylation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The development of edible, environmentally friendly, mechanically strong and antimicrobial biopolymer films for active food packaging has gained considerable interest in recent years. The present work deals with the extraction and deacetylation of chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) from crab shells and their...

Study of the Sustainability of an Integrated Ecosystem with Energy Considerations

EPA Science Inventory

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the study of sustainability. This is primarily due to the realization that continuous sustenance of the current ecosystem is possible only if we carefully understand the implications of the policies that are being practiced. I...

Language and the Limits of Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peled, Yael

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen a growing interest in language among political philosophers. While being, on the whole, a positive development, the considerable focus of this literature on the issue of linguistic justice paradoxically limits the breadth and depth of that emerging inquiry, by reducing the conceptual vocabulary intrinsic to the much broader…

Integrability and Chaos: The Classical Uncertainty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masoliver, Jaume; Ros, Ana

2011-01-01

In recent years there has been a considerable increase in the publishing of textbooks and monographs covering what was formerly known as random or irregular deterministic motion, now referred to as deterministic chaos. There is still substantial interest in a matter that is included in many graduate and even undergraduate courses on classical…

Gendered Occupational Interests: Prenatal Androgen Effects on Psychological Orientation to Things Versus People

PubMed Central

Beltz, Adriene M.; Swanson, Jane L.; Berenbaum, Sheri A.

2011-01-01

There is considerable interest in understanding women’s underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. Career choices have been shown to be driven in part by interests, and gender differences in those interests have generally been considered to result from socialization. We explored the contribution of sex hormones to career-related interests, in particular studying whether prenatal androgens affect interests through psychological orientation to Things versus People. We examined this question in individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), who have atypical exposure to androgens early in development, and their unaffected siblings (total N = 125 aged 9 to 26 years). Females with CAH had more interest in Things versus People than did unaffected females, and variations among females with CAH reflected variations in their degree of androgen exposure. Results provide strong support for hormonal influences on interest in occupations characterized by working with Things versus People. PMID:21689657

Gendered occupational interests: prenatal androgen effects on psychological orientation to Things versus People.

PubMed

Beltz, Adriene M; Swanson, Jane L; Berenbaum, Sheri A

2011-09-01

There is considerable interest in understanding women's underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. Career choices have been shown to be driven in part by interests, and gender differences in those interests have generally been considered to result from socialization. We explored the contribution of sex hormones to career-related interests, in particular studying whether prenatal androgens affect interests through psychological orientation to Things versus People. We examined this question in individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), who have atypical exposure to androgens early in development, and their unaffected siblings (total N=125 aged 9 to 26 years). Females with CAH had more interest in Things versus People than did unaffected females, and variations among females with CAH reflected variations in their degree of androgen exposure. Results provide strong support for hormonal influences on interest in occupations characterized by working with Things versus People. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Children's decision making: When self-interest and moral considerations conflict.

PubMed

Tasimi, Arber; Johnson, Marcia K; Wynn, Karen

2017-09-01

When children's self-interests are at odds with their moral considerations, what do they do? In the current study of 5- and 6-year-olds (N=160), we asked (a) whether children would select the offering of a do-gooder over a neutral individual at a personal cost, (b) whether they would reject the offering of a wrongdoer over a neutral individual at a personal cost, and (c) whether these two types of decisions involve comparable levels of conflict. In the absence of material considerations, children preferred a nice character to a neutral one, but this preference was easily overcome for material gain; children accepted a larger offering from a neutral source over a smaller offering from a nice source. In contrast, children's aversion to negative characters was largely unaffected by the same material consideration; they rejected a larger offering from a mean source in favor of a smaller offering from a neutral source. In addition, children's response times indicated that deciding whether or not to "sell out" to a wrongdoer for personal gain engenders conflict but that deciding whether to take a lesser gain from a do-gooder does not. These findings indicate that children weigh both their own material interests and others' social behaviors when selecting social partners and, importantly, that an aversion to wrongdoers is a more powerful influence on these choices than an attraction to do-gooders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vocational interests of adolescents: relationships between self-esteem and locus of control.

PubMed

Mullis, A K; Mullis, R L

1997-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among scores on vocational interests, self-esteem, and locus of control for high school students. Grade and sex differences were also examined. 1364 high school students ranging in age from 14 to 19 years of age were administered the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory, Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children, and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. High school students with higher scores on self-esteem and showing an orientation toward internal locus of control expressed more interests in a variety of vocational themes than adolescents with lower scores on self-esteem and scores for external locus of control. Sex and grade differences in vocational interests of adolescents were also noted. The findings were discussed in light of theoretical and practical considerations.

Investigating the School Teacher's Preparation in Mathematics Pedagogy in Ukraine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarasenkova, N. A.; Akulenko, I. A.

2015-01-01

Teacher education has become an area of considerable interest among policymakers in many countries over recent years. Teacher's knowledge and skills in qualified teaching is of great importance. The main purpose was to study the level and depth of the school mathematics and related teaching knowledge attained by prospective Ukrainian secondary…

Celebrating the Story of My First Contribution to CALL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Seghayer, Khalid

2016-01-01

In the realm of second language acquisition, investigations of the efficacy of multimedia annotations for learning unknown lexical items has attracted considerable interest during the past decade. This commentary discusses the story of my first contribution to the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) 14 years ago. In particular, it…

Learn to Lead: Mapping Workplace Learning of School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulsbos, Frank Arnoud; Evers, Arnoud Theodoor; Kessels, Joseph Willem Marie

2016-01-01

In recent years policy makers' interest in the professional development of school leaders has grown considerably. Although we know some aspect of formal educational programs for school leaders, little is known about school leaders' incidental and non-formal learning in the workplace. This study aims to grasp what workplace learning activities…

Effective Bullying-Trauma Intervention Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Kenneth L.

2010-01-01

There is considerable interest in many sectors of society in trauma intervention. School yard bullying has been getting a lot of attention as of late. It is widely reported and analyzed repeatedly in the media. As a clinical psychologist and adjunct psychology professor for over 30 years, the author has had occasion to see bullying in many forms…

Engaging Citizens: A Cross Cultural Comparison of Youth Definitions of Engaged Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goering, Elizabeth M.

2013-01-01

In recent years, citizenship, particularly what it means to be an engaged and active citizen, has received considerable attention from researchers and theorists in the field of education. This burgeoning interest is not surprising, given that in most societies educational institutions have been accorded primary responsibility for educating young…

Spatial and temporal variability in minimum temperature trends in the western U.S. sagebrush steppe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Climate is a major driver of ecosystem dynamics. In recent years there has been considerable interest in future climate change and potential impacts on ecosystems and management options. In this paper, we analyzed minimum monthly temperature (T min) for ten rural locations in the western sagebrush...

Introducing Students to Bio-Inspiration and Biomimetic Design: A Workshop Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santulli, Carlo; Langella, Carla

2011-01-01

In recent years, bio-inspired approach to design has gained considerable interest between designers, engineers and end-users. However, there are difficulties in introducing bio-inspiration concepts in the university curriculum in that they involve multi-disciplinary work, which can only possibly be successfully delivered by a team with integrated…

Raising Learners' Awareness through L1-L2 Teacher Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunning, Pamela; White, Joanna; Busque, Christine

2016-01-01

There is considerable interest in teacher collaboration across mother tongue and second language curricula. However, cross-curricular collaboration in reading strategy instruction has seldom been investigated. We report a two-year study involving collaboration between the French first language (L1) and English second language (L2) teachers in an…

26 CFR 1.907(c)-1 - Definitions relating to FOGEI and FORI (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1982).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... consideration for the government's nationalization of assets that person owned and used in the extraction of... nationalization or expropriation (including interest on the income paid pursuant to the nationalization or... nationalization or expropriation) derived from the nationalization or expropriation will be FORI. Nationalization...

A Comparison of Rubrics for Identifying Empirically Supported Practices with Single-Case Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maggin, Daniel M.; Briesch, Amy M.; Chafouleas, Sandra M.; Ferguson, Tyler D.; Clark, Courtney

2014-01-01

The use of single-case research methods for validating academic and behavioral interventions has gained considerable attention in recent years. As such, there has been a proliferation of methods for evaluating whether, and to what extent, primary research reports provide evidence of intervention effectiveness. Despite the recent interest in…

Language Ideology and Language Planning in Estonian Higher Education: Nationalising and Globalising Discourses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soler, Josep; Vihman, Virve-Anneli

2018-01-01

In recent years, interest in the study of language policy issues in the context of universities has grown considerably. One reason for this is the coexistence of two apparently contradictory discourses, centering around nationalising and globalising orientations. Universities are seen by many as the key institutions for safeguarding the…

Investigation of the asymptotic state of rotating turbulence using large-eddy simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squires, Kyle D.; Chasnov, Jeffrey R.; Mansour, Nagi N.; Cambon, Claude

1993-01-01

Study of turbulent flows in rotating reference frames has long been an area of considerable scientific and engineering interest. Because of its importance, the subject of turbulence in rotating reference frames has motivated over the years a large number of theoretical, experimental, and computational studies. The bulk of these previous works has served to demonstrate that the effect of system rotation on turbulence is subtle and remains exceedingly difficult to predict. A rotating flow of particular interest in many studies, including the present work, is examination of the effect of solid-body rotation on an initially isotropic turbulent flow. One of the principal reasons for the interest in this flow is that it represents the most basic turbulent flow whose structure is altered by system rotation but without the complicating effects introduced by mean strains or flow inhomogeneities. The assumption of statistical homogeneity considerably simplifies analysis and computation. The principal objective of the present study has been to examine the asymptotic state of solid-body rotation applied to an initially isotropic, high Reynolds number turbulent flow. Of particular interest has been to determine the degree of two-dimensionalization and the existence of asymptotic self-similar states in homogeneous rotating turbulence.

Edible oil structuring: an overview and recent updates.

PubMed

Patel, Ashok R; Dewettinck, Koen

2016-01-01

In recent years, research dealing with edible oil structuring has received considerable interest from scientific community working in the area of food formulation. Much of this interest is linked to the possibility of using structured oil in development of newer product formats with improved nutritional profile (trans fat-free, low in saturated fats and high in mono and/or poly unsaturated fatty acids). In addition to the obvious industrial need of finding the alternative formulation approach, the interesting properties of structured systems (particularly, oleogels) also makes them a fascinating subject for fundamental studies. In this paper, we attempt to give a comprehensive and concise overview of the field of oil structuring with special emphasis on the updates from recent years. Specifically, several categories of food-grade oleogelators and their potential food applications are summarized with typical examples along with a discussion on the general principles and unresolved challenges related to this emerging area.

CE-TOF/MS: fundamental concepts, instrumental considerations and applications.

PubMed

Staub, Aline; Schappler, Julie; Rudaz, Serge; Veuthey, Jean-Luc

2009-05-01

This review discusses the fundamental principles of TOF analyzers and covers the great progress that has been made in this area in recent years (i.e. orthogonal acceleration, reflectron). This paper also gives an overview of applications performed by CE coupled to TOF/MS detection. The main domains of interest include the analysis of biomolecules and natural compounds.

Possible Futures for Social Work with Children and Families in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spratt, Trevor

2008-01-01

There has been considerable interest in recent years in comparing the operation of social work services for children and families internationally, particularly between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Reviewing the respective policy environments and drawing on recent research experience in these three nations, the author…

Dispersion adhesives from soy flour and phenol formaldehyde

Treesearch

Charles R. Frihart; James M. Wescott; Amy E. Traska

2007-01-01

Higher petroleum prices and greater interest in bio-based adhesives have stimulated a considerable amount of research on incorporating soybean flour into wood adhesives in recent years. In some cases, soy was used at low levels as an extender for phenol-formaldehyde (PF) adhesives; in other cases, highly hydrolyzed soy flour was used. Although progress was made in...

The Changing Landscape of ePortfolios: A Case Study in One Australian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffey, Urszula; Ashford-Rowe, Kevin

2014-01-01

The potential of ePortfolios for both students and staff has generated considerable interest and investment by universities over the past ten years or so within Australia. Despite funded projects, ePortfolio specific conferences and a range of commercial and open software, there is not wide spread uptake of ePortfolios, although many universities…

Bibliographic Management Software: A Focus Group Study of the Preferences and Practices of Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salem, Jamie; Fehrmann, Paul

2013-01-01

With the growing population of undergraduate students on our campus and an increased focus on their success, librarians at a large midwestern university were interested in the citation management styles of this university cohort. Our university library spends considerable resources each year to maintain and promote access to the robust…

Affective Overload: The Effect of Emotive Visual Stimuli on Target Vocabulary Retrieval

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Yakup; Griffiths, Carol; Özel, Zeynep Ebrar Yetkiner; Kinay, Hüseyin

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in cognitive load in recent years, but the effect of affective load and its relationship to mental functioning has not received as much attention. In order to investigate the effects of affective stimuli on cognitive function as manifest in the ability to remember foreign language vocabulary, two groups of…

Consideration of Culture and Context in School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: A Review of Current Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallon, Lindsay M.; O'Keeffe, Breda V.; Sugai, George

2012-01-01

A review of the literature related to culture and student behavior reveals a number of interesting observations that are not surprising. First, culture is a difficult construct to define and has been defined variably over the years. Second, schools are becoming increasingly diverse, and evidence-based behavior management practices have been…

A Review of Methodological Issues in the Differential Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Nebel-Schwalm, Marie; Matson, Michael L.

2007-01-01

The development of standardized tests to assess autism, particularly in young children, is a topic of considerable interest in the research community. Recent years have seen an exponential growth in scales for differential diagnosis. Particular emphasis has been placed on defining and better delineating the symptoms of the disorder relative to…

Executive Functioning in Childhood Epilepsy: Parent-Report and Cognitive Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrish, Joy; Geary, Elizabeth; Jones, Jana; Seth, Raj; Hermann, Bruce; Seidenberg, Michael

2007-01-01

There is considerable interest in the assessment of executive function (EF) in pediatric clinical populations but only a few well-standardized measures exist. We examined EF in 53 children aged 8 to 18 years with recent onset epilepsy (31 males, 22 females) and 50 control children (23 males, 27 females) using the Behavior Rating Inventory of…

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Lipid Bilayers and Tubules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirst, Linda S.; Yuan, Jing; Pramudya, Yohannes; Nguyen, Lam T.

2007-03-01

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are found in a variety of biological membranes and have been implicated with lipid raft formation and possible function, typical molecules include DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid) and AA (Alphalinoleic Acid) which have been the focus of considerable attention in recent years. We are interested in the phase behavior of these molecules in the lipid bilayer. The addition of lipid molecules with polyunsaturated chains has a clear effect on the fluidity and curvature of the membrane and we investigate the effects the addition of polyunsaturated lipids on bilayer structure and tubule formation. Self-assembled cylindrical lipid tubules have attracted considerable attention because of their interesting structures and potential technological applications. Using x-ray diffraction techniques, Atomic Force Microscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging, both symmetric and mixed chain lipids were incorporated into model membranes and the effects on bilayer structure and tubule formation investigated.

31 CFR Appendix C to Part 356 - Investment Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Investment Considerations C Appendix C..., App. C Appendix C to Part 356—Investment Considerations I. Inflation-Protected Securities A. Principal and Interest Variability An investment in securities with principal or interest determined by...

Vocational interests of intellectually gifted and highly achieving young adults.

PubMed

Vock, Miriam; Köller, Olaf; Nagy, Gabriel

2013-06-01

Vocational interests play a central role in the vocational decision-making process and are decisive for the later job satisfaction and vocational success. Based on Ackerman's (1996) notion of trait complexes, specific interest profiles of gifted high-school graduates can be expected. Vocational interests of gifted and highly achieving adolescents were compared to those of their less intelligent/achieving peers according to Holland's (1997) RIASEC model. Further, the impact of intelligence and achievement on interests were analysed while statistically controlling for potentially influencing variables. Changes in interests over time were investigated. N= 4,694 German students (age: M= 19.5, SD= .80; 54.6% females) participated in the study (TOSCA; Köller, Watermann, Trautwein, & Lüdtke, 2004). Interests were assessed in participants' final year at school and again 2 years later (N= 2,318). Gifted participants reported stronger investigative and realistic interests, but lower social interests than less intelligent participants. Highly achieving participants reported higher investigative and (in wave 2) higher artistic interests. Considerable gender differences were found: gifted girls had a flat interest profile, while gifted boys had pronounced realistic and investigative and low social interests. Multilevel multiple regression analyses predicting interests by intelligence and school achievement revealed stable interest profiles. Beyond a strong gender effect, intelligence and school achievement each contributed substantially to the prediction of vocational interests. At the time around graduation from high school, gifted young adults show stable interest profiles, which strongly differ between gender and intelligence groups. These differences are relevant for programmes for the gifted and for vocational counselling. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

45 CFR 611.13 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... donation of Federal property and interests in property, (3) the detail of Federal personnel, (4) the sale... or any interest in such property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a... interest to be served by such sale or lease to the recipient, and (5) any Federal agreement, arrangement...

"Just Enough to Make You Take It Seriously": Exploring Students' Attitudes towards Peer Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGarr, Olliver; Clifford, Amanda Marie

2013-01-01

The use of peer learning and peer assessment has gained considerable interest in higher education driven by both its educational value and by its ability to provide students with the opportunity to develop important transferrable skills. This paper reports on the use of peer learning and peer assessment with a cohort of four-year undergraduate…

Cracking the Books: Policy Measures to Contain Textbook Costs. Policy Matters: A Higher Education Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBain, Lesley

2009-01-01

As parents and students struggle with increasing college costs, one issue receiving considerable attention over the past several years has been the rising price of textbooks. The question of whether a relationship exists between textbook pricing and the overall cost of college has attracted notice from consumer interest groups and, subsequently,…

Virtual Learning in the Biological Sciences: Pitfalls of Simply "Putting Notes on the Web"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Chris; Gibbons, Nicola J.; Shah, Kavita; Griffin, Darren K.

2004-01-01

Computer-based learning (CBL) is well established and its benefits are widely reported. It has found considerable utility in recent years with the explosion in interest in the use of the Web as a knowledge medium. Many online courses, however, consist merely of a series of textual notes and pictures with little navigational information or choice.…

Predicting infestation levels of the nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) using pheromone traps

Treesearch

Christopher Asaro; C. Wayne Berisford

2001-01-01

There is considerable interest in using pheromone trap catches of the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Conistock), to estimate or predict population density and damage. At six sites in the Georgia Piedmont, adult tip moths were monitored through one or more years using pheromone traps while population density and damage for each tip...

ICT, Education and Older People in Australia: A Socio-Technical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatnall, Arthur

2014-01-01

People over 65 (or older people) are a growing proportion of the population in many developed countries including Australia. In the last 10 to 12 years interest from this group in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the Internet has also grown considerably. ICT has much to offer older people as a means of keeping in…

Tense Marking in Black English. A Linguistic and Social Analysis. Urban Language Series, No. 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fasold, Ralph W.

In recent years a considerable amount of interest has developed in language variability and in the educational problems connected with it. This volume is a report of linguistic research on the variable language behavior in a community of American English speakers, specifically on some aspects of tense marking in Black English. The following topics…

Examining School Board Leaders' Use of Online Resources to Inform Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, Robin; Carruthers, Loralea

2017-01-01

In the past five years, there has been considerable interest in the decision-making process of school board officials in the field of education. However, a paucity of research exists on how these leaders use online resources to inform decision-making. Through an online survey and face-to-face interviews, this study examined the use of online…

26 CFR 1.368-1T - Purpose and scope of exception of reorganization exchanges (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... In determining whether a proprietary interest in the target corporation is preserved, the consideration to be exchanged for the proprietary interests in the target corporation pursuant to a contract to... interest in the target corporation is preserved. If the contract does not provide for fixed consideration...

26 CFR 1.368-1T - Purpose and scope of exception of reorganization exchanges (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... In determining whether a proprietary interest in the target corporation is preserved, the consideration to be exchanged for the proprietary interests in the target corporation pursuant to a contract to... interest in the target corporation is preserved. If the contract does not provide for fixed consideration...

Perspectives on Highly Adaptive or Morphing Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria R.; Vicroy, Dan D.; Busan, Ronald C.; Hahn, Andrew S.

2009-01-01

The ability to adapt to different flight conditions has been fundamental to aircraft design since the Wright Brothers first flight. Over a hundred years later, unconventional aircraft adaptability, often called aircraft morphing has become a topic of considerable renewed interest. In the past two decades, this interest has been largely fuelled by advancements in multi-functional or smart materials and structures. However, highly adaptive or morphing aircraft is certainly a cross-discipline challenge that stimulates a wide range of design possibilities. This paper will review some of the history of morphing aircraft including recent research programs and discuss some perspectives on this work.

Consumer interest in community pharmacy HIV screening services.

PubMed

Darin, Kristin M; Scarsi, Kimberly K; Klepser, Donald G; Klepser, Stephanie A; Reeves, Andrew; Young, Maria; Klepser, Michael E

2015-01-01

To evaluate consumers' interest in pharmacist-provided human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and to evaluate potential barriers and facilitators to HIV screening in the community pharmacy setting. Cross-sectional survey of adult patients who presented to one of five community (chain and independent) pharmacies from November 2010 to August 2011. Based on 380 usable surveys, 135 (35.8%) participants were interested in pharmacy-based HIV screening. Independent predictors of interest in HIV screening identified in multivariate analysis (reference groups: ages 30 to 49 years old and white, non-Hispanic race) included younger age (18 to 29 years old) (odds ratio [OR], 2.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 4.71); black, non-Hispanic race (OR, 2.37; CI, 1.40 to 4.03); and other race (OR, 4.58; CI, 1.63 to 12.87). Lack of perceived risk for HIV was the most commonly cited barrier to HIV screening; and free, rapid, or confidential HIV testing were identified as potential facilitators. Interest in pharmacy-based HIV screening was high among participants representing age and race groups disproportionately affected by HIV. Expansion of HIV screening efforts to community pharmacies warrants further consideration.

Nutritional approach of the patient with diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. A case report

PubMed

Torres Torres, Beatriz; Izaola Jáuregu, Olatz; De Luis Román, Daniel A

2017-05-08

The prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in diabetes through diet and lifestyle have been a topic of much interest over the years. Consideration of the type and amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat is required for optimal blood glucose control, for clinical outcomes related to renal function and for consideration of risk reduction for cardiovascular disease. Depending on the CKD stage different dietary changes should be considered protein-calorie malnutrition is common in chronic kidney disease patients and is a powerful predictor of morbidity and mortality. We review the nutritional management of a diabetic patient throughout the progression of their CKD.

Enzyme-assistant extraction (EAE) of bioactive components: a useful approach for recovery of industrially important metabolites from seaweeds: a review.

PubMed

Wijesinghe, W A J P; Jeon, You-Jin

2012-01-01

Over the years, the biological activities of seaweeds could have gained a considerable research interest because of their specific functional compounds, which may not be available in land plants. Thus, efforts at discovery of novel metabolites from seaweeds over the past years have yielded a considerable amount of new active compounds. In addition, studies about the extraction of active compounds from natural products have attracted special attention in the last recent years. Potent biologically active compounds of seaweeds have been demonstrated to play a significant role in prevention of certain degenerative diseases such as cancer, inflammation, arthritis, diabetes and hypertension. Therefore, seaweed derived active components, whose immense biochemical diversity looks like to become a rich source of novel chemical entities for the use as functional ingredients in many industrial applications such as functional foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals. Thus, the interest in the extraction of active compounds from seaweeds is obvious. However, the physical and chemical barriers of the plant material become the key drawbacks of such extraction process. Therefore, enhanced release and recovery of active compounds attached to the cells have been addressed. Taken together, the aim of this communication is to discuss the potential use of enzyme treatment as a tool to improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds from seaweeds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vertebrate predators have minimal cascading effects on plant production or seed predation in an intact grassland ecosystem

Treesearch

John L. Maron; Dean E. Pearson

2011-01-01

The strength of trophic cascades in terrestrial habitats has been the subject of considerable interest and debate. We conducted an 8-year experiment to determine how exclusion of vertebrate predators, ungulates alone (to control for ungulate exclusion from predator exclusion plots) or none of these animals influenced how strongly a three-species assemblage of rodent...

5 Considerations for Digital Age Leaders: What Principals and District Administrators Need to Know about Tech Integration Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Lotta; Miller, Teresa; Ribble, Mike

2010-01-01

Technology has forever altered the way one learns and teaches, and the pace of change is only accelerating. What was hot last year or even last month may be of little interest today. How can educational leaders keep up with the daily onslaught of information when new literacies rapidly outpace traditional literacies, and access to technology and…

Research on Child Abuse in the US Armed Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

Child maltreatment in the United States has provoked considerable interest in recent years. Child abuse and neglect are prevalent in all parts of...American society. Although children of military personnel experience maltreatment, little research has been completed which compares child abuse rates in...the military with those for civilian populations. Studies that have assessed child abuse in the armed forces have been based on official reports

Higher Education: Use of New Data Could Help Improve Oversight of Distance Education. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-12-39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2011-01-01

As the largest provider of financial aid in higher education, with about $134 billion in Title IV funds provided to students in fiscal year 2010, the Department of Education (Education) has a considerable interest in distance education. Distance education--that is, offering courses by the Internet, video, or other forms outside the classroom--has…

Connecting Research in Science Literacy and Classroom Practice: A Review of Science Teaching Journals in Australia, the UK and the United States, 1998-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hand, Brian; Yore, Larry D.; Jagger, Susan; Prain, Vaughan

2010-01-01

In the last 15 years (1994-2009), there has been considerable increased research interest in: (1) characterising the distinctive nature and constitutive elements of science literacy and (2) investigating classroom practices or necessary conditions that enable students to acquire this disciplinary capacity. This raises the question of the extent to…

Large space structures testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waites, Henry; Worley, H. Eugene

1987-01-01

There is considerable interest in the development of testing concepts and facilities that accurately simulate the pathologies believed to exist in future spacecraft. Both the Government and Industry have participated in the development of facilities over the past several years. The progress and problems associated with the development of the Large Space Structure Test Facility at the Marshall Flight Center are presented. This facility was in existence for a number of years and its utilization has run the gamut from total in-house involvement, third party contractor testing, to the mutual participation of other goverment agencies in joint endeavors.

Management of Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

PubMed

Lindhardsen, Jesper; Kristensen, Søren Lund; Ahlehoff, Ole

2016-02-01

An increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been observed in a range of chronic inflammatory diseases (CID), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The increased risk of CVDs and reduced life expectancy in these conditions has stimulated considerable research and started an ongoing discussion on the need for a multidisciplinary approach and dedicated guidelines on CVD prevention in these patients. In addition, the possibility of inhibiting inflammation as a means to preventing CVD in these patients has gained considerable interest in recent years. We briefly summarize the current level of evidence of the association between CIDs and CVD and cardiovascular risk management recommendations. Perspectives of ongoing and planned trials are discussed in consideration of potential ways to improve primary and secondary CVD prevention in patients with CID.

Adoption consideration and concerns among young adult female cancer survivors.

PubMed

Gorman, Jessica R; Whitcomb, Brian W; Standridge, Daniel; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Romero, Sally A D; Roberts, Samantha A; Su, H Irene

2017-02-01

We compared adoption consideration between female young adult cancer survivors and women of the same age in the general US population, hypothesizing that cancer survivors who desired children would report greater interest in adoption than an age-adjusted general population sample who desired children. After age-standardizing the cancer survivor cohort to match the age distribution of the 2006-2010 National Survey for Family Growth (NSFG), we estimated adoption consideration among women age 18-35 years who wanted a (another) child in the two cohorts overall and within age groups. We assessed characteristics and concerns related to adoption consideration among cancer survivors. Among cancer survivors, 81.6 % (95 % CI 75.7-87.6) reported that they would consider adoption compared to 40.3 % (95 % CI 40.3-40.3) of women in the general population. While over 80 % of the cancer survivor sample reported that they would consider adoption, only 15 % of cancer survivors reported no concerns about adoption. The most common concerns were desire for a biological child (48 %), expense (45 %), adoption agency candidacy (41 %), and needing more information (39 %). We observed a twofold higher interest in adoption when comparing the cancer survivor with the general population, suggesting that adoption is a consideration for many young women who have survived cancer. Adoption is an important family-building option for those who want to have a child but are unable to or choose not to have a biological child. However, young adult survivors may need more support to understand and navigate this process.

Inferential stereomorphology of human brain lesions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gedye, John L.

1980-07-01

I very much appreciated the invitation to contribute a paper to this Symposium on Applications of Human Biostereometrics, as it provides a valuable opportunity for me to take a fresh look at a problemâ€""the cerebral localisation of psychological function"â€"in which I have been interested for many years. This interest grew out of considerations of the clinically important problem of how we should go about the task of relating the form of the changes in human behavior consequent upon damage to the human brain following, say, head injury, to the form of the changes in brain morphology which constitute that damage, and related issues.

Effect of sewage sledge and their bio-char on some soil qualities in Second year cropping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

fathi dokht, hamed; Movahedi Naeini, Seyed Alireza; Dordipor, Esmaeil; mirzanejad, moujan

2016-04-01

Bio char (BC) application as a soil amendment has achieved much interest and has been found that considerably improves soil nutrient status and crop yields on poor soils. However, information on the effect of BC on illitic soils in temperate climates is still insufficient. The primary objective in this study was to assess the influence of sewage sledge and their bio-char on the soil physical properties, nutrient status and plant production in Second year cropping. The result may also provide a reference for the use of biochars as a solution in agricultural waste management when sludge with considerable load of pathogens are involved. Soybean was already grown one year and will be repeated one more year with same treatments. The investigated soil properties included soil water content and mechanical resistance, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium- acetate-lactate (CAL)-extractable P (PCAL) and K (KCAL), C, N, and nitrogen-supplying potential (NSP). The results show soil water content, potassium uptake and plant yield were increased. Heating sludge removed all pathogens and soybean yield was increased by 7%.

Mapping Creativity in the Hungarian National Core Curriculum: A Content Analysis of the Overall Statements of Intent, Curricular Areas and Education Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bereczki, Eniko Orsolya

2016-01-01

In the past 20 years, creativity has increasingly been recognised as an important aspect of young people's education around the world. The global interest in creativity is fuelled by various economic and social considerations. One concern of the approach to creativity in education is the curriculum. The research reported in this paper aimed at…

Grubbing by wild boars (Sus scrufa L.) and its impact on hardwood forest soil carbon dioxide emissions in Switzerland

Treesearch

Anita Risch; Sven Wirthner; Matt Busse; Deborah Page-Dumroese

2010-01-01

Interest in soil C storage and release has increased in recent years. In addition to factors such as climate/land-use change, vertebrate animals can have a considerable impact on soil CO2 emissions. To date, most research has considered herbivores, while the impact of omnivorous animals has rarely been investigated. Our goal was to determine how...

Integrating Game-Based Learning Initiative: Increasing the Usage of Game-Based Learning within K-12 Classrooms through Professional Learning Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denham, André R.; Mayben, Robert; Boman, Terri

2016-01-01

In the past 15 to 20 years there has been an increased interest in the use of games for learning. A considerable amount of work has already been done by educational researchers and theorists (Gee, Squire, Malone, Lepper, Shaffer, etc.) to identify and to operationalize the native affordances of games that make them good for learning. Unfortunately…

Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 1900-1901: Part I - Director's report and a paper on asphalt and bituminous rock deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walcott, Charles D.

1902-01-01

The work of the Geological Survey during the fiscal year 1900-01 was mainly a continuation of that of previous years, described in former reports. The organization was changed somewhat (see p. 48), but in a general way similar results were reached, which added materially to the sum of geologic and geographic knowledge. The detailed record of accomplishment, both in field and in office, will be found on later pages, under the heading " Work of the year" (p. 53). In this introduction some subjects of special interest will receive consideration.

76 FR 78591 - Corporate Reorganizations; Guidance on the Measurement of Continuity of Interest

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-19

... determining whether the target shareholders are fully subject to market appreciation and depreciation, certain... circumstances under which the consideration to be exchanged for the proprietary interests in the target... binding contract provides for fixed consideration, the target corporation shareholders can generally be...

Examining the Beliefs and Practices of Four Effective Australian Primary Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzgerald, Angela; Dawson, Vaille; Hackling, Mark

2013-06-01

With trends across many countries still indicating the decline of student interest in school science and diminishing numbers of students studying science beyond the compulsory years, it seems that the field remains in crisis. To address these unfortunate trends, there needs to be a greater emphasis on science education research that highlights the good news stories. For example, what are science teachers actually doing in their classrooms to increase student interest and understanding in science? This article focuses on the science teaching beliefs and practices of four Western Australian primary school teachers. The teachers were nominated by a professional colleague as effective practitioners. The study involved gathering information from classroom observations and teacher interviews to provide background information to assist in developing understandings of these teachers and their science teaching. This article reports on the initial findings drawn from Deanne A, Kate B, Lisa C and Rebecca D. Their practices were organised into the following six categories: classroom environment; conceptual knowledge and procedural skills; teaching strategies and approaches; student-specific considerations; teacher-specific considerations; and context-specific considerations. In examining the components contributing to these categories, it was evident that the teachers' beliefs, as well as the contextual factors inherent in each classroom environment, influenced how and why they teach science in the ways they do.

Interest in Integrative Medicine Among Postmenopausal Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer Patients in the EvAluate-TM Study

PubMed Central

Hack, Carolin C.; Fasching, Peter A.; Fehm, Tanja; de Waal, Johann; Rezai, Mahdi; Baier, Bernd; Baake, Gerold; Kolberg, Hans-Christian; Guggenberger, Martin; Warm, Mathias; Harbeck, Nadia; Wuerstlein, Rachel; Deuker, Jörg-Uwe; Dall, Peter; Richter, Barbara; Wachsmann, Grischa; Brucker, Cosima; Siebers, Jan W.; Fersis, Nikos; Kuhn, Thomas; Wolf, Christopher; Vollert, Hans-Walter; Breitbach, Georg-Peter; Janni, Wolfgang; Landthaler, Robert; Kohls, Andreas; Rezek, Daniela; Noesslet, Thomas; Fischer, Gunnar; Henschen, Stefan; Praetz, Thomas; Heyl, Volker; Kühn, Thorsten; Krauss, Thomas; Thomssen, Christoph; Hohn, Andre; Tesch, Hans; Mundhenke, Christoph; Hein, Alexander; Rauh, Claudia; Bayer, Christian M.; Jacob, Adib; Schmidt, Katja; Belleville, Erik; Hadji, Peyman; Brucker, Sara Y.; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Kümmel, Sherko; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Paepke, Daniela

2016-01-01

Background. Breast cancer patients often use complementary and alternative medicine, but few prospectively collected data on the topic are available specifically for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. A large prospective study was therefore conducted within a noninterventional study in order to identify the characteristics of patients interested in integrative medicine. Methods. The EvAluate-TM study is a prospective, multicenter noninterventional study in which treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole was evaluated in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive primary breast cancer. Between 2008 and 2009, 5045 postmenopausal patients were enrolled at 339 certified breast centers in Germany. As part of the data collection process, patients were asked at the baseline about their interest in and information needs relating to integrative medicine. Results. Of the 5045 patients recruited, 3411 responded to the questionnaire on integrative medicine and took part in the analysis, 1583 patients expressed an interest in integrative medicine, and 1828 patients declared no interest. Relevant predictors of interest in integrative medicine were age, body mass index, tumor size, previous chemotherapy, and use of concomitant medications for other medical conditions. Interest in integrative medicine declined highly significantly (P < .001) with age (<50 years, 74.1%; 50-60 years, 54.1%; >65 years, 38.0%). Patients in favor of integrative medicine were significantly less satisfied with the information received about individual treatments and antihormonal therapy. Patients with interest in integrative medicine were more often interested in rehabilitation and fitness, nutritional counseling, and additional support from self-help organizations. These women were mostly interested in receiving information about their disease and integrative medicine from a physician, rather than from other sources. Conclusions. This study shows that a considerable proportion of postmenopausal breast cancer patients are interested in integrative medicine. Information about integrative medicine should therefore be provided as part of patient care for this group. It was found that receiving concomitant medication for other medical conditions is one of the main predictors for women not being interested in integrative medicine. This group of patients may need special attention and individualized information about integrative medicine. Additionally, most patients were interested in obtaining the relevant information from their doctor. PMID:27627986

Interest in Integrative Medicine Among Postmenopausal Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Patients in the EvAluate-TM Study.

PubMed

Hack, Carolin C; Fasching, Peter A; Fehm, Tanja; de Waal, Johann; Rezai, Mahdi; Baier, Bernd; Baake, Gerold; Kolberg, Hans-Christian; Guggenberger, Martin; Warm, Mathias; Harbeck, Nadia; Wuerstlein, Rachel; Deuker, Jörg-Uwe; Dall, Peter; Richter, Barbara; Wachsmann, Grischa; Brucker, Cosima; Siebers, Jan W; Fersis, Nikos; Kuhn, Thomas; Wolf, Christopher; Vollert, Hans-Walter; Breitbach, Georg-Peter; Janni, Wolfgang; Landthaler, Robert; Kohls, Andreas; Rezek, Daniela; Noesslet, Thomas; Fischer, Gunnar; Henschen, Stefan; Praetz, Thomas; Heyl, Volker; Kühn, Thorsten; Krauss, Thomas; Thomssen, Christoph; Hohn, Andre; Tesch, Hans; Mundhenke, Christoph; Hein, Alexander; Rauh, Claudia; Bayer, Christian M; Jacob, Adib; Schmidt, Katja; Belleville, Erik; Hadji, Peyman; Brucker, Sara Y; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Kümmel, Sherko; Beckmann, Matthias W; Paepke, Daniela

2017-06-01

Breast cancer patients often use complementary and alternative medicine, but few prospectively collected data on the topic are available specifically for postmenopausal breast cancer patients. A large prospective study was therefore conducted within a noninterventional study in order to identify the characteristics of patients interested in integrative medicine. The EvAluate-TM study is a prospective, multicenter noninterventional study in which treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole was evaluated in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive primary breast cancer. Between 2008 and 2009, 5045 postmenopausal patients were enrolled at 339 certified breast centers in Germany. As part of the data collection process, patients were asked at the baseline about their interest in and information needs relating to integrative medicine. Of the 5045 patients recruited, 3411 responded to the questionnaire on integrative medicine and took part in the analysis, 1583 patients expressed an interest in integrative medicine, and 1828 patients declared no interest. Relevant predictors of interest in integrative medicine were age, body mass index, tumor size, previous chemotherapy, and use of concomitant medications for other medical conditions. Interest in integrative medicine declined highly significantly ( P < .001) with age (<50 years, 74.1%; 50-60 years, 54.1%; >65 years, 38.0%). Patients in favor of integrative medicine were significantly less satisfied with the information received about individual treatments and antihormonal therapy. Patients with interest in integrative medicine were more often interested in rehabilitation and fitness, nutritional counseling, and additional support from self-help organizations. These women were mostly interested in receiving information about their disease and integrative medicine from a physician, rather than from other sources. This study shows that a considerable proportion of postmenopausal breast cancer patients are interested in integrative medicine. Information about integrative medicine should therefore be provided as part of patient care for this group. It was found that receiving concomitant medication for other medical conditions is one of the main predictors for women not being interested in integrative medicine. This group of patients may need special attention and individualized information about integrative medicine. Additionally, most patients were interested in obtaining the relevant information from their doctor.

Primary care ... where?

PubMed

Adcock, G B

1999-07-01

Corporate-based nurse managed centers are not the national norm. More prevalent is the use of an occupational health or physician-directed medical model of care. The author describes how a 14-year-old primary care center at a North Carolina computer software company is just "business as usual" when viewed in the context of the company's philosophy, goals, and culture. Included are considerations for nurse practitioners interested in the successful transplantation of this primary care model to other settings.

NAROM - a national laboratory for space education and student rockets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Arne Hjalmar; Larsen, May Aimee; Østbø, Morten

2001-08-01

Despite a considerable growth in space related industry and scientific research over the past few decades, space related education has largely been neglected in our country. NAROM - the National Centre for Space Related Education - was formed last year to organize space related educational activities, to promote recruitment, to promote appreciation for the benefits of space activities, and to stimulate interest for science in general. This year, nine students from Narvik Engineering College have participated in the Hotel Payload Project (HPP) at Anøya Rocket Range. They have thus played an active and essential role in an ongoing engineering project.

NAROM- a national Laboratory for space education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Arne Hjalmar; Østbø, Morten

2002-07-01

Despite a considerable growth in space related industry and scientific research over the past few decades, space related education has largely been neglected in our country. NAROM - the National Centre for Space Related Education - was formed last year to organize space related educational activities, to promote recruitment, to promote appreciation for the benefits of space activities, and to stimulate interest for science in general. This year, nine students from Narvik Engineering College have participated in the Hotel Payload Project (HPP) at Andøya Rocket Range. They have thus played an active and essential role in an ongoing engineering project.

A Planet Detection Tutorial and Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoch, David; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Detection of extra-solar planets has been a very popular topic with the general public for years. Considerable media coverage of recent detections (currently at about 50) has only heightened the interest in the topic. School children are particularly interested in learning about recent astronomical discoveries. Scientists have the knowledge and responsibility to present this information in both an understandable and interesting format. Most classrooms and homes are now connected to the internet, which can be utilized to provide more than a traditional 'flat' presentation. An interactive software package on planet detection has been developed. The major topics include: "1996 - The Break Through Year In Planet Detection"; "What Determines If A Planet Is Habitable?"; "How Can We Find Other Planets (Search Methods)"; "All About the Kepler Mission: How To Find Terrestrial Planets"; and "A Planet Detection Simulator". Using the simulator, the student records simulated observations and then analyzes and interprets the data within the program. One can determine the orbit and planet size, the planet's temperature and surface gravity, and finally determine if the planet is habitable. Originally developed for the Macintosh, a web based browser version is being developed.

Concomitant morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in the same plaque at the site of intramuscular drug injection: an interesting case presentation.

PubMed

Arif, Tasleem; Adil, Mohammad; Amin, Syed Suhail; Mahtab, Alam

2018-06-01

Morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) are two diseases that show considerable clinical and histopathological similarity and have been known to coexist in the same patient. Whether the two conditions are different entities or part of the same spectrum has been a topic of debate. This article describes a very rare and interesting case of concomitant morphea and LSA in a 50-year-old female in the same plaque following intramuscular drug injection in the deltoid region of the right arm. The coexistence of morphea and LSA in the same lesion has rarely been reported, thus compelling us to report this case.

Photonic simulation of topological superconductor edge state and zero-energy mode at a vortex

PubMed Central

Tan, Wei; Chen, Liang; Ji, Xia; Lin, Hai-Qing

2014-01-01

Photonic simulations of quantum Hall edge states and topological insulators have inspired considerable interest in recent years. Interestingly, there are theoretical predictions for another type of topological states in topological superconductors, but debates over their experimental observations still remain. Here we investigate the photonic analogue of the px + ipy model of topological superconductor. Two essential characteristics of topological superconductor, particle-hole symmetry and px + ipy pairing potentials, are well emulated in photonic systems. Its topological features are presented by chiral edge state and zero-energy mode at a vortex. This work may fertilize the study of photonic topological states, and open up the possibility for emulating wave behaviors in superconductors. PMID:25488408

Cosmetic head and face surgery--ethnic considerations.

PubMed

Pierce, H E

1980-05-01

In recent years there has developed an "image awareness" among various racial and ethnic groups throughout the world. Perhaps because people live longer, a greater sense of self-esteem based on the way one looks has developed. The communications media are highly promotional of interest in one's self. People want to feel good and look good, even if it requires blepharoplasty, face-lift, rhinoplasty, dermabrasion, or other types of cosmetic surgery. It is interesting that persons born in one place, and for business or personal reasons transposed to another part of the world, soon desire to remold their physical and cultural images in accordance with the practices and customs of their new milieux. This paper addresses these problems.

Status of holographic interferometry at Wright Patterson Air Force Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seibert, George

1987-01-01

At Wright Patterson AFB, holographic interferometry has been used for nearly 15 years in a variety of supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnels. Specifically, holographic interferometry was used to study boundary layers, shock boundary layer interaction, and general flow diagnostics. Although a considerable amount of quantitative work was done, the difficulty of reducing data severely restricted this. In the future, it is of interest to use holographic interferometry in conjunction with laser Doppler velocimetry to do more complete diagnostics. Also, there is an interest to do particle field diagnostics in the combustion research facility. Finally, there are efforts in nondestructive testing where automated fringe readout and analysis would be extremely helpful.

Pregnancy with aortic dissection in Ehler-Danlos syndrome. Staged replacement of the total aorta (10-year follow-up).

PubMed

Babatasi, G; Massetti, M; Bhoyroo, S; Khayat, A

1997-10-01

Pregnancy complicated by aortic dissection in patients with hereditary disorder of connective tissue presents interesting considerations including management of caesarean section with the unexpected need for cardiac surgery in emergency. Generalizations can be made on management principles with long-term follow-up requiring an aggressive individualized approach by a multidisciplinary team. A 33-year-old parturient presenting an aortic dissection at 37 weeks gestation required prompt diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in combination with correct surgical therapy resulted in the survival of both the mother and infant. During the 10-year follow-up, multiple complex dissection required transverse aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aortic replacement.

Object-oriented knowledge representation for expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, Stephen L.

1991-01-01

Object oriented techniques have generated considerable interest in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) community in recent years. This paper discusses an approach for representing expert system knowledge using classes, objects, and message passing. The implementation is in version 4.3 of NASA's C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS), an expert system tool that does not provide direct support for object oriented design. The method uses programmer imposed conventions and keywords to structure facts, and rules to provide object oriented capabilities.

Russian olive - a suitable target for classical biological control in North America? In: Wu, Yun; Johnson, Tracy; Sing, Sharlene; Raghu, S.; Wheeler, Greg; Pratt, Paul; Warner, Keith; Center, Ted; Goolsby, John; Reardon, Richard, eds

Treesearch

K. Delaney; E. Espeland; A. Norton; S. Sing; K. Keever; J. L. Baker; M. Cristofaro; R. Jashenko; J. Gaskin; U. Schaffner

2013-01-01

Projects to develop biological control solutions against invasive plants are midto long-term endeavors that require considerable financial support over several years. Discussions of concerns and potential conflicts of interests often occur when biological control agents are first being proposed for release into the environment. Such late discussion, which in some cases...

Techniques used to study the DNA polymerase reaction pathway

PubMed Central

Joyce, Catherine M.

2009-01-01

Summary A minimal reaction pathway for DNA polymerases was established over 20 years ago using chemical quench methods. Since that time there has been considerable interest in noncovalent steps in the reaction pathway, conformational changes involving the polymerase or its DNA substrate that may play a role in substrate specificity. Fluorescence-based assays have been devised in order to study these conformational transitions and the results obtained have added new detail to the reaction pathway. PMID:19665596

Cumulative life damage in dermatology

PubMed Central

Ibler, Kristina; Jemec, Gregor B.E.

2011-01-01

Cumulative life damage is an old concept of considerable face validity, which has attracted more scientific interest in the fields of sociology and psychology than in medicine over the years. The research examines the interconnectivity of the many factors which shape the development of individuals or institutions over time. By focussing on time, context and process, life course research highlights the different effects seemingly similar events may have at different points in time and in different contexts. PMID:25386260

Sexual selection modulates genetic conflicts and patterns of genomic imprinting

PubMed Central

Faria, Gonçalo S.; Varela, Susana A. M.; Gardner, Andy

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in linking the theories of kin selection and sexual selection. In particular, there is a growing appreciation that kin selection, arising through demographic factors such as sex‐biased dispersal, may modulate sexual conflicts, including in the context of male–female arms races characterized by coevolutionary cycles. However, evolutionary conflicts of interest need not only occur between individuals, but may also occur within individuals, and sex‐specific demography is known to foment such intragenomic conflict in relation to social behavior. Whether and how this logic holds in the context of sexual conflict—and, in particular, in relation to coevolutionary cycles—remains obscure. We develop a kin‐selection model to investigate the interests of different genes involved in sexual and intragenomic conflict, and we show that consideration of these conflicting interests yields novel predictions concerning parent‐of‐origin specific patterns of gene expression and the detrimental effects of different classes of mutation and epimutation at loci underpinning sexually selected phenotypes. PMID:27991659

[Nutrition or industry. Experiences with nutritional considerations in the agricultural policy].

PubMed

Botten, G

1991-06-30

The need to export health considerations to various sector policies is regarded as important in health promotion. Health is generally a highly appreciated benefit; thus many sectors seek to use health as an argument for their policy. This article describes the relation between nutrition and agricultural policy in Norway. In areas where nutrition and agriculture had mutual interests, health considerations were easily exported. However, when interests diverged the issue became more complicated. Much effort was focused upon achieving correct use of nutritional arguments. Before negotiating and weighing respective viewpoints it is essential to clarify each sector's standpoint and interest. Conflicts and negotiations are linked to strategies which seek explicitly to integrate health premisses into sectors outside the health services itself.

The Impact Hazard in the Context of Other Natural Hazards and Predictive Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, C. R.

1998-09-01

The hazard due to impact of asteroids and comets has been recognized as analogous, in some ways, to other infrequent but consequential natural hazards (e.g. floods and earthquakes). Yet, until recently, astronomers and space agencies have felt no need to do what their colleagues and analogous agencies must do in order the assess, quantify, and communicate predictions to those with a practical interest in the predictions (e.g. public officials who must assess the threats, prepare for mitigation, etc.). Recent heightened public interest in the impact hazard, combined with increasing numbers of "near misses" (certain to increase as Spaceguard is implemented) requires that astronomers accept the responsibility to place their predictions and assessments in terms that may be appropriately considered. I will report on preliminary results of a multi-year GSA/NCAR study of "Prediction in the Earth Sciences: Use and Misuse in Policy Making" in which I have represented the impact hazard, while others have treated earthquakes, floods, weather, global climate change, nuclear waste disposal, acid rain, etc. The impact hazard presents an end-member example of a natural hazard, helping those dealing with more prosaic issues to learn from an extreme. On the other hand, I bring to the astronomical community some lessons long adopted in other cases: the need to understand the policy purposes of impact predictions, the need to assess potential societal impacts, the requirements to very carefully assess prediction uncertainties, considerations of potential public uses of the predictions, awareness of ethical considerations (e.g. conflicts of interest) that affect predictions and acceptance of predictions, awareness of appropriate means for publicly communicating predictions, and considerations of the international context (especially for a hazard that knows no national boundaries).

The making of a medical entomologist.

PubMed

Service, Mike W

2010-01-01

This article describes the childhood of Mike Service, his very early interest in insects, his time at Imperial College, London University, and his career in Nigeria studying the taxonomy and biology of anopheline malaria vectors. On his return to England he became increasingly interested in the ecology and population dynamics of hematophagous insects. After almost eight years undertaking only research, he joined the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where he was involved in lecturing as well as research and engaged in frequent overseas travel mainly to Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. On retirement he retains an active interest in medical entomology. Although he undertook a considerable amount of taxonomic work on mosquitoes, he believes his most important, and possibly influential, work was introducing ecological methods that were used by agricultural scientists to the study of mosquitoes. For example, the construction of life tables, calculating the percentage mortality of pre-adult mosquitoes, and the identification of predators by serological methods.

Explaining, not just predicting, drives interest in personal genomics.

PubMed

Meisel, Susanne F; Carere, Deanna Alexis; Wardle, Jane; Kalia, Sarah S; Moreno, Tanya A; Mountain, Joanna L; Roberts, J Scott; Green, Robert C

2015-01-01

There is a widespread assumption that risk prediction is the major driver of customer interest in personal genomic testing (PGT). However, some customers may also be motivated by finding out whether their existing diseases have a genetic etiology. We evaluated the impact of an existing medical diagnosis on customer interest in condition-specific results from PGT. Using a prospective online survey of PGT customers, we measured customer interest prior to receiving PGT results for 11 health conditions, and examined the association between interest and personal medical history of these conditions using logistic regression. We analyzed data from 1,538 PGT customers, mean age 48.7 years, 61 % women, 90 % White, and 47 % college educated. The proportion of customers who were 'very interested' in condition-specific PGT varied considerably, from 28 % for ulcerative colitis to 68% for heart disease. After adjusting for demographic and personal characteristics including family history, having a diagnosis of the condition itself was significantly associated with interest in genetic testing for risk of that condition, with odds ratios ranging from 2.07 (95 % CI 1.28-3.37) for diabetes to 19.99 (95 % CI 4.57-87.35) for multiple sclerosis. PGT customers are particularly interested in genetic markers for their existing medical conditions, suggesting that the value of genetic testing is not only predictive, but also explanatory.

Effect of sewage sledge and their bio-char on some soil qualities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathi, Hamed; Movahedi Naeini, Seyed Alireza; Mirzanejad, Mojan

2015-04-01

Bio char (BC) application as a soil amendment has achieved much interest and has been found that considerably improves soil nutrient status and crop yields on poor soils. However, information on the effect of BC on illitic soils in temperate climates is still insufficient. The primary objective in this study was to assess the influence of biochar on the soil physical properties, nutrient status and plant production. The result may also provide a reference for the use of biochars as a solution in agricultural waste management when sludge with considerable load of pathogens are involved. Soybean was already grown one year and will be repeated one more year with same treatments. The investigated soil properties included soil water content and mechanical resistance, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium- acetate-lactate (CAL)-extractable P (PCAL) and K (KCAL), C, N, and nitrogen-supplying potential (NSP). The results show soil water content, potassium uptake and plant yield were increased. Heating sludge removed all pathogens and soybean yield was increased by 6%.

Genetic testing for BRCA1: effects of a randomised study of knowledge provision on interest in testing and long term test uptake; implications for the NICE guidelines.

PubMed

Hall, Julia; Gray, Susan; A'Hern, Roger; Shanley, Susan; Watson, Maggie; Kash, Kathryn; Croyle, Robert; Eeles, Rosalind

2009-01-01

Interest in searching for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 is high. Knowledge regarding these genes and the advantages and limitations of genetic testing is limited. It is unknown whether increasing knowledge about breast cancer genetic testing alters interest in testing. Three hundred and seventy nine women (260 with a family history of breast cancer; 119 with breast cancer) from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust were randomised to receive or not receive written educational information on cancer genetics. A questionnaire was completed assessing interest in BRCA1 testing and knowledge on breast cancer genetics and screening. Actual uptake of BRCA1 testing is reported with a six year follow-up. Eighty nine percent of women at risk of breast cancer and 76% of women with breast cancer were interested in BRCA1 testing (P < 0.0001). Provision of educational information did not affect level of interest. Knowledge about breast cancer susceptibility genes was poor. According to the NICE guidelines regarding eligibility for BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing, the families of 66% of the at risk group and 13% of the women with breast cancer would be eligible for testing (probability of BRCA1 mutation >or=20%). Within six years of randomisation, genetic testing was actually undertaken on 12 women, only 10 of whom would now be eligible, on the NICE guidelines. There is strong interest in BRCA1 testing. Despite considerable ignorance of factors affecting the inheritance of breast cancer, education neither reduced nor increased interest to undergo testing. The NICE guidelines successfully triage those with a high breast cancer risk to be managed in cancer genetics clinics.

Producing and understanding prosocial actions in early childhood.

PubMed

Paulus, Markus; Moore, Chris

2012-01-01

Early prosocial development has become a topic of great interest in recent years as experimental studies have provided evidence that instances of prosocial action can already be found in the second year of life. In this contribution, we review the recent literature on young children's production of prosocial actions, in particular helping, sharing, and comforting, and their understanding of others' prosocial behavior. We summarize the novel insights gained by recent studies and point to directions for future studies. Overall, we suggest that while the field consists of considerable knowledge about the developmental timeline of prosocial behavior, more research is needed to examine and better understand underlying social-cognitive mechanisms.

Forum on Physics and Society Special Recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post-Zwicker, Andrew

2009-05-01

This year we wish to use the FPS awards session to recognize those individuals who have made special contributions to issues at the interface of physics and society. Twelve years ago, Al Saperstein became the editor of Physics and Society, with Jeff Marque as the news editor. The two have been functioning as co-editors for the past five years. They have conscientiously brought us all a newsletter that informs and challenges. Thanks to the tireless efforts of these two men, the FPS ``newsletter'' is in reality a high-quality quarterly journal that is always thought-provoking and sometimes controversial. The typical issue contains a number of substantive articles, stimulating commentary and letters, informative news and interesting book reviews. The editors have had to exert considerable effort to assemble such interesting material on a range of relevant topics, often laboring with little additional help - and without benefit of a peer review system - to fill out the newsletter. With their retirement, the FPS Executive Committee wishes to express our deep appreciation to each of them for their many years of tireless service. Each year, the Forum on Physics and Society has the privilege of nominating APS members that have made outstanding contributions to the rank of Fellow. This year, we will introduce our newly elected Fellows during this Forum on Physics and Society Awards session.

On ``Carrington, Schwabe, and the Gold Medal''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröder, Wilfried

2006-06-01

I note with interest the article by Cliver [2005] about the early solar investigations of Heinrich Schwabe and Richard Carrington and offer some further insights into Schwabe's work and its reception at the time. Schwabe commenced his observations in 1826 with a small telescope he had bought some years earlier. For more than 40 years, he observed the Sun and made meteorological notes. In his 1843 essay, he noted a sunspot cycle of about 10 years, but his result aroused little interest with contemporary astronomers. Research at the time was focused on the physics of the planets, the Moon, and other topics. Schwabe had published data in the well-known Astronomische Nachrichten, but not until Alexander von Humboldt republished it in his Kosmos, volume 3 (1851), did the data begin to be recognized and accepted by Schwabe's fellow scientists. Humboldt's Kosmos was a publication of considerable prestige, and it had a wide circulation among scientists and the educated public. Scwabe's work became familiar to other scientists including Carrington, Angelo Secchi, and Gustav Spörer and, as noted by Cliver, earned him the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Dual Task Automatic and Controlled Processing in Visual Search: Can It Be Done without Cost?

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-09

transmitted. The sequence of learning to read is similar ( LaBerge and Samuels, 1!i74). Motor skill acquisition also shows a complex buildup of . skill to...has received considerable interest in recent years ( LaBerge , 1973, 1975, 1976; Posner and Snyder, 1975; Norman, 1976; Shiffrin and Schneider, 1977... Laberge and Samuels (1974) report that for beginning readers to increase chunking, the demand for accuracy may have to be relaxed. In the present

Strategies for broadening public involvement in space developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Philip R.

1992-01-01

There is widespread public interest in and goodwill toward the space program. For NASA's plans for the next 25 years to be achieved, this public reservoir of support needs to be tapped and channeled. NASA endeavors have to reach out beyond the scientific, technological, and aerospace communities to foster wider participation in space exploration and exploitation. To broaden NASA support and spread out the financing of space activities, recommendations for consideration are offered in the area of economics, political, institutional, international, and managerial areas.

Polydopamine--a nature-inspired polymer coating for biomedical science.

PubMed

Lynge, Martin E; van der Westen, Rebecca; Postma, Almar; Städler, Brigitte

2011-12-01

Polymer coatings are of central importance for many biomedical applications. In the past few years, poly(dopamine) (PDA) has attracted considerable interest for various types of biomedical applications. This feature article outlines the basic chemistry and material science regarding PDA and discusses its successful application from coatings for interfacing with cells, to drug delivery and biosensing. Although many questions remain open, the primary aim of this feature article is to illustrate the advent of PDA on its way to become a popular polymer for bioengineering purposes.

Role of Chirality in Drugs… An Overview

PubMed

Alkadi, Hourieh; Jbeily, Rajwa

2017-03-29

Stereochemistry has been occupied a great role in manufacture and development of pharmaceuti-cals. Chiral properties play an important role in the determination of pharmacological actions of the drug. In recent years, there is a considerable interest in chiral separation to isolate and examine both enantiomers. This article provides an overview about the stereochemistry and its role in drugs, and also, offers approved isolation methods for enantiomeric pairs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

[Current topics on cancer biology and research strategies for anti-cancer traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Chen, Xiu-ping; Tang, Zheng-hai; Shi, Zhe; Lu, Jin-jian; Su, Huan-xing; Chen, Xin; Wang, Yi-tao

2015-09-01

Cancer, an abnormal cell proliferation resulted from multi-factors,has the highest morbidity and mortality among all the serious diseases. Considerable progress has been made in cancer biology in recent years. Tumor immunology, cancer stem cells (CSCs), autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have become hot topics of interests in this area. Detailed dissection of these biological processes will provide novel directions, targets, and strategies for the pharmacological evaluation, mechanism elucidation, and new drug development of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Anthropology and "crisis in medicine": The pathologist M. Kuczynski-Godard (1890-1967) and the indigenous peoples of Central Asia and Peru].

PubMed

Knipper, Michael

2009-01-01

This article examines the work of the German-Peruvian physician Max Kuczynski/Máxime Kuczynski-Godard (Berlin 1890-Lima 1967) in rural areas of Central Asia (1924-26) and Peru (1938-48). The main focus of the text is on the scientific approach behind the specific interest of this pathologist in disease and health issues among native populations. Kuczynski's theoretical considerations are analyzed in the context of the wide controversies within the German medical community around a "crisis in medicine" when he was professor at Berlin University during the interwar years. Accordingly, his determination to leave the laboratory and to shift research and healthcare practice closer to rural populations proves to be the expression of profound epistemological and ethical considerations.

Costs of vitamin D testing and prescribing among children in primary care.

PubMed

Basatemur, Emre; Hunter, Rachael; Horsfall, Laura; Sutcliffe, Alastair; Rait, Greta

2017-10-01

Vitamin D has attracted considerable interest in recent years, with a marked increase in diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency seen among children in clinical practice in the UK. The economic implications of this change in diagnostic behaviour have not been explored. We performed a cohort study to examine longitudinal trends in healthcare expenditure arising from vitamin D testing and prescribing for children in primary care in England, using the electronic healthcare records of 722,525 children aged 0-17 years held in The Health Improvement Network database. Combined costs of vitamin D tests and prescriptions increased from £1647 per 100,000 person-years in 2008 (95% CI, £934 to £3007) to £28,913 per 100,000 person-years in 2014 (95% CI, £26,361 to £31,739). The total cost of vitamin D prescriptions and tests for children in primary care at the national level in England in 2014 was estimated to be £4.31 million (95% CI, £2.96-£6.48 million). There has been a marked increase in healthcare expenditure on vitamin D tests and prescriptions for children in primary care over the past decade. Future research should explore the drivers for this change in diagnostic behaviour and the reasons prompting investigation of vitamin D status in clinical practice. What is Known: • Vitamin D deficiency has attracted considerable interest in recent years, with a marked increase in diagnosis seen in children. • The economic implications of this change in diagnostic behaviour have not been explored. What is New: • There has been a large increase in healthcare expenditure on vitamin D tests and prescriptions for children in primary care in England over the past decade (> 15 fold between 2008 and 2013). • Screening of vitamin D status in children without specific risk factors or clinical features of deficiency may represent avoidable healthcare expenditure.

Implications of Extended Solar Minima

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Mitzi L.; Davis, J. M.

2009-01-01

Since the discovery of periodicity in the solar cycle, the historical record of sunspot number has been carefully examined, attempting to make predictions about the next cycle. Much emphasis has been on predicting the maximum amplitude and length of the next cycle. Because current space-based and suborbital instruments are designed to study active phenomena, there is considerable interest in estimating the length and depth of the current minimum. We have developed criteria for the definition of a minimum and applied it to the historical sunspot record starting in 1749. In doing so, we find that 1) the current minimum is not yet unusually long and 2) there is no obvious way of predicting when, using our definition, the current minimum may end. However, by grouping the data into 22- year cycles there is an interesting pattern of extended minima that recurs every fourth or fifth 22-year cycle. A preliminary comparison of this pattern with other records, suggests the possibility of a correlation between extended minima and lower levels of solar irradiance.

The roles of family, culture, and social cognitive variables in the career interests and goals of Asian American college students.

PubMed

Hui, Kayi; Lent, Robert W

2018-01-01

Although family and cultural factors have been assumed to play important roles in the career development of Asian Americans, theory-driven research on this topic remains limited. We examined culturally relevant factors that may contribute to Asian Americans' consideration of fields in which they are overrepresented (e.g., science, technology, engineering) and underrepresented (e.g., education, social science). Drawing from social cognitive career theory, a culture-specific, social cognitive model of career interests and choice was tested in Holland's (1997) Investigative (I) and Social (S) themes. A sample of 802 Asian American undergraduates completed measures of family support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interest, and career choice consideration in relation to both Holland themes. Two indicators of acculturation/enculturation (adherence to Asian values and generation status in the United States) were also obtained. The model accounted for a substantial amount of variance in Asian American college students' career consideration in both themes. Family support and acculturation played varying roles, depending on the Holland theme. For example, family support was linked to career choice consideration both directly (in the S theme) and indirectly, via other predictors (in both themes). Contrary to expectations, the acculturation variables did not moderate the relation of family support or interest to career consideration in either theme. We discuss the implications of these findings for efforts to understand and facilitate the career development of Asian American college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Working group report on beam plasmas, electronic propulsion, and active experiments using beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, J. M.; Eastman, T.; Gabriel, S.; Hawkins, J.; Matossian, J.; Raitt, J.; Reeves, G.; Sasaki, S.; Szuszczewicz, E.; Winkler, J. R.

1986-01-01

The JPL Workshop addressed a number of plasma issues that bear on advanced spaceborne technology for the years 2000 and beyond. Primary interest was on the permanently manned space station with a focus on identifying environmentally related issues requiring early clarification by spaceborne plasma experimentation. The Beams Working Group focused on environmentally related threats that platform operations could have on the conduct and integrity of spaceborne beam experiments and vice versa. Considerations were to include particle beams and plumes. For purposes of definition it was agreed that the term particle beams described a directed flow of charged or neutral particles allowing single-particle trajectories to represent the characteristics of the beam and its propagation. On the other hand, the word plume was adopted to describe a multidimensional flow (or expansion) of a plasma or neutral gas cloud. Within the framework of these definitions, experiment categories included: (1) Neutral- and charged-particle beam propagation, with considerations extending to high powers and currents. (2) Evolution and dynamics of naturally occurring and man-made plasma and neutral gas clouds. In both categories, scientific interest focused on interactions with the ambient geoplasma and the evolution of particle densities, energy distribution functions, waves, and fields.

INCORPORATING WETLANDS IN WATER QUALITY TRADING: ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS (Journal Article)

EPA Science Inventory

Incorporating the use of wetlands as a technology to enhance water quality trading programs requires consideration of ecological, legal, and economic issues. We explore the case of encouraging the use of wetlands with a focus on the economic considerations. Interestingly, it is...

Climate Change and Morality: Students' perspectives on the individual and society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sternäng, Li; Lundholm, Cecilia

2011-05-01

There is a growing interest in addressing moral aspects in the research and education of socio-scientific issues. This paper investigates students' interpretations of climate change from a moral perspective. The students were 14 years old, studying at Green Schools in the Beijing area, China. The study was based on semi-structured group interviews and the data were analysed from an intentional perspective, which means that both cognitive and situational aspects were taken into consideration in the analysis. Previous research has revealed a close relation between morality and socio-scientific issues and also advocated the need for addressing ethical aspects in science education. However, empirical studies exploring the question of what students' moral reasoning might look like at the individual level have not yet generated enough attention. In this study this is the core focus of interest. The findings show that the students conceptualise the solutions to mitigating climate change in relation to two different stances. That is, they contextualise the problems and solutions by addressing the individual, where the individual is either 'myself' or 'someone else'. The different notions of the individual become crucial as the students' views and considerations for the environment, as well as society, change according to the different contexts. From a moral point of view, the students seem quite unaware of their varying consideration for others, the environment and society. The paper ends with a discussion of implications for practice and research.

Mathematics and academic diversity in Japan.

PubMed

Woodward, John; Ono, Yumiko

2004-01-01

Japanese education has been the subject of considerable research and educational commentary in the United States over the last 20 years. Since the early 1990s, there has been increased interest in Japanese methods for teaching mathematics, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study has accelerated American interest in Japanese methods. Observational studies, teacher and student surveys, and analyses of classroom videotapes have provided a rich picture of how the Japanese teach the whole class. However, little has been written about how academically low-achieving math students fare in Japanese schools. This article briefly summarizes Japanese methods for teaching mathematics and describes how the educational system addresses academic diversity. It concludes with a description of a method for teaching mathematics that some Japanese mathematics educators feel has promise for students with learning disabilities.

Gendered career considerations consolidate from the start of medical education.

PubMed

Alers, Margret; Verdonk, Petra; Bor, Hans; Hamberg, Katarina; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2014-09-13

To explore changes in specialty preferences and work-related topics during the theoretical phase of Dutch medical education and the role of gender. A cohort of medical students at Radboudumc, the Netherlands, was surveyed at start (N=612, 69.1% female) and after three years (N=519, 69.2% female), on specialty preferences, full-time or part-time work, motivational factors, and work-life issues. Chi square tests were performed to analyze gender-differences, and logistic regression to explore the influence of gender on considerations. A total of 214 female and 78 male students completed both surveys. After three years, the male students remained highly interested in surgery, but the female students increasingly preferred gynecology. These initial preferences were predictive. Four out of five male students versus three out of five female students continued to show a full-time preference. Women increasingly preferred part-time work. After three years, the combination of work, care, and patient contact motivated female students more, whereas salary remained more important to male students. Female students indicated that their future careers would influence their family life; male students assumed having a family would only affect their partners' careers. Against an international background of the feminization of medicine, our study shows that career considerations are reinforced early in medical studies. Women prefer to work fewer hours and anticipate care tasks more often. Students' preferences reflect Dutch cultural norms about working men and women. Therefore, guidance in choice-making much earlier in medical education can create opportunities.

Sexual selection modulates genetic conflicts and patterns of genomic imprinting.

PubMed

Faria, Gonçalo S; Varela, Susana A M; Gardner, Andy

2017-03-01

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in linking the theories of kin selection and sexual selection. In particular, there is a growing appreciation that kin selection, arising through demographic factors such as sex-biased dispersal, may modulate sexual conflicts, including in the context of male-female arms races characterized by coevolutionary cycles. However, evolutionary conflicts of interest need not only occur between individuals, but may also occur within individuals, and sex-specific demography is known to foment such intragenomic conflict in relation to social behavior. Whether and how this logic holds in the context of sexual conflict-and, in particular, in relation to coevolutionary cycles-remains obscure. We develop a kin-selection model to investigate the interests of different genes involved in sexual and intragenomic conflict, and we show that consideration of these conflicting interests yields novel predictions concerning parent-of-origin specific patterns of gene expression and the detrimental effects of different classes of mutation and epimutation at loci underpinning sexually selected phenotypes. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine: Myth or Reality of the 21th Century

PubMed Central

Stoltz, J.-F.; de Isla, N.; Li, Y. P.; Bensoussan, D.; Zhang, L.; Huselstein, C.; Chen, Y.; Decot, V.; Magdalou, J.; Li, N.; Reppel, L.; He, Y.

2015-01-01

Since the 1960s and the therapeutic use of hematopoietic stem cells of bone marrow origin, there has been an increasing interest in the study of undifferentiated progenitors that have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into various tissues. Stem cells (SC) with different potency can be isolated and characterised. Despite the promise of embryonic stem cells, in many cases, adult or even fetal stem cells provide a more interesting approach for clinical applications. It is undeniable that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or Wharton's Jelly are of potential interest for clinical applications in regenerative medicine because they are easily available without ethical problems for their uses. During the last 10 years, these multipotent cells have generated considerable interest and have particularly been shown to escape to allogeneic immune response and be capable of immunomodulatory activity. These properties may be of a great interest for regenerative medicine. Different clinical applications are under study (cardiac insufficiency, atherosclerosis, stroke, bone and cartilage deterioration, diabetes, urology, liver, ophthalmology, and organ's reconstruction). This review focuses mainly on tissue and organ regeneration using SC and in particular MSC. PMID:26300923

The influence of an elective introductory clinical research course on pharmacy student interest in pursuing research-based careers.

PubMed

Overholser, Brian R; Foster, David R; Henry, Joshua R; Plake, Kimberly S; Sowinski, Kevin M

2010-11-10

To assess the impact of an elective clinical research course on second- and third-year pharmacy students' knowledge of clinical research methods, training programs, career options, and interest in pursuing postgraduate training. A 2-credit hour elective course in clinical research was designed that included lectures, discussions, workshops, and in-class presentations related to study design and implementation, protocol synthesis, research evaluation, ethical and legal considerations, data analysis, and professional opportunities involving clinical research. Learner knowledge of these topics was assessed using several methods, including 3 assignments related to research protocol, ethical documentation, and presentation. A survey instrument designed to evaluate the effect the course had on pharmacy students' knowledge of clinical research methods and interest in pursuing postgraduate training in clinical research was administered. Students who completed the elective had a greater level of familiarity with research-related topics, training options, and career opportunities (p < 0.05) and a greater interest in pursuing a career in clinical research (p < 0.05) than did students in a matched control group. Taking a 2-credit hour elective course in clinical research increased pharmacy students' interest in pursuing a career in clinical research.

32 CFR 195.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... term Federal financial assistance includes: (1) Grants and loans of Federal funds, (2) The grant or... or any interest in such property without consideration or at a nominal consideration, or at a consideration which is reduced for the purpose of assisting the recipient, or in recognition of the public...

47 CFR 24.831 - Mutually exclusive applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... will be entitled to comparative consideration with one or more conflicting applications only if the Commission determines that such comparative consideration will serve the public interest. (d)-(j) [Reserved] ...

47 CFR 24.831 - Mutually exclusive applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... will be entitled to comparative consideration with one or more conflicting applications only if the Commission determines that such comparative consideration will serve the public interest. (d)-(j) [Reserved] ...

47 CFR 24.831 - Mutually exclusive applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... will be entitled to comparative consideration with one or more conflicting applications only if the Commission determines that such comparative consideration will serve the public interest. (d)-(j) [Reserved] ...

47 CFR 24.831 - Mutually exclusive applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... will be entitled to comparative consideration with one or more conflicting applications only if the Commission determines that such comparative consideration will serve the public interest. (d)-(j) [Reserved] ...

47 CFR 24.831 - Mutually exclusive applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... will be entitled to comparative consideration with one or more conflicting applications only if the Commission determines that such comparative consideration will serve the public interest. (d)-(j) [Reserved] ...

47 CFR 1.1319 - Consideration of the environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Consideration of the environmental impact... § 1.1319 Consideration of the environmental impact statements. (a) If the action is subject to a... environmental and non-environmental public interest factors. (2) Upon review of an initial decision, the...

Boundary Layer Theory. Part 1; Laminar Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlichting, H.

1949-01-01

The purpose of this presentation is to give you a survey of a field of aerodynamics which has for a number of years been attracting an ever growing interest. The subject is the theory of flows with friction, and, within that field, particularly the theory of friction layers, or boundary layers. As you know, a great many considerations of aerodynamics are based on the so-called ideal fluid, that is, the frictionless incompressible fluid. By neglect of compressibility and friction the extensive mathematical theory of the ideal fluid (potential theory) has been made possible.

Recent advances of ionic liquids and polymeric ionic liquids in capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography.

PubMed

Tang, Sheng; Liu, Shujuan; Guo, Yong; Liu, Xia; Jiang, Shengxiang

2014-08-29

Ionic liquids (ILs) and polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) with unique and fascinating properties have drawn considerable interest for their use in separation science, especially in chromatographic techniques. In this article, significant contributions of ILs and PILs in the improvement of capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography are described, and a specific overview of the most relevant examples of their applications in the last five years is also given. Accordingly, some general conclusions and future perspectives in these areas are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microalgae for economic applications: advantages and perspectives for bioethanol

DOE PAGES

Simas-Rodrigues, Cíntia; Villela, Helena D. M.; Martins, Aline P.; ...

2015-04-04

Renewable energy has attracted significant interest in recent years as a result of sustainability, environmental impact, and socio-economic considerations. Given existing technological knowledge and based on projections relating to biofuels derived from microalgae, microalgal feedstock is considered to be one of the most important renewable energy sources potentially available for industrial production. Finally and therefore, this paper examines microalgal bioethanol technology, which converts biomass from microalgae to fuel, the chemical processes involved, and possible ways of increasing the bioethanol yield, such as abiotic factors and genetic manipulation of fermenting organisms.

Purine derivatives with antituberculosis activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzdev, D. A.; Musiyak, V. V.; Levit, G. L.; Krasnov, V. P.; Charushin, V. N.

2018-06-01

The review summarizes the data published over the last 10–15 years concerning the key groups of purine derivatives with antituberculosis activity. The structures of purines containing heteroatoms (S, O, N), fragments of heterocycles, amino acids and peptides, in the 6-position, as well as of purine nucleosides are presented. The possible targets for the action of such compounds and structure–activity relationship are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the most active compounds, which are of considerable interest as a basis for the development of efficient antituberculosis drugs. The bibliography includes 99 references.

Simulation of traffic control signal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, P. J.; Concannon, P. A.; Ricci, R. C.

1974-01-01

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the development and testing of control strategies for networks of urban traffic signal systems by simulation. Simulation is an inexpensive and timely method for evaluating the effect of these traffic control strategies since traffic phenomena are too complex to be defined by analytical models and since a controlled experiment may be hazardous, expensive, and slow in producing meaningful results. This paper describes the application of an urban traffic corridor program, to evaluate the effectiveness of different traffic control strategies for the Massachusetts Avenue TOPICS Project.

Investor Outlook: Focus on Upcoming LCA2 Gene Therapy Phase III Results.

PubMed

Schimmer, Joshua; Breazzano, Steven

2015-09-01

Investor interest in gene therapy has increased substantially over the past few years, and the next major catalyst for the field is likely to be Spark Therapeutics's phase III trial for the treatment of visual impairment caused by RPE65 gene mutations (often referred to as Leber congenital amaurosis type 2, or LCA2, but may include other retinal disorders). Analysis of the approach from the basic genetics, underlying visual mechanisms, clinical data, and commercialization considerations helps frame investor expectations and the potential implications for the broader field.

Statistical manifestation of quantum correlations via disequilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennini, F.; Plastino, A.

2017-12-01

The statistical notion of disequilibrium (D) was introduced by López-Ruiz, Mancini, and Calbet (LMC) (1995) [1] more than 20 years ago. D measures the amount of ;correlational structure; of a system. We wish to use D to analyze one of the simplest types of quantum correlations, those present in gaseous systems due to symmetry considerations. To this end we extend the LMC formalism to the grand canonical environment and show that D displays distinctive behaviors for simple gases, that allow for interesting insights into their structural properties.

Modulation of the Kynurenine Pathway for the Potential Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courtney, Stephen; Scheel, Andreas

Modulation of tryptophan metabolism and in particular the kynurenine pathway is of considerable interest in the discovery of potential new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. A number of small molecule inhibitors of the kynurenine metabolic pathway enzymes have been identified over recent years; a summary of these and their utility has been reviewed in this chapter. In particular, inhibitors of kynurenine monooxygenase represent an opportunity to develop a therapy for Huntington's disease; progress in the optimization of small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme is also described.

(Lipo)polysaccharide interactions of antimicrobial peptides.

PubMed

Schmidtchen, Artur; Malmsten, Martin

2015-07-01

Due to rapidly increasing resistance development against conventional antibiotics, as well as problems associated with diseases either triggered or deteriorated by infection, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides have attracted considerable interest during the last few years. While there is an emerging understanding of the direct antimicrobial function of such peptides through bacterial membrane destabilization, the mechanisms of their anti-inflammatory function are less clear. We here summarize some recent results obtained from our own research on anti-inflammatory peptides, with focus on peptide-(lipo)polysaccharide interactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plant hormones and ecophysiology of conifers

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

Davies, W.J.

1995-07-01

Over the past 30 years, there have been very substantial fluctuations in the interests of plant scientists in the involvement of plant growth regulators in the control of physiology, growth, and development of plants. In the years following the identification of the five major classes of growth regulators and identification of other groups of compounds of somewhat more restricted interest, an enormous number of papers reported the effects of hormones applied externally to a very wide range of plants. During this period, it became very fashionable to compare effects of hormones with the effects of the environment on developmental andmore » physiological phenomena and to suggest a regulatory role for the hormone(s) in the processes under consideration. Ross et al. (1983) have published a very comprehensive survey of the effects of growth regulators applied externally to conifers, and even 10 years later, it is difficult to improve on what they have done. Nevertheless, in the light of recent changes in our understanding of how growth regulators may work, it is necessary to reexamine this field and ask what we really know about the involvement of growth regulators in the ecophysiology of conifers.« less

DNA Isolation of Microbial Contaminants in Aviation Turbine Fuel via Traditional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Direct PCR. Preliminary Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-01

fuel gauge malfunctions, fuel line and filter plugging, and corrosion. As a result, there is considerable interest in identifying microbial growth ...corrosion. As a result, there is considerable interest in identifying microbial growth and finding strategies to mitigate it. Previous research to... Rhodotorula sp. Yes Yes Trichosporium sp. Yes Trichoderma sp. (viride + others) Yes Yes 4 Table 2. Culturability Determined as a Percentage of

32 CFR 644.541 - Award of contract.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... auctioneers, are in a position to give other advice and assistance, and may authorize auction sales on behalf... auctioneers. Consideration should be given to auction sales when there is likely to be considerable interest...

Medical Student Interest in Flexible Residency Training Options.

PubMed

Piotrowski, Madison; Stulberg, Debra; Egan, Mari

2018-05-01

Medical residents continue to experience high rates of burnout during residency training even after implementation of the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour restrictions. The purpose of this study is to determine medical student interest in flexible residency training options. Researchers developed an 11-question survey for second through fourth-year medical students. The populations surveyed included medical students who were: (1) attending the 2015 American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference, the 2015 Family Medicine Midwest Conference, and (2) enrolled at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Drexel University College of Medicine, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The survey was completed by 789 medical students. Over half of medical students surveyed indicated that they would be interested in working part-time during some portion of their residency training (51%), and that access to part-time training options would increase their likelihood of applying to a particular residency program (52%). When given the option of three residency training schedules of varying lengths, 41% of male students and 60% of female students chose a 60-hour workweek, even when that meant extending the residency length by 33% and reducing their yearly salary to $39,000. There is considerable interest among medical students in access to part-time residency training options and reduced-hour residency programs. This level of interest indicates that offering flexible training options could be an effective recruitment tool for residency programs and could improve students' perception of their work-life balance during residency.

49 CFR Appendix F to Part 222 - Diagnostic Team Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Diagnostic Team Considerations F Appendix F to.... 222, App. F Appendix F to Part 222—Diagnostic Team Considerations For purposes of this part, a diagnostic team is a group of knowledgeable representatives of parties of interest in a highway-rail grade...

49 CFR Appendix F to Part 222 - Diagnostic Team Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Diagnostic Team Considerations F Appendix F to.... 222, App. F Appendix F to Part 222—Diagnostic Team Considerations For purposes of this part, a diagnostic team is a group of knowledgeable representatives of parties of interest in a highway-rail grade...

49 CFR Appendix F to Part 222 - Diagnostic Team Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Diagnostic Team Considerations F Appendix F to.... 222, App. F Appendix F to Part 222—Diagnostic Team Considerations For purposes of this part, a diagnostic team is a group of knowledgeable representatives of parties of interest in a highway-rail grade...

49 CFR Appendix F to Part 222 - Diagnostic Team Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Diagnostic Team Considerations F Appendix F to.... 222, App. F Appendix F to Part 222—Diagnostic Team Considerations For purposes of this part, a diagnostic team is a group of knowledgeable representatives of parties of interest in a highway-rail grade...

49 CFR Appendix F to Part 222 - Diagnostic Team Considerations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Diagnostic Team Considerations F Appendix F to.... 222, App. F Appendix F to Part 222—Diagnostic Team Considerations For purposes of this part, a diagnostic team is a group of knowledgeable representatives of parties of interest in a highway-rail grade...

Educational And Public Outreach Software On Planet Detection For The Macintosh (TM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koch, David; Brady, Victoria; Cannara, Rachel; Witteborn, Fred C. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

The possibility of extra-solar planets has been a very popular topic with the general public for years. Considerable media coverage of recent detections has only heightened the interest in the topic. School children are particularly interested in learning about space. Astronomers have the knowledge and responsibility to present this information in both an understandable and interesting format. Since most classrooms and homes are now equipped with computers this media can be utilized to provide more than a traditional "flat" presentation. An interactive "stack" has been developed using Hyperstudio (TM). The major topics include: "1996 - The Break Through Year In Planet Detection"; "What Determines If A Planet Is Habitable?"; "How Can We Find Other Planets (Search Methods)"; "All About the Kepler Mission: How To Find Earth-Sized Planets"; and "A Mission Simulator". Using the simulator, the student records simulated observations and then analyzes and interprets the data within the program stacks to determine the orbit and planet size, the planet's temperature and surface gravity, and finally determines if the planet is habitable. Additional related sections are also included. Many of the figures are animated to assist in comprehension of the material. A set of a dozen lesson plans for the middle school has also been drafted.

Romania before the International Year of Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosoia, Cătălin; Pica, Elisabeta Ana; Stavinschi, Magda

2008-09-01

100 years of astronomical research in Romania happen almost at 400 years after Galileo Galilei first looked at the sky with one of his instruments. However, there is a background that goes back in time further and makes specialists take into account that there is some kind of ``cosmic feeling'' throughout the Romanian culture. All contributes to a high level of public interest, be it students or general audience. In order to measure that we take into consideration the most important astronomical events organized at national level: Eclipse '99, Life in the Universe, Venus 2004, and EuroPlaNet. All experience gained at national level makes possible participation at international meetings and give a high impulse of rehabilitation of science journalism where CAP2007 is the most recent example. Our work takes into account also educational projects and what we have learnt for celebrating the upcoming International Year of Astronomy

A numerical approach to controller design for the ACES facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazier, W. Garth; Irwin, R. Dennis

1993-01-01

In recent years the employment of active control techniques for improving the performance of systems involving highly flexible structures has become a topic of considerable research interest. Most of these systems are quite complicated, using multiple actuators and sensors, and possessing high order models. The majority of analytical controller synthesis procedures capable of handling multivariable systems in a systematic way require considerable insight into the underlying mathematical theory to achieve a successful design. This insight is needed in selecting the proper weighting matrices or weighting functions to cast what is naturally a multiple constraint satisfaction problem into an unconstrained optimization problem. Although designers possessing considerable experience with these techniques have a feel for the proper choice of weights, others may spend a significant amount of time attempting to find an acceptable solution. Another disadvantage of such procedures is that the resulting controller has an order greater than or equal to that of the model used for the design. Of course, the order of these controllers can often be reduced, but again this requires a good understanding of the theory involved.

Assessment of Cognitive Communications Interest Areas for NASA Needs and Benefits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoblock, Eric J.; Madanayake, Arjuna

2017-01-01

This effort provides a survey and assessment of various cognitive communications interest areas, including node-to-node link optimization, intelligent routing/networking, and learning algorithms, and is conducted primarily from the perspective of NASA space communications needs and benefits. Areas of consideration include optimization methods, learning algorithms, and candidate implementations/technologies. Assessments of current research efforts are provided with mention of areas for further investment. Other considerations, such as antenna technologies and cognitive radio platforms, are briefly provided as well.

Choice of speciality amongst first-year medical students in the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Naidu, Edwin; Naidu, Jesse

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Trends in career choice amongst medical graduates have considerable implications for the percentage of the workforce available for training. Objective To investigate and review factors affecting career choice by undergraduate first-year medical students. Method This was a cross-sectional study using a closed-ended, semi-structured survey instrument. Two hundred and four questionnaires were administered to all first-year medical students at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in the first term of the 2012 academic session. Results The questionnaire was completed by 167 out of 204 students (81.8% response rate). Most of the respondents were South Africans (91%) and blacks (72%), with a higher proportion of women to men (2:1). The majority (86%) intended to undertake their postgraduate training in surgical specialties (53%), general surgery (50%) and cardiology (46%). Few were interested in an academic career in basic sciences (27.6%), either because they were not interested in research and/or teaching (48%), not clinically-orientated (20%), or found it to be an unattractive choice (12.3%). The top perceived career-related factors favouring choice of speciality were personal interest and benefits to patients as many (83%) respondents still viewed the medical profession as having a bright future in South Africa. Conclusions Our study highlighted the fact that self and patient interests were strong determinants of speciality choices by the students and the role of parents and practice in rural areas were considered least as potential influencing factors. This would appear to be a good indicator that the healthcare sector may be boosted in the future by doctors who are wholeheartedly committed to the service of the communities with the greatest disease burden.

Medical students' attitudes and wishes towards extending an educational general practice app to be suitable for practice: A cross-sectional survey from Leipzig, Germany.

PubMed

Sandholzer, Maximilian; Deutsch, Tobias; Frese, Thomas; Winter, Alfred

2016-06-01

In medical education and practice, smartphone apps are increasingly becoming popular. In general practice, apps could play an important future role in supporting medical education and practice. To explore medical students' perceptions regarding the potential of a general practice app for training and subsequent work as a physician. Cross-sectional survey among Leipzig fourth-year medical students who were provided with an app prototype for a mandatory general practice course. Response rate was 99.3% (n = 305/307); 59.0% were female and mean age was 24.5 years. Students certified that the app had a higher potential than textbooks in both education (57.4% vs. 18.0%) and practice (47.1% vs. 22.8%). Students' most desired possible app extensions when anticipating its use for subsequent work as a physician were looking up information for diagnostics, therapy and prediction (85.1%), access to electronic patient files (48.1%), communication and networking (44.3%), organization of medical training (42.9%) and online monitoring of patients (38.1%). Students experienced with medical smartphone apps were more interested in app extensions. Consideration to use the app to support the opening of their own practice was significantly associated with higher interest in accessing electronic patient files, networking with colleagues and telemedicine. Fourth year medical students from Leipzig see a high potential in smartphone apps for education and practice and are interested in further using the technology after undergraduate education.

Considerations in development of expert systems for real-time space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murugesan, S.

1988-01-01

Over the years, demand on space systems has increased tremendously and this trend will continue for the near future. Enhanced capabilities of space systems, however, can only be met with increased complexity and sophistication of onboard and ground systems. Artificial Intelligence and expert system techniques have great potential in space applications. Expert systems could facilitate autonomous decision making, improve in-orbit fault diagnosis and repair, enhance performance and reduce reliance on ground support. However, real-time expert systems, unlike conventional off-line consultative systems, have to satisfy certain special stringent requirements before they could be used for onboard space applications. Challenging and interesting new environments are faced while developing expert system space applications. This paper discusses the special characteristics, requirements and typical life cycle issues for onboard expert systems. Further, it also describes considerations in design, development, and implementation which are particularly important to real-time expert systems for space applications.

Senior academic physicians and retirement considerations.

PubMed

Moss, Arthur J; Greenberg, Henry; Dwyer, Edward M; Klein, Helmut; Ryan, Daniel; Francis, Charles; Marcus, Frank; Eberly, Shirley; Benhorin, Jesaia; Bodenheimer, Monty; Brown, Mary; Case, Robert; Gillespie, John; Goldstein, Robert; Haigney, Mark; Krone, Ronald; Lichstein, Edgar; Locati, Emanuela; Oakes, David; Thomsen, Poul Erik Bloch; Zareba, Wojciech

2013-01-01

An increasing number of academic senior physicians are approaching their potential retirement in good health with accumulated clinical and research experience that can be a valuable asset to an academic institution. Considering the need to let the next generation ascend to leadership roles, when and how should a medical career be brought to a close? We explore the roles for academic medical faculty as they move into their senior years and approach various retirement options. The individual and institutional considerations require a frank dialogue among the interested parties to optimize the benefits while minimizing the risks for both. In the United States there is no fixed age for retirement as there is in Europe, but European physicians are initiating changes. What is certain is that careful planning, innovative thinking, and the incorporation of new patterns of medical practice are all part of this complex transition and timing of senior academic physicians into retirement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the Stability of Astaxanthin by Microencapsulation in Calcium Alginate Beads.

PubMed

Lin, Shen-Fu; Chen, Ying-Chen; Chen, Ray-Neng; Chen, Ling-Chun; Ho, Hsiu-O; Tsung, Yu-Han; Sheu, Ming-Thau; Liu, Der-Zen

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in the biological functions of astaxanthin and its potential applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetics, food, and feed industries in recent years. However, the unstable structure of astaxanthin considerably limits its application. Therefore, this study reports the encapsulation of astaxanthin in calcium alginate beads using the extrusion method to improve its stability. This study also evaluates the stability of the encapsulated astaxanthin under different storage conditions. The evaluation of astaxanthin stability under various environmental factors reveals that temperature is the most influential environmental factor in astaxanthin degradation. Stability analysis shows that, regardless of the formulation used, the content of astaxanthin encapsulated in alginate beads remains above 90% of the original amount after 21 days of storage at 25°C. These results suggest that the proposed technique is a promising way to enhance the stability of other sensitive compounds.

Improving the Stability of Astaxanthin by Microencapsulation in Calcium Alginate Beads

PubMed Central

Lin, Shen-Fu; Chen, Ying-Chen; Chen, Ray-Neng; Chen, Ling-Chun; Ho, Hsiu-O; Tsung, Yu-Han; Sheu, Ming-Thau; Liu, Der-Zen

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in the biological functions of astaxanthin and its potential applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetics, food, and feed industries in recent years. However, the unstable structure of astaxanthin considerably limits its application. Therefore, this study reports the encapsulation of astaxanthin in calcium alginate beads using the extrusion method to improve its stability. This study also evaluates the stability of the encapsulated astaxanthin under different storage conditions. The evaluation of astaxanthin stability under various environmental factors reveals that temperature is the most influential environmental factor in astaxanthin degradation. Stability analysis shows that, regardless of the formulation used, the content of astaxanthin encapsulated in alginate beads remains above 90% of the original amount after 21 days of storage at 25°C. These results suggest that the proposed technique is a promising way to enhance the stability of other sensitive compounds. PMID:27093175

Distortions and disconnections: disrupted brain connectivity in autism.

PubMed

Wass, Sam

2011-02-01

The past few years have seen considerable interest in findings of abnormal brain connectivity in the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We review recent work from neuroimaging and other sources, and argue that there is considerable convergent evidence suggesting that connectivity is disrupted in ASD. We point to evidence both of local over-connectivity and of long-distance under-connectivity, and describe some non-uniformities in this picture, most notably that disruptions appear more severe in later-developing cortical regions. We conclude by discussing a number of extant questions. Firstly, we consider whether aberrant connectivity should be seen as part of the primary pathogenesis of autism, or whether disrupted connectivity in ASD emerges over time. Secondly, we consider how the patterns of disrupted connectivity found in ASD might relate to those being found in a range of other disorders. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential Use of Phenolic Acids as Anti-Candida Agents: A Review

PubMed Central

Teodoro, Guilherme R.; Ellepola, Kassapa; Seneviratne, Chaminda J.; Koga-Ito, Cristiane Y.

2015-01-01

There has been a sharp rise in the occurrence of Candida infections and associated mortality over the last few years, due to the growing body of immunocompromised population. Limited number of currently available antifungal agents, undesirable side effects and toxicity, as well as emergence of resistant strains pose a considerable clinical challenge for the treatment of candidiasis. Therefore, molecules that derived from natural sources exhibiting considerable antifungal properties are a promising source for the development of novel anti-candidal therapy. Phenolic compounds isolated from natural sources possess antifungal properties of interest. Particularly, phenolic acids have shown promising in vitro and in vivo activity against Candida species. However, studies on their mechanism of action alone or in synergism with known antifungals are still scarce. This review attempts to discuss the potential use, proposed mechanisms of action and limitations of the phenolic acids in anti-candidal therapy. PMID:26733965

The New Curriculum Standards for Astronomy in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schleigh, Sharon P.; Slater, Stephanie J.; Slater, Timothy F.; Stork, Debra J.

2015-12-01

There is widespread interest in constraining the wide range and vast domain of the possible topics one might teach about astronomy into a manageable framework. Although there is no mandated national curriculum in the United States, an analysis of the three recent national efforts to create an age-appropriate sequence of astronomy concepts to be taught in primary and secondary schools reveals a considerable lack of consensus of which concepts are most age-appropriate and which topics should be covered. The most recent standardization framework for US science education, the Next Generation Science Standards, suggests that most astronomy concepts should be taught only in the last years of one’s education; however, the framework has been met with considerable criticism. A comparison of astronomy learning frameworks in the United States, and a brief discussion of their criticisms, might provide international astronomy educators with comparison data in formulating recommendations in their own regions.

Identification of the skeletal remains of a murder victim by DNA analysis.

PubMed

Hagelberg, E; Gray, I C; Jeffreys, A J

1991-08-01

There is considerable anthropological and forensic interest in the possibility of DNA typing skeletal remains. Trace amounts of DNA can be recovered even from 5,500-year-old bones and multicopy human mitochondrial DNA sequences can frequently be amplified from such DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). But given the sensitivity of PCR, it is very difficult to exclude contaminating material. We now report the successful identification of the 8-year-old skeletal remains of a murder victim, by comparative typing of nuclear microsatellite markers in the remains and in the presumptive parents of the victim. This analysis establishes the authenticity of the bone DNA and the feasibility of bone DNA typing in forensic investigations.

26 CFR 25.2511-1 - Transfers in general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... for insufficient consideration. However, in the case of a transfer creating an interest in property... creating an interest in the person disclaiming made before January 1, 1977, where the law governing the... this section is applicable for transfers creating an interest to be disclaimed made on or after...

Space environmental effects observed on the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelman, Joel E.; Mason, James B.

1995-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Repair Mission of December, 1993, was first and foremost a mission to improve the performance of the observatory. But for a specialized segment of the aerospace industry, the primary interest is in the return to Earth of numerous pieces of the HST hardware, pieces which have been replaced, repaired, improved, or superseded. The returned hardware is of interest because of the information it potentially carries about the effects of exposure to the space environment for three and a half years. Like the LDEF retrieval mission four years ago, the HST repair mission is of interest to many engineering disciplines, including all of the disciplines represented by the LDEF Special Investigation Groups (SIG's). There is particular interest in the evaluation of specific materials and systems in the returned components. Some coated surfaces have been processed with materials which are newer and still in use by, or under consideration for, other spacecraft in a variety of stages of development. Several of the systems are being returned because a specific failure or anomaly has been observed and thus there is, at the outset, a specific investigative trail that needs to be followed. These systems are much more complex than those flown on LDEF and, in two instances, comprised state-of-the-art science instruments. Further, the parts used in these systems generally were characterized more rigorously prior to flight than were those in the LDEF systems, and thus post flight testing may yield more significant results.

Gendered career considerations consolidate from the start of medical education

PubMed Central

Alers, Margret; Verdonk, Petra; Bor, Hans; Hamberg, Katarina; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2014-01-01

Objectives: To explore changes in specialty preferences and work-related topics during the theoretical phase of Dutch medical education and the role of gender. Methods: A cohort of medical students at Radboudumc, the Netherlands, was surveyed at start (N=612, 69.1% female) and after three years (N=519, 69.2% female), on specialty preferences, full-time or part-time work, motivational factors, and work-life issues. Chi square tests were performed to analyze gender-differences, and logistic regression to explore the influence of gender on considerations. Results: A total of 214 female and 78 male students completed both surveys. After three years, the male students remained highly interested in surgery, but the female students increasingly preferred gynecology. These initial preferences were predictive. Four out of five male students versus three out of five female students continued to show a full-time preference. Women increasingly preferred part-time work. After three years, the combination of work, care, and patient contact motivated female students more, whereas salary remained more important to male students. Female students indicated that their future careers would influence their family life; male students assumed having a family would only affect their partners’ careers. Conclusions: Against an international background of the feminization of medicine, our study shows that career considerations are reinforced early in medical studies. Women prefer to work fewer hours and anticipate care tasks more often. Students’ preferences reflect Dutch cultural norms about working men and women. Therefore, guidance in choice-making much earlier in medical education can create opportunities. PMID:25341228

Respecting patient autonomy versus protecting the patient's health: a dilemma for healthcare providers.

PubMed

Badger, James M; Ladd, Rosalind Ekman; Adler, Paul

2009-01-01

A 74-year-old man with multiple chronic medical problems was hospitalized for respiratory distress. He experienced recurrent aspiration and required frequent suctioning and endotracheal intubation on several occasions. The patient was deemed competent and steadfastly refused feeding tube placement. The patient demanded that he be allowed to eat a normal diet despite being told that it could lead to his death. The patient wanted to go home, but there was no one there to care for him. Additionally, neither a nursing home nor hospice would accept him in his present condition. The case is especially interesting because of the symbolic value of food and the plight of the patient who has no alternative to hospitalization. The hospital staff experienced considerable stress at having to care for him. They were uncertain whether their obligation was to respect his autonomy and continue to provide food or to protect his health by avoiding aspiration, pneumonia, and possible death by denying him food. This ethical dilemma posed by the professionals' duty to do what is in the patient's best interest versus the patient's right to decide treatment serves as the focus for this case study. Ethical, legal, and healthcare practitioners' considerations are explored. The case study concludes with specific recommendations for treatment.

1958-2008: 50 years of youth fitness tests in the United States.

PubMed

Morrow, James R; Zhu, Weimo; Franks, B Don; Meredith, Marilu D; Spain, Christine

2009-03-01

The AAHPER Youth Fitness Test, the first U.S. national fitness test, was published 50 years ago. The seminal work of Krause and Hirschland influenced the fitness world and continues to do so today. Important youth fitness test initiatives in the last half century are summarized. Key elements leading to continued interest in youth fitness testing at the start of the 21st century include (a) concerns about children and youth fitness levels, (b) AAHPER(D)-led youth fitness battery development, (c) differentiation between performance-related and health-related fitness testing, (d) the numerous youth fitness tests developed, (e) collaborative discussions on development and adoption of a unified national youth fitness battery, (f) computerization of youth fitness test results, (g) differentiation between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation of student results, and (h) concern about youth fitness levels (again, but with a focus on health). We have come full circle on youth fitness interests. This article summarizes the key youth fitness tests in the second half of the 20th century and projects future considerations.

Cause for concern: the absence of consideration of public and ethical interest in British public policy

PubMed Central

Pattison, S; Evans, H M

2006-01-01

In the UK, many fundamentally important policy decisions that are likely to affect the relationship between citizens and care services are now made at the sublegislative level and without adequate ethical consideration and scrutiny. This is well exemplified in the proposed guidance on the disclosure of information on children. A recent consultation paper by the UK government on the subject proposes an approach that seeks a simple technical solution to a complex problem, emphasising control and surveillance. This reflects pressure to be seen to act. The document fails with regard to ethical reflection appropriate to the complexity of the issue, an appreciation of complex relationships of trust, and a proper sense of the richness and complexity of the public interest. Such policies would, if implemented, fundamentally change the relationships between citizens and their carers, and among carers and the law and the state. This and similar proposals require far more ethical scrutiny and consideration of the public interest in the widest sense. PMID:17145911

Ethical considerations in clinical research on herbal medicine for prevention of cardiovascular disease in the ageing.

PubMed

Koonrungsesomboon, Nut; Karbwang, Juntra

2016-10-15

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the ageing is a major public health problem worldwide. The nature of most CVD is subclinical with pathological processes that can span over years. Use of preventive measures could be an appropriate approach to prevailing over CVD in the ageing, and herbal medicine is one of the promising preventive approaches and is currently of interest among medical societies. In the evidence-based era, herbal medicine is, however, often underestimated and approached with skepticism, mainly due to the paucity of scientific evidence. Properly designed clinical trials on herbal medicine for prevention of CVD in a geriatric population are thus of importance and of clinical value. To review ethical issues and discuss considerations when such research is proposed. Four ethical issues, including the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent, are structured and extensively discussed in this article. Ethical core considerations of prevention research of CVD on herbal medicine involve particular attention on the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent. These issues and considerations are keys, although they must be adapted to an individual research setting in which a clinical study is proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Establishment and implementation of a psychiatry enrichment programme for medical students.

PubMed

Lyons, Zaza

2017-02-01

There has been a growing interest in psychiatry enrichment programmes such as summer schools and institutes for medical students in the last 10 years. Evaluation of enrichment programmes shows that they can be an effective method of increasing students' interest in psychiatry as a career. However, despite initial enthusiasm and motivation within an academic department, establishing a programme can be a daunting task. The aim of this paper is to provide a background of how to establish and implement a psychiatry summer school or institute. The steps that can be taken to establish and implement a psychiatry enrichment programme such as a summer school or institute are described and discussed. This includes how to structure a programme, content to include, costs and budget, programme promotion, selection of students and programme evaluation. Establishing an enrichment programme can provide academic departments of psychiatry with the opportunity to demonstrate excellence and innovation in teaching and positively promote psychiatry to students and other non-medical academics involved in medical education. For students interested in psychiatry, enrichment programmes have the potential to extend interest and knowledge beyond the curriculum and encourage serious consideration of psychiatry as a career.

77 FR 50628 - Review of Foreign Ownership Policies for Common Carrier and Aeronautical Radio Licensees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-22

... the licensee in a manner that best accommodates their financial considerations and business needs. 9... national security and law enforcement interests. 11. The First Report and Order defers consideration, to a...

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.4 Initial considerations. Air Force personnel will: (a... CATEX from environmental impact analysis (appendix B). (c) Make environmental documents, comments, and... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g...

Private sector risk-sharing agreements in the United States: trends, barriers, and prospects.

PubMed

Garrison, Louis P; Carlson, Josh J; Bajaj, Preeti S; Towse, Adrian; Neumann, Peter J; Sullivan, Sean D; Westrich, Kimberly; Dubois, Robert W

2015-09-01

Risk-sharing agreements (RSAs) between drug manufacturers and payers link coverage and reimbursement to real-world performance or utilization of medical products. These arrangements have garnered considerable attention in recent years. However, greater use outside the United States raises questions as to why their use has been limited in the US private sector, and whether their use might increase in the evolving US healthcare system. To understand current trends, success factors, and challenges in the use of RSAs, we conducted a review of RSAs, interviews, and a survey to understand key stakeholders' experiences and expectations for RSAs in the US private sector. Trends in the numbers of RSAs were assessed using a database of RSAs. We also conducted in-depth interviews with stakeholders from pharmaceutical companies, payer organizations, and industry experts in the United States and European Union. In addition, we administered an online survey with a broader audience to identify perceptions of the future of RSAs in the United States. Most manufacturers and payers expressed interest in RSAs and see potential value in their use. Due to numerous barriers associated with outcomes-based agreements, stakeholders were more optimistic about financial-based RSAs. In the US private sector, however, there remains considerable interest--improved data systems and shifting incentives (via health reform and accountable care organizations) may generate more action. In the US commercial payer markets, there is continued interest among some manufacturers and payers in outcomes-based RSAs. Despite continued discussion and activity, the number of new agreements is still small.

What clicks actually mean: Exploring digital news user practices.

PubMed

Kormelink, Tim Groot; Meijer, Irene Costera

2018-05-01

This article problematizes the relationship between clicks and audience interests. Clicking patterns are often seen as evidence that news users are mostly interested in junk news, leading to concerns about the state of journalism and the implications for society. Asking and observing how 56 users actually browse news and what clicking and not clicking mean to them, we identified 30 distinct considerations for (not) clicking and classified them into three categories: cognitive, affective and pragmatic. The results suggest, first, that interest is too crude a term to account for the variety of people's considerations for (not) clicking. Second, even if one aims for roughly estimating people's news interests, clicks are a flawed instrument because a lack of clicking does not measure people's lack of interest in news. Third, taking users' browsing patterns seriously could help bridge the gap between what people need as citizens and what they actually consume. Finally, we argue that all metrics should be critically assessed from a user perspective rather than taken at face value.

What clicks actually mean: Exploring digital news user practices

PubMed Central

Kormelink, Tim Groot; Meijer, Irene Costera

2017-01-01

This article problematizes the relationship between clicks and audience interests. Clicking patterns are often seen as evidence that news users are mostly interested in junk news, leading to concerns about the state of journalism and the implications for society. Asking and observing how 56 users actually browse news and what clicking and not clicking mean to them, we identified 30 distinct considerations for (not) clicking and classified them into three categories: cognitive, affective and pragmatic. The results suggest, first, that interest is too crude a term to account for the variety of people’s considerations for (not) clicking. Second, even if one aims for roughly estimating people’s news interests, clicks are a flawed instrument because a lack of clicking does not measure people’s lack of interest in news. Third, taking users’ browsing patterns seriously could help bridge the gap between what people need as citizens and what they actually consume. Finally, we argue that all metrics should be critically assessed from a user perspective rather than taken at face value. PMID:29782573

Best interests of adults who lack capacity part 2: key considerations.

PubMed

Griffith, Richard

Last month's article discussed the key concepts underpinning the notion of best interests. In this article the author discusses the requirements for determining the best interests of an adult who lacks capacity under the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its code of practice (Department for Constitutional Affairs 2007).

How Can We Enhance Girls' Interest in Scientific Topics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerger, Sylvie; Martin, Romain; Brunner, Martin

2011-01-01

Background: Girls are considerably less interested in scientific subjects than boys. One reason may be that scientific subjects are considered to be genuinely masculine. Thus, being interested in science may threaten the self-perception of girls as well as the femininity of their self-image. Aims: If scientific topics that are considered to be…

Structural and Dynamic Aspects of Interest Development: Theoretical Considerations from an Ontogenetic Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krapp, Andreas

2002-01-01

Presents a collection of theoretical concepts and models that can be used to describe and explore structural and dynamic aspects of interest development from an ontogenic research perspective. Outlines basic ideas of an educational-psychological conceptualization of interest that is based on a dynamic theory of personality. (SLD)

GraQL: A Query Language for High-Performance Attributed Graph Databases

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

Chavarría-Miranda, Daniel; Castellana, Vito G.; Morari, Alessandro

Graph databases have gained increasing interest in the last few years due to the emergence of data sources which are not easily analyzable in traditional relational models or for which a graph data model is the natural representation. In order to understand the design and implementation choices for an attributed graph database backend and query language, we have started to design our infrastructure for attributed graph databases. In this paper, we describe the design considerations of our in-memory attributed graph database system with a particular focus on the data definition and query language components.

Temperature Dependence of Photoluminescence in InGaAs/InP Strained MQW Heterostructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raisky, O. Y.; Wang, W. B.; Alfano, R. R.; Reynolds, C. L., Jr.; Swaminathan, V.

1996-01-01

Multiple quantum well (MQW) InGaAsP/InP heterostructure systems have been drawn considerable research interest in recent years due to its suitability for long wavelength optoelectronic devices. The performance of such devices is strongly affected by peculiarities of recombination processes in the quantum wells (QW). The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of barrier width on the radiative recombination of carriers. In our study, the photoluminescence spectra from InGaAsP/lnP MQW double heterostructures have been measured in the 77-290 K temperature range with different excitation intensities.

An overview of polymer ageing studies in the nuclear power industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnay, S. G.

2001-12-01

Polymeric components are widely used in nuclear power plants (NPPs) in equipment which is important to the safety of the plant. The degradation of such components is therefore of considerable interest to the industry and its regulatory bodies, generating a large number of studies worldwide. Some of these components need to remain functional over the full operational life of the plant, which may span up to 60 years. Predictive modelling of their behaviour is therefore of key importance. This paper outlines the main areas of research, particularly relating to the use of elastomeric seals and polymeric cable insulation in NPP.

Fluctuations in energy loss and their implications for dosimetry and radiobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baily, N. A.; Steigerwalt, J. E.

1972-01-01

Serious consideration of the physics of energy deposition indicates that a fundamental change in the interpretation of absorbed dose is required at least for considerations of effects in biological systems. In addition, theoretical approaches to radiobiology and microdosimetry seem to require statistical considerations incorporating frequency distributions of the magnitude of the event sizes within the volume of interest.

77 FR 29345 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-17

... of the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) and Acting Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters... earlier notice of the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of...

44 CFR 331.4 - Special consideration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS PRESERVATION OF THE MOBILIZATION BASE THROUGH THE PLACEMENT OF PROCUREMENT... sells a significant proportion of its production to the Government is generally depressed or has a... hearing of interested parties, will give consideration to appropriate measures applicable to the entire...

Early community-based family practice elective positively influences medical students' career considerations--a pre-post-comparison.

PubMed

Deutsch, Tobias; Hönigschmid, Petra; Frese, Thomas; Sandholzer, Hagen

2013-02-21

Demographic change and recruitment problems in family practice are increasingly threatening an adequate primary care workforce in many countries. Thus, it is important to attract young physicians to the field. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of an early community-based 28-h family practice elective with one-to-one mentoring on medical students' consideration of family practice as a career option, their interest in working office-based, and several perceptions with regard to specific aspects of a family physician's work. First- and second-year medical students completed questionnaires before and after a short community-based family practice elective, consisting of a preparatory course and a community-based practical experience with one-to-one mentoring by trained family physicians. We found a significantly higher rate of students favoring family practice as a career option after the elective (32.7% vs. 26.0%, p = 0.039). Furthermore, the ranking of family practice among other considered career options improved (p = 0.002). Considerations to work office-based in the future did not change significantly. Perceptions regarding a family physician's job changed positively with regard to the possibility of long-term doctor-patient relationships and treatment of complex disease patterns. The majority of the students described identification with the respective family physician tutor as a professional role model and an increased interest in the specialty. Our results indicate that a short community-based family practice elective early in medical education may positively influence medical students' considerations of a career in family practice. Furthermore, perceptions regarding the specialty with significant impact on its attractiveness may be positively adjusted. Further research is needed to evaluate the influence of different components of a family practice curriculum on the de facto career decisions of young physicians after graduation.

A comprehensive review of lossy mode resonance-based fiber optic sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Zhao, Wan-Ming

2018-01-01

This review paper presents the achievements and present developments in lossy mode resonances-based optical fiber sensors in different sensing field, such as physical, chemical and biological, and briefly look forward to its future development trend in the eyes of the author. Lossy mode resonances (LMR) is a relatively new physical optics phenomenon put forward in recent years. Fiber sensors utilizing LMR offered a new way to improve the sensing capability. LMR fiber sensors have diverse structures such as D-shaped, cladding-off, fiber tip, U-shaped and tapered fiber structures. Major applications of LMR sensors include refraction sensors and biosensors. LMR-based fiber sensors have attracted considerable research and development interest, because of their distinct advantages such as high sensitivity and label-free measurement. This kind of sensor is also of academic interest and many novel and great ideas are continuously developed.

Remediation of metal polluted soils by phytorremediation combined with biochar addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Méndez, Ana; Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge; Gómez-Limón, Dulce; César Arranz, Julio; Saa, Antonio; Gascó, Gabriel

2016-04-01

The main objective of this work is to optimize and quantify the treatment of metal polluted soils through phytoremediation techniques combined with the addition of biochar. Biochar is a carbon rich material obtained by thermal treatment of biomass in inert atmosphere. In recent years, it has been attracted considerable interest due to their positive effect after soil addition. The use of biochar also seems appropriate for the treatment of metal-contaminated soils decreasing their mobility. Biochar properties highly depend on the raw material composition and manufacturing conditions. This paper is based on the use of manure wastes, rich in nutrients and therefore interesting raw materials for biochar production, especially when combined with phytoremediation techniques since the biochar act as conditioner and slow release fertilizer. We are very grateful to Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain) for financial support under Project CGL2014-58322-R.

Non-canonical modulators of nuclear receptors.

PubMed

Tice, Colin M; Zheng, Ya-Jun

2016-09-01

Like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and protein kinases, nuclear receptors (NRs) are a rich source of pharmaceutical targets. Over 80 NR-targeting drugs have been approved for 18 NRs. The focus of drug discovery in NRs has hitherto been on identifying ligands that bind to the canonical ligand binding pockets of the C-terminal ligand binding domains (LBDs). Due to the development of drug resistance and selectivity concerns, there has been considerable interest in exploring other, non-canonical ligand binding sites. Unfortunately, the potencies of compounds binding at other sites have generally not been sufficient for clinical development. However, the situation has changed dramatically over the last 3years, as compounds with sufficient potency have been reported for several NR targets. Here we review recent developments in this area from a medicinal chemistry point of view in the hope of stimulating further interest in this area of research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced teleoperation: Technology innovations and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenker, Paul S.; Bejczy, Antal K.; Kim, Won S.

1994-01-01

The capability to remotely, robotically perform space assembly, inspection, servicing, and science functions would rapidly expand our presence in space, and the cost efficiency of being there. There is considerable interest in developing 'telerobotic' technologies, which also have comparably important terrestrial applications to health care, underwater salvage, nuclear waste remediation and other. Such tasks, both space and terrestrial, require both a robot and operator interface that is highly flexible and adaptive, i.e., capable of efficiently working in changing and often casually structured environments. One systems approach to this requirement is to augment traditional teleoperation with computer assists -- advanced teleoperation. We have spent a number of years pursuing this approach, and highlight some key technology developments and their potential commercial impact. This paper is an illustrative summary rather than self-contained presentation; for completeness, we include representative technical references to our work which will allow the reader to follow up items of particular interest.

Public understanding of genetics and Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Stockdale, A

1999-01-01

It is generally thought that public understanding of science is inadequate. The definitions of "the public," "understanding," and "science" all need careful consideration in this formulation, with a greater focus on who should understand what and for what purposes. Improved public understanding depends on experts being reflective about the limits of their own expertise and the different needs of the many potential consumers of genetic knowledge. Media coverage of genetic discoveries has been extensive in recent years, but this coverage is often not useful and may even be misleading to families at risk for genetic disease. The Internet provides an alternative source of information as well as an interactive forum, one that has been widely used by persons interested in Alzheimer disease (AD). Internet-based activities hold great promise for providing interested members of the public with useful information and facilitating more substantive dialogue among physicians, researches, and laypersons regarding the genetic aspects of AD.

[Disclosure of conflicts of interest in the Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie].

PubMed

Bergoets, M; Pieters, G

2009-01-01

Between March 2000 and December 2008 authors disclosed conflicts of interest in 9% of articles in the Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie. For the same period, in the articles dealing with pharmaceuticals, the percentage of articles containing disclosures of conflict of interest was considerably higher, namely 24%. The policy of the journal with regard to the disclosure of conflicts of interest has helped to promote transparency. Further efforts are needed to encourage authors to disclose conflicts of interest.

Automatic retinal interest evaluation system (ARIES).

PubMed

Yin, Fengshou; Wong, Damon Wing Kee; Yow, Ai Ping; Lee, Beng Hai; Quan, Ying; Zhang, Zhuo; Gopalakrishnan, Kavitha; Li, Ruoying; Liu, Jiang

2014-01-01

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of automatic computer-based systems for the detection of eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. However, in practice, retinal image quality is a big concern as automatic systems without consideration of degraded image quality will likely generate unreliable results. In this paper, an automatic retinal image quality assessment system (ARIES) is introduced to assess both image quality of the whole image and focal regions of interest. ARIES achieves 99.54% accuracy in distinguishing fundus images from other types of images through a retinal image identification step in a dataset of 35342 images. The system employs high level image quality measures (HIQM) to perform image quality assessment, and achieves areas under curve (AUCs) of 0.958 and 0.987 for whole image and optic disk region respectively in a testing dataset of 370 images. ARIES acts as a form of automatic quality control which ensures good quality images are used for processing, and can also be used to alert operators of poor quality images at the time of acquisition.

Hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil: analytical and phytochemical characterization of the unsaponifiable fraction.

PubMed

Montserrat-de la Paz, S; Marín-Aguilar, F; García-Giménez, M D; Fernández-Arche, M A

2014-02-05

Non-drug varieties of Cannabis sativa L., collectively namely as "hemp", have been an interesting source of food, fiber, and medicine for thousands of years. The ever-increasing demand for vegetables oils has made it essential to characterize additional vegetable oil through innovative uses of its components. The lipid profile showed that linoleic (55%), α-linolenic (16%), and oleic (11%) were the most abundant fatty acids. A yield (1.84-1.92%) of unsaponifiable matter was obtained, and the most interesting compounds were β-sitosterol (1905.00 ± 59.27 mg/kg of oil), campesterol (505.69 ± 32.04 mg/kg of oil), phytol (167.59 ± 1.81 mg/kg of oil), cycloartenol (90.55 ± 3.44 mg/kg of oil), and γ-tocopherol (73.38 ± 2.86 mg/100 g of oil). This study is an interesting contribution for C. sativa L. consideration as a source of bioactive compounds contributing to novel research applications for hemp seed oil in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic food, and other non-food industries.

Spacecraft Hybrid (Mixed-Actuator) Attitude Control Experiences on NASA Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennehy, Cornelius J.

2014-01-01

There is a heightened interest within NASA for the design, development, and flight implementation of mixed-actuator hybrid attitude control systems for science spacecraft that have less than three functional reaction wheel actuators. This interest is driven by a number of recent reaction wheel failures on aging, but what could be still scientifically productive, NASA spacecraft if a successful hybrid attitude control mode can be implemented. Over the years, hybrid (mixed-actuator) control has been employed for contingency attitude control purposes on several NASA science mission spacecraft. This paper provides a historical perspective of NASA's previous engineering work on spacecraft mixed-actuator hybrid control approaches. An update of the current situation will also be provided emphasizing why NASA is now so interested in hybrid control. The results of the NASA Spacecraft Hybrid Attitude Control Workshop, held in April of 2013, will be highlighted. In particular, the lessons learned captured from that workshop will be shared in this paper. An update on the most recent experiences with hybrid control on the Kepler spacecraft will also be provided. This paper will close with some future considerations for hybrid spacecraft control.

78 FR 41928 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-12

... the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

78 FR 48678 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-09

... the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

78 FR 75920 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-13

... the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

78 FR 34100 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-06

... the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

78 FR 31548 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be the subject... was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in a meeting...

78 FR 66005 - Notice of Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... of the Currency), Director Richard Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which... notice of the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the...

Consideration of the 15 Factors in the Metropolitan Planning Process

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

This synthesis will be of immediate interest to land luse and transportation : planning officials, with special interest to state, regional, and local planners : and administrators who must repond to the requirements of the Intermodal Surface : Trans...

Evaluating the Relationship between Teacher Credential Students' Ability to Read and Their Interest in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockerham, Barbara Jean

2013-01-01

Teacher enthusiasm for reading has considerable influence on students' reading interest and reading ability. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between reading ability and reading interest among adults who plan to become teachers. This study tested whether there is a relationship between reading ability as measured…

16 CFR 801.10 - Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to be acquired.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Value of voting securities, non-corporate... ACT OF 1976 COVERAGE RULES § 801.10 Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to... value of all consideration for such voting securities, non-corporate interests or assets to be acquired...

16 CFR 801.10 - Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to be acquired.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Value of voting securities, non-corporate... ACT OF 1976 COVERAGE RULES § 801.10 Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to... value of all consideration for such voting securities, non-corporate interests or assets to be acquired...

16 CFR 801.10 - Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to be acquired.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Value of voting securities, non-corporate... ACT OF 1976 COVERAGE RULES § 801.10 Value of voting securities, non-corporate interests and assets to... value of all consideration for such voting securities, non-corporate interests or assets to be acquired...

77 FR 68121 - Notice of Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

... Acting Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters..., Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), seconded by Director Thomas M. Hoenig (Appointive), concurred in by... earlier notice of the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of...

78 FR 56229 - Sunshine Act Meeting Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-12

..., Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), Director Thomas J. Curry (Comptroller of the Currency), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

78 FR 3895 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-17

..., Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), Director Thomas J. Curry (Comptroller of the Currency), and Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that Corporation business required its consideration of the matters which were to be... the meeting was practicable; that the public interest did not require consideration of the matters in...

Moral sensitivity, moral distress, and moral courage among baccalaureate Filipino nursing students.

PubMed

Escolar-Chua, Rowena L

2018-06-01

Moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage among healthcare professionals have been explored considerably in recent years. However, there is a paucity of studies exploring these topics among baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between and among moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage of undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. The research employed a descriptive-correlational design to explore the relationships between and among moral distress, moral sensitivity, and moral courage of undergraduate nursing students. Participants and research context: A total of 293 baccalaureate Filipino nursing students who have been exposed to various clinical areas participated in the study. Ethical considerations: Institutional review board approval was sought prior to the conduct of the study. Self-determination was assured and anonymity and confidentiality were guaranteed to all participants. Results indicate that a majority of the nursing students in the clinical areas encounter morally distressing situations that compromise quality patient care. However, despite the fact that they want to do what is in the best interest of their patients, their perception of being the inexperienced among the healthcare team drives the majority of them to ignore morally distressing situations to avoid conflict and confrontation. Another interesting finding is that 79.20% of the respondents hardly consider quitting the nursing profession even if they frequently encounter morally distressing situations. Analysis also shows associations between moral distress intensity and frequency ( r = 0.13, p < 0.05) and moral distress intensity and moral sensitivity ( r = 0.25, p < 0.05). The dimensions of moral courage are also related to both moral distress and moral sensitivity. Results of the study imply that moral distress is a reality among all healthcare professionals including nursing students and requires more consideration by nurse educators.

Genetic variation in domestic reindeer and wild caribou in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, M.; Renecker, L.; Pierson, Barbara J.; Patton, J.C.

1995-01-01

Reindeer were introduced into Alaska 100 years ago and have been maintained as semidomestic livestock. They have had contact with wild caribou herds, including deliberate cross-breeding and mixing in the wild. Reindeer have considerable potential as a domestic animal for meat or velvet antler production, and wild caribou are important to subsistence and sport hunters. Our objective was to quantify the genetic relationships of reindeer and caribou in Alaska. We identified allelic variation among five herds of wild caribou and three herds of reindeer with DNA sequencing and restriction enzymes for three loci: a DQA locus of the major histocompatibility complex (Rata-DQA1), k-casein and the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA. These loci are of interest because of their potential influence on domestic animal performance and the fitness of wild populations. There is considerable genetic variation in reindeer and caribou for all three loci, including five, three and six alleles for DQA, k-casein and D-loop respectively. Most alleles occur in both reindeer and caribou, which may be the result of recent common ancestry or genetic introgression in either direction. However, allele frequencies differ considerably between reindeer and caribou, which suggests that gene flow has been limited.

15 CFR 923.52 - Consideration of the national interest in facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Coordination, Public..., and managing the coastal zone, including the siting of facilities such as energy facilities which are... to or affect a state's coastal zone. (4) Describe the process for continued consideration of the...

15 CFR 923.52 - Consideration of the national interest in facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Coordination, Public..., and managing the coastal zone, including the siting of facilities such as energy facilities which are... to or affect a state's coastal zone. (4) Describe the process for continued consideration of the...

Interfacial contributions in lignocellulosic firber-reinforced polyurethane composites

Treesearch

Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott; John M. Nassar

2001-01-01

Whereas lignocellulosic fibers have received considerable attention as a reinforcing agent in thermoplastic composites, their applicability to reactive polymer systems remains of considerable interest. The hydroxyl-rich nature of natural lignocellulosic fibers suggests that they are particularly useful in thermsetting systems such as polyurethanes. To further this...

International variations in application of the best-interest standard across the age spectrum.

PubMed

Laventhal, N; Verhagen, A A E; Hansen, T W R; Dempsey, E; Davis, P G; Musante, G A; Wiles, A; Meadow, W; Janvier, A

2017-02-01

Ethically and legally, assertions that resuscitation is in a patient's best interest should be inversely correlated with willingness to forego intensive care (and accept comfort care) at the surrogate's request. Previous single country studies have demonstrated a relative devaluation of neonates when compared with other critically ill patients. In this international study, physicians in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway and the United States were presented with eight hypothetical vignettes of incompetent critically ill patients of different ages. They were asked to make assessments about best interest, respect for surrogate autonomy and to rank the patients in a triage scenario. In total, 2237 physicians responded (average response rate 61%). In all countries and scenarios, participants did not accept to withhold resuscitation if they estimated it was in the patient's best interest, except for scenarios involving neonates. Young children (other than neonates) were given high priority for resuscitation, regardless of existing disability. For neonates, surrogate autonomy outweighed assessment of best interest. In all countries, a 2-month-old-infant with meningitis and a multiply disabled 7-year old were resuscitated first in the triage scenario, with more variable ranking of the two neonates, which were ranked below patients with considerably worse prognosis. The value placed on the life of newborns is less than that expected according to predicted clinical outcomes and current legal and ethical theory relative to best interests. Value assessments on the basis of age, disability and prognosis appear to transcend culture, politics and religion in this domain.

Why are men interested in cosmetic surgery procedures? Examining the role of different forms of peer influence, social comparison, internalization, and body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Matera, Camilla; Nerini, Amanda; Stefanile, Cristina

2018-06-16

The present research examined the roles of different forms of peer influence, internalization, social comparison, and body dissatisfaction in men's interest in cosmetic surgery. Participants were 204 Italian men (M age  = 34.02, SD = 11.21). Regression analyses showed that appearance conversations with friends and peer attribution were associated with consideration of cosmetic surgery for social reasons, while teasing on muscularity (but not teasing on general body and shape) was linked to interest in cosmetic surgery for intrapersonal motives. Social comparison was significantly and positively associated with men's interest in cosmetic surgery, while internalization was not. Dissatisfaction with body fat was linked to men's consideration of cosmetic surgery for social motivations, while muscularity and height dissatisfaction did not emerge as significant correlates of cosmetic surgery attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors, such as peer influence, body fat dissatisfaction, and social comparison in men's interest in cosmetic procedures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Triterpenoids from Gymnema sylvestre and their pharmacological activities.

PubMed

Fabio, Giovanni Di; Romanucci, Valeria; De Marco, Anna; Zarrelli, Armando

2014-07-28

Because plants are estimated to produce over 200,000 metabolites, research into new natural substances that can be used in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and agro-industrial production of drugs, biopesticides and food additives has grown in recent years. The global market for plant-derived drugs over the last decade has been estimated to be approximately 30.69 billion USD. A relevant specific example of a plant that is very interesting for its numerous pharmacological properties, which include antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, and neuroprotective effects is Gymnema sylvestre, used as a medicinal plant in Asia for thousands of years. Its properties are attributed to triterpenoidic saponins. In light of the considerable interest generated in the chemistry and pharmacological properties of G. sylvestre triterpenes and their analogues, we have undertaken this review in an effort to summarise the available literature on these promising bioactive natural products. The review will detail studies on the isolation, chemistry and bioactivity of the triterpenoids, which are presented in the tables. In particular the triterpenoids oxidised at C-23; their isolation, distribution in different parts of the plant, and their NMR spectral data; their names and physico-chemical characterisation; and the biological properties associated with these compounds, with a focus on their potential chemotherapeutic applications.

Towards a magnetoresistive platform for neural signal recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, P. P.; Gervasoni, G.; Albisetti, E.; D'Ercoli, F.; Monticelli, M.; Moretti, D.; Forte, N.; Rocchi, A.; Ferrari, G.; Baldelli, P.; Sampietro, M.; Benfenati, F.; Bertacco, R.; Petti, D.

2017-05-01

A promising strategy to get deeper insight on brain functionalities relies on the investigation of neural activities at the cellular and sub-cellular level. In this framework, methods for recording neuron electrical activity have gained interest over the years. Main technological challenges are associated to finding highly sensitive detection schemes, providing considerable spatial and temporal resolution. Moreover, the possibility to perform non-invasive assays would constitute a noteworthy benefit. In this work, we present a magnetoresistive platform for the detection of the action potential propagation in neural cells. Such platform allows, in perspective, the in vitro recording of neural signals arising from single neurons, neural networks and brain slices.

Blast induced mild traumatic brain injury/concussion: A physical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucherov, Yan; Hubler, Graham K.; DePalma, Ralph G.

2012-11-01

Currently, a consensus exists that low intensity non-impact blast wave exposure leads to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Considerable interest in this "invisible injury" has developed in the past few years but a disconnect remains between the biomedical outcomes and possible physical mechanisms causing mTBI. Here, we show that a shock wave travelling through the brain excites a phonon continuum that decays into specific acoustic waves with intensity exceeding brain tissue strength. Damage may occur within the period of the phonon wave, measured in tens to hundreds of nanometers, which makes the damage difficult to detect using conventional modalities.

Numerical Modeling of Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine Gasdynamics and Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, C. I.

2003-01-01

Pulse detonation engines (PDB) have generated considerable research interest in recent years as a chemical propulsion system potentially offering improved performance and reduced complexity compared to conventional gas turbines and rocket engines. The detonative mode of combustion employed by these devices offers a theoretical thermodynamic advantage over the constant-pressure deflagrative combustion mode used in conventional engines. However, the unsteady blowdown process intrinsic to all pulse detonation devices has made realistic estimates of the actual propulsive performance of PDES problematic. The recent review article by Kailasanath highlights some of the progress that has been made in comparing the available experimental measurements with analytical and numerical models.

An application review of dielectric electroactive polymer actuators in acoustics and vibration control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhenghong; Shuai, Changgeng; Gao, Yan; Rustighi, Emiliano; Xuan, Yuan

2016-09-01

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in the dielectric electroactive polymers (DEAPs) and their potential in actuator applications due to the large strain capabilities. This paper starts with an overview of some configurations of the DEAP actuators and follows with an in-depth literature and technical review of recent advances in the field with special considerations given to aspects pertaining to acoustics and vibration control. Significant research has shown that these smart actuators are promising replacement for many conventional actuators. The paper has been written with reference to a large number of published papers listed in the reference section.

Dielectric spectroscopy on organic charge-transfer salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunkenheimer, P.; Loidl, A.

2015-09-01

This topical review provides an overview of the dielectric properties of a variety of organic charge-transfer salts, based on both, data reported in literature and our own experimental results. Moreover, we discuss in detail the different processes that can contribute to the dielectric response of these materials. We concentrate on the family of the 1D (TMTTF)2 X systems and the 2D BEDT-TTF-based charge-transfer salts, which in recent years have attracted considerable interest due to their often intriguing dielectric properties. We will mainly focus on the occurrence of electronic ferroelectricity in these systems, which also includes examples of multiferroicity.

Dielectric spectroscopy on organic charge-transfer salts.

PubMed

Lunkenheimer, P; Loidl, A

2015-09-23

This topical review provides an overview of the dielectric properties of a variety of organic charge-transfer salts, based on both, data reported in literature and our own experimental results. Moreover, we discuss in detail the different processes that can contribute to the dielectric response of these materials. We concentrate on the family of the 1D (TMTTF)2 X systems and the 2D BEDT-TTF-based charge-transfer salts, which in recent years have attracted considerable interest due to their often intriguing dielectric properties. We will mainly focus on the occurrence of electronic ferroelectricity in these systems, which also includes examples of multiferroicity.

Hyper-Spectral Synthesis of Active OB Stars Using GLaDoS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, N. R.; Townsend, R. H. D.

2016-11-01

In recent years there has been considerable interest in using graphics processing units (GPUs) to perform scientific computations that have traditionally been handled by central processing units (CPUs). However, there is one area where the scientific potential of GPUs has been overlooked - computer graphics, the task they were originally designed for. Here we introduce GLaDoS, a hyper-spectral code which leverages the graphics capabilities of GPUs to synthesize spatially and spectrally resolved images of complex stellar systems. We demonstrate how GLaDoS can be applied to calculate observables for various classes of stars including systems with inhomogenous surface temperatures and contact binaries.

Diagnosis, treatment and management of pruritus.

PubMed

Karim, Kelvin

Pruritus is a ubiquitous symptom with a wide range of presentations, often causing considerable distress for many individuals and resulting in reduced quality of life. In recent years there has been renewed interest and increased research activity in this previously neglected field. Although there is still much to be learnt about the mechanisms of pruritus, appropriate nursing interventions can be pivotal to the success of treatment. This article focuses primarily on the diagnosis, treatment and management of pruritus resulting from common dermatological causes. Key aspects of effective management of pruritus include individualized management and holistic assessment. The words 'pruritus' and 'itch' are used synonymously in this article.

Long term thermoelectric module testing system.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Jonathan; Hogan, Timothy

2009-10-01

Thermoelectric generators can be used for converting waste heat into electric power. Significant interest in developing new materials in recent years has led to the discovery of several promising thermoelectrics, however, there can be considerable challenges in developing the materials into working devices. Testing and feedback is needed at each step to gain valuable information for identification of difficulties, quality of the materials and modules, repeatability in fabrication, and longevity of the devices. This paper describes a long-term module testing system for monitoring the output power of a module over extended testing times. To evaluate the system, we have tested commercially available thermoelectric modules over a one month time period.

Tax subsidies for health insurance: costs and benefits.

PubMed

Gruber, J; Levitt, L

2000-01-01

The continued rise in the uninsured population has lead to considerable interest in tax-based policies to raise the level of insurance coverage. Using a detailed microsimulation model for evaluating these policies, we find that while tax subsidies could significantly increase insurance coverage, even very generous tax policies could not cover more than a sizable minority of the uninsured population. For example, a generous refundable credit that costs $13 billion per year would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by only four million persons. We also find that the efficiency of tax policies, in terms of the cost per newly insured, inevitably would fall as more of the uninsured were covered.

Stability and Control Properties of an Aeroelastic Fixed Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, Martin R.; Jenkins, Luther N.; Ifju, Peter

2001-01-01

Micro aerial vehicles have been the subject of considerable interest and development over the last several years. The majority of current vehicle concepts rely on rigid fixed wings or rotors. An alternate design based on an aeroelastic membrane wing concept has also been developed that has exhibited desired characteristics in flight test demonstrations and competition. This paper presents results from a wind tunnel investigation that sought to quantify stability and control properties for a family of vehicles using the aeroelastic design. The results indicate that the membrane wing does exhibit potential benefits that could be exploited to enhance the design of future flight vehicles.

Interfacial contributions in lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced polyurethane composites

Treesearch

Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott; John M. Nassar

2001-01-01

Whereas lignocellulosic fibers have received considerable attention as a rein- forcing agent in thermoplastic composites, their applicability to reactive polymer systems remains of considerable interest. The hydroxyl-rich nature of natural lignocellulosic fibers suggests that they are particularly useful in thermosetting systems such as polyurethanes. To further this...

Statistical considerations in the analysis of data from replicated bioassays

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Multiple-dose bioassay is generally the preferred method for characterizing virulence of insect pathogens. Linear regression of probit mortality on log dose enables estimation of LD50/LC50 and slope, the latter having substantial effect on LD90/95s (doses of considerable interest in pest management)...

Responding to and Supporting Students with Disabilities: Risk Management Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundquist, Anne; Shackelford, Allan

2011-01-01

Making the "right" risk management decisions involving students with significant psychological disabilities requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of the legal obligations and duties at issue. It also requires taking into consideration the best interests of these individual students. At the same time, decision makers must focus…

[Sir Geoffrey Keynes 1887-1982. Surgical pioneer, medical historian, humanist].

PubMed

Bergljung, Lars

2005-01-01

Sir Geoffrey Keynes (1887 - 1982), was a pioneer in the surgery of breast cancer and thymic deseases, n.b. in patients suffering from myastenia gravis. He strongly disapproved of the longstanding dogma of so called radical mastectomy in breast cancer, and advocated a more limited surgical approach, followed by radiation therapy. This was done more than fifty years before breastconserving surgery has become the therapy of choice and against considerable opposition from the surgical establishment of his days. He also became a pioneer in the surgical treatment of myastenia gravis by thymectomy, at a time when there was no real understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and when considerable controversy existed as to the importance or non importance of concomitant tumour formation in the thymus. Besides being a busy surgeon Sir Geoffrey was a medical historian, writing the biography of among others William Harvey, a bibliographer with a special interest in the poet and artist William Blake and a bibliophil with a large book collection of great value to medical history.

Can relocated wolves survive?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fritts, Steven H.; Paul, William J.; Mech, L. David

1985-01-01

Considerable interest has been expressed recently in establishing gray wolves (Canis lupus) into parts of their former range (Bailey 1978, Weaver 1978, Klinghammer 1979, Mech 1979, Henshaw 1982). However, the proper procedure for reintroductions is debatable (Klinghammer 1979). To date, wolf relocations have been conducted in Alaska, where 5 2-year-old captive-reared wolves were released into an area occupied by wolves, (Henshaw and Stephenson 1974, Henshaw et al. 1979) and in Michigan, where a pack 4 wolves was released in a relatively wolf-free area (Weise et al. 1975).Wolf reintroductions are expensive, controversial, and attract considerable public attention. The potential for success of an effort will greatly influence the willingness of agencies to attempt reintroductions.The 9 wolves released in Alaska and Michigan had a high rate of mortality, with humans being the major cause. The present study assessed the survival and behavior of relocated wolves. We hypothesized that relocated wolves, especially pups, would have poorer survival when moved outside a familiar territory.

Neutrino Factory Plans at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riche, J. A.

2002-10-01

The considerable interest raised by the discovery of neutrino oscillations and recent progress in studies of muon colliders has triggered interest in considering a neutrino factory at CERN. This paper explains the reference scenario, indicates the other possible choices and mentions the R&D that are foreseen.

Landowner interest in multifunctional agroforestry riparian buffers.

Treesearch

Katie Trozzo; John Munsell; James Chamberlain

2014-01-01

Adoption of temperate agroforestry practices generally remains limited despite considerable advances in basic science. This study builds on temperate agroforestry adoption research by empirically testing a statistical model of interest in native fruit and nut tree riparian buffers using technology and agroforestry adoption theory. Data...

32 CFR 176.35 - HUD's review of the application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... other existing housing, social service, community economic, or other development plans adopted by the... to the expressed interest and requests of representatives of the homeless, whether the application... communities in the vicinity of the installation. (2) Impact of notices of interest. Takes into consideration...

13 CFR 107.855 - Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... § 107.855 Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”). “Cost of Money” means the interest and other consideration that you receive from a Small Business. Subject to lower ceilings prescribed by local law, the Cost of Money to the Small Business must not exceed...

13 CFR 107.855 - Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... § 107.855 Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”). “Cost of Money” means the interest and other consideration that you receive from a Small Business. Subject to lower ceilings prescribed by local law, the Cost of Money to the Small Business must not exceed...

13 CFR 107.855 - Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... § 107.855 Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”). “Cost of Money” means the interest and other consideration that you receive from a Small Business. Subject to lower ceilings prescribed by local law, the Cost of Money to the Small Business must not exceed...

13 CFR 107.855 - Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... § 107.855 Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”). “Cost of Money” means the interest and other consideration that you receive from a Small Business. Subject to lower ceilings prescribed by local law, the Cost of Money to the Small Business must not exceed...

Interest in use of mHealth technology in HIV prevention and associated factors among high-risk drug users enrolled in methadone maintenance program.

PubMed

Shrestha, Roman; Karki, Pramila; Copenhaver, Michael

2017-09-01

The adoption of mobile technologies for health (mHealth) in healthcare has grown considerably in recent years, but systematic assessment of interest in the use of mHealth in HIV prevention efforts among people who use drugs (PWUD) is lacking. We therefore examined interest in use of mHealth technology in HIV prevention and associated individual-level factors among high-risk PWUD enrolled in methadone maintenance program. A total of 400 HIV-negative PWUD, who reported drug- and/or sex-related risk behaviors completed a standardized assessment using audio computer assisted self-interview (ACASI). Results revealed significant interest in using mHealth-based approaches for specific purposes, including: to receive medication reminders (72.3%), to receive information about HIV risk reduction (65.8%), and to assess HIV risk behaviors (76.5%). Multivariate analysis showed that interest in receiving medication reminders was associated with currently taking medication and being neurocognitively impaired, whereas interest in receiving HIV-risk reduction information was associated with being non-white, married, and perceiving the person was at high-risk for contracting HIV. Similarly, participants' interested in using mHealth for HIV risk behavior assessment was associated with having recently visited a healthcare provider and exhibiting depressive symptoms. Overall, this study demonstrated that high-risk PWUD are interested in using mHealth-based tools as a key part of an HIV prevention approach within a common type of drug treatment settings. Thus, formative research on preferences for design and functionality of mHealth-based HIV prevention tools are now needed, followed by practical development, implementation, and evaluation of these new intervention strategies.

23 CFR 777.11 - Other considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... habitat. (c) The acquisition of proprietary interests in replacement wetlands or natural habitats as a mitigation measure may be in fee simple, by easement, or by other appropriate legally recognized instrument... the purpose is no longer served, the lands and interests therein shall immediately revert to the State...

38 CFR 18.13 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... care, housing, social services, or parks and recreation; or (ii) The entire plant or other comparable...) grants of Federal funds, (2) the grant or donation of Federal property and interests in property, (3) the... or transient basis), Federal property or any interest in such property without consideration or at a...

75 FR 33384 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-11

... 8228; TD 8410), Allocation and Apportionment of Interest Expense and Certain Other Expenses (Sec. Sec... to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Gerald J. Shields, Internal...: Allocation and Apportionment of Interest Expense and Certain Other Expenses. OMB Number: 1545-1072...

Decision Points and Considerations for Identifying Rural Districts That Have Closed Student Achievement Gaps. REL 2016-130

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culbertson, Michael J.; Billig, Shelley H.

2016-01-01

Rural districts have long faced challenges in closing achievement gaps between subgroups of students. This brief report describes key decision points and considerations for decision-makers interested in identifying rural districts that have closed academic achievement gaps. Examining practices in these districts may suggest activities associated…

Homelessness in Urban America: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommer, Heidi

In the 1980s, homelessness attracted considerable attention from the media, advocates, politicians, and the public. Virtually every sector of society and the government responded. Interest in the issue has waned considerably since then, but the problem continues growing, particularly in large urban areas. While public policies address the problem,…

Strengthening the fission reactor nuclear science and engineering program at UCLA. Final technical report

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

Okrent, D.

1997-06-23

This is the final report on DOE Award No. DE-FG03-92ER75838 A000, a three year matching grant program with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG and E) to support strengthening of the fission reactor nuclear science and engineering program at UCLA. The program began on September 30, 1992. The program has enabled UCLA to use its strong existing background to train students in technological problems which simultaneously are of interest to the industry and of specific interest to PG and E. The program included undergraduate scholarships, graduate traineeships and distinguished lecturers. Four topics were selected for research the first year, withmore » the benefit of active collaboration with personnel from PG and E. These topics remained the same during the second year of this program. During the third year, two topics ended with the departure o the students involved (reflux cooling in a PWR during a shutdown and erosion/corrosion of carbon steel piping). Two new topics (long-term risk and fuel relocation within the reactor vessel) were added; hence, the topics during the third year award were the following: reflux condensation and the effect of non-condensable gases; erosion/corrosion of carbon steel piping; use of artificial intelligence in severe accident diagnosis for PWRs (diagnosis of plant status during a PWR station blackout scenario); the influence on risk of organization and management quality; considerations of long term risk from the disposal of hazardous wastes; and a probabilistic treatment of fuel motion and fuel relocation within the reactor vessel during a severe core damage accident.« less

Space environmental effects observed on the Hubble Space Telescope

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

Edelman, J.E.; Mason, J.B.

1995-02-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Repair Mission of December, 1993, was first and foremost a mission to improve the performance of the observatory. But for a specialized segment of the aerospace industry, the primary interest is in the return to Earth of numerous pieces of the HST hardware, pieces which have been replaced, repaired, improved, or superseded. The returned hardware is of interest because of the information it potentially carries about the effects of exposure to the space environment for three and a half years. Like the LDEF retrieval mission four years ago, the HST repair mission is of interestmore » to many engineering disciplines, including all of the disciplines represented by the LDEF Special Investigation Groups (SIG`s). There is particular interest in the evaluation of specific materials and systems in the returned components. Some coated surfaces have been processed with materials which are newer and still in use by, or under consideration for, other spacecraft in a variety of stages of development. Several of the systems are being returned because a specific failure or anomaly has been observed and thus there is, at the outset, a specific investigative trail that needs to be followed. These systems are much more complex than those flown on LDEF and, in two instances, comprised state-of-the-art science instruments. Further, the parts used in these systems generally were characterized more rigorously prior to flight than were those in the LDEF systems, and thus post flight testing may yield more significant results.« less

Kids See Human Too: Adapting an Individual Differences Measure of Anthropomorphism for a Child Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severson, Rachel L.; Lemm, Kristi M.

2016-01-01

The study of anthropomorphism in adults has received considerable interest with the development of the Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire (IDAQ; Waytz, Cacioppo, & Epley, 2010). Anthropomorphism in children--its development, correlates, and consequences--is also of significant interest, yet a comparable measure does not…

45 CFR 30.18 - Interest, penalties, and administrative costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... equity and good conscience. (2) The Secretary also may waive interest, penalties, and administrative... determination by the Secretary that collection of these charges is: (A) Against equity and good conscience; or... consideration of waiver if statute prohibits collection of the debt during this period. (i) Common law or other...

Emotion-Related Regulation: An Emerging Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Nancy; Champion, Claire; Ma, Yue

2004-01-01

Emotion-related regulation is a topic of considerable current interest; however, this was not always true. We briefly discuss the history of interest in the topic and then the current state of the field, including definitions of the construct. In addition, we summarize some of the important issues for future attention, including definitional…

78 FR 50049 - Meeting of the Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... follow each agenda item) a. Corticosteroids-Immune Modulators b. Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Systems c... individuals or interested groups to address the Panel. To ensure consideration of their comments, individuals and interested groups should submit written statements as outlined in this notice; but if they still...

Seasonal forecasting of high wind speeds over Western Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palutikof, J. P.; Holt, T.

2003-04-01

As financial losses associated with extreme weather events escalate, there is interest from end users in the forestry and insurance industries, for example, in the development of seasonal forecasting models with a long lead time. This study uses exceedences of the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles of daily maximum wind speed over the period 1958 to present to derive predictands of winter wind extremes. The source data is the 6-hourly NCEP Reanalysis gridded surface wind field. Predictor variables include principal components of Atlantic sea surface temperature and several indices of climate variability, including the NAO and SOI. Lead times of up to a year are considered, in monthly increments. Three regression techniques are evaluated; multiple linear regression (MLR), principal component regression (PCR), and partial least squares regression (PLS). PCR and PLS proved considerably superior to MLR with much lower standard errors. PLS was chosen to formulate the predictive model since it offers more flexibility in experimental design and gave slightly better results than PCR. The results indicate that winter windiness can be predicted with considerable skill one year ahead for much of coastal Europe, but that this deteriorates rapidly in the hinterland. The experiment succeeded in highlighting PLS as a very useful method for developing more precise forecasting models, and in identifying areas of high predictability.

Boron Nitride Nanotubes Synthesized by Pressurized Reactive Milling Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurst, Janet B.

2004-01-01

Nanotubes, because of their very high strength, are attractive as reinforcement materials for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Recently there has been considerable interest in developing and applying carbon nanotubes for both electronic and structural applications. Although carbon nanotubes can be used to reinforce composites, they oxidize at high temperatures and, therefore, may not be suitable for ceramic composites. Boron nitride, because it has a higher oxidation resistance than carbon, could be a potential reinforcement material for ceramic composites. Although boron nitride nanotubes (BNnT) are known to be structurally similar to carbon nanotubes, they have not undergone the same extensive scrutiny that carbon nanotubes have experienced in recent years. This has been due to the difficulty in synthesizing this material rather than lack of interest in the material. We expect that BNnTs will maintain the high strength of carbon nanotubes while offering superior performance for the high-temperature and/or corrosive applications of interest to NASA. At the NASA Glenn Research of preparing BN-nTs were investigated and compared. These include the arc jet process, the reactive milling process, and chemical vapor deposition. The most successful was a pressurized reactive milling process that synthesizes BN-nTs of reasonable quantities.

Design considerations for community mental health management information systems.

PubMed

Lowe, B H; Sugarman, B

1978-01-01

Many community mental health centers are presently faced with the necessity of implementing a management information system. This article offers guidelines for centers dealing with this situation. Whether a center chooses to adapt an existing system or develop one of its own, careful planning prior to the implementation of the system can help ensure that it will meet the needs of the center and operate successfully. The guidelines are organized into the categories of data considerations, people considerations, and system considerations. The first two categories are of general interest, whereas the last category is more technical in nature.

An interesting case report of vertebral artery dissection following polytrauma.

PubMed

Acharya, Vikas; Chandrasekaran, Suresh; Nair, Sujit

2016-01-01

The authors present an interesting case of a 19-year-old male who presented as a polytrauma patient following a fall from a height. He was initially managed on the intensive care unit with intracranial pressure bolt monitoring after being intubated and sedated and having his other traumatic injuries stabilized. Upon attempting to wean sedation and extubation a repeat CT scan of the head was undertaken and showed a new area suggested of cerebral infarction, this was a new finding. Further imaging found that he had a cervical vertebral artery dissection following this polytrauma mode of injury. The incidence of vertebral artery dissection following generalized or local trauma is rising but routine imaging/screening in these patients is not undertaken. Our report displays select images related to this case report and emphasizes the consideration of routine imaging in head and neck traumatic injuries to diagnose internal carotid and/or vertebral artery dissections much earlier. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

What we learned from the Dust Bowl: lessons in science, policy, and adaptation.

PubMed

McLeman, Robert A; Dupre, Juliette; Berrang Ford, Lea; Ford, James; Gajewski, Konrad; Marchildon, Gregory

2014-01-01

This article provides a review and synthesis of scholarly knowledge of Depression-era droughts on the North American Great Plains, a time and place known colloquially as the Dust Bowl era or the Dirty Thirties. Recent events, including the 2008 financial crisis, severe droughts in the US corn belt, and the release of a popular documentary film, have spawned a resurgence in public interest in the Dust Bowl. Events of the Dust Bowl era have also proven in recent years to be of considerable interest to scholars researching phenomena related to global environmental change, including atmospheric circulation, drought modeling, land management, institutional behavior, adaptation processes, and human migration. In this review, we draw out common themes in terms of not only what natural and social scientists have learned about the Dust Bowl era itself, but also how insights gained from the study of that period are helping to enhance our understanding of climate-human relations more generally.

ICE/ISEE plasma wave data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenstadt, E. W.; Moses, S. L.

1993-01-01

This report is one of the final processing of ICE plasma wave (pw) data and analysis of late ISEE 3, ICE cometary, and ICE cruise trajectory data, where coronal mass ejections (CME's) were the first locus of attention. Interest in CME's inspired an effort to represent our pw data in a condensed spectrogram format that facilitated rapid digestion of interplanetary phenomena on long (greater than 1 day) time scales. The format serendipitously allowed us to also examine earth-orbiting data from a new perspective, invigorating older areas of investigation in Earth's immediate environment. We, therefore, continued to examine with great interest the last year of ISEE 3's precomet phase, when it spent considerable time far downwind from Earth, recording for days on end conditions upstream, downstream, and across the very weak, distant flank bow shock. Among other motivations has been the apparent similarity of some shock and post shock structures to the signatures of the bow wave surrounding comet Giacobini-Zinner, whose ICE-phase data we revisited.

Molecular orbital studies of the bonding in heavy element organometallics: Progress report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bursten, B. E.

1988-03-01

Over the past two years we have made considerable progress in the understanding of the bonding in heavy element mononuclear and binuclear complexes. For mononuclear complexes, our strategy has been to study the orbital interactions between the actinide metal center and the surrounding ligands. One particular system which has been studied extensively is X sub 3 AnL (where X = Cp, Cl, NH sub 2 ; An = actinide; and L = neutral or anionic ligand). We are interested not only in the mechanics of the An-X orbital interactions, but also how the relative donor characteristics of X may influence coordination of the fourth ligand L to the actinide. For binuclear systems, we are interested not only in homobimetallic complexes, but also in heterobimetallic complexes containing actinides and transition metals. In order to make the calculations of such large systems tractable, we have transferred the X-alpha-SW codes to the newly acquired Cray XMP24 at the Ohio Supercomputer Center. This has resulted in significant savings of money and time.

Intrafamily and intragenomic conflicts in human warfare

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen an explosion of multidisciplinary interest in ancient human warfare. Theory has emphasized a key role for kin-selected cooperation, modulated by sex-specific demography, in explaining intergroup violence. However, conflicts of interest remain a relatively underexplored factor in the evolutionary-ecological study of warfare, with little consideration given to which parties influence the decision to go to war and how their motivations may differ. We develop a mathematical model to investigate the interplay between sex-specific demography and human warfare, showing that: the ecology of warfare drives the evolution of sex-biased dispersal; sex-biased dispersal modulates intrafamily and intragenomic conflicts in relation to warfare; intragenomic conflict drives parent-of-origin-specific patterns of gene expression—i.e. ‘genomic imprinting’—in relation to warfare phenotypes; and an ecological perspective of conflicts at the levels of the gene, individual, and social group yields novel predictions as to pathologies associated with mutations and epimutations at loci underpinning human violence. PMID:28228515

Intrafamily and intragenomic conflicts in human warfare.

PubMed

Micheletti, Alberto J C; Ruxton, Graeme D; Gardner, Andy

2017-02-22

Recent years have seen an explosion of multidisciplinary interest in ancient human warfare. Theory has emphasized a key role for kin-selected cooperation, modulated by sex-specific demography, in explaining intergroup violence. However, conflicts of interest remain a relatively underexplored factor in the evolutionary-ecological study of warfare, with little consideration given to which parties influence the decision to go to war and how their motivations may differ. We develop a mathematical model to investigate the interplay between sex-specific demography and human warfare, showing that: the ecology of warfare drives the evolution of sex-biased dispersal; sex-biased dispersal modulates intrafamily and intragenomic conflicts in relation to warfare; intragenomic conflict drives parent-of-origin-specific patterns of gene expression-i.e. 'genomic imprinting'-in relation to warfare phenotypes; and an ecological perspective of conflicts at the levels of the gene, individual, and social group yields novel predictions as to pathologies associated with mutations and epimutations at loci underpinning human violence. © 2017 The Authors.

Measuring response to a cancer information telephone facility: Can-Dial.

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, G S; Mirand, E A; Graham, S

1976-01-01

In an attempt to meet the need for increasing public knowledge about cancer, a system providing free information by telephone has been developed. The system is comprised of 36 pre-recorded taped lectures containing information about various aspects of cancer. Interested individuals call a toll-free number, indicate a topic of interest, and listen to the pre-recorded lecture over the phone. An operator handles incoming calls and obtains information from callers used in evaluating the program. During the first year of operation, over 30,000 calls were processed. Topics most frequently requested included those concerning smoking, breast and cervical cancer, and general information. Female response exceeded male response in all age categories. Older people responded less frequently than younger. Urban utilization greatly exceeded suburban and rural utilization. Considerable fluctuation in response related to promotional activities was found. Printed advertisements elicited far greater response than radio and television. Promotional efforts in an experimental group of low-utilizing townships greatly increased utilization while no change was observed in a control group. PMID:1267080

Cholesterol and related sterols autoxidation.

PubMed

Zerbinati, Chiara; Iuliano, Luigi

2017-10-01

Cholesterol is a unique lipid molecule providing the building block for membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acid synthesis. Metabolism of cholesterol involves several enzymes acting on the sterol nucleus or the isooctyl tail. In the recent years, research interest has been focused on oxysterols, cholesterol derivatives generated by the addition of oxygen to the cholesterol backbone. Oxysterols can be produced enzymatically or by autoxidation. Autoxidation of cholesterol proceeds through type I or type II mechanisms. Type I autoxidation is initiated by free radical species, such as those arising from the superoxide/hydrogen peroxide/hydroxyl radical system. Type II autoxidation occurs stoichiometrically by non-radical highly reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen, HOCl, and ozone. The vulnerability of cholesterol towards high reactive species has raised considerable interest for mechanistic studies and for the potential biological activity of oxysterols, as well as for the use of oxysterols as biomarkers for the non-invasive study of oxidative stress in vivo. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Emerging applications of nanotechnology for diagnosis and therapy of disease: a review.

PubMed

Bayford, Richard; Rademacher, Tom; Roitt, Ivan; Wang, Scarlet Xiaoyan

2017-07-24

Nanotechnology is of increasing interest in the fields of medicine and physiology over recent years. Its application could considerably improve disease detection and therapy, and although the potential is considerable, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed before it is accepted in routine clinical use. This review focuses on emerging applications that nanotechnology could enhance or provide new approaches in diagnoses and therapy. The main focus of recent research centres on targeted therapies and enhancing imaging; however, the introduction of nanomaterial into the human body must be controlled, as there are many issues with possible toxicity and long-term effects. Despite these issues, the potential for nanotechnology to provide new methods of combating cancer and other disease conditions is considerable. There are still key challenges for researchers in this field, including the means of delivery and targeting in the body to provide effective treatment for specific disease conditions. Nanoparticles are difficult to measure due to their size and physical properties; hence there is still a great need to improve physiological measurement methods in the field to ascertain how effective their use is in the human subject. This review is a brief snapshot into the fast changing research field of measurement and physiological links to nanoparticle use and its potential in the future.

Synchrony in the onset of mental-state reasoning: evidence from five cultures.

PubMed

Callaghan, Tara; Rochat, Philippe; Lillard, Angeline; Claux, Mary Louise; Odden, Hal; Itakura, Shoji; Tapanya, Sombat; Singh, Saraswati

2005-05-01

Over the past 20 years, developmental psychologists have shown considerable interest in the onset of a theory of mind, typically marked by children's ability to pass false-belief tasks. In Western cultures, children pass such tasks around the age of 5 years, with variations of the tasks producing small changes in the age at which they are passed. Knowing whether this age of transition is common across diverse cultures is important to understanding what causes this development. Cross-cultural studies have produced mixed findings, possibly because of varying methods used in different cultures. The present study used a single procedure to measure false-belief understanding in five cultures: Canada, India, Peru, Samoa, and Thailand. With a standardized procedure, we found synchrony in the onset of mentalistic reasoning, with children crossing the false-belief milestone at approximately 5 years of age in every culture studied. The meaning of this synchrony for the origins of mental-state understanding is discussed.

Decision Making for Chinese Students to Receive Their Higher Education in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Chiangnan

2016-01-01

This study examines Chinese students' decision making considerations for coming to the U.S. for their higher education. Due to the large number of Chinese students in the U.S, it is an interesting topic for educators and researchers to explore the decision making considerations Chinese students choose for studying abroad. International student…

Legal Medicine in Medical Schools: A Survey of the State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grumet, Barbara Ruhe

1979-01-01

Results of a survey of American medical schools indicate that there is considerable interest in legal medicine and that while 40 percent of the schools require students to complete some course work in legal medicine, the curricula vary considerably among the schools. Topics most frequently covered are informed consent and malpractice. (Author/JMD)

Norwegian medical students' attitudes towards the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Lea, Dordi; Spigset, Olav; Slørdal, Lars

2010-07-01

Whereas there is a considerable body of information on the interaction between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry, little is known about the pharmaceutical industry-medical student relationship. We have assessed the extent of contact between Norwegian medical students and the pharmaceutical industry as well as the attitudes of these students towards the pharmaceutical industry. A self-assessment questionnaire was distributed to fifth- and sixth-year students attending the four medical schools in Norway and to Norwegian medical students attending selected universities abroad. A total of 65.8% of all eligible students returned a completed questionnaire. Of these, 73.9% had been exposed to various levels of contact with the pharmaceutical industry, but only 17.5% reported having a generally positive attitude towards the industry. The level of exposure did not correlate in students' attitudes; rather, it correlated positively to a feeling of competence in terms of being able to handle such interactions. A majority of students responded that while they would decline accepting monetary gifts, they would welcome receiving reimbursements for meeting expenses, meals and educational material. Students favoured a practice of full disclosure of potential industry-related conflicts of interest among the university teaching staff. There were considerable differences in the students' attitudes between universities, suggesting that medical students are prone to influence from university lecturers. Norwegian medical students are opinionated, critical and curious with respect to pharmaceutical industry relations. This interest can be explored and probably also modified by educational initiatives.

International Law: How It Affects Rules of Engagement and Responses in Information Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

with the least expenditure of life, time, and physical resources. Humanity. Prohibits the employment of any kind or degree of force not necessary...the beginning of warfare, the intent has been to physically and psychologically destroy an adversary. Little consideration was given to the amount of...threat to US security interests. For example, core interests are those interests dealing with the physical survival of a country or directly threatening

Leadership for long-duration space missions: A shift toward a collective approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulhearn, Tyler; McIntosh, Tristan; Gibson, Carter; Mumford, Michael D.; Yammarino, Francis J.; Connelly, Shane; Day, Eric Anthony; Vessey, Brandon

2016-12-01

For many years, leadership operations within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have utilized a primarily hierarchical approach. In the present effort, we investigated the leadership needs and considerations given the increased interest in and potential for long-duration space exploration. Specifically, it is argued that a collective leadership approach in which leadership is shared and distributed based on expertise would be beneficial for these types of missions. Interviews were conducted with eleven subject matter experts with wide-ranging experience in NASA and its missions. A mixed-methods analytic approach applied to these interviews provided support for the viability of a collective leadership framework. Implications for NASA and other similar organizational contexts are discussed.

Hybrid hydrogels produced by ionizing radiation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, M. J. A.; Amato, V. S.; Lugão, A. B.; Parra, D. F.

2012-09-01

The interest in biocompatible hydrogels with particular properties has increased considerably in recent years due to their versatile applications in biomedicine, biotechnology, pharmacy, agriculture and controlled release of drugs. The use of hydrogels matrices for particular drug-release applications has been investigated with the synthesis of modified polymeric hydrogel of PVAl and 0.5, 1.0, 1.5% nano-clay. They were processed using gamma radiation from Cobalt-60 source at 25 kGy dose. The characterization of the hydrogels was conducted and toxicity was evaluated. The dried hydrogel was analyzed for thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and swelling in solutions of different pH. The membranes have no toxicity. The nano-clay influences directly the equilibrium swelling.

Silicon Nanowire-Based Devices for Gas-Phase Sensing

PubMed Central

Cao, Anping; Sudhölter, Ernst J.R.; de Smet, Louis C.P.M.

2014-01-01

Since their introduction in 2001, SiNW-based sensor devices have attracted considerable interest as a general platform for ultra-sensitive, electrical detection of biological and chemical species. Most studies focus on detecting, sensing and monitoring analytes in aqueous solution, but the number of studies on sensing gases and vapors using SiNW-based devices is increasing. This review gives an overview of selected research papers related to the application of electrical SiNW-based devices in the gas phase that have been reported over the past 10 years. Special attention is given to surface modification strategies and the sensing principles involved. In addition, future steps and technological challenges in this field are addressed. PMID:24368699

Evaluation of a continuous regimen of levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol for contraception and control of menstrual symptoms.

PubMed

Jensen, Jeffrey T; Archer, David F

2008-02-01

Considerable recent interest has focused on new methods of delivery of oral contraceptives that reduce or eliminate the hormone-free interval in order to improve convenience and acceptability, but maintain contraceptive efficacy, minimize side effects and reduce or eliminate the frequency of withdrawal bleeding episodes. Studies in several countries, including the US, have documented that many women would prefer to have no episodes of withdrawal bleeding when using oral contraceptives. This review focuses on a unique oral contraceptive formulation containing levonogestrel 90 microg and ethinyl estradiol 20 microg, approved for use in a continuous dosing regimen designed to eliminate withdrawal bleeding throughout the entire year.

L: How Long Do They Last?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shostak, Seth

The Drake equation, a commonly-used starting point for discussions about the likelihood of finding extraterrestrial intelligence, is now nearly a halfcentury old. It dates from 1961, a year after Frank Drake made his pioneering radio search for artificial signals from other worlds. That search, dubbed Project Ozma, was a 200-hour scrutiny of two nearby, Sun-like stars for transmissions spectrally situated near the 1420 MHz line of neutral hydrogen, and was conducted with an 85-foot antenna at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia (Drake, 1960; Kellermann and Seielstad, 1986). These efforts to find easy evidence of intelligence in other star systems provoked considerable public interest, including a major article in Saturday Review (Lear, 1960).

Mechanics of ultrasound elastography

PubMed Central

Li, Guo-Yang

2017-01-01

Ultrasound elastography enables in vivo measurement of the mechanical properties of living soft tissues in a non-destructive and non-invasive manner and has attracted considerable interest for clinical use in recent years. Continuum mechanics plays an essential role in understanding and improving ultrasound-based elastography methods and is the main focus of this review. In particular, the mechanics theories involved in both static and dynamic elastography methods are surveyed. They may help understand the challenges in and opportunities for the practical applications of various ultrasound elastography methods to characterize the linear elastic, viscoelastic, anisotropic elastic and hyperelastic properties of both bulk and thin-walled soft materials, especially the in vivo characterization of biological soft tissues. PMID:28413350

Autism spectrum disorder profile in neurofibromatosis type I.

PubMed

Garg, Shruti; Plasschaert, Ellen; Descheemaeker, Mie-Jef; Huson, Susan; Borghgraef, Martine; Vogels, Annick; Evans, D Gareth; Legius, Eric; Green, Jonathan

2015-06-01

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant single-gene disorder, in which the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has attracted considerable research interest recently with prevalence estimates of 21-40%. However, detailed characterization of the ASD behavioral phenotype in NF1 is still lacking. This study characterized the phenotypic profile of ASD symptomatology presenting in 4-16 year old children with NF1 (n = 36) using evidence from parent-rated Social Responsiveness Scale and researcher autism diagnostic observation Scale-2. Compared to IQ-matched reference groups of children with autism and ASD, the NF1 profile shows overall similarity but improved eye contact, less repetitive behaviors and better language skills.

76 FR 70491 - Exemptions From Certain Prohibited Transaction Restrictions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-14

... on such Sale price paid for the Notes from and after September 10, 2010, determined at the face..., determined at the face interest rate for the applicable Note.\\6\\ Accordingly, after due consideration, the... Condition (g)); and PTE 2008-12 (see Condition (f)). \\6\\ The face interest rates for the various Notes that...

77 FR 47052 - El Paso Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-07

... planned Project under these general headings: Geology and soils; Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands... restore native grassland; Visual impacts in consideration of Native American sacred sites; The creation of...; environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries...

42 CFR 57.1508 - Amount of interest subsidy payments; limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... payments will be made, and the level of such payments shall be determined by the Secretary on the basis of... consideration his analysis of the present and reasonable projected future financial ability of the applicant to... Profession Personnel § 57.1508 Amount of interest subsidy payments; limitations. The length of time for which...

The Effectiveness of Participatory Theatre with Early Adolescents in School-Based Sexuality Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponzetti, James J., Jr.; Selman, Jan; Munro, Brenda; Esmail, Shaniff; Adams, Gerald

2009-01-01

Public concern about adolescent sexuality has garnered considerable interest in recent decades. Most teenagers are either thinking about or acting on their sexual impulses. Yet notable controversy exists regarding sexual education among youth. Adolescents report sexuality education must speak to issues of interest to them and be delivered in a…

Landscape assessment of a stable aspen community in southern Utah, USA

Treesearch

Paul C. Rogers; A. Joshua Leffler; Ronald J. Ryel

2010-01-01

Recent reports of rapid die-off of aspen (Populus tremuloides), coupled with vigorous debate over longterm reduction of aspen cover in western North America, has prompted considerable research given the importance of this forest type for economic and non-economic interests. Despite this interest, indicators of aspen conditions are...

26 CFR 25.2701-3 - Determination of amount of gift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... For purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, junior equity interest means common stock or, in the... to the rights of all other classes of partnership interests. Common stock means the class or classes... payments are considered full and adequate consideration if a good faith effort is made to determine the...

26 CFR 25.2701-3 - Determination of amount of gift.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... For purposes of paragraph (c)(1) of this section, junior equity interest means common stock or, in the... to the rights of all other classes of partnership interests. Common stock means the class or classes... payments are considered full and adequate consideration if a good faith effort is made to determine the...

Parent Interest in a School-Based, School Nurse-Led Weight Management Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubik, Martha Y.; Lee, Jiwoo

2014-01-01

Because one in three children is already overweight or obese, school-based interventions targeting secondary obesity prevention merit consideration. This study assessed parent interest in participating in a school-based, school nurse-led weight management program for young school-aged children. A random sample of parents ("n" = 122) of…

Conflicts of Interest: An Indispensable Element of Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundegard, Iann; Wickman, Per-Olof

2007-01-01

A central concept introduced in the Nordic debate on sustainable development is "action competence". The concept has been defined as a competence of learners, i.e. the ability to take into consideration the social factors and human conflict of interest that lies behind environmental questions and sustainable development. The concern of…

Compulsory treatment and patient responsibility.

PubMed

Arya, Dinesh

2012-12-01

Current legislative provisions for compulsory treatment of people with mental illness allow decisions to treat people under compulsion to be made on the basis of presence of a mental illness or mental disorder without consideration of whether the patient has the capacity to make decisions that are in his/her best interest. Issues of autonomy, equity, justice and beneficence in relation to treatment of people with mental illness are explored to determine decision-making rules that should be applied for compulsory mental health treatment. It is proposed that assessment of the capacity of the individual to make decisions in his/her best interest, rather than presence of diagnosable mental illness, should be the key consideration for compulsory mental health treatment.

The mesmerists inquire about "Oriental mind powers": West meets East in the search for the universal trance.

PubMed

Schmit, David T

2010-01-01

Contemporary interest in Asian meditation raises questions about when Westerners began investigating these practices. A synopsis of Western-originating scientific meditation research is followed by a brief introduction to mesmerism. Next, the unappreciated ways the mesmerists explored Oriental mind powers is recounted. How the mesmerists' cultural positioning, philosophy, and interest in mind-body practices facilitated their inquiries of Oriental medicine and Hindu contemplative practices is explored, followed by a consideration of why these investigations were unique for the era. The way this work subverted Western cultural imperialism is examined. A consideration of the historical continuities and discontinuities between the mesmerists' inquiries and twentieth-century meditation research concludes the article.

Growing experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation.

PubMed

Shafii, Alexis E; Mason, David P; Brown, Chase R; Vakil, Nakul; Johnston, Douglas R; McCurry, Kenneth R; Pettersson, Gosta B; Murthy, Sudish C

2012-01-01

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is rarely used as a bridge to lung transplantation (BTT) because of its associated morbidity and mortality. However, recent advancements in perfusion technology and critical care have revived interest in this application of ECMO. We retrospectively reviewed our utilization of ECMO as BTT and evaluated our early and midterm results. Nineteen patients were placed on ECMO with the intent to transplant of which 14 (74%) were successfully transplanted. Early and midterm survival of transplanted patients was 75% (1 year) and 63% (3 years), respectively, with the most favorable results observed in interstitial lung disease patients supported in the venovenous configuration. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-bridged transplant survival rates were equivalent to nonbridged recipients, but early morbidity and mortality are high and the failure to bridge to transplant is significant. Overall, successfully bridged patients can derive a tangible benefit, albeit with considerable consumption of resources.

New taxanes in development.

PubMed

Ferlini, Cristiano; Gallo, Daniela; Scambia, Giovanni

2008-03-01

Taxanes are presently widely employed for the medical treatment of cancer. However, despite the huge clinical success, these agents exhibit clinical problems related to poor drug solubility, toxicity and, in particular, drug resistance. To identify the critical points related to the process of development of novel taxanes. Publicly available data on the paclitaxel and docetaxel analogues, which have entered a clinical development phase in the last 2 years have been taken into consideration. The development involved novel formulations of paclitaxel and novel chemical entities. For each agent in each category the development phase is analysed and a synthetic comment for each category is included. Despite all the efforts, until now clinical success with the new development of taxanes has been limited. Moreover, the expected clinical introduction of epothilones could further restrict the space for development of novel taxanes. Despite these facts, some interesting concepts emerged during the process of development and could lead to successful drugs in the forthcoming years.

Spatial Processing in Infancy Predicts Both Spatial and Mathematical Aptitude in Childhood.

PubMed

Lauer, Jillian E; Lourenco, Stella F

2016-10-01

Despite considerable interest in the role of spatial intelligence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) achievement, little is known about the ontogenetic origins of individual differences in spatial aptitude or their relation to later accomplishments in STEM disciplines. The current study provides evidence that spatial processes present in infancy predict interindividual variation in both spatial and mathematical competence later in development. Using a longitudinal design, we found that children's performance on a brief visuospatial change-detection task administered between 6 and 13 months of age was related to their spatial aptitude (i.e., mental-transformation skill) and mastery of symbolic-math concepts at 4 years of age, even when we controlled for general cognitive abilities and spatial memory. These results suggest that nascent spatial processes present in the first year of life not only act as precursors to later spatial intelligence but also predict math achievement during childhood.

Modeling individual effects in the Cormack-Jolly-Seber Model: A state-space formulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2008-01-01

In population and evolutionary biology, there exists considerable interest in individual heterogeneity in parameters of demographic models for open populations. However, flexible and practical solutions to the development of such models have proven to be elusive. In this article, I provide a state-space formulation of open population capture-recapture models with individual effects. The state-space formulation provides a generic and flexible framework for modeling and inference in models with individual effects, and it yields a practical means of estimation in these complex problems via contemporary methods of Markov chain Monte Carlo. A straightforward implementation can be achieved in the software package WinBUGS. I provide an analysis of a simple model with constant parameter detection and survival probability parameters. A second example is based on data from a 7-year study of European dippers, in which a model with year and individual effects is fitted.

Pío del Río-Hortega: A Visionary in the Pathology of Central Nervous System Tumors

PubMed Central

Ramon y Cajal Agüeras, Santiago

2016-01-01

The last 140 years have seen considerable advances in knowledge of central nervous system tumors. However, the main tumor types had already been described during the early years of the twentieth century. The studies of Dr. Pío del Río Hortega have been ones of the most exhaustive histology and cytology-based studies of nervous system tumors. Río Hortega's work was performed using silver staining methods, which require a high level of practical skill and were therefore difficult to standardize. His technical aptitude and interest in nervous system tumors played a key role in the establishment of his classification, which was based on cell lineage and embryonic development. Río Hortega's approach was controversial when he proposed it. Current classifications are not only based on cell type and embryonic lineage, as well as on clinical characteristics, anatomical site, and age. PMID:26973470

International Outdoor Experiments and Models for Outdoor Radiological Dispersal Devices

DOE PAGES

Blumenthal, Daniel J.; Musolino, Stephen V.

2016-05-01

With the advent of nuclear reactors and the technology to produce radioactive materials in large quantities, concern arose about the use of radioactivity as a poison in warfare, and hence, consideration was given to defensive measures (Smyth 1945). Approximately forty years later, the interest in the environmental- and health effects caused by a deliberate dispersal was renewed, but this time, from the perspective of a malevolent act of radiological terrorism in an urban area. For many years there has been international collaboration in scientific research to understand the range of effects that might result from a device that could bemore » constructed by a sub-national group. In this paper, scientists from government laboratories in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States collectively have conducted a myriad of experiments to understand and detail the phenomenology of an explosive radiological dispersal device.« less

Enhanced role of eddies in the Arctic marine biological pump

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Eiji; Onodera, Jonaotaro; Harada, Naomi; Honda, Makio C.; Kimoto, Katsunori; Kikuchi, Takashi; Nishino, Shigeto; Matsuno, Kohei; Yamaguchi, Atsushi; Ishida, Akio; Kishi, Michio J.

2014-01-01

The future conditions of Arctic sea ice and marine ecosystems are of interest not only to climate scientists, but also to economic and governmental bodies. However, the lack of widespread, year-long biogeochemical observations remains an obstacle to understanding the complicated variability of the Arctic marine biological pump. Here we show an early winter maximum of sinking biogenic flux in the western Arctic Ocean and illustrate the importance of shelf-break eddies to biological pumping from wide shelves to adjacent deep basins using a combination of year-long mooring observations and three-dimensional numerical modelling. The sinking flux trapped in the present study included considerable fresh organic material with soft tissues and was an order of magnitude larger than previous estimates. We predict that further reductions in sea ice will promote the entry of Pacific-origin biological species into the Arctic basin and accelerate biogeochemical cycles connecting the Arctic and subarctic oceans. PMID:24862402

Critical gases for critical issues: CO2 technologies for oral drug delivery.

PubMed

Danan, Hana; Esposito, Pierandrea

2014-02-01

In recent years, CO2-based technologies have gained considerable interest in the pharmaceutical industry for their potential applications in drug formulation and drug delivery. The exploitation of peculiar properties of gases under supercritical conditions has been studied in the last 20 years with mixed results. Promising drug-delivery technologies, based on supercritical CO2, have mostly failed when facing challenges of industrial scaleability and economical viability. Nevertheless, a 'second generation' of processes, based on CO2 around and below critical point has been developed, possibly offering technology-based solutions to some of the current issues of pharmaceutical development. In this review, we highlight the most recent advancements in this field, with a particular focus on the potential of CO2-based technologies in addressing critical issues in oral delivery, and briefly discuss the future perspectives of dense CO2-assisted processes as enabling technologies in drug delivery.

Histopathologic analysis of successful endothelial keratoplasty following multiple failed keratoplasties.

PubMed

Epstein, Rachel H; Mamalis, Nick; Price, Francis W; Price, Marianne O

2015-02-01

A 68-year-old woman with bilateral keratoconus presented with persistent visual acuity deficits following cataract extraction with a neodymium:YAG capsulotomy in the right eye 2 years earlier. Penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) had been performed for keratoconus in the right eye without complications until steroid drops were discontinued after 10 years because of persistent elevated intraocular pressure. The right eye experienced immunologic rejection and failure of 3 PKPs, 1 Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), and a trabeculectomy with an eventual anatomically successful DSEK before the patient died at 95 years of age. The left eye improved following a single PKP. Postmortem histopathologic analysis of the cornea showed an anatomically successful DSEK graft with intact donor Descemet membrane and viable graft endothelial cells. To our knowledge, this is the first histopathologic analysis of an anatomically successful DSEK after multiple failed PKPs and trabeculectomy. The course in this case supports early consideration of lamellar keratoplasty, especially in patients with ocular comorbidities. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The students' interest for 2012 and 2013 cohort in construction engineering vocational education program Universitas Negeri Semarang in choosing the subject specialization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julianto, Eko Nugroho; Salamah, Ummu

2017-03-01

On the 2012 curriculum, Vocational Education Program Universitas Negeri Semarang allowed the students to choose subjects for their specialization according to their ability. The subject specialization was given at the 6th semester to provide students in performing field work experience. Each course has its own enthusiasts specialization, students have certain considerations in selecting the course. The consideration of each of them is different from one another because they have their own talents, interests, aspirations and perceptions or a different view in assessing a subject specialization offered by Construction Engineering Vocational Education Program. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of interest caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors on 2012 and 2013 students' cohort in selecting subjects of specialization. This research is descriptive with quantitative approach, which is carried out to determine the magnitude of the interest students in choosing courses of specialization. Research conducted at the Civil Engineering Department Universitas Negeri Semarang, with research subjects that students PTB forces in 2012 and 2013, with a total sample of 87 students. The results showed that the interest of the student of 2012 and 2013 in selecting subjects of specialization is equal to 68.06% with the criteria are interested in contributions from intrinsic factors indicate the yield at 35.48% and 64.52% extrinsic factors.

Design, economic and system considerations of large wind-driven generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, G. E.; Lotker, M.; Meier, R. C.; Brierley, D.

1976-01-01

The increased search for alternative energy sources has lead to renewed interest and studies of large wind-driven generators. This paper presents the results and considerations of such an investigation. The paper emphasizes the concept selection of wind-driven generators, system optimization, control system design, safety aspects, economic viability on electric utility systems and potential electric system interfacing problems.

Research considerations when studying disasters.

PubMed

Cox, Catherine Wilson

2008-03-01

Nurses play an integral role during disasters because they are called upon more than any other health care professional during disaster response efforts; consequently, nurse researchers are interested in studying the issues that impact nurses in the aftermath of a disaster. This article offers research considerations for nurse scientists when developing proposals related to disaster research and identifies resources and possible funding sources for their projects.

Southeast Asia Report. No. 1316

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-25

28 Columnist Urges Consideration for Innocent (A. Battala; BULLETIN TODAY, 18 Jun 83) 29 Four Rebel Priests ’Disowned’ by Church Superiors...THAILAND Columnist Sees Declining U.S. Interest in Southeast Asia (Trairat; DAILY NEWS, 27 May 83) 58 Editorial Discusses Indochina Trade, Asks...cash from the municipal treasury vault. CSO: 4200/663 28 PHILIPPINES COLUMNIST URGES CONSIDERATION FOR INNOCENT Manila BULLETIN TODAY in

Highlights of the International Symposium on Plant Lipids, 18th ISPL 2008, Bordeaux July 20–25th, 2008

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant lipids are of considerable interest in economic sectors such as agriculture, food, health and the cosmetics industry. In addition, the sector of renewable energies is showing increasing interest in the field of plant lipids. Our society is highly dependent on raw fossil materials whose reserve...

Measuring Air Density in the Introductory Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calza, G.; Gratton, L. M.; Lopez-Arias, T.; Oss, S.

2010-01-01

The measurement of the mass, or the density, of air can easily be done with very simple materials and offers many interesting phenomena for discussion--buoyancy and its effects being the most obvious but not the only one. Many interesting considerations can be done regarding the behavior of gases, the effect of the external conditions in the…

Perspective of the Graduating Medical Student: The Ideal Curriculum for the Fourth Year of Undergraduate Medical Education.

PubMed

Andrews, Mary A; Paolino, Nathalie D; DeZee, Kent J; Hemann, Brian

2016-11-01

To explore medical students' perspective regarding the fourth year of medical school and common educational activities thereof. The authors surveyed students graduating in 2012 with a military service obligation about the importance of common fourth-year activities, the proportion of the fourth year devoted to these activities, and important considerations for the fourth-year curriculum. The authors calculated mean importance scores for educational activities and mean proportions of the fourth year that should be devoted to certain activities. Two reviewers independently coded free-text answers to identify and calculate frequencies for common themes. The response rate was 40% (376/942). Participants rated activities related to improving clinical skills and securing the residency of their choice as more than activities such as learning business skills, conducting research, and studying basic sciences. Participants indicated that electives and direct patient care should comprise the majority of the fourth year and frequently mentioned improving specialty-specific clinical skills, pursuing personal medical interests, and taking time to relax as important fourth-year themes. Students value activities related to securing and succeeding in their chosen residency and the opportunity to pursue electives and take vacation. Faculty should consider the student perspective when reforming curricula. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Recommendations for Planning and Managing International Short-term Pharmacy Service Trips

PubMed Central

Alsharif, Naser Z.; Rovers, John; Connor, Sharon; White, Nicole D.; Hogue, Michael D.

2017-01-01

International pharmacy service trips by schools and colleges of pharmacy allow students to provide health care to medically underserved areas. A literature review (2000-2016) in databases and Internet searches with specific keywords or terms was performed to assess current practices to establish and maintain successful pharmacy service trips. Educational documents such as syllabi were obtained from pharmacy programs and examined. A preliminary draft was developed and authors worked on sections of interest and expertise. Considerations and current recommendations are provided for the key aspects of the home institution and the host country requirements for pharmacy service trips based on findings from a literature search and the authors’ collective, extensive experience. Evaluation of the trip and ethical considerations are also discussed. This article serves as a resource for schools and colleges of pharmacy that are interested in the development of new pharmacy service trips and provides key considerations for continuous quality improvement of current or future activities. PMID:28381883

Recommendations for Planning and Managing International Short-term Pharmacy Service Trips.

PubMed

Johnson, Kalin L; Alsharif, Naser Z; Rovers, John; Connor, Sharon; White, Nicole D; Hogue, Michael D

2017-03-25

International pharmacy service trips by schools and colleges of pharmacy allow students to provide health care to medically underserved areas. A literature review (2000-2016) in databases and Internet searches with specific keywords or terms was performed to assess current practices to establish and maintain successful pharmacy service trips. Educational documents such as syllabi were obtained from pharmacy programs and examined. A preliminary draft was developed and authors worked on sections of interest and expertise. Considerations and current recommendations are provided for the key aspects of the home institution and the host country requirements for pharmacy service trips based on findings from a literature search and the authors' collective, extensive experience. Evaluation of the trip and ethical considerations are also discussed. This article serves as a resource for schools and colleges of pharmacy that are interested in the development of new pharmacy service trips and provides key considerations for continuous quality improvement of current or future activities.

Learning about the Earth through Societally-relevant Interdisciplinary Research Projects: the Honours Integrated Science Program at McMaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyles, C.; Symons, S. L.; Harvey, C. T.

2016-12-01

Students in the Honours Integrated Science (iSci) program at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) learn about the Earth through interdisciplinary research projects that focus on important societal issues. The iSci program is a new and innovative undergraduate program that emphasizes the links between scientific disciplines and focuses on learning through research and the development of scientific communication skills. The program accepts up to 60 students each year and is taught by a team of 18 instructors comprising senior and junior faculty, post-doctoral fellows, a lab coordinator, instructional assistant, a librarian and library staff, and an administrator. The program is designed around a pedagogical model that emphasizes hands-on learning through interdisciplinary research (Research-based Integrated Education: RIE) and is mostly project-based and experiential. In their freshman year students learn fundamental Earth science concepts (in conjunction with chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology) through research projects focused on environmental contamination, interplanetary exploration, the effect of drugs on the human body and environment, sustainable energy, and cancer. In subsequent years they conduct research on topics such as the History of the Earth, Thermodynamics, Plant-Animal Interactions, Wine Science, Forensics, and Climate Change. The iSci program attracts students with a broad interest in science and has been particularly effective in directing high quality students into the Earth sciences as they are introduced to the discipline in their first year of study through research projects that are interesting and stimulating. The structure of the iSci program encourages consideration of geoscientific applications in a broad range of societally relevant research projects; these projects are reviewed and modified each year to ensure their currency and ability to meet program learning objectives.

Improving the flow representation in a stochastic programming model for hydropower operations in Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Y.; Olivares, M. A.; Vargas, X.

2015-12-01

This research aims to improve the representation of stochastic water inflows to hydropower plants used in a grid-wide, power production scheduling model in central Chile. The model prescribes the operation of every plant in the system, including hydropower plants located in several basins, and uses stochastic dual dynamic programming (SDDP) with possible inflow scenarios defined from historical records. Each year of record is treated as a sample of weekly inflows to power plants, assuming this intrinsically incorporates spatial and temporal correlations, without any further autocorrelation analysis of the hydrological time series. However, standard good practice suggests the use of synthetic flows instead of raw historical records.The proposed approach generates synthetic inflow scenarios based on hydrological modeling of a few basins in the system and transposition of flows with other basins within so-called homogeneous zones. Hydrologic models use precipitation and temperature as inputs, and therefore this approach requires producing samples of those variables. Development and calibration of these models imply a greater demand of time compared to the purely statistical approach to synthetic flows. This approach requires consideration of the main uses in the basins: agriculture and hydroelectricity. Moreover a geostatistical analysis of the area is analyzed to generate a map that identifies the relationship between the points where the hydrological information is generated and other points of interest within the power system. Consideration of homogeneous zones involves a decrease in the effort required for generation of information compared with hydrological modeling of every point of interest. It is important to emphasize that future scenarios are derived through a probabilistic approach that incorporates the features of the hydrological year type (dry, normal or wet), covering the different possibilities in terms of availability of water resources. We present the results for Maule basin in Chile's Central Interconnected System (SIC).

Bureau of Reclamation Hydropower Lease of Power Privilege: Case Studies and Considerations

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

Curtis, Taylor L.; Levine, Aaron L.; McLaughlin, Kathleen

This report analyzes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's (Reclamation) lease of power privilege (LOPP) regulatory process for a nonfederal entity to use a Reclamation jurisdictional dam or conduit for power generation. Recent federal initiatives encouraging hydropower development at federally-owned facilities coupled with Reclamation's hydroelectric potential has led to an increased interest in powering Reclamation dams and conduits through the LOPP process. During the last five years, 23 of the 36 total LOPP projects (76 MW) have been initiated and are at some phase of the development process. Resource assessments analyzed in this report identify over 360 MW of hydroelectric potentialmore » at Reclamation-owned dams and conduits. This report provides considerations from Reclamation staff involved in the LOPP regulatory process and developers that have received an LOPP and are currently generating hydropower at a Reclamation dam or conduit. The authors also analyze LOPP regulatory processing timelines before and after the implementation of federal initiatives to streamline the LOPP process and provide case studies of hydropower projects that have obtained an LOPP.« less

A Review of Issues Related to Data Acquisition and Analysis in EEG/MEG Studies.

PubMed

Puce, Aina; Hämäläinen, Matti S

2017-05-31

Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are non-invasive electrophysiological methods, which record electric potentials and magnetic fields due to electric currents in synchronously-active neurons. With MEG being more sensitive to neural activity from tangential currents and EEG being able to detect both radial and tangential sources, the two methods are complementary. Over the years, neurophysiological studies have changed considerably: high-density recordings are becoming de rigueur; there is interest in both spontaneous and evoked activity; and sophisticated artifact detection and removal methods are available. Improved head models for source estimation have also increased the precision of the current estimates, particularly for EEG and combined EEG/MEG. Because of their complementarity, more investigators are beginning to perform simultaneous EEG/MEG studies to gain more complete information about neural activity. Given the increase in methodological complexity in EEG/MEG, it is important to gather data that are of high quality and that are as artifact free as possible. Here, we discuss some issues in data acquisition and analysis of EEG and MEG data. Practical considerations for different types of EEG and MEG studies are also discussed.

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

Mort, Andrew

At the beginning of this project we hypothesized that pectin, which is a major polysaccharide in primary plant cell walls, is composed of various distinct structural regions covalently linked together into a high molecular weight complex polymer. We also hypothesized that a considerable portion of xyloglucan, the major hemicellulose in most primary cell walls, is linked to the pectin. Our goal was to determine if these interconnections exist and to characterize the exact nature of the interactions. It seems imperative that we have a complete knowledge of the structure of pectin to be able to propose realistic models of cellmore » walls. There is a lot of interest in the biosynthesis of pectin. I do not think it will be possible to completely understand the biosynthesis of pectin without knowing the structure of pectin and thus the sequence of reactions needed to put each sugar or ester in its correct position in the polymer. We made considerable progress in determining the detailed structure of pectin and within a year or so will be able to put forward a comprehensive model of it.« less

Flexible energy-storage devices: design consideration and recent progress.

PubMed

Wang, Xianfu; Lu, Xihong; Liu, Bin; Chen, Di; Tong, Yexiang; Shen, Guozhen

2014-07-23

Flexible energy-storage devices are attracting increasing attention as they show unique promising advantages, such as flexibility, shape diversity, light weight, and so on; these properties enable applications in portable, flexible, and even wearable electronic devices, including soft electronic products, roll-up displays, and wearable devices. Consequently, considerable effort has been made in recent years to fulfill the requirements of future flexible energy-storage devices, and much progress has been witnessed. This review describes the most recent advances in flexible energy-storage devices, including flexible lithium-ion batteries and flexible supercapacitors. The latest successful examples in flexible lithium-ion batteries and their technological innovations and challenges are reviewed first. This is followed by a detailed overview of the recent progress in flexible supercapacitors based on carbon materials and a number of composites and flexible micro-supercapacitors. Some of the latest achievements regarding interesting integrated energy-storage systems are also reviewed. Further research direction is also proposed to surpass existing technological bottle-necks and realize idealized flexible energy-storage devices. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Exploring the workforce implications of a decade of medical school expansion: variations in medical school growth and changes in student characteristics and career plans.

PubMed

Shipman, Scott A; Jones, Karen C; Erikson, Clese E; Sandberg, Shana F

2013-12-01

To explore whether medical school enrollment growth may help address workforce priorities, including diversity, primary care, care for underserved populations, and academic faculty. The authors compared U.S. MD-granting medical schools, applicants, and matriculants immediately before expansion (1999-2001) and 10 years later (2009-2011). Using data from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile and the Association of American Medical Colleges, they examined medical schools' past production of physicians and changes in matriculant characteristics and practice intentions. Among the 124 schools existing in 1999-2001, growth varied substantially. Additionally, 11 new schools enrolled students by 2009-2011. Aggregate enrollment increased by 16.6%. Increases in applicants led to a lower likelihood of matriculation for all but those with rural backgrounds, racial/ethnic minorities, applicants >24 years old, and those with Medical College Admission Test scores > 33. The existing schools that expanded most had a history of producing the highest percentages of physicians practicing in primary care and in underserved and rural areas; those that expanded least had produced the greatest percentage of faculty. Compared with existing schools, new schools enrolled higher percentages of racial/ethnic minorities and of students with limited parental education or lower income. Matriculants' interest in primary care careers showed no decline; interest in practicing with underserved populations increased, while interest in rural practice declined. Despite expansion, the characteristics of matriculating medical students changed little, except at new schools. Further expansion may benefit from targeted consideration of workforce needs.

The role of interest and inflation rates in life-cycle cost analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eisenberger, I.; Remer, D. S.; Lorden, G.

1978-01-01

The effect of projected interest and inflation rates on life cycle cost calculations is discussed and a method is proposed for making such calculations which replaces these rates by a single parameter. Besides simplifying the analysis, the method clarifies the roles of these rates. An analysis of historical interest and inflation rates from 1950 to 1976 shows that the proposed method can be expected to yield very good projections of life cycle cost even if the rates themselves fluctuate considerably.

32 CFR 989.4 - Initial considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... national security interests while at the same time considering important environmental factors. (g... Under Secretary of Defense (Environmental Security). This coordination requirement does not apply to...

Modelling uncertainties and possible future trends of precipitation and temperature for 10 sub-basins in Columbia River Basin (CRB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadalipour, A.; Rana, A.; Qin, Y.; Moradkhani, H.

2014-12-01

Trends and changes in future climatic parameters, such as, precipitation and temperature have been a central part of climate change studies. In the present work, we have analyzed the seasonal and yearly trends and uncertainties of prediction in all the 10 sub-basins of Columbia River Basin (CRB) for future time period of 2010-2099. The work is carried out using 2 different sets of statistically downscaled Global Climate Model (GCMs) projection datasets i.e. Bias correction and statistical downscaling (BCSD) generated at Portland State University and The Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs (MACA) generated at University of Idaho. The analysis is done for with 10 GCM downscaled products each from CMIP5 daily dataset totaling to 40 different downscaled products for robust analysis. Summer, winter and yearly trend analysis is performed for all the 10 sub-basins using linear regression (significance tested by student t test) and Mann Kendall test (0.05 percent significance level), for precipitation (P), temperature maximum (Tmax) and temperature minimum (Tmin). Thereafter, all the parameters are modelled for uncertainty, across all models, in all the 10 sub-basins and across the CRB for future scenario periods. Results have indicated in varied degree of trends for all the sub-basins, mostly pointing towards a significant increase in all three climatic parameters, for all the seasons and yearly considerations. Uncertainty analysis have reveled very high change in all the parameters across models and sub-basins under consideration. Basin wide uncertainty analysis is performed to corroborate results from smaller, sub-basin scale. Similar trends and uncertainties are reported on the larger scale as well. Interestingly, both trends and uncertainties are higher during winter period than during summer, contributing to large part of the yearly change.

Study on the perception of orthodontic treatment according to age: A questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Kim, Yoonji

2017-07-01

This questionnaire study aimed to estimate the overall frequencies of positive perception towards orthodontic treatment among adults categorized according to age, sex, and area of living, and to identify barriers or negative perceptions preventing them from receiving orthodontic treatment. The participants included 598 adults aged over 20 years (230 men and 368 women) who visited the Dental Hospital of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. The participants' opinions regarding their consideration of receiving orthodontic treatment were recorded using a specially designed questionnaire. The overall rate of positive perception towards orthodontic treatment was 48.5%. Compared to adults in their 20s (63.2%), those in their 40s and 50s had a lower percentage of interest in orthodontic treatment (46.2% and 45.1%, respectively; p < 0.05). Overall, women (52.2%) had a higher rate of interest than did men (42.6%; p < 0.05). The area of living had no effect on the percentage of interest. The order of priority of chief complaints differed according to age: protrusion for those in the 20s and 30s, and spacing for those in the 40s to 60s. Overall, the main reason for not seeking treatment was the treatment fee. Respondents aged over 40 considered themselves "too old" for orthodontic treatment. The middle-aged had a relatively high percentage of interest (above 45%) in orthodontic treatment. However, demographic characteristics were not significantly associated with the positive interest. These results highlight the need for educating the middle-aged about the limitations and possibilities of orthodontic treatment to increase its acceptance.

Age and gender considerations for technology-assisted delivery of therapy for substance use disorder treatment: A patient survey of access to electronic devices.

PubMed

Antoine, Denis; Heffernan, Sean; Chaudhry, Amina; King, Van; Strain, Eric C

2016-12-01

Technology-assisted treatment (TAT) can be an effective supplement to established face-to-face therapy modalities with a growing literature in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. TAT access, interest, and familiarity are potential limitations to the use and efficacy of these approaches to treatment. 174 participants in outpatient SUD treatment were administered a survey regarding technology device and Internet access, and interest in engaging in TAT SUD counseling (SUDC). The group was dichotomized by mean age and gender to examine potential variations in in these subgroups. Forty-three (43%) of participants were female, and the mean age was 44.8 years, and 89% of participants had Internet access. 83% of participants were interested in TAT for SUD counseling; 81% expected it to be at least "moderately helpful." 34% of participants noted they would choose to continue face-to-face therapy exclusively. 91% of participants had cell phones, but only 50% could access data or the Internet via their handheld device. 80% of participants stated they would be interested in trying SUDC via their phone. Women had a higher preference for computer-based SUDC than men, with gender being significantly correlated with TAT perceive helpfulness. These findings suggest that patients in outpatient SUD treatment have access to resources for TAT implementation, although access was not always readily available. Future research will be needed to determine whether the technology that this population possesses will be able to support the evolving TAT modalities and whether interest in TAT across age and gender groups equalizes over time.

Intelligence, personality, and interests: evidence for overlapping traits.

PubMed

Ackerman, P L; Heggestad, E D

1997-03-01

The authors review the development of the modern paradigm for intelligence assessment and application and consider the differentiation between intelligence-as-maximal performance and intelligence-as-typical performance. They review theories of intelligence, personality, and interest as a means to establish potential overlap. Consideration of intelligence-as-typical performance provides a basis for evaluation of intelligence-personality and intelligence-interest relations. Evaluation of relations among personality constructs, vocational interests, and intellectual abilities provides evidence for communality across the domains of personality of J. L. Holland's (1959) model of vocational interests. The authors provide an extensive meta-analysis of personality-intellectual ability correlations, and a review of interest-intellectual ability associations. They identify 4 trait complexes: social, clerical/conventional, science/math, and intellectual/cultural.

Selected techniques in water resources investigations, 1965

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mesnier, Glennon N.; Chase, Edith B.

1966-01-01

Increasing world activity in water-resources development has created an interest in techniques for conducting investigations in the field. In the United States, the Geological Survey has the responsibility for extensive and intensive hydrologic studies, and the Survey places considerable emphasis on discovering better ways to carry out its responsibility. For many years, the dominant interest in field techniques has been "in house," but the emerging world interest has led to a need for published accounts of this progress. In 1963 the Geological Survey published "Selected Techniques in Water Resources Investigations" (Water-Supply Paper 1669-Z) as part of the series "Contributions to the Hydrology of the United States."The report was so favorably received that successive volumes are planned, of which this is the first. The present report contains 25 papers that represent new ideas being tested or applied in the hydrologic field program of the Geological Survey. These ideas range from a proposed system for monitoring fluvial sediment to how to construct stream-gaging wells from steel oil drums. The original papers have been revised and edited by the compilers, but the ideas presented are those of the authors. The general description of the bubble gage on page 2 has been given by the compilers as supplementary information.

Thrombopoiesis. Capturing the unicorn.

PubMed

Groopman, J E

1994-11-01

The elusive factor that stimulates megakaryocytes to produce platelets has at last been found; as well as its physiological interest, this factor--thrombopoietin--may be of considerable therapeutic importance.

Committee on solar and space physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanzerotti, L. J.

The Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP) is the Committee of the Space Science Board (SSB) of the National Research Council that is responsible for providing scientific advice to NASA in areas of solar/solar-terrestrial/space-plasma physics. The committee, composed of members who serve 3-year terms, wishes to solicit comments from colleagues on topics of interest to them and related to issues in the field.Current subjects on which the committee is devoting considerable effort include the following: (a) considerations of data handling and data systems in solar-terrestrial research for the future (This is being carried out with the encouragement of the SSB and its Committee on Data Management. The activity is in collaboration with the Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) of the Geophysics Research Board. The handling, integration, and dissemination of solar-terrestrial data obtained by all techniques will be addressed. Chairmen of the responsible subgroup are D. J. Williams (CSSP) and M. A. Shea (CSTR).); (b) consideration of the policies and issues associated with a revitalized Explorer satellite program responsive to the requirements of the solar-terrestrial physics community (Inputs of ideas for potential Explorer missions have been received from a wide range of the community and will be further elaborated upon by additional community participation. A number of these ideas and examples will form a portion of a report discussing solar-terrestrial science topics of high contemporary interest that could be well addressed with Explorerclass missions.); (c) inputs to a more comprehensive consideration of the requirements for theoretical research in all the space sciences (This is an overall task of the Space Science Board. The CSSP response relies heavily upon the Colgate committee report on space plasma physics.); (d) a future workshop, in collaboration with the Space Science Committee of the European Science foundation, on potential cooperative work in space plasma physics with European nations (Four major program items will be addressed, including reviews of several major scientific achievements within the field, a review of the status of solar and space plasma physics as academic subjects in the U.S. and in Western Europe, a review of future research programs, and a discussion of the forms of collaboration between the U.S. and European space plasma physics communities, with recommendations for the future. The workshop will be held in the U.S., tentatively during the 1982-83 academic year.); (e) continuing dialogue with NASA public relations officials and other knowledgeable individuals regarding the status of public knowledge of the results, importance, and applications of solar-terrestrial research.); (f) discussions with relevant officials concerning the issues of scientific funding in the United States, particularly as related to solar-terrestrial research.

Interest in ICT Studies and Careers: Perspectives of Senior High School Female Students in Three Districts in the Central Region of Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayebi-Arthur, Kofi

2011-01-01

The under-representation of females in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) fields of study and careers continues to attract considerable attention. This article discusses findings of a research that investigated interest in ICT studies and careers among female secondary school students from schools in three districts in the Central…

American Higher Education: Servant of the People or Protector of Special Interests? Contributions to the Study of Education, Number 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallenfeldt, E. C.

Current conditions at U.S. colleges and universities are discussed. Consideration is given to the nature of special interests and factions in American society and the system-wide influences of corporate power, militarization, racism, sexism, and overquantification as they pertain to higher education. The internal and external governance of…

Interest Groups Vie for Public Support: The Battle Over Anti-Affirmative Action Initiatives in California and Michigan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinz, Serena E.

2016-01-01

Although affirmative action in college admissions has not been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, the consideration of race in admissions has been banned in nine states--in six of them by public vote. This article analyzes the campaigns to ban affirmative action in California and Michigan as a battle between interest groups. The…

Featherless Dinosaurs and the Hip-Hop Simulacrum: Reconsidering Hip-Hop's Appropriateness for the Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruse, Adam J.

2016-01-01

This article offers considerations for music teachers interested in including hip-hop music in their classrooms but who might feel concerned with or overwhelmed by issues of appropriateness. Two concerns related to hip-hop music are examined: language and negative social themes. Commercial interests in hip-hop music have created a simulacrum (or…

[Treatment management of a multiply injured patient with HIV infection].

PubMed

Mand, C; Giannadakis, K; Schnabel, M; Stiletto, R

2007-11-01

In orthopaedic surgery and emergency medicine, patients of the age groups with a HIV risk represent the largest part of the entire population. As necessary steps have to be taken immediately at the scene of an accident and in the emergency room, contact with HIV-positive blood is often unavoidable, so that there is an increased risk of transmission for doctors and personnel. Due to the immunological state, the HIV patient is exposed to considerable post-operative complications such as wound infection, pneumonia and even sepsis. With the case of a 35-year-old HIV-positive patient who was multiply injured in a traffic accident, we want to present an interesting example of the problems that occur in the treatment of this patient group.

[Drug vectorization or how to modulate tissular and cellular distribution of biologically active compounds].

PubMed

Couvreur, P

2001-07-01

Drug vectorization has undergone considerable development over the last few years. This review focuses on the intravenous route of administration. Colloid formulations allow a modulation of drug tissue distribution. Using liposomes and nanoparticles with unmodified surfaces, drugs can be targeted to macrophages of the reticulum endothelium system. When the liposomes or nanoparticles are covered with hydrophilic or flexible polymers, the vascular phase can be favored in order, for example, to facilitate selective extravasation at a tumor site. Therapeutic applications of these systems are presented. The development of "intelligent" vectors capable of modulating intracellular distribution of an active compounds is an equally interesting approach, for example pH-sensitive liposomes or nanoparticles decorated with folic acid capable of targeting intracellular cytoplasm.

[Antonio de Saldanha da Gama's proposals to improve the slave trade "for humanitarian and economic reasons," Rio de Janeiro, 1810].

PubMed

Viotti, Ana Carolina de Carvalho

2016-01-01

In 1808, Dom João VI issued an edict which regulated the shipping and treatment of slaves on the transatlantic crossing from Africa. Two years later, Antonio de Saldanha da Gama, a member of the Treasury Council, drafted a letter discussing some points of the resolution. This key figure in the Portuguese administration of Brazil argued that his respectful considerations concerning the determinations of His Royal Highness were designed to improve them "for humanitarian and economic reasons." Safeguarded in the archives of Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino, this letter is transcribed, annotated, and contextualized here, supplying an interesting perspective on the prevailing concerns and justifications about the trafficking of African slaves to Brazil.

On the theoretical velocity distribution and flow resistance in natural channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moramarco, Tommaso; Dingman, S. Lawrence

2017-12-01

The velocity distribution in natural channels is of considerable interest for streamflow measurements to obtain information on discharge and flow resistance. This study focuses on the comparison of theoretical velocity distributions based on 1) entropy theory, and 2) the two-parameter power law. The analysis identifies the correlation between the parameters of the distributions and defines their dependence on the geometric and hydraulic characteristics of the channel. Specifically, we investigate how the parameters are related to the flow resistance in terms of Manning roughness, shear velocity and water surface slope, and several formulae showing their relationships are proposed. Velocity measurements carried out in the past 20 years at Ponte Nuovo gauged section along the Tiber River, central Italy, are the basis for the analysis.

Internet pharmacy: issues of access, quality, costs, and regulation.

PubMed

Crawford, Stephanie Y

2003-02-01

Internet pharmacy has been the focus of heightened interest over the past 3 years since the first major Web site was introduced in the United States. This paper addresses issues pertaining to Internet pharmacies that sell prescriptions and other products to consumers at the retail level. The Internet pharmacy industry has shifted rapidly in the short time span. This paper begins with a summary of historical considerations and the shifting organization of Internet pharmacy. The advantages and disadvantages of online pharmacy practice are listed. Issues of access, quality, and cost are described. The challenges in regulation at the state and federal levels are presented. Advice to consumers is offered regarding the use of Internet pharmacy sites for purchasing prescription drug products.

Multicystic dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma: tumour cyst fluid analysis and implications for management

PubMed Central

Khoury, Mitri; Sim, Geok Choo; Harao, Michiko; Radvanyi, Laszlo; Amini, Behrang; Benjamin, Robert S; Pisters, Peter W T; Pollock, Raphael E; Tseng, William W

2015-01-01

Liposarcomas are soft tissue sarcomas of adipocyte origin. We describe a case of a dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma with an unusual presentation on recurrence as a large, multicystic tumour. The patient was a 72-year-old woman who had undergone multiple treatments including two prior resections. For her most recent locoregional disease recurrence, the patient was offered surgical debulking for symptom palliation. At this operation, performed after two cycles of chemotherapy, the tumour cyst fluid was analysed and found to have a predominance of immune cells with no identifiable malignant cells. This case and the results of our tumour cyst fluid analysis raise several interesting considerations for the management of this unique situation in a rare disease. PMID:26156843

Multicystic dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma: tumour cyst fluid analysis and implications for management.

PubMed

Khoury, Mitri; Sim, Geok Choo; Harao, Michiko; Radvanyi, Laszlo; Amini, Behrang; Benjamin, Robert S; Pisters, Peter W T; Pollock, Raphael E; Tseng, William W

2015-07-08

Liposarcomas are soft tissue sarcomas of adipocyte origin. We describe a case of a dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcoma with an unusual presentation on recurrence as a large, multicystic tumour. The patient was a 72-year-old woman who had undergone multiple treatments including two prior resections. For her most recent locoregional disease recurrence, the patient was offered surgical debulking for symptom palliation. At this operation, performed after two cycles of chemotherapy, the tumour cyst fluid was analysed and found to have a predominance of immune cells with no identifiable malignant cells. This case and the results of our tumour cyst fluid analysis raise several interesting considerations for the management of this unique situation in a rare disease. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Nuclear medicine and imaging research: Quantitative studies in radiopharmaceutical science

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

Copper, M.; Beck, R.N.

1991-06-01

During the past three years the program has undergone a substantial revitalization. There has been no significant change in the scientific direction of this grant, in which emphasis continues to be placed on developing new or improved methods of obtaining quantitative data from radiotracer imaging studies. However, considerable scientific progress has been made in the three areas of interest: Radiochemistry, Quantitative Methodologies, and Experimental Methods and Feasibility Studies, resulting in a sharper focus of perspective and improved integration of the overall scientific effort. Changes in Faculty and staff, including development of new collaborations, have contributed to this, as has acquisitionmore » of additional and new equipment and renovations and expansion of the core facilities. 121 refs., 30 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Cyanobacteria as photosynthetic biocatalysts: a systems biology perspective.

PubMed

Gudmundsson, Steinn; Nogales, Juan

2015-01-01

The increasing need to replace oil-based products and to address global climate change concerns has triggered considerable interest in photosynthetic microorganisms. Cyanobacteria, in particular, have great potential as biocatalysts for fuels and fine-chemicals. During the last few years the biotechnological applications of cyanobacteria have experienced an unprecedented increase and the use of these photosynthetic organisms for chemical production is becoming a tangible reality. However, the field is still immature and many concerns about the economic feasibility of the biotechnological potential of cyanobacteria remain. In this review we describe recent successes in biofuel and fine-chemical production using cyanobacteria. We discuss the role of the photosynthetic metabolism and highlight the need for systems-level metabolic optimization in order to achieve the true potential of cyanobacterial biocatalysts.

Atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft: An evaluation of NASA's interim assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The advent of high-speed civil transport aircraft (HSCT's) some 25 years ago generated considerable concern about potential impacts on the stratosphere. With interest in such aircraft again increasing, NASA initiated an assessment of the potential stratospheric impacts of a substantial increase in the use of HSCT's. This assessment was intended to examine, from the standpoint of present scientific understanding, the potential atmospheric impacts of a fleet of high-speed civil transports flying supersonically in the lower stratosphere. The program was initiated in 1991, and the bulk of its research is scheduled to be completed in 1995. In early 1993 NASA asked the National Research Council to review its efforts. This report documents its findings and recommendations.

Radioprotective property of an aqueous extract from valeriana wallichii.

PubMed

Katoch, Omika; Kaushik, Shikha; Kumar, Mysore Sadashiv Yogendra; Agrawala, Paban K; Misra, Kshipra

2012-10-01

Preparations of herbal drugs have drawn considerable interest in scientific community in recent years for the treatment of several stress related health problems including radiation-injury. An aqueous extract from Valeriana wallichii containing hesperidin as one of its major constituent was evaluated for its ability to protect against radiation-injury in model systems like plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and cultured human fibroblast cells. The extract was found to significantly counter radiation-induced free radicals at 4 h after 5 Gy irradiation, reduced prolonged oxidative stress led increase in mitochondrial mass, enhanced reproductive viability of cultured cells and protected against radiation-induced DNA damage in solution. Further studies are required to validate the radioprotective ability of the extract and to develop a safer radioprotective agent.

Considerations in the analysis and treatment of dietary effects on behavior: a case study.

PubMed

Bird, B L; Russo, D C; Cataldo, M F

1977-12-01

Scientific and public interest in the effects of diet of behavior disorders has recently increased. This paper argues that (1) the experimental analysis of behavior offers an effective scientific methodology for assessing the effects of dietary substances on behavior problems, and that (2) such analysis permits behavioral consequences to be considered as an alternative treatment to dietary control. A case study of a 9-year-old retarded boy with autistic behaviors is presented. Suspected dietary substances were demonstrated to be effective influences on the child's behavior, whereas a simple behavior modification program improved his problem behaviors. Also discussed are issues and problems which arise in research on dietary effects on behavior and in selection of effective and ethical treatments.

Dynamic modeling of parallel robots for computed-torque control implementation

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

Codourey, A.

1998-12-01

In recent years, increased interest in parallel robots has been observed. Their control with modern theory, such as the computed-torque method, has, however, been restrained, essentially due to the difficulty in establishing a simple dynamic model that can be calculated in real time. In this paper, a simple method based on the virtual work principle is proposed for modeling parallel robots. The mass matrix of the robot, needed for decoupling control strategies, does not explicitly appear in the formulation; however, it can be computed separately, based on kinetic energy considerations. The method is applied to the DELTA parallel robot, leadingmore » to a very efficient model that has been implemented in a real-time computed-torque control algorithm.« less

Bacterial group II introns: not just splicing.

PubMed

Toro, Nicolás; Jiménez-Zurdo, José Ignacio; García-Rodríguez, Fernando Manuel

2007-04-01

Group II introns are both catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) and mobile retroelements that were discovered almost 14 years ago. It has been suggested that eukaryotic mRNA introns might have originated from the group II introns present in the alphaproteobacterial progenitor of the mitochondria. Bacterial group II introns are of considerable interest not only because of their evolutionary significance, but also because they could potentially be used as tools for genetic manipulation in biotechnology and for gene therapy. This review summarizes what is known about the splicing mechanisms and mobility of bacterial group II introns, and describes the recent development of group II intron-based gene-targetting methods. Bacterial group II intron diversity, evolutionary relationships, and behaviour in bacteria are also discussed.

A critical appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of lower-limb osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Pencharz, James N; Grigoriadis, Elizabeth; Jansz, Gwenderlyn F; Bombardier, Claire

2002-01-01

Clinical practice guidelines are important tools to assist clinical decision-making. Recently, several guidelines addressing the management of osteoarthritis (OA) have been published. Clinicians treating patients with OA must ensure that these guidelines are developed with consistency and methodological rigour. We undertook a qualitative summary and critical appraisal of six medical treatment guidelines for the management of lower-limb OA published in the medical literature within the past 5 years. A review of these six guidelines revealed that each possesses strengths and weakness. While most described the scope and intended patient populations, the guidelines varied considerably in the rigour of their development, coverage of implementation issues, and disclosure of conflicts of interest. PMID:11879536

Developing software to use parallel processing effectively. Final report, June-December 1987

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

Center, J.

1988-10-01

This report describes the difficulties involved in writing efficient parallel programs and describes the hardware and software support currently available for generating software that utilizes processing effectively. Historically, the processing rate of single-processor computers has increased by one order of magnitude every five years. However, this pace is slowing since electronic circuitry is coming up against physical barriers. Unfortunately, the complexity of engineering and research problems continues to require ever more processing power (far in excess of the maximum estimated 3 Gflops achievable by single-processor computers). For this reason, parallel-processing architectures are receiving considerable interest, since they offer high performancemore » more cheaply than a single-processor supercomputer, such as the Cray.« less

Opt-Out Parental Consent in Online Surveys: Ethical Considerations.

PubMed

Harris, Jane; Porcellato, Lorna

2018-07-01

This article aims to foster discussion and debate around seeking parental consent from young people recruited online. The growth of social media, particularly for young people, has led to increased interest in young people's online activities as both a research topic and recruitment setting. In a health-related study, which sought to recruit young people aged 13 to 18 years old from YouTuber fan communities to an online survey, the question arose of how parental consent could be sought from young people below 16 when no link existed between researcher and parents/guardians. A practical strategy is proposed which combines novel communication methods for participant information, opt-out online consent and age verification to address this issue. Strengths and limitations of these approaches are discussed.

Physical and mechanical metallurgy of NiAl

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noebe, Ronald D.; Bowman, Randy R.; Nathal, Michael V.

1994-01-01

Considerable research has been performed on NiAl over the last decade, with an exponential increase in effort occurring over the last few years. This is due to interest in this material for electronic, catalytic, coating and especially high-temperature structural applications. This report uses this wealth of new information to develop a complete description of the properties and processing of NiAl and NiAl-based materials. Emphasis is placed on the controlling fracture and deformation mechanisms of single and polycrystalline NiAl and its alloys over the entire range of temperatures for which data are available. Creep, fatigue, and environmental resistance of this material are discussed. In addition, issues surrounding alloy design, development of NiAl-based composites, and materials processing are addressed.

The physics of small megavoltage photon beam dosimetry.

PubMed

Andreo, Pedro

2018-02-01

The increased interest during recent years in the use of small megavoltage photon beams in advanced radiotherapy techniques has led to the development of dosimetry recommendations by different national and international organizations. Their requirement of data suitable for the different clinical options available, regarding treatment units and dosimetry equipment, has generated a considerable amount of research by the scientific community during the last decade. The multiple publications in the field have led not only to the availability of new invaluable data, but have also contributed substantially to an improved understanding of the physics of their dosimetry. This work provides an overview of the most important aspects that govern the physics of small megavoltage photon beam dosimetry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Successfully use agglomeration for size enlargement

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

Pietsch, W.

1996-04-01

The processing of fine and ultrafine particles by size enlargement finds an ever increasing application. At the same time, undesirable agglomeration such as buildup, caking, bridging, and uncontrolled aggregation of fine particles can occur during processing and handling of these particulate solids. This article will provide a survey of the phenomena of agglomeration and discuss the unit operation of size enlargement by agglomeration. This article is also an invitation, particularly to young engineers, to become interested in agglomeration. Considering that mechanical process technologies are requiring more energy every year than any other group of consumers and efficiencies are typically inmore » the single digits or teens at best, considerable rewards can be expected from the development of scientifically modified, more energy-efficient methods and equipment.« less

Optimal versus observed vegetation responses to CO2 over the last 40 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roderick, M. L.; Yang, Y.; Donohue, R. J.; Farquhar, G. D.; McVicar, T.

2016-12-01

The ongoing increase in atmospheric CO2 presents an interesting opportunity for primary producers. Understanding the impacts on agriculture, natural ecological communities and water resources presents considerable challenges. We investigate this problem using a Budyko-type framework based around two end-members: (i) warm arid environments (e.g. warm deserts) and (ii) warm wet environments (e.g. tropical rainforests). We first make predictions of the effect of a change in atmospheric CO2 on the partitioning of precipitation between evapotranspiration and streamflow. We then use satellite observation of greenness and in-situ streamflow data to assess the predictions. We finish by contrasting the observed responses against those expected from a purely theoretical construct: the so-called optimal vegetation.

Infant male circumcision and the autonomy of the child: two ethical questions.

PubMed

McMath, Akim

2015-08-01

Routine neonatal circumcision--the non-therapeutic circumcision of infant males--has generated considerable ethical controversy. In this article, I suggest that much of the disagreement results from conflicting ideas about the autonomy of the child. I examine two questions about autonomy. First, I ask whether we should be realists or idealists about the future autonomous choices of the child-that is, whether we should account for the fact that the child may not make the best choices in future, or whether we should assume that his future choices will reflect his best interests. Second, I ask whether the child has a right to autonomy with respect to circumcision, an interest in autonomy or neither--that is, whether respect for autonomy overrides considerations of interests, whether it counts as one interest among many or whether it counts for nothing. In response to the first question, I argue that we should be idealists when evaluating the child's own interests, but realists when evaluating public health justifications for circumcision. In response to the second question, I argue that the child has an interest in deciding whether or not to be circumcised, insofar as the decision is more likely to reflect his actual interests and his own values. Finally, I show how these findings may help to resolve some particular disputes over the ethics of infant male circumcision. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Current dental adhesives systems. A narrative review.

PubMed

Milia, Egle; Cumbo, Enzo; Cardoso, Rielson Jose A; Gallina, Giuseppe

2012-01-01

Adhesive dentistry is based on the development of materials which establish an effective bond with the tooth tissues. In this context, adhesive systems have attracted considerable research interest in recent years. Successful adhesive bonding depends on the chemistry of the adhesive, on appropriate clinical handling of the material as well as on the knowledge of the morphological changes caused on dental tissue by different bonding procedures. This paper outlines the status of contemporary adhesive systems, with particular emphasis on chemical characteristics and mode of interaction of the adhesives with enamel and dentinal tissues. Dental adhesives are used for several clinical applications and they can be classified based on the clinical regimen in "etch-and-rinse adhesives" and "self-etch adhesives". Other important considerations concern the different anatomical characteristics of enamel and dentine which are involved in the bonding procedures that have also implications for the technique used as well as for the quality of the bond. Etch-and-rinse adhesive systems generally perform better on enamel than self-etching systems which may be more suitable for bonding to dentine. In order to avoid a possible loss of the restoration, secondary caries or pulp damage due to bacteria penetration or due to cytotoxicity effects of eluted adhesive components, careful consideration of several factors is essential in selecting the suitable bonding procedure and adhesive system for the individual patient situation.

Payer and Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Considerations for Outcomes-Based Agreements in the United States.

PubMed

Brown, Joshua D; Sheer, Rich; Pasquale, Margaret; Sudharshan, Lavanya; Axelsen, Kirsten; Subedi, Prasun; Wiederkehr, Daniel; Brownfield, Fred; Kamal-Bahl, Sachin

2018-01-01

Considerable interest exists among health care payers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in designing outcomes-based agreements (OBAs) for medications for which evidence on real-world effectiveness is limited at product launch. To build hypothetical OBA models in which both payer and manufacturer can benefit. Models were developed for a hypothetical hypercholesterolemia OBA, in which the OBA was assumed to increase market access for a newly marketed medication. Fixed inputs were drug and outcome event costs from the literature over a 1-year OBA period. Model estimates were developed using a range of inputs for medication effectiveness, medical cost offsets, and the treated population size. Positive or negative feedback to the manufacturer was incorporated on the basis of expectations of drug performance through changes in the reimbursement level. Model simulations demonstrated that parameters had the greatest impact on payer cost and manufacturer reimbursement. Models suggested that changes in the size of the population treated and drug effectiveness had the largest influence on reimbursement and costs. Despite sharing risk for potential product underperformance, manufacturer reimbursement increased relative to having no OBA, if the OBA improved market access for the new product. Although reduction in medical costs did not fully offset the cost of the medication, the payer could still save on net costs per patient relative to having no OBA by tying reimbursement to drug effectiveness. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and health care payers have demonstrated interest in OBAs, and under a certain set of assumptions both may benefit. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence-based medicine was bound to fail: a report to Alvan Feinstein.

PubMed

Fava, Giovanni A

2017-04-01

John Ioannidis has provided a lucid account, in the form of a report to David Sackett, of how evidence-based medicine (EBM) was hijacked to serve vested interests: major randomized controlled trials are largely done by and for the benefit of the industry; meta-analyses and guidelines are flooded with conflicts of interest; national and federal research funds are unable to address basic clinical questions. Nonetheless, EBM would remain a worthwhile goal. In this paper, in the form of a report to Alvan Feinstein, it is argued that current developments were largely predictable. EBM certainly gave an important contribution to questioning unsubstantiated therapeutic claims. Time has come, however, to become aware of its considerable limitations, including overall reductionism and insufficient consideration of problems related to financial conflicts of interest. EBM does not represent the scientific approach to medicine: it is only a restrictive interpretation of the scientific approach to clinical practice. EBM drives the prescribing clinician to an overestimated consideration of potential benefits, paying little attention to the likelihood of responsiveness and to potential vulnerabilities in relations to the adverse effects of treatment. It is time to substitute the fashionable popularity of a strategy developed outside of clinical medicine with models and research based on the insights of clinical judgment and patient-doctor interaction, as Feinstein had outlined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are History Textbooks More "Considerate" after 20 Years?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkeley, Sheri; King-Sears, Margaret E.; Hott, Brittany L.; Bradley-Black, Katherine

2014-01-01

Features of eighth-grade history textbooks were examined through replication of a 20-year-old study that investigated "considerateness" of textbooks. Considerate texts provide clear, coherent information and include features that promote students' comprehension, such as explicit use of organizational structures, a range of question types…

32 CFR 518.18 - Judicial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... procedures used to search for the requested records, (manual search of records, computer database search, etc... deliberate consideration of the institutional, commercial, and personal privacy interests that could be...

32 CFR 518.18 - Judicial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... procedures used to search for the requested records, (manual search of records, computer database search, etc... deliberate consideration of the institutional, commercial, and personal privacy interests that could be...

32 CFR 518.18 - Judicial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... procedures used to search for the requested records, (manual search of records, computer database search, etc... deliberate consideration of the institutional, commercial, and personal privacy interests that could be...

Impact of JPEG2000 compression on spatial-spectral endmember extraction from hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín, Gabriel; Ruiz, V. G.; Plaza, Antonio; Ortiz, Juan P.; García, Inmaculada

2009-08-01

Hyperspectral image compression has received considerable interest in recent years. However, an important issue that has not been investigated in the past is the impact of lossy compression on spectral mixture analysis applications, which characterize mixed pixels in terms of a suitable combination of spectrally pure spectral substances (called endmembers) weighted by their estimated fractional abundances. In this paper, we specifically investigate the impact of JPEG2000 compression of hyperspectral images on the quality of the endmembers extracted by algorithms that incorporate both the spectral and the spatial information (useful for incorporating contextual information in the spectral endmember search). The two considered algorithms are the automatic morphological endmember extraction (AMEE) and the spatial spectral endmember extraction (SSEE) techniques. Experimental results are conducted using a well-known data set collected by AVIRIS over the Cuprite mining district in Nevada and with detailed ground-truth information available from U. S. Geological Survey. Our experiments reveal some interesting findings that may be useful to specialists applying spatial-spectral endmember extraction algorithms to compressed hyperspectral imagery.

Spit: saliva in nursing research, uses and methodological considerations in older adults.

PubMed

Woods, Diana Lynn; Mentes, Janet C

2011-07-01

Over the last 10 years, interest in the analysis of saliva as a biomarker for a variety of systemic diseases or for potential disease has soared. There are numerous advantages to using saliva as a biological fluid, particularly for nurse researchers working with vulnerable populations, such as frail older adults. Most notably, it is noninvasive and easier to collect than serum or urine. The authors describe their experiences with the use of saliva in research with older adults that examined (a) osmolality as an indicator of hydration status and (b) cortisol and behavioral symptoms of dementia. In particular, the authors discuss the timing of data collection along with data analysis and interpretation. For example, it is not enough to detect levels or rely solely on summary statistics; rather it is critical to characterize any rhythmicity inherent in the parameter of interest. Not accounting for rhythmicity in the analysis and interpretation of data can limit the interpretation of associations, thus impeding advances related to the contribution that an altered rhythm may make to individual vulnerability.

The Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry, revisited.

PubMed

Lilley, Emily C H; Silberg, Judy L

2013-02-01

The Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry (MATR) is a population-based registry of more than 56,000 twins primarily born or living in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The MATR employs several methods of ascertaining twins, and devotes considerable resources to tracking and maintaining communication with MATR participants. Researchers may utilize the MATR for administration of research services including study recruitment, collection of DNA, archival data set creation, as well as data collection through mailed, phone, or online surveys. In addition, the MATR houses the MATR Repository, with over 1,200 blood samples available for researchers interested in DNA genotyping. For over 35 years MATR twins have participated in research studies with investigators from diverse scientific disciplines and various institutions. These studies, which have resulted in numerous publications, have covered a range of topics, including the human microbiome, developmental psychopathology, depression, anxiety, substance use, epigenetics of aging, children of twins, pre-term birth, social attitudes, seizures, eating disorders, as well as sleep homeostasis. Researchers interested in utilizing twins are encouraged to contact the MATR to discuss potential research opportunities.

A Moiré Pattern-Based Thread Counter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reich, Gary

2017-10-01

Thread count is a term used in the textile industry as a measure of how closely woven a fabric is. It is usually defined as the sum of the number of warp threads per inch (or cm) and the number of weft threads per inch. (It is sometimes confusingly described as the number of threads per square inch.) In recent years it has also become a subject of considerable interest and some controversy among consumers. Many consumers consider thread count to be a key measure of the quality or fineness of a fabric, especially bed sheets, and they seek out fabrics that advertise high counts. Manufacturers in turn have responded to this interest by offering fabrics with ever higher claimed thread counts (sold at ever higher prices), sometime achieving the higher counts by distorting the definition of the term with some "creative math." In 2005 the Federal Trade Commission noted the growing use of thread count in advertising at the retail level and warned of the potential for consumers to be misled by distortions of the definition.

Rapid Radiations and the Race to Redundancy: An Investigation of the Evolution of Australian Elapid Snake Venoms

PubMed Central

Jackson, Timothy N. W.; Koludarov, Ivan; Ali, Syed A.; Dobson, James; Zdenek, Christina N.; Dashevsky, Daniel; op den Brouw, Bianca; Masci, Paul P.; Nouwens, Amanda; Josh, Peter; Goldenberg, Jonathan; Cipriani, Vittoria; Hay, Chris; Hendrikx, Iwan; Dunstan, Nathan; Allen, Luke; Fry, Bryan G.

2016-01-01

Australia is the stronghold of the front-fanged venomous snake family Elapidae. The Australasian elapid snake radiation, which includes approximately 100 terrestrial species in Australia, as well as Melanesian species and all the world’s true sea snakes, may be less than 12 million years old. The incredible phenotypic and ecological diversity of the clade is matched by considerable diversity in venom composition. The clade’s evolutionary youth and dynamic evolution should make it of particular interest to toxinologists, however, the majority of species, which are small, typically inoffensive, and seldom encountered by non-herpetologists, have been almost completely neglected by researchers. The present study investigates the venom composition of 28 species proteomically, revealing several interesting trends in venom composition, and reports, for the first time in elapid snakes, the existence of an ontogenetic shift in the venom composition and activity of brown snakes (Pseudonaja sp.). Trends in venom composition are compared to the snakes’ feeding ecology and the paper concludes with an extended discussion of the selection pressures shaping the evolution of snake venom. PMID:27792190

The Dorello canal: historical development, controversies in microsurgical anatomy, and clinical implications.

PubMed

Kshettry, Varun R; Lee, Joung H; Ammirati, Mario

2013-03-01

Interest in studying the anatomy of the abducent nerve arose from early clinical experience with abducent palsy seen in middle ear infection. Primo Dorello, an Italian anatomist working in Rome in the early 1900s, studied the anatomy of the petroclival region to formulate his own explanation of this pathological entity. His work led to his being credited with the discovery of the canal that bears his name, although this structure had been described 50 years previously by Wenzel Leopold Gruber. Renewed interest in the anatomy of this region arose due to advances in surgical approaches to tumors of the petroclival region and the need to explain the abducent palsies seen in trauma, intracranial hypotension, and aneurysms. The advent of the surgical microscope has allowed more detailed anatomical studies, and numerous articles have been published in the last 2 decades. The current article highlights the historical development of the study of the Dorello canal. A review of the anatomical studies of this structure is provided, followed by a brief overview of clinical considerations.

Health and foreign policy in question: the case of humanitarian action.

PubMed

Thieren, Michel

2007-03-01

Health has gained recognition as a foreign policy concern in recent years. Political leaders increasingly address global health problems within their international relations agendas. The confluence of health and foreign policy has opened these issues to analysis that helps clarify the tenets and determinants of this linkage, offering a new framework for international health policy. Yet as health remains profoundly bound to altruistic values, caution is required before generalizing about the positive outcomes of merging international health and foreign policy principles. In particular, the possible side-effects of this framework deserve further consideration. This paper examines the interaction of health and foreign policy in humanitarian action, where public health and foreign policy are often in direct conflict. Using a case-based approach, this analysis shows that health and foreign policy need not be at odds in this context, although there are situations where altruistic and interest-based values compete. The hierarchy of foreign policy functions must be challenged to avoid misuse of national authority where health interventions do not coincide with national security and domestic interests.

How Big Should the Army Be Considerations for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-02

structure on paper, but results in a hollowing-out of the force from a lack of proper training, maintenance and equipment—and manpower . That’s what happened...How Big Should the Army Be? Considerations for Congress Lawrence Kapp, Coordinator Specialist in Military Manpower Policy Andrew Feickert...interests within that environment;  How any additional end strength would be used by the Army;  The results of a congressionally directed study

Niche overlap of competing carnivores across climatic gradients and the conservation implications of climate change at geographic range margins

Treesearch

William J. Zielinski; Jody M. Tucker; Kerry M. Rennie

2017-01-01

There is considerable interest in factors controlling “warm-edge” limits – the lower elevation and latitudinal edges of a species' range. Understanding whether conservation measures can mitigate anticipated change in climate requires consideration of future climate as well as species interactions. We explored niche relations of martens and fishers at their...

Web-based tailored lifestyle programs: exploration of the target group's interests and implications for practice.

PubMed

Verheijden, Marieke W; Jans, Marielle P; Hildebrandt, Vincent H

2008-01-01

An important challenge in Web-based health promotion is to increase the reach of the target audience by taking the target groups' desires into consideration. Data from 505 members of a Dutch Internet panel (representative for Dutch Internet users) were used to asses the target group's interests and needs. 28% participated in Web-based tailored lifestyle programs, 57% expressed an interest in such programs, and 15% expressed no interest. Interest in Web-based programs was predominantly caused by a general interest in lifestyle and online tests. Participation in Web-based tailored lifestyle programs should not take more than 17 minutes per occasion. 84% were interested in follow-up testing after the initial participation. Responders were particularly interested in physical activity and nutrition. Hardly anyone was willing to pay for participation. The results from this study support the use of Web-based tailored lifestyle programs in behavior change efforts.

Dangers of neglecting non-financial conflicts of interest in health and medicine.

PubMed

Wiersma, Miriam; Kerridge, Ian; Lipworth, Wendy

2018-05-01

Non-financial interests, and the conflicts of interest that may result from them, are frequently overlooked in biomedicine. This is partly due to the complex and varied nature of these interests, and the limited evidence available regarding their prevalence and impact on biomedical research and clinical practice. We suggest that there are no meaningful conceptual distinctions, and few practical differences, between financial and non-financial conflicts of interest, and accordingly, that both require careful consideration. Further, a better understanding of the complexities of non-financial conflicts of interest, and their entanglement with financial conflicts of interest, may assist in the development of a more sophisticated approach to all forms of conflicts of interest. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Beyond Sociocultural Influence: Self-monitoring and Self-awareness as Predictors of Women's Interest in Breast Cosmetic Surgery.

PubMed

Matera, Camilla; Nerini, Amanda; Giorgi, Claudia; Baroni, Duccio; Stefanile, Cristina

2015-06-01

The aim of the present research was to analyze the role of self-awareness, self-monitoring, perceived media pressures, and peer attributions on the consideration of breast cosmetic surgery among women. The internalization of thin ideals was taken into account as a key moderating variable. Participants were 132 Italian women (mean age = 33.62), who completed a questionnaire aimed at measuring the variables of interest. Path analysis was used to test our hypotheses. The results indicated that perceived media pressure, self-monitoring, and peer attributions influenced participants' interest in breast modification procedures through the internalization of thin ideals. Self-awareness (both private and public) had a direct effect on women's consideration of breast cosmetic surgery. This research is one of few analyzing how specific aspects of the self could influence women's interest in cosmetic surgery. These findings contribute to the understanding of the reasons that trigger women's interest in cosmetic surgery. Not only sociocultural influences contribute to the development of favorable attitudes toward cosmetic surgery, but also specific aspects of the self have a relevant role. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the table of contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

76 FR 67774 - Board of Governors; Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

..., Financial Statements and Annual Report. 6. Consideration of Fiscal Year 2011 Comprehensive Statement and Annual Performance Plan. 7. Consideration of Fiscal Year 2012 Integrated Financial Plan. 8. Consideration.... Strategic Issues. 2. Financial Matters. Tuesday, November 15 at 1:30 p.m. (Open) 1. Approval of Minutes of...

The Threshold Bias Model: A Mathematical Model for the Nomothetic Approach of Suicide

PubMed Central

Folly, Walter Sydney Dutra

2011-01-01

Background Comparative and predictive analyses of suicide data from different countries are difficult to perform due to varying approaches and the lack of comparative parameters. Methodology/Principal Findings A simple model (the Threshold Bias Model) was tested for comparative and predictive analyses of suicide rates by age. The model comprises of a six parameter distribution that was applied to the USA suicide rates by age for the years 2001 and 2002. Posteriorly, linear extrapolations are performed of the parameter values previously obtained for these years in order to estimate the values corresponding to the year 2003. The calculated distributions agreed reasonably well with the aggregate data. The model was also used to determine the age above which suicide rates become statistically observable in USA, Brazil and Sri Lanka. Conclusions/Significance The Threshold Bias Model has considerable potential applications in demographic studies of suicide. Moreover, since the model can be used to predict the evolution of suicide rates based on information extracted from past data, it will be of great interest to suicidologists and other researchers in the field of mental health. PMID:21909431

Management of sepsis: a 47-year-old woman with an indwelling intravenous catheter and sepsis.

PubMed

Angus, Derek C

2011-04-13

Severe sepsis is the term used to describe the host response to infection when complicated by acute organ dysfunction. Severe sepsis occurs in more than 750,000 individuals in the United States each year, with a hospital mortality of about 30%. Although the classic presentation is of florid shock with frank hypotension, fever, and elevated white blood cell count, many patients can present with cryptogenic shock (shock without hypotension) with more subtle signs of vital organ compromise. Using the case of Ms C, a 47-year-old woman with short gut syndrome and an indwelling intravenous catheter who developed an episode of severe sepsis secondary to a central line infection, treatment of sepsis is discussed. Management consists of prompt intervention with broad-spectrum antibiotics and fluid resuscitation, even in the absence of hypotension, and institution of a variety of strategies in the emergency setting to prevent development or worsening of vital organ dysfunction. Although advances in understanding the host immune response have fueled considerable interest in immunomodulatory therapy, the role of such agents in clinical practice remains limited and controversial.

The threshold bias model: a mathematical model for the nomothetic approach of suicide.

PubMed

Folly, Walter Sydney Dutra

2011-01-01

Comparative and predictive analyses of suicide data from different countries are difficult to perform due to varying approaches and the lack of comparative parameters. A simple model (the Threshold Bias Model) was tested for comparative and predictive analyses of suicide rates by age. The model comprises of a six parameter distribution that was applied to the USA suicide rates by age for the years 2001 and 2002. Posteriorly, linear extrapolations are performed of the parameter values previously obtained for these years in order to estimate the values corresponding to the year 2003. The calculated distributions agreed reasonably well with the aggregate data. The model was also used to determine the age above which suicide rates become statistically observable in USA, Brazil and Sri Lanka. The Threshold Bias Model has considerable potential applications in demographic studies of suicide. Moreover, since the model can be used to predict the evolution of suicide rates based on information extracted from past data, it will be of great interest to suicidologists and other researchers in the field of mental health.

Offshore oil and the coastline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Peter M.

A radical, accelerated 5-year plan to offer 875 million acres (of which 20 million could actually be leased for oil and gas extraction purposes) on the outer continental shelf (OCS) could result in the release of large volumes of drilling wastes and spillage (Environ. Sci. Tech., Nov. 1981). The actual leasing, under the 5-year plan proposed by Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt, could amount to 4-5 million acres per year—about 10 times as much, on the average, as had been leased over the past 25 years. Regulations on the environmental effects may be less complicated yet more effective in that impact statements will cover large areas instead of the tract-by-tract statements now required. A number of the new offshore leasing areas, for example, the Alaska Coast (Cook Inlet, Beaufort Bay, Gulf of Alaska), the Blake Plateau and Baltimore Canyon, and the Georges Bank, are extremely valuable in terms of renewable resources and potentially fragile in terms of environmental conditions. Fishing interests in these areas have produced considerable controversy over the planned sale of petroleum rights.

Volunteer dynamics of older Americans.

PubMed

Butrica, Barbara A; Johnson, Richard W; Zedlewski, Sheila R

2009-09-01

The impending retirement of boomers has spurred interest in tapping their productive energies to benefit society. This study examined volunteer transitions among older adults to understand the factors that affect volunteer dynamics. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, the analysis examined entries into and exits from formal volunteer activities between 1996 and 2004 by adults aged 55-65 at study baseline. The study showed the duration of volunteer activities, the probability that older adults start and stop volunteering, and the factors that significantly predict volunteer transitions. The findings reveal considerable stability among both volunteers and nonvolunteers; however, older adults are more likely to stop volunteering than to start. Volunteers who contribute intensely and for many years and who are married to volunteers are the least likely to quit. And nonvolunteers are more likely to start volunteering if they have been uninvolved for few years and their spouses volunteer. The results point to the need to focus efforts on retaining older volunteers to maximize volunteer engagement during later years. Recruiting older adults in volunteer activities early on, ideally before they retire, could also help meet volunteer needs.

Multiple Chronic Conditions and Labor Force Outcomes: A Population Study of U.S. Adults

PubMed Central

Ward, Brian W.

2015-01-01

Background Although 1-in-5 adults have multiple (≥2) chronic conditions, limited attention has been given to the association between multiple chronic conditions and employment. Methods Cross-sectional data (2011 National Health Interview Survey) and multivariate regression analyses were used to examine the association among multiple chronic conditions, employment, and labor force outcomes for U.S. adults aged 18–64 years, controlling for covariates. Results Among U.S. adults aged 18–64 years (unweighted n=25,458), having multiple chronic conditions reduced employment probability by 11%–29%. Some individual chronic conditions decreased employment probability. Among employed adults (unweighted n=16,096), having multiple chronic conditions increased the average number of work days missed due to injury/illness in the past year by 3–9 days. Conclusions Multiple chronic conditions are be a barrier to employment and increase the number of work days missed, placing affected individuals at a financial disadvantage. Researchers interested in examining consequences of multiple chronic conditions should give consideration to labor force outcomes. PMID:26103096

Changes in anthropometrical data of the Hungarian child and adult population during the last thirty years based on family studies conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine at Budapest.

PubMed

Magyar, Lóránt; Bellovits, Orsolya; Bujdosó, Györgyi

2006-06-01

Studies of the Hungarian child and adult population have revealed striking changes over the past thirty years with respect to body height and body mass, an observation, which has also been confirmed by other investigations (Gyenis & Joubert 2003, Maródi et. al. 2002). Based on these deviations the authors were interested in the variability of some anthropometrical head measures, which are of particular importance for forensic anthropological questions concerning face reconstruction (Editorial 2001, Jayprakash et. al. 2001, Szilvdssy & Kritscher 1997, Szilvdssy et al. 1997). The majority of such reconstruction methods, however, do not take into consideration the process of secular trend. It is the aim of this study to improve the anthropological basis for exact reconstruction methods by elaboration of temporal changes of face, head and body measures of the Hungarian population collected during the past thirty years. For this data from 2353 adults and 861 children investigated in 1974, and 869 adults 287 children investigated between 1994 and 2004 are available.

The Midlife Crisis of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pella, Peter

2016-03-01

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) has been the principal legal barrier to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons for the past forty-five years. It promotes the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and insures, through the application of safeguards inspections conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), that those technologies are not being diverted toward the production of nuclear weapons. It is also the only multinational treaty that obligates the five nuclear weapons states that are party to the treaty (China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States) to pursue nuclear disarmament measures. Though there have been many challenges over the years, most would agree that the treaty has largely been successful. However, many are concerned about the continued viability of the NPT. The perceived slow pace of nuclear disarmament, the interest by some countries to consider a weapons program while party to the treaty, and the funding and staffing issues at the IAEA, are all putting considerable strain on the treaty. This manuscript explores those issues and offers some possible solutions to ensure that the NPT will survive effectively for many years to come.

Negotiation From a Near and Distant Time Perspective

PubMed Central

Henderson, Marlone D.; Trope, Yaacov; Carnevale, Peter J.

2011-01-01

Across 3 experiments, the authors examined the effects of temporal distance on negotiation behavior. They found that greater temporal distance from negotiation decreased preference for piecemeal, single-issue consideration over integrative, multi-issue consideration (Experiment 1). They also found that greater temporal distance from an event being negotiated increased interest in conceding on the lowest priority issue and decreased interest in conceding on the highest priority issue (Experiment 2). Lastly, they found increased temporal distance from an event being negotiated produced a greater proportion of multi-issue offers, a greater likelihood of conceding on the lowest priority issue in exchange for a concession on the highest priority issue, and greater individual and joint outcomes (Experiment 3). Implications for conflict resolution and construal level theory are discussed. PMID:17014295

Exploring evidence-policy linkages in health research plans: A case study from six countries

PubMed Central

Syed, Shamsuzzoha B; Hyder, Adnan A; Bloom, Gerald; Sundaram, Sandhya; Bhuiya, Abbas; Zhenzhong, Zhang; Kanjilal, Barun; Oladepo, Oladimeji; Pariyo, George; Peters, David H

2008-01-01

The complex evidence-policy interface in low and middle income country settings is receiving increasing attention. Future Health Systems (FHS): Innovations for Equity, is a research consortium conducting health systems explorations in six Asian and African countries: Bangladesh, India, China, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Nigeria. The cross-country research consortium provides a unique opportunity to explore the research-policy interface. Three key activities were undertaken during the initial phase of this five-year project. First, key considerations in strengthening evidence-policy linkages in health system research were developed by FHS researchers through workshops and electronic communications. Four key considerations in strengthening evidence-policy linkages are postulated: development context; research characteristics; decision-making processes; and stakeholder engagement. Second, these four considerations were applied to research proposals in each of the six countries to highlight features in the research plans that potentially strengthen the research-policy interface and opportunities for improvement. Finally, the utility of the approach for setting research priorities in health policy and systems research was reflected upon. These three activities yielded interesting findings. First, developmental consideration with four dimensions – poverty, vulnerabilities, capabilities, and health shocks – provides an entry point in examining research-policy interfaces in the six settings. Second, research plans focused upon on the ground realities in specific countries strengthens the interface. Third, focusing on research prioritized by decision-makers, within a politicized health arena, enhances chances of research influencing action. Lastly, early and continued engagement of multiple stakeholders, from local to national levels, is conducive to enhanced communication at the interface. The approach described has four main utilities: first, systematic analyses of research proposals using key considerations ensure such issues are incorporated into research proposals; second, the exact meaning, significance, and inter-relatedness of these considerations can be explored within the research itself; third, cross-country learning can be enhanced; and finally, translation of evidence into action may be facilitated. Health systems research proposals in low and middle income countries should include reflection on transferring research findings into policy. Such deliberations may be informed by employing the four key considerations suggested in this paper in analyzing research proposals. PMID:18331651

Medical students' choice of specialty and factors determining their choice: a cross-sectional survey at the Addis Ababa University, School oF Medicine, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Seyoum, Nebyou; Biluts, Hagos; Bekele, Abebe; Seme, Assefa

2014-07-01

A consideration of the future specialization interests of undergraduate medical students might help in understanding the needs of higher medical education and future manpower availability for healthcare in a country. This study assessed the career of choice made by medical students of the Addis Ababa University in the year 2012. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 161 medical students of the Addis Ababa University, School of Medicine, Ethiopia in April 2012 using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using computer based statistical software IBM SPSS data editor version 20.0. In addition to descriptive statistics difference in proportions was compared using Chi-square test Of the 161 students, 101 (62.7%) were male. The mean age of respondents was 24.1 years (SD 2.02, ranging from 21 to 35). Majority, 138 (85.7) wanted to pursue their specialty training in the near future, their first career of choice being surgery for, 50 (31.1%), followed by internal medicine for, 44 (27.3%) and Obstetrics and Gynaecology for, 29 (18.0%]), However 18 (11.2%) did not specify their career of choice. The basic science fields such as anesthesiology, and oncology were the least favored choices by the students. The main reasons that influenced the students' decisions to opt for a particular specialty were inspiration during their clinical practicein 67 (41.6%). Financial reward (24.2%), dedication to the field (19.2%) possession of competency needed for the speciality (18.6%) and Influence of teacher (16.1%) were also factors that influenced future choice of speciality of the students. The majority of medical students preferred to pursue their specialty training. As the number and interest in certain specialties is huge, training centers must be ready to cater for the interests shown by the students. The lack of interest towards certain specialists such as basic sciences, anesthesiology, and oncology requires a special attention by policy makers.

The role of financial wellbeing, sociopolitical attitude, self-interest, and lifestyle in one's attitude toward social health insurance.

PubMed

Schnusenberg, Oliver; Loh, Chung-Ping A; Nihalani, Katrin

2013-08-01

There has been continuous debate in the United States, Germany, and China about their respective healthcare systems. While these three countries are dealing with their own unique problems, the question of how social a healthcare system should be is a topic in this debate. This study examined how strongly college students' attitudes toward a social healthcare system relate to ideological orientation and self-interest. We used samples of college students in the People's Republic of China, Germany, and the US, and extracted factors measuring "financial wellbeing," "sociopolitical attitude," "self-interest," and "lifestyle" to explain the "attitude toward social health insurance" (ASHI) construct developed in recent literature (Loh et al. in Eur J Health Econ 13:707-722). The results of regression analysis showed that sociopolitical attitude/progressivism is positively related to the ASHI, but the degree of association varies considerably from country to country. We also found that a self-interest factor, measured by health status, seems to be inversely related to an individual's ASHI in the US, but not in China or Germany. Individuals with relatively healthy lifestyle choices were less likely to have a favorable ASHI in Germany, but no such relationship was found in China and the US. These results indicate that while some commonalities exist, there are also considerable differences in the structure of ASHI across these three countries. Ultimately, the results reported here could help to develop a predictive model that can be utilized to forecast a country's ASHI. Such a predictive model could be used by politicians to gauge the popularity of a healthcare plan that is under consideration in a particular country.

Quantifying the Risk Posed by Potential Earth Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesley, Steven R.; Chodas, Paul W.; Milani, Andrea; Valsecchi, Giovanni B.; Yeomans, Donald K.

2002-10-01

Predictions of future potential Earth impacts by near-Earth objects (NEOs) have become commonplace in recent years, and the rate of these detections is likely to accelerate as asteroid survey efforts continue to mature. In order to conveniently compare and categorize the numerous potential impact solutions being discovered we propose a new hazard scale that will describe the risk posed by a particular potential impact in both absolute and relative terms. To this end, we measure each event in two ways, first without any consideration of the event's time proximity or its significance relative to the so-called background threat, and then in the context of the expected risk from other objects over the intervening years until the impact. This approach is designed principally to facilitate communication among astronomers, and it is not intended for public communication of impact risks. The scale characterizes impacts across all impact energies, probabilities and dates, and it is useful, in particular, when dealing with those cases which fall below the threshold of public interest. The scale also reflects the urgency of the situation in a natural way and thus can guide specialists in assessing the computational and observational effort appropriate for a given situation. In this paper we describe the metrics introduced, and we give numerous examples of their application. This enables us to establish in rough terms the levels at which events become interesting to various parties.

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) Data Sets for Global Environment and Climate Change Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bess, T. Dale; Carlson, Ann B.; Denn, Fredrick M.

1997-01-01

For a number of years there has been considerable interest in the earth's radiation budget (ERB) or energy balance, and entails making the best measurements possible of absorbed solar radiation, reflected shortwave radiation (RSW), thermal outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), and net radiation. ERB data are fundamental to the development of realistic climate models and studying natural and anthropogenic perturbations of the climate. Much of the interest and investigations in the earth's energy balance predated the age of earth-orbiting satellites (Hunt et al., 1986). Beginning in the mid 1960's earth-orbiting satellites began to play an important role in making measurements of the earth's radiation flux although much effort had gone into measuring ERB parameters prior to 1960 (House et al., 1986). Beginning in 1974 and extending until the present time, three different satellite experiments (not all operating at the same time) have been making radiation budget measurements almost continually in time. Two of the experiments were totally dedicated to making radiation budget measurements of the earth, and the other experiment flown on NOAA sun-synchronous AVHRR weather satellites produced radiation budget parameters as a by-product. The heat budget data from the AVHRR satellites began collecting data in June 1974 and have operated almost continuously for 23 years producing valuable data for long term climate monitoring.

High-Content Electrophysiological Analysis of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs).

PubMed

Kong, Chi-Wing; Geng, Lin; Li, Ronald A

2018-01-01

Considerable interest has been raised to develop human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) as a model for drug discovery and cardiotoxicity screening. High-content electrophysiological analysis of currents generated by transmembrane cell surface ion channels has been pursued to complement such emerging applications. Here we describe practical procedures and considerations for accomplishing successful assays of hPSC-CMs using an automated planar patch-clamp system.

Nurse-computer performance. Considerations for the nurse administrator.

PubMed

Mills, M E; Staggers, N

1994-11-01

Regulatory reporting requirements and economic pressures to create a unified healthcare database are leading to the development of a fully computerized patient record. Nursing staff members will be responsible increasingly for using this technology, yet little is known about the interaction effect of staff characteristics and computer screen design on on-line accuracy and speed. In examining these issues, new considerations are raised for nurse administrators interested in facilitating staff use of clinical information systems.

Conflicts of interest in medical science: peer usage, peer review and 'CoI consultancy'.

PubMed

Charlton, Bruce G

2004-01-01

In recent years, the perception has grown that conflicts of interest are having a detrimental effect on medical science as it influences health policy and clinical practice, leading medical journals to enforce self-declaration of potential biases in the attempt to counteract or compensate for the problem. Conflict of interest (CoI) declarations have traditionally been considered inappropriate in pure science since its evaluation systems themselves constitute a mechanism for eliminating the effect of individual biases. Pure science is primarily evaluated by 'peer usage', in which scientific information is 'replicated' by being incorporated in the work of other scientists, and tested by further observation of the natural world. Over the long-term, the process works because significant biases impair the quality of science, and bad science tends to be neglected or refuted. However, scientific evaluation operates slowly over years and decades, and only a small proportion of published work is ever actually evaluated. But most of modern medical science no longer conforms to the model of pure science, and may instead be conceptualized as a system of 'applied' science having different aims and evaluation processes. The aim of applied medical science is to solve pre-specified problems, and to provide scientific information ready for implementation immediately following publication. The primary evaluation process of applied science is peer review, not peer usage. Peer review is much more rapid (with a timescale of weeks or months) and cheaper than peer usage and (consequently) has a much wider application: peer review is a prospective validation while peer usage is retrospective. Since applied science consists of incremental advances on existing knowledge achieved using established techniques, its results can usually be reliably evaluated by peer review. However, despite its considerable convenience, peer review has significant limitations related to its reliance on opinion. One major limitation of peer review has proved to be its inability to deal with conflicts of interest, especially in a 'big science' context when prestigious scientists may have similar biases, and conflicts of interest are widely shared among peer reviewers. When applied medical science has been later checked against the slower but more valid processes of peer usage, it seems that reliance on peer review may allow damaging distortions to become 'locked-in' to clinical practice and health policy for considerable periods. Scientific progress is generally underpinned by increasing specialization. Medical journals should specialize in the communication of scientific information, and they have neither the resources nor the motivation to investigate and measure conflicts of interest. Effectively dealing with the problem of conflicts of interest in applied medical science firstly requires a more explicit demarcation between the communications media of pure medical science and applied medical science. Greater specialization of these activities would then allow distinctive aims and evaluation systems to evolve with the expectation of improved performance in both pure and applied systems. In future, applied medical science should operate with an assumption of bias, with the onus of proof on applied medical scientists to facilitate the 'data transparency' necessary to validate their research. Journals of applied medical science will probably require more rigorous processes of peer review than at present, since their publications are intended to be ready for implementation. But since peer review does not adequately filter-out conflicts of interest in applied medical science, there is a need for the evolution of specialist post-publication institutional mechanisms. The suggested solution is to encourage the establishment of independent 'CoI consultancy' services, whose role would be to evaluate conflicts of interest and other biases in published applied medical science prior to their implementation. Such services would be paid-for by the groups who intend to implement applied medical research.

Factors influencing the choice of a career in food-animal practice among recent graduates and current students of Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine.

PubMed

Lenarduzzi, Roland; Sheppard, Guy A; Slater, Margaret R

2009-01-01

Concerns about a shortage of large and mixed-animal veterinarians have been discussed in the profession. To better understand veterinary career choices among currently enrolled veterinary students (classes of 2007-2010) and recent graduate veterinarians in Texas (classes of 2002-2006), an online survey was developed. The objectives were to examine: (1) the respondents' backgrounds, demographic data, and experiences; (2) the respondents' working conditions and rural lifestyle considerations; (3) the respondents' perceptions of large/mixed-animal practice; and (4) the factors that have influenced respondents' career choices. The response rate was 37% (390/1,042). Overall, 72% of students and 55% of recent graduates were interested in large/mixed-animal practice. More than 70% of respondents indicated that veterinary practitioners had the strongest personal influence on career choices. Respondents who were no longer interested in large/mixed-animal practice, or who had never been interested, reported no experience with large animals (42% and 64%, respectively) as the most common reason for their lack of interest. Previous and current interest in large/mixed-animal practice were associated with working in a large/mixed-animal practice, any agricultural experience, and working for at least 6 months on a farm or ranch. Any 4-H experience increased the likelihood of previous interest, while being married decreased the likelihood of current interest. Student contact with practitioners (82%) and financial considerations (77%) were most commonly cited as factors that would make a career in large/mixed-animal practice more attractive. Rural lifestyle drawbacks influenced respondents' career choices. Many forms of agricultural experience may expose and encourage students to consider large/mixed-animal practice.

An international prospective cohort study of mobile phone users and health (Cosmos): design considerations and enrolment.

PubMed

Schüz, Joachim; Elliott, Paul; Auvinen, Anssi; Kromhout, Hans; Poulsen, Aslak Harbo; Johansen, Christoffer; Olsen, Jørgen H; Hillert, Lena; Feychting, Maria; Fremling, Karin; Toledano, Mireille; Heinävaara, Sirpa; Slottje, Pauline; Vermeulen, Roel; Ahlbom, Anders

2011-02-01

There is continuing public and scientific interest in the possibility that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile telephones or other wireless devices and applications might increase the risk of certain cancers or other diseases. The interest is amplified by the rapid world-wide penetration of such technologies. The evidence from epidemiological studies published to date have not been consistent and, in particular, further studies are required to identify whether longer term (well beyond 10 years) RF exposure might pose some health risk. The "Cosmos" study described here is a large prospective cohort study of mobile telephone users (ongoing recruitment of 250,000 men and women aged 18+ years in five European countries - Denmark, Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK) who will be followed up for 25+ years. Information on mobile telephone use is collected prospectively through questionnaires and objective traffic data from network operators. Associations with disease risks will be studied by linking cohort members to existing disease registries, while changes in symptoms such as headache and sleep quality and of general well-being are assessed by baseline and follow-up questionnaires. A prospective cohort study conducted with appropriate diligence and a sufficient sample size, overcomes many of the shortcomings of previous studies. Its major advantages are exposure assessment prior to the diagnosis of disease, the prospective collection of objective exposure information, long-term follow-up of multiple health outcomes, and the flexibility to investigate future changes in technologies or new research questions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The late media emergency of smallpox vaccine, news coverage of Spanish press (1999-2004)].

PubMed

Martínez-Martínez, Pedro Javier; Tuells, José; Colmenar-Jarillo, Gema

2015-06-01

Discussions on the need for smallpox virus preservation in 1999 focused attention on an eradicated disease 20 years ago. Smallpox was replaced as a potential candidate to be used as a bioterrorist weapon because of the international alarm scenario produced after the 11/9 events in USA. The reactivation of a vaccine which remained forgotten was the direct consequence. The initial target groups were the security forces of America. Spain was also among the countries that were interested in acquiring the smallpox vaccine. The aim of this study is to analyze the considerable media coverage of smallpox obtained in our country. Systematic review of published news in the four largest national daily newspapers (ABC, El Mundo, El País and La Vanguardia) for the period 1999-2004 of the Dow Jones Factiva document database. "Smallpox" were used as a key word. From the obtained data, a qualitative and quantitative analysis was done. 416 reviews were analyzed; the newspaper El Mundo was the most interested in these news (158 citations, 37.98%). Most of the news were published in 2003 (152, 36.5%) The year with more news about smallpox (2003) coincides with the purchase of vaccines in Spain. The type of messages in the news was highly changeable over this six-year period. Those related to "politics and diplomacy", "epidemiological risk", "bioterrorism" and "vaccine" were predominant. The alarm raised around the smallpox vaccination was a media phenomenon due to political strategy issues rather than a real public health problem.

Biodiversity conservation in Swedish forests: ways forward for a 30-year-old multi-scaled approach.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Lena; Perhans, Karin

2010-12-01

A multi-scaled model for biodiversity conservation in forests was introduced in Sweden 30 years ago, which makes it a pioneer example of an integrated ecosystem approach. Trees are set aside for biodiversity purposes at multiple scale levels varying from individual trees to areas of thousands of hectares, with landowner responsibility at the lowest level and with increasing state involvement at higher levels. Ecological theory supports the multi-scaled approach, and retention efforts at every harvest occasion stimulate landowners' interest in conservation. We argue that the model has large advantages but that in a future with intensified forestry and global warming, development based on more progressive thinking is necessary to maintain and increase biodiversity. Suggestions for the future include joint planning for several forest owners, consideration of cost-effectiveness, accepting opportunistic work models, adjusting retention levels to stand and landscape composition, introduction of temporary reserves, creation of "receiver habitats" for species escaping climate change, and protection of young forests.

State of the art analgesia-Recent developments pharmacological approaches to acute pain management in dogs and cats: Part 2.

PubMed

Bradbrook, C; Clark, L

2018-06-01

There has been considerable interest in the area of acute pain management over recent years, focusing on pain assessment, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The evidence base for our clinical decision making and treatment of patients is ever increasing and becoming more robust. There is still a tendency to base some aspects of pain management on poor quality evidence and this requires further input in years to come. With new literature come new ideas and this review will detail the current knowledge base behind pharmacological management of acute pain in dogs and cats. The known mechanisms of action of each analgesic and its evidence will be considered. The second part of this review will consider the non-traditional analgesics, describing their component drugs individually, thereby focusing on their mechanisms of action and the current evidence for their use in acute pain management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State of the art analgesia- recent developments in pharmacological approaches to acute pain management in dogs and cats. Part 1.

PubMed

Bradbrook, C A; Clark, L

2018-06-06

There has been considerable interest in acute pain management over recent years, focusing on pain assessment, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The evidence base for our clinical decision making and treatment of patients is increasing and becoming more robust. There is still a tendency to base some aspects of pain management on poor quality evidence and this requires further input in years to come. With new literature come new ideas and this review will detail the current knowledge base behind pharmacological management of acute pain in dogs and cats. The known mechanisms of action of each analgesic and its evidence will be considered. The first part of this review will consider the opioid and anti-inflammatory analgesics, describing their component drugs individually, thereby focusing on their mechanisms of action and the current evidence for their use in acute pain management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autonomy of children and adolescents in consent to treatment: ethical, jurisprudential and legal considerations.

PubMed

Parsapoor, Alireza; Parsapoor, Mohammad-Bagher; Rezaei, Nima; Asghari, Fariba

2014-06-01

Autonomy is usually considered as a main principle in making decisions about individuals' health. Children and particularly adolescents have the capacity to take part in medical decision-making to some extent. For the most part the parent-doctor-child/adolescent triangle sides are essentially in agreement, but this may not be true in some cases, causing physicians to face problems attempting to determine their professional duties. According to Islamic jurisprudent upon reaching the age of Taklif (15 full lunar years for boys and 9 full lunar years for girls) no one can be treated as incompetent based on mental immaturity unless his or her insanity or mental immaturity is provend Moreover the Islamic Sharia, decrees that parents should lose their authority to make medical decisions for their children, if their bad faith or imprudence is proven, in which case a fit and proper person or an institution will be appointed to make decisions in this respect based on the child's best interests.

Dysregulated fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling in neurological and psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Turner, Cortney A; Eren-Koçak, Emine; Inui, Edny G; Watson, Stanley J; Akil, Huda

2016-05-01

The role of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) system in brain-related disorders has received considerable attention in recent years. To understand the role of this system in neurological and psychiatric disorders, it is important to identify the specific members of the FGF family that are implicated, their location and the various mechanisms they can be modulated. Each disorder appears to impact specific molecular players in unique anatomical locations, and all of these could conceivably become targets for treatment. In the last several years, the issue of how to target this system directly has become an area of increasing interest. To date, the most promising therapeutics are small molecule inhibitors and antibodies that modulate FGF receptor (FGFR) function. Beyond attempting to modify the primary players affected by a given brain disorder, it may prove useful to target molecules, such as membrane-bound or extracellular proteins that interact with FGF ligands or FGFRs to modulate signaling. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Atmospheric waves and their utilization in soaring flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldit, M Albert

1923-01-01

In soaring flight, ascending air currents are utilized and the interesting question is raised whether there are such currents which extend to any considerable distance and which can be utilized practically.

41 CFR 101-30.103-1 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... consideration efficiency, economy, and other interests of the Government. (b) The Defense Cataloging and Standardization Act (chapter 145, title 10, U.S. Code) authorizes the Secretary of Defense to develop a single...

Ethics and Evidence-Based Medicine: Is There a Conflict?

PubMed Central

Loewy, Erich H.

2007-01-01

This article addresses the advantages, disadvantages, and traps to which evidence-based medicine (EBM) may lead and suggests that, to be ethically valid, EBM must be aimed at the patient's best interests and not at the financial interests of others. While financial considerations are by no means trivial, it is hypocritical – if not dangerous – to hide them behind words like “evidence” or “quality.” PMID:18092036

Psychosocial predictors in consideration of cosmetic surgery among women.

PubMed

Nerini, Amanda; Matera, Camilla; Stefanile, Cristina

2014-04-01

This study aimed to analyze the influence of psychosocial factors on the consideration of cosmetic surgery. The authors hypothesized that the internalization of thin ideals and social comparisons mediate the relationship between media pressure, family and peer influence (appearance conversations, perception of teasing, and peer attributions), and the desire to pursue cosmetic surgery. The study participants were 429 Italian women (mean age, 33 years). They completed a questionnaire containing the Appearance Conversations With Friends Scale, the Perception of Teasing Scale for Friends, the Peer Attribution Scale, the "Pressure and Internalization-General" subscales of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, the Feedback on Physical Appearance Scale, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale, and the "Consider" subscale of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. Hierarchical linear regression was performed. The results indicated that media pressure and appearance conversations with peers predicted the outcome variable through the full mediation of internalization of thin ideals. The relation between peer attributions and interest in cosmetic surgery was partially mediated by internalization of thin ideals. Although social comparison was significantly related to both sociocultural variables and consideration of cosmetic procedures, it was not a significant mediator of this relationship. Neither family influence nor perception of teasing predicted the outcome variable. Overall, these results provide important information about the factors implicated in the consideration of cosmetic surgery by women. This research confirms that cosmetic surgeons need to adopt a base psychological approach. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Economic considerations for bariatric surgery and morbid obesity

PubMed Central

Frezza, Eldo E; Wacthell, Mitchell; Ewing, Bradley

2009-01-01

The obesity epidemic is also an economic tragedy. This analysis evaluates the economic effects and the potential to improve the well-being of both individual and societal wealth. Econometric techniques should carefully assess the degree to which obesity affects declines in business output, employment, income, and tax revenues at the regional and national levels. Microeconomics assesses lost productivity and associated wages and profit. Macroeconomics assesses trends associated with employment, inflation, interest rates, money supply, and output. To decrease the adverse economic consequences of the obesity epidemic, policy makers must emphasize bariatric surgery as a cost-effective option for qualified patients. Early intervention, education, and tax rebates for obese individuals who undergo bariatric surgery and for medical centers and doctors would likely have positive economic effects on the whole economy in a few years. PMID:21935309

Economic considerations for bariatric surgery and morbid obesity.

PubMed

Frezza, Eldo E; Wacthell, Mitchell; Ewing, Bradley

2009-01-01

The obesity epidemic is also an economic tragedy. This analysis evaluates the economic effects and the potential to improve the well-being of both individual and societal wealth. Econometric techniques should carefully assess the degree to which obesity affects declines in business output, employment, income, and tax revenues at the regional and national levels. Microeconomics assesses lost productivity and associated wages and profit. Macroeconomics assesses trends associated with employment, inflation, interest rates, money supply, and output. To decrease the adverse economic consequences of the obesity epidemic, policy makers must emphasize bariatric surgery as a cost-effective option for qualified patients. Early intervention, education, and tax rebates for obese individuals who undergo bariatric surgery and for medical centers and doctors would likely have positive economic effects on the whole economy in a few years.

Climate Impact of Solar Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schatten, Kenneth H. (Editor); Arking, Albert (Editor)

1990-01-01

The conference on The Climate Impact of Solar Variability, was held at Goddard Space Flight Center from April 24 to 27, 1990. In recent years they developed a renewed interest in the potential effects of increasing greenhouse gases on climate. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and the chlorofluorocarbons have been increasing at rates that could significantly change climate. There is considerable uncertainty over the magnitude of this anthropogenic change. The climate system is very complex, with feedback processes that are not fully understood. Moreover, there are two sources of natural climate variability (volcanic aerosols and solar variability) added to the anthropogenic changes which may confuse our interpretation of the observed temperature record. Thus, if we could understand the climatic impact of the natural variability, it would aid our interpretation and understanding of man-made climate changes.

Methane hydrates and the future of natural gas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruppel, Carolyn

2011-01-01

For decades, gas hydrates have been discussed as a potential resource, particularly for countries with limited access to conventional hydrocarbons or a strategic interest in establishing alternative, unconventional gas reserves. Methane has never been produced from gas hydrates at a commercial scale and, barring major changes in the economics of natural gas supply and demand, commercial production at a large scale is considered unlikely to commence within the next 15 years. Given the overall uncertainty still associated with gas hydrates as a potential resource, they have not been included in the EPPA model in MITEI’s Future of Natural Gas report. Still, gas hydrates remain a potentially large methane resource and must necessarily be included in any consideration of the natural gas supply beyond two decades from now.

Flexible, Stretchable Sensors for Wearable Health Monitoring: Sensing Mechanisms, Materials, Fabrication Strategies and Features

PubMed Central

Liu, Yan; Wang, Hai; Zhao, Wei; Qin, Hongbo; Xie, Yongqiang

2018-01-01

Wearable health monitoring systems have gained considerable interest in recent years owing to their tremendous promise for personal portable health watching and remote medical practices. The sensors with excellent flexibility and stretchability are crucial components that can provide health monitoring systems with the capability of continuously tracking physiological signals of human body without conspicuous uncomfortableness and invasiveness. The signals acquired by these sensors, such as body motion, heart rate, breath, skin temperature and metabolism parameter, are closely associated with personal health conditions. This review attempts to summarize the recent progress in flexible and stretchable sensors, concerning the detected health indicators, sensing mechanisms, functional materials, fabrication strategies, basic and desired features. The potential challenges and future perspectives of wearable health monitoring system are also briefly discussed. PMID:29470408

Mixture modeling methods for the assessment of normal and abnormal personality, part II: longitudinal models.

PubMed

Wright, Aidan G C; Hallquist, Michael N

2014-01-01

Studying personality and its pathology as it changes, develops, or remains stable over time offers exciting insight into the nature of individual differences. Researchers interested in examining personal characteristics over time have a number of time-honored analytic approaches at their disposal. In recent years there have also been considerable advances in person-oriented analytic approaches, particularly longitudinal mixture models. In this methodological primer we focus on mixture modeling approaches to the study of normative and individual change in the form of growth mixture models and ipsative change in the form of latent transition analysis. We describe the conceptual underpinnings of each of these models, outline approaches for their implementation, and provide accessible examples for researchers studying personality and its assessment.

Rethinking Thought Disorder

PubMed Central

Hart, Mara

2017-01-01

Abstract It has been 30 years since Holzman introduced a special issue of the Schizophrenia Bulletin entitled “Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia.” He pointed out in his Editor’s Introduction that in contrast to the explosion of interest at that time in the biological aspects of schizophrenia, there were important areas of study that represented “... relatively neglected aspects of the psychopathology of schizophrenia, namely the varieties of thinking disorders (emphasis added) characteristic of schizophrenic patients and their possible underlying mechanisms.” Perhaps presciently, he ended his introduction by expressing hope that the articles included in that issue would lead to further intensive study of the cognitive (emphasis added) dysfunctions in schizophrenia. There has, indeed, been extensive research conducted in further understanding cognitive dysfunctions in schizophrenia, but considerably less so in understanding thought disorder. PMID:28204762

Conservation: Where we stand: Review of Water, land, and people

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leopold, Luna Bergere

1951-01-01

A distinguished conservationist, just returned from more than a year in those Pacific islands held in trust by the United States, reports that representatives of the government there are nearly completely concerned with the maintenance of an administrative organization. Actual advances in matters of land use, of maintaining the material and mental welfare of the native population, and the preservation of the most interesting remnants of untouched habitat, are just never made.Any such oversimplification is, of course, subject to error in detail, but it nevertheless stands as a touchstone to where we stand in conservation. In much more guarded phrases, and with considerable supporting data, Bernard Frank and Anthony Netboy say much the same thing about governmental conservation in the United States in their recently published Water, Land, and People.

Advances in polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms as tunable drug delivery systems

PubMed Central

Jiang, Bingbing; Barnett, John B; Li, Bingyun

2009-01-01

There has been considerable interest in polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms, which have a variety of applications ranging from optical and electrochemical materials to biomedical devices. Polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms are constructed from aqueous solutions using electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly of oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes on a solid substrate. Multifunctional polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms have been studied using charged dyes, metal and inorganic nanoparticles, DNA, proteins, and viruses. In the past few years, there has been increasing attention to developing polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms as drug delivery vehicles. In this mini-review, we present recent developments in polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms with tunable drug delivery properties, with particular emphasis on the strategies in tuning the loading and release of drugs in polyelectrolyte multilayer nanofilms as well as their applications. PMID:24198464

Architectures, representations and processes of language production

PubMed Central

Alario, F.-Xavier; Costa, Albert; Ferreira, Victor S.; Pickering, Martin J.

2007-01-01

We present an overview of recent research conducted in the field of language production based on papers presented at the first edition of the International Workshop on Language Production (Marseille, France, September 2004). This article comprises two main parts. In the first part, consisting of three sections, we review the articles that are included in this Special Issue. These three sections deal with three different topics of general interest for models of language production: (A) the general organisational principles of the language production system, (B) several aspects of the lexical selection process and (C) the representations and processes used during syntactic encoding. In the second part, we discuss future directions for research in the field of language production, given the considerable developments that have occurred in recent years. PMID:17710209

Flexible, Stretchable Sensors for Wearable Health Monitoring: Sensing Mechanisms, Materials, Fabrication Strategies and Features.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Wang, Hai; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Min; Qin, Hongbo; Xie, Yongqiang

2018-02-22

Wearable health monitoring systems have gained considerable interest in recent years owing to their tremendous promise for personal portable health watching and remote medical practices. The sensors with excellent flexibility and stretchability are crucial components that can provide health monitoring systems with the capability of continuously tracking physiological signals of human body without conspicuous uncomfortableness and invasiveness. The signals acquired by these sensors, such as body motion, heart rate, breath, skin temperature and metabolism parameter, are closely associated with personal health conditions. This review attempts to summarize the recent progress in flexible and stretchable sensors, concerning the detected health indicators, sensing mechanisms, functional materials, fabrication strategies, basic and desired features. The potential challenges and future perspectives of wearable health monitoring system are also briefly discussed.

An interesting cause of pulmonary emboli: Acute carbon monoxide poisoning

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

Sevinc, A.; Savli, H.; Atmaca, H.

Carbon monoxide poisoning, a public health problem of considerable significance, is a relatively frequent event today, resulting in thousands of hospitalizations annually. A 70-year-old lady was seen in the emergency department with a provisional diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning. The previous night, she slept in a tightly closed room heated with coal ember. She was found unconscious in the morning with poor ventilation. She had a rare presentation of popliteal vein thrombosis, pulmonary emboli, and possible tissue necrosis with carbon monoxide poisoning. Oxygen treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin (nadroparine) and warfarin therapy resulted in an improvement in both popliteal and pulmonarymore » circulations. In conclusion, the presence of pulmonary emboli should be sought in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning.« less

National toxicology program review of current DHHS, DOE, and EPA research related to toxicology, fiscal year 1996

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

NONE

1996-11-01

The Annual Plan for the National Toxicology Program requires an annual review of toxicology-related research supported by DHHS agencies. Four of the five Public Health Service Agencies support research related to toxicology. Within the National Institutes of Health alone, sixteen separate institutes and several other components support relevant research. Toxicology-related research is also conducted by other Federal agencies--particularly the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). An overall review is thought to be of considerable interest to research managers for purposes of coordinating research and reducing unnecessary duplication. This is the seventeenth review responding to this requirement.more » For the fifteenth time a survey of similar research at DOE and the EPA is included.« less

Recent Advances in Nanostructured Thermoelectric Half-Heusler Compounds

PubMed Central

Xie, Wenjie; Weidenkaff, Anke; Tang, Xinfeng; Zhang, Qingjie; Poon, Joseph; Tritt, Terry M.

2012-01-01

Half-Heusler (HH) alloys have attracted considerable interest as promising thermoelectric (TE) materials in the temperature range around 700 K and above, which is close to the temperature range of most industrial waste heat sources. The past few years have seen nanostructuing play an important role in significantly enhancing the TE performance of several HH alloys. In this article, we briefly review the recent progress and advances in these HH nanocomposites. We begin by presenting the structure of HH alloys and the different strategies that have been utilized for improving the TE properties of HH alloys. Next, we review the details of HH nanocomposites as obtained by different techniques. Finally, the review closes by highlighting several promising strategies for further research directions in these very promising TE materials. PMID:28348315

GLUT4 trafficking in insulin-sensitive cells. A morphological review.

PubMed

Martin, S; Slot, J W; James, D E

1999-01-01

In recent years, there have been major advances in the understanding of both the cell biology of vesicle trafficking between intracellular compartments and the molecular targeting signals intrinsic to the trafficking proteins themselves. One system to which these advances have been profitably applied is the regulation of the trafficking of a glucose transporter, GLUT4, from intracellular compartment(s) to the cell surface in response to insulin. The unique nature of the trafficking of GLUT4 and its expression in highly differentiated cells makes this a question of considerable interest to cell biologists. Unraveling the tangled web of molecular events coordinating GLUT4 trafficking will eventually lead to a greater understanding of mammalian glucose metabolism, as well as fundamental cell biological principles related to organelle biogenesis and protein trafficking.

A flood lamination strategy based on transportation network with time delay.

PubMed

Nouasse, H; Chiron, P; Archimède, B

2013-01-01

Over the last few years, the frequency and intensity of floods has become more marked due to the influence of climate change. The engendered problems are related to the safety of goods and persons. These considerations require predictive management that will limit water height downstream. In the literature, numerous works have described flow modeling and management. The work presented in this paper is interested in quantitative management by means of flood expansion areas placed along the river and for which we have size and location. The performance of the management system depends on the time and height of gate opening, which will influence wave mitigation. The proposed management method is based on use of a transportation network with time delay from which the volume of water to be stored is calculated.

Method of Optimizing the Construction of Machining, Assembly and Control Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iordache, D. M.; Costea, A.; Niţu, E. L.; Rizea, A. D.; Babă, A.

2017-10-01

Industry dynamics, driven by economic and social requirements, must generate more interest in technological optimization, capable of ensuring a steady development of advanced technical means to equip machining processes. For these reasons, the development of tools, devices, work equipment and control, as well as the modernization of machine tools, is the certain solution to modernize production systems that require considerable time and effort. This type of approach is also related to our theoretical, experimental and industrial applications of recent years, presented in this paper, which have as main objectives the elaboration and use of mathematical models, new calculation methods, optimization algorithms, new processing and control methods, as well as some structures for the construction and configuration of technological equipment with a high level of performance and substantially reduced costs..

Scaffolds for Controlled Release of Cartilage Growth Factors.

PubMed

Morille, Marie; Venier-Julienne, Marie-Claire; Montero-Menei, Claudia N

2015-01-01

In recent years, cell-based therapies using adult stem cells have attracted considerable interest in regenerative medicine. A tissue-engineered construct for cartilage repair should provide a support for the cell and allow sustained in situ delivery of bioactive factors capable of inducing cell differentiation into chondrocytes. Pharmacologically active microcarriers (PAMs), made of biodegradable and biocompatible poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA), are a unique system which combines these properties in an adaptable and simple microdevice. This device relies on nanoprecipitation of proteins encapsulated in polymeric microspheres with a solid in oil in water emulsion-solvent evaporation process, and their subsequent coating with extracellular matrix protein molecules. Here, we describe their preparation process, and some of their characterization methods for an application in cartilage tissue engineering.

A review of biomedical multiphoton microscopy and its laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefort, Claire

2017-10-01

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) has been the subject of major development efforts for about 25 years for imaging biological specimens at micron scale and presented as an elegant alternative to classical fluorescence methods such as confocal microscopy. In this topical review, the main interests and technical requirements of MPM are addressed with a focus on the crucial role of excitation source for optimization of multiphoton processes. Then, an overview of the different sources successfully demonstrated in literature for MPM is presented, and their physical parameters are inventoried. A classification of these sources in function with their ability to optimize multiphoton processes is proposed, following a protocol found in literature. Starting from these considerations, a suggestion of a possible identikit of the ideal laser source for MPM concludes this topical review. Dedicated to Martin.

A review on chitosan centred scaffolds and their applications in tissue engineering.

PubMed

Ahmed, Shakeel; Annu; Sheikh, Javed; Ali, Akbar

2018-05-03

The diversity and availability of biopolymer and increased clinical demand for safe scaffolds lead to an increased interest in fabricating scaffolds in order to achieve fruitful progress in tissue engineering. Due to biocompatibility, biodegradability, inherent antimicrobial character, chitosan has drawn ample consideration in recent years. Chitosan is a biopolymer obtained by de-acetylation of chitin extracted from shells of crustaceans and fungi. Due to the presence of reactive functionality in the molecular chain chitosan can be modified either chemically or physically to fabricate the tailor-made scaffolds having desired properties for tissue engineering centered applications. In this review chitosan, its properties and role either virgin, chemically or physically modified, 2D or 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering application have been highlighted. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evolution and Impartiality*

PubMed Central

Kahane, Guy

2014-01-01

Lazari-Radek and Singer argue that evolutionary considerations can resolve Sidgwick’s dualism of practical reason, because such considerations debunk moral views that give weight to self-interested or partial considerations, but cannot threaten the principle Universal Benevolence. I argue that even if we grant these claims, this appeal to evolution is ultimately self-defeating. Lazari-Radek and Singer face a dilemma. Either their evolutionary argument against partial morality succeeds, but then we need to also give up our conviction that suffering is bad; or there is a way to defend this conviction, but then their argument against partiality fails. Utilitarians, I suggest, should resist the temptation to appeal to evolutionary debunking arguments. PMID:24711673

Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy.

PubMed

Ghosh, Purabi R; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B; Poinern, Gerrard Eddy Jai

2016-01-01

In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices.

hCG and Its Disruption by Environmental Contaminants during Human Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Paulesu, Luana; Rao, Ch.V.; Ietta, Francesca; Pietropolli, Adalgisa; Ticconi, Carlo

2018-01-01

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone of considerable importance in the establishment, promotion and maintenance of human pregnancy. It has been clearly demonstrated that hCG exerts multiple endocrine, paracrine and autocrine actions on a variety of gestational and non-gestational cells and tissues. These actions are directed to promote trophoblast invasiveness and differentiation, placental growth, angiogenesis in uterine vasculature, hormone production, modulation of the immune system at the maternal-fetal interface, inhibition of myometrial contractility as well as fetal growth and differentiation. In recent years, considerable interest has been raised towards the biological effects of environmental contaminants, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Emerging evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to selected EDCs can have a deleterious impact on the fetus and long-lasting consequences also in adult life. The results of the in vitro effects of commonly found EDCs, particularly Bisphenol A (BPA) and para-Nonylphenol (p-NP), indicate that these substances can alter hCG production and through this action could exert their fetal damage, suggesting that hCG could represent and become a potentially useful clinical biomarker of an inappropriate prenatal exposure to these substances. PMID:29558393

hCG and Its Disruption by Environmental Contaminants during Human Pregnancy.

PubMed

Paulesu, Luana; Rao, Ch V; Ietta, Francesca; Pietropolli, Adalgisa; Ticconi, Carlo

2018-03-20

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone of considerable importance in the establishment, promotion and maintenance of human pregnancy. It has been clearly demonstrated that hCG exerts multiple endocrine, paracrine and autocrine actions on a variety of gestational and non-gestational cells and tissues. These actions are directed to promote trophoblast invasiveness and differentiation, placental growth, angiogenesis in uterine vasculature, hormone production, modulation of the immune system at the maternal-fetal interface, inhibition of myometrial contractility as well as fetal growth and differentiation. In recent years, considerable interest has been raised towards the biological effects of environmental contaminants, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Emerging evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to selected EDCs can have a deleterious impact on the fetus and long-lasting consequences also in adult life. The results of the in vitro effects of commonly found EDCs, particularly Bisphenol A (BPA) and para -Nonylphenol ( p -NP), indicate that these substances can alter hCG production and through this action could exert their fetal damage, suggesting that hCG could represent and become a potentially useful clinical biomarker of an inappropriate prenatal exposure to these substances.

Progress towards Sustainable Utilisation and Management of Food Wastes in the Global Economy

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Purabi R.; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B.

2016-01-01

In recent years, the problem of food waste has attracted considerable interest from food producers, processors, retailers, and consumers alike. Food waste is considered not only a sustainability problem related to food security, but also an economic problem since it directly impacts the profitability of the whole food supply chain. In developed countries, consumers are one of the main contributors to food waste and ultimately pay for all wastes produced throughout the food supply chain. To secure food and reduce food waste, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the various sources of food wastes throughout the food supply chain. The present review examines various reports currently in the literature and quantifies waste levels and examines the trends in wastage for various food sectors such as fruit and vegetable, fisheries, meat and poultry, grain, milk, and dairy. Factors contributing to food waste, effective cost/benefit food waste utilisation methods, sustainability and environment considerations, and public acceptance are identified as hurdles in preventing large-scale food waste processing. Thus, we highlight the need for further research to identify and report food waste so that government regulators and food supply chain stakeholders can actively develop effective waste utilisation practices. PMID:27847805

The effects of biomass burning on the concentration of trace gases in the atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson, Leon M.

1988-01-01

Over the past several years, there has been considerable interest concerning the global effects of biomass burning on concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere. The paucity of reported studies and investigations into the effects of the Greenhouse Gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), up until about a decade ago, would suggest that the topic was not then one of universal concern. Efforts are now being made to understand the biogenic, anthropogenic and photochemical sources of atmospheric trace gases. Biomass burning which includes the burning of forests for clearing, the burning of vegetative stubble after harvesting, and lightning and human-induced wildfires is but one consideration under the general paradigm of atmospheric perturbations. A team of researchers from the Langley Research Center, along with the Canadian Forest Ministry, Ontario, Canada collaborated in an experiment in a deforestration effort through a prescribed burn. Through a specially designed experimental modeling and instrumentation, a substantial pre-burn data set was collected. The primary focus of the pre-burn experimental activities was the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) gas from selected sites.

A Review of Issues Related to Data Acquisition and Analysis in EEG/MEG Studies

PubMed Central

Puce, Aina; Hämäläinen, Matti S.

2017-01-01

Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are non-invasive electrophysiological methods, which record electric potentials and magnetic fields due to electric currents in synchronously-active neurons. With MEG being more sensitive to neural activity from tangential currents and EEG being able to detect both radial and tangential sources, the two methods are complementary. Over the years, neurophysiological studies have changed considerably: high-density recordings are becoming de rigueur; there is interest in both spontaneous and evoked activity; and sophisticated artifact detection and removal methods are available. Improved head models for source estimation have also increased the precision of the current estimates, particularly for EEG and combined EEG/MEG. Because of their complementarity, more investigators are beginning to perform simultaneous EEG/MEG studies to gain more complete information about neural activity. Given the increase in methodological complexity in EEG/MEG, it is important to gather data that are of high quality and that are as artifact free as possible. Here, we discuss some issues in data acquisition and analysis of EEG and MEG data. Practical considerations for different types of EEG and MEG studies are also discussed. PMID:28561761

ABC deck panel testing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-01

Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques have resulted in innovative options that : save time and money during the construction of bridges. One such group of techniques : that has generated considerable interest is the usage of individual precast c...

Identifying and Addressing Stakeholder Interests in Design Science Research: An Analysis Using Critical Systems Heuristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venable, John R.

This paper utilises the Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH) framework developed by Werner Ulrich to critically consider the stakeholders and design goals that should be considered as relevant by researchers conducing Design Science Research (DSR). CSH provides a philosophically and theoretically grounded framework and means for critical consideration of the choices of stakeholders considered to be relevant to any system under design consideration. The paper recommends that legitimately undertaken DSR should include witnesses to represent the interests of the future consumers of the outcomes of DSR, i.e., the future clients, decision makers, professionals, and other non-included stakeholders in the future use of the solution technologies to be invented in DSR. The paper further discusses options for how witnesses might be included, who should be witnessed for and obstacles to implementing the recommendations.

Policies of Academic Medical Centers for Disclosing Conflicts of Interest to Potential Research Participants

PubMed Central

Weinfurt, Kevin P.; Dinan, Michaela A.; Allsbrook, Jennifer S.; Friedman, Joëlle Y.; Hall, Mark A.; Schulman, Kevin A.; Sugarman, Jeremy

2007-01-01

Many professional organizations and governmental bodies recommend disclosing financial conflicts of interest to potential research participants. Three possible goals of such disclosures are to inform the decision making of potential research participants, to protect against liability, and to deter conflicts of interest. We reviewed US academic medical centers' policies regarding the disclosure of conflicts of interest in research. Forty-eight percent mentioned disclosing conflicts to potential research participants. Of those, 58% included verbatim language that could be used in informed consent documents. Considerable variability exists concerning the specific information that should be disclosed. Most of the institutions' policies are consistent with the goal of protection from legal liability. PMID:16436571

Barriers for students pursuing a surgical career and where the Surgical Interest Association can intervene.

PubMed

Dolan-Evans, Elliot; Rogers, Gary D

2014-06-01

There are some concerns that medical student interest in surgery is suffering. The aims of this project were to investigate the proportion of medical students interested in surgery from years 1 to 4, explore influential attitudinal and demographic factors, and establish baseline data to study the future effects of the Surgical Interest Association. Students were surveyed through an audience response system in year orientation sessions. For a majority of the analyses, respondents were dichotomized based on expressing an interest in surgery or not. There were no significant differences in the interest students had for a surgical career between medical student year levels in a cross-sectional analysis. However, available longitudinal data demonstrated a significant decrease in surgical interest from first years in 2012 to second years in 2013. Lifestyle, working hours and training length concerns had minimal effects as career influences on students interested in surgery, whereas academic interest and career opportunities were motivating factors in choosing this career. The results suggested no difference between levels of interest from first to final year students in surgery as a career, though only 22% of final year students were interested in surgery. This study also suggested that promoting the academic and scientific side of surgery, along with career opportunities available, may be an important avenue to encourage students into surgery. Future research will investigate the changing interests of students in surgery longitudinally throughout the medical school and to analyse the effects of the Surgical Interest Association. © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Environmental Assessment. Moanalua Shopping Center Redevelopment Oahu, Hawaii

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

redevelop the approximately 15-acre MSC site as in-kind consideration for the fair market rent which would be due under a 40-year lease of the...the existing approximately 15-acre (6-hectare) MSC site as in-kind consideration for the fair market rent which would be due under a 40-year lease of...would redevelop the existing MSC site as in-kind consideration for the fair market rent which would be due under a 40-year lease of the properties

Special Care Dentistry Association consensus statement on sedation, anesthesia, and alternative techniques for people with special needs.

PubMed

Glassman, Paul; Caputo, Anthony; Dougherty, Nancy; Lyons, Ray; Messieha, Zakaria; Miller, Christine; Peltier, Bruce; Romer, Maureen

2009-01-01

Many people with special needs (PSN) have difficulty having good oral health or accessing oral health services because of a disability or medical condition. The number of people with these conditions living in community settings and needing oral health services is increasing dramatically due to advances in medical care, deinstitutionalization, and changing societal values. Many of these individuals require additional supports beyond local anesthesia in order to receive dental treatment services. The purpose of this consensus statement is to focus on the decision-making process for choosing a method of treatment or a combination of methods for facilitating dental treatment for these individuals. These guidelines are intended to assist oral health professionals and other interested parties in planning and carrying out oral health treatment for PSN. Considerations for planning treatment and considerations for each of several alternative modalities are listed. Also discussed are considerations for the use of combinations of modalities and considerations for the repeated or frequent use of these modalities. Finally, the need to advocate for adequate education and reimbursement for the full range of support alternatives is addressed. The Special Care Dentistry Association (SCDA) is dedicated to improving oral health and well being of PSN. The SCDA hopes that these guidelines can help oral health professionals and other interested individuals and groups to work together to ensure that PSN can achieve a "lifetime of oral health."

What can high frequency data tell us about hydrological and biogeochemical processes in a permafrost-underlain watershed that we do not already know?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, S. K.; Shatilla, N. J.; Tang, W.

2017-12-01

Permafrost and frozen ground play a key role in the delivery of water and solutes from the landscape to the stream, and in biogeochemical cycling by acting as a cold season or semi-permanent aquitard. Conceptual models of permafrost hydrology have been well defined for over 40 years, yet renewed interest in the face of global climate change and rapid degradation of frozen ground has provided an opportunity to revisit previous paradigms. At the same time, new instruments and techniques to understand coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes have emerged, providing a more nuanced view of northern systems. High-frequency sub-hourly measures of flows, water quality and biogeochemical parameters such as salinity and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), along with eddy covariance systems provide considerable data, yet using this data to reveal new process information remains challenging. In this presentation, multi-year high frequency data sets of water, solute and carbon fluxes from Granger Creek, an instrumented alpine watershed with discontinuous permafrost within the Wolf Creek Research Basin, Yukon Territory, Canada, will be shown. While several decades of hydrometric and geochemical data exist for Granger Creek, inter-annual variability is considerable and makes evaluating long-term trends difficult. Insights derived from high-frequency sub-hourly salinity, CDOM and flow over recent years reveal that hysteresis loops among variables can be used to assess changing connectivity and flow paths as both magnitude and direction of loops can be used to infer landscape-scale linkages. These patterns highlight spatial connections among landscape units not previously observed, and identify periods when hydrological and biogeochemical cycles are coupled. Evaluation of these patterns at the headwater scale provides alternate hypotheses for how permafrost landscapes will respond to a changing climate.

Smart Camera System for Aircraft and Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Frank; White, Janis; Abernathy, Michael F.

2003-01-01

This paper describes a new approach to situation awareness that combines video sensor technology and synthetic vision technology in a unique fashion to create a hybrid vision system. Our implementation of the technology, called "SmartCam3D" (SC3D) has been flight tested by both NASA and the Department of Defense with excellent results. This paper details its development and flight test results. Windshields and windows add considerable weight and risk to vehicle design, and because of this, many future vehicles will employ a windowless cockpit design. This windowless cockpit design philosophy prompted us to look at what would be required to develop a system that provides crewmembers and awareness. The system created to date provides a real-time operations personnel an appropriate level of situation 3D perspective display that can be used during all-weather and visibility conditions. While the advantages of a synthetic vision only system are considerable, the major disadvantage of such a system is that it displays the synthetic scene created using "static" data acquired by an aircraft or satellite at some point in the past. The SC3D system we are presenting in this paper is a hybrid synthetic vision system that fuses live video stream information with a computer generated synthetic scene. This hybrid system can display a dynamic, real-time scene of a region of interest, enriched by information from a synthetic environment system, see figure 1. The SC3D system has been flight tested on several X-38 flight tests performed over the last several years and on an ARMY Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ground control station earlier this year. Additional testing using an assortment of UAV ground control stations and UAV simulators from the Army and Air Force will be conducted later this year.

A Rover Concept for Exploring the Surface of Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balint, T. S.; Shirley, J. H.; Schriener, T. M.

2005-12-01

Titan is one of the premier targets for future in-situ exploration in the outer solar system, as unique "pre-biotic" organic chemical processes may be presently occurring at its surface. A mission to the surface of Titan is not as technically difficult as one to Europa; Titan's atmosphere allows for aerobraking descents, the radiation environment is not a mission-critical factor, and the organic materials we want to sample should be widely distributed (and easily accessible). The recent Titan landing by the Huygens Probe has focused considerable scientific interest on this remarkable body, and future missions to Titan are under consideration. We evaluated a Titan Rover mission concept that would have the capability to survive on Titan's surface for a period of 3 terrestrial years. This long mission lifetime is enabled by employing a radioisotope power system (RPS). To minimize costs and use as much flight heritage as possible, we began by assuming that system masses, dimensions, and instrumentation would be comparable to those of the Mars Surface Lander (MSL). We found that a rover configuration with a 110 W (electric) power system and four 1.5 m diameter inflatable wheels could potentially enable traverse distances up to ~500 km, depending on science and mission requirements, surface environments, and the capability of the autonomous navigation system employed. Direct to Earth communication would simplify the mission by removing the need for a relay orbiter. We will describe our strawman instrument payload and rover subsystems. Trades between the potentially available RPS systems (RTG, Advanced RTG, TPV, SRG, Advanced Stirling and Brayton RPSs) will be outlined. While many possible approaches exist for Titan in-situ exploration, the Titan rover concept presented here could provide a scientifically interesting and programmatically affordable solution.

Modeling the effects of weather and climate change on malaria transmission.

PubMed

Parham, Paul Edward; Michael, Edwin

2010-05-01

In recent years, the impact of climate change on human health has attracted considerable attention; the effects on malaria have been of particular interest because of its disease burden and its transmission sensitivity to environmental conditions. We investigated and illustrated the role that dynamic process-based mathematical models can play in providing strategic insights into the effects of climate change on malaria transmission. We evaluated a relatively simple model that permitted valuable and novel insights into the simultaneous effects of rainfall and temperature on mosquito population dynamics, malaria invasion, persistence and local seasonal extinction, and the impact of seasonality on transmission. We illustrated how large-scale climate simulations and infectious disease systems may be modeled and analyzed and how these methods may be applied to predicting changes in the basic reproduction number of malaria across Tanzania. We found extinction to be more strongly dependent on rainfall than on temperature and identified a temperature window of around 32-33 degrees C where endemic transmission and the rate of spread in disease-free regions is optimized. This window was the same for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, but mosquito density played a stronger role in driving the rate of malaria spread than did the Plasmodium species. The results improved our understanding of how temperature shifts affect the global distribution of at-risk regions, as well as how rapidly malaria outbreaks take off within vulnerable populations. Disease emergence, extinction, and transmission all depend strongly on climate. Mathematical models offer powerful tools for understanding geographic shifts in incidence as climate changes. Nonlinear dependences of transmission on climate necessitates consideration of both changing climate trends and variability across time scales of interest.

Assessing the trend in sustainable remediation: A questionnaire survey of remediation professionals in various countries.

PubMed

Hou, Deyi; Guthrie, Peter; Rigby, Mark

2016-12-15

Over the past decade, sustainable remediation has grown from an emerging concept into a widely accepted new institutional norm. Scholar literature increased exponentially from nearly none in late 1990s to over 400 publications per year in 2014. The present study used a questionnaire survey conducted in 2012 and 2014 to assess the global trend in the awareness and practice of sustainable remediation. A total of 373 responses were received from survey participants located in 22 countries. The survey found that the US and the UK similarly had the highest level of awareness and adoption rate of sustainable remediation. Asia and other developing countries had much lower awareness levels and/or adoption rates. For all regions, the adoption rates were significantly lower than awareness levels, indicating a large gap between awareness and practice. One specific example is regarding minimizing greenhouse gas emission, which is a focal point in sustainable remediation literature, but with very low adoption rate according to this survey. This study also found that the adoption rates of a few sustainable remediation considerations, such as "minimizing local scale secondary impact", "minimizing national to global scale secondary impact", and "bringing prosperity to disadvantaged community", had decreased between 2012 and 2014. On the other hand, the survey also suggests the remediation community has rendered more expertise, training, and resources in sustainable remediation between 2012 and 2014. The mixed results suggest that in order to enhance sustainable remediation adoption, it is imperative to employ continued effort to enhance the understanding of sustainable remediation by practitioners and to link self-interest and public interest with sustainable remediation considerations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiological anatomy - evaluation of integrative education in radiology.

PubMed

Dettmer, S; Schmiedl, A; Meyer, S; Giesemann, A; Pabst, R; Weidemann, J; Wacker, F K; Kirchhoff, T

2013-09-01

Evaluation and analysis of the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" established since 2007 at the Medical School Hannover (MHH) in comparison with conventional education. Anatomy and radiology are usually taught separately with a considerable time lag. Interdisciplinary teaching of these associated subjects seems logical for several reasons. Therefore, the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" was established in the second year of medical education, combining these two closely related subjects. This interdisciplinary course was retrospectively evaluated by consideration of a student questionnaire and staff observations. The advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching in medical education are discussed. The course ratings were excellent (median 1; mean 1.3 on a scale of 1 to 6). This is significantly (p < 0.001) better than the average of all evaluated courses in the respective term (grade 2.8). The course improved the anatomical comprehension (90 %) and the students stated that the topics were relevant for their future medical education (90 %). Furthermore, interest in the subject's anatomy and radiology increased during the course (88 %). According to the students' suggestions the course was enhanced by a visitation in the Department of Radiology and the additional topic central nervous system. Integrative teaching of anatomy and radiology was well received by the students. Both, anatomical and radiological comprehension and the motivation to learn were improved. However, it should be considered, that the amount of work and time required by the teaching staff is considerably increased compared to traditional teaching. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An Overview on Medicinal Chemistry of Synthetic and Natural Derivatives of Cannabidiol.

PubMed

Morales, Paula; Reggio, Patricia H; Jagerovic, Nadine

2017-01-01

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been traditionally used in Cannabis -based preparation, however historically, it has received far less interest as a single drug than the other components of Cannabis . Currently, CBD generates considerable interest due to its beneficial neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the CBD scaffold becomes of increasing interest for medicinal chemists. This review provides an overview of the chemical structure of natural and synthetic CBD derivatives including the molecular targets associated with these compounds. A clear identification of their biological targets has been shown to be still very challenging.

An Overview on Medicinal Chemistry of Synthetic and Natural Derivatives of Cannabidiol

PubMed Central

Morales, Paula; Reggio, Patricia H.; Jagerovic, Nadine

2017-01-01

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been traditionally used in Cannabis-based preparation, however historically, it has received far less interest as a single drug than the other components of Cannabis. Currently, CBD generates considerable interest due to its beneficial neuroprotective, antiepileptic, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the CBD scaffold becomes of increasing interest for medicinal chemists. This review provides an overview of the chemical structure of natural and synthetic CBD derivatives including the molecular targets associated with these compounds. A clear identification of their biological targets has been shown to be still very challenging. PMID:28701957

The Great American Eclipse of 2017: An Outreach Opportunity and Challenge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraknoi, A.; Schatz, D.; Shore, L.

2015-11-01

This paper consists of notes for, and from, a standing-room only Special Interest Group discussion at the 2014 ASP Meeting regarding the total eclipse of the Sun visible from the U.S. in 2017. There was a great deal of interest in organizing in advance for this total eclipse, and there was considerable discussion of the kinds of efforts and partnerships that may be needed at the national and local levels. People who read this summary and are interested in helping with national eclipse education and outreach efforts can contact the first author.

43 CFR 404.17 - How will Reclamation evaluate my statement of interest?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF RECLAMATION, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RECLAMATION RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM Overview § 404.17... proposed rural water supply project is eligible for further consideration through a full proposal; (b) If...

Planning for planetary protection : challenges beyond Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belz, Andrea P.; Cutts, James A.

2006-01-01

This document summarizes the technical challenges to planetary protection for these targets of interest and outlines some of the considerations, particularly at the system level, in designing an appropriate technology investment strategy for targets beyond Mars.

Methodologic considerations in the design and analysis of nested case-control studies: association between cytokines and postoperative delirium.

PubMed

Ngo, Long H; Inouye, Sharon K; Jones, Richard N; Travison, Thomas G; Libermann, Towia A; Dillon, Simon T; Kuchel, George A; Vasunilashorn, Sarinnapha M; Alsop, David C; Marcantonio, Edward R

2017-06-06

The nested case-control study (NCC) design within a prospective cohort study is used when outcome data are available for all subjects, but the exposure of interest has not been collected, and is difficult or prohibitively expensive to obtain for all subjects. A NCC analysis with good matching procedures yields estimates that are as efficient and unbiased as estimates from the full cohort study. We present methodological considerations in a matched NCC design and analysis, which include the choice of match algorithms, analysis methods to evaluate the association of exposures of interest with outcomes, and consideration of overmatching. Matched, NCC design within a longitudinal observational prospective cohort study in the setting of two academic hospitals. Study participants are patients aged over 70 years who underwent scheduled major non-cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was postoperative delirium from in-hospital interviews and medical record review. The main exposure was IL-6 concentration (pg/ml) from blood sampled at three time points before delirium occurred. We used nonparametric signed ranked test to test for the median of the paired differences. We used conditional logistic regression to model the risk of IL-6 on delirium incidence. Simulation was used to generate a sample of cohort data on which unconditional multivariable logistic regression was used, and the results were compared to those of the conditional logistic regression. Partial R-square was used to assess the level of overmatching. We found that the optimal match algorithm yielded more matched pairs than the greedy algorithm. The choice of analytic strategy-whether to consider measured cytokine levels as the predictor or outcome-- yielded inferences that have different clinical interpretations but similar levels of statistical significance. Estimation results from NCC design using conditional logistic regression, and from simulated cohort design using unconditional logistic regression, were similar. We found minimal evidence for overmatching. Using a matched NCC approach introduces methodological challenges into the study design and data analysis. Nonetheless, with careful selection of the match algorithm, match factors, and analysis methods, this design is cost effective and, for our study, yields estimates that are similar to those from a prospective cohort study design.

Enhanced disease surveillance through private health care sector cooperation in Karachi, Pakistan: experience from a vaccine trial.

PubMed Central

Khan, Mohammad Imran; Sahito, Shah Muhammad; Khan, Mohammad Javed; Wassan, Shafi Mohammad; Shaikh, Abdul Wahab; Maheshwari, Ashok Kumar; Acosta, Camilo J.; Galindo, Claudia M.; Ochiai, Rion Leon; Rasool, Shahid; Peerwani, Sheeraz; Puri, Mahesh K.; Ali, Mohammad; Zafar, Afia; Hassan, Rumina; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Clemens, John D.; Nizami, Shaikh Qamaruddin; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.

2006-01-01

INTRODUCTION: In research projects such as vaccine trials, accurate and complete surveillance of all outcomes of interest is critical. In less developed countries where the private sector is the major health-care provider, the private sector must be included in surveillance systems in order to capture all disease of interest. This, however, poses enormous challenges in practice. The process and outcome of recruiting private practice clinics for surveillance in a vaccine trial are described. METHODS: The project started in January 2002 in two urban squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan. At the suggestion of private practitioners, a phlebotomy team was formed to provide support for disease surveillance. Children who had a reported history of fever for more than three days were enrolled for a diagnosis. RESULTS: Between May 2003 and April 2004, 5540 children younger than 16 years with fever for three days or more were enrolled in the study. Of the children, 1312 (24%) were seen first by private practitioners; the remainder presented directly to study centres. In total, 5329 blood samples were obtained for microbiology. The annual incidence of Salmonella typhi diagnosed by blood culture was 407 (95% confidence interval (95% CI), 368-448) per 100 000/year and for Salmonella paratyphi A was 198 (95% CI, 171-227) per 100 000/year. Without the contribution of private practitioners, the rates would have been 240 per 100 000/year (95% CI, 211-271) for S. typhi and 114 (95% CI, 94-136) per 100 000/year for S. paratyphi A. CONCLUSION: The private sector plays a major health-care role in Pakistan. Our experience from a surveillance and burden estimation study in Pakistan indicates that this objective is possible to achieve but requires considerable effort and confidence building. Nonetheless, it is essential to include private health care providers when attempting to accurately estimate the burden of disease in such settings. PMID:16501718

Teaching Global Change to Undergraduates at Universidad Nacional de Colombia for 15 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesa, O. J.

2015-12-01

First let's describe the context. Approximately 80% of our students in Medellin major in engineering. In the National University system students can choose freely twenty percent of the credits. Their decisions are made taking into account various reasons. As far as we know the amount of work and the expected grades are factors besides the interest in the topics. Statistics show that there is an even distribution among complementary professional, cross-disciplinary and general interest courses. Plan B took the name from Lexter Brown book, which was the original inspiration and text. The program expanded with more in depth consideration to a general understanding of climate and climate change science, and to water and energy crises because they are close to my research area. But we consider other global change uses as well, including recycling, loss of biodiversity, food crises, economics of climate change and demographic and social issues. We developed a textbook whose title would translate as "Where is the Globe heading?" that refers to a usual saying during Christmas time in relation to candle balloons popular at that time of the year that children and teen-agers try to catch. The expression reflects the need for predictions, call for action, but also acknowledges that chance is a factor to consider. I believe it summarizes well the content of the course. The class meets in a large auditorium with 250 sits. We moved from the usual size room of about 50 because of the large demand during registration. This forced us to adjust the methodology, but our evaluation is that such a large audience is worthwhile. Student's feedbacks at the end of the semester confirm this with very good rating and general comments. Besides crude diagnostics of the problems based on data and science we always make an effort to present solutions. For instance there is ample consideration to renewal energy technologies. Globalization is also a theme of the course, there are local actions but in particular curbing of greenhouse gas emissions needs global actions. We need that this kind of efforts spread to many campuses around the world and need to share experiences to take advantage of globalization.

Telemedicine for health issues while abroad: interest and willingness to pay among travellers prior to departure.

PubMed

Rochat, Laurence; Genton, Blaise

2018-01-01

Telemedicine is emerging as a useful tool to provide expert medical advice to individuals facing health issues while travelling in remote areas. Before embarking on the development of a telemedicine system, we conducted a survey to assess the needs and expectations of travellers for such a service, and evaluate opinions about the importance of various travel criteria that may determine the contract of such insurance. (i) To assess whether a telemedicine service is considered useful by travellers, (ii) to investigate which telecommunication medium is preferred, (iii) to determine which subgroup of travellers would be most interested in this service and (iv) to estimate the amount of money travellers would be willing to pay for a telemedicine service. Travellers coming to our clinic for pre-travel advice were given a questionnaire to be filled in before consultation. The questionnaire focused on demographics, travel details, health status, interest and willingness to pay for a telemedicine service. Among 307 returned questionnaires, 59% of travellers were interested in a telemedicine service. Email was the preferred communication medium for 63%, mobile phone for 46% and video calls for 31% individuals (multiple answers). Travellers aged ≥60 years and those with an immunocompromising condition tended to be more interested in telemedicine (respectively OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 0.75-3.62 and OR = 3.56; 95% CI: 0.41-30.95). The 99% of travellers were willing to pay for such a service. Median price was 50 USD (IQR: 30-50 USD). There was no correlation between travel duration and amount to be paid. Among individuals consulting for pre-travel advice at a specialized clinic, there is considerable interest in telemedicine, particularly among older and immunocompromised travellers. Based on these data, a pilot system using email communication to help travellers confronted with health issues while abroad was developed and implemented in our travel clinic.

Four years of training in family medicine: implications for residency redesign.

PubMed

Sigmon, J Lewis; McPherson, Vanessa; Little, John M

2012-09-01

In light of the ongoing consideration for extending the length of residency education in family medicine in the United States, this paper reports the findings from a retrospective, qualitative study of six family physicians that elected to extend their residency training from 3 to 4 years. Each participant completed a written questionnaire and a structured personal interview focusing on various aspects of career development resulting from the additional year of training. The authors independently evaluated these interviews to identify major themes. All the participants were found to have been involved in teaching medicine, valued a more flexible and expanded curriculum, and appreciated their individualized curricula-based on their respective career interests. Given the opportunity, each would opt again for a fourth year of training. There were mixed opinions as to whether the fourth year should be required of all family medicine residents. Other perceived benefits reported were: a better opportunity to find a personally satisfactory practice, additional time for gaining clarity about career plans, and a higher beginning salary as a result of the additional skills and experiences gained. This study of mid-career physicians supports that a fourth-year (PGY4) curriculum in family medicine may enhance subsequent career satisfaction. Further studies of residents in other PGY4 training programs are necessary to assess outcomes comparing our findings as well as guide the discipline's leaders in residency redesign.

Institutional and environmental aspects of geothermal energy development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Citron, O. R.

1977-01-01

Until recently, the majority of work in geothermal energy development has been devoted to technical considerations of resource identification and extraction technologies. The increasing interest in exploiting the variety of geothermal resources has prompted an examination of the institutional barriers to their introduction for commercial use. A significant effort was undertaken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a part of a national study to identify existing constraints to geothermal development and possible remedial actions. These aspects included legislative and legal parameters plus environmental, social, and economic considerations.

Ethical considerations of transparency, informed consent, and nudging in a patient with paediatric aortic stenosis and symptomatic left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis.

PubMed

Mavroudis, Constantine D; Cook, Thomas; Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Mavroudis, Constantine

2016-12-01

A 9-year-old boy who was born with bicuspid aortic stenosis underwent two unsuccessful aortic valvuloplasty interventions, and by 2 years of age he developed restrictive cardiomyopathy caused by left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis and diastolic dysfunction. The attending cardiologist referred the patient to a high-volume, high-profile congenital cardiac surgical programme 1000 miles away that has a team with considerable experience with left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis resection and a reputation of achieving good results. Owing to problems with insurance coverage, the parents sought other options for the care of their child in their home state. Dr George Miller is a well-respected local congenital and paediatric cardiac surgeon with considerable experience with the Ross operation as well as with right ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis resection. When talking with Dr Miller, he implied that there is little difference between right ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis and left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis resection, and stated that he would perform the operation with low mortality based on his overall experience. Dr Miller stated that the local institution could provide an equivalent surgical procedure with comparable outcomes, without the patient and family having to travel out of state. A fundamental dilemma that often arises in clinical surgical practice concerns the conduct of assessing and performing new procedures, especially in rare cases, for which the collective global experience is scant. Although Dr Miller has performed right ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis resection, this procedure differs from left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis resection, and he cannot be sure that he will indeed be able to perform the procedure better than the high-volume surgeon. This ethical situation is best understood in terms of the principles of respect for patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The tension between the imperatives of beneficence and the obligation to respect the autonomy of the patient by acting only with the patient's best interest in mind is discussed.

Green Synthesis of Nanocrystals and Nanocomposites

EPA Science Inventory

Metal nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention because of their unique magnetic, optical, electrical, and catalytic properties and their potential applications in nanoelectronics as well as in various wet chemical synthesis methods. There is also great interest in synt...

Game theory and traffic assignment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-01

Traffic assignment is used to determine the number of users on roadway links in a network. While this problem has : been widely studied in transportation literature, its use of the concept of equilibrium has attracted considerable interest : in the f...

Statistical considerations for agroforestry studies

Treesearch

James A. Baldwin

1993-01-01

Statistical topics that related to agroforestry studies are discussed. These included study objectives, populations of interest, sampling schemes, sample sizes, estimation vs. hypothesis testing, and P-values. In addition, a relatively new and very much improved histogram display is described.

WASTE REDUCTION USING COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN TOOLS

EPA Science Inventory

Growing environmental concerns have spurred considerable interest in pollution prevention. In most instances, pollution prevention involves introducing radical changes to the design of processes so that waste generation is minimized.
Process simulators can be effective tools i...

WASTEWATER RENOVATION AND RETRIEVAL ON CAPE COD

EPA Science Inventory

A rapidly increasing population on maritime Cape Cod has generated considerable interest in alternative wastewater disposal techniques which promise to maintain high groundwater quality and promote its conservation. The authors undertake an assessment of agricultural spray-irriga...

Between self-interest and reciprocity: the social bright side of self-control failure.

PubMed

Halali, Eliran; Bereby-Meyer, Yoella; Meiran, Nachshon

2014-04-01

Despite the importance of reciprocity in many areas of social life, little is known about possible factors affecting it and its interplay with the self-interest motive to maximize one's own gains. In this study, we examined the role of cognitive control in reciprocal behavior to determine whether it is a deliberate and controlled act or whether the behavior is evoked automatically. In Experiment 1, depletion of cognitive control resources increased the rate of rejected unfair offers in the ultimatum game despite associated financial loss. In Experiments 2A and 2B, using 2 depletion manipulations, we extended these results and showed that depleted participants returned more money in response to highly trusting investments during the trust game. These results suggest that reciprocity considerations are actively suppressed when attempting to maximize one's own gains. When cognitive control is limited, this suppression becomes difficult, and consequently reciprocity considerations prevail.

μ SR Investigation of Superconducting PbTaSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Murray; Hallas, Alannah; Cai, Yipeng; Guo, Shengli; Gong, Zizhou; Ali, Mazhar; Cava, Robert; Uemura, Yasutomo; Luke, Graeme

Noncentrosymmetric superconductors are a topic of considerable interest in the condensed matter physics community. These materials have the potential to exhibit exotic superconducting states, particularly in the presence of strong spin orbit coupling. PbTaSe2 is a noncentrosymmetric material which has very strong spin orbit coupling, and is superconducting with a TC of 3.6 K. Previous studies of this material have identified exotic properties such as Dirac cones gapped by spin-orbit coupling, a topological semi-metal state, and possible multi-band superconductivity. To further explore this material, it is of considerable interest to investigate the pairing symmetry of the superconducting state, and determine whether odd-parity superconductivity may exist. In this talk we will present a μSR investigation of the penetration depth temperature dependece to infer the pairing symmetry. We will also present zero field μSR measurements which suggest that this material has an even-parity superconducting state.

Plasma Vehicle Charging Analysis for Orion Flight Test 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lallement, L.; McDonald, T.; Norgard, J.; Scully, B.

2014-01-01

In preparation for the upcoming experimental test flight for the Orion crew module, considerable interest was raised over the possibility of exposure to elevated levels of plasma activity and vehicle charging both externally on surfaces and internally on dielectrics during the flight test orbital operations. Initial analysis using NASCAP-2K indicated very high levels of exposure, and this generated additional interest in refining/defining the plasma and spacecraft models used in the analysis. This refinement was pursued, resulting in the use of specific AE8 and AP8 models, rather than SCATHA models, as well as consideration of flight trajectory, time duration, and other parameters possibly affecting the levels of exposure and the magnitude of charge deposition. Analysis using these refined models strongly indicated that, for flight test operations, no special surface coatings were necessary for the thermal protection system, but would definitely be required for future GEO, trans-lunar, and extra-lunar missions...

Plasma Vehicle Charging Analysis for Orion Flight Test 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scully, B.; Norgard, J.

2015-01-01

In preparation for the upcoming experimental test flight for the Orion crew module, considerable interest was raised over the possibility of exposure to elevated levels of plasma activity and vehicle charging both externally on surfaces and internally on dielectrics during the flight test orbital operations. Initial analysis using NASCAP-2K indicated very high levels of exposure, and this generated additional interest in refining/defining the plasma and spacecraft models used in the analysis. This refinement was pursued, resulting in the use of specific AE8 and AP8 models, rather than SCATHA models, as well as consideration of flight trajectory, time duration, and other parameters possibly affecting the levels of exposure and the magnitude of charge deposition. Analysis using these refined models strongly indicated that, for flight test operations, no special surface coatings were necessary for the Thermal Protection System (TPS), but would definitely be required for future GEO, trans-lunar, and extra-lunar missions.

Ground Water Technical Considerations during the Five-Year Review Process

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This issue paper has been developed to highlight technical considerations as well as technical resources available to Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) in conducting Five-Year Reviews (FYRs) at CERCLA1 sites with contaminated groundwater.

Oral insulin reloaded: a structured approach.

PubMed

Zijlstra, Eric; Heinemann, Lutz; Plum-Mörschel, Leona

2014-05-01

Optimal coverage of insulin needs is the paramount aim of insulin replacement therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus. To apply insulin without breaking the skin barrier by a needle and/or to allow a more physiological provision of insulin are the main reasons triggering the continuous search for alternative routes of insulin administration. Despite numerous attempts over the past 9 decades to develop an insulin pill, no insulin for oral dosing is commercially available. By way of a structured approach, we aim to provide a systematic update on the most recent developments toward an orally available insulin formulation with a clear focus on data from clinical-experimental and clinical studies. Thirteen companies that claim to be working on oral insulin formulations were identified. However, only 6 of these companies published new clinical trial results within the past 5 years. Interestingly, these clinical data reports make up a mere 4% of the considerably high total number of publications on the development of oral insulin formulations within this time period. While this picture clearly reflects the rising research interest in orally bioavailable insulin formulations, it also highlights the fact that the lion's share of research efforts is still allocated to the preclinical stages. © 2014 Diabetes Technology Society.

Integrating text mining, data mining, and network analysis for identifying genetic breast cancer trends.

PubMed

Jurca, Gabriela; Addam, Omar; Aksac, Alper; Gao, Shang; Özyer, Tansel; Demetrick, Douglas; Alhajj, Reda

2016-04-26

Breast cancer is a serious disease which affects many women and may lead to death. It has received considerable attention from the research community. Thus, biomedical researchers aim to find genetic biomarkers indicative of the disease. Novel biomarkers can be elucidated from the existing literature. However, the vast amount of scientific publications on breast cancer make this a daunting task. This paper presents a framework which investigates existing literature data for informative discoveries. It integrates text mining and social network analysis in order to identify new potential biomarkers for breast cancer. We utilized PubMed for the testing. We investigated gene-gene interactions, as well as novel interactions such as gene-year, gene-country, and abstract-country to find out how the discoveries varied over time and how overlapping/diverse are the discoveries and the interest of various research groups in different countries. Interesting trends have been identified and discussed, e.g., different genes are highlighted in relationship to different countries though the various genes were found to share functionality. Some text analysis based results have been validated against results from other tools that predict gene-gene relations and gene functions.

50-plus years of fungal viruses

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

Ghabrial, Said A., E-mail: saghab00@email.uky.edu; Castón, José R.; Jiang, Daohong

2015-05-15

Mycoviruses are widespread in all major taxa of fungi. They are transmitted intracellularly during cell division, sporogenesis, and/or cell-to-cell fusion (hyphal anastomosis), and thus their life cycles generally lack an extracellular phase. Their natural host ranges are limited to individuals within the same or closely related vegetative compatibility groups, although recent advances have established expanded experimental host ranges for some mycoviruses. Most known mycoviruses have dsRNA genomes packaged in isometric particles, but an increasing number of positive- or negative-strand ssRNA and ssDNA viruses have been isolated and characterized. Although many mycoviruses do not have marked effects on their hosts, thosemore » that reduce the virulence of their phytopathogenic fungal hosts are of considerable interest for development of novel biocontrol strategies. Mycoviruses that infect endophytic fungi and those that encode killer toxins are also of special interest. Structural analyses of mycoviruses have promoted better understanding of virus assembly, function, and evolution. - Highlights: • Historical perspective of fungal virus research. • Description, classification and diversity of fungal virus families. • Structural features of fungal virus particles. • Hypovirulence and exploitation of mycoviruses in biological control of plant pathogenic fungi.« less

Working Group 1: Current plans of various organisations for lunar activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balsiger, H.; Pilcher, C.

1994-01-01

Summaries of presentations by representatives of several space agencies and the International Academy of Astronautics concerning lunar activities are presented. Participating space agencies reported two different types of lunar planning, long term planning and scenarios and lunar missions competing within regular programs. The long term plans of the various agencies look remarkably similar. They all involve a phased approach (coincidentally all incorporating four phases) and all address three prime scientific elements: science of, on, and from the Moon. The missions under consideration by the second group of agencies could readily fit as elements in the longer term program. There is great interest in lunar astronomy. There is a great deal of potential infrastructure and lunar transport capability already available. There is also a wide range of interesting technological developments that could form part of a lunar program. A well concerted and coordinated international effort could lead to an affordable program. Recommendations are: an international conference on lunar exploration should be held every other year; an electronic network should be established for the daily exchange of information; and a mechanism should be established for regular working level coordination of activities.

A second chance for telomerase reverse transcriptase in anticancer immunotherapy.

PubMed

Zanetti, Maurizio

2017-02-01

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is a self-antigen that is expressed constitutively in many tumours, and is, therefore, an important target for anticancer immunotherapy. In the past 10 years, trials of immunotherapy with TERT-based vaccines have demonstrated only modest benefits. In this Perspectives, I discuss the possible immunological reasons for this limited antitumour efficacy, and propose that advances in our understanding of the genetics and biology of the involvement of TERT in cancer provides the basis for renewed interest in TERT- based immunotherapy. Telomerase and TERT are expressed in cancer cells at every stage of tumour evolution, from the cancer stem cell to circulating tumour cells and tumour metastases. Many cancer types also harbour cells with mutations in the TERT promoter region, which increase transcriptional activation of this gene. These new findings should spur new interest in the development of TERT-based immunotherapies that are redesigned in line with established immunological considerations and working principles, and are tailored to patients stratified on the basis of TERT-promoter mutations and other underlying tumour characteristics. Thus, despite the disappointment of previous clinical trials, TERT offers the potential for personalized immunotherapy, perhaps in combination with immune-checkpoint inhibition.

Chalcone Derivatives: Anti-inflammatory Potential and Molecular Targets Perspectives.

PubMed

Mahapatra, Debarshi Kar; Bharti, Sanjay Kumar; Asati, Vivek

2017-11-20

Chalcone or (E)-1,3-diphenyl-2-propene-1-one scaffold has gained considerable scientific interest in medicinal chemistry owing to its simple chemistry, ease in synthesizing a variety of derivatives and exhibiting a broad range of promising pharmacological activities by modulating several molecular targets. A number of natural and (semi-) synthetic chalcone derivatives have demonstrated admirable anti-inflammatory activity due to their inhibitory potential against various therapeutic targets like Cyclooxygenase (COX), Lipooxygenase (LOX), Interleukins (IL), Prostaglandins (PGs), Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), Leukotriene D4 (LTD4), Nuclear Factor-κB (NF- κB), Intracellular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1), Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) and TLR4/MD-2, etc. The chalcone scaffold with hydroxyl, methoxyl, carboxyl, prenyl group and/or heterocyclic ring substitution like thiophene/furan/indole showed promising anti-inflammatory activity. In this review, a comprehensive study (from the year 1991 to 2016) on multi-targets of inflammatory interest, related inflammation reactions and their treatment by chalcone-based inhibitors acting on various molecular targets entailed in inflammation, Structure-Activity Relationships (SARs), Mechanism of Actions (MOAs), and patents are highlighted. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Art and architecture as experience: an alternative approach to bridging art history and the neurosciences.

PubMed

Zschocke, Nina

2012-08-01

In 1972, Michael Baxandal characterizes the processes responsible for the cultural relativism of art experience as highly complex and unknown in their physiological detail. While art history still shows considerable interest in the brain sciences forty years later, most cross-disciplinary studies today are referring to the neurosciences in an attempt to seek scientific legitimization of variations of a generalized and largely deterministic model of perception, reducing interaction between a work of art and its observers to a set of biological automatisms. I will challenge such an approach and take up art theory's interest in the historico-cultural and situational dimensions of art experience. Looking at two examples of large-scale installation and sculptural post-war American art, I will explore instable perceptions of depth and changing experiences of space that indicate complex interactions between perceptual and higher cognitive processes. The argument will draw on recent theories describing neuronal processes underlying multistable phenomena, eye movement, visual attention and decision-making. As I will show a large number of neuroscientific studies provide theoretical models that help us analyse not the anthropological constants but the influence of cultural, individual and situational variables on aesthetic experience.

[Approaches and problems in vaccine development against leishmaniasis].

PubMed

Allahverdiyev, Adil; Bağirova, Melahat; Cakir Koç, Rabia; Oztel, Olga Nehir; Elçıçek, Serhat; Ateş, Sezen Canım; Karaca, Tuğçe Deniz

2010-01-01

Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem of the world and Turkey. Recently there has been increasing interest in vaccine studies among strategies for control of leishmaniasis. Recently the increase of interest in vaccine studies among leishmaniasis control strategies makes the subject more up to date. So the aim of this review is to present information about recent vaccine studies, problems and new strategies for vaccine development studies. There are 3 generations of vaccine against leishmaniasis. First-generation vaccines are killed or live attenuated parasites; second-generation vaccines are recombinant or native antigens and live genetically modified parasites (knock out and suicidal cassettes), third generation vaccines are DNA vaccines. Also vector salivary proteins, dendritic cells and non-pathogenic L. tarentolae have been used as vaccine candidates. However there is still no effective vaccine against leishmaniasis. Since polymer conjugates considerably increase immunogenicity, polymer based vaccine studies have gained importance in recent years. However, there has not been such a study for an antileishmanial vaccine yet. LPG, surface antigen of Leishmania promastigotes, and polymer conjugates may be promising in antileishmanial vaccine studies so we are carrying out a TUBITAK Project on this subject which has been given the number, 1085170SBAG-4007.

Comments on “Anonymous reviewers” [“Anonymous reviews: Self-serving, counterproductive, and unacceptable”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinove, Charles J.

Mryl Beck's Forum article denouncing anonymous reviews (Eos, 1 July 2003) is right on the money. Perhaps he read my letter in Applied Physics in 1990 also denouncing anonymous reviews.Some years ago, I received an anonymous review of a paper I had submitted for journal publication. The reviewer raised such interesting questions that I wanted to discuss them with him. I phoned the editor of the journal and asked if he would tell me the name of the reviewer. He politely declined, but when I told him I thought I recognized the handwriting of the reviewer and named him, he relented and said I was correct! I called the reviewer and he was generous enough to spend a wonderful hour on the phone with me discussing the paper. The paper was published with great consideration given to his ideas, much to its betterment. Now that's a reviewer whose interest is in improving the paper and helping the author, not just showing how smart he is or slapping down a junior colleague. The AGU motto,“unselfish cooperation in research,” can be well exemplified by those who wish to help rather than to tear down.

I was being myself but being an actor too: the experience of a Black male in interracial psychotherapy.

PubMed

Qureshi, Adil

2007-12-01

In recent years, investigators have indicated that the psychotherapy process is of considerable importance in the context of interracial psychotherapy. Despite the interest in the area, minimal research has examined how racial difference impacts the psychotherapy process. This study examines the lived experience of interracial psychodynamic psychotherapy via an in-depth interview with an African-American man who had been in therapy with a European American therapist. This qualitative study utilizes a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, which accepts that understanding is contingent on both sociohistorical situatedness and relational dynamics. The study participant was chosen because of his interest in the area and willingness to explore it in detail with the interviewer. A number of themes emerged, the most salient of which are the multidimensionality of the experience and the 'absent presence' of race in the therapy process. This client's experience was both positive and negative, and in many cases, the same process-related variables contributed both positively and negatively to the client's therapeutic experience. Issues of trust, perceived cultural issues and therapy focus contributed to and detracted from the therapy experience. The depth of the therapy experience was limited by the therapist not explicitly addressing race.

Developments in the field of allergy in 2009 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy.

PubMed

Chu, H W; Lloyd, C M; Karmaus, W; Maestrelli, P; Mason, P; Salcedo, G; Thaikoottathil, J; Wardlaw, A J

2010-11-01

In 2009 the journal published in the region of 200 papers including reviews, editorials, opinion pieces and original papers that ran the full gamut of allergic disease. It is instructive to take stock of this output to determine patterns of interest and where the cutting edge lies. We have surveyed the field of allergic disease as seen through the pages of Clinical and Experimental Allergy (CEA) highlighting trends, emphasizing notable observations and placing discoveries in the context of other key papers published during the year. The review is divided into similar sections as the journal. In the field of Asthma and Rhinitis CEA has contributed significantly to the debate about asthma phenotypes and expressed opinions about the cause of intrinsic asthma. It has also added its halfpennyworth to the hunt for meaningful biomarkers. In Mechanisms the considerable interest in T cell subsets including Th17 and T regulatory cells continues apace and the discipline of Epidemiology continues to invoke a steady stream of papers on risk factors for asthma with investigators still trying to explain the post-second world war epidemic of allergic disease. Experimental Models continue to make important contributions to our understanding of pathogenesis of allergic disease and in the Clinical Allergy section various angles on immunotherapy are explored. New allergens continue to be described in the allergens section to make those allergen chips even more complicated. A rich and vibrant year helpfully summarized by some of our associate editors. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Blood transfusion at the time of the First World War--practice and promise at the birth of transfusion medicine.

PubMed

Boulton, F; Roberts, D J

2014-12-01

The centenary of the start of the First World War has stirred considerable interest in the political, social, military and human factors of the time and how they interacted to produce and sustain the material and human destruction in the 4 years of the war and beyond. Medical practice may appear distant and static and perhaps seems to have been somewhat ineffectual in the face of so much trauma and in the light of the enormous advances in medicine and surgery over the last century. However, this is an illusion of time and of course medical, surgical and psychiatric knowledge and procedures were developing rapidly at the time and the war years accelerated implementation of many important advances. Transfusion practice lay at the heart of resuscitation, and although direct transfusion from donor to recipient was still used, Geoffrey Keynes from Britain, Oswald Robertson from America and his namesake Lawrence Bruce Robertson from Canada, developed methods for indirect transfusion from donor to recipient by storing blood in bottles and also blood-banking that laid the foundation of modern transfusion medicine. This review explores the historical setting behind the development of blood transfusion up to the start of the First World War and on how they progressed during the war and afterwards. A fresh look may renew interest in how a novel medical speciality responded to the needs of war and of post-war society. © 2015 British Blood Transfusion Society.

Developments in the field of allergy in 2009 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy

PubMed Central

Chu, H. W.; Lloyd, C. M.; Karmaus, W.; Maestrelli, P.; Mason, P.; Salcedo, G.; Thaikoottathil, J.; Wardlaw, A. J.

2012-01-01

Summary In 2009 the journal published in the region of 200 papers including reviews, editorials, opinion pieces and original papers that ran the full gamut of allergic disease. It is instructive to take stock of this output to determine patterns of interest and where the cutting edge lies. We have surveyed the field of allergic disease as seen through the pages of Clinical and Experimental Allergy (CEA) highlighting trends, emphasizing notable observations and placing discoveries in the context of other key papers published during the year. The review is divided into similar sections as the journal. In the field of Asthma and Rhinitis CEA has contributed significantly to the debate about asthma phenotypes and expressed opinions about the cause of intrinsic asthma. It has also added its halfpennyworth to the hunt for meaningful biomarkers. In Mechanisms the considerable interest in T cell subsets including Th17 and T regulatory cells continues apace and the discipline of Epidemiology continues to invoke a steady stream of papers on risk factors for asthma with investigators still trying to explain the post-second world war epidemic of allergic disease. Experimental Models continue to make important contributions to our understanding of pathogenesis of allergic disease and in the Clinical Allergy section various angles on immunotherapy are explored. New allergens continue to be described in the allergens section to make those allergen chips even more complicated. A rich and vibrant year helpfully summarized by some of our associate editors. PMID:21039970

Assessing the Impacts of Revising the Tobacco Products Directive

PubMed Central

Tiessen, Jan; Hunt, Priscillia; Celia, Claire; Fazekas, Mihaly; de Vries, Han; Staetsky, Laura; Diepeveen, Stephanie; Rabinovich, Lila; Ridsdale, Helen; Ling, Tom

2011-01-01

Abstract Tobacco use is one of the largest avoidable causes of morbidity and premature death in the EU. Whilst smoking prevalence in the EU has been declining over the past 30 years, smoking has remained more prevalent among men than women in the EU-27, with some of the new Member States reporting the widest gaps between male and female smokers. For young smokers (13 to 15 years old) this situation is somewhat reversed, with slightly more girls than boys smoking. Against this background, the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) considered a revision of the Tobacco Products Directive 2001/37/EC across five general areas: scope of the directive, labelling requirements, registration and market control fees, ingredients, and sales arrangements. More specifically, the types of policy options under consideration included (but were not limited to): an increase of warning label sizes on the back of packaging to 100%, a restriction for the display of products at retail outlets and an introduction of additional measurement method for TNCO (the modified ISO method) with maximum limits set accordingly. DG SANCO commissioned RAND Europe to provide support in assessing the potential health, macroeconomic, and compliance cost and administrative burden impacts of revising the Tobacco Products Directive. In addition to assessing impacts, the study provides an up-to-date overview of the evidence and basis for current tobacco product regulation that may be of interest to a wider audience interested in tobacco control policies. PMID:28083169

Information Dominance: Why the Army is Interested in Space Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

2002 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2002 to 00-00-2002 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Information Dominance : Why the Army is Interested in Space... dominance is a great consideration during all phases of the conflict. It is worth noting that information dominance in itself is not the end-all...goal but rather a key contributor in establishing decision superiority at all points in the conflict time line. The Information Dominance : Why the

Looking Back and Looking Forward: Reprising the Promise and Predicting the Future of Formation Flying and Spaceborne GPS Navigation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Frank H.; Dennehy, Neil

2015-01-01

A retrospective consideration of two 15-year old Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) technology 'vision' predictions will be the focus of this paper. A look back analysis and critique of these late 1990s technology roadmaps out-lining the future vision, for two then nascent, but rapidly emerging, GN&C technologies will be performed. Specifically, these two GN&C technologies were: 1) multi-spacecraft formation flying and 2) the spaceborne use and exploitation of global positioning system (GPS) signals to enable formation flying. This paper reprises the promise of formation flying and spaceborne GPS as depicted in the cited 1999 and 1998 papers. It will discuss what happened to cause that promise to be mostly unfulfilled and the reasons why the envisioned formation flying dream has yet to become a reality. The recent technology trends over the past few years will then be identified and a renewed government interest in spacecraft formation flying/cluster flight will be highlighted. The authors will conclude with a reality-tempered perspective, 15 years after the initial technology roadmaps were published, predicting a promising future of spacecraft formation flying technology development over the next decade.

The variability in adherence to dietary treatment and quality of weight loss: overweight and obesity.

PubMed

Reig García-Galbis, Manuel; Cortés Castell, Ernesto; Rizo Baeza, Mercedes; Gutiérrez Hervás, Ana

2015-05-01

Observation of weight loss and the maximum time that individualized dietary treatment qualitative and quantitative is shown to be effective. 4625 consultations were conducted with 616 patients over 25 years old, in the nutrition consultation, using the qualitative and quantitative individualized dietary treatment. As a result we controlled the weight loss, the fat and the quality and variability of the loss, monthly according to sex, age and BMI in an urban area of southeastern Spain. A low level of abandonment was proved in men, patients older than 45 years old compared to obese showed a higher degree. The quality of the loss was greater in men under 45 years old, overweight patients, however, more research is needed in this area. Measuring the waist and hips has led to an increasing interest in measuring indicators of body fat. The individualized dietary treatment has been proved to be effective for six months and then a multidisciplinary mode of this treatment is recommended. The use of new ways to assess weight loss is proposed taking into consideration the quality and variability of loss, regardless of the treatment used. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Third molar observations in a sample of British male young offenders.

PubMed

Andrews, Sally E

2015-07-01

Development, morphology and eruption of third molars are highly variable, and it is generally accepted that the emergence time is between the ages of 17 and 21 years. This study reports on variation in timing encountered in a sample of 155 young males (15-18 years) of British nationality who were detained at Her Majesty's Prison and Young Offenders Institution (HMP&YOI) Ashfield as young offenders. All 155 participants were self-reported in terms of their chronological age and their ethnic origin. Of the 17 year-olds, 68% of Black males displayed one or more erupted third molars compared to 39% of the White males. For those who were of mixed ancestry, 50% showed evidence of eruption of at least one third molar in this age group. This difference between Black and White ethnicity was further supported when missing first or second molars were taken into consideration. Whilst it has been suggested in the literature that ethnicity plays no major part in eruption timings for the third molars, this clinical observation poses some interesting questions about the accuracy of dental age assessment. Copyright © 2015 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A half century of scalloping in the work habits of the United States Congress.

PubMed Central

Critchfield, Thomas S; Haley, Rebecca; Sabo, Benjamin; Colbert, Jorie; Macropoulis, Georgette

2003-01-01

It has been suggested that the work environment of the United States Congress bears similarity to a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule. Consistent with this notion, Weisberg and Waldrop (1972) described a positively accelerating pattern in annual congressional bill production (selected years from 1947 to 1968) that is reminiscent of the scalloped response pattern often attributed to fixed-interval schedules, but their analysis is now dated and does not bear on the functional relations that might yield scalloping. The present study described annual congressional bill production over a period of 52 years and empirically evaluated predictions derived from four hypotheses about the mechanisms that underlie scalloping. Scalloping occurred reliably in every year. The data supported several predictions about congressional productivity based on fixed-interval schedule performance, but did not consistently support any of three alternative accounts. These findings argue for the external validity of schedule-controlled operant behavior as measured in the laboratory. The present analysis also illustrates a largely overlooked role for applied behavior analysis: that of shedding light on the functional properties of behavior in uncontrolled settings of considerable interest to the public. PMID:14768667

Neonatal and Pediatric Organ Donation: Ethical Perspectives and Implications for Policy.

PubMed

Sarnaik, Ajit A

2015-01-01

The lifesaving processes of organ donation and transplantation in neonatology and pediatrics carry important ethical considerations. The medical community must balance the principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice to ensure the best interest of the potential donor and to provide equitable benefit to society. Accordingly, the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) has established procedures for the ethical allocation of organs depending on several donor-specific and recipient-specific factors. To maximize the availability of transplantable organs and opportunities for dying patients and families to donate, the US government has mandated that hospitals refer potential donors in a timely manner. Expedient investigation and diagnosis of brain death where applicable are also crucial, especially in neonates. Empowering trained individuals from organ procurement organizations to discuss organ donation with families has also increased rates of consent. Other efforts to increase organ supply include recovery from donors who die by circulatory criteria (DCDD) in addition to donation after brain death (DBD), and from neonates born with immediately lethal conditions such as anencephaly. Ethical considerations in DCDD compared to DBD include a potential conflict of interest between the dying patient and others who may benefit from the organs, and the precision of the declaration of death of the donor. Most clinicians and ethicists believe in the appropriateness of the Dead Donor Rule, which states that vital organs should only be recovered from people who have died. The medical community can maximize the interests of organ donors and recipients by observing the Dead Donor Rule and acknowledging the ethical considerations in organ donation.

Neonatal and Pediatric Organ Donation: Ethical Perspectives and Implications for Policy

PubMed Central

Sarnaik, Ajit A.

2015-01-01

The lifesaving processes of organ donation and transplantation in neonatology and pediatrics carry important ethical considerations. The medical community must balance the principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice to ensure the best interest of the potential donor and to provide equitable benefit to society. Accordingly, the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) has established procedures for the ethical allocation of organs depending on several donor-specific and recipient-specific factors. To maximize the availability of transplantable organs and opportunities for dying patients and families to donate, the US government has mandated that hospitals refer potential donors in a timely manner. Expedient investigation and diagnosis of brain death where applicable are also crucial, especially in neonates. Empowering trained individuals from organ procurement organizations to discuss organ donation with families has also increased rates of consent. Other efforts to increase organ supply include recovery from donors who die by circulatory criteria (DCDD) in addition to donation after brain death (DBD), and from neonates born with immediately lethal conditions such as anencephaly. Ethical considerations in DCDD compared to DBD include a potential conflict of interest between the dying patient and others who may benefit from the organs, and the precision of the declaration of death of the donor. Most clinicians and ethicists believe in the appropriateness of the Dead Donor Rule, which states that vital organs should only be recovered from people who have died. The medical community can maximize the interests of organ donors and recipients by observing the Dead Donor Rule and acknowledging the ethical considerations in organ donation. PMID:26636051

Superior Disembedding Performance in Childhood Predicts Adolescent Severity of Repetitive Behaviors: A Seven Years Follow-Up of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Eussen, Mart L J M; Van Gool, Arthur R; Louwerse, Anneke; Verhulst, Frank C; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin

2016-02-01

Previous research suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a detail-focused cognitive style. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to investigate whether this detail-focused cognitive style in childhood predicted a higher symptom severity of repetitive and restrictive behaviors and interests (RRBI) in adolescence. The Childhood Embedded Figures Test (CEFT) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were administered in 87 children with ASD at the age of 6-12 years old (T1), and the ADOS was readministered 7 years later when the participants were 12-19 years old (T2). Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate whether accuracy and reaction time in the complex versus simple CEFT condition and performance in the complex condition predicted T2 ADOS RRBI calibrated severity scores (CSS), while taking into consideration relevant covariates and ADOS RRBI CSS at T1. The CEFT performance (accuracy in the complex condition divided by the time needed) significantly predicted higher ADOS RRBI CSS at T2 (ΔR(2)  = 15%). This finding further supports the detail-focused cognitive style in individuals with ASD, and shows that it is also predictive of future RRBI symptoms over time. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The use of pedometers for monitoring physical activity in children and adolescents: measurement considerations.

PubMed

Clemes, Stacy A; Biddle, Stuart J H

2013-02-01

Pedometers are increasingly being used to measure physical activity in children and adolescents. This review provides an overview of common measurement issues relating to their use. Studies addressing the following measurement issues in children/adolescents (aged 3-18 years) were included: pedometer validity and reliability, monitoring period, wear time, reactivity, and data treatment and reporting. Pedometer surveillance studies in children/adolescents (aged: 4-18 years) were also included to enable common measurement protocols to be highlighted. In children > 5 years, pedometers provide a valid and reliable, objective measure of ambulatory activity. Further evidence is required on pedometer validity in preschool children. Across all ages, optimal monitoring frames to detect habitual activity have yet to be determined; most surveillance studies use 7 days. It is recommended that standardized wear time criteria are established for different age groups, and that wear times are reported. As activity varies between weekdays and weekend days, researchers interested in habitual activity should include both types of day in surveillance studies. There is conflicting evidence on the presence of reactivity to pedometers. Pedometers are a suitable tool to objectively assess ambulatory activity in children (> 5 years) and adolescents. This review provides recommendations to enhance the standardization of measurement protocols.

Older persons' experiences of what influences their vitality - a study of 65- and 75-year-olds in Finland and Sweden.

PubMed

Söderbacka, Tina; Nyström, Lisbet; Fagerström, Lisbeth

2017-06-01

Throughout the world, life expectancy has noticeably increased during the past decade, and health promotive initiatives for older persons will therefore become ever more important. During the past few years, interest in what constitutes the source of health for human beings has markedly increased in health science research. An interesting and relatively unresearched domain is what provides older persons the strength and energy to look forward and what positively or negatively influences older persons' vitality. The aim of the study was to explore and describe older persons' vitality and their subjective experiences of what influences their vitality, despite disease and suffering. The study has an explorative and descriptive design. A comprehensive questionnaire including two open-ended questions about vitality was sent to 4927 older persons aged 65 and 75, and a total of 2579 responded to the open-ended questions. Qualitative content analyses were used. A safe and confirming communion, meaningful activities, an optimal state of health and an inner strength were important sources of vitality. Ageing that includes illness or a restricted life, happenings in the world and in one's close environment that threaten inner meaningfulness, and mental burdens that give rise to a feeling of hopelessness or depression decrease vitality. Vitality is an important health resource for 65- and 75-year-olds in that it influences a person's longing for life, love and meaning. Accordingly, it is of fundamental importance that Registered Nurses and other healthcare personnel strengthen older persons' vitality during the ageing process. By taking into consideration that which positively vs. negatively affects the vitality of each unique person, healthcare personnel can strengthen each older person's health resources and attempt to minimise and limit what negatively influences said person's vitality. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Is it really all about the money? Reconsidering non-financial interests in medical research.

PubMed

Saver, Richard S

2012-01-01

Concern about financial conflicts crowds out sufficient consideration of other interests that may bias research conduct. Regulations, institutional policies, and guidance from professional bodies and medical journals all primarily focus on financial ties. But why? Economic gain is not the only powerful influence. This article argues that we under-prioritize non-financial interests in the regulation of medical research. It critiques the usual reasons given for regulating financial and non-financial interests differently - that the interests contrast in terms of tangibility, that financial interests are optional, and that financial interests can be efficiently carved out as a discrete area of focus. Moreover, disparate regulatory treatment seems inattentive to the very similar social and psychological forces that animate the bias effect of both financial and non-financial interests and fails to account for how financial and non-financial interests synergistically interact. Under-prioritization of non-financial interests threatens to erode public trust and creates negative spillover effects that weaken financial conflicts regulation. Optimal regulation requires a more integrated, balanced, and proportionate response to secondary interests in medical research. © 2012 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

The doctor as businessman: the changing politics of a cultural icon.

PubMed

Stone, D A

1997-04-01

From just after the Civil War, when medicine began to professionalize, until the late 1970s, doctors and policy makers believed that clinical judgment should not be influenced by the financial interests of doctors. Physicians were highly entrepreneurial, and organized medicine fought to preserve their entrepreneurial interests, but the moral norm that justified their autonomy from state regulation was a strict separation of clinical judgment and pecuniary interests. Under managed care, the old norm is reversed. A good doctor takes financial considerations into account in making clinical decisions. Theoretically, doctors should consider measures of cost to society, but in practice, the payment systems of managed care plans induce doctors to consider the impact of each clinical decision on their own income. Because doctors share the risks of insuring patients with managed care plans, they have the same incentives as insurers to avoid patients who are expensively sick. The new cultural image of doctors as entrepreneurs masks their considerable loss of clinical autonomy under managed care. It also serves to persuade doctors to accept managed care arrangements and to persuade insurance consumers and patients to accept reduced benefits from employers and the government.

Role of curcumin in health and disease.

PubMed

Pari, Leelavinothan; Tewas, Daniel; Eckel, Juergen

2008-04-01

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a spice often found in curry powder. In recent years, considerable interest has been focused on curcumin due to its use to treat a wide variety of disorders without any side effects. It is one of the major curcuminoids of turmeric, which impart its characteristic yellow colour. It was used in ancient times on the Indian subcontinent to treat various illnesses such as rheumatism, body ache, skin diseases, intestinal worms, diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, hepatic disorders, biliousness, urinary discharges, dyspepsia, inflammations, constipation, leukoderma, amenorrhea, and colic. Curcumin has the potential to treat a wide variety of inflammatory diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, psoriasis, etc, through modulation of numerous molecular targets. This article reviews the use of curcumin for the chemoprevention and treatment of various diseases.

Analysis of Generator Oscillation Characteristics Based on Multiple Synchronized Phasor Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashiguchi, Takuhei; Yoshimoto, Masamichi; Mitani, Yasunori; Saeki, Osamu; Tsuji, Kiichiro

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the on-line measurement, such as observation of power system dynamics and evaluation of machine parameters. On-line methods are particularly attractive since the machine’s service need not be interrupted and parameter estimation is performed by processing measurements obtained during the normal operation of the machine. Authors placed PMU (Phasor Measurement Unit) connected to 100V outlets in some Universities in the 60Hz power system and examine oscillation characteristics in power system. PMU is synchronized based on the global positioning system (GPS) and measured data are transmitted via Internet. This paper describes an application of PMU for generator oscillation analysis. The purpose of this paper is to show methods for processing phase difference and to estimate damping coeffcient and natural angular frequency from phase difference at steady state.

Nature of the Band Gap and Origin of the Electro-/Photo-Activity of Co3O4

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

Qiao, L.; Xiao, Haiyan Y.; Meyer, H. M.

2013-08-21

Co3O4 exhibits intriguing physical, chemical and catalytic properties and has demonstrated great potential for next-generation renewable energy applications. These interesting properties and promising applications are underpinned by its electronic structure and optical properties, which are unfortunately poorly understood and the subject of considerable debate over many years. Here, we unveil a consistent electronic structural description of Co3O4 by synergetic infrared optical and in situ photoemission spectroscopy as well as standard density functional theory calculations. In contrast to previous assumptions, we demonstrate a much smaller fundamental band gap, which is directly related to its efficient electro-/photoactivity. The present results may helpmore » to advance the fundamental understanding and provide guidance for the use of oxidematerials in photocatalysis and solar applications.« less

Cardiac Emergencies in Neurosurgical Patients

PubMed Central

Petropolis, Andrea; Cappellani, Ronald B.

2015-01-01

Perioperative safety concerns are a major area of interest in recent years. Severe cardiac perturbation such as cardiac arrest is one of the most dreaded complications in the intraoperative period; however, little is known about the management of these events in the patients undergoing elective neurosurgery. This special group needs further attention, as it is often neither feasible nor appropriate to apply conventional advanced cardiac life support algorithms in patients undergoing neurosurgery. Factors such as neurosurgical procedure and positioning can also have a significant effect on the occurrence of cardiac arrest. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to describe the various causes and management of cardiac emergencies with special reference to cardiac arrest during elective neurosurgical procedures, including discussion of position-related factors and resuscitative considerations in these situations. This will help to formulate possible guidelines for management of such events. PMID:25692145

A Low Frequency Electromagnetic Sensor for Indirect Measurement of Glucose Concentration: In Vitro Experiments in Different Conductive Solutions

PubMed Central

Tura, Andrea; Sbrignadello, Stefano; Cianciavicchia, Domenico; Pacini, Giovanni; Ravazzani, Paolo

2010-01-01

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the study of glucose-induced dielectric property variations of human tissues as a possible approach for non-invasive glycaemia monitoring. We have developed an electromagnetic sensor, and we tested in vitro its ability to estimate variations in glucose concentration of different solutions with similarities to blood (sodium chloride and Ringer-lactate solutions), differing though in the lack of any cellular components. The sensor was able to detect the effect of glucose variations over a wide range of concentrations (∼78–5,000 mg/dL), with a sensitivity of ∼0.22 mV/(mg/dL). Our proposed system may thus be useful in a new approach for non-invasive and non-contact glucose monitoring. PMID:22219665

Artificial activation of toxin-antitoxin systems as an antibacterial strategy.

PubMed

Williams, Julia J; Hergenrother, Paul J

2012-06-01

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are unique modules that effect plasmid stabilization via post-segregational killing of the bacterial host. The genes encoding TA systems also exist on bacterial chromosomes, and it has been speculated that these are involved in a variety of cellular processes. Interest in TA systems has increased dramatically over the past 5 years as the ubiquitous nature of TA genes on bacterial genomes has been revealed. The exploitation of TA systems as an antibacterial strategy via artificial activation of the toxin has been proposed and has considerable potential; however, efforts in this area remain in the early stages and several major questions remain. This review investigates the tractability of targeting TA systems to kill bacteria, including fundamental requirements for success, recent advances, and challenges associated with artificial toxin activation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radio-frequency measurement in semiconductor quantum computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, TianYi; Chen, MingBo; Cao, Gang; Li, HaiOu; Xiao, Ming; Guo, GuoPing

2017-05-01

Semiconductor quantum dots have attracted wide interest for the potential realization of quantum computation. To realize efficient quantum computation, fast manipulation and the corresponding readout are necessary. In the past few decades, considerable progress of quantum manipulation has been achieved experimentally. To meet the requirements of high-speed readout, radio-frequency (RF) measurement has been developed in recent years, such as RF-QPC (radio-frequency quantum point contact) and RF-DGS (radio-frequency dispersive gate sensor). Here we specifically demonstrate the principle of the radio-frequency reflectometry, then review the development and applications of RF measurement, which provides a feasible way to achieve high-bandwidth readout in quantum coherent control and also enriches the methods to study these artificial mesoscopic quantum systems. Finally, we prospect the future usage of radio-frequency reflectometry in scaling-up of the quantum computing models.

Perinatal research and its support. Corporate contributions at McGill University.

PubMed

Little, B; Hamilton, E; Quillen, E; Watkin, K; Nuwayhid, B; Stripp, B

1994-05-01

Three technologic projects with potentially patentable end results are slowly evolving in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University and Royal Victoria Hospital. A tax shelter infusion of a significant amount of venture capital developed opportunities for all three projects over two years. The three projects--fetal heart rate tracing analysis related to fetal outcome, a distributed and intelligent data acquisition system and selected ultrasonic three dimensional imaging--were advanced considerably, and their results are expressed in outline. The effects of such infusions of business support into an environment of sparse research grant support have been extremely encouraging to the investigators, but the department, with its obligations of ongoing research, teaching and patient care, must develop the next steps with care, although one of the projects has been extended by an interested corporation.